R for Roger Federer, R for Redemption!

It was pitted as the greatest Grand Slam match of all time. It was built as the greatest Grand Slam final of all time. They even said it had the talent, history, and persona to be the greatest match in history.

The build-up was lionized. Rightly so, it had to be. Records were on the line. So was pride. Comebacks had to be vindicated and withdrawals needed to be justified. The chance to become the greatest player in Brad Gilbert’s list of the best tennis players in history was a greedy incentive as well.

Then again, Brad who?

Nothing else mattered that day. Nothing else could come even remotely close. Presidents could have resigned and aliens could have landed, but nothing would have made the world stop from what it was doing and take notice. Because all eyes were at the Rod Laver Arena where two of the greatest tennis players to have ever graced the court were set to lock horns in yet another engrossing battle.

It was the ninth time that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were playing in a Grand Slam final. The first time since the 2011 French Open final and the first time at the Australian Open since the 2009 epic. Nadal was looking to become the first man in the open era to win all four Grand Slams twice. Federer, on the flip side, was looking to be the first man in history to win 5 titles at more than two Grand Slams.

The amount of numbers being flashed on screen was painfully perplexing. The magnanimity with which those numbers were being talked about didn’t help either. This match was that big. It was Federer versus Nadal afterall. The same Federer and Nadal who tore hearts and bored holes in logic when they wrested each other deep into dusk at the 2008 Wimbledon final – The greatest tennis match in history.

Federer, playing his unprecedented 28th Grand Slam final, was cooler than the icy -30 degree celsius winds back home in Switzerland. So cool that during the pre-match photo he had the nerve to ask the mascot whether he was feeling nervous getting his photo clicked? The audacity of that man!

“Are you nervous,” asks Federer?

Umpire James Keothavong looks shocked. The mascot looks bewildered. Federer just smiles. That’s the confidence he has heading into this match. Six months out of action and just one warm-up tournament before Melbourne hasn’t dampened his spirit one bit. If someone gave him a bongo and put him on camera at this very instant, there’s a 90% chance that he would not back away from beating the life out of those things in the same manner in which he beat men half his age en-route to the final.

That’s what makes Federer more than just a player that people support and want to win. It makes him a player that people see themselves in. It makes him a player who connects with them to levels that weren’t palpable before he stepped on the court. This is who he is. This is what he stands for.

He knows that this match could be his last chance ever at a Grand Slam title. This match could be his last shot ever at beating Nadal in a Grand Slam final. Ah Nadal, the arch nemesis. The palladium to my Iron Man. The kryptonite to my Superman. The outside-off ball to my Virat Kohli. The same Nadal who made Federer cry at this very venue after this very match 8 years ago. The same Nadal who hasn’t been able to win another Australian Open title ever since that doomed night in January.

This is Nadal’s 21st Grand Slam final. He’s won 14 of them. He seems to have been stuck there for ages now. Since 2014 actually. Another title would take him above the great Pete Sampras. The same Sampras who couldn’t win on clay and kept winning on grass. The same clay on which Nadal made his legacy and the same grass where Federer has his only Grand Slams final wins (2) against Nadal. Come to think about it, it’s really wondrous how things fall perfectly into place when history comes into play.

“Time,” says the chair umpire.

There’s pin drop silence. Time starts to tick away as the players move to take their positions behind the base line. Tick tick tick. Every second can be heard. All watches synchronized. Time seems to have slowed down. The match hasn’t even started yet. Tick tick tick. Nadal looks up, bounces the ball. Federer looks ready. Then again, he was born ready. He looks possessed. Full passion, full spirit. Finally, Rafa makes a sound. He serves. And that marks the start of a special match. A match that would be talked about 30 years from now. Make that 50. No, make that 100.

This is it. No turning back now. It’s real!

They say greatness doesn’t age. They said right. Federer is 35, Nadal is 30. And they’re still producing greatness out there. This isn’t 2007 anymore. It’s 2017. Yes, time has lapsed. Yes, people have grown. Yes, people move on. Yes, people forget things. But everyone remembers the last time they saw these two stalwarts battle it out on a hard court in a Grand Slam final.

“God, it's killing me,” sniveled Federer that day. He couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t too. There’s nothing more disheartening than too see someone you respect and idolize break apart right in front of your own eyes. Tonight, he would be crying again. Definitely. But it could be for a different reason. Or maybe not.

4-0 down in the second set and Federer is down a double break. He’s already won the first in exemplary manner. Routine stuff for him. Nadal’s just another player out there tonight. Federer’s aggression is ridiculous. Ridiculous for 35-year old father of two sets of twins. But Nadal is in no mood to let this go that easy. He’s roared back in dominating manner. Carlos Moya, the latest addition to the Nadal camp, looks disturbed though. He’s been on the receiving end of Federer’s wrath one too many times. 7 times if memory serves me right. He knows that one can’t take Federer lightly. Not tonight, not any night.

With a chance to take the second set as a bagel, Nadal starts serving to go 5-0 up. But Federer produces some magic that has made him who he is today. 0-30 down Nadal gifts Federer a juicy backhand winner with the court wide open. It’s like gifting a shark a titillating piece of meat in open water. All that needs to be done is to bury the teeth deep inside the flesh and taste the goodness of purity. Only Federer nets his backhand and sends painful shrieks out every household in the world. Meh! Just one of those days.

Nadal takes the second set. He had to win one. Then Federer takes the third. Just a matter of time before the king would finally ascend back to his thrown, I think. Nadal has never beaten Federer after being two sets down. Surely he can’t rewrite history tonight. Especially with so much already on the line.

But then, Nadal takes the fourth set to take this match into a decider. This is getting too close for comfort now. We’re going the distance. And there’s nothing more in this world that can take this away from me now. When you start tweeting about every point, you know greatness is in action. And that’s exactly what these two legends are.

Nadal breaks Federer in the first game of the fifth set. This after the Swiss maestro took an extended medical time-out after the fourth. Damn! How did this happen? This strategy worked wonders against Wawrinka in the semifinal. What went wrong today? Ivan ljubicic is tensed. Federer fans would hope that the sweat on his bald and shiny head would maybe reflect light and cause a distraction for Nadal. Hey, anything at this point to make Federer win. All is fair, right?

But that doesn’t happen. Nadal races to a 3-0 lead. He can smell it. It’s that close for him. Mirka Federer looks unimpressed. She’s calm as a mountain here. She’s been through too many of these nerve-wrecking moments to lose her composure. She knows what’s about to happen. She smiles, she’s ready!

Down 3-1 in the decider, with his legs rickety and already treated twice by the doctors, Federer decides to rally on. Swaying along the edge of disaster, he produces pristine winners that changes the course of the match. His forehand has been a disaster tonight. But he’s made up for that with his legendary backhands. A backhand so flawless that it makes people reach for cushions to keep under their jaws, which would otherwise break after dropping down with mesmerizing awe.

It’s match point now for Federer. Scratch that. It’s championship point. Nadal’s already saved a couple of them. Damn his defiance. But the Spanish matador’s only delaying the inevitable. It’s just a matter of time before the truth hits everyone. Federer serves. That serve that’s troubled thousands. Nadal returns. Federer’s already at the net. Serve and volley 101. He volleys the ball for a crushing winner. He raises his hand in disbelief. The crowd starts to go wild. I almost throw the remote in jubilation. But wait. What’s happening? Nadal’s challenged the call. Hawkeye time. He’s still trying to delay the inevitable.

Damn, his defiance!

Federer was a break down when the world lost hope, but he believed. Everyone thought that he had left the arena, but he stuck around. Everyone had written him off after the fourth set, but he seemed to be writing his own script. Everyone thought that he didn’t have it in him to reach another Grand Slam final, let alone winning one. But, he came, he saw, he fought, and then finally he got that ‘Number 18.’

"Tennis is a tough sport. There are no draws. If there were, I would have been happy to accept one and share it with Rafa,” said Federer during his victory ceremony.

Sorry Roger! No turning back now. It’s real.

Why ‘SanTina’ is not a Fluke!

“Our fairy tale continues…”

Following the Australian Open victory, Martina Hingis chose these words when asked to describe her prodigious partnership with Sania Mirza. Needless to say, she said it all, she said it right!

There’s something really defining about this merger. It’s quick enough to draw attention, intriguing enough to watch, charismatic enough to enthrall, and mesmerizing enough to make people gasp for breath. It’s kind of like a modern-day fusion between old-school dexterity and new-age audacity.

It’s solid, it’s stellar, and it just works!

Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis have been through a lot in life. They’ve basked in the glory of eminence and have scuffled with the horrors of society. They’ve scaled the peaks of success and have struggled with the dooms of failure. They’ve learnt the meaning of the phrase “Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” the hard way and have learnt to take things in their stride. Which is why when we combine the two, we get an impeccable combination that just cannot stop winning.

Till now, their staggering run includes a world record 36-match winning streak, has seen them win 12 titles (including 8 in a row), and has seen them bring home a hat-trick of Grand Slams. Compared to the 2014 season where each won just 3 titles with their respective partners, ‘SanTina’ indeed has enjoyed a fairy tale run.

However, with great power comes great responsibility!

While the exploits of Sania and Hingis have made them the top doubles pair in the world right now, the flip side states that the pair also has a bullseye on their heads as the prime target to take down. Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka did come close to ‘dethroning’ the Indo-Swiss duo but could not get the job done. In reality, though, it might be quite some time before someone actually breaches the defense.

It’s not that Sania and Hingis are unbeatable to such an extent that it will take someone pulling off a “Djoker” to beat them; it’s that they’re so unmatched in terms of conviction and self-belief that beating them right now is next to impossible. The aura that they possess is something that many have tried and failed to achieve and their unique ability to complete each other’s game is beyond legendary.

Sania has power, Hingis has finesse. Sania has a forehand, Hingis has a lob. Sania has charm, Hingis has grace. It all complements each other so well that the points just beg to be taken away. The chemistry that they share is appealingly pure and it shows not just when they play but when they talk as well.

Their philosophy is pretty simple. They come, they play, they win. Period! They keep it meek and rely on their instincts. Instincts so adept that one just can’t help admiring the genius in them. They win matches on the court and they win hearts off it. Purely because they are that damn good!

Haters will always try to find reasons to hate them, but they won’t find any. Adversaries will always try to find chinks in their armour, but they won’t find many. Critics will write nonsense just because they need something to do, however SanTina is like a force that will just keep rolling through!

People need to understand that SanTina is not a fluke. They’re not even close. They’re not even in the same room were fluke stays. Unless of course the definition of fluke is a group of individuals who exploit their talents to the best of their abilities in order to get aboard a juggernaut that just thunders through and tramples anything and everything in its path. Then maybe!

In reality tough, they’re just an awesome amalgamation of skill, flair and poise. For their good and for ours as well, let’s hope that no one comes even remotely close to derailing their winning bandwagon. They give us something pretty to watch and something pristine to follow. The tennis fraternity owes them big time for their contribution towards the sport.

Sania was recently conferred with the NDTV Sportsperson of the Year award where she said, “If in a billion people a few thousand don’t like you, it doesn’t matter.”

Game, set and match Mirza on that one.

My dream, as a sports enthusiast, is to have a society where people cherish the immense sacrifices that Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis have made rather than just keeping talking about their past.

My dream, as a sports enthusiast, is to have a society where people respect Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis for what they have achieved rather than go out of their way to find flaws and bog them down.

And finally my dream, as a sports enthusiast, is to have a society where people feel proud of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis for their never-say-die attitude in life irrespective of their winning streak.

Maybe one day. Maybe someday!

The curious case of ‘Murreysmo’

It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard those ‘three little words’ that sometimes bring a smile on my face. Those words that were meant to ease the pain in a manner that would make even the boring into something interesting. Those words that showed that there still was a ray of hope in the world and that all relationships could last despite partners being complete opposites.

Prepare. Attack. Destroy!

Remember them? For people across the globe they were just ‘words’ on an Adidas t-shirt, but for me those ‘words’ signified the prodigious fusion between a certain Scottish goody and an American badass. I don’t know when, how or why Adidas came up with the idea, but they sold it at the best possible time as it summarized an amalgamation that to the tennis fraternity was the start of something spectacular.

8-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl joining forces with Andy Murray was a match made in heaven it seemed. For a tennis player as bland as Murray nothing is better than winning a Grand Slam (let alone the 17 that Roger Federer has) and for the Scot to have the epitome of ambushing brilliance on his side meant things had gotten serious in camp. So serious that “raw aggression” seemed an understatement.

Almost immediately one could sense the changes in Murray’s game. The intent to win every point was instilled. An aggressive approach to the game was adapted. Those drop shots stated serving the purpose they were destined to serve. Andy’s net-play that never was a major part of his game suddenly became his “go-to” move. Perhaps for the first time ever Andy could smell the glory of a Grand Slam success.

The world waited with baited breath as to what Lendl had planned next. Every move was scrutinized. Every shot was analyzed. Murray started getting the “oohs” and “aahhs” that differentiates the good from the best. Lendl was clearly visible in Murray’s persona. “That shot had a Lendl tinge in it,” said the people. There was no place for emotions. No more pain. No more crying. The path was set for the Andy Murray bandwagon and it showed no signs of derailment. The dream reignited. A knighthood loomed.

Not only under Ivan Lendl did Andy Murray reach the Wimbledon final in 2012, but he also won an Olympic Gold Medal in London a month later, won his first Grand Slam, the US Open title, the same year beating Novak Djokovic in a gruesome 5-setter, reached the Australian Open final in 2013, where he gave a much better fight to Djokovic than the year before, and ripped the Serb apart in straight sets later that year at Wimbledon to give Great Britain a new song to sing ever since the “Oh hail Perry” anthem.

The term “first win since Fred Perry” started making an appearance more often than it did when the great Tim Henman was on the circuit. Great Britain could finally cheer for someone who could give something they’d waited for since forever. Ever since the lowest low in January 2010 when the words “I can cry like Roger, its shit that I can’t play like him” were muttered by a tear-faced Andy Murray amass the picturesque Rod Laver Arena, the world had been waiting for the prodigal son to bounce back.

And now, the time had come! The only problem – it lasted just two years.

In September 2013, Murray took probably the most treacherous decision of his career when he decided to have back surgery. Although at that time the Scot did not see the same as a career-threatening move, it did turn out to have quite an impact on his career. Not physically, but mentally. His comeback was not a fairytale one and unfortunately for British fans it was Ivan Lendl who had to pay the price.

Since the inconceivable and intense final at the Flushing Meadows against Djokovic in 2012 and the spanking finale against the same opponent at SW19 a year later, all eyes had been on Murray to have an  extravagant encore. However, ever since his back surgery, Murray’s ranking tumbled from No. 2 to No. 9, his form was nowhere near to his intimidating best and he was characterized as a player who did not have a style of his own. To make things worse, he had to play consecutive ATP 250s just to make the cut for the ATP World Tour Finals.

Needless to say, Lendl was on the first flight home, which probably turned out to be the worst decision good ‘Ol Andy has made in his entire life. Lendl’s departure was bigger a loss for Andy than any final he ever played as it brought back the demons that not only took possession of Murray’s feeble mind but also gave birth to a virus that infected the Scot’s game. He started losing matches from winning positions. Fred Perry’s name seemed lost in history now and Great Britain went into gloom again.

However, the one quality that Andy Murray has working for him is his will to not throw in the towel. Something that was clearly evident at the Australian Open this year. Apart from the fourth set in the final against Djokovic that saw the Serb fashion a blitzing bagel, Murray has been known to grind it out until the end of time. Before heading into Wimbledon 2014, the Scot got 2-time Grand Slam winner Amelie Mauresmo on board as her coach. A move that was probably aimed towards setting the records straight that Murray thought he still has a lot to offer when it came to top quality tennis.

Andy, of all people, knew that working with Mauresmo was going to be looked upon with questioning eyes at all times. Yet, he still went ahead with the move because he actually has a lot in common with the Frenchwoman. Just like Murray, Mauresmo too had to spend her life being an underdog and always having to cope with handling pressure. Mauresmo too has just 2 Grand Slams like Murray. And best of all Murray, just like Mauresmo, believes that winning a match is about variety and not aggression.

Such was the variety conjured by Mauresmo that even a pretty one-dimensional Murray inculcated some wicked and acrimonious angles into his game that left his opponents at the Australian Open fuming at the other end feeling as if a brutal bruiser had stolen their lunch money. Melbourne was witness to the new-old Murray when he demolished the likes of Grigor Dimitrov, Nick Kyrgios and Tomas Berdych with scintillating artistry which was something even Lendl, the man who for eternity will be attributed with turning Murray into a Grand Slam champion, could not ingrain.

Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo also found common ground on how to effectuate a strategy when it comes to finishing a tennis match. As there are incalculable views on the subject in today’s power-driven era that sees the gym-bred physicality rule the courts, Murray and Mauresmo are moving forwards with a strategy that believes in quality, not quantity, and in keeping things simple.

Now it is left to be seen whether or not that strategy will work wonders for Murray, who at 28 does not have a lot of time in hand to create a facade of being called a legend, or whether he can rediscover the intensity and vigour that led him to the breakthrough US Open victory and the earth-shattering Wimbledon triumph; however, at the end of the day what matters is that the player and coach must have the same views on how to play the game.

Something that ‘Murreysmo’ has already mastered!

Li Na – the phoenix who dared to dream!

I know that this post is a week too late, but to be honest that is the exact period of time it took me to realize what a loss Li Na’s retirement has been to the tennis fraternity (especially Asia). The ‘Chinese Sensation’ as she was fondly known to her fans decided to hang her racquet due to ongoing injuries and thereby in the process ended one of the most glorious and momentous careers in the sport’s history.

Believe me when I use the word “momentous” to define Li’s career because quite frankly I could not come up with a better word to suit her undying dedication and ruthless grit when it came to playing a sport that meant so much to her. Not only did she manage to exceptionally effectuate a plan that would lead her to distinctive eminence, but she also managed to bestow tennis in an unprecedented manner that will forever be talked about.

Her contribution towards tennis has been nothing short of being immense. Her trailblazing act of popularizing the sport in an “uncharted” territory like China (and even Asia to an extent) clearly speaks volumes of the kind of personage that Li Na possesses. What I guess today is that 10 years from now a pack of tennis fanatics will remember that the 5’7” Li Na mesmerized people with her exalted crouching forehand. However, I say with extreme surety that the world and its people will always remember her as an epitome of resistance.

Coming from China and choosing a sport that has not gifted the country with a “medal” since like forever would be a tough decision to make for any sportsperson. But nevertheless Li Na chose to go down that path. Not because she was forced to (unlike many Chinese Olympians) but because she wanted to stand out and make a difference. She wanted to grab a sport, which in her own words was in “infancy” in her country, by the throat and take it upwards to notability. And that’s exactly what she did.

I still remember watching the 2011 Roland Garros final when Li Na vanquished the exploits of then defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy to become the first ever Asian and Chinese Grand Slam singles champion and etch her name in history. Even though the sport of tennis is not uncommon in India and we’ve had our share of legendary Grand Slam champions, I have to admit that was indeed a proud moment for me as an Asian.

What’s extraordinary about that tournament in specific is that in addition to taming Schiavone in the final and romping her way past top guns like Petra Kvitova, Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova in the process, Li Na was successful in drawing the attention of 116 million Chinese in watching the sport. That’s a win for any sport any day of the week and I guess the fabulous Chris Evert put it brilliantly and said it out for everyone when she said, “That kind of exposure is crucial for our sport; and it never would have happened without Li.” And it has indeed reaped great benefits for tennis in China.

From two professional tournaments in 2008 to ten today is just one of the many accomplishments of Li Na’s endurance and continuing fortitude. Her stirring list of “firsts” that include being the first Chinese to win a WTA title, the first to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal, the first to reach a Grand Slam final, the first to compete in the WTA Tour Finals, the first to be ranked in the top 20 and top 10 and the only till date to been ranked as high as World No. 2 has helped her country boast of having four players in the top 100 today– a feat that needed Li Na’s unflinching and indispensable perseverance.

Another achievement that Li Na can be proud to have under her cap is having the Rod Laver arena boo a defending champion in the final. The 2013 Australian Open final against the then defending champion Victoria Azarenka not only won Li millions of hearts around the world but also portrayed her as a phenomenal fighter (or ‘phighter’; now I know what Mary Kom a.k.a Priyanka Chopra meant). As mentioned before, the Chinese Sensation would hardly be remembered for her double-handed backhand. But what she will surely be remembered for is her crouching forehand. Because for a player to stay that low and smash the ball cross court with inconceivable speed clearly deserves some praise.

Undoubtedly the match that made Li Na’s unbreakable persona was the Azarenka final. After having won the first set comfortably, Li was down 0-3 in the second. Her valiant game play helped her level the second set at 4-4 even after twisting her ankle in the process and hopping her way to her chair en-route a medical timeout. However, Vika edged Li there to force a deciding third set.

The third set started with a literal “bang” as the match was interrupted due to the Australia Day fireworks celebration just at the point when Li had taken a 2-1 lead. When it resumed, she twisted her ankle for the second time and “banged” her head on the surface while tumbling over. Amidst the crowd support, Li Na distinctly appeared bleary during her second medical timeout and eventually gave in 6-3 to allow Azarenka lift her second straight Australian Open trophy among the Melbourne hostility.

That’s the kind of presence that Li Na had on the court. It’s really sad that the sport of tennis will now be deprived of the jolly and gleeful charisma that she brought to every game. But I guess like Bollywood’s unrivalled aura of making dismal sport movies, recurring injuries too had taken over Li Na’s body. Her journey by all means has not been easy. It never is for champions actually. But those who are the “bird that sticks out” will always stride towards victory with slicing brilliance and master the impossible.

“Not many people believed in my talent and my abilities, yet I found a way to persevere, to prove them (and sometimes myself!) wrong. Whether you want to be a tennis player, a doctor, a teacher or a business leader, I urge you to believe in yourself and follow your dream. If I could do it, you can too. Be the bird that sticks out. With hard work, your dreams will come true.”

Thank You Li Na! Thanks for being the change the world needed!

The King is Back..

Apart from the fact that Stan ‘the man’ Wawrinka won his maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open this year, if there was one thing that any person who is even remotely connected to the sport of Tennis had to vouch for at this point of time - that thing would be the definite fact that people at Melbourne Park got to witness something really special at the hands of Roger Federer.

In addition to him showing shades of his vintage self that personified someone who dictated terms on the court, he also portrayed a side of his playing capabilities that everyone on the tennis fraternity thought was lost. The class act manner in which the 17-time Grand Slam champion manufactured points with majestic brilliance proved without a shadow of a doubt that the 32-year old still has what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

Federer indeed can bounce back after his Australian Open show. He has a new racquet, a new coach and best of all a new attitude towards handling the game he considers to be most close to his heart. He’s enjoying the game more now, he has a disciplined regime and as always his spirit is an epitome of ‘never-say-die’.  Somewhere down the line everyone, even Federer, wanted that person to return. And that’s what happened at the Australian Open.

The ease with which Federer overcame the challenges thrown by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray was nothing short of breathtaking. Whether it was his insane slices, his genius fake shots or his ridiculous inventions that left his fans spellbound and gasping for more, Roger Federer was able to pierce millions of hearts with his stupendous serves and his mesmerizing game-play.

Federer may have lost the battle when he bowed out against Rafael Nadal in the semis, but one thing that can be said with utmost certainty is that the Swiss Maestro is ready to win the war in the long run. Because Fedex in the true sense is and will always be an embodiment of grace, the king of tennis and the incarnation of a living legend.