At this time of year, every year, a sports spectacle takes place in Australia, with the well-known competition the AustralianOpen, considered one of the top four yearly tennis competitions in the world (so-called 4 majors, or the Grand Slam). Transmission of many of the games takes place on television for both males and females, from the first round up till the final.
In the Australian Open, the biggest names currently in the sport can be seen tearing their hearts out for each point, with the hope of moving to the next round, as well as other names from the past either following matches as spectators, coaches or as commentators behind the scenes. For the sport’s aficionados, either as spectators or those who like me occasionally do grab a racquet, this is a time of visual and audible delight, and hours are spent in front of the TV screen.
This year, as a Maltese-Australian, I was extremely proud of the plucky Maltese competitors, both Maltese girls who are taking part of the Juniors competition. I’m referring to Francesca Curmi and Helene Pellicano. Both of these lost their first round in the Singles, but both were still going strong in the Doubles (until the time of writing), the first with her partner Loudmilla Bencheikh from France and the second with Marta Custic from Spain. So far, they have progressed through two rounds and are in the quarter finals. Come on Malta!
From the Australian side, we also had positive stories from several local players, such as Alex Bolt, Alexei Popyrin and Alex de Minaur, who arrived up to the third round in the Men’s main draw, and especially Ashleigh Barty who arrived up till the quarter finals after having even beaten Maria Sharapova (a five-time major winner), and was only beaten by Petra Kvitova from the Czech Republic (a two-time Wimbledon winner). These have delighted all those watching them play, for their determination even when not favourites to progress further.
Finally, I have to mention the disappointments. In the women’s competition, Samantha Stosur and Daria Gavrilova both were eliminated in the first round, and in the men’s, Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios also left at the same early stage.
The latter two often leave me shaking my head, asking myself “what the hell do they think they’re doing?” Both have undisputed and incredible talent, and Kyrgios especially is talked about as a possible future world number one in the list of professional tennis players. In fact, he has already beaten the top four players (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray) at least once each.
Their talent is unfortunately overshadowed by their dubious mentality. Both were heavily criticised when they seemed not to give their 100% while playing and seemed not to want to be there.
Now they have picked on the Australian team captain of the Davis Cup, Lleyton Hewitt. Will this story never end?
What can you say to this buffoonery, and more besides? These are actions of immature children, which one wouldn’t expect from a 26 year old Tomic, or a 23 year old Kyrgios. Both are young enough to still have time, if they are so inclined, to rediscover the location of their brain and place it in its designated space, and make a huge name from themselves in tennis, for the right reasons rather than for bad ones.
I wish I had a mere one per cent of what they are capable of in this sport, and remain marvelled watching Tomic’s backhand, with such a simple and flat action, directing the ball down the line to the edge of the court, or observing Kyrgios’ first serve, strong and precise, one of the best on tour.
My wish, and that of so many admirers of this spectacular sport, is that these clowns accept some wisdom froms some old hand in tennis, and finally find a space, a respectable one rather than a joke, in the annals of tennis.
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Bħalissa, ta’ kull sena, fl-Awstralja jkun hawn spettaklu tal-isport, bil-kompetizzjoni magħrufa Australian Open, meqjusa waħda mill-akbar erba’ kompetizzjonijiet tat-tennis fid-dinja matul is-sena (l-hekk imsejħa erba’ maġġuri, jew il-Grand Slam). Ikun hawn trasmissjoni fuq it-televiżjoni ta’ ħafna mil-logħbiet tal-irġiel u tan-nisa, mill-ewwel rawnd sal-finali.
Fl-Australian Open, ikun hawn l-ikbar ismijiet kurrenti tat-tennis jitqatlu għal kull punt, bit-tama li jgħaddu għar-rawnd li jmiss, flimkien ma’ ħafna mill-ismijiet tal-passat jew isegwu bħala spettaturi, kowċis jew jikkummentaw minn wara l-kwinti. Għal min huwa dilettant ta’ dan l-isport, kemm jekk spettaturi jew dawk li kultant jaqbdu r-rakketta bħali, dan huwa ż-żmien tas-sena fejn l-għajn u l-widna tpaxxi, u sigħat jingħaddew quddiem l-iskrin tat-televiżjoni.
Din is-sena, bħala Malti-Awstraljan, kont kburi ħafna bil-bravi kompetituri Maltin, it-tnejn tfajliet Maltin li qiegħdin jieħdu sehem fil-kompetizzjoni taż-żgħażagħ (Juniors). Qiegħed nirreferi għal Francesca Curmi u Helene Pellicano. Dawn it-tnejn inqalgħu fl-ewwel rawnd tal-kompetizzjoni ta’ waħedhom (singles), imma t-tnejn għadhom għaddejjin (sakemm qiegħed jinkiteb dan l-artiklu) fil-kompetizzjoni tad-doppji (doubles), l-ewwel waħda ma’ seħbitha Loudmilla Bencheikh minn Franza, u t-tieni ma’ Marta Custic minn Spanja. S’issa għaddew minn żewġ rawnds u qiegħdin fil-kwarti tal-finali. Forza Malta!
Min-naħa Awstraljana, kellna wkoll stejjer pożittivi għal diversi plejers lokali, bħal Alex Bolt, Alexei Popyrin u Alex de Minaur li waslu sat-tielet rawnd tal-irġiel, u speċjalment Ashleigh Barty li waslet sal-kwarti tal-finali tan-nisa wara li rebħet saħansitra lil Maria Sharapova (rebbieħa ta’ ħames maġġuri), u tilfet biss ma’ Petra Kvitova mir-Repubblika Ċeka (li rebħet darbtejn Wimbledon). Dawn ferrħu lil kull min rahom jilagħbu għad-determinazzjoni tagħhom anke meta ma kinux favoriti li jirbħu l-logħbiet tagħhom.
Imbagħad fl-aħħarnett, irrid insemmi lid-diżappunti. Fil-kompetizzjoni tan-nisa, Samantha Stosur u Daria Gavrilova it-tnejn inqalgħu fl-ewwel rawnd, u f’tal-irġiel, Bernard Tomic u Nick Kyrgios ukoll inqalgħu fl-istess stadju bikri.
Dawn it-tnejn tal-aħħar ħafna drabi jħalluni nxengel rasi, nistaqsi lili nnifsi “x’iż-żikk jaħsbu li qed jagħmlu?” It-tnejn għandhom talent inkredibbli u indiskutibbli, u speċjalment Kyrgios jiġi mitkellem bħala kandidat għall-post numru wieħed fil-lista ta’ plejers professjonali tat-tennis, u fil-fatt diġà rebaħ mill-inqas logħba waħda lill-aħjar erba’ plejers tad-dinja (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic u Murray).
It-talent tagħhom huwa sfortunatament imxejjen mill-attitudni dubjużi tagħhom. It-tnejn ġew ikkritikati bl-aħrax meta qishom ma kinux qiegħdin jippruvaw jilagħbu u kellhom seba’ mitt sena biex jitilqu mill-kort.
Issa qabdu wkoll qatta bla ħabel mal-kaptan tat-tim Awstraljan tat-tazza Davis, Lleyton Hewitt. Din l-istorja mhu se tispiċċa qatt?
X’tista’ tgħid għal buffunati bħal dawn, u ħafna oħrajn? Aġir tal-vavi, li wieħed ma jistennix minn Tomic ta’ 26 sena u Kyrgios ta’ 23 sena. It-tnejn għadhom żgħar biżżejjed li jekk iridu jerġgħu jsibu lil rashom u jqiegħduha fejn suppost, jagħmlu isem kbir fit-tennis, u għar-raġunijiet it-tajba, u mhux għall-ħżiena.
Jien nixtieq li għandi wieħed fil-mija mill-kapaċità tagħhom fl-isport, u nibqa’ mmeraviljat meta nara l-backhand ta’ Tomic, tant sempliċi u ċatt, jimmira l-ballun mal-linja lejn ir-rokna tal-kort, jew nosserva l-ewwel service ta’ Kyrgios, qawwi u preċiż, wieħed mill-aħjar li hawn.
Ix-xewqa tiegħi, u ta’ tant maħbubin ta’ dan l-isport spettakolari, huwa li dawn il-buffi jaċċettaw xi kelma għaqlija minn xi leġġenda tat-tennis, u fl-aħħar isibu post rispettat u mhux taż-żufjett fl-annali tat-tennis.
1https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-15/tennis-world-reacts-to-bernard-tomic-millions-remark/9329070, retrieved 22/1/2019
2https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/nick-kyrgios-sledges-stan-wawrinka-by-claiming-thanasi-kokkinakis-banged-your-girlfriend-20150813-giya2y.html, 22/1/2019
1https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-15/tennis-world-reacts-to-bernard-tomic-millions-remark/9329070, retrieved 22/1/2019
2https://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/nick-kyrgios-sledges-stan-wawrinka-by-claiming-thanasi-kokkinakis-banged-your-girlfriend-20150813-giya2y.html, 22/1/2019
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