I cried this weekend…
Watching the Australian Open 2009 Men’s Final was a treat for every tennis lover, more so if you are a fan of Roger and Rafa. Not only was the five setter one of the best played in recent times by both of them, it also exhibited the reason the two of them are so truly loved the world over! The post match ceremony would be remembered for years – the day when Roger cried, when you got to see what true “competition” means, when Rod Laver, one of the all time greats gave away the trophy to NOT his favorite, but someone who could be added to the list some day, the day when a new order was taking over the world of Tennis!
The AMAZING crowd that Australian Open is known for and its support to Federer was best summed up by the Master of the Ceremony: “If Australia were to adopt an International Sports Star, it would be him!” What followed was a 15 minute standing ovation!
I can wax eloquent over the match and the post match ceremony, but simply put, if there is ONE thing which stuck me, about the two men, and which is exactly what separates them from the rest, is their approach to the game! Usually, in a sport, more than any other profession, competitors tend to take things personally. A loss is taken as a personal assault, notwithstanding the fact that the other person might have been better in the game! However, when you see the attitude of Roger and Rafa (Which I think he has happily picked from Roger himself) you realize how much they love the game! A good move of the opponent, a neat trick and each other’s success in advancing the game is always appreciated! Here, the personal victory doesn’t matter as much as improvement of the game does. At the end of the day, the aim is to give your best to the game that has given you everything else!
This is what I think is “Attitude” and what makes Roger one of the best, and Nadal the erstwhile successor! If only more people had this attitude, competition would be so much more FUN!
Till the next big slam!!
Ciao ;)
Watching the Australian Open 2009 Men’s Final was a treat for every tennis lover, more so if you are a fan of Roger and Rafa. Not only was the five setter one of the best played in recent times by both of them, it also exhibited the reason the two of them are so truly loved the world over! The post match ceremony would be remembered for years – the day when Roger cried, when you got to see what true “competition” means, when Rod Laver, one of the all time greats gave away the trophy to NOT his favorite, but someone who could be added to the list some day, the day when a new order was taking over the world of Tennis!
The AMAZING crowd that Australian Open is known for and its support to Federer was best summed up by the Master of the Ceremony: “If Australia were to adopt an International Sports Star, it would be him!” What followed was a 15 minute standing ovation!
I can wax eloquent over the match and the post match ceremony, but simply put, if there is ONE thing which stuck me, about the two men, and which is exactly what separates them from the rest, is their approach to the game! Usually, in a sport, more than any other profession, competitors tend to take things personally. A loss is taken as a personal assault, notwithstanding the fact that the other person might have been better in the game! However, when you see the attitude of Roger and Rafa (Which I think he has happily picked from Roger himself) you realize how much they love the game! A good move of the opponent, a neat trick and each other’s success in advancing the game is always appreciated! Here, the personal victory doesn’t matter as much as improvement of the game does. At the end of the day, the aim is to give your best to the game that has given you everything else!
This is what I think is “Attitude” and what makes Roger one of the best, and Nadal the erstwhile successor! If only more people had this attitude, competition would be so much more FUN!
Till the next big slam!!
Ciao ;)
