Final answer:
Comparing a successful tennis professional to a virtuous person highlights their shared qualities of determination, disciplined work ethic, and moral excellence. Both strive for personal perfection, learn from setbacks using thoughtful reflection, and lead by example, inspiring others in their journeys toward success.
Step-by-step explanation:
Comparing a successful tennis professional to a virtuous person involves looking at how attributes such as determination, discipline, and moral excellence are demonstrated in each pursuit. Professional tennis players, much like virtuous individuals, embody characteristics such as a strong will to win, a diligent work ethic, an alignment between their actions and goals, and a steady approach to challenges. Aristotle's notion of virtue as the mean between two vices of deficiency and excess is mirrored in the discipline of a tennis professional who must balance intense training with rest, and the mental focus needed for excellence with the pressure of competition.
Tennis professionals, much like those seeking virtue, are continuously striving for personal excellence. This pursuit requires constant self-evaluation, training, and the mental strength to face setbacks head-on. As in the teachings of the Stoics, a tennis player must consider what precedes and follows their actions, be it in training or within a match, and act according to what will bring about the best possible outcome.
Moreover, the virtuous action of leading by example and contributing to society is paralleled in the world of sports where athletes like Kobe Bryant and Walter Payton create cultural impact and inspire others to achieve greatness through their professional success and personal conduct both on and off the field.