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Tennis thoughts
Sep. 10th, 2022 09:46I've been fortunate enough to have watched the major tennis tournaments from seeing Rod Laver when I was young to watching the Alcarez/Tiafoe match last night. My mother pointed the way. I played a bunch up through high school and then picked it up again in my 30's eventually getting to play doubles in a men's league with my son. I was never much good but over the years have become more appreciative of what is required to be an elite tennis player and how those players get better every year.
The men's matches are heavy weight fights with supreme conditioning being a given, a starting point (tennis players like Alcaraz sprint over 7 or 8 miles a match). Carlos Alcaraz, the kid (he's freakin' 19) who won his way into the semi finals last night and is the clear favorite for the Sunday final has played three five set (over five hours each match) matches in five days. That is only the third time anyone has done that. That name, Alcaraz, will be on the Mount Rushmore of tennis that he so reveres. It is already a done deal and he hasn't won a major tournament yet. He only entered the professional tour in 2020 and already he is as good or better than any player in tennis today. Other than maybe Mohammed Ali I can't think of any sports figure I've ever seen that has done what he has done.
Djokovic picked the wrong time to make a stand. All of his choices to keep his body pure and at its peak have resulted in tennis passing him by. He will no doubt win more tournaments and his previous record is enough to get him into the hall of fame but he lost his chance at being the greatest. He ceded that to Alcaraz.
Tiafoe was great last night. After match interviews suck. They are worse if they include the person who just gave everything they had to the game only to watch it not be enough. I turned it off. He deserved the chance to leave the court with dignity.
Kyrgios needs some help. He is an absolute magician and I have gained respect for his game and some for him personally but he should not be playing unless and until he gets help. His post match interview was like watching someone about to commit suicide. He will never be a great tennis player acting out his angst as he does and he is good enough to not have to be in that spotlight. The people encouraging him to do that should take a look at the bigger picture.
I think this tournament and this season of tennis has been the best and most competitive in my lifetime. Not since the Sampras/Agassi match has the torch been so obviously passed to a new generation and not since Nadal and Federer has it been so securely grasped. What a thing to see. The standard of fist serves coming down the center line at 136 MPH is something I would not have dreamed of and someone who makes the Nadal type effort seem easy is mind boggling.
And of course Queen Serena (and I say that without a shred of irony) managed to weather both a couple of matches and the insipid treacle of Gail King to leave the court on which she first began in her inimitable way, with grace.
The women were amazing this year but for the first time in a long while overshadowed by the men. That said, I'll be rooting for Jabeur, more for what she represents and how she carries herself than as a tennis player. She and Swiatek (who will likely win) are both amazing to watch. The final will amaze until Sunday.
The men's matches are heavy weight fights with supreme conditioning being a given, a starting point (tennis players like Alcaraz sprint over 7 or 8 miles a match). Carlos Alcaraz, the kid (he's freakin' 19) who won his way into the semi finals last night and is the clear favorite for the Sunday final has played three five set (over five hours each match) matches in five days. That is only the third time anyone has done that. That name, Alcaraz, will be on the Mount Rushmore of tennis that he so reveres. It is already a done deal and he hasn't won a major tournament yet. He only entered the professional tour in 2020 and already he is as good or better than any player in tennis today. Other than maybe Mohammed Ali I can't think of any sports figure I've ever seen that has done what he has done.
Djokovic picked the wrong time to make a stand. All of his choices to keep his body pure and at its peak have resulted in tennis passing him by. He will no doubt win more tournaments and his previous record is enough to get him into the hall of fame but he lost his chance at being the greatest. He ceded that to Alcaraz.
Tiafoe was great last night. After match interviews suck. They are worse if they include the person who just gave everything they had to the game only to watch it not be enough. I turned it off. He deserved the chance to leave the court with dignity.
Kyrgios needs some help. He is an absolute magician and I have gained respect for his game and some for him personally but he should not be playing unless and until he gets help. His post match interview was like watching someone about to commit suicide. He will never be a great tennis player acting out his angst as he does and he is good enough to not have to be in that spotlight. The people encouraging him to do that should take a look at the bigger picture.
I think this tournament and this season of tennis has been the best and most competitive in my lifetime. Not since the Sampras/Agassi match has the torch been so obviously passed to a new generation and not since Nadal and Federer has it been so securely grasped. What a thing to see. The standard of fist serves coming down the center line at 136 MPH is something I would not have dreamed of and someone who makes the Nadal type effort seem easy is mind boggling.
And of course Queen Serena (and I say that without a shred of irony) managed to weather both a couple of matches and the insipid treacle of Gail King to leave the court on which she first began in her inimitable way, with grace.
The women were amazing this year but for the first time in a long while overshadowed by the men. That said, I'll be rooting for Jabeur, more for what she represents and how she carries herself than as a tennis player. She and Swiatek (who will likely win) are both amazing to watch. The final will amaze until Sunday.