Once upon a
time, there were three genius tennis players: Novak, Rafael and Roger. These
maestros were so incredible that between them they won virtually every tennis
tournament. Some said they were the best, ever – which (think Laver, McEnroe,
Borg, Sampras) is saying something.
time, there were three genius tennis players: Novak, Rafael and Roger. These
maestros were so incredible that between them they won virtually every tennis
tournament. Some said they were the best, ever – which (think Laver, McEnroe,
Borg, Sampras) is saying something.
The next
best tennis player was a tetchy guy called Andy, but he hardly won any major tournaments, due
to the fact he was nowhere near as good as the Big Three. Every year, Andy bust
a gut at multiple tennis tournaments around the world, and every year he had to
watch one of the Big Three carrying away the silverware. There were exceptions, such as the
Qatar ExxonMobil Open, but usually that was only because the Big Three didn’t bother to turn
up.
best tennis player was a tetchy guy called Andy, but he hardly won any major tournaments, due
to the fact he was nowhere near as good as the Big Three. Every year, Andy bust
a gut at multiple tennis tournaments around the world, and every year he had to
watch one of the Big Three carrying away the silverware. There were exceptions, such as the
Qatar ExxonMobil Open, but usually that was only because the Big Three didn’t bother to turn
up.
Wise pundits
concurred: Andy’s perennial lack of success on the big stage was because in tennis there is a huge gulf between the fourth best player in the world and the best player in the world. In
fact, there is as big a chasm between Number 4 and Number 1, as there is between
Number 10 and Number 4! No wonder Andy was always the Best Man, never the
Groom.
concurred: Andy’s perennial lack of success on the big stage was because in tennis there is a huge gulf between the fourth best player in the world and the best player in the world. In
fact, there is as big a chasm between Number 4 and Number 1, as there is between
Number 10 and Number 4! No wonder Andy was always the Best Man, never the
Groom.
Well, as
sometimes happens, Conventional Wisdom was seriously questioned yesterday, when
Rafael got taken apart by Number 100. Yes, that’s right. The world Number 100 ripped
the World Number 2 to bits on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. It really was not
supposed to happen. And until last night, no-one had even heard of Lukas Rosol.
He was just another plodding journeyman being served up as practice fodder for
the mighty Rafael. David to Goliath, if you will.
sometimes happens, Conventional Wisdom was seriously questioned yesterday, when
Rafael got taken apart by Number 100. Yes, that’s right. The world Number 100 ripped
the World Number 2 to bits on Wimbledon’s Centre Court. It really was not
supposed to happen. And until last night, no-one had even heard of Lukas Rosol.
He was just another plodding journeyman being served up as practice fodder for
the mighty Rafael. David to Goliath, if you will.
But, as
every student of ancient Hebrew Scripture knows, Goliath doesn’t always win
(see 1 Samuel 17 for details). Sometimes, the boy David rips up the script and
shoves it down Big G’s throat.
every student of ancient Hebrew Scripture knows, Goliath doesn’t always win
(see 1 Samuel 17 for details). Sometimes, the boy David rips up the script and
shoves it down Big G’s throat.
It’s
inspirational stuff. For every small firm operating out of hot, downbeat offices in
the back end of nowhere, Lukas Rosol is a hero.
inspirational stuff. For every small firm operating out of hot, downbeat offices in
the back end of nowhere, Lukas Rosol is a hero.
He did not blink. He stayed
focused. He had a job to do and he did it. Conventional Wisdom also said he was supposed to choke at the big moment. But he did not. He wasn’t intimidated by the stature
or past experience of the competition. Frankly, my dear, he did not give a stuff. He
knew he was wildly under-rated and he just let his game do the talking.
In 2012, the
rules of the game have all changed. You can be 18 years old and build a world-beating
business from your bedroom. You can be a very small firm and yet deliver your
unique IP to a huge client base, turn your industry on its head and start a
revolution in your space.
rules of the game have all changed. You can be 18 years old and build a world-beating
business from your bedroom. You can be a very small firm and yet deliver your
unique IP to a huge client base, turn your industry on its head and start a
revolution in your space.
These days, anything
and everything are possible.
and everything are possible.
All you need
is the willpower (and the unique IP).
is the willpower (and the unique IP).
“You have to say Lukas Rosol’s got two hopes of winning this
match: slim and none, and slim’s got his bags packed and is about to leave
town…”
match: slim and none, and slim’s got his bags packed and is about to leave
town…”
BBC
Commentator 18:00
Commentator 18:00
“Nadal loosens his collar slightly with a love service game, but
it’s still a bit hairy out there, as if he’s stuck in a lift with a raving
lunatic…”
it’s still a bit hairy out there, as if he’s stuck in a lift with a raving
lunatic…”
BBC
Commentator 18:45
“While Nadal isn’t liking this at all, Rosol was spread out
between games like a woman having her nails done. Too easy again for Rosol on serve,
Nadal just hasn’t got an answer if the first delivery goes in.”
between games like a woman having her nails done. Too easy again for Rosol on serve,
Nadal just hasn’t got an answer if the first delivery goes in.”
BBC
Commentator 19:00
“Nadal, pinned to the back of the court by the depth of Rosol’s
hitting, goes long with a backhand before the Czech shoots the two-time
champion down with two straight aces. That’s the set – I think Nadal could be
in trouble here, Rosol has the vacant look of a madman who knows not what he’s
doing.”
hitting, goes long with a backhand before the Czech shoots the two-time
champion down with two straight aces. That’s the set – I think Nadal could be
in trouble here, Rosol has the vacant look of a madman who knows not what he’s
doing.”
BBC
Commentator 19:25
“Nadal is clearly wound up out there – like a man who popped
down to the Spar for some bread and milk, only to find himself caught up in an
armed robbery. This wasn’t supposed to happen…”
down to the Spar for some bread and milk, only to find himself caught up in an
armed robbery. This wasn’t supposed to happen…”
BBC
Commentator 19:30
Commentator 19:30
“Rosol lost in the first round of qualifying the last five
years, while Nadal has never lost a match at Wimbledon after winning the first
set, a record that stretches back 28 encounters. Don’t write Rafa off yet – if
he was an animal and you ran him over in your Range Rover, you’d have to go
back and finish him off with a three wood from the boot.”
years, while Nadal has never lost a match at Wimbledon after winning the first
set, a record that stretches back 28 encounters. Don’t write Rafa off yet – if
he was an animal and you ran him over in your Range Rover, you’d have to go
back and finish him off with a three wood from the boot.”
BBC
Commentator 19:40
Commentator 19:40
GAME, SET AND MATCH Nadal 7-6
4-6 4-6 6-2 4-6 Rosol
4-6 4-6 6-2 4-6 Rosol
We could be about to see the biggest upset at Wimbledon since
Peter Doohan beat defending champion Boris Becker in 1987. Strap yourselves in,
here we go… ACE! FOREHAND WINNER, ROSOL! ACE! THREE MATCH-POINTS! ACE! BING-BADDA-BING,
RAFA’S TOAST!
Peter Doohan beat defending champion Boris Becker in 1987. Strap yourselves in,
here we go… ACE! FOREHAND WINNER, ROSOL! ACE! THREE MATCH-POINTS! ACE! BING-BADDA-BING,
RAFA’S TOAST!
“You kept thinking that at some stage Rosol would realise
who he was playing and maybe lose his nerve. But that never happened.”
BBC
Commentator End of Match
Commentator End of Match
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