If you were to meet me you’d never imagine I could like anything as barbaric as wrestling, especially since I’m generally uncomfortable with violence. But wrestling takes me to another universe where I can sublimate and transfer some baser desires, like telling off a boss or slugging a sibling. The primitive approach to problem solving (beat each other up!) is also rather appealing because it can’t be done in real life.
Plus, wrestling is interactive, which I love; the audience is as much a part of the act as the wrestlers. Isn’t that why we’re drawn to TennisWorld, as well? And why we choose to wake up (or stay up) until 3 AM to watch a tennis match? It’s the involvement that hooks us. And that’s how I like it – the more involved I am, the better. I can't do anything halfway.
Which brings me to tennis. Some of you have been fans for ages, others have only recently discovered the game. . . me, I fall somewhere in between. It all started when I was just a toddler. My eldest sister Jeannette followed Wimbledon every year, and I’d sit and watch with her despite not understanding a thing! I soon became a fan myself, propelled by my adoration of Steffi Graf. She was by far my favorite; I’d say prayers during her matches and break down anytime she lost – a rare occurrence, fortunately.
For the next several years, I followed the sport on and off, usually just tuning in to Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. I went through phases like being madly in love with Patrick Rafter, supporting only women’s tennis, and idolizing Roger Federer. After the ’07 U.S. Open, I decided to do a better job of keeping up with the happenings between Slams and started surfing the Internet for tennis news and gossip. That’s how I found Tennis.com.
I dove into Tennis.com’s features and blogs, especially TennisWorld. I soon found myself checking in several times a day and lurking incessantly during tournaments, like the '08 Australian Open. I finally posted for the first time on the day of the Andy Roddick-Feliciano Lopez final in Dubai and haven't left since.
Being a part of TW has amplified my love for tennis, though I’ve always appreciated the athleticism and mental fortitude of the players, as well as the nuances and complexities of the game. I like that tennis is a “gentleman’s sport,” too; it’s refreshing to see players compete against each other so fiercely without ever making physical contact (I get enough of that from wrestling).
The most memorable tennis match I ever witnessed was – surprise! – the recent Wimbledon men’s final between Federer and Nadal. I’ve never been quite so emotional during a match, but maybe more importantly, so in awe of two players. If I’m forced to go back further, I’d choose one of the Rafter-Agassi classics. Their encounter at the ’97 U.S. Open stands out, because it was one of the first times I was inspired by a match not involving Graf, and it marked the beginning of my infatuation with the U.S. Open.
On the men's side, many of you know that Federer is my favorite player, but I enjoy watching several others (including Gilles Simon, bien sûr!). As for the women, my current favorite is probably Svetlana Kuznetsova, though I’ll admit I haven’t warmed up to many of the ladies - not like I did to Graf, Capriati, Hingis, and Henin, anyway.
