Great Article On Nadal And Accepting Defeat

[marc45]

just read that he'll try and practice later this week to see if he can go in BA...says he's having harder time than usual dealing with this loss

but here's a great article on competition and loss...really essential reading for everyone here, especially the ending...

"Winning tells grand stories as it did about Wawrinka's urge to improve in athletic middle-age, but the champion is not enough in sport. To decode sport, we need the defeated man. For everyone is defeated and only in the emotional, public whirlpool of loss can we appreciate the core of the athlete. We see them wear masks, resort to cliche, show defiance - and why not, they are hurt - but also lift. Such athletes reveal to us not mythical hero, but fine human player.

And, if we can - and must - look past this tribalistic and mundane view of tennis, where to elevate Federer we must diminish Nadal, and vice versa, we will find a grateful education. For by being weepy yet never whiny, Nadal defeated self-pity. Like a stone thrown over water, he, the competitor, skipped over sports' demons and found grace on the other shore. This is victory in itself."

http://news.asiaone.com/news/sports/win-obsessed-world-nadal-offered-education-defeat

 

[The Flightless Bird]

The way Federer and Nadal take losses is very human. Sometimes, as this states, one has to look behind the immediate reads.

Nadal's excuses, despite appearing shameful discrediting, reveals disappointment in one's self in plain sight. Federer's self-importance, despite appearing arrogant, reveals straight-foreward belief in one's game.

Standing behind masks that are more expected isnt necesarry, IMO

 

[Vensai]

In sports, there is a winner and a loser. That's it, right or wrong.

 

[marc45]

The way Federer and Nadal take losses is very human. Sometimes, as this states, one has to look behind the immediate reads.

Nadal's excuses, despite appearing shameful discrediting, reveals disappointment in one's self in plain sight. Federer's self-importance, despite appearing arrogant, reveals straight-foreward belief in one's game.

Standing behind masks that are more expected isnt necesarry, IMO

Jon Wertheim had a good response to a reader complaining about Fed's complaint of Nadal grunting...


For once can you please call out Roger Federer's childish, snarky behavior? I feel as if over the years, especially since the end of his dominant reign in 2007-08, from time to time Roger will take a dig at a competitor or be oddly critical, and never get called out for it. And, frankly, it's incredibly annoying. His most recent display was during his semifinal against Nadal where he barked at the chair umpire to do his job while complaining Nadal was grunting too loud. Are you serious? It's easy to be Mr. Nice Guy when you are winning everything under the sun, but when Roger faces defeat or doubt he turns downright b****y. And it'd be great if someone would call Princess Federer on his occasional diva behavior. Although I'm sure you won't.
-- Michael


JW...

• Three points:

1. Federer calling out Nadal for grunting was not his finest moment. I thought of it less as diva behavior than as a real tactical misstep. It's early in the second set and you're making an argument that you won't win and basically copping to being distracted and out of sorts. If I'm Nadal eavesdropping, I'm thinking, "I got this guy."

2. Second, we are judged on the totality of our deeds. For someone whose every move is scrutinized, Federer's sportsmanship and overall comportment are at the far, far end of the bell curve.

3. We should talk about this: When athletes compete, they go to a "place" foreign to most of us -- myself included. There is an intensity most of us never know. I was talking to a UFC fighter recently who compared it to an out-of-body experience. "You barely recognize yourself." Read Federer's comments when he left the "place," both overall and specific to the grunting tiff, and then reassess, please.

 

[Vensai]

Somehow I think this has degraded into another Fed-Nadal thread.

 

[marc45]

Somehow I think this has degraded into another Fed-Nadal thread.

I don't think so, not yet...but don't see any reason to encourage it, as the point of the article and the Wertheim reader response I added is anti-that, at least how it's typically plays out here

It is what you want it to be

 

[Goosehead]

whhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Somehow I think this has degraded into another Fed-Nadal thread.

they can't help themselves, one lot trashes the other lot..then it goes back the other way again..rinse n repeat.

whaaaa fed is goat...
whaaaaaa rafa is goat....whaaaaa whaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

whaaaaaa fed is a fraud..whaaaaaa,
whaaa rafa is a phoney..

whhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

 

[President]

Contrary to most people here, I gained a lot of respect for Rafael after the Australia Open final. I understand exactly where he was coming from, and I think (if I put myself in his shoes) that he handled himself admirably (having been a MASSIVe favorite to win the match and all).

 

[Virginia]

Contrary to most people here, I gained a lot of respect for Rafael after the Australia Open final. I understand exactly where he was coming from, and I think (if I put myself in his shoes) that he handled himself admirably (having been a MASSIVe favorite to win the match and all).

Oh, cry me a river - he was hamming it up big time regarding his back injury. Disgusting gamesmanship.

His most recent display was during his semifinal against Nadal where he barked at the chair umpire to do his job while complaining Nadal was grunting too loud.

No, he was complaining because Nadal wasn't being consistent - sometimes he'd grunt and sometimes not. Agreed, it was a bit over the top to complain though.

 

[Sentinel]

The way Federer and Nadal take losses is very human. Sometimes, as this states, one has to look behind the immediate reads.

Nadal's excuses, despite appearing shameful discrediting, reveals disappointment in one's self in plain sight. Federer's self-importance, despite appearing arrogant, reveals straight-foreward belief in one's game.

Standing behind masks that are more expected isnt necesarry, IMO

You are in full flight today, and very human, too !

 

[bullfan]

Oh, cry me a river - he was hamming it up big time regarding his back injury. Disgusting gamesmanship.


No, he was complaining because Nadal wasn't being consistent - sometimes he'd grunt and sometimes not. Agreed, it was a bit over the top to complain though.

Fed was a total whiny girl over the grunting. Anyone that supports him in that whiny tirade is just supporting Fed no matter what. Name one commentator that supported Feds tirade? I didn't hear any, in fact I only heard Fed criticized!

 

[Beacon Hill]

I found the article poorly-written, cliche, overly-dramatic, not insightful, and it contained grammatical errors. Other than that, it was a great article.

 

[Egoista]

fed is not God

Im sure he can have some bad moments

however it pales into comparison vs nadals excuses every time he loses

its always one thing or another with him

God give nadal good health though in cases I am wrong about his behaviour

 

[SLD76]

I found the article poorly-written, cliche, overly-dramatic, not insightful, and it contained grammatical errors. Other than that, it was a great article.

thanks for saying what I couldnt be bothered to type, lol

agree completely.


wertheim is such a damn hack.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Contrary to most people here, I gained a lot of respect for Rafael after the Australia Open final. I understand exactly where he was coming from, and I think (if I put myself in his shoes) that he handled himself admirably (having been a MASSIVe favorite to win the match and all).

I just wonder if you'd say the same thing if it were Djokovic in the final instead of Nadal. Mmmmm......

 

[marc45]

I found the article poorly-written, cliche, overly-dramatic, not insightful, and it contained grammatical errors. Other than that, it was a great article.

I'm not sure if it was translated or even the author's first language...I know what you mean but you don't see these type of tennis articles in tone or content often so I wanted to share it

 

[marc45]

I just wonder if you'd say the same thing if it were Djokovic in the final instead of Nadal. Mmmmm......

Djokovic's days of quitting matches mid-stream are long over and he's gotten appropriate credit for his warrior ways for years now...let it go

 

[beast of mallorca]

they can't help themselves, one lot trashes the other lot..then it goes back the other way again..rinse n repeat.

whaaaa fed is goat...
whaaaaaa rafa is goat....whaaaaa whaaaaaa whaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

whaaaaaa fed is a fraud..whaaaaaa,
whaaa rafa is a phoney..

whhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Hahaha.......in a nutshell, this is TW.........:twisted:

 

[dafinch]

How come NNN never want to discuss his behavior against Rosol, some of them actually try to justify his classless bumping, but disappear like a fart in the wind when the subject of his complaining about Rosol's loud breathing (while returning serve) comes up; why is that?

 

[Cup8489]

fed is not God

Im sure he can have some bad moments

however it pales into comparison vs nadals excuses every time he loses

its always one thing or another with him

God give nadal good health though in cases I am wrong about his behaviour