The art and the agony of the runner-up speech in tennis - ESPN

Five years ago, on the night before the biggest match of her life, Jennifer Brady sat in her hotel room in Melbourne anxiously writing in the Notes app on her phone.

After an unexpected run at the Australian Open, Brady had advanced to the first major final of her career and was slated to play Naomi Osaka the next day on Rod Laver Arena. She knew the challenge ahead to achieve a lifelong dream as the world watched on, but that wasn't what she was thinking about at that moment.

«I was so worried about my speech and all of the things I would say after,» Brady told ESPN this month. «I was so stressed about having nothing to say — win or lose — or about messing up.»

Brady, 25, meticulously wrote down everyone she wanted to thank, wracking her brain for all of the people who had helped her along her journey. She didn't want to blank while addressing the crowd and knew how harshly she could be judged if it didn't go well.

Brady went on to lose to Osaka the following day 6-4, 6-3, and despite her obvious disappointment, she gave a gracious and upbeat speech. During her address lasting two minutes and 22 seconds, she managed to congratulate Osaka and her team, as well as everyone involved in the tournament, and thanked her own support staff. She even drew laughter as she mentioned her mom back home, «watching right now in front of the TV, probably crying.»

Brady said she doesn't remember a lot about what she said (although does have a better recollection of what Osaka said). But all this time later, and with just days to go before two more singles players have to craft a runner-up speech after a potentially crushing defeat, Brady does vividly remember how agonizing it was in the moment.

«You're in the finals of a Grand Slam,