Australian Open: Marathon semis to generational final

What a memorable Australian Open it was this year. Four matches — two men’s semi-finals and the two finals — were nothing short of legendary. 

10-SETTER SEMIS

On Friday, 30 January, the two semi-finals lasted a combined 9 hours and 36 minutes — a new record for the Australian Open and the third longest in Grand Slam history.

In the first, Carlos Alcaraz beat Alexander Zverev in a grueling five-set battle: 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-7(4), 7-5. It lasted 5 hours and 27 minutes. 

By the time Novak Djokovic beat Jannik Sinner 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, it was nearly 1:30 am! The midnight madness, as they call it!

Both matches were "touch and go," with contests so even that it felt unfair someone had to lose. Interestingly, this year’s semi-finals saw both last year’s winner (Sinner) and the runner-up (Zverev) knocked out.

COMPOSURE VS FURY

On Saturday, 31 January, Elena Rybakina won her second Slam by defeating the favourite, Aryna Sabalenka, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

From the start, Sabalenka lacked her usual confidence, while Rybakina remained her signature "ice-cool" self. Though Sabalenka showed flashes of brilliance to take the second set, she lost her grip in the third set. Even after leading 3-0 in the decider, the tide turned abruptly. Rybakina clawed her way back to seal a remarkable victory.

A GENERATIONAL BATTLE

Yesterday’s final was a true "clash of the ages": Djokovic at 38 versus Alcaraz at just 22. 

To put that in perspective, when Djokovic made his Grand Slam debut in Melbourne in 2005, Alcaraz was a mere two-year-old!

While Alcaraz was the favourite, I had stuck my neck out for Djokovic. Having played 10 Australian Open finals and lost none, and having come this far this year, I thought he would pull it off!

The match was pure entertainment. Djokovic dominated the first set 6-2, but then from the second set onwards Alcaraz waved his magic wand. 

Djokovic began to struggle with unforced errors, while Alcaraz’s winners were extraordinary. He was hitting spots with incredible class. 

Djokovic lost the second set and the third. I thought, the loss of the third pretty much sealed his fate. Because, he would have had to win the fourth and the fifth, and I wondered if he had in him to last another five-setter so soon after his semi-final marathon.

ALCARAZ SETTLES IT

In the fourth, Djokovic seemed to have regained energy, and until Game 11, they were going neck and neck, with the score at 5-6.

In Game 12, serving to stay in the set, and force a tie-break, Djokovic finally faltered. Alcaraz wrapped it up at 7-5.

NEW RECORDS

With this victory, Alcaraz became the youngest man in history to complete a Career Grand Slam at 22 years and 272 days, surpassing American Don Budge’s 1938 record. (Budge, incidentally, was the first player ever to win all four Slams in a single calendar year).

Djokovic received a standing ovation. Even in defeat, he set a record. At 38 years and 255 days, he became the oldest man to reach the final of Australian Open.

While it’s uncertain if Djokovic will ever get this close to winning a Slam, he is not a man who gives up easily. However, what we saw at Melbourne Park yesterday was, in every sense, like the passing of the baton.

Kudos to Djokovic for putting up a tough fight, and making the final worth watching!

MORE THAN ABOUT CHAMPIONS

This Australian Open will be remembered not just for its champions, but for its endurance, emotion, and symbolism. 

From record-setting semifinal marathons to a women’s final decided by nerve and resilience, and a men’s final that felt like a generational handover, Melbourne Park gave tennis fans everything.

(All images: courtesy https://ausopen.com/)

Djokovic's dream crumbles

Source: US Open/Twitter

(This is a continuation of yesterday's post)

As I had planned, yesterday I went to bed early, kept the alarm for 5 am, to catch the final moments of the Novak Djokovic - Daniiel Medvedev match.

My hope was it would be an intense battle between the two, which would stretch well beyond three hours.

When the alarm rang, I checked the BBC Sports app, to see how the match was progressing. 

The match was over! Medvedev, the new US Open Champion.

I went back to sleep. I only wanted to know how quickly Djokovic capitulated.

MEDVEDEV SHOW

I watched the highlights, first thing in the morning. 

The 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 match of the Grand Slam Final lasted a mere 2 hours 15 mins. That's just 24 minutes more than the two sets of the women's final yesterday! I couldn't believe that! 

It was a one-sided game - but for a change, it wasn't Novak who was hogging the limelight.

The Serbian -- who had said a few days ago that he would play the final as if it was the last match of his career in order to achieve the goal of the Calendar Slam -- was a pale shadow of his former self. His body language, for some reason, wasn't of one who was gunning for a historic title. 

It was @DaniilMedwed's moment to shine at the #USOpen

Highlights from the men's singles final 👇 pic.twitter.com/hfP58Ilnio

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2021

It's quite possible that he got weighed down by his own expectations. Medvedev, who had nothing to lose, just let his game flow. And he was brilliant. He had the ball fully under his control. 

Especially when moved to the net, he clearly knew where to land the ball. Each of those passing shots and drop shots was exquisitely timed and placed. Djokovic looked simply stranded. 

The numbers bear out what played out. Novak had 38 unforced errors. Though Daniiel too was off the mark with 31 unforced errors, he had 38 winners in comparison to 27 of Novak. Russian sent down 16 aces, while the Serbian had just 6.

WHY MEDVEDEV HAD TO WIN THE CUP

If it was Calendar Slam that drove Djokovic, it was something else that motivated Medvedev. Watch the video below:

Daniil Medvedev just won the #USOpen on his wedding anniversary.

Good thing, because he didn't have a present ready 😂 pic.twitter.com/eUXVYEyzup

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 12, 2021

The New York fairytale teen party

Emma Raducanu
Source: US Open/Twitter

I am glad I stayed up late in the night, till 4 am this early morning. It was a sheer joy to watch some high-class, scintillating tennis. 

The US Open Women's Singles final -- between Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez -- was a class apart.

A straight-set victory needn't be a one-sided damp squib. The 6-4 6-3 scoreline doesn't say it all. Till the final moments of the second set, there was not more than a lead of 2 games for either of them. 

That just indicates how close the match progressed. No wonder these two sets took almost two hours, 1 hour 51 mins, to be precise.  

Leylah Fernandez
Source: US Open/Twitter

AN UNUSUAL FINAL 

When we think of the final of any tournament, what comes to mind are senior players. Because we think it's the seniors who are more experienced, and therefore they automatically have a higher level of skillsets.

Here we had two teenagers -- Emma Raducanu born on the 13th of November 2002, and Leylah Fernandez born on the 6th of September 2002. (Yesterday was 9/11, and when 9/11 happened they weren't even born.)

Both were born in Canada. Their mothers are both Asian.

Emma's parents are Ian from Romania and Renee from China. Leylah's father is Jorge from Ecuador and her mother is Irene from the Philippines.

Emma's family moved to England when she was two.

TENNIS AT ITS BEST

Yesterday was the culmination of the fairytale progress of two remarkable tennis players.

Leylah Fernandez's route to the final was probably more impressive. Among those she beat were Osaka, Kerber and Sabalenka. But there were many three-setters and tie-breaks. 

Contrast that with Emma Raducanu's route: Bencic and Sakkari were among the players she beat. But she didn't drop a set. All straight sets. No tiebreaks. 6-4 margin was the closest.

Yet, either of the two teenagers could have been holding the trophy, but Emma took her unbelievable dream run, which she has been having over the last three weeks, to its logical conclusion. 

Both rallied. Both held serves. Both broke as well. 

Neither gave the other the wide margin that would have made the match very predictable. 

Forehand and backhand crosscourt shots sent the opponent scurrying from one end to the other. Some were taken. The others ended up as top-class winners. 

Either way, it was tennis at its best.

ONE JARRING MOMENT THOUGH

The most crucial and exciting bit was at the end of the 2nd set, with Emma at 5-3 short of just a game to become the champion.

From 0-15 down, she moved up 30-30. She served. Leylah returned cross-court. Emma sent it back cross-cross again. 

Then, Leylah sent one down the line, forcing Emma to run to the left to take it. But she slid, legs bent.

She scraped her left knee on the ground but recovered quickly to rush to the other end and take the shot. But that went long, much to her disappointment. 

That got Leylah ahead, 30-40, just one point away from getting a breakpoint. 

Source: ABC (Australia)

Emma found that her knee was bleeding. She said later at the press conference that she wanted to play on lest it would break her rhythm. But the umpire, on probably seeing blood oozing, said the play had to stop.

As her team got to cleaning the wound and plastering the cut, at the other end, Leylah thought her rival was taking an unjustifiably long break. She complained to the umpire, and it went on for a while. 

Source: ABC (Australia)

Quite possible that Leylah didn't know the extent of injury that Emma had suffered. Rules are very clear that if a player has sustained a cut that is bleeding, the match has to be stopped. And the physio can request a medical timeout.

I am sure this would have been explained to Leylah, but she seemed to be persisting with her complaint. Probably in the heat of the moment. It looked like very poor sportsmanship. This is what she said later at the post-match presser.

"I honestly did not know what was happening with Emma ... I didn't know how serious her fall was, so that's why I went to see the official and ask her about it. ... It was just too bad that it happened in that specific moment with me with the momentum. But it's sports, it's tennis. Just got to move on." 

Emma got back on the court. She scored to make it 40-40. Then it went like this: 40-AD, 40-40, AD-40, and then an ace, the winner.

🇬🇧 @EmmaRaducanu did a thing.

Highlights from the women's singles final 👇 pic.twitter.com/oLKnAlyPSU

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2021

IT'S ALL FORGOTTEN

But at the end of it all, on the podium, it was all forgotten. Unlike some of the seniors, they didn't seem to be rivals. The body language was like that of friends -- the camera did catch them smiling at each other and chatting. 

Leylah Fernandez sounded naturally disappointed but she was absolutely gracious. She looked forward to more final matches with Emma. And she paid glowing tributes to the resilience of the people of New York during the past 20 years.

What a match.

What a tournament.

What bright futures for these two. pic.twitter.com/9N5nnu0olg

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2021

 

AMAZING RECOVERY

This was Emma Raducanu's just second Grand Slam tournament, after appearing in the Wimbledon. On the 6th of July, after playing for 1 hour 15 mins, and trailing Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6, 0-3, she retired. 

She was so overwhelmed by the expectations of a roaring home crowd that she apparently had breathing difficulty. Some said it was an anxiety attack. What a tearful exit from her first Grand Slam appearance it was.

There was no automatic entry for her to the US Open. She had to play qualifying matches. Not quite sure of her chances, she had apparently booked her flight ticket back to Britain.

I am sure she must have put her mind and body into getting out of such a low depth she had plunged into. And what better proof of her resilience than the victory yesterday.

THE FUTURE

It's not the first time youngsters have won a major cup after defeating experienced players. But that's one thing. What matters finally and defines true class is consistency.

Staying on top is far more difficult than reaching the top.

Both Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez will know that in the coming months and years. The world's focus will be on them once again coming January when they are at Melbourne for the Australian Open.

Wish both the very best, and hope they have a long and enjoyable career. And they continue to regale fans like me.

MEN'S FINAL

In a few hours, the men's final will begin. It will start at 1.30 in the night Indian Standard Time. I have decided not to sit through the night.

All eyes are on Novak. If he wins it would be the first time in 52 years, since any male player has won all four Grand Slams in one calendar year. 

If it's a one-sided damp squib, then it's a sheer waste. 

If it's a tough duel (what I would actually want to watch), then it's going to drag on till 5 o'clock or even 6 o'clock in the morning.

I am planning to go to bed early, and hope to get up early. So, maybe I will be able to catch the final thrilling moments.

Let's see how it goes.

(Next part of this post tomorrow)

Super Sports Sunday

6.30 am. I woke up, switched on the TV. 

Late in the night after 3. I switched off the TV, went to bed.

Three matches -- two football and one tennis -- during the course of the day. 

All together over 7 hours. 

COPA AMERICA 2021 FINAL

Image courtesy: The Guardian

The blockbuster Brazil and Argentina match kicked off at 5.30 am IST at Rio's Maracana stadium. But I managed to wake up only an hour late. By that time Argentina had scored. 

The scoreline stayed. A bit surprising, because Brazil dominated the game. 

Brazil had 59% of the possession; 13 shots (Argentina 6), and 4 corners (Brazil 1).

Anyway, the win was huge for Argentina, and Lionel Messi. 

That goal ended their 28-year-long wait for a victory in a major tournament. But a big disappointment for Brazil's Neymar who is yet to win a major international.

WIMBLEDON MEN'S FINAL   

Image courtesy: wimbledon.com

Back in front for the TV at 6.30 pm. 

The result was expected. Novak Djokovic finally caught up with what his two seniors -- Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal -- achieved: 20 Grand Slam titles. 

But Italy's Matteo Berrettini ensured that it was not a cakewalk for his opponent. At one point it looked like the match could go either way. I am glad that was some drama.

It was fascinating tennis stretching 3 hours 23 minutes. When Djokovic lost the first set 4-7 in the tie-break, I thought this will stretch to a five-setter.

But he seemed to be setting the tone as he won the first 4 games of the 2nd set. Berrettini held the serve to make it 4-1. Djokovic held the next and had a chance to wrap up the set. 

But Berrettini gave a stiff resistance and caught up picking up the next three games in a row to make it 5-4. The 10th game was Djokovic's serve and he finally closed it at 6-4.

Berrettini seemed to have lost a bit of the momentum in the 3rd set and Djokovic won that without much difficulty with the same score.

Image courtesy: wimbledon.com

The fourth set, in which Berrettini took a lead with a win in the 1st game, was a bit more challenging for Djokovic as he had to wait till the seventh game to get ahead: 4-3. From then on, the path was clearer and his job was done as Berrettini made an unforced backhand error.

Now all eyes are on the next matches that Djokovic will play. There is something called the Golden Slam, which only Steffi Graf has achieved in 1988, with a victory in all the four Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold Medal. 

But now whether the World Number One can do that is in doubt as he seemed to have been put off by the tight restrictions in the Olympic Village, and he is in two minds if he would go.

If he wins the US Open, which will start on Aug 30, he will get ahead of Federer and Nadal, and he would sort of establish himself as the GOAT or the Greatest Of All Time.

INDIA VS ENGLAND WOMEN'S T20

Image courtesy: Twitter/ICC

While the Wimbledon was on, the 2nd T20 cricket match between India and England women's team was being played at Hove. I kept checking the score on the BBC Sports app. 

India notched up 140 for 8 in 20 overs, and England fell short of the target by 8 runs. 

It was a thriller which I missed. 

The third match is tomorrow.

EURO 2020 FINAL

Image courtesy: BBC

After the tennis match, I took a one and a half hour nap before getting back in front of the TV at 12.30 am for the next epic encounter, at Wimbley.

It was a match truly worthy of a championship final as England and Italy battled hard. 

Within just two minutes of the start, the game got charged up as Luke Shaw scored for England. It should have remained like that at least. 

But in the 67th minute, Leonardo Bonucci equalised for Italy.

As expected the match went into half an hour of extra time and then the penalty shootout.

Though in the back of my mind I had a feeling that Italy might win, I was supporting England. And it was such a heartbreak to see Harry Kane's team fall behind by the thinnest of margins. 

It must be said that barring the initial few minutes, Italy was generally in control of the game, and they were constantly sniffing at opportunities to score.

They had 65% of the possession and had as many as 6 shot on target in comparison to just 2 for England.

In the penalty shootout, for England, Harry Kane and Harry Maguire scored; but the shots of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka failed to find the target.

It's sad that the England's three were subjected to racial abuse on social media. The flipside of our ubiquitous online world.

For Italy, Domenico Berardi, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Bernardeschi scored; while the shots of Andrea Belotti and Jorginho were saved. 

And thus the quest of England for a major international win continues 55 years after their last triumph in the 1966 World Cup at the same Wimbley stadium.

England didn't win. But I enjoyed a thoroughly vigorous and enthusiastic contest.

The time was well past 3 am when I hit the sack.

Barty Party

Dream come true for Ashleigh Barty
Image courtesy: Wimbledon.com

I was rooting for Ashleigh Barty, the plucky 25-year-old Australian, and I am so glad that she made it.

She adds the Venus Rosewater Dish to the Suzanne Lenglen trophy (the French Open) she won in 2019.

Initially, I was worried this would be a one-sided damp squib, as her opponent, 29-year-old former world number 1, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic seemed to have given up right from the word go.

DULL START

Pliskova conceded the first 14 points to Barty who seemed to be having a free run picking up the first 4 games. A semblance of some fight followed with Pliskova picking up the next game after securing a break.

She again broke to make it 2-5 and held the serve to make it 3-5. But Barty wrapped up the set at 6-3.

GRIPPING 2ND SET

The 2nd game was the best. Barty's crafty backhand slice and Pliskova's powerful serve were in full display, with a number of well-timed and well-placed strokes making the set absolutely gripping as the two players moved ahead neck and neck.

After losing the opening game which was a Pliskova serve, Barty broke the 3rd and held the fourth to move ahead 3-1. Pliskova caught up to make it 3-3 and moved ahead again 4-3. The game ended up in a tie-break, with Barty losing 4-7. 

BARTY SEALS IT

With one set all, it was start over, and fingers crossed. Barty opened the set and raced ahead to 3-0. Pliskova picked up the 4th, 6th and 8th game by holding her serve. This set was very much like the first one. The early advantage that Barty got stood her in good stead. She was well and truly ahead and closed the set with the next game at 6-3.

Well played, Karolina Pliskova
Image courtesy: Eurosport

HISTORIC

Barty's win comes exactly 10 years after she had won the junior Wimbledon title; 50 years after an Australian (Evonne Goolagong Cawley) won the cup in 1971, and 5 years after a world number one (Serena Williams) won the title in 2016.

It's no surprise that Barty was so overcome with emotion. After that Wimbledon Junior title victory at the age of 15, she went on to play for another three years. Then she felt the stress too much to handle. 

She quit active tennis. "It was too much too quickly for me as I've been travelling from quite a young age ... I wanted to experience life as a normal teenaged girl and have some normal experiences," she told Cricket Australia.

When Barty switched to cricket in 2014-16
Image courtesy: Cricket Australia

She switched to cricket, and with no prior experience in the game, in just one year she made a mark for the Brisbane Heat team in the Women's Big Bash League.

After two years with cricket, she returned to her first love and began chasing her dream. 

And it became a reality today.

WIN FOR AUSTRALIA

Barty's win also means a lot for Australian sport. She traces her lineage, via her great grandmother, to an indigenous Australian group of people called Ngarigu. 

Coincidentally, Barty's friend, inspiration and mentor, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, now 66 years old, the Australian who previously won the Wimbledon Singles Trophy in 1971, too belongs to an indigenous community, the Wiradjuri people.

SUPER SUNDAY

Tomorrow is going to be a great sporting day. 

There's the final of Copa America at 5.30 am IST, between Brazil and Argentina.

In the evening at 6.30 is the Wimbledon Men's Final, Djokovic vs Matteo Berrettini.

Late in the night at 12.30 is the European Championship, Euro 2020, final between England and Italy.

I am not sure if I will be able to wake up as early as 5.30. Maybe I will be able to catch 2nd half. Let me see.

Novak stops Rafa

Courtesy: Twitter/Roland Garros

I am yet to recover from the impact of last night's exhilarating, stratospheric level of tennis that two champions brought on to Court Philippe Chatrier.

To say that there has never been a match like this would not be quite accurate. But for sure there has never been one like this in the recent past.

The scoreline 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 doesn't say it all: the way world number one Novak Djokovic ended the reign of world number 3 and King of Clay Rafael Nadal.

What set this match apart were not just the shots that were played (every match has plenty of them) but more importantly the way they were all taken by each of the two players who covered the length and breadth of court in an exquisite display of athleticism, stamina and mental endurance. That's something that we don't find very often.

There were drop shots that sailed over tantalisingly close to the net, which drew in the opponent who took them, lobbed the ball back, but only to see the ball being brought back to play!

Novak, who had nothing much to lose here, was cool. 

Rafa on the other hand -- who has since 2005 played (till this one) 107 matches on this court and lost only two -- seemed to be weighed down by the burden of his past successes.

Nadal played some brilliant forehand down the line winners. But they weren't enough.

Rafa made 55 unforced errors and 8 double faults in comparison to 37 and 3 by Novak.

Rafa said this at the post-match press conference: “These kinds of mistakes can happen. But if you want to win, you can’t make these mistakes.”

But that is not to take away the credit Novak richly deserves. If there was one person who could get the better of Rafa it was only Novak, and he raised his game to a level that made it possible.

And Novak said after the match, "It was one of these matches you can remember forever. It was one of the top three matches in my life."

It's impossible to condense a match that lasted 4 hours 11 minutes into 6 minutes 31 seconds. That's what this highlights video is. Watch it. Better than nothing.

Just in case you would like to read the match report: on tennis.com and on BBC

O, I forgot the final of the French Open is yet to be played. That's tomorrow. Djokovic will take on Tsitisipas. 

And today evening is the women's final: two unlikely contenders: Barbora Krejcikova vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

Also forgotten yesterday were: 

one, the other semifinal in which Tsitsipas beat Zverev; 

two, Euro 2020 kickoff, the biggest sporting event after pandemic changed our lives; 

three, the second day's play of 2nd Test between England and New Zealand at Edgbaston; and

four, the second day's play of 1st Test between West Indies and South Africa at Gros Islet, WI.

Some welcome pleasant distraction in these times!

Naomi Osaka's exit and mental health

This is a long post. If you are familiar with the issue of top-ranking tennis star Naomi Osaka pulling out of the French Open this week citing mental health issues, you may skip the first part and scroll down.

Source: Yahoo Sport

Naomi Osaka is a 23-year-old Japanese tennis player. Her first big win came when she was 16 -- when she beat Samantha Stosur, a former US Open champion, in the Stanford Classic in 2014. 

She burst into the limelight less than three years ago, with a sensational victory over Serena Williams in the 2018 US Open. (I blogged about that match that became controversial for other reasons.)

Ever since that she has been doing extremely well in the game and is now among the top-ranked players in the world.

On May 27, in the runup to the ongoing French Open, she said she would not be taking questions from the media after her matches. 

That's one of the contractual obligations players sign into.

❤️ pic.twitter.com/EegFSKnoie

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 26, 2021

Her reason: Many of the reporters are insensitive. When a player has a lost a match they keep asking questions about that match which is akin to being kicked when one has fallen down. 

In a nutshell, she wasn't in a frame of mind to talk to the media.

Her decision was seen more like a refusal to play by the rules and a move to impose her personal views on the system.

On the opening day of the French Open on Sunday, May 30, Osaka got off to a winning start defeating unseeded Patricia Maria Tig of Romania, who has WTA singles ranking of 56, in straight sets: 6-4, 7-6.

But, Osaka boycotted the obligatory post-match media conference. She was fined $15,000 and was threatened with expulsion from the tournament and other Grand Slam matches if she continued to boycott the media interactions.

pic.twitter.com/LN2ANnoAYD

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 31, 2021

The very next day, she made the disclosure -- which stunned the tennis world -- that she was pulling out the French Open. She prefaced it with references to how she has been suffering from depression for the last three years.

WHAT WE KNOW

Naomi Osaka is known to be introverted, and nervous about facing crowds. 

During the 2018 US Open, which she won when she was just 20, she was loudly booed by the crowd, forcing her to tears.

That year she spoke about depression. "I am feeling depressed. I don't know why."

The next year, she said the media's focus on her and their questions were her biggest problems.

Every highly performing player -- who willy-nilly gets a celebrity status -- is under intense media glare. That's not easy to handle. 

The pressure to perform and win every match, especially when one is at the pinnacle, can be excruciating.

Players, especially as they climb up the ladder, have a battery of advisors and counsellors to guide and help them.

Big tennis organisations have their own facilities to address players mental issues.

It's the job of the media to ask questions, even if uncomfortable. One can request them to be sensitive and phrase them more appropriately. But it wouldn't be right to tell them not to ask questions.

Having said that, it's true media can be very insensitive. We have seen so many examples of how celebrities have been tormented by paparazzi.   

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

Though Osaka has spoken about her mental pressures, it's not known if she had officially communicated it to the organisers. 

It's also not known if tennis organisations had taken note of her public statements and reached out to her with assistance.

Also, one doesn't know if the specific issue of "questioning by media" has been raised with the media themselves and organisations and discussed. 

WHEN IS FEELING LOW ACTUALLY DEPRESSION

One doesn't know. That's the whole problem.

There is no point in saying, why Osaka didn't talk about it earlier? We didn't know. That's true. But that's not her fault.

I don't think there is any person who hasn't felt low, down in the dumps, who has struggled to get up and get on with one's life ... 

When is that really a problem?

I have read articles, books and spoken to people who handle mental health issues. This is what I have understood.

Depression is an emotional issue. It's not a physical issue. Others can't see it. Others can't feel it.

The feeling of depression -- which is very common -- normally doesn't last too long. We are able to distract ourselves soon and carry on with our normal routine.

A rule of thumb is that if something unusual is so persistent as to disrupt the normal routine consistently, then it's an issue that needs attention.

That rule applies to the feeling of not being emotionally or mentally well. We don't really know, probably not even Osaka, when the issue has begun to affect her in a detrimental manner. 

OSAKA NEEDS SUPPORT

A mental scar is not like a physical scar. Unfortunately.

Players, when physically injured, pull out of matches. Just yesterday another top-ranking player Australia's Ashley Barti pulled out of the tournament because of a physical injury.

So in the same vein, if they aren't mentally well, or depressed, is it okay for them to pull out of matches or not fulfil contractual obligations?

Are sports tournaments more about matches or about talking to the media?

Is the ability to handle the media also a part of the celebrity package?

Surely there are issues, and something seems to be broken.

It's quite possible that so many players have felt like Osaka has, but they, for whatever reasons, never took a tough stand like she did. 

It's unfortunate that her feelings couldn't be addressed earlier in a more conciliatory manner.

WAITING FOR OSAKA TO BE BACK

It's never too late. She has expressed willingness to talk over the issues and sort things out.

Not just tennis, but other sports federations too must look at these contractual obligations and see if they are all fair to players, especially if there are aspects that are tied to mental health.

What matters most is on-court performance.

Noami Osaka is a gifted player. 

Tennis needs her. 

I hope she will be back on the courts soon. 

On the green lawns of Wimbledon.

Here's wishing her well.

T for Tennis - My favourite things to counter COVID-19 stress

(This post is part of the A to Z Challenge. I am writing this month on activities that keep me refreshed during these depressing days. It's Day 20 today.)

Sports and games are exciting. Unrelenting perseverance to improve performance and the battle to get the better of the opponent kindle enthusiasm in both players as well as spectators.

They offer edge-of-the-seat excitement. Tennis is one of my favourite sports: a game that can be extremely taxing for the players. Think of a match going on for nearly five hours in the hot sun with not a moment when the players can let their concentration waver.

These days, I have been watching replays and highlights of Grand Slam matches. There are some amazing ones out there. Here are some of them with the YouTube link to the highlights:

2008 Wimbledon final - Rafel Nadal beat Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7. (My blog post)

2012 Australian Open final - Novak Djokovic beat Rafel Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5.

1984 French Open final - Ivan Lendl beat John McEnroe 3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5

2018 US Open final - Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4. (My blog post)

2018 Australian Open final - Caroline Wozniacki beat Simona Halep 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. (My blog post)

There are some movies on tennis stars as well:

Borg vs McEnroe - Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Google Play

Battle Of The Sexes - Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube Movies

Andy Murray: Resurfacing - Amazon Prime

Enjoy!

US Open 2018: Naomi vs Serena - When emotion got the better of tennis

It was a US Open like never before: breathtaking display of tennis from 20-year-old Naomi Osaka to outclass 36-year-old Serena Williams. Naomi became the first Japanese to win a Grand Slam, by defeating someone who has won 23 of them! No mean achievement!

Here are the highlights of that great match:

THE MELTDOWN 

It is almost two days now since tennis history was made. But sadly, what is in focus still are matters other than tennis: the outburst of Serena.

ONE

A quick recap. It all began when Naomi was 40-15 up in the second game of the second set when chair umpire Carlos Ramos handed a code violation to Serena's coach Patrick Mouratoglou after the umpire noticed that Patrick was gesturing to the player in the form of coaching, which is not allowed.

Serena walked up to the umpire and said that she didn't see any gesturing from the coach, and that there is no need for her to cheat. "I would lose rather than cheat," she told the umpire.

(However, after the match, the coach admitted that he was coaching Serena during the match.) 

Serena went on, to go up 3-1 over Naomi in that 2nd set.

TWO

Then, in the next game, came a close call, and Serena lost a serve. In anger, she smashed the racket, which got twisted out of shape; and as another code violation against Serena, Naomi was then awarded a point.

Serena's anger boiled over. She called the umpire a liar and a thief (for taking points away from her.)

The match continued, but Serena's rant also continued. So too the boos and jeers from the crowd.

THREE

“I don’t cheat! You need to make an announcement. I have never cheated in my life. I have a daughter! You owe me an apology. You owe me an apology.”

And the shouting at the umpire got her the third penalty, a game penalty.

Serena got more furious, and accused the umpire of being sexist.

“Are you kidding me? ... Because I called you a thief? ... This is not fair. This is not fair. This has happened to me so many times. ... There are lot of men out here who have said a lot worse than that. I called him a thief because he stole a point from me. .... "

The boos and jeers reached a crescendo.

It couldn't have been worse for Serena. 23-time Grand Slam champion, looking towards equalling Margret Court's record of 24, on the 45th anniversary of Margaret's achievement.

Serena used all her energy and abilities. But the last game went Naom's way: 15-0, 15-15, 30-15, 40-15. Game, set and the Championship.

TEARS, BUT NOT OF JOY

Then, followed the most bizzare award presentation ceremony.

One, the umpire was told not to come on to the state.

Two, Naomi Osaka was not just crying, but so embarrassed that she was pulling the visor of the cap to cover her face. They were not tears of joy. She wasn't smiling at all. How sad! She actually apologised to the crowd for not letting their favourite player win.

Three, Serena too was crying. Then, she did something remarkable.  She asked the crowd to stop booing and jeering, and let the new champion savour her golden moment. Only Serena could have done that. And she did that. I am glad that she acted wisely, unlike the way she allowed herself to be carried away by emotion during the match.

But lots of damage had been done already.

Felt so sad for Naomi.

TOO MANY STRANDS OF ISSUES

One, as far as I know, from what I have read and heard, Carlos Ramos has a good reputation as an umpire. He is one of strictest in the circuit. He would have done the same thing, if it was another player, man or woman.

Two, on-court coaching does happen. Many coaches and players have been pulled up before. But they have all moved on, without creating a scene.

Three, Serena was spot on, on the issue of sexism. Everyone knows that. Many male players have barked even the F-word at umpires. Serena was right to bring up that issue. But not at that time, and not against this umpire. The biased rulings had been given by other umpires.

SERENA SHOULD HAVE CHECKED HERSELF

Only one reason why Serena behaved the way she did: Unbearable pressure. She has been putting all her best after that maternity break, to claw her way back to the top spot, where she rightly belongs. At New York, she was just about there, when this Japanese girl was powering her way through. This was also an occasion for her to equal Margret Court's record.

Naomi Osaka was definitely playing better than Serena. That's where it all began, for Serena, who then just let emotions get the better of the game. While I won't disagree with Serena's point about sexism, that was not the place to raise it, and take away in the process all the focus from Naomi's performance.

THREE CHEERS FOR NAOMI

Naomi Osaka deserves all the credit and accolades. She played superbly. She kept her cool, didn't allow herself to be distracted by not only Serena's rants but the continuous raucous jeers of the crowd. It is not easy when 23,000 are booing and you know you are not the favourite of the crowd.

The current focus might be on Serena. But Naomi will be remembered for years and years to come, for the spectacular display of tennis that outclassed Serena.

Australian Open 2018 - Caroline Wozniacki tells Simona Halep: 'I am sorry, I had to win'

What a thrilling Australian Open Women's Singles  Finals it was. Caroline Wozniacki won and regained her No 1 ranking after some six years. But she got that not without a tough fight from Simona Halep, who fought bravely with an injury in her ankle.

Here is how the scores progressed:

Simona Halep - Caroline Wozniacki

First set: (opens with Wozniacki serve)

0-1; 0-2; 0-3; 1-3; 1-4; 2-4; 2-5; 3-5; 4-5; 5-5; 5-6; 6-6; 6-7.

Second set (opens with Halep serve)

1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 3-3; 4-3; 5-3; 6-3.

Third set (opens with Wozniacki serve)

0-1; 0-2; 1-2; 1-3; 2-3; 3-3; 4-3; 4-4; 4-5; 4-6.

Simona and Caroline were so graceful and magnanimous in their victory speeches. Here is them both: (Courtesy: Twitter: @AustralianOpen)

"For sure I will fight, I have many years to go so hopefully I will face another challenge like this today."

A warrior today, a warrior all tournament. Well played, Simona.#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/jlS2t3hsXA

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2018

Clearly recognizing the stature of Simona, Caroline, in her speech, said, "I want to congratulate Simona. I know today is tough and I'm sorry I had to win, but I am sure we will have many matches in the future."

"I'm just taking a second to hug 'Daphne' - I've dreamt of this moment for so many years, to be here is a dream come true."

Your #AusOpen 2018 Champion, @CaroWozniacki! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/iFfSmlVCPA

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2018

Roger Federer speaks on Rafael Nadal's looks, on fashion, on his pink shoes, and on going sleeveless

Roger Federer moved to the semifinals on 2018 Australian Open, by beating Tomas Berdych in straight sets, 7-6, 6-3, 6-4, at the Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park today.

The opening set of the quarterfinal match was a really competitive one, and I thought this might just stretch to a five-setter.

Finally, it was an easy win for Roger Federer against Berdych, who seemed to be handicapped by some physical discomfort. He took a medical break too.

But it must be said to Tomas' credit that he didn't let Roger win so easily. He played some great shots, including some powerful aces, zipped around the court, and caught Federer off guard with deftly placed passing shots. The third set showed some hope, but ended in the expected fashion.

Now I am waiting for the semifinal match against Chung, whom Federer will be facing for the first time. It's on Friday, at 2 pm, IST.

Here is Federer's post-match interview... What a entertaining one it was... Just like the match ... Impeccable Roger Federer on his quarterfinal victory, his pink tennis shoes, on fashion, on going sleeveless, on Rafa's looks, on Rafa's injury, on new players, on upcoming match against Chung ...

"It's great to see new names on the scene... He's incredibly impressive in his movement. Reminds me a lot of Novak (Djokovic)."

- @RogerFederer on his SF opponent, Hyeon #Chung 😎#AusOpen pic.twitter.com/5EkP2KmS4B

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 24, 2018

Australian Open - Day 3 - A day of turnarounds

What a way to spend the day - riveting action on Day 3 at the Australian Open. Some really scintillating display of roller-coaster games where top players nearly crashed out.

119-Jana Fett vs 2-Caroline Wozniacki

Fett, making her Grand Slam debut, won the first set, 6-3.

She lost the 2nd, 2-6.

In the 3rd set, she was on the brink of creating history, when she was serving for the match at 5-1.

And then the unbelievable turnaround. She lost control, letting Wozniacki claw her way back.

Fett lost 5-7.

6-3, 2-6, 5-7

The way Wozniacki picked her points in the last games of the deciding set, gave me a feeling that she loves to be on the edge, and knows how to find her way back to safety.

51-Dennis Shapovalov vs 15- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

I joined this match when it was two set all, and in the fifth set Tsonga was on the defensive, down 2-5, and on the verge of losing the match.

But another turn around. He battled his way back to win the decider 7-5.

6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7, 5-7

186-Mackenzie McDonald vs 3-Grigor Dimitrov 

McDonald won the first, 6-4; lost the 2nd, 2-6, lost the third, 4-6, but won the fourth 6-0.

When the fifth set began, excitement mounted with the hope that he will carry the momentum, and edge Dimitrov out.

This guy, who was on the verge of creating history in a Grand Slam, had played just four tour-level matches, and lost in the first round in all of them. And he was playing in an arena as big as Rod Laver Stadium for the first time. But then, he seemed to have everything under his control.

But Dimitrov held out in the deciding set. It was 3-3. Then it became 4-3 Dimitrov. It was back to 4-4. Then, McDonald made it 5-5. Then Dimitrov edged ahead 6-5. McDonald levelled it 6-6, but then he slipped, letting Dimitrov make it 8-6.

A match that the world number 3 just managed to survive and move into the third round.

6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 6-0, 6-8

25-ranked Daria Gavrilova vs 36-ranked Elise Mertens

It was just a minute short of 6.30 pm; means a minute short of midnight at Melbourne. The last match of the day began.

One interest in this match was that Gavrilova is a local Melbourne girl. And it looked she will just wrap this match up in jiffy, as she led 5-0 in the first set.

Then suddenly the match began to come alive. Mertens picked up one game after another, and in no time, the scores were level; and then she unbelievably won the first set 7-5, after trailing 0-5.

The level of Mertens' game seemed to have dramatically improved. She was making Gavrilova sweat for each point.

In the second set, from two games all, Mertens reached 4-2.

Then, Gavrilova got into an argument with the chair umpire. When she was trailing 2-4, she challenged a point. But the umpire, Aurelie Tourte, said she was late in raising the challenge, and that she was looking at her box in the stands.

But Gavrilova insisted that she wasn't late, that she had raised her hand, and that she was actually looking at the screen.

The umpire retorted, "No, you were waiting."

"No, I wasn't," the player shot back, and walked back to her place quite dejected.

She never recovered after that.

Mertens moved up to 5-2, and finally she wrapped up the match at 6-3.

5-7, 3-6

What stood out was Mertens' composure. Gavrilova seemed to be getting distracted from the moment she lost a point in the first set after noticing a feather drifting into the court.

And after the post-match shake-hand, Gavrilova climbed up the chair of the umpire, and argued about the earlier challenge. Not surprising, considering her disappointment of having lost on her home ground. Luckily for her, there were not many in the stands, and most Australians will only wake up tomorrow to know that their local player has crashed out.

The day also saw Nadal beating Mayer, which I missed.

On the whole, a some really entertaining tennis.

Hurray! Murray!!

What a way to end the world's most famous tennis tournament! Yesterday, there was a new Women's champion, and today, there's a new Men's champion, at the 2013 Wimbledon tournament.

Finally, Andy Murray got it; remarkably in a three-setter that looked like a five-setter.

For a long time, I wanted to Andy Murray to win. He was an underdog, but not of late. He won in the Olympics and US Open; and as the 2nd seed today, he had to get the Cup, for everything was going in his way.

Luckily the match wasn't a one-sided one. The No 1 seed Novak Djokovic was giving a stiff resistance. It was a battle of equals -- long and gruelling volleys that averaged 20+ strokes, deuce after deuce after deuce; service breaks after service breaks; three missed Championship points and finally, Murray got the better of his opponent.

The first indicator was the way Murray broke and got the first set. Then in the 2nd set Murray was 1-4 down, and came back to turn the tables on Djokovic; made it 4-4, 4-5, 6-5 and then 7-5. It was an amazing set, and gave the clearest indication that the Cup was beckoning the Briton.

Djokovic, who was known to a fierce fighter who comes to behind, just couldn't do it. There were double faults and volleys going long. It just didn't seem to be working for the Serb.

And, in the way the Championship final should be, points never came easy. A befitting finale to a tumultuous fortnight.

But what an irony that Murray's coach is Ivan Lendl, who never won the Wimbledon, and worst, he once famously said, "Grass is for cows."

Well done, Murray!

Lisicki, you did well; there’s always next year!

(Crossposted from Kaleidoscope) 

Finally, the favourite lost. But today's 2013 Wimbledon Ladies Championship final wasn't like anything before.

Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki had never won the Cup before. Both were nervous. Finally, what mattered was, who got over the nerves first, and kept the momentum going. And it was Bartoli, the better player, who hadn’t lost a single set in the entire tournament.

My favourite though was Lisicki. Because she was playing excellent tennis; she wasn't ready to lose, the quiet fighter, who likes to come from behind when all seemed lost. The route she took to reach Centre Court today is a testament to her grit, tenacity, resilience, and above all, her tennis. And what an achievement for her to be as close to winning the cup, as she was today.

Bartoli may not have beaten Serena Williams or Agnieszka Radwanska. That went to the credit of her opponent Lisicki. But the French champion too was etching a similar route on another side to reach the Centre Court.

Bartoli was cool, she seemed to be more in control of her emotions, and her nerves. Why not, she was there, at the Centre Court, battling for the coveted Venus Rosewater Dish, six years ago. She knew what it was like to be at the last mile.

As the match got off to a start, it very much looked like it wasn't Lisicki's day. It was the French girl who seemed to be holding on. One clear indicator was the body language. Bartoli had been there before and it showed. She pumped her fist in the first set as if she was well and truly on her way to the Cup. Lisicki looked defensive. She served some powerful aces and forced Bartoli into unforced errors with a few breathtaking crosscourt volleys. But many of her shots were long. And she went down 1-6 in the first set in 30 minutes flat.

In the third game of the second set, the first point Bartoli won wasn't actually hers. It was wide. It was clear to the naked eye and it was clearer from the Hawk's eye. But Lisicki, already rattled by the way the first set went, missed the chance to challenge it. I thought, that was a crucial turning point.

Still, the 2nd set gave Lisicki hope. She was holding on. But, suddenly, she collapsed into a bout of double faults. And, in a scene, one wouldn't see very often in a Championship match, in the fifth game of the 2nd set, Lisicki hid behind the racket strings and dissolved into tears. That said it all. And I thought that was it.

But, there was an unbelievable flicker of hope. When all seemed lost, Lisicki was playing some excellent tennis. There were some stunning aces; and the placements and the volleys were just right, and getting her the much-needed points. I wondered why couldn't she have come up with those before. She even saved two Championship points. Commentators were beginning to talk about what could be one of those unprecedented comebacks in the history of Wimbledon!

But it was too little, too late.

For a second time, Bartoli served for the match and got it. 6-1, 6-4. And, again in a scene, which we may not see very often, Lisicki broke down during the customary post-match interview, unable to complete her sentence. But she had summed it up rightly: she was overwhelmed by the occasion.

Finally, as any sportsperson would know, it's not the game alone that matters, but it's the emotions and nerves too. All along, Lisicki seemed to be the player who had that edge, who could surprise with the power of her serve and the accuracy of her shots. But Bartoli was the more experienced, who played better tennis, who strategised for the winner, who kept the cool, who had emotions in control, who seemed to know it all.

Well done, girls, Marion and Sabine. All-England Club has a new champion. Congratulations, Marion Bartoli.

Nadal gives Federer a taste of clay, runs him out of grass

It's not always one gets to see epic battles, events that get etched in history. One such was last night. What made it all the more memorable was that I was so lucky to witness it. I must thank the weather gods.

When it was time for Roger Federer to take on Rafal Nadal, one wish on my lips was that it should not be a one-sided match, like the French Open when Nadal demolished Federer. Anyway, I was to miss the first portions of the match, since I had an unavoidable personal engagement to attend to. And I wanted the match to drag on so that I could catch up the deciding sets when I am back home.

Around 9.45 pm, I checked the score for the first time. Federer had lost the first two sets: 4-6, 4-6, in the third set the match was poised at 5-4 in favour of Nadal.

Couldn't believe this. Imminent fall of the champion? I wished the rain continued so that by the time the match resumed I would be back home.

When I reached home and switched on the TV, memories went back 28 years, for the channel was showing the epic Bjorn Borg - John McEnroe match. Little did the channel nor I knew what would be played out when rained stopped, that it would surpass what was always talked about as "one of the greatest Centre Court encounters."

Nadal lost the chance in the third set to end the match and lift the cup; Federer had recovered in a tie-break 7-5.

Over to the fourth set. Will Nadal pull it off now, that was the question. Again the Spaniard missed the chance. Federer -- the tiebreak wizard that he is -- pulled it off again, in a much more thrilling manner 10-8. Imagine, he was 2-5 down! Couldn't believe that I was witness to a classic.

Finally, into the fifth set. Once again Nadal and Federer proving that one was better than the other with each successive shots. Every point a beauty. While Nadal packed power, Federer weaved artistry. The rallies that took our breath away, the crosscourt passing shots that made me feel so lucky to be watching them... the centre court had became a theatre of grit, resilience and endurance.

Rain interruption again... and the score: 2 games all, 5th set; 2 sets all.... The light was failing, and everyone was wondering if this would go on to the next day.

And, when covers came off, we were in for the climax. The battle was rejoined and the tennis fans got the treat of a lifetime!  

Somewhere in the deciding set, the match became in the longest ever Gentleman's Singles match ever played. When Nadal broke the serve, there was a faint feeling that the champion might succumb soon. Nadal was seizing the advantage like never before, and he would ensure that it didn't slip away from him at least this time. 6-6, 7-7. He made it 8-7; and finally... Federer played into the net, it was 9-7... and Nadal was ecstatic, after such a long match he could only fall flat....

What a match!

What I liked as much as the tennis was Nadal's humility. He said Federer was still the champion, he had won five times... 

Not only had Nadal put an end to Federer's unbeaten run of 65 matches on grass, Nadal became only the second player after Bjorn Borg to win the French Open and Wimbledon back to back.

Will Federer lose the number one spot too?

• Piers Newbery's account of the match
• Match as it happened by Caroline Cheese
• Photos of the final

BBC Sports videos:

• Rob Curling's report of the match
• Nadal's winning moment and walk on the roof
• Nadal says it's a dream come true
• Federer hails 'deserving' champion Nadal