The Fine Line Between Good & Very Good!

Every sport has its flagship tourney, which is meant to test the best and showcase the rest! Likewise the 4 Grand Slams provide the opportunity to top ranked tennis players to compete with the best and exhibit their skills in front of a large pool of audience. The French Open of 2012 has had each of the above-mentioned attribute: the top seeds have been tested and the fringe top seeds have had their opportunity to command applause and admiration.

Sports fans/commentators/viewers often speak up a clichéd thought - ‘may the best player win’. In every discipline you find sportsmen who are separated by a thin line of quality which defines that ‘best’ in the above statement. This week’s tennis has reiterated this fine line between the good and the very good. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic & Roger Federer are outstanding bearers of the tennis racquet, though each one of them is at a different stage of his individual career. While Nadal is almost a clay court perfectionist, Djokovic & Federer have customized their game to meet the needs. Yet a common thread that knits the 3 into a single bracket is of that their ‘never-say-die’ attitude!

Nicolas Almagro (12), Juan Martin del Potro (9) & Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (5) too form some kind of set; a set of the fringe top seeds. Each of the 3 reached the last-8 stage with minimal discomfort and was technically and physically prepared to take on the big boys. Almagro’s powerful backhands did make Nadal move around more than he would liked to, had almost identical number of winners but couldn’t sustain momentum. Tsonga’s booming forehand almost knocked out Djokovic, but once the # 1 player saved match points and pocketed the 4^th set you almost saw Tsonga go down without a fight in the fifth. Del Potro had Federer sweating after 2 sets, but once he let Federer an opportunity to stage a comeback, he wasn’t allowed to toy around with the legend.

Three matches involving the top 3 and none of them short on outstanding tennis. Almagro, Del Potro & Tsonga have time and again popped up surprises and displayed glimpses of their talent and skills, but have fallen short on ability to maintain consistency without breaking down. Andy Murray & David Ferrer contested the fourth quarter-final, and it would be fair to add both to the bracket of Del Potro, Tsonga and others who are still very good in their own right but a tad less than the elite members. Almagro appeared very animated when things didn’t go his way, so did Tsonga. A distinct difference was with the reactions of Federer and Djokovic when they lost sets; could be out of experience, could be out of trusting themselves to stage a comeback! These matches highlight that the mental aspect in physical sports isn’t restricted to instinct and gameplan but goes beyond that to ability to absorb pressure, motivate self & sustain momentum.

The cream of men’s tennis has skimmed off through the quarters, and high-quality matches for the semis and the finals beckon. Since Nadal broke his way through in 2005 almost every slam was a contest between Nadal & Federer, until Djokovic arrived. Now you almost foresee every slam semis line-up comprising of these 3 and somebody else. Tennis fans would be delighted if a couple of members of the fringe top seeds category can raise the bar to join the elite group, for more the competition better it is for the sport in general. Women’s tennis is a testimony to this thought; today almost every slam semis line-up has different names, which consequently have tapered down the interest levels, other than for the obvious reasons! So until we wait for likes of Ferrer, Murray and others to breach the fine line (probably during the Wimbledon), let us sit back and enjoy the last couple of matches French Open of 2012 has to offer!