australian grand slam tennis

It was a sunday and I had reserved the couch in front of the TV. I watched uninterrupted TV that day, a one off event. A leisurely breakfast and I sauntered in front of the Tv just when the mixed doubles finals was conveniently telecast. It was quite an entertaining and absorbing tennis.I liked the commentator's remark that mixed doubles match puts lots of pressure on the man; he just cannot fail to retrieve a ball when a woman is serving; he cannot allow his natural style to come to the surface and take a dominating role, lest he be curbing his partner's space. I was surprised that even S did not know that there are slightly different rules when the teams score 40 each in a mixed doubles match.

After the first few sets, the dominance of Bhupati, Sania pair was pretty obvious.Bhupati played some brilliant net shots and also a few poor misses,The match was played in a relaxed atmosphere, so much so that the losing pair took the defeat quite in their style. During the prize giving ceremony Ram was actually beaming and happy.

But that cannot be said for the men's finals. It was bitterly fought and bitterly lost.
The entire four and a half hours was as fierce as a bull fight.Each and every point was hard fought.My eye balls had a lot of yogic exercise that day, darting back and forth.

I had watched the last wimbledon final between the same pair and it was also edge of the seat action. It was a repeat of the same with a few differences in style. Nadal was less agile; he used to retrieve balls by running right across the entire length and breadth of the court. Federer was making too many first serve errors and was slightly less composed than the last time.But the match was a one of a kind; enjoyable and exciting and eminently watchable even for me a non player of the game. Yes, I have had lot of tennis in my life , the passive variety if you know what I mean.

The designer swarosky studded shorts of Nadal brought in lot of comments and surprise usually reserved for Mrs Obama of late.

Federer broke down and cried,and said he cannot handle this defeat which he had wanted so badly. No, no not sportsmanly. He has had his time under the sun and has to move on. How many people have been able to reach where he has reached , be it in achieving great success, public adulation, fame and pushing oneself to one's limit of physical and mental endurance. I am sure he enjoyed it all the way. And he has achieved this when others his age are just making tentative steps in their life and career achievements.

He has been a great player and that is how we will remember him. Nadal will have his glory for some more years and he will be in the same spot Federer was that Sunday, refusing to let go, fighting tooth and nail...