The war is perhaps, more and more, like the hope that does not die, peace in Ukraine. The tragedy and perhaps, more and more, a respite in Gaza. But the beaches, bars and openings of information sites for days highlighted a single question, a disturbing and anxiety -making question. What happened to Sinner? The local champion (someone insists on calling him Austrian) number one in world tennis, gave way to the Masters of Cincinnati, USA, gave up after a disastrous five to zero in the first set, collapsed with shiny eyes. Game over. But game It means game and game: that is, it is playing, not stable precisely the fate of the planet; And it is a tournament, a game, not a thrown life.
Everyone hunting for the mysterious virus that hit Jannik. The birthday cake? Panic? Fiction, since it was bad? Simply, too hot. Playing tennis, playing sports when they exceed 30 degrees, 70% humidity is a foolish effort and a serious danger. In Cincinnati many have fallen as pins, metaphorically: a French and an American, a Russian and an Argentine, a Spanish and a German.
So why this tournament, in the torrid afternoons of August, and moreover prolonged over time? Why a tournament after the other, without recovery times, up and down with planes between changes of temperatures and time spindles? Business. Money, for the players and beyond, for the whole system that completely forgot the meaning of sport.
Have the victories of our champions infected the children, do tennis schools full and what are proposed to the little ones? Fame, money in riversa few years of torment and perhaps ecstasy, risking physical and mental health, squeezes like lemons.
Sport is a privileged way to educate, to grow. You follow a teacher, even if it costs obeying, joined the team, even if you feel the best or worst; You give up, it is difficult, you learn to lose and win. Or sport is pure competition, at any cost, the result is gain, public pillory and depression if it goes badly.
Sinner gave way. It is necessarily, he is 23 years old, he turns like a top between a spot and a photo opportunity, they want it metal machine, perfect. Instead he is a boy, he is used to being with his family members, and in the US there were no, right on his birthday. He goes to unplug him, like all his peers and suspicious, indeed that the success is giving him to his head, seeing his wandering between one model and another, he is making him unpleasant, seeing how the cameras are struggling. It is necessarily, it cannot even afford the luxury of being angry or sad or not feeling well.
In years of competitiveness, Jannik certainly lost, they taught him to lose. It would be up to all those who press him, who demand his absolute excellence. There can be prime numbers even in two or threenot necessarily on the summit always, alone.
(Image at the top: Photo Reuters)
