THE FALL OF ROME BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI

Written by: on 15th May 2015
Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament
THE FALL OF ROME BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI

epa04740324 Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Czech Tomas Berdych in their Madrid Mutua Open tennis tournament's semi final match at Caja Magica tennis complex, in Madrid, Spain, 09 May 2015. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN  |

Wikipedia (def) “The most pressing feature of Rome’s decline was the Roman state’s progressive inability to enforce its rule, either through the armed forces or by administrative means. The reasons for the collapse were debated at the time; they are major subjects of the historiography of the ancient world and they inform much modern discourse on state failure.” Before the time of North or South America, before Australia existed as a country, before democracy and capitalism and a million other global ideas, Rome ruled the center of the world.

 

As I sit here in chilled night air of Foro Italico, staring at the now-empty stadium where the evening’s last match finished around midnight, the decline of the Roman Empire is not lost on me. No one could defeat them. No Empire covered more territory, had more firepower, or believed they ruled the dirt they walked upon. And then, Rome fell beneath its own greatness and to invading barbarians. So it went tonight for Rafael Nadal at the hands of Swiss star Stan Wawrinka.

 

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their quarter final match of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 15 May 2015. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO

Rafael appeared to be fighting an internal enemy tonight, his monstrous weapons missing their targets by inches, his backhand return just slightly off center, his mental state more in competition with himself than his opponent. Wawrinka played high level tennis, capitalizing on Rafa’s short crosscourt backhands with enough forehand down the line winners to fill two hands. Rafa fought tenaciously, digging out several passing shots to keep Wawrinka from dominating, however, Rafa is now ranked number 7 in the world, and is clearly not in top form.

 

So the question looms. Will Rafa be ready for the French Open next week? Perhaps history can give us an answer.

 

Rugians took over Italy after deposing the last emperor in 476. The Ostrogoths conquered the Rugians and set up their Italian kingdom in 493.The surviving Roman population lived as an underclass.

 

The Franks were the most successful, absorbing or conquering the Frisians, Alemanni, and Burgunds.

 

The Saxons conquered today’s modern England.

 

In 711, an invading Muslim army of Berbers and Arabs conquered the Visigothic kingdom in Spain.

 

In 535, the Byzantines conquered the Vandal kingdom in North Africa, as was the Ostrogoth kingdom of Italy in 553.

 

The eastern portion of the empire survived as the Byzantine empire until 1453, when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople,

 

The point is, history says the barbarians, like Wawrinka, will destroy Rafa’s French Open, that the invaders are now here to conquer and to destroy the great Spanish Empire. But then, Nadal has nine French Open titles and history tends to repeat itself.

Rafael Nadal of Spain in action against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their quarter final match of the Italian Open tennis tournament at the Foro Italico in Rome, Italy, 15 May 2015. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rafael will likely not be seeded number one this year, but as Roger said in his press conference today, “The guy is 58-1 and has lost one match on that court in 10 years. He’s clearly the favorite going into the tournament.”

 

As for me, it’s 1:00 a.m. and I’m sitting in a dark stadium freezing my ass off, and wondering when tomorrow’s match schedule is going to go up.

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