The Sport of Marriage

My wife thinks I am relishing Federer's fresh failure at Roland Garros. When Rahul Dravid's Bangalore .. umm ... what was it called? Royal Challangers were being clubbed one match after the other during IPL, her thoughts were much the same. According to her womanly instincts I harbour deep jealousy for every male sportsperson she likes. It is wrong in Dravid's case and doubly so in Federer's. I was never a fan of Dravid. Neither did I dislike him. That's how I feel pretty much about everyone in the Indian Cricket team. That's something that often exasperates my father, besides his daughter-in-law. However, after Boris Becker the only tennis player I have followed is Roger Federer. Anyway, she is right in being suspicious of my apparent lack of sympathy and even some form of outrage at Rogers' rout. She might think that I am deprived of elemental humanity . I might as well be from another planet. From Mars? I want to explain the phenomenon to myself! I would like to suggest to myself that I have attained some enlightened state of cosmic detachment. It doesn't bother me much when my heros bite dust. I guess, I am finally shedding last of the remaining scales of youthful passions.
While Bjorn Borg thinks Nadal is going to win at the All Englad Club this year, Greg Rusedski, in a bright analysis, echoes the same note. By the way, Djokovic is beginning to figure in these kind of analyses, which clearly points towards more problems for Federer and, of course for Nadal. More for Federer, whom he defeated in Australian Open Semis, than for Nadal, I guess. Nadal is one of the strongest players on the circuit and is constantly improving. There is this nagging feeling that I must adjust my expectations, rethink my hopes and arrest my ardour. Sampras, on the other hand, sees no change of crown at the Wimbeldon. How I wish Sampras is right! So am I waiting for Federer to bounce back? I am. I sure am. And after that annhilation in the final (Federer lost the last set in a jiffy, 6-0) I am waiting for a resurrection, for the underdog to do well. (After Dravid's team had lost 9 matches against 2, I sincerely wanted him to win last couple of ties). I hope Sampras is right. And I hope Federer gives me a chance to prove to my wife that she hasn't married an alien in the literal sense of the word.