djokovic

The Last Shot

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Novak Djokovic battled past Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 and into the tennis history books on Sunday, winning the U.S. Open and his record 24th major championship victory.

But the numbers don’t tell the entire story.  In fact, they tell very little of it.

When the last shot of Medvedev fell short, Djokovic fell to the ground in pure joy and reflection.

Also, when the last shot fell to the ground, the ESPN announcing duo of Fowler and McEnroe had to do their duty for a sponsor and pick the “Moderna Shot of the Day.”  They chose the last shot of the day.

The irony.

You see Djokovic was not allowed to participate in the last two US Opens, because he did not get a shot or two, or three from Moderna, nor Pfizer, nor J&J for that matter.  For him, the Open was closed.  His last shot will also be his first.

He looks fairly healthy without the jab don’t you think?  But, but, but he could spread it.

Progressive Disney owns progressive ESPN-at least for now.  It telecasts the progressive US Open.

The Open has signs everywhere boasting “50 years with equal pay.”  It’s nice work if you can make the same money playing at most three sets when the men play up to five.

It’s even nicer when the audience for the women’s finals is usually about 1/2 of the men’s.  It used to be called capitalism.

The women’s final was played on Saturday.  Coco Gauff beat Aryna Sabalenka.

Also, the country’s national anthem isn’t played there.  They only play a mixture of America the Beautiful and Lift Every Voice and Sing.

And there he stood accepting the trophy at Center Court without a mask nor a 6-foot social distance perimeter in sight.  That’s surprising because the last two weeks we’ve been told by the CDC and NIH experts that a new strain of the coronavirus is coming at us like a Djokovic ace.

It’s called Corona 24.b.a.firefauci.nbc.whocares.+ 2.#juststopit.enoughalready, or something close to that we heard.

The stiff in the suit who presented the trophy to the champ said, “Welcome back to New York Mr Djokovic, we’ve missed you.”

When Djokovic is pronounced the D is silent.  So it’s “joke o vic.”

Last night the joke was on them.

And, the smile was on Novak’s face.

 

 

A Real Instant Classic

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Great.  Greater.  Greatest.

It’s what we do as sports fans.  We have an insatiable desire to see greatness taken to yet another level.  We drink cold beers and debate who, what, when, and why he or she did this or that.  And because of that, whatever that is, they are great, or greater, or greatest.  At BBR we hesitate to instantly call a moment, game, or season, or athlete the greatest of all.  It’s hyperbole mostly.  And, it’s what ESPN incessantly drones on about.  Heck, they even have a show called ESPN Instant Classics.  Meh.

Well,  this AM we stick our toe into the conversation.  Did you see Novak Djokovic defeat Roger Federer to capture the Wimbledon Championship yesterday?  If you didn’t, you might have missed the greatest Grand Slam tennis finals match ever.  Don’t believe us?  That’s ok.  Former two time winner and now long time announcer John McEnroe asked that very question during yesterday’s broadcast.  It sounded like he sure thought so.

Consider these facts as we build a case.  It went five sets with three tiebreakers including the last set (forced by the new rules into a tiebreaker) when they reached 12-12 in games.  It was the longest final ever, lasting over five hours.  If you tuned in for breakfast at Wimbledon we hope you packed a lunch too.  Many rallies extended to 20 or more strokes.  The championship level of play started in game one and never relented.   The crowd was stoked by every stroke making the atmosphere all the more intense.

But most of all it was two titans of their sport giving it their all on the biggest stage that their sport provides-Wimbledon.  Roger Federer, at an amazing 37 years of age finished as the runner up.  Is he the “greatest” Wimbledon player ever?  He has more wins than anyone with eight.  He has finished second four times.  He has more Grand Slam titles than anyone with 20.

With the win Djokovic secured his fifth Wimbledon title.  That’s tied for third in Wimbledon wins with Bjorn Borg.  Only Pete Sampras stands between Djokovic and second all time.  Sampras won seven in an incredible eight year run.  Djokovic has a few years left.  Djokovic has 16 Grand Slam titles, good for third best ever.

If Nicklaus and Palmer started in the last group at Augusta and battled for 18 holes on Sunday to win the coveted green jacket would that compare?  Or, if you wish, Tiger and Phil.  What if they were never separated by more than a stroke and tied after 18?  What if they played the equivalent of an additional seven holes and remain tied all the while making clutch shot after clutch putt?

And who did Federer beat to get to the finals?  Rafael Nadal is who.  And he counts 18 Grand Slam trophies (second historically) in his case including an insane 12 French Opens.

And, when the match concluded yesterday both opponents spoke quite highly of their opponent.   Humbly, and privately, they may think what John McEnroe said publicly.

So does this make the case too that tennis, with three of the all time greats playing at the same time, is in an era heretofore never seen prior?  Perhaps.  And, perhaps “perhaps” is too weak of a word to describe the moment yesterday and the era in general.

It’s fifty or so days till the final Grand Slam final of the year, the US Open.   Our guess is two of the three will be in it.  That match may not be able to match yesterday though.

Yesterday was indeed an instant classic.