As Jack Draper says, tennis can be a cruel, brutal sport.
A year ago, the British player was soaring up the rankings, a top 40 talent. Then his surge towards the elite was halted by a shoulder injury, denying him a grass court season and forcing him to watch Wimbledon from home.
Now reinvigorated, the 22-year-old has certainly come far in the past 12 months, from sofa to Wimbledon seed. "It was really difficult. I think I sat on my couch for most of it, really frustrated," he said.
"I watched the full final, which was hard to watch obviously, someone so young (Carlos Alcaraz) winning the title, showing what he's capable of.
"It really, really motivated me and was actually a blessing in disguise because my body wasn't ready. I don't think mentally I was ready either to be a top player. It was a good break that I needed to rediscover the fire I needed. From there, I've been great."
Draper’s recent form confirms that. At Queen's Club this month, a few miles across London, Draper strode between electrifying points as the newly-crowned British No.1, overpowering Alcaraz 7-6(3), 6-3 to reach the last eight. The roaring, airborne celebrations showed what it meant to the home prodigy.
"I wasn't quite transitioning the way I was practising on to the match court. In practice I was doing everything right for so many months. Then, when it came to the match, I just wasn't quite getting over the line. There was maybe a bit of fear in my game. That was kind of holding me back.
“If my game keeps on improving, I keep the mindset, and keep on improving physically like I have been, I don't see why I can't be one of the best players in the world. That's my aspiration, that's my goal."
No shortage of belief then, and why not? Having left his couch last summer, his "No.1 goal" was to come back stronger, "to be robust" and to fend off the injuries stalling his progress.
Physically, Draper returns to SW19 with a muscular frame and with former world No.6 Wayne Ferreira having joined his coaching team with an insistence on competing on the front foot to unleash his full potential.
The career-high world No.29 has been rewarded for his endeavour, on and off court, with a maiden ATP title on the grass of Stuttgart a fortnight ago.
From Germany to Queen's, Draper was denied in the quarter-finals by eventual champion Tommy Paul.
“In general, I’m just trying to make my game a more aggressive baseliner instead of someone who makes a lot of balls and waits for the other players to miss," said Draper.
"I got myself to being top 40 in the world a certain way. But I realise, by coming up against a lot of top 10 players, that's just not going to quite cut it.
"With all these players, if you're just a little bit off, if the percentages are a little bit off, you can lose. I lost 6-1 in the third (set) to Tommy. I had many chances. I made a few difficult decisions in the match which didn't go my way.
“Last week was my first experience of winning a tournament and then having to go again. I just came up a bit short. Tennis is all about going again and again and again and being relentless with it. I'm learning all the time.
"I'm really excited. My preparation's been great. Just really happy to be here, especially after missing last year."
Being seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time "meant the world”, said Draper, who opens his Wimbledon campaign against Sweden's Elias Ymer, but there is no chance of complacency.
"It's important to recognise that all these players in the draw, they're incredible players. Like the guy I'm playing on Tuesday: he's qualified, he's had three matches, he's confident. It's no easy feat to qualify for Wimbledon," said the No.28 seed.
"You look down that draw, it's just stacked. It does give you a certain sense of ease to know you're not going to be playing a top, top player in the first rounds. But I still have to bring my A game on Tuesday and give the best I can."
