“I believe I can get there,” Murray has said of the NO. 1 RANKING. “These last few months have proved that to me. I’ll give it my best shot to do it, because I may never get another chance.”
Of the many debates that rage in the currentera of tennis, the most intense has been todecide if this is indeed the best the sport hasever had. With three sure-shot GOAT (Greatest of All-Time) candidates in Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, it can’t be otherwise, can it?
Such a conclusion though comes with a huge downside. A player not named Federer, Nadal or Djokovic is rarely considered a winner. Even in the era of Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors — a period that comes closest to the present era — there was always a place for the likes of Guillermo Vilas and Ilie Nastase.
And in the era of Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, there was still a place for Jim Courier, Gustavo Kuerten and Yevgeny Kafelnikov. The Federers, the Nadals and the Djokovics possess giant halos and deservedly so. But they are almost always illuminated further by the complete denigration of the rest of the field.
Perhaps no one has been a bigger victim of this than Andy Murray. The Brit is a three-time major winner and an eight-time finalist. But he is a fourth fiddle to Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. After all, isn’t he the one with a win-loss record of 4-17 against the ‘Big Three’ in major semifinals and finals but 10-0 against everyone else? He is the very best among the rest but never worthy enough to be clubbed with the best. The inherent danger in such debates is the false binary one can easily slip into.
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Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
