oliviatamccue

If we only live once, it seems simple to spare maximum time on things we like to do.  People, with a passion, are lucky; even luckier if the passion is inexpensive, universal and healthy.

Writing, about something we love to do, turns out to be pretty challenging.  There is just a lot of sentiments, and so hard to organize things from the heart.  And is it a passion?  Is it a hobby?  It seems more than something to do when there is time, so it feels more as a passion.  There are often times that passion needs to give way to other responsibilities; there are times that it simply hibernates.   Nevertheless, when it is a passion, there is always the joy of getting back to it.

I love tennis since high school. My relationship with it has ups and downs. It gave a good first impression as a decent sport. There were some of the biggest matches broadcasted on the television, including Wimbledon and the other 3 majors.  Watching matches was actually quite boring at the beginning but I hang on to know the result firsthand. After getting used to, the full matches are as enjoyable as movies. Then I started to play and found it pretty challenging to get good at, maybe that is how I get hooked up. After a while, the top professional players became familiar names, and there were some favorite players to root for.  Playing the game is about me and whoever is on the other side of the net.  Most coaches would ask to play 3 times a week to maintain; and more often to improve. Easier to say than declaring a pure lack of talent, I have never got close to that time commitment, and expectedly, my skills are very far from where I want it to be. Human could be strange species, sometimes, we just want to keep pounding on things that we are not very good at.

My time spent on watching tennis varies over the years.  These days, I can spare a bit more time to play and even follow some full matches of tournament.  Most folks are satisfied with the few minutes of highlights to know the results, and stay up-to-date; well as a passion, it is not just the final score line, it is also  about how the match develops into the win/loss results.  A full match shows the improvisation of the players, the match-up, and the dynamics.  I enjoy the most to see the very top player works its ways to seize the important points.  It parallels the life dynamic, in which not every second means the same. There are potentials of turning points, and the distance created by how those few moments, are being played out, propel a person towards very different destinies.   

From Ivan Lendl to Pete Sampras to now Roger Federer, they are all my favorite players and represent different era.  there is charm in Stefan Edberg as well, but did not watch enough of his matches to develop a following.  Roger Federer is my vote for the GOAT (Greatest Player of all Times) if there is such a thing. The “Most Favorite Player of all Times” can probably be more objectively  measured in terms the support of the spectators, peers and fans around the world for all the tournaments.  Peers support him to win the “Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award” for a record 10 years; Fans support him to win the “Fans’ favorite Award” for a record and consecutive 12 years; and many places he plays, he receives “home court advantage” through the support and cheering of the spectators.   There are often so much things to learn from– how he plays, how he faces adversities, how he faces the press, how he manages losses and wins.  All can give inspirations to other facets of lives, if we so choose.

It is hard to stop writing something about our favorite player, next time.

Posted in Dear Diary