Ode to the King
My hiatus from blogging has been longer than the duration for which I have blogged. So when I finally thought of taking my writer’s block head on, I decided to write about one of the most consistent and defining relationships of my life. This relationship has seen me shed tears of joy and suffer through insufferable heartbreak. It has given me hope and also kept me awake for numerous nights. I’ve fought with family and friends alike to defend this person who I believe in with all my heart, adore with every cell in my body, and who I will support till the end of my life.
I am of course talking about my rather one-sided love affair with the most famous Majorcan in the world, Rafael Nadal. Unrequited love never felt so good. My obsession with tennis began 14 years ago and coincided with the timing of the world getting introduced to Nadal’s obsession with fighting for every point, i.e, French Open 2005. I was thoroughly entertained by how he pumped himself up after every point, how he wore his emotions on his sleeve(less) and how he let tears flow freely after winning the championship. As a sucker for sentimental stuff, I would derive great joy and hold back a sniffle or two during the trophy presentations. Back then, I never knew that the King of Clay (and my heart!) would go on to win a dozen Coupe des Mousquetaires. That is a word I have associated only with eggs. Seeing him achieve this indomitable feat yesterday motivated me to do two things: (1) Put to thoughts (and words) my plans of blogging — after all, I can’t claim to be a fan of the player who’s made recovering from injuries and spinning fairy tale comebacks a norm if I can’t muster the courage to take baby steps towards my own micro-mini comeback — and (2) Scratch beneath the surface of sublime tennis and introspect why I so fiercely root for Nadal every time he steps on court; taped knees or otherwise.
Tomes have been written, and will continue to be written, about Nadal’s tennis prowess. However, what fascinates me more, is Nadal’s personality off-court. His patience and humility is as endearing as the act of him tugging at his underwear on-court is not. He takes the time to autograph every piece of paper, tennis ball (or as was once the case, underwear) that his fans throng him with. Though it might be common for players to acknowledge their fans this way, it is almost unheard of to have a player take the time and effort to do this while walking off court after losing a match. He is probably aware of the fact that his fans have invested immense time and money to be around him.This simple act speaks volumes about Nadal’s kindness and generosity.
Like most tennis players, many of Nadal’s losses have been because of injuries. I still vividly remember a limping Nadal playing against his friend, Ferrer, while chasing the “Rafa Slam” only because he did not want it to be a walkover. However, Nadal refrains from addressing questions about injuries as a reason for a loss in his post-match interviews in order to give his opponents full credit. It’s the same Nadal who never forgets and ensures that he gives disrespectful opponents like Robin Soderling a good thrashing whenever they meet. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold.
No write-up about Nadal can be complete without at least a mention of probably the best tennis player of all time, Roger Federer. My acknowledgement of Federer’s greatness should not be seen as me failing in my loyalties to Nadal. I honestly believe that no one in this generation has played tennis as beautifully as Federer has and as I’ve mentioned before, there is so much to Nadal’s off court persona which makes him my absolute favourite. For me, the “Fedal” rivalry has gone through stages of aggressive love and has now settled into a mature and beautiful relationship. These two players have been a part of some of the most memorable moments in their careers. Their epic Wimbledon matches in 2007 and 2008, and their phenomenal Australian Open final in 2009 are a part of tennis folklore. I remember the times when I used to hope for Federer losing in the early stages of a tournament only to ensure Nadal has it easy. Now I’m just happy whenever they face-off on court. I’m even happier when I read the wonderful things they say about each other in their post-match interviews. Nadal was effusive in his gratitude to Federer at the opening of his academy, and Federer returned the favour with his signature eloquence and elegance. Their now constant support for each other and their bromance during the Laver Cup is a feast for tennis fans.
The brute force and stamina with which Nadal plays would lead to one assuming that he is blessed with an incredibly fit body. However, few know that the bone structure of Nadal’s foot is such that Nike designs special shoes for him which a regular person would find difficult to even walk in. He was diagnosed with career threatening injuries just after his first French Open win and frequently needs to be injected with plasma so that his tissues can regenerate at a normal rate. We all come with a share (some might argue about whether it’s a fair share) of boons and banes. The beauty, and challenge, lies in making the most we can out of the cards we’ve been dealt with. To remember that the legacy you leave behind as a person is probably much more long lasting than the success you have as a professional. How many of us remember the number of slams McEnroe won? What we do remember, however, are his tantrums on court.
Nadal has long advocated a zen-like philosophy towards his competitors and career. He says that the only thing he focuses on is what’s within his control- to make do with the body that he has been given and to try and improve every day. While that is a rather scary thought for his opponents, it is the biggest lesson I take away from this humble “bull”.
