logo
#

Latest news with #RobNewell

What Happens After The Championship? The Silent Struggle In Pro Sports
What Happens After The Championship? The Silent Struggle In Pro Sports

Forbes

time16-07-2025

  • Sport
  • Forbes

What Happens After The Championship? The Silent Struggle In Pro Sports

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 13: Jannick Sinner (ITA) [1] with the winner's trophy after winning his ... More Gentlemen's Singles Final match against Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) [2] during day fourteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images) When fans and sports analysts witness an incredible win in a championship game, they assume that the athlete is feeling pure joy for a while. But what happens in the days and weeks after the celebrations and media interviews? It's far less glamorous and quite often psychologically challenging. Wimbledon this past week was a great example of a Grand Slam title that one would assume would bring immense satisfaction and happiness to the winners. However, what many fans don't recognize is the months of preparation, hours of practice, and the tremendous pressure leading up to that single moment. After the win, athletes are often left with a 'what now?' mental hurdle. The emotional crash that follows high-stakes success is a common, yet frequently unaddressed, phenomenon in all professional sports. The Post-Competition Letdown: Why It Happens Winning on the world's biggest stages can paradoxically end up with athletes feeling lost. Sports psychiatrists and sport psychologists often refer to this as 'post-competition blues' or 'post-Olympic blues.' This phenomenon has been described as 'athletes who experience negative emotions and mental health issues following the Olympic games, and is characterized by a period marked by increased anxiety, depression, burnout, and challenges in adjusting back to everyday life,' according to BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation Journal. During this post-competition period, athletes may experience anxiety, depression, burnout, or other challenges. Outside of the winners, athletes who experience a loss and unmet expectations may experience more negative reactions. For some elite athletes, on the other hand, the emotional crash can be even more intense after a win than a loss. In some sports, there is a competition only a few times a year or maybe once a year, so when elite athletes spend the year preparing for a singular moment, including training, sacrificing, and identity-development around a goal, the 'what now?' feeling after achieving it can be destabilizing. 'I totally agree—when you work so hard for something and you finally achieve it, there is a what do I do now moment,' says Grand Slam tennis champion and humanitarian Sloane Stephens. 'Some people's lives completely change—you're a superstar, there's media, and so many things to do, so it's more off-court things that affect you on court,' she continues. 'It's so hard to be like, I had the most incredible moment of my life, but I still have to push and be better. That was my biggest struggle,' Stephens shares. Stephens' reflections mirror the research, where goal achievement can lead to a temporary collapse in sense of purpose. After a grand slam title, an NBA championship game, or the Super Bowl, routine and purpose suddenly pause, forcing athletes to confront the void that follows. It can feel like their structured and predictable routines are suddenly gone, which can be destabilizing from an emotional standpoint. The Psychology & Physiology of the Come-Down The mental and emotional come-down after athletes perform at their peak is not only psychological, but also a physiological response. High-pressure situations, like competitions, can put the body into states of hyperarousal, where the body is surging with cortisol, adrenaline, and dopamine. When the stressor, such as the Wimbledon championship, is gone, dopamine levels can then drop, and the nervous system is left to recalibrate. Stephens describes her own experiences after her Grand Slam win: This cycle of high-intensity buildup followed by emotional depletion isn't unique to tennis. Basketball players experience it after the NBA championships, NFL players go through it after the Super Bowl, and Olympians navigate it after the Olympic games. Another psychological factor playing into mental health challenges after winning is the external pressure and expectation to continue winning. Athletes often feel misunderstood by fans and the media, especially during the post-victory blues. Stephens says, 'The expectation is to continue to win. From a fan perspective, they don't know what's going on behind winning.' How to Overcome Post-Competition Blues The good news is that elite athletes and other high-performers can take proactive steps to reduce the chances of mental health disturbances after competition. Self-awareness is an incredibly important skill to develop to get ahead of the psychological impact of victory. Stephens says, 'Being able to identify when you're in this mode of next tournament/ next match—you can lose yourself sometimes. Over the years, I've learned how to care for myself in those ways.' For Stephens, self-awareness has been incredibly important. She uses a strategy she calls the '5 minutes of fury,' where she allows herself a brief window to stay exactly what she's feeling without a filter to get it off her chest to be able to move forward. Another important preventative measure athletes can take is preparing for life after sport. Since many athletes center their entire identity and self-worth around their sport, it leaves them more prone to feeling lost and destabilized when retirement comes. 'I definitely think that athletes are so focused during their careers that they never think there's a life after,' Stephens says. 'Exposing players and athletes to things they might be good at or interested in is a good way to help athletes figure out what they're interested in—giving them an opportunity.' Stephens founded the Sloane Stephens Foundation 12 years ago to provide mental health programming to under-resourced youth. This has truly given her a sense of purpose outside of the game, strengthening her identity beyond her role as a tennis player. Stephens' foundation is being honored at the ESPYs with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award to mark her impact in creating mental health equity in youth sports. Her story is such a great example of how athletes can find meaning and purpose beyond their sports to better prepare for transitions after grand slams. It gives life meaning and purpose after a big game is over. Sloane Stephens Foundation supports youth mental health. We Need to Redefine Winning The conversation around athlete mental health and well-being is rapidly evolving, yet there's still a lack of understanding regarding what happens after the win. Victory can pose its own set of new psychological challenges, and there should be more resources in place to support athletes not only when they're not meeting expectations, but also when they're exceeding them. That means redefining winning, not just as the moment of triumph, but as the athlete's sustained well-being after the game is over.

AI Appreciation Day spotlights progress, pitfalls & path ahead
AI Appreciation Day spotlights progress, pitfalls & path ahead

Techday NZ

time16-07-2025

  • Business
  • Techday NZ

AI Appreciation Day spotlights progress, pitfalls & path ahead

AI Appreciation Day offers an important opportunity to reflect on both the achievements and the challenges presented by artificial intelligence, with experts from across technology, legal, and cybersecurity sectors weighing in on AI's expanding impact and the responsible paths forward. Rob Newell, Group Vice President Solutions Consulting, Asia Pacific and Japan at New Relic, notes that artificial intelligence is increasingly woven into the operational fabric of organisations throughout the Asia Pacific region. "The value that organisations receive by augmenting human capabilities with AI are clear: there's significant cost and productivity efficiencies that help businesses unlock new frontiers of innovation," Newell observes. However, he warns that successful integration of AI demands a fundamental rethinking of technology architecture, as the costs associated with developing and operating AI tools remain considerable and unpredictable. "Organisations that win in our inevitable AI-enabled future won't necessarily be the ones with the best ideas; instead, the winners will be those that have figured out how to effectively balance cost, value, and performance," he adds. Newell emphasises the importance of observability - the process of monitoring and understanding systems - as crucial in this new AI-driven era. Traditionally, observability has enabled organisations to detect anomalies and optimise performance, but the rise of AI is forcing an evolution: "The next phase of observability will be preventive, self-healing, and autonomous," providing real-time insights not only for troubleshooting but also for cost management and risk mitigation. In the cybersecurity sector, Ivan Novikov, CEO of Wallarm, underscores the foundational role of APIs in powering AI innovation. "APIs are the backbone of AI, enabling seamless integration, data sharing, and collaboration across platforms. However, with this power comes responsibility," he states. Cyber risks grow in tandem with AI's complexity, making robust security frameworks essential to foster trust and ensure the ethical use of AI. Novikov urges the industry to uphold these commitments as AI's footprint grows. Stuart McClure, CEO of Qwiet AI, highlights the broad societal benefits of AI, from powering everyday consumer experiences to accelerating medical discoveries and environmental solutions. "AI is quietly powering many of the tools and services we use every day... flying drones, optimising traffic in our cities, accelerating science, and even helping doctors diagnose diseases more accurately," he says. Still, McClure cautions against overlooking ethical questions around transparency, privacy, and bias, insisting that careful governance is necessary to ensure AI remains a force for good. On the more cautious side, Naomi Buckwalter, AI Security Strategist at Contrast Security, raises concerns over the growing reliance on AI-generated code. She warns that delegating more engineering tasks to AI increases the risk of unchecked vulnerabilities. "You can never have all three: Good, Fast, Cheap. The old axiom still holds true, even in the age of AI," Buckwalter remarks, urging the software sector to remain vigilant over quality and security. Andre Piazza from BforeAI draws attention to the less visible but vital contributions of predictive AI, notably in cybersecurity. Predictive AI, he explains, can forecast cyberattacks before they occur and identify online threats like phishing sites targeting consumers: "Unlike its generative counterpart, predictive AI anticipates what will come next... enabling defenders to automate their responses to threats." Piazza highlights that these systems leverage public data while protecting privacy and generating valuable security insights. The legal industry has also undergone a profound transformation, according to Greg Ingino, Chief Technology Officer at Litrea. He explains that generative AI has "accelerated the ability to enhance productivity in legal services," supporting the move towards alternative fee arrangements and deeper client value through automated retrieval and reasoning. Ingino underscores that while AI's impact on sector efficiency is undeniable, legal technology must comply with strict security and transparency standards to protect data and ensure human oversight. From a technical operations viewpoint, Jimmy Mesta, Co-Founder and CTO of RAD Security, asserts that AI has become essential for cybersecurity teams tasked with handling vast volumes of alerts and data. "AI is now actually the only way teams can keep up. Instead of clumsy rules, AI can spot patterns and connect events... and take action fast enough to matter," he explains. Josh Mason, CTO of RecordPoint, views the enterprise-wide adoption of AI as a pivotal business transformation - but one that hinges on robust data governance. He notes that without a focus on understanding sensitive data and ethical management, businesses risk stalling at basic implementation: "Signing up for a company Copilot or Chat GPT license isn't enough - it doesn't manage your risk. You have to make sure you are governing your data and using the technology responsibly and ethically." Mason believes organisations prioritising data governance and responsible AI integration will be best placed to succeed. The consensus across sectors is that AI is now deeply integrated into modern business and society, reshaping industries from legal services to security operations. As AI Appreciation Day highlights the remarkable advances thus far, it also acts as a reminder that the ultimate goal must remain balancing benefits while maintaining rigorous standards for cost efficiency, security, ethical use, and governance. The coming years will test organisations' abilities to tread this fine line, ensuring that AI continues to drive value without unforeseen risks.

BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated
BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated

Wales Online

time24-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Wales Online

BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated

BBC make major change to Wimbledon coverage as iconic show relegated The switch has left some fans furious with one describing it as 'a shambles' The BBC's Wimbledon coverage has undergone a big change (Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images ) The BBC has come under fire from tennis fans after it was revealed that their iconic Wimbledon highlights programme has been relegated to a graveyard slot ahead of this year's Championships. Today at Wimbledon - which shows highlights of each day's play at the tournament - has traditionally held a prime time slot on BBC2 during the competition, generally being aired at either 8pm or 9pm. However, it is now set to be moved back several hours in a change that has already upset viewers. ‌ During this year's Wimbledon, the programme will air at 11.55pm, with the Telegraph reporting that this is a change that will be in force for the majority of the tournament, rather than simply being a one-off. ‌ When the competition gets under way on Monday, the 8pm-10.30pm slot on BBC2 will instead feature repeats of Your Garden Made Perfect, The Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wild Year and David Mitchell's sitcom Upstart Crow. According to a BBC spokesperson, the Telegraph reports, Today at Wimbledon will still be shown at its traditional time on the BBC iPlayer, with the television broadcast labelled as a 'repeat'. However, it has been argued that the switch could still alienate viewers, including those in remote areas, who may not have access to the iPlayer or the BBC website to watch the highlights. Article continues below "What a farcical decision," wrote one viewer on X. "Not everyone can watch every hour and wish to have a easy to watch highlights show. "Not this pushed to the graveyard slot. Shambles @BBCSport and shouldn't be allowed by @Wimbledon". Another added: "What they have done to that programme is cultural vandalism," while a third wrote: "They have ruined that programme, which is sad." ‌ The BBC have defended their decision, with a statement from the broadcaster claiming it did not want its live coverage to clash with its highlights programme. The corporation also added that in the final week of Wimbledon, when earlier finishes are expected, Today at Wimbledon is set to return to its 8pm slot. 'Live Wimbledon coverage is scheduled to air on BBC One or BBC Two until 10pm in the first week, and until 9pm from the second week, when matches typically finish earlier," the statement to the Telegraph read. ‌ "We wouldn't show highlights on another channel during live play, so Today at Wimbledon will be available on BBC iPlayer and scheduled on BBC Two later in the evening, depending on when play ends. "It's currently set for 8pm from Tuesday 8th to Friday 11th July, when earlier finishes are expected.' The controversial move comes after the BBC were criticised for their coverage of the doubles competition at the Queen's Club earlier this month. Article continues below The broadcaster twice failed to show the partnership of Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter in action at the tournament in West Kensington, showing old episodes of Homes Under The Hammer and Bargain Hunt instead of their win over Wu Fang-hsien and Jiang Xinyu, and their quarter-final defeat to Lyudmyla Kichenok and Erin Routliffe. Viewers complained over the lack of coverage of the two British stars, with one taking to X to write: "You have the British women, one and two, playing together in doubles and you're not showing it? Make it make sense! So frustrating!"

Europa League final prize money: How much Man Utd and Tottenham could bank
Europa League final prize money: How much Man Utd and Tottenham could bank

Wales Online

time21-05-2025

  • Business
  • Wales Online

Europa League final prize money: How much Man Utd and Tottenham could bank

Europa League final prize money: How much Man Utd and Tottenham could bank Manchester United and Tottenham face each other in Bilbao tonight in the Europa League final Atalanta won the Europa League last year (Image: Rob Newell - CameraSport via Getty Images ) Manchester United and Tottenham's Europa League prize isn't just a trophy - with a cash windfall of £100million dangling in front of their eyes. While trophies in the cabinet look good, nothing will feel as good as the money that could change the trajectory of both clubs and their futures in the long term. ‌ Tonight the two English sides battle it out in Bilbao for chance to salvage their domestic Premier League seasons. ‌ It's clear both clubs have been well below their standards this term, with both outfits just outside of the top flight relegation zone, currently sitting in 16th (United) and 17th (Spurs). It goes without saying that the stakes couldn't be higher for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou tonight, with both facing criticism from pundits and fans alike. However the pressure on Postecoglou has never been higher due to him claiming earlier in the campaign that he "always wins" in his second season - now he has to back up his talk. However, bigger than the importance of heritage or saving face - the cash that's up for grabs outweighs it all. Article continues below Finding success in winning the Europa League is likely to be worth around £100million and could range all the way up to £152million. The standard prize money for winning the final stands at around £10.95million. United have already accumulated £9.3million through their advancements within the tournament, adding almost £11million to that already paves the way towards a solid summer signing. ‌ A loss in tonight's final would see the losers bank £5.9million. The real prize money comes from qualifying for the Champions League. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire spoke to BBC Sport regarding the impact of Champions League football, and said: "A good season in the Champions League can be worth far in excess of £100million. ‌ "By the time you combine gate receipts, sponsor bonuses and the prize money available, the numbers involved are eye-watering." Looking at the facts, you could argue that the value of the Europa League lies in the potential entry to the Champions League - cash is indeed king. It's important to note that every club that qualifies for the league phase earns an automatic £15.7million in prize money, regardless of how results go, even if they don't muster a single point. ‌ A single win in the league phase brings in £1.8million reportedly and a draw is worth £600,000. It speaks volumes when considering that a win in every league phase game would total £14million, more than the total of the Europa League final prize money. To add, every position in the league phase is worth £230,000, yet it doubles with an increase in league position, leading to Liverpool being handed £8.3million for being first in the league phase last term. Small bonuses are added on, ranging from £1.7million for finishing in the top eight and £850,000 for outside the top eight. Article continues below Reaching the last 16 will furthermore bring you £9.3million. The rewards keep rising exponentially after the last 16; reaching the quarter-finals is worth an extra £10.5million, the semis will bring £12.6million and ultimately winning the final gives another boost of £16.6million. Not only are the earnings substantial, but matchday income and sponsorship deals also come into play, with Maguire estimating that participants could bank £6million in revenue from every Champions League home match. Understanding this means that at minimum four home games could bring £24 million and if they found success through the group stages it could grow to £48million in matchday revenue.

Billie Jean King Is Back on the Court—And Still Fighting for Women in Sports
Billie Jean King Is Back on the Court—And Still Fighting for Women in Sports

Yahoo

time04-02-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Billie Jean King Is Back on the Court—And Still Fighting for Women in Sports

Rob Newell - CameraSport/While her days of dominating at the Slams may be behind her, tennis—and fitness in general—still remains a major facet of Billie Jean King's life. Even today, her passion is obvious. 'There's nothing like it,' the tennis icon tells SELF from her Upper West Side apartment in a January 30 Zoom call. 'When the ball hits the strings, it's magical.' In fact, the 81-year-old spent the first few minutes of the Zoom call talking tennis—in particular, the latest big news in the sport: Madison Keys's victory at the Australian Open. 'I got to text her, tell her, 'You finally did it!'' King says. 'I've known her forever, and I've watched her progress through the years and seen how she always wanted to win a major…. I'm so happy for her, because she's such a great person—a very kind, very good person.' For someone clearly still so passionate about tennis, however, it may come as a surprise that King went through a period in which she didn't play at all. It was only a few years ago—around the height of the pandemic—that her wife, retired South African pro Ilana Kloss, convinced her to take it up again. Sidelined by knee surgeries (she wears braces to play now), King 'hadn't hit a ball for 20 years,' she says. '[Ilana] got me back' into it. Today, the two—who started out as doubles partners decades ago and married in 2018—play on a public-private court at a John McEnroe Tennis Academy location, hitting back and forth on a half-court. Topspin, direction, speed, angle, altitude: 'Every ball that comes to me is never the same, ever, so it's a new thing every time,' King says. 'It's like a new present, a new gift.' While King's eyesight is still keen—'With glasses, I see 20/10 or 20/15 still'—she's incorporated strength, agility, and balance work into her off-court fitness routine so she can continue to play strong. Before a rally with Kloss, she often stretches and warms up her muscles with resistance bands. 'More limber, less chance to get injured,' she explains. For instance, as she showed in an Instagram reel last October, she'll use the bands for internal and external shoulder rotation moves (important for full and safe range of motion) as well as biceps and triceps exercises. Then, to prep her lower body, she'll perform 20 bodyweight squats before starting to hit. What's more, King is big on lifting weights to maintain and build strength, since muscle mass wanes with age. Even everyday tasks like 'picking up packages, picking up or opening a bottle, that gets harder as you get older,' she says. While she appreciates the benefits of lifting, however, it can't compare to tennis for her. Restarting 'absolutely has changed my life,' she says. 'I feel better. My brain stays more active.' Since King's still working full-time—she serves as an Adidas global ambassador, a Women's Sports Foundation board member, a Professional Women's Hockey League advisory board member, and a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angel City FC ownership group, among other commitments—she 'need[s] that to keep going.' Still, King has never been just a tennis player, though she has enough personal accomplishments on the court to make her one of the sport's all-time greats: With 39 major titles to her name (including one Australian Open, one French Open, six Wimbledon, and four US Open singles titles), she has the third most wins of any female tennis player in history. But King's impact extends beyond her own life and career. Named one of Life magazine's 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century, she had a heavy hand in transforming women's tennis into the sport we know and love today. Not only did she help found the Women's Tennis Association, she also successfully campaigned for equal prize money for men and women and defeated Bobby Riggs in the infamous Battle of the Sexes in 1973. In her eyes, though, more progress needs to be made. 'Girls are behind. We haven't had as much attention given to us, in this area particularly,' she says. 'And I know it because I've lived it forever.' That continuing crusade is one reason why King has partnered with personal care brand Dove to raise awareness of the body confidence issues that affect a significant percentage of girls in sports. Based on research conducted by Dove and Nike, nearly half of teen girls who quit sports do so because they were told their body isn't right for it. In a 2022 review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers wrote that most female athletes reported facing coach pressure to modify their body shape to better align with the purported ideal for their sport. 'I'm so glad I've lived long enough to see changes, but we still have so much work to do,' King says. 'We'—women and girls—'really are socialized not to trust our bodies.' And, she adds, 'body image, body talk, how you think and feel about yourself, is so important in life, not just in sports.' While King's Dove partnership meshes well with her history of advocacy for women, it's also informed by her personal experience. She doesn't specifically say if she faced any criticism about how her body looked as a young, talented, ambitious tennis player, but she came of age in the 1950s and '60s—an era now widely viewed as a heyday of sexism. 'Every girl my age in those days got the message, 'Why are you trying to do this?',' she says. 'It was considered very masculine to play a sport.' (Not that those gender norms stopped King: As frowned upon as it might have been for her, both she and her brother Randy—who later pitched for the MLB—were highly competitive from an early age. 'If we lost, I wouldn't have wanted to be my parents,' she says. 'When my brother and I lost, oh my God, we were terrible. We hate losing.') And King, who started out playing basketball and softball, encountered plenty of dissenting voices along the way once she switched to tennis too—voices she had to figure out how to ignore. In the run-up to the Battle of the Sexes, for example, Riggs famously made comments mocking women and women's tennis. It 'stinks,' he said, according to the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum. You 'can see some pretty legs, but it's night and day compared to the men's game.' (And, of course, we all know how the Battle of the Sexes match turned out.) Whether you're 8 or 80, a figure skater or a tennis player, confidence is a big factor in success—a lesson King learned long ago. 'It's really important to have strong self-talk, believe in yourself, even if others do not,' King says. Her own life is an excellent case study. 'A lot of people never thought I'd be number one in the world, and I didn't care what they said—I knew I had to,' she says. 'Well, I did care, but I didn't listen to them. I didn't take it to heart. My self-talk was strong enough to overcome that.' And, she adds, that's what she wants girls in sports experiencing low body confidence to learn how to do: 'To believe in their bodies, to trust their bodies and say they're great the way they are.' Related: How Tennis Skirts Have Changed Over 100+ Years of Play The Best Tennis Gear for Beginners, According to Pros Here's What It's Like To Try Out for the US Open Ball Crew Get more of SELF's great fitness coverage delivered right to your inbox. Originally Appeared on Self

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store