International Tennis Became Much More Interesting Last Weekend!
Srianee Dias
Since much has been written on our blog about cricket, I thought I should start a discussion about tennis, probably the only sport I have played over the years. (I have to say I am always impressed at the encylopedic cricket knowledge displayed by our friends in the comments.)
My own tennis playing was sporadic, and began at Ladies’ College when we played just for fun. I did not represent the school, but played with my friends in the heat of the noonday sun during our lunch break. We came breathless and sweaty back to the classroom, but no one complained! Later on as an adult I took some lessons, played with friends, and improved my form enough to earn a few compliments from my mother, who had been on the tennis team at Princess of Wales College in Moratuwa. Several years later when I played with my then 10 year old grandson, all I kept hearing was “You have to run, Grandma!” Now I occasionally hit the ball against a backboard at a nearby park, but mostly I enjoy watching the sport being played at the highest level.
I was paying a lot more attention to what was going on at
Wimbledon this year than in previous years, because there were many good,
talented young players attempting to topple the man who has been dominating the
sport these last few years, Novak Djokovic; especially after Roger Federer
retired and Rafa Nadal was sidelined by injuries and surgery. The young man who captured my imagination was
20 year old Carlos Alcaraz from Spain, with his easy smile, amazing repertoire
of strokes, and quick, instinctive movements on the court. Will he be able to dethrone Novak on the
grass courts at Wimbledon, which are notoriously unpredictable?
I had been a Rafa Nadal fan for many years, and aside from
his heritage, Carlos’ sportsmanship and polite demeanor reminded me of
Rafa. Rafa always controlled his
emotions during matches and smiled (or cried) only when the tension was
released at the end. It was fun to watch
Carlos’ emotional, joyful outbursts when
he won a critical point.
Yes, Djokovic is a great player, and seemed to be in peak form this year, but strangely and somewhat irrationally I had never warmed up to him right from the beginning of his career. His rather arrogant behaviour on the court was always a turnoff. Humility was not his strong point! (I admit, he seems to have improved over time.) I remember him taking long ‘medical’ breaks when a match was not proceeding favorably for him. I felt that this was designed to disrupt his opponent’s concentration.
I decided to put everything on hold and watch the Wimbledon men’s final on TV last Sunday, when Carlos Alcaraz took on Novak Djokovic. I was amply rewarded- it was an absolute treat to watch! Both players were fabulous, the 36 year old vs. the 20 year old! Just when you thought a particular shot was a sure winner it was returned by the opponent! It could have gone either way. But, Carlos prevailed and didn’t allow his nerves to take over, unlike at the French Open. When it was over, Novak, to his credit, was full of praise for Carlos. He marvelled at the way Carlos had mastered playing on grass in a fairly short span of time. He said that Carlos had a combination of the skills of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic himself.
Here’s to the new Wimbledon Gentleman’s Singles champion! May he remain healthy and injury free, and continue to entertain us with brilliant tennis for many more years.
Srianee
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your post, fully agree.
That was a fantastic match,could have gone either way.After Novak won the first set 1:6 I thought game over.Brilliant recovery by Alcaraz,I was ecstatic because Novak lost and Carlos won.I have watched the replay over and over again.
Although Statistically Novak is the current GOAT in tennis,like you I never took a liking to him for the exact reasons you have described.Nadal was my favourite for his fighting qualities,Federer the ultimate stylist.
Lucky Pram,She watched the match live.
Bora, I am happy to read that you agree with me! I am looking forward to another duel between Carlos and Novak at the US Open which will begin in a few weeks. Interestingly, Bjorn Borg never liked playing under the lights at the US Open. I don't remember if he ever played there. Yes, I also enjoy the sportsmanship and brilliant playing of Rafa Nadal. I hear that he is back on the courts training and hopes to play next year. The sheer determination of these guys amazes me.
DeleteAnother great performer at this year's Wimbledon was Andy Murray, who returned after major hip surgery (Birmingham hip resurfacing) and played really well before losing to Tsitsipas. I was hoping he would win.
Srianee and Bora, I am not much of a tennis fan compared to cricket, although I used to play recreational tennis in school and in the Final Year in Medical School; my regular opponent was Janaka Wijetunge, who later became my bestman. Janaka's father, HEW, captained the RC cricket team in 1927 and Sidney de Soysa (former DIG) and Sargo Jayawickreme had been in his team.
ReplyDeleteIn the 1970s .I was a great fan of Bjorn Borg. I also remember an epic Men's Final between the American Stan Smith and the Rumanian comedian cum artist Ilie Nastase in 1972, in an epic five setter, which Stan won 4-6,6-3,6-3.4-6,7-5. As it rained on Saturday, for the very first time, the Final was played on a Sunday, at Wimbledon. I was made aware that Novak Djokovic visits a Buddhist temple close to the Wimbledon tennis courts, before play starts and meditates, so as to improve his temperament.
Yesterday I went to Kandy in the heavily decorated Bradby Express train, together with my son-in-law Upul Wickramarachchi and six year old grandson, Tharusha. The train had many compartments for the different batches of old Royalists and a Papare band in each compartment. The match was played at Trinity's rugby ground in Pallekele; the access roads were terrible. RC led 10-nil at half time, but Trinity prevailed to win 13-10, after a resurgent second half. This was the first time I saw a Bradby match in Kandy after about 50 years.
Sanath, I knew JG was a good tennis player, but never saw him play. I was also a great fan of Bjorn Borg and followed his epic matches against Jimmy Connors and later John McEnroe, always cheering for Borg. In my early days in the US we would watch Nastase's antics on the court. There aren't any crazy characters like that any more, because tennis is a big business and the players are kept in control by a 'team' including psychologists in addition to the coaches, the doctors, the physiotherapists etc. etc.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your account of the Bradby Express! What fun!
Big comeback by Trinity. Must have been a big disappointment to the Royalists, including you. Sorry!
Sanath
DeleteYou must have had a great time travelling to Kandy on the Bradby Express,listening to the Tapare bands, accompanied by your grandson and son in law.Pity Royal lost after dominating the first half,they gave away too many penalties,a total of seventeen.Good luck in the second leg.
Srianee
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you with that lovely account of tennis and its characters some iconic and others less so. Although I have followed Wimbledon since arriving in England but I haven’t followed the players and the game to the other great venues.
Wimbledon finals were a worthy end to a fine tournament. I am so pleased we now have a new Wimbledon winner in Carlos Alcaraz and Djokovic is displaced to lick his wounds.
I enjoyed the women's final too but was disappointed not to have an African winner. It was the 3rd grand slam final Ons Jabeur has lost. Perhaps she needs a better psychotherapist!!!
The game has had its heroes and villains over the years. Short tempered McEnroe and Connors have livened up the game and the calmness of Borg and Lendl has retained reputation and honour of the game.
I recall with much fondness Evonne Goolagong who won Wimbledon. She was most graceful and elegant on and off the court.
Nihal, I'm glad you enjoyed the account of my 'relationship' with tennis. It is pretty much the only sport I watch on TV. I would love to see more (or any) cricket but I am not willing to pay for more TV channels. (I have too many already!).
DeleteLike you, I was also disappointed that Ons Jabeur didn't win. You are correct, she needs to work on keeping her mental focus. After Carlos Alcaraz's nerves overcame him at the French Open, I've read that he has worked on his 'head game.' That is so important in tennis, when you are out there battling it out alone.
There was a time when I went to the US Open several years in a row, with a bunch of friends. It is about a two and a half hour drive for me, so I don't do that any more. It is thrilling to be there in person. We often went to the quarter finals, and I remember all of us cheering Pete Sampras on when he was trailing in his match against Ivan Lendl. He went on to win the title that year. (My friends and I take credit for that!) The crowd is a lot more rowdy at the US Open than at Wimbledon!
I agree that it. is fun to watch the women players these days. I also remember Evonne Goolagong fondly, as well as Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. I still see and hear Chris, Martina, John and Patrick McEnroe, because they are commentators for ESPN. Johnny Mac talks too much!!!
Srianee, it was most interesting to read your tennis article. Wimbledon dominted the sports news here apart from the thrilling and enthralling Ashes series. I have always loved tennis and played a lot in myyounger days but like all sports, I was a dabbler and not really good at it. I have followed the world tennis scene for a long time and my favourite players are Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal. I admire Novak's skills, dedication, temperament and ability but never found it easy to "like" him. Admire? Yes. Like? Mot very likely!
ReplyDeleteRoger Federer stood out on all sorts of parameters. He will be deservedly ranked as one of the greats of tennis.
The trouble with sports these days is that sports, like everything else in this Planet is contaminted with money and greed. The stakes have become too high for a world dominated by materialistic thinking and money is now the prevailing God. it has sadly infiltrated our own noble profession and huge compromises and justifcations are being made.
Coming to Tennis as a game, so mnay things have changed in a technical sense. The racquets and balls are not what we were used to, line judgments are being made by cameras (a good thing in my view) and all sorts of subtle (and not so subtle methods) on gamesmenship are the order of the day.
But as a game, it is a wonderful one to play and to witness.
I read Bora's and Sanath's comments with much interest, Thanks all of you for your support
I meant to comment on Novak's very sporty and generous speech after his lost commending his young successor Alvarez of whom I am sure we will hear a lot in the future. Since I posted the comment, I noted Nihal's observations also and I agree that Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe are also names we will rememeber. When it comes to the Ladies, I am very fond of Chris Evert and a great admirer of Billy Jean King for her unrelenting battle to gain recognition for Women as equals. I raise my hat to a strong, determined and passionate person.
ReplyDeleteHi Mahen, I read both your comments and agree that the sport has changed tremendously. It is so high-tech now! (I found my old wooden racquet when I was moving - Ha! Ha!) Like everything, money has a potential to corrupt the sport. Didn't Boris Becker (another very young Wimbledon winner) have a court case recently? I'm hoping that Carlos Alcaraz will remain grounded. All things considered, we have to give Novak Djokovic a lot of credit for constantly striving to be a better human being.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that Roger Federer is a great and stylish player (almost a dinosaur with his single handed back hand!). And yes, women's tennis owes a great deal to Billie Jean King, as well as Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.
I am definitely looking forward to the US Open.
Kumar,
ReplyDeleteDear Srianee,
Congratulations on an excellent post.You echoed my sentiments on Novac D and Carlos A. N did not endear himself to the Aussies by his antics re his Covid unvaccinated status. Carlos seems a very personable young man like his compatriot Nadal. He may turn out to be a great , and may well be titled King Carlos in time.
I was never a tennis player, but loved watching and was fascinated by the greats; particularly the Aussies Rod Laver, John Newcombe, and most crucially Evonne Goolagong .She is a great human being and is a role model not only the first Australians but all of us. The most recent Aussie champion Ashley Barty is also in the same mould.
My favourites in our era were Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
I do recall the antics of Ilie Nastase. Once he admonished an umpire to address him as Mr Nastase and not Nastase. This was at Wimbledon and he may have felt , perhaps rightly that it was deliberately demeaning.
Sadly Wimbledon is played too late at night for us. I record the finals and watch them later but it’s not the same when the eventual result is known.
My father was a reasonably good player and this enhanced his social contacts; the most notable being Sir Nicholas Attygalle who was a member of the same club when they were in Nawalapitiya. He was later my mother’s obstetrician. One of of our neighbours an affluent planter had a tennis court and my father was always welcome there.
My brother used his racquet when he stared playing at STC.
The master in charge was Mr C.H.Davidson who was affectionately nicknamed Poeta. He was a keen gardener and maintained immaculately not only his own garden but also the vast College outdoors. We had a botanical garden and also a secluded park behind the Chapel. This was where the rowdy boys challenged each other for fisticuffs.
CHD produced many All Ceylon champs , including Rupert Ferdinands, Raja Praesoody , P.S.Kumara and my cousin G.N.Perera. Sadly GN succumbed to Motor Neurone Disease . He was married to Shanthy Kodagoda another well known tennis player. When he was a teenager, my brother and I accompanied him to the BANDARAWELA club tennis championship. It was a lovely holiday for all of us in that invigorating climate.
Kumar
Kumar and Srianee
ReplyDeleteRod Laver is the only player to have won all four grand slams in the same calendar year.He achieved this unique feat as an amateur in 1961 and as a pro in 1968.Until recently Laver was considered to be the greatest of all time.I remember Frank Sedgeman ,another Aussie winning the Wimbledon Triple crown which included singles,doubles and mixed doubles in 1953.
In the Sr Lankan scene, I recall F J De Saram, P S Kumara and C I Gunasekera among the men and Rukmani Kodagoda amomg the women. I am sure there were many more. The Kodagoda family was replete with good sports persons. All of you have mentioned a range of great tennis players who did not come to my mind when I was responding to Srianee such as Boris Becker, Rod Laver etc.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Srianee on Novak. He is one of the best male tennis players in the history of the game and is overall , a gentleman in spite of his many quirks. Even the great Roger Federer lost his cool when he played (and lost to Novak) a few years ago. That is the first time I saw him angry and worked up. Jimmy Connors is another great player who contributed a lot to the game.
Did you know that Tennis originated in Birmingham, UK?
Dear Friends, I enjoyed reading all your comments but was greatly disappointed that you had had missed out on our own batchmate Ranjan Wattegedera , who also represented the country at the GANEFO games and Davies Cup. He was a close friend of mine. Another national tennis player was Pramilla Senanayake's former husband , F L N Senanayake, who was also an old Thomian, and oncologist as well, who was couple of years senior to us.
ReplyDeleteThis is worth looking at at:
ReplyDeleteTennis in Sri Lanka: Halcyon Days, 1915–1990
https://thuppahis.com/2016/05/03/tennis-in-sri-lanka-halcyon-days-1915-1990/