I'll Call It Like I See It

by sheila morris

Tag: rafael nadal

  • GRAND SLAM GREATS!


    It’s a wrap. The first tennis Grand Slam of the 2017 season is officially in the books, and the hits just keep on rolling.

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    The Williams Sisters share a private chat…

    while waiting to collect the spoils

    that belong only to the victors

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    Serena wins her 23rd. major and the big cup,

    but Venus didn’t lose in this tournament

    I am awarding Venus and Serena Williams The Red Man’s Memorial Paw Snaps and Twirls – the highest honor possible for two American women who personify persistence and perseverance to be the very best in their sport and in so doing, prove repeatedly that they are both the images of true champions. Their love of family speaks volumes about their character, and their love of playing tennis is a gift we can all appreciate and be grateful for.

    You rock, girls – keep going. Records are made to be broken.

    And then came the men’s final with Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. Another gut-wrenching five-set match for the ages. As Australian commentator Darren Cahill said, “It’s a privilege to be able to be here and watch this amazing final.” I felt the same way sitting in the bleacher seats at Casa de Canterbury – how lucky am I to see these two passionate competitors one more time in a major final. Hooray for great tennis!

    Roger won his 18th. Grand Slam which increases his lead over Nadal and Sampras who are tied at 14. Roger was once again the Swiss Magician as he worked his magical aces and unusually magical backhands.

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    Relief and Reflect – savor the moment

    will this be the last?

    Thirty-five used to be ancient for a professional tennis player, but Roger Federer defies the norm and continues to prepare to play at the championship level even after a six-month sabbatical from the tour to recover from a knee injury. This year the tennis gods were aligned to give him a great ride in the Australian Open, and I enjoyed celebrating with him and his team early this a.m. when he won.

    I am also awarding Roger Federer The Red Man’s Memorial Paw Snaps and Twirls Award for performance above and beyond the realm of mere mortals as he vanquished the little yellow ball and his own fears in a clash of wills as much as skills.

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    Lordy, lordy.  Charly and I are exhausted from our live coverage of the Australian Open. We left the comfort of our king-sized bed every morning at 3:00 a.m. to go downstairs to indulge my passion for watching the matches as they were happening a world and many time zones away. Viva Australia – whatever day it is for you – I can never keep up, but I love you and my Australian followers mucho.

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     Onward to the French Open in the spring.

  • Throwback Thursday? No Way! Throwback Australian Open!


    If I could turn back ti-yahhhhhmmmme, as Cher famously sang, or if I could put time in a bottle, as Jim Croce once crooned, I’d have quite a few wishes involving the positioning of certain body parts and the lubrication of others (knees, naughty readers). But I can’t turn back time.

     I will leave time travel to the four finalists in this year’s 2017 Australian Open: Serena Williams and Venus Williams in the women’s final, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the men’s.

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    A Midsummer Night’s Dream Down Under

    1st time in Grand Slams all 4 finalists in their 30s

    The Williams Sisters have been the poster girls for American tennis for almost twenty years. Venus who is now 36 years old will play her 35-year-old younger sister Serena for the trophy in the tournament where they first played each other professionally in 1998. Let’s go over that again.

    Venus and Serena Williams first played each other away from their sandlot version of tennis for real at the Australian Open in 1998 – nineteen years ago. Venus won and has beaten Serena 10 more times since then, but Serena leads the overall series 16 – 11. Venus is the oldest woman to reach the finals in the Open Era and has overcome enormous personal physical challenges to play tennis at all, never mind at the championship level. She hasn’t been in a final in Melbourne since 2003. That’s a long wait.

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    Serena is a woman on a mission for her 23rd. Grand Slam title which would put her in a championship class of her own ahead of Steffi Graf who now shares the most Major title wins with her at 22.

    “For us both to be in the final is the biggest dream come true for us…a Williams is going to win this tournament…” Serena said after her semi-final win.

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    The Williams Sisters of yesteryear

    Tick, tock, tick, tock…tennis days are fewer in the future than they were in the past for these two great American tennis icons, and I can’t wait to have my sleep interrupted one more night tonight to join them via the magic of the little screen at 3:00 a.m. ET in Australia.

    If Pretty didn’t know better, she’d think I’d been having an affair for the past two weeks. And in a way, I have.

    Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal. I can’t believe two men could give me so much pleasure, but I confess they have made me as happy when they’ve won Grand Slams on tennis courts through the years as the Lady Gamecocks do when they win bouncing bigger balls on a gym floor.

    Roger and Rafa have played each other 34 times – nine of those have been in a Grand Slam final. Rafa has won 23 to Roger’s 11, but the Swiss Magician will have an extra day of rest before the men’s final in Melbourne Sunday morning, and that makes a difference in body recovery time.

    And is it just me, or does Nadal seem to have to exert twice the energy Federer does to get the same winning results over his opponents?

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    The Nadal family ecstatic after his semi-final win

    Both Nadal and Federer were tested by grueling five-set matches in the semi-finals by younger competition; yet somehow, somewhere within themselves the great ones seem to find one more backhand up the line, one more forehand cross-court winner,one more ace, one more crouching volley at the net, one more overhead swing before the ball bounces, one more whatever to carry themselves to match point.

    Whether graceful or grinding or some combination thereof, they persevere for years longer than they have to – or probably should force themselves to – because they have what so few younger players have these days: a passionate love for the game of tennis. It’s not about the money, folks, for these legends. It’s about the little yellow ball – and what they want to do to it.

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    My heart is with Venus and Rafa, but I’ll be satisfied with one of the best Australian Opens in my memory regardless of who holds the trophy.

    Game on.

  • Pardon Me While I Skip Politics this Week – and Focus on the Australian Open


    Thank goodness for T-E-N-N-I-S on TV – more specifically thank whatever stars there are for the first Major of the year…the Australian Open. I’m so happy for this distraction from weightier matters, including my own questionable New Year’s Resolutions that are rapidly slipping and sliding into the oblivion of past years. Hooray for the Australian Open in the beautiful city of Melbourne!

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    Angelique Kerber the defending champion 

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    Serena Williams – always a threat

    newly engaged to be married

    and chasing history for Open title # 23

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    I love Chris and Darren 

    It’s like having old friends drop in to visit

    at Casa de Canterbury

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    made it through Round One…

    which made me even happier

    Pretty and I still cling to the slim chance that Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal will make it to another trophy…but reality is that will not happen again for either so we are thrilled to see them playing in the early rounds.

    Regardless, the Australian Open is a tradition at Casa de Canterbury much like the Golden Globes, Oscars and of course our current favorites: the women’s basketball team at the University of South Carolina – go Gamecocks tomorrow night – we will see you at Colonial Life Arena for either Kiki’s chicken and waffles or Cake Lady’s chicken salad…let’s hope our Gay Boys Basketball Buddies bring their appetites…it’s embarrassing to eat fried chicken wings in front of them.

    Not.

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    P.S. Shout the Good News – Will and Grace are coming back for a new season 2017 – 2018!!