The Quiet Life, Tennis, Hurricane Katia

[poliphilo]

We took my mother-in-law to the shops yesterday morning, In the afternoon Odi dropped by with the kids. These are big events in my life. When I was reading Tarot with Alice the other day I got a spread that exactly expressed how fixed and rooted and mundane my life is at the moment- and how this is entirely by my own choice. So I'm not complaining. My first half century and a bit was full of change and incident:- enough- ahem- to last a lifetime. 

I never cared much for Serena Williams. And I went right off her when she crowned a win at Wimbledon a year or two back by ascribing it to "Jehovah, my God". I'm English; that kind of up-front religiosity gives me the creeps. I've gone off her even more now following her ungracious persecution of the umpire at Flushing Meadow. The umpire, Goddammit, was right. Williams broke the rules and suffered the proper penalty. Being a big star playing on your own turf doesn't (shouldn't) mean you get the rules waived in your favour. I'm very happy Stosur went on to beat her.

Federer went down in my estimation too. I'm English and I admire generosity in defeat. Federer's rubbishing of Djokovic's victory was grouchy and mean-spirited. It seems like he's having a hard time coming to terms with no longer being number one. Well, I'm sorry for him too, or maybe that needs to go in the past tense. Every dog has its day, Roger, and you're no longer number one or even number two. It happens to every champion in the end. You had a glorious run. Now it's Novac's turn. Be glad for him. 

Hurricane Katia swept by. I was expecting a rougher ride than she gave us. Really, by the time she reached us she was little more than a strong breeze. 

Comments

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

My interest in, and exposure to, tennis is very light, but somehow I never cared for the Williams sisters. I don't know. Maybe it was the brutality they brought to a game I more commonly associated with grace and finesse.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They changed the women's game- which was arguably a good thing. Raised the stakes, made it more athletic. I don't know. I admired Venus when she first appeared- and I've always liked her more than I like her sister.

But you're right. They relied on strength for their dominance. Their playing was- and is- full of faults. When they played one another- as they did several times in Wimbledon finals- it was a bore.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

It's a primitive way of looking at it, but the Williamses are so physically imposing that their matches tended to a David-vs-Goliath vibe, at least for me. I found it very difficult to cheer for Goliath.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

At the beginning that Goliath thing was tempered by the knowledge that they were kids from the ghetto. Now that they're very rich and very blingtastic that no longer applies.

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

Indeed.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

As a rule that is what our hurricanes along the Ne England coast are like. However, once in a while ...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

How did you get on with Katia?

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Never saw her at all. We did have some rain for three days, but nothing serious, mostly dribble.