Category Archives: Tennis

Emma vs Leylah: the crucial point

Sport, Tennis, , ,

Emma Raducano won the US Open Tennis Grand Slam 2021 . It has been a fantastic achievement for a qualifier ranked about 150 in women’s tennis.

She won her match with Leylah Fernandez another teenager 6-4, 6-3, after a pulsating final , which the score line hardly suggests .

What was the turning point of this hard fought match ?

Without detracting from Emma’s game the point was when she fell while returning to Leylah and was 30-40 on her service . The momentum was with Leylah. She could have broken Emma’s service at the next point . However Emma began bleeding a little from her bruised leg . The referee called for a medical timeout .

This got extended while her wound was dressed . On the other side we saw Leylah expressing her anguish at the length of time being taken . Her protests with the tournament supervisor went in vain .

When play resumed , Emma held her serve and went on to win the match.

My dear reader what is your opinion ?

Leylah had come back from the previous rounds after being a set down. She won matches against Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Kvitova and Sabalenka all in 3 sets . These are previous champions or in the top 5 .

Do you think Leylah could have won this match with Emma ?

Tennis for a cause : service with smiles

Life, Sport, Tennis, , ,

The last six months were very eventful . I was given the latest treatment for cancer in UK which helped me to recover remarkably .

I’ve been suffering since the past two and half years , and this Car-T cell therapy was the last option .

The NHS specialised department , gave me the best care . I was also a recipient of care from the Beatson’s Center for Scanning .

Now I’ve been able to live a normal and full life . One of my dreams was to return to playing tennis . A good friend agreed to have a few sessions with me at the Giffnock Tennis club , of which I’ve become a member.

A recent event was organised by the club to raise funds for the Beatson’s Center . It was the Jean Invitation Tennis Tournament . This lady was herself a regular tennis playing member who has cancer .

I being a beneficiary of the good care received from NHS and the Beatson’s Center decided to also participate .

It was a great day . The tennis was more fun than competitive with two large teams being formed from about 40 gents and ladies . The points and games were a mix with a lot of innovations mainly doubles . Sponsors for beverages pitched in to quench one’s thirst between games .

I enjoyed myself , with tennis and meeting the various participants. Towards the end of the event Jean ( in whose name the event was organised) made an appearance and was given a grand ovation by all present .

The thought of fundraisers for cancer has struck a chord in my heart .

I’ve also heard of marathons and half marathons being run for this cause . Surely the generosity of people will help in alleviating a lot of distress when terminal illness strikes .

May such gestures multiply in the future .

Tennis Laff

cartoon, Sport, Tennis, , ,
That’s me Vincy

Have you ever laughed at yourself?

Try it ….and enjoy it .

I’ve always been an avid tennis lover – Playing the game and following it too.

We have seen some great tennis players over the years. Among them I had favorites like

Roger Federer, Rod Laver , Boris Becker , Bjorn Borg , Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi

The intensity of Rafael Nadal surprised me as I thought he would fade away as a result of the way he played. Kudos for his disciplined approach to fitness which stood him well.

The biggest draw at the peak of his career was John McEnroe. The red band and the fiery temper had been a unique pattern of tennis on court .

This caricature by Ian my son in law, surprised me as it linked the famous McEnroe to me . My tennis cannot be compared to him though at some time in my younger days I could compete for being very short tempered .

Those days we played with normal racket heads whereas times have changed . Today the large head is an advantage not to forget a head that is tough and talented .

So cheers to Ian for helping me reminisce the past, when great tennis rivalries continued over the years.

I eagerly wait to get back on court and enjoy a good game.

The Artist