Life is an Ongoing Process » Federer

Federer vs Nadal: How Sweet it Is

Carol — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 16:58:16 +0000

The match many of were hoping for at Wimbledon has materialized, and what a fantastic match it has been! The sheer amazement and joy that I experience when watching these two fine athletes share the court is unparalleled entertainment for me. The downside is that I like both of them so much that I hate to see either one of them lose.

Rafa is down 5 games to 2 now in the fifth set, and it looks like Roger will prevail, but it ain’t over till the fat lady sings, as my father liked to say.

Thank you Roger and Rafael for another incredible match!

The Swiss Serves Up Another Masterpiece

Carol — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:39:08 +0000

Got up first thing this morning and turned on the DVR to watch the Australian Open final match between Roger Federer and Fernando Gonzales. The match did not disappoint. Gonzales hung tough in the first set all the way until he lost the tie breaker (7 points to 2 points). The remainder of the match belonged to Roger, and it was one of the most masterful performances that I have ever seen (I will definitely NOT be erasing this match from my DVR – it is a long way until the French Open – I may need a ‘Federer Fix’ before then.).

Roger reminds me of a boxer, specifically Ali in his young years, the way he moves his feet on the court, lining up his body to the ball in order to ‘throw the perfect punch’. And what a punch he can throw! He executed his game plan completely and convincingly in the second two sets. Always winning the crucial points, nailing the second set win with a clean ace, even though his serve was one of his weakest weapons during the first set.

The third set was a veritable showcase of all of the talents that Federer brings to the game. I don’t have words for how special it is to watch this guy play. Add to this how special a human being he is, gracious, thoughtful, intelligent, honest, open, simply beautiful.

Thanks for another great tournament Roger!

What is it about watching Federer play?

Carol — Sat, 26 Aug 2006 20:28:15 +0000

I have enjoyed playing and watching tennis being played since I was in my early teens. I still vividly remember watching my tennis idol, Tony Roche playing at Forest Hills when I was fifteen. As I recall Poncho Gonzales was also playing one of his last matches there. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my teenage years. I’m sorry to say that I haven’t been to a professional tennis tournament since that one, but I have watched many hours of professional tennis over the past forty years or so. I have had a couple of other ‘idols’ since Tony; Ivan Lendl, and Andre Agassi, but I have never been as inspired by a player as I am by Federer. I am almost addicted to watching him play (I seriously considered downloading the videos of all of his 2006 Wimbledon matches from the ppv sight they had set up for that event…but I thought that would be going a bit too far).

So when I saw this blog post, and the related article, Federer as Religious Experience in the New York Times Play Magazine, that the blogger is commenting on, I felt somehow comforted and validated (maybe I’m not quite as nuts as my spouse thinks I am). I had never gone so far as to equate the experience I have when Federer does something so unexpected, beautiful, and breathtaking that I lose all sense of reality as we know it for an infinite instant in time, as “religious”, but this article caused me to reconsider. I don’t really consider myself to be religious, but rather, spiritual, and I would have to agree that watching Federer play, when he is playing at the top of his game against a worthy opponent such as Nadal or Agassi, is profoundly spiritual for me for reasons I cannot begin to explain. I know he is but a mortal man, but such beauty in coordinated mind and motion is surely a reflection of the innate beauty in all of us.

If you enjoy tennis, and like Federer, you owe it to yourself to read this articulately written article.

US Open starts on Monday!!

Peace & Joy,
Carol