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Derek Jeter became known as a sporting genius on the baseball diamond. He achieved the amount of success that most others only dream about. But that is what sets champions apart from the rest. In an interview in 2004, Jeter once shared his valuable insights on the reason that made him succeed to a higher pedestal.?

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The legendary, Derek Jeter, became iconic in the role of the New York Yankees shortstop. He persisted as a Yankees loyalist throughout his entire MLB career. Jeter’s list of accomplishments contains 14 All-Star appearances, and five World Series championships.?

Jeter was once part of an interview that included Serena Williams, and Michael Jordan, among a few other mighty athletes. In 2002, Serena reached the top seed in women’s global tennis rankings. She won 73 singles tournament trophies including 23 grand slam titles. Whereas, NBA legend, Michael, is a 14-time All-Star with six NBA final trophies.

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Derek Jeter and Serena Williams on their keys to success?

Derek Jeter, and Serena Williams, are stalwarts of their respective sports. Their undying passion for glory is what made them thrive. Both of them are role-model athletes for the aspirants of the future generations.?

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But most importantly, their down-to-earth attitude and the desire to improve their skills are what made them outstanding.?

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Speaking in the interview, Serena said, “I just one day decided that I was tired of losing. I just woke up and I said I am tired and I shouldn’t be. I have a lot of talent. I think I am pretty good. But why am I not winning? You know, at least 90% of stuff that I am in. And I just woke up and I said no more. I started practicing little harder. I went out and worked little harder and got the results.”??

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Read MoreDerek Jeter Once Opened Up on How Serena Williams Fuelled His Unknown Desire to Play Tennis?

Jeter followed up, saying, “See the thing is, I play a sport that’s run by stats. I don’t care about stats because all I want to do is win. You can put up all the stats in the world, who cares? If you lose and go home. So I know there’s people out there that do things better, put up more stats. But no one wants to win more than me. And that’s just the mentality I have. So I still try and get to the level these guys are at. And Serena as well.”? However, Serena cut off Jeter by stating that she was still trying to reach a higher level.?

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Derek and Serena in their present day?

Pulling down curtains on their respective epic careers, both Jeter and Serena have now retired. While Jeter bid farewell in 2014, Serena retired in 2022. Jeter now lives a busy family life, whereas Serena balances time between her entrepreneurial ventures and family.?

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What do you make of Derek Jeter’s comments? Let us know your valuable opinions in the comments below.

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Written by

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Madhurjya Bhuyan

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Madhurjya Bhuyan is an MLB author at EssentiallySports. He has a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in English Literature from Gauhati University and IGNOU, respectively, and also possesses prior professional experience as a content developer. Being a performance artist since childhood, Madhurjya has always aimed to contribute towards creativity in any possible manner, and writing only boosts that desire. His fondness for baseball is fueled by loyal support for the Boston Red Sox. When away from writing, Madhurjya can be seen attending stage plays, sitting in poetry reading sessions, exploring global cinema, or trying his hand at cooking new dishes.

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Vibhanshu Kumar

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