The Joker’s New York Redemption

Djokovic before the 2011 Wimbledon final

For years the cheeky impersonator, Novak Djokovic is finally discovering the joy of being oneself. Remember the exuberant 20-year-old who came to the Big Apple in 2007 and had everyone at Arthur Ashe in splits with his impersonations of some of tennis’ biggest stars. His ingenious acts starred Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Roddick. [...]

Roger Federer: A Magician Lost

Roger Federer with his wife Mirka Vavrinec

Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was this magician from Switzerland who came down to London and used his racquet as a wand every summer from the first Monday to the last Sunday of the Wimbledon fortnight. Roger Federer was immune from whatever surprises the tennis world generated and [...]

Nadal Has Bigger Accounts To Settle

The Fighting Matador

Just as Roger Federer has feet of clay when it comes to playing Rafael Nadal on the red clay of Paris similarly Nadal has some serious questions to answer on surfaces other than clay. I am only considering the Grand Slams for seeing relative performance as they to me signify the bigger and the more [...]

Federer Still Has Accounts To Settle

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal

On his 19th birthday Rafael Nadal made a blistering entry to the tennis world by beating World Number 1 Roger Federer in the 2005 French Open semi-final. He then went on to win the title two days later on his maiden attempt. The next year in Paris Clay Nadal became the first man to beat [...]

The Flight Of Federer

federer

A young correspondent, apparently in love with Rafael Nadal, once left me in a philosophical bind about the nature of all crafts, although she was just talking about tennis. When Nadal was locked in the battle for his life with fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco at the semi-final of the Australian Open last year; the girl [...]

A Friend And A Golfer

Roughly about six years ago, starting around a Delhi autumn and leading up to the coming spring, I spent a good part of the capital’s pleasant season where a visit to the Delhi Golf Club on Zakir Hussain Marg was not an anomaly. The outdoor veranda of the club where tea and snacks are served [...]

Federer’s Whispering Feet Keep Him Afloat

Roger Federer

In 2008, Roger Federer lifted the US Open trophy in New York and ended what could arguably be called his worst year. Federer’s worst year coincided with Rafael Nadal’s best season till date. In 2008 Roger made it to three finals and lost two, Nadal on the other hand made it to two finals and [...]

Federer and Roddick battle for history

I’ll go back in history to paint a background that puts today’s Wimbledon final in perspective. I could pick any point and there are 14 of them or I could pick the one that’s determined to add another one. The problem is that in the context of this match neither of those points are the [...]

In admiration of Roger Federer

There is this funny anecdote that effectively drives a serious point home. A man well over 100 years was asked the secret of his long life. The old man thought for a while, and then replied that I think it’s because I’ve had many many birthdays. Longevity is perhaps the toughest to maintain at the [...]

Pages: 1 2