NO VAC SERB - NO VXX - YOU BOOFHEAD

Subhash Mathur was born and brought up in small towns in Rajasthan. During his school and college education at Jaipur, he was keenly involved in sports, journalism and public speaking. His civil services career has given him a platform for spreading his ideas about modernising tax administration to benefit the common man. Post retirement he is devoting his energies, along with his wife Tilak, to public and humane causes.

                                           NO VAC SERB – NO VAXX -YOU BOOFHEAD!

And The New Fab Four Roll In.  

What a week that was! In premier Tennis. The Aussie Grand Slam looked like a Boxing Ring.

Thanks to the Pandemic! New Rules. Bio Bubble prescribed. Live like a Hermit?

Round 1- Aussie Open to Djoker- NO Vaxx! No issue. Come! Come! You are the World Number One!

The Defending Champion. We want You.

Practice at Melbourne Park.  

You will be our Top Seed.

Round 2- to the State. Minister flexes his muscles.

Boots NO VAC out. No VAXX. No valid medical opinion furnished.   

  Off you go!! Out of Australia.

 Round 3 – No Vac the Serb. Not so fast! I have rights! To the Court again.

 Of a different kind.

 The Judge Rules - Stay. The State is muddle headed.

 Play. Play. And Practice. At Melbourne Park.

Round 4- Minister is Incensed.  Back to the Court -Inherent powers – to Deport. All wrong documentation. Fate sealed.  

 Judge The Second   agrees. Sorry, No VAC the SERB . NO VAXX. Can’t  Stay in the land of the OZ. You might infect the VAXXED.  You Really Gotta Go!

Deported. Finally.

You are the New BoofHead!

[For the uninitiated – Somebody who’s got a bit of a Fool who doesn’t get it]

Anno Domini the Year of Lord 22 began so dramatically.

 Djokovic is part of Today’s Fearsome Four.

But No Vac can’t get to play because of no VAXX cert.  

Okay . But I have a Right to Choice. Hence   No VAXX. .

The French and the Italians have already slammed the doors shut.

No Vaxx. No entry. No play.  

But what about Wimbledon. They are MUM for the moment. US Open too.

Fed Ex the Roger the Original No One is medically retired.

Rafa the Nadal is playing sporadically. Back Spasms keeps him out.  Already has slid to Position Six.

Andy Murray just can’t win. Poor guy.  Takes him half a year to win one game.

 Retired! Bar the Announcement.

But big time Tennis is not played in vacuum.

And so I look for the emerging FAB FOUR.

The guys are snapping at the heels of the present day  Fearsome Four.

Top of the Heap: Sascha Alexander Zverev. The tall, lanky German. Ranked no 3 in the World. In top 10 since 2017.

                                                               Alexander Zverev

Surely he will sooner than later. Become the Champion.  WikipediA informs me that Zverev has won titles in ATP 18 and 20  Finals . That’s huge

Recently won the Gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Have you watched that two handed backhander sizzling across the court?

 Power and accuracy combined.

 Like Laver? Watch this space.

                                                          Tsitsipas Stefano the Greek Icon.

The highest Ranked Greek ever. What a unique Honour.

Who can miss the flowing and bobbing mane around his shoulders?

 At age 23 and at 6ft 4 in Tsitsipas is the youngest to become the Champion ATP Finals in 2019. A feather in the Cap.

Tsitsipas is a bundle of Energy.  Runs from side to side like a Yo Yo.  

And sends the Tennis ball back . Indefatigable.

Tsitsipas started early. As a junior he was ranked no 1 in the World.

 Became the first Greek male in Open Era to win  Boy’ Doubles Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2016 .

Will Tsitsipas be the Champion that he wants to be?

My gut feeling says Yes. He has the right attitude.

Don’t give up. Keep the ball in play .

                                          Matteo Berrettini The Italian Giant.

My favourite to make it big.  For his frame, Berrettini moves lithely. He combines the agility of a cat with the power of a Panther.

Doesn’t mind rushing to the net.

Like Fed Ex the Roger.

 In 21 at Wimbledon he was virtually unstoppable. Till he ran into Djoker the grinding machine.

Before the Final   he had some wise advice for his largely Italian fans

‘I will tell them to buy a nice TV if they don’t have [one] already because I think it’s going to be a special Sunday for all of us ‘

After all Berrittini would be on Centre Court in his first ever Grand Slam final.

Even JOKO conceded: ‘Berrettini is in good form. He’s serving big and playing big’.

What a compliment! From an opponent.

And that’s saying a lot. But the important question which I always ask:

Does Berrettini have in him to stand up and deliver?

Only time will tell.

And finally The DARK HORSE

                                            The Canadian: Denis Shapovalov.

                                                    Dennis Shapovalov -photo Google Courtsey                                                              His advantage.

He’s left handed and hits a top class one handed backhanders.

At 22,  he has youth on his side. And time as well.

He’s the quiet rising Star. He proved that   in 21 by reaching the Semis at Wimbledon.

And he has lineage to help him move along. His mother, Tessa was part of the Soviet national tennis team.

 Tessa opened a Tennis Academy simply named ‘Tessa Tennis’ just to ensure Denis gets enough court time.

He’s the guy who will worry his opponents.

Mark my Words. I know a thing or two about Tennis and Talent.

And the Pretenders to the Throne

These guys are good. But are they better than the opposition on their feet. One never knows . They just might make it the   new Fab Four.

Hubert Hurkacz, the Pole.

Daniil Mededev, the Russian.

And the Austrian, Dominic Thiem.

They too are Champion material. Let’s see how they perform in 22 before I bring them into my New Fab Four.

The tennis world top positions are up for grabs.

                               May the Best rule the World