At the first Grand Slam tennis event of 2009, the Australian Open, one got to see sublime tennis as well as the depth of the human soul in the final that pitted Rafael Nadal with Roger Federer.
For the record, Federer lost a classic to Nadal; the match went the complete five-set distance and will, undoubtedly, be a manual for aspiring tennis players the world over. The behaviour of the two champions at the presentation ceremony after the match, however, should speak to the heart of every human being.
As Federer, carrying his runner-up shield, choked on his tears, the pain on the face of Nadal was there for all to see. The latter's body language as he accepted the champion's trophy, was muted. There have been many poignant and moving spectacles of triumph in sports.
That Sunday afternoon at the Rod Laver arena in Melbourne the stage expanded to show us the greatness of the human spirit. Here then were two men, joined not just by sporting history, but by mutual recognition of the effort it has taken to mould themselves into the champions they are. They know only too well the hours of grinding, pounding training that make their routine, day after day.
These are two men who recognise that behind every champion stand many shadows mocking their passion and ability. These are two men joined by deep respect for each other's pain and talent. Boxer Muhammad Ali once said, "Champions are made from something they have deep inside them a desire, a dream, a vision." Nadal and Federer are two champions who on that stage showed their essential connectedness.
Their rivalry is already being hailed as one of the greatest ever in the game, but that did not stop Federer from weeping openly at his loss. He was not afraid to show his wound to his great rival, to tell him that all his sacrifices in preparing for the tournament had come to naught. He did not keep a brave face. Sans ego, the vulnerable Federer touched a chord in all of us. Nadal not only saw the wound, he felt it.
A Sanskrit shloka says "Just as the fruit laden tree bows low, so does the accomplished person in humility." Never has one heard of a champion apologising to the defeated rival for his win. Nadal has done that on a number of occasions. He said sorry to Federer at the post-match press conference and immediately after collecting the championship trophy from Rod Laver. The new Australian Open champion may be just 22 years old, but he has the humility of the truly wise.
Osho tells the story of a king who asked a rishi for a powerful talisman. The rishi gave him a ring containing a folded slip of paper and asked him to open it when faced with extraordinary situations, whether of tragedy or triumph. The talisman, the rishi told the king, will keep him grounded; it would help him keep his head in any situation. The king had many occasions to experience the power of the writing on the paper during a long reign. The paper had on it a simple line: "This, too, shall pass".
Events and emotions in our life stay alive only in our memory. What remains is the one who experiences, unmoved and unmovable, the one witness, the Presence within us. The great drama of the Federer-Nadal rivalry brings alive the power of the talisman's words. Both players have promised to be back next year. For both, the moment this year, too, shall pass. Just as many triumphs and defeats have.
For the record, Federer lost a classic to Nadal; the match went the complete five-set distance and will, undoubtedly, be a manual for aspiring tennis players the world over. The behaviour of the two champions at the presentation ceremony after the match, however, should speak to the heart of every human being.
As Federer, carrying his runner-up shield, choked on his tears, the pain on the face of Nadal was there for all to see. The latter's body language as he accepted the champion's trophy, was muted. There have been many poignant and moving spectacles of triumph in sports.
That Sunday afternoon at the Rod Laver arena in Melbourne the stage expanded to show us the greatness of the human spirit. Here then were two men, joined not just by sporting history, but by mutual recognition of the effort it has taken to mould themselves into the champions they are. They know only too well the hours of grinding, pounding training that make their routine, day after day.
These are two men who recognise that behind every champion stand many shadows mocking their passion and ability. These are two men joined by deep respect for each other's pain and talent. Boxer Muhammad Ali once said, "Champions are made from something they have deep inside them a desire, a dream, a vision." Nadal and Federer are two champions who on that stage showed their essential connectedness.
Their rivalry is already being hailed as one of the greatest ever in the game, but that did not stop Federer from weeping openly at his loss. He was not afraid to show his wound to his great rival, to tell him that all his sacrifices in preparing for the tournament had come to naught. He did not keep a brave face. Sans ego, the vulnerable Federer touched a chord in all of us. Nadal not only saw the wound, he felt it.
A Sanskrit shloka says "Just as the fruit laden tree bows low, so does the accomplished person in humility." Never has one heard of a champion apologising to the defeated rival for his win. Nadal has done that on a number of occasions. He said sorry to Federer at the post-match press conference and immediately after collecting the championship trophy from Rod Laver. The new Australian Open champion may be just 22 years old, but he has the humility of the truly wise.
Osho tells the story of a king who asked a rishi for a powerful talisman. The rishi gave him a ring containing a folded slip of paper and asked him to open it when faced with extraordinary situations, whether of tragedy or triumph. The talisman, the rishi told the king, will keep him grounded; it would help him keep his head in any situation. The king had many occasions to experience the power of the writing on the paper during a long reign. The paper had on it a simple line: "This, too, shall pass".
Events and emotions in our life stay alive only in our memory. What remains is the one who experiences, unmoved and unmovable, the one witness, the Presence within us. The great drama of the Federer-Nadal rivalry brings alive the power of the talisman's words. Both players have promised to be back next year. For both, the moment this year, too, shall pass. Just as many triumphs and defeats have.
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