View Full Version : Tennis pros and religion
AtomicForehand
10-10-2012, 09:11 AM
Has anyone else noticed the high percentage of pros on both the men's and women's tours who conspicuously wear a cross around their necks?
Several players (Juan Martin del Potro probably being the most conspicuous) make a point of crossing themselves and kissing their fingers up to the sky when they win.
Djokovic does both of these things, and has even been awarded, to great public fanfare, the highest distinction in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
It would be interesting to do a study on how many athletes are atheist or non-religious and where they tend to come from (my guess is Northern and Western Europe). Looks like most of the Christians come from the U.S. and second- or third-world countries. Anybody know about the beliefs of players from Muslim or other non-Christian countries (mostly these would be in Asia)?
I don't recall noticing other ostentatious displays of religion on the pro circuit other than Christian ones. This just got me wondering about how many pros might be Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, or other religions.
Has anyone else noticed the high percentage of pros on both the men's and women's tours who conspicuously wear a cross around their necks?
Several players (Juan Martin del Potro probably being the most conspicuous) make a point of crossing themselves and kissing their fingers up to the sky when they win.
Djokovic does both of these things, and has even been awarded, to great public fanfare, the highest distinction in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
It would be interesting to do a study on how many athletes are atheist or non-religious and where they tend to come from (my guess is Northern and Western Europe). Looks like most of the Christians come from the U.S. and second- or third-world countries. Anybody know about the beliefs of players from Muslim or other non-Christian countries (mostly these would be in Asia)?
I don't recall noticing other ostentatious displays of religion on the pro circuit other than Christian ones. This just got me wondering about how many pros might be Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, or other religions.
Atheism is not a religion. Back OT, Uncle Toni has some pretty strong atheistic views, maybe Rafa has too?
vatican is the true tennis goat
AtomicForehand
10-10-2012, 09:33 AM
Atheism is not a religion. Back OT, Uncle Toni has some pretty strong atheistic views, maybe Rafa has too?
True, atheism is not a religion. Bad choice of word order on my part. I should have put it first in the sentence and then grouped all the religions together afterward.
I believe I remember reading that Rafa does not believe in any gods. There was an interview with him somewhere. I'll try to find it.
rdis10093
10-10-2012, 09:39 AM
for real rafa is godless?
for real rafa is godless?
i think he is although i read somewhere he might be agnostic, kinda similar i guess
RF20Lennon
10-10-2012, 09:42 AM
Rafa is atheist yeah
Rafa is definitely moving up in my book.
He must have figured it out when he realized if god existed he would never have allowed so much topspin.
dimeaxe
10-10-2012, 09:56 AM
If there is any God of tennis, I believe Roger thinks he is the one actually:)
sureshs
10-10-2012, 09:58 AM
If there is any God of tennis, I believe Roger thinks he is the one actually:)
Nadal is the real God of tennis
PSNELKE
10-10-2012, 09:59 AM
Well my fellow German players don't seem to practice any religion.
I'd say those guys from the Balkans(Serbs, Croats etc), Italians, Spanyards and Portuguese are the most religious Europeans.
I know that Fed is catholic and even got to meet the pope. But he doesn't really talk about his religious believes in public, which is perfectly fine IMO.
Nadal seems agnostic to me which is "unusual" for Spanyards?!
As much as I've seen almost all South American players seem to have a more or less strong religious belief. (Mainly catholic)
I really don't know about muslim tennis players for the simple reason that there aren't too many on the Pro Tour.
Tennis is certainly not yet as popular as football, basketball in muslim countries, but seems like tennis is slowly establishing itself there tho.
kishnabe
10-10-2012, 10:01 AM
Rafa is atheist yeah
Rafa believes in the devil but not god?
That does not make sense.
OP....I think there is no correlation between any religion, any ethinicity and especially not tennis.
It just those who are religious in tennis....cheer too much about God helping him through. God shouldn't pick sides in a tennis match. This is human life...competing with free will with no determined fate till then end result.
vive le beau jeu !
10-10-2012, 10:03 AM
Has anyone else noticed the high percentage of pros on both the men's and women's tours who conspicuously wear a cross around their necks?
Several players (Juan Martin del Potro probably being the most conspicuous) make a point of crossing themselves and kissing their fingers up to the sky when they win.
Djokovic does both of these things, and has even been awarded, to great public fanfare, the highest distinction in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
It would be interesting to do a study on how many athletes are atheist or non-religious and where they tend to come from (my guess is Northern and Western Europe). Looks like most of the Christians come from the U.S. and second- or third-world countries. Anybody know about the beliefs of players from Muslim or other non-Christian countries (mostly these would be in Asia)?
I don't recall noticing other ostentatious displays of religion on the pro circuit other than Christian ones. This just got me wondering about how many pros might be Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, or other religions.
maybe it was more polite than religious when he was doing it on the court (even if he did this one week buddhist retreat in a temple ?), but anyway i guess it's worth mentionning it in this thread...
http://im.rediff.com/sports/2011/nov/09slide3.jpg
Atheism is not a religion. Back OT, Uncle Toni has some pretty strong atheistic views, maybe Rafa has too?
he believes in tio toni, and all the fairies and magical creatures he can make appear.
BorisBeckerFan
10-10-2012, 10:11 AM
Fun stuff.
did my post seriously get deleted?
I thin kthe mods have deleted any post that was about about just atheism as opposed to tennis players and athiesm/religion. Which seems fair enough - I certainly wandered off topic.
Emet74
10-10-2012, 10:15 AM
Fed is officially Catholic but not very religious; he's said he does believe in God but when asked about life after death he answered he's "50-50" on that one.
Safin was Muslim tho' not religious, the doubles player Qureshi is Muslim as well of course, and Israeli players like Erlich and Ram, Sela and Shahar Pe'er are Jewish, as is Jesse Levine from USA and probably some others as well.
TW Staff
10-10-2012, 11:35 AM
I thin kthe mods have deleted any post that was about about just atheism as opposed to tennis players and athiesm/religion. Which seems fair enough - I certainly wandered off topic.
Correct. Please keep to the topic as comments regarding religion alone will be removed. As most of you probably know, we no longer allow "Rants & Raves" posts -- those generally dealing with politics and with religion.
Thank you,
Tiffani, TW
The Bawss
10-10-2012, 11:49 AM
maybe it was more polite than religious when he was doing it on the court (even if he did this one week buddhist retreat in a temple ?), but anyway i guess it's worth mentionning it in this thread...
http://im.rediff.com/sports/2011/nov/09slide3.jpg
he believes in tio toni, and all the fairies and magical creatures he can make appear.
That grip is tiny!
Rock Strongo
10-10-2012, 11:54 AM
That grip is tiny!
He married a supermodel, he didn't have to compensate.
The Bawss
10-10-2012, 12:13 PM
He married a supermodel, he didn't have to compensate.
They broke up. I'm sure he bumped up his grip size 2 or 3 sizes after that.
TennisLovaLova
10-10-2012, 12:15 PM
Fortunatly, religious displays of love towards a god or a prophet in tennis are discreet, really nothing compared to what we can see in soccer for exemple
This is what brazil did in 2002 after winning the world cup
http://youtu.be/B20I78DscKc
FIFA immediatly banned any kind of religious celebration of victory after this final cause it was proselitysme/evangelist, an attitude you dont wanna see in world most broacsted events.
Great Uncle Bulgaria
10-10-2012, 12:32 PM
I remember Michael Chang being very open and vocal about his (Xtn) faith. It got on some people's nerves; Edberg joked that he had no chance in the FO 89final, given Chang had Jesus on his side.
Andre Agassi was also said to be quite religious in his younger days at least. Not sure if this was a publicity tool though.
On the women's side Margaret Court comes to mind but don't know whether she found her faith after her retirement.
Also I am not sure whether wearing a cross or other symbol necessarily means someone is religious.
dominikk1985
10-10-2012, 12:44 PM
well most tennis players are a bit lunatic and believe in all kind of crap like not touching lines, folding the towels in a certain way or putting their equipment in a certain order.
I think this is because in tennis you are alone and your thoughts can wander so you often develope a lot of superstitions to keep their mind from wandering and giving themselves something to believe when it gets tough.
TopFH
10-10-2012, 02:46 PM
It's okay if a tennis player is Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist or whatever he or she thinks is okay, just as long as they are not too boisterous about it. I'm okay with things like Delpo or Nole crossing themselves, but things like Chang's "Jesus is on my side" are just too absurd or preposterous.
AtomicForehand
10-10-2012, 05:09 PM
It's okay if a tennis player is Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist or whatever he or she thinks is okay, just as long as they are not too boisterous about it. I'm okay with things like Delpo or Nole crossing themselves, but things like Chang's "Jesus is on my side" are just too absurd or preposterous.
Maybe Delpo and Nole crossing themselves is equivalent to Chang's statement--as in "Thank you, God, for choosing ME to win"?
Crisstti
10-10-2012, 08:13 PM
Rafa has been considerably milder in his comments (compared to Toni), but he's made it clear he's agnostic.
Didn't know Fed was catholic.
What about other top players, like Murray, Berdych, Tsonga?, anyone knows?.
sbengte
10-11-2012, 12:52 AM
Rafa is atheist yeah
Not true. Rafa is a follower of the Church of Fed.
DanaKz
10-11-2012, 06:02 AM
Marat and Dinara Safins are muslims.
Rafa has been considerably milder in his comments (compared to Toni), but he's made it clear he's agnostic.
Didn't know Fed was catholic.
What about other top players, like Murray, Berdych, Tsonga?, anyone knows?.
Murray is nominally Church of Scotland but I don't think he has any strong religious views.
dominikk1985
10-11-2012, 01:20 PM
Murray is nominally Church of Scotland but I don't think he has any strong religious views.
I didn't realize that there is a church of scotland. funny how all the british countries invented their own church. the english church too was invented by a former english king:D (I think to get rid of his wife but I'm not sure about this). Really crazy the english with their religion:).
Back to topic: I don't think there are a lot of good muslim players right now but a few years ago there were some good players from marocco. what happened to maroccan tennis?
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