I'm back from a week's holiday where I went to the Australian Open tennis and got to see some tremendous matches in the middle rounds, including Verdasco's win over Andy Murray. Every year the Australian Open tends to bring out a new shining light and so it was quite extraordinary to have the 1st and 2nd seed meet in the final.
What a match between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. I was behind Federer's push to win his 14th Grand Slam and to regain his dominance in the game. I am so into studying the mindset of a champion, that I was disappointed to see the apparent look of defeat on Federer's face as he approached his final service game.
In that moment I saw some immaturity and lack of courage. He came crashing back down to the earth from the rarefied heights he had been living as the once 'god' of tennis. Perhaps Federer took his amazing skills for granted and didn't expect that he would need to draw on other skills such as fortitude and guts in the ultimate challenge. Last Sunday Federer was not up to the final challenge and I hope he takes the positive learnings from it to realise that there is something more for him to 'get' before he can claim that desired title of being the 'greatest of all time'.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tennis and champions
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1 comment:
hi annette
i don't agree with you that Roger lacked courage in that match and immaturity is definitely not a word that describes anything about him. How much further than a nail biting 5 setter can tennis players fight it out? The match could have gone either way. It was not a 3 setter walk in the park for Nadal. He is in fantastic form at present.
I don't think Roger takes anything for granted and he definitely does not see or think himself as the "god" of tennis. That is a label that the media or whoever has given him. A lifetime of hard work and the mindset of a champion is what has got him where he is today. He may not have won that tournament but he his not down and out yet. He will claim the title of being the greatest player of all time this year - I'm sure of it.
cheers Myolene
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