I saw an interview recently between Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal, where the Spaniard is hailed as this gentlemanly champion worthy of being idolised by the younger generation due to his courteous attitude. I couldn’t help but think this was convenient timing considering the law suit the ATP almost certainly knew was coming from the PTPA. The tennis status quo would rather distract their audience by championing a respectful idol like Nadal while leaving Djokovic as the villain with an unsubstantiated court case.
I like both players. But in the scope of things, I’d argue Nadal’s done the younger generation more harm than good, as now, the public expects the modern-day sporting extremists to be monastery candidates as well.
Sure, on paper, behaving like Nadal sounds wonderful. But life isn’t paper! In fact, life and paper are practically polar opposites.
So, let’s lose the paper and speak about life here, for a second, can we? The fact that young kids are often forced or coerced into playing tennis against their will isn’t something the sporting powers willingly expose, regardless of how obvious and well known it is. The public fail to realise a lot of athletes were brutalised in their younger years, confined to conditions like those of child sweatshop workers. Therefore, having Nadal’s disposition isn’t high on these players priority list, as they are now simply looking at ways to survive and capitalise from their younger years of exploitation and enslavement.
If the sport has seriously damaged and affected the lives of some of these individuals in the top tier of players, is it a fair expectation for them not to show signs of dissatisfaction and unhappiness after many years of anguish and torment?
Why should these players be gracious and respect the sport? Or the audience? Or the coaches? Or their parents? Or the tournament officials? Or the media? Or the opponent down the other end? Why should they bother respecting any of it? Just because it’s seen by society as ‘nice’ and the ‘right’ thing to do??
Well, I don’t care about niceties, or society for that matter. Because many fans and observers have eyes and ears but seemingly not the ability to grasp anything that isn’t totally tennis mainstream. Having said that, I don’t advocate for players to be disrespectful either. If a player wants to be respectful, that’s their prerogative. And if they wish to be disrespectful, well that’s fine too.
But insisting athletes need to be grateful to a game they’ve witnessed as insiders in a sporting sweatshop, is nothing short of laughably ignorant and disgustingly hypocritical.
SMASHED – ‘Tennis prodigies, parents and parasites’
