Problems At U.S. Open - Part 2
Life is funny sometimes. Two days ago I had a post about Novak Djokovic, who was forced to retire due to pain in his left shoulder and I stated that with Djokovic out, Roger Federer has an easier job now. That was predictable and I guess I wasn't the only one to think that. The next day however I and everyone else had a big surprise.
Roger Federer, Nr. 3 got beaten by Grigor Dimitrov whos' currently 78th. It was a shock, no one can deny it. Grigor Dimitrov is not yet at the level to beat Federer but he did it anyway.
This is an interesting case and worth discussing it. It turns out Federer needed medical attention during the match. Some of the news sites were saying he was dealing with sore back that may have caused him enough problem to lose the match. It is possible as he's 38. I'm not saying he's old but still, his body is dealing with some problems.
Imagine losing a match against someone who would have had no chance to win and yet he has handled the situation the best way possible. He said "this is Grigor's moment, not my body's moment". This was very professional and I love him for this.
Others would have made a show, highlighting the problem, blaming the loss on the pain. You can find these people in everyday life, using their problems to make people feel sorry for them, but not him. The Guardian has another opinion, the article says this is a strategy, it's exactly what he wanted, to attract attention by apparently shifting attention from his problems. I don't care about what The Guardian says, I still appreciate him and his professionalism. Just compare him with those who still need to grow up and drop their tantrums and you'll see the difference.
I was saying life is funny and that's true.
Twelve months ago Dimitrov stood handsomely in the top 10, yet over the following year his form turned to dust. He fell 70 spots from eighth to 78th. He struggled with shoulder injuries. Only six weeks ago at a small warm-up tournament in Atlanta, the 28-year-old lost to the 405th-ranked Kevin Kim. source
This shows there are no guarantees here. You can be the best and lose to someone who's very far from your level. I see a certain similarity between tennis and motorsport, where your body is your car or bike. Cars break down in the middle of the race, how many times it happens.
Serena Williams is going to play in semi-finals against the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. I truly hope things are going to go well and none of them are going to get any injuries. It's not fun to see someone lose because of an injury. It's nice to win but not because your opponent is injured and can't play.
Fingers crossed! I'll be back with details.