I love tennis... I've always loved tennis. My introduction was my mother, of the "tennis Ahue's," playing doubles on weekends and my sisters and I being relegated to the playground on hot summer days. I vividly remember complaining on Saturday mornings during the "big fours" (which in my house meant Grand Slam tennis), because we weren't allowed to watch cartoons. Thank goodness for my mom's zealousness, which inspired me to #5 varsity tennis at good old GHS, and a love of the game that has lead me to follow tennis in every form... even dragging an unsuspecting boyfriend to the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI.When I lived in NYC, I went to the Open every year. I remember the first year that G took me as a surprise... ecstatic doesn't even begin to explain it. So we had nosebleed seats... it didn't matter. Sitting in Arthur Ashe stadium among the other 26k fans is to date one of the most thrilling experiences in my life. I called my mom from a pay phone at Flushing Meadows, grinningly asking, "Guess where I am?!?!"
Andre Agassi is making a run for the championship... in his last U.S. Open ever. He's going out at the top of his game, like only a true champion would. But he is the last of the great ones... at least, in respect to the old regime... McEnroe, Connors, Becker, Lendl, Sampras (my all-time fave). What will happen when Andre retires and there's no one left?
Sure, there's Federer (who's my favorite "newbie"-- he has Pete's sensibility and, not to mention, is a phenomenol player), Hewitt, Nadal and Roddick. And to the new generation of tennis fanatics? I suppose, they are 'great ones.' But there will never be another McEnroe, Connors, Sampras, Agassi... let's all root for Andre and give a final nod to the true great ones.
6 comments:
GO ANDRE!!!
Even though he married Steffi Graff...I never quite "got" that one...
I love Stefi! One of the greatest women athletes in the world... and they're so cute!
They Are cute. Guess S. & A. were meant for each other.
BTW, McEnroe said today on TV that he thinks Federer is probably (at least potentially) the greatest ever, with all the skills, tools, intuition, ability to step up his game, etc. etc. Did you see that between-the-legs move he put on Hinman? And Hinman loved it so much that he let the return go by for a point. Such class from the Englishman!
I thought we were going to fall all the way down those stairs. Good times though.
haha! i'm sure, given my clutzy nature, i almost did!
Well, I'm not sure how clutzy you would have to be to be a good tennis player (would "klutzy" work, or is it too Eastern European??). Not very, I suspect. But I'm afraid of high, steep stairs, so you probably got it from me.
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