Anyone who knows me for more than a half second knows that I am an avid tennis fan. More precisely, I am an avid men’s tennis fan. I have never really been able to follow women’s and this weekend it became quite clear why I just don’t have the heart for it. For season after season and with each new Grand Slam Tournament, I try to create a fondness for women’s tennis but I just can’t. I began to really reject it at the US Open finals in 2009 when Serena Williams had several HORRENDOUS outbursts toward the lines woman for calling her foot faults. To be fair, very seldom is a foot fault called in a Grand Slam – especially a final. So, for her to have two called was a bit odd. However, I think how we respond to life’s inopportune hiccups is how our character is really defined. It was a final. It was the final match of the final tournament for the season. It was Kim Clijsters final, retiring match. And, Serena threw it away for all of them with her derogatory, defaming shouts of profanity. Then last night, as I was thinking maybe I could cheer on the lone American woman it all came back … abundantly clear … why I just do not think great talent is an excuse for lack of humility. Caveat for my upcoming opinion - While I do not profess to be a tennis professional I am not sure that you have total control of where you return the ball (although, I am sure there are many out there that would disagree). So. Sloane Stephens returns the ball and it does hit Vika’s torso. Stephens immediately held up her racquet (the universal sign for “I’m sorry” in the tennis world) and Vika refused to even acknowledge her. Poor Stephens tried again and was promptly ignored a second time. When I was fed up with, yet again, another brash display of utter arrogance I was about to change the channel. And then the opposite occurred. Azarenka volleyed a return, which did not end up hitting Stephens as she quickly ducked but the response was so polar opposite that it made me smile. Stephens simply laughed and returned to the baseline while Vika refused to even apologize.
With this, it brings me back full circle to my mens! I have and will always be a Roger Federer fan – fan does not begin to describe my respect for him but an appropriate noun nonetheless. Even though he holds the record with 17 Grand Slam titles it is not this achievement that impresses me. It is his humility. His net worth is over $180M and one would never know it. He has always handled himself with such humbleness and modesty you can’t help but like the guy. Equally as modest are some of his best competitors – Nadal, Murray, and I will throw Djokovic in there although there are days I am not quite sure. However, Djokovic’s worst day is better than most women’s best day …
God gives us all natural talents. There are some he bestows with more than others but how we handle them is how we will be held accountable. Just because you can doesn’t mean you always should … Respect what you have but respect others above your talent. You do not know what tomorrow holds. One injury can cause it all to come crashing down. Careful who you step on and disrespect on you way up. If you fell to the bottom of the heap, who would offer you a hand to help you back on your feet?