Let's get this straight people, I'm really trying hard to love tennis but I can't. I simply can't.
Everywhere I go talk about tennis, in the real as well as virtual world, the F-man pops into every conversation eventually. He's good, no doubt about it; maybe the best ever player or whatever.
Honestly, I like to watch him play but I'm kinda getting tired and irritated listening to people, reading articles and watching video specials on him before every tournament!
He has become more like Paris Hilton of tennis for sportswriters, who aren't tired of writing and speculating about him at the drop of the hat!
Look for genuine editorials in any media publication today and there's the F-man! Look at B/R tennis forum, for instance. It is swarming with articles on him [no disrespect meant to others, even I wrote one...but hey, let's save it for another day]!
People keep telling me tennis is more than F-man, I want to believe that...honest, I swear on F-man's brilliance...but all I hear is F-man this, F-man that, even while talking about other players! I'm not even gonna bother myself by naming him, everyone knows who the F-man is!
He's like corruption in India, omnipresent and omnipowerful, making his presence felt every time we think of tennis! It is almost as if the F-man has put a curse on tennis itself!
Thou shalt not talk of tennis without mentioning the F-man!
Now, just to prove that discussions on tennis without mentioning tennis' bogeyman aren't humanly possible, I start by assuming that such discussions are actually possible and began thinking of things related to tennis completely oblivious of him. It's logic theory-proof by contradiction!
It sounds weird to mix maths with tennis in journalism, but hey, I'm willing to take my chances.
The first such thought that comes to my mind is Maria Sharapova (super cute face, her grunting, those *censored thoughts* legs, not to forget her game, too).
It is actually a good topic to talk about as it is completely oblivious of my nemesis, though can't think of a way how he can make it into a conversation about women's tennis but again I'm not taking any chances.
Now, let's not try and discuss my thoughts on Maria Sharapova's legs or grunting and simply concentrate on her game.
For me, whenever Maria plays, it's like watching squash with Maria and an invisible wall at the net! Normally when we watch tennis, we tend to sway our heads to and fro from player to another but with Maria, my head gets locked to the side of court where she is.
The other player is inconspicuous, as she is out of my visual scope. It's just Maria running around in the half court and hitting or missing the balls.
Her dressing sense, off and on court, is impeccable. Honestly, I have never seen a lady so gorgeous fully dressed!
Clothes somehow look very odd on her as if she had suddenly grown an imperfection, just not to intimidate prospective suitors with her flawless beauty. I still believe it was her beauty which made that fashionably disastrous "swan" dress look delightful!
Her game...well, it's difficult to concentrate for me on technical details simultaneously while observing such a captivating and visually enthralling masterpiece. I guess its better to leave the finer nuances of her game to the better qualified persons to dissect her game play.
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2 months ago
i know yeah -
i loved the drift when you asked -
see how after 3 minutes we ended up taking about the F-Man again.
Hey I adore him too - but i see your point
cheers - PICKED IT
from 2 months ago
Thanks! Appreciate your response! Its always special!
thanks for the pick too!
from 2 months ago
ITS almost like
the father, son and the F-Man !
ha ha - am torn - i see both sides of the story
cheers Dev -
2 months ago
very novel - thought provoking
from 2 months ago
Thanks again...Very generous words but I'm sticking to my side of the story just for the record! ;P
2 months ago
Got your point Dev, The Fed-Express is taking over but Djokovic, Nadal, Roddick, Safin and Dare I say Sharapova, Dementieva provide some distraction.
from 2 months ago
Not sure about distraction part though! I kinda enjoy it:P
Thanks for the response!
from 2 months ago
some entertaining distraction :p
from 2 months ago
probably not distraction - thats not the right word for it
variation -
2 months ago
haha, good one, indeed a good one, No doubt, Mr F-Man hovers over any discussion on Tennis, Its just impossible to keep him fron butting in....
from 2 months ago
Thanks for the response!
2 months ago
good article dev :)
from 2 months ago
thanks yoosof!
2 months ago
Finally!!!
Listen, I don't hate Federer (that much) but I'm glad somebody else pointed this out because every time I mention something as remotely close as this people get appalled. It's like...there's an elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. I love tennis because of its intensity and because one minute you can be up and the next you can be in the gutter - it's the excitement of the game! And sadly, I don't think Federer brings that to the table (except on a special occasion). It is refreshing to see "new faces", it's refreshing to see the challenge, emotion, etc. Anyway, great article!
from 2 months ago
Well someone had to do it...Glad you liked it!
Thanks for the response!
from 2 months ago
Its not Federer style to Pump the air with big fists again n again as if he has won over the entire world, nor is it 'him' to grunt after each point, roar with every winner, show his muscles/biceps(which he doesnt have), point at his head, his leg, his shoulder after a victory...
Thats not him. He is that quite hard working, gentleman-ly Tennis player who makes it all look easy. Just bcoz he makes it look so doesnt mean its any easier for him, Nah, But thats what defines Federer. The sombre, quite player who plays beautiful tennis.
Just bcoz he doesnt wear his heart on his sleeve everytime, its no matchstick of the 'excitement' he brings to the game. The Excitement can be found in his Bomb of a Forehand (That which is today considered (and worded by Jon Mcenroe) as thew Greatest Shot in Tennis history), In his beautiful 'SINGLE HANDED' Forehand, in his terrffic all court coverage and ability to play equally well at the Baseline and at the net. to find the excitement, look at the Right areas...
from 2 months ago
Hey chill, no one is questioning Fed's brilliance or talent...just that some tennis fans like to watch players display emotions which induces a rush of adrenaline in them...we are adrenaline junkies and stoic yet graceful Fed is like a rehab experience! And lets face it, no junkie likes rehab even though its good!
from about 1 month ago
HAH ALRIGHT, But well then I was responding to the "excitement to the game" thing..
c'mon, it wud be unfair to Federer if one says that, any Tennis fan who likes to watch Good Tennis will find all the Excitement u can possible hope for in a Roger Federer match
from about 1 month ago
By the way, at the same time, The 'different' Federer we got to see US OPEN 2008 was just as Thrilling, if not more...
Camt never forget his reaction after Beating Andreev in rd 4 in that stunning 5 setter...Precious, truly Precious...
2 months ago
I enjoy watching Federer because he's so talented. He's got a very business-like approach on the court, and plays incredibly effective tennis. I'm okay with him not getting incredibly emotional during each point. I think it's part of his remarkable focus, and his persona on the court.
Other players are just different, and allow their emotions into the game when they play. But it's not wrong, because it works for them. Their personalities are just completely different from Federer's. Maybe it's that cool Swiss neutrality...
from 2 months ago
Appreciate your view. Thanks for the response.
2 months ago
the reason you get a lot of articles on federer is because you get a lot of READERS about Federer; it's all demand and supply. An 'F-man' article will attract readers because some people don't want to read about tennis; they want to read about Federer. How can it be bad if you're attracting some readers that may not read about tennis if i wans't for Federer? It's a different genre.
from 2 months ago
Not bad at all, Vinny...Everyone loves Fed and wants to read on on him...I'm just trying to add a different perspective to Fed-mania thats all...Just adding some spice to Fed-mania...Variety is the spice of life afterall!
from about 1 month ago
No doubt, No doubt...hats exactly the F-MAN curse isnt it?
as another article here suggested, in a way Federer is killing the sport, Bcoz today, like it or not, this Guy has well and truly become bigger than the sport...
2 months ago
Some new fans of tennis don't understand Federer through tennis. They understand tennis THROUGH Federer. He's just made it accessible to a lot of people.
from 2 months ago
No doubt about it! Fed has increased the fan base hugely over the past few years!
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