My hope and thought is that this match has the potential of being like the first Rocky vs. Apollo fight. A fight where both landed a knockout punch to end the match.
Tennis though can’t end like that. Someone wins the last point.
You are the best ever. You lost because you were beaten by a better player on that day. That is what happens in sport. It is about today. Your rhythm was thrown off because of any extra day due to the rainout? Your opponent didn’t play the way your two prior opponents played? It was hard to play with the pressure of having to win the Grand Slam? You were tired from so many matches?
Are you Princess who cannot sleep because of a pea under the mattress?
As Roberta Vinci said in her post match interview after beating Serena, I am sorry.
I am sorry Serena but I need to write about you and disappointment I feel.
As many of you know, I am all about stories. Stories that players tell themselves that don’t work to get them what they want. And stories they tell themselves that create the possibility of being who they need to be to bring the very best out of themselves in the biggest moments of performance.
The press and the fans have stories about every player. It is important that the player has a story going that will give them the best chance to ignite the highest end of their talent and skills. So that, win or lose the score, they can look in the mirror and say, “I have no regrets. I brought my best.”
I have been trying to write about Roger Federer since the US Open. Every time I started, though, my inner voice said to wait. Something amazing is yet to happen. I am glad I waited because this weekend Roger sealed the deal for me on me casting my vote that he is the greatest player I have ever witnessed.
On July 27, I got the call. Bob, you have been one of four players selected to represent the USA to compete for the Senior Davis Cup. Very excited to be chosen as it has been 6 years since I last played for the team. Although I made the team last year, I chose not to participate. The finals would have been contested on Yom Kippur.
I first went to the US Open in 1958 and saw Althea Gibson win what was then called the US Nationals. Forest Hills on the grass. Tennis was officially in my blood from that moment on. There were a few years that I didn’t attend but this will be about my 50th year of attending.
You would think it gets old.
Nope.
Shoshin.
I have been fortunate to play International competitions many times. I have grown to feeling comfortable and relaxed when I put on my USA jacket with the mission to bring home the Cup for our country.
Rafa Nadal has won 88 out of 89 five set matches on clay. His record at the French Open is 65-1.
I played a few tournaments as a junior player. I can’t recall it being enjoyable. I would play badly. I would get frustrated. Embarrassed. I would misbehave. I would lose. Winning felt like the only reason to play and the only way I could find something about the experience that made it worth doing.
