The last time I saw Roger Federer, in person, was 10 months ago at the Beijing Olympics. In the first round, he played Dmitry Tursunov. Seated on Row 2 just 30 feet away, my wife Jasmin and I gazed at a man who wore a red T-shirt, white bandana and shorts, and a pair of Nikes with the letters engraved, “RF.” On the stands watched LeBron James.
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“Patience is bitter, but it’s fruit is sweet.” Those words were first uttered by an 18th century philosopher named Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who was born in Switzerland but later moved to Paris, France.
Another great man, in this 21st century, also born in Switzerland but now in Paris, France, will try to remember those words today. Patience is bitter…. but it’s fruit is sweet. For, true enough, hasn’t Roger Federer been most patient? At the French Open? On clay? Learning the game of tennis at the age of eight, he grew up playing on Basel’s clay courts. Then, starting in 1999, he joined his first-ever Grand Slam event. On clay. He lost that year at the French Open. And the year after. And each year ever since up until 2008.
Today, June 7, 2009, the French-speaking Swiss is back. Today, as painstaking as it was losing the past 10 years, he’ll attempt to grab the sweetest fruit of all: the Roland Garros trophy.
Just got this email from a friend who comes all the way from Sweden… “Hi John! Hope you remember me – Hans Bloom from Sweden – who participated in Sinulog Half marathon in Cebu in january. Last saturday I ran Stockholm Marathon in the shirt I got in Cebu – Cebu Executive Runners Club. I finished the race in 3.49,35 good enough for place 2894 among almost 15,,000 who started and about 14 000 who finished. It was very hot – 25-30 degrees! The hottest day so far in Sweden. Here are 2 pictures from before the race and after. I might join you in Cebu again next january. /Best regards from Hans Bloom”
Yayoy Alcoseba: LA, 4-2. They have Kobe and Pau Gasol plus Phil Jackson who has 9 titles. Also, their experience in the Finals last yr was impt. Orlando is good but not in the same caliber. Howard can also be contained by Gasol. Plus, none of Magic players have any Finals experience.
Bimbo Bael: I’m for Orlando, the underdog. Who would have thought they’d make it to the finals! Now that they have, the momentum is on their side.
John Cheu: LA in 6 or 7. Kobe & d deep bench of LA will make d difference. But Coach Van Gundy is a great strategist and will give Phil a hard time.
Chester Cokaliong: Orlando. Have never been a Laker fan. Howard, MVP, because he is their Heart & Soul. He is unstoppable inside while the Lakers has Gasol as a go-to guy in the absence of Kobe.
(Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
What do Rafael Nadal, Susan Boyle and LeBron James have in common? Plenty. They’re world-wide stars known all across the planet. They hail from different countries, namely, Spain, Scotland and the U.S.A. But more than that, these three share a common bond: Forty eight hours ago, they lost.
They weren’t supposed to. Nadal had not been clobbered in Roland Garros ever since he swung his Babolat there. Susan Boyle, whose YouTube videos have been accessed 100 million times, was sure to win Britain’s Got Talent and meet the Queen. And Mr. James, the one who led his Cleveland Cavaliers to an 8-0 playoff start—was not supposed to be trounced.
Yet, all within 24 hours, first, Susan Boyle when I watched CNN early last Sunday morning, then LBJ as we all saw Dwight Howard pump 40 points in the Orlando Magic win before Sunday noon, and, last Sunday night from 8:30 p.m. until midnight, we all witnessed the dirtying of Nadal’s socks.
FIRST, the girls. Think of Ana Ivanovic. She’s attractive, brunette, graceful, long-legged, was the former world No.1 and, in this tournament shown on SkyCable channel 33 (Balls), she’s the defending French Open champion.
Be honest: When you scan through the TV channels and, even though you’re not a tennis buff, happen to watch Ms. Ivanovic playing, don’t you put the remote control down then gaze and ogle at her beauty? Yes you do. Yes I do. Yes we all do.
How about the most famous woman athlete in the world? Do you know her? Her given name is Maria and, standing 6-foot-1 with long, flowing blonde hair and a pair of glittering earrings that dance by her side, don’t you watch her, too? Yes you do. Yes we all do.
