Sometimes When Words Are Not Enough

There are moments when it just human nature to let emotion show the person in everyone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2M8kgLSlPg&feature=related - When one triumphs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCjw0Unm8OY&feature=related - When one feels defeat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ebaH3O5h0o - When others inspire and touch us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS3dpE36Di0 - When met with tragedy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL5Ls4GDm2M - When you cry, we cry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdyxeyGQ62Q - The ultimate tearjerker.

We sometimes forget that under the ultimate professional layer, players are really human.

Great article LK.

Nice article LK...I wondered halfway through the links whether you would add the Agassi speech and there it was.

You know when you watch that AO09 final ceremony, as sad as it was for Federer you can only admire the humanity Nadal had in him and showed whilst Fed was choking. It was a geniunely class thing he did to clap along with the crowd and then hug Federer, even his own celebration was subdued afterwards. Sometimes we should remember these things when players are attacked mercilessly....they're all human inside and emotions run deep, after all their will to win must be fuelled by deep emotions as well.

Would add this one as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jWOCkmAx-k (wow, that service action never ceases to amaze me to this day...)

Their humanity transcends their athleticism.

PS: Murray got a hug from Federer, too. Very nice.

Great article LK.

@ Lyd, anybody who attack any player is a moron n lifeless, yes they are champions but they are humans and win or loss they have given us so much pleasure.

lydian wrote:Nice article LK...I wondered halfway through the links whether you would add the Agassi speech and there it was.

You know when you watch that AO09 final ceremony, as sad as it was for Federer you can only admire the humanity Nadal had in him and showed whilst Fed was choking. It was a geniunely class thing he did to clap along with the crowd and then hug Federer, even his own celebration was subdued afterwards. Sometimes we should remember these things when players are attacked mercilessly....they're all human inside and emotions run deep, after all their will to win must be fuelled by deep emotions as well.

Would add this one as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jWOCkmAx-k (wow, that service action never ceases to amaze me to this day...)

Most certainly agree. What I found touching was that Nadal appeared to empathize with Federer, not simply feel sympathy for him. You sense there is a deep respect between the two, which as Federer fan, I found strange, as much as their friendship in the first place but actually, seeing that, it shows a genuine friendship. The main reason I find it odd is that Nadal inflicted those crushing losses on Fed! Then again, Nadal is the one who pushed him in the first place.

What I find so praiseworthy of Fed is that he's clearly a man attuned to his emotions (as I would say I am), however, when he's on a tennis court, you can't read the guy at all. He no doubt is feeling everything that we all feel but he contains his emotions and channels it productively into playing better rather than allowing his emotions to distract him. That's no easy thing to do and he's more than happy to let his emotions out when he wins (or loses, the appropriate time) but during the match, he's completely focused without letting his emotions get in the way. This way of keeping his cool, keeping calm, is part of my approach to life because it's a fine way to lead it and Fed embodies it so well. Probably Fed isn't entirely responsible for this way of handling his emotions because it's probably something people pick up when they're children from their parents and if you look @ Fed's parents, it makes perfect sense. However, you look @ Fed early in his career, and his emotions were all there on display! Naturally he realised that having them all on display on the court was one, distracting and two, helpful to his opponent.

lydian wrote:Nice article LK...I wondered halfway through the links whether you would add the Agassi speech and there it was.

You know when you watch that AO09 final ceremony, as sad as it was for Federer you can only admire the humanity Nadal had in him and showed whilst Fed was choking. It was a geniunely class thing he did to clap along with the crowd and then hug Federer, even his own celebration was subdued afterwards. Sometimes we should remember these things when players are attacked mercilessly....they're all human inside and emotions run deep, after all their will to win must be fuelled by deep emotions as well.

Would add this one as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jWOCkmAx-k (wow, that service action never ceases to amaze me to this day...)

The Agassi speech gets me every time. For me the out pouring from the fans. There was nothing in the way of a title on the line and the aftermath was stunning. I know in his book he speaks of his dislike for the game, but for those few minutes he loved every minute he spent on court.

The Federer tears in AO09 made Mrs LK cry. Nadal was a top sport for the giving him a well deserved ovation and also recognised Roger as a player and his standing in the game. The ultimate respect that was for me.

The Sampras tears were raw. I remember seeing that match highlights and just wow. How he pulled himself through that match I will never know.