INDIAN WELLS – AWASH WITH EMOTION FROM RICHARD EVANS

Written by: Staff on 23rd March 2015

INDIAN WELLS – AWASH WITH EMOTION FROM RICHARD EVANS

epa04666929 Flavia Pennetta of Italy serves during her fourth round match against Maria Sharapova of Russia at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 March 2015. EPA/PAUL BUCK |

Emotion. If there was one word which summed up two weeks of intense, demanding and often brilliant tennis at the BNP Paribas Open that was it. Arms froze; hands shook, tears flowed and even the occasional scream could be heard from the sidelines as players tried to gather themselves and release the tension that was building up inside taught and tired bodies.

It was debilitating and disorientating for winners and losers alike and don’t think the greatest were not afflicted. Novak Djokovic, currently the greatest tennis player on the planet who played some extraordinary tennis against the equally extraordinary Roger Federer in the final (winning it 6-3, 6-7, 6-2) did not try to dodge the issue. When told that the TV cameras had caught sight of his hand shaking as he drank at the change over after losing that second set tie break, Novak replied, “It was exactly what you saw. We are all human. We all fall under pressure sometimes. The body has reactions and movements that you are not in control of. I can’t identify the emotion that was behind it – it was a little bit of everything.”

Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during their final match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 22 March 2015. Djokovic won the final in three sets. EPA/DANIEL MURPHY

We had been hearing something similar from Flavia Pennetta who was trying to defend her title at the age of 33. She was hit by a near emotional collapse, not when she finally lost to Sabine Lisicki in the quarter final but midway through her terrific three set victory over Maria Sharapova a round before. She was in tears after losing the first set and rushed off court.

“Just have to go and let everything out,” admitted the Italian afterwards. “Screaming, do something, refresh a little bit. Sometimes women have these moments so I was just trying to handle it. Something strange happened tonight. There was a moment where I don’t know where I am.”

Eugenie Bouchard of Canada reacts against Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine during their fourth round match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 17 March 2015. EPA/MICHAEL NELSON

But, as we have seen, it is not just women who have these moments although their reactions are often more visible. Eugenie Bouchard had been crying on court by the time she lost in the fourth round to the Ukrainian qualifier Lesia Tsurenko which, as she said, was very unusual for a young woman who normally keeps her emotions under tight control.

One has never been able to say the same for Jelena Jankovic who has been emoting all over the world’s tennis courts for fifteen years. It was good to see the 2008 US Open finalist and former world No 1 battle her way through a series of tough three setters to reach the final of this tournament which she won in 2010. But oh! the agony of getting so close to another victory as she led the relentless Simona Halep by a set and numerous breaks in the second before going down 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.

When she served for the match, she virtually seized up. “I got nerves,” she said. “My arm was super heavy. I could not even lift it. The arm would not go up to serve. I mean, I’m human. I was so excited to win and to be champion again like in 2010. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. I kind of let those nerves take the best out of me. That shouldn’t happen.”

But it does. Djokovic had no real explanation for the three doubles faults in the second set tie break which allowed Federer to get back into a match that had offered some breathtaking tennis for a 16,000 heavily pro-Federer crowd. They were on their feet after a couple of rallies and quite right, too. Some of it lifted this incredibly skillful sport to yet another level.

Yet what the year’s first ATP 1000 event at the spectacular Indian Wells Tennis Garden proved above all else is just how deeply committed these players are to the game and their never ending quest for glory. And just what kind of emotional commitment is required to achieve it.

The articulate Djokovic did his best to explain how the champions learn to deal with those emotions. “It’s because of the experience we have; because of the training of the mind and the body to understand what it takes to calm yourself and get yourself in that zone where you want to be.”

Few outside the game understand what goes into that training; what kind of determination and discipline and hour upon hour of relentless repetition is required to be able to produce the kind of spectacle Djokovic and Federer offered on finals day. Even for a natural genius like Federer it does not just happen. Switching to another discipline, every step taken by the seemingly effortless Fred Astaire was rehearsed and rehearsed until Ginger Rogers or Cyd Charisse were crying out for mercy. Yes, there would have been tears but the result was all that mattered.

Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their final at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, USA, 22 March 2015. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

Tennis is different in that the final outcome cannot be pre-ordained. And when the moment of truth arrives and you find yourself serving for the match with the body aching and the nerves jangling it is, as Djokovic says, “important to bounce back; to regroup; to let the nerves go and move on.”

Easier said than done? You bet, but as Rod Laver, a most welcome visitor to the tournament this year, once told me in his laconic Aussie sort of way, “We all choke, mate. You’ve just got to recognize it and give the ball a bit of an extra nudge.”

It worked for him.

Editors notes : (S.D.) Richard did something that few writers have done. He humanized the players! Spectators forget that these players are human. They view what is before them as an entertaining contest of skill and execution. They do not realize that they may be ill, recovering from a personal challenge or not mentally as acute as their opponents. The common denominator is do your best and win and give fans their money’s worth.

Richard pointed out they are much more than Robots with tennis racquets! His article was a pleasant change from the usual “here are the facts” recital. I think the players as well as fans will appreciate his point of view about this Tournament. IN SPITE OF THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THIS TOURNAMENT, THIS GAME STILL HAS A LOT OF HEART .

Topics: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, Richard Evans, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

March 23, 2015 at 12:00 pm

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dusanVemic says:

March 23, 2015 at 12:34 pm

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