Roller coaster of emotions

From being Serena Williams’ last Grand Slam to missing injured Sania Mirza and ‘adamant’ Novak Djokovic — the US Open, starting Monday, will be an emotional journey for tennis fans

- S KANNAN

Loyalties have torn tennis fans apart on the eve of the US Open. As raucous New York readies to rock and roll from Monday, with the US Open beginning at the Flushing Meadows, emotions are high.

First things first. Novak Djokovic, who may have been expecting a miracle of sorts from the authorities in the United States of America — vaccine exemption — has been stranded at the net. Novak knew this was coming since the time he won Wimbledon.

Call it stubborn or call it adamant, his refusal to take the vaccines just cannot be accepted. The world has seen massive upheavals, loss of lives, millions being put on ventilators, so many dying in the last 30 months because of the Covid19 pandemic. It would have been a great gesture for Novak to take the vaccines and motivate millions around the world to follow suit.

Not only has the Serbian shown that he is recalcitrant, he has also proved many right that he remains unmoved over the need for jabs. For those who think the US Open will be robbed of its sheen as the Wimbledon champion will not be seen in action, be sure there is nobody bigger than the sport. After all, Wimbledon had no ranking points due to the ban on Russian and Ukrainian players, and it still roared!

Tennis has seen icons come and go. Tennis has seen each era throw up a different champion, loved and liked. All of them — from Rod Laver to Margaret Court, Pete Sampras to SteffiGraf, and Roger Federer to Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams — are icons. They enjoy a deified status because of what they gave to the sport, with grace and humility.