"But then, the results of today are not always the best judge for the big bang of tomorrow. Instead, it is the way that Devvarman prowls the court. On the big stage, our players quail more than prevail. Devvarman revels. He is the first player from India who hits the heavy topspun ball that deigns boulders for quadriceps.
"The legs that propel the 5'11" 23-year-old are like hewn oak -- weathered, solid and with the ripple of muscle weaved through the spindle of speed. He does not blast away the opposition; he grinds it down. The ball whirls off his racquet, loops in deep and then snorts up rampant. That makes his groundstrokes tough to tame and in turn allows us the hope that finally we have a player with the game to deliver in the punishing world of hardcourt tennis. Devvarman may not be beautiful to watch, but then we have had enough artists. It's time to embrace the slugger."
Sukhwant Basra, writing about Somdev Devvarman, the Indian tennis player who won the US NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2007, and who has just reached the semifinals of the Chennai Open. (Being played, as you might imagine, in Chennai). Hindustan Times, January 7 2009.
Did you imagine tennis writing could not be poetic? Do you still imagine that? Do you want to run into those quadriceps, on the court or elsewhere?
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4 comments:
Poetry in motion ! Sure !!
On another note, I hope the rising star indeed rises !!
It is an impressive performance indeed. I hope he will learn to compete the biggies of tennis. Both Federer and Nadal lost in the Quatar open it seems!
Destination Infinity
what is it about certain sports that lend themselves to good writing? many writers say cricket also lends itself to poetic writing in a way that football does not. There is a stop in the passage of play (in tennis and cricket) which helps spectators to reflect, but then american-football or baseball are not famous for their writing (or is it just that I dont know?)
Is a good literary style because of a writing tradition that goes back to relaxed English summers? If tennis or cricket writers write about volleyball or badminton do you think it will be poetic too? how about baseball?
I watched quadriceps somdev :) play at the chennai open and hope his good form continues .. He has the same passion and agility that Leander had in his younger day.. and the chennai crowd was wonderful..
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