The tennis world has been bedazzled with the Roger/Rafa gigglefits video this week (RIP) and we were all hoping that we'd get to see that played out on the court as well. Unfortunately, this is not going to be the case - while Federer played sublimely in overcoming Davydenko, Nadal went out in three tight ones to Baghdatis - but I think we can still celebrate what a rad bromance we have at the top.
We hardly ever see Roger and Rafa play after Wimbledon - no matter how often the Grapple in the Apple or whatever gets billed, it never eventuates. That was one of the reasons why the possibility of the semi here was so tantalising - it's strange, pure and simple, and we like that. It would be incredibly interesting to see how they shape up against each other on American hardcourt, because we've just never seen it.
But when it comes down to it, we've seen everything we could ever want to see from Rafa and Roger this week.
The two guys at the top of our sport are friends. They're bros. They're comfortable laughing with each other, chilling out with each other, doing charity matches for each other and just generally being an awesome duo. That video showed just how cool they are not only as individuals, but with each other. As tennis moves on and moves forward and children move into the sport, I can't think of a better example. No one would fault these men for hating each other. Each would be a whole lot more successful without the other. And yet they genuinely like each other.
Sampras and Agassi would never have made this video. Neither would McEnroe and Lendl, or any of the great tennis rivalries you can think of. In Roger and Rafa, we have something very special. And even though they didn't get to play in Cincy this week, they both managed to win.
Afterthoughts (a.k.a therapy)
5 years ago
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