Tennis and Its Relative Connection With Relativity

"When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute—then it's longer than any hour. That's relativity!"

Famous words by an even more famous Albert Einstein, whose such a simple statement about one of the world's greatest theories put forth, made understanding the concept easier than the theory itself!

I sort of extended this one liner to tennis because after watching Roger Federer [there I said it] lose once again in the Semifinals [it was Rome, this time] I felt that his countless fans [myself included] are experiencing a "Relativity Syndrome."

Think on what the above mentioned one liner and compare it with Federer's loss at Rome yesterday; In the days of his glory [2004-2007] the first part of the statement makes sense, while now that he doesn't win in and out, the second part seems to be working aptly.

Let me take "Myself" as an example...

Whenever Federer plays I want him to win: win at any cost, so much so that I never consider that his rival for the day, too must be having an ardent fan equivalent or perhaps a shade better than me, who will be praying and hoping for a miracle and a solid display of tennis.

This year especially, if it is to be seen impartially, Federer has performed well: Of course not by any chance the best, but still decent; and yet I want him to do even better and when he loses, it feels as if "Oh God, when will he win something?"

The way I say it, it looks as if he is the wild card entrant in every event who makes everyone regret about him getting the wild card! I hate the court, the opponent, his fans and not to forget the man of the moment: Federer!

And such a situation is a common occurrence to almost each and every professional tennis player; with each time almost every fan reacting in the same manner. It's like a "Fan Gene" encoded within them which makes them shout and rant [I am one of the such embedded fans].

Though it's not wrong [why are we known as fans then], it's definitely not right and I realised it today while watching Rafa and Nole neck it out. I know I am being highly moralistic and philosophical and all, but still it's a truth which we can hide but from ourselves!

Today it's Federer who is facing this scenario and I am not liking it [not even one bit]; yesterday it would have been a Sampras or an Agassi with a different set of fans and tomorrow we might see a Rafa for whom someone might be shedding tears.

Different eras, different players: The same result! And as much as we will hate to admit and think about it, this level of "Impasse" is inevitable at some point or the other, for try as we might, sometimes we just have to give in to certain things: we are left with no choice at all!

There however is just one exception in a vague way to this particular notion: Bjorn Borg! He left all the action and all the drama just as it started; had he stayed, it would have been interesting to see whether his initial losses were a step nearing to this inevitability or was it just a false alarm?

And now, a final food for thought: Isn't Bjorn Borg's retirement decision also a form of Einstein relativity explanation?

When he kept on winning all those French Opens and the Wimbledons, none of his fans minded: it was a minute going on an hour! And when the final blow of his retirement reached ears; didn't his wins suddenly become an hour going in a minute?