Sports fans live for these moments – when one of the world’s most reveled rivalries take to the court. Although that has not really happened for women’s tennis, the men’s game is at the top of the billing for the right reasons.
For sometime now it has been considered somewhat unfair that women tennis players carry the additional burden of dressing up as it were in order to draw attention to the sport. However, that was not always the case as history would be only too happy to prove. The paradigm shift though was partly created through media sensation and through starlets such as Anna Kournikova who made for great photo shoots but little by way of tennis history. That the Kournikova trend of attracting attention – even if it means sporting some rather audacious outfits –it has not stopped some of the top level women players although their titles have failed to catch up with the season’s trends.
On the other hand, men’s tennis has had it better than in the past few years. Although Rafael Nadal’s injuries were a setback on the road to history, it has allowed Novak Djokovic to back his big mouth with big performances that have solidified his stand critically as the trio of men’s current top level tennis. That Roger Federer was beaten by Nadal had a tell tale sign to it but for Djokovic to come through in five sets in a Grand Slam record breaking almost six hours on the court has proved that his endurance and his appetite to last long at the helm of matters is backed by his lion hearted pursuit.
Ironically while the days of serve and volley are being considered with big hitters ruling the roost, the men’s game has still managed to attract interest even as the women have struggled to pose quite the same consistency to command a standing, which should be a worrying scenario. Behind doors, there is still the issue of tour scheduling and the players being divided on the issue. However, it would seem the women have a few more problems than when it comes to the men’s game that is showing remarkable consistency in producing champions and not one time hits.
Back home in India though, one man on the verge of forty is celebrating tennis success as a doubles champion even as some of the cricketers his age are facing wrath down under, the same place when the Indian cricket team is struggling but Leander Paes has done enough to earn himself another Grand Slam title, and making it now all four slam doubles victories in his career for India.
