David Edwards
NormJelena Dokic has captured our hearts and minds...
January 29th 2009 06:25
As the Australian Open nears its end, or, rather, "the business end", SportingMind would like to offer a few musings on a tournament sweatier than a Ron Jeremy trilogy, sans body hair.
I must make a special mention of the women's game; for it is Jelena Dokic who has captured our collective heart as our latest "darling". (SportingMind must admit that he derives a certain delight in referring to a successful Australian female athlete as "our darling", whilst simultaneously wondering whether other countries share this paternal "ownership" of said athletes. After all, I haven't ever heard Ray Warren refer to Darren Lockyer as "Queensland's favourite darling", but perhaps I am overanalysing a common epithet...) Full credit to Dokic, who without doubt played her heart out. I'm sure that many Australians preferred to focus on the daddy issues/overcoming adversity aspect of Dokic's game, but SportingMind, as a hardened and ardent fan of tennis and all things sport, prefers to dissect the game as carefully as one would fillet a small and delicate fish.
I refer to her double faulting, of course. It is well known in particular circles that female tennis players struggle to hold their serve under pressure. Far be in from my jurisdiction to comment, but I would say that it is an inherent characteristic of women to buckle under pressure. In fact, I could quote verbatim from Sam Newman's autobiography, "The Male Eunich" (which was incidentally titled without Newman actually understanding the definition of the word eunich), but I feel it is unnecessary. Newman has said it all.
Another criticism I have is of Dokic's inability to swear in English. When she makes a mistake, a Serbian tirade leaves her lips with as much force as her famous backhand, without not a single thought for her adopted country. Call me a xenophobic knob, but I want my Australia sportspeople swearing in my language so I can hear the words for myself. This should be a WTA law. Who knows what she was really saying this tournament. "Death to all Australians", perhaps? "Long live Damir and the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia", even?
As the mercury rises to over 43 degrees today, I must apologise for this substandard post. Hell, if the state rail authorities can blame the weather then so can I. Who cares if I'm actually sipping on a long glass of ice cool Lemon Lime & Bitters, dangling my feet in a chilled foot-tub whilst I listen to Enya's greatest hits. It's an easy scapegoat that I'm going to take today.
-SportingMind
I must make a special mention of the women's game; for it is Jelena Dokic who has captured our collective heart as our latest "darling". (SportingMind must admit that he derives a certain delight in referring to a successful Australian female athlete as "our darling", whilst simultaneously wondering whether other countries share this paternal "ownership" of said athletes. After all, I haven't ever heard Ray Warren refer to Darren Lockyer as "Queensland's favourite darling", but perhaps I am overanalysing a common epithet...) Full credit to Dokic, who without doubt played her heart out. I'm sure that many Australians preferred to focus on the daddy issues/overcoming adversity aspect of Dokic's game, but SportingMind, as a hardened and ardent fan of tennis and all things sport, prefers to dissect the game as carefully as one would fillet a small and delicate fish.
I refer to her double faulting, of course. It is well known in particular circles that female tennis players struggle to hold their serve under pressure. Far be in from my jurisdiction to comment, but I would say that it is an inherent characteristic of women to buckle under pressure. In fact, I could quote verbatim from Sam Newman's autobiography, "The Male Eunich" (which was incidentally titled without Newman actually understanding the definition of the word eunich), but I feel it is unnecessary. Newman has said it all.
Another criticism I have is of Dokic's inability to swear in English. When she makes a mistake, a Serbian tirade leaves her lips with as much force as her famous backhand, without not a single thought for her adopted country. Call me a xenophobic knob, but I want my Australia sportspeople swearing in my language so I can hear the words for myself. This should be a WTA law. Who knows what she was really saying this tournament. "Death to all Australians", perhaps? "Long live Damir and the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia", even?
As the mercury rises to over 43 degrees today, I must apologise for this substandard post. Hell, if the state rail authorities can blame the weather then so can I. Who cares if I'm actually sipping on a long glass of ice cool Lemon Lime & Bitters, dangling my feet in a chilled foot-tub whilst I listen to Enya's greatest hits. It's an easy scapegoat that I'm going to take today.
-SportingMind
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