What an evening it was at the Roland Garros in Paris, on Thursday. No spirit, no wine, no champagne. After the boorish behaviour from fans at the arena for three days in a row, the organisers, led by former Grand Slam champion Amelio Mauresmo, came down hard on the fans – no booze.
What? You gotta be kidding, said a few. No, this was real stuff, a first of sorts, where a Grand Slam banned booze, as tennis fans had converted into lager louts, abusing Novak Djokovic and Iga Swiatek. There was a palpable sense of outrage at this decision (ban), for perfumes and spirits in Europe are part of culture. After all, Paris is the fashion Capital of the world. No, Mauresmo, the tournament director, would have none of it, as she sat in the stands and “policed” the action!
Well, for those who love to get drunk on tennis, not lager or champagne, the perfect ‘trip’ was provided by numero uno Novak Djokovic, sporting a red T-shirt, white shorts, that matador kind of gaze in his eyes. He was all over the court. On clay, where the way an athlete eats up the ground below is a different kind of footwork, Novak produced symphony. To say that he was sure of his footing would be cliché.
The symmetry he produced in covering the perimeters of the tennis court with a measure of elan and elasticity stood out. Running from side to side and funneling back and forth to get to the tennis ball quicker than needed, Novak produced classic stuff. And, the best part of it, he did not look ugly.
For all those who had predicted in media and social media, this is a lousy year for him, the Serbian knows when to produce the best answers like a student would in a final exam, as if life depended on it. Up against Roberto Carballes Baena, a Spaniard, he needed three sets to execute his job. It may have looked a bit hard in the first set. But then, as has been his symbol and style, Djokovic was changing gears. There was no down-shift, it was hitting top gear, perhaps, finding that extra gear to be in cruise control as he churned out a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win.
It’s easy to go to match stats and rattle of the jargon. If nuances had to be understood and Djokovic articulated himself in terms of proficiency on the court, he was the Lord and Master. Yet, deep down, he was humble, despite having been mocked at by fans in his previous round when drunk fans had disgraced the tennis fan community at large.
The French Open is known for style and substance, yet the fans have shown their ugly side in the first week at Roland Garros
✍️@kannandelhi#rolandgarros https://t.co/cs0nwxloZj
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) May 30, 2024
Indeed, it takes a lot for an European country to come up with a booze ban. Mauresmo has faced copious flak for this decision, attacked by even the British media. One thing is sure, as a player, Mauresmo was a no-nonsense lady. If fans are going to spit gum, as was the case with David Goffin and Iga Swiatek felt shaken, then Mauresmo has put players above fans. She deserves to be supported on this decision, for, if booze is the most important thing in day to day life in Paris, there are enough pubs and chique restaurants which serve the best stuff. The temple of tennis that Roland Garros is does not need to be desecrated with booze spit.
Back to tennis and the ‘high’ he provided, there was class, composure and symphony of a high Beethoven octave which Djokovic showed on Thursday evening. The weather was ideal, the setting was perfect, and for those who like to see slip/slide and plenty of lateral movement on clay, he was a different beast. The way he was changing pace, charging the net for a few ‘dinks’ at the net and even volleys, it was clear, Djokovic , gunning for his 25th Grand Slam title, was indulging in creativity. After all, France is known for Edouard Manet, Pierre Auguste Renoi and Camille Pissaro, painters who had produced similar brilliant stuff as creative painters in a bygone era on canvas.
Djokovic, too, is creative at his best, where his tennis is very much a creation of strokes produced with the racquet and not the paint and a weasel. He is ageing and he is also slowing down a bit. But as defending champion at Roland Garros and a man who wants to give his best, every day, when it comes to the Majors, as the Grand Slams are known, he transports fans into a different space in real time.
Among the several shots which Djokovic produced, one stays etched in memory, the one which he churned out against Roberto Carballes Baena. It was a long rally, where the angles produced and pace change in rallies were enticing. Like an athlete on the starting block, Djokovic exploded in motion and executed a backhand pass down the line. It had everyone in thrall, fans included. This is the romance which Djokovic creates. For how long, none knows. Fans may doubt Djokovic and his ability but not those who follow tennis to the point of being obsessed, Djokovic still has plenty of gas inside, not empty.
“There is always that kind of conviction and belief inside of me that I can win a (Grand Slam. That’s why I’m here. At this age I wouldn’t really be competing at the Slams and continuing to play professional tennis if I didn’t believe that I possess the quality to go all the way to the title match,” he later said. That answers it!