"Adventures with Anna" - Anthony Wilding,Ralph Nadal,Dmitry Tursonov
Pumping music, thousands upon thousands of people,concrete concrete concrete...I wondered how the players can even concentrate with the cacophony of sounds and images of advertising being flashed before our eyes.Yes the US Open Tennis is on us once again,and its my first . Actually ,its my first time in any kind of stadium in the USA. I am glad of the zen like repose I took for an hour before entering the stadium in Flushing Meadow. Wimbledon- calm,elegant, sophisticated,steeped in history and most of all quiet.Where one can actually hear the scud of shoes on grass courts and the comforting delicious sound of ball on racket-....all the things the loud brash American US Open is not. It did take me a while to adjust,perched high up on the stands.Soon I did though. I began to share in the exhilaration of a fast game,fast music and noisy exuburant crowd. Yes Serena, was beating her opponent mercilessly but with all the dignity of the powerful tiger she is.
Next up was Nadal. Nadal was playing a dear chap called Derheart who was put simply ,obviously way out of his league. And for this, the crowd loved him.They loved every momnet Derheart won a rare point.Nadal is good. Very good Derheart realised.Nadal has in fact become the first person in fact to equal, in over eighty years,my Great Uncle Anthony Wilding's record for straight wins at Monte Carlo.This was noted in all the media recently.Nadal hasn't yet equalled Wilding's record of consecutive Wimbledon wins..but maybe he will..He has definatley started.I wonder how long Nadal and Federer will compete for the title over the next few years .
The US Open season started with a trip to meet men. Yep, I am game for that.
In fact it was to celebrate photographs of naked chested male tennis players, over champagne at the W Hotel in Times Square. Yes, it was the launch of the ATP Tennis Calander 2008. I chatted with the lovely and wise beyond his years professional tennis player, Dmitry Tursonov. Self effacing but smart Dmitry,who ranks in the 20's on the world tennis rankings, was both objective about his place in the world as a tennis player and the exhaustion and sacrifices to life, social life and immediate family of being a highly ranked pro tennis player. I think few fail to understand,those that are born here in America,the scarcrifces that we from overseas make,when we are bought to America as the best and brightest in whatever we do.It is an enourmous toll on family who more often than not remain behind.And a toll on us as individuals..that few understand. The reality is ,America offers the opportunities to continue our work on an international level and and training that was not available in our own countries. As the world becomes more global and people have travelled more this is changing slowly but on the whole...in some enterprises it is here where you need to be ..I recall Ted Kennedy's recent speech...to the effect of :- America was an inspiring country... we put people on the moon,and we will again.
America sought out and attracted the best and brightest.This was what America used to be about,talent.Is it now?
But I digress from the six foot two young gorgeous man sitting beside me. He is drinking pure orange juice and off to play tennis . I am sincerely wishing I was able to play tennis with my injury,and compete. Instead reaching for my instant healthy get up and go, eco friendly environmentally made, 70% chocolate. I must figure out a way to help John the owner market it.
