A game called tennis

The tension is over. The crowd has melted. The galleries are empty. Smashed racquets, broken bottles, dirty towels—the flotsam and jetsam of a tournament watched by millions of spectators around the world. The lonely victor looking up at the sky has proved to the world that he is the greatest of all tennis players. He is the real GOAT and confirmed it too in a maddening, cheering arena where he played a flawless game of tennis.

He also maintained his composure under incredible stress. The US Open was his greatest challenge and test of endurance. He faced it with cool aplomb. It was a moment of agony and ecstasy for a world-class player chasing his 20th grand slam, added to the mind-boggling prize money and his own reputation as the world’s best tennis player. Djokovic, with his enormous skills of recovery and endurance, proved once again that he was no ordinary GOAT nibbling away at the grass at Wimbledon. His victory was not accidental. It was the reward of long, gruelling endurance tests and practice sessions carried out under rigorous schedules. The man who humbly touched the earth in a gesture of reverence seemed to remind himself that he was just an ordinary player driven by some extraordinary force that day.

Earlier champions of the Open Era, like Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, were still in their teens when they made their debuts and won this prestigious tournament. Whereas Djokovic is on the verge of hanging up his boots when he has played his flawless game. Nothing bothered him that day. The heat, the uncomfortable schedules, and the obvious prejudice of spectators with whom he always seemed to have a love-hate relationship. His entire attention was on the game and game alone. This intense concentration and determination not to let trivialities disturb him were surely the secret to his success. A valuable lesson for aspiring champions.

Tennis fans of the present generation have been privileged to witness extraordinary players like Federer, Nadal, Murray, and Djokovic at their best. Apart from their game, they established a warm relationship with their fans and spectators worldwide, who gave up their schedules of working, eating, and sleeping just to accommodate those crazy time zones and watch their heroes play. Establishing this kind of easy bonhomie with millions of invisible spectators was in itself an impossible achievement. To enthuse them to give up meals and sleep for a fortnight or more just to watch their tennis heroes play live matches showed the adulation and respect they commanded.

The Grand Slam and Djokovic’s success raise a very important question about success itself. Is winning tournaments, earning the adulation of millions, winning a mind-boggling prize in terms of money and gifts—do these things amount to success in life? If it also comes with the baggage of horrendous popularity, gifts from reputed sponsors, and keeping contact with the rich and powerful, are they the key to happiness? We know that these sportsmen and women live in transparent bowls like goldfish, with not a moment for themselves, their families, or their privacy. Roger Federer tried to overcome this problem by tagging his family of parents, wife, and two sets of twins, their governesses, teachers, and attendants. In other words, he carried his family and personal life into a public arena. Was this happiness to drag one’s private life into the public gaze? We all know how he met Mirka, how Nadal got married in an ancient castle, and how much money Dkokovic is worth. We know who is dating whom, who is expecting a child, and who is planning a divorce. The game is forgotten as gossip takes over. We are also looking forward to Coco Gauff’s next attire for the coming matches. Or when Serena Williams is expecting her second child. In the midst of all this tittle-tattle, we even forget our own good luck to have seen these players live.

The greatest tennis players belonged to our generation. Players like Martina Navratilova, or did she really exist? Boris Becker, who, at 17 years old, became a sensation in my world. I remember buying my first small black-and-white TV set just to watch him play. That was sometime in the 1970s, when owning a TV set itself was a great luxury. We have travelled a long way since. Refinement in technology has changed the very perception of the game. Glitz and glamour have taken over, while a game called tennis is now all about money, connections, and fame. The Hall of Fame is symbolic of that transformation. Stars are judged by what they are worth in dollars, their fancy homes, or the brand names of their clothes and shoes. The game will soon be incidental.