This blog began on the final day of Wimbledon with Roger Federer completing a magnificent performance of winning Wimbledon without the loss of a set. It is amazing how fast the summer has sped by. To me the US Open has always been the signpost that the summer is coming to an end. With Labor Day weekend coming the middle of the tournament, kids heading back to school and the NFL beginning regular season games on Finals day, there is no ignoring that the summer is ending and the autumn is almost upon us. But for the next 13 days the best tennis players in the world are gathered in New York to contest the final major of the year. This is the time when there is the most interest in tennis in the United States. There is lots of tennis on TV, the weather is still nice and there is great coverage by all media of this not so little tennis competition in the Big Apple.
An example of this is August 28 issue of “Sports Illustrated” magazine with a great picture of Roger Federer preparing to hit his beautiful backhand on the cover. SI is the most read sports magazine in the United States.
The Sports Illustrated article is entitled “Artist in Residence” and I highly recommend it to all the Fed Fans out there.
My favorite part of the article is where they talk about the way that Federer has affected the entire tennis culture. Let me quote “Note how many players today sign autographs as they leave the court, even after defeat. Note how few act cantankerously. The message is clear: If the guy at the top discharges his duties with not just professionalism but with JOY (emphasis is mine), and he’s generous with time and refreshingly candid, what excuse is there for a lesser player not to do the same?”
For those of you who love the game of tennis and love to see it being played with JOY, watch Federer during the next two weeks. My predictions for the champions are
Men’s Singles Champion – Roger Federer (who is surprised???)
Women’s Singles Champion – Maria Sharapova (who is opening with a tough match against #2 seed Simone Halep)
Enjoy watching the pros in New York and I hope it inspires you to get out on the courts and experience…
THE JOY OF TENNIS
