Ricky Dimon

• Giving thanks for Nadal, Federer, and more

  2008-11-27 14:30:59
  

  There’s a time to be thankful for family, friends, and good health, and there’s no better time for it than on Thanksgiving Day.
  
  But there’s also a time, in that same Thanksgiving Day spirit, to be thankful for less important things (although still quite important!). Like tennis. And that time is right now. This is what I’m thankful for when it comes to the 2008 season on the ATP Tour. I’m thankful for Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. I’m especially thankful for them being on the court at the same time.
  
  I’m thankful for the 2008 Wimbledon final. It can’t be said unequivocally that it is the greatest match of all time. But, it can’t be said unequivocally that it isn’t the greatest match of all time, either. Without question, it is one of the best ever. It’s one of those matches that you remember where you were when you watched it (for me, those also include Gaudio-Coria, Ivanisevic-Rafter, Agassi-Blake, Agassi-Baghdatis, and too many matches to name in person at the U.S. Open).
  
  I’m thankful for Novak Djokovic. As much fun as it is to watch Nadal and Federer contest Grand Slam finals, and as much fun as it would be to watch them contest every Grand Slam final from now until the end of time, it’s even more fun to see tournaments competitive among a handful of players as opposed to just two.
  
  I’m thankful for Andy Murray. Same reason.
  
  I’m thankful for Gilles Simon, for showing that it’s possible to be one of the best in the world at tennis without having an overload of talent. He should be an inspiration to any recreational player who does nothing more than keep the ball in the court and fight for every single point to the very end.
  
  Did I mention that I’m thankful for the 2008 Wimbledon final?
  
  I’m thankful for upsets. For example, Simon over Nadal in Madrid, Spain over Argentina in the Davis Cup final, Djokovic over Federer, Murray over Federer (twice), Simon over Federer, Mardy Fish over Federer, Radek Stepanek over Federer, Andy Roddick over Federer, Youzhny over Nadal while losing just one game, Davydenko over Nadal, Seppi over Nadal, Sergiy Stahovsky, Philipp Petzschner, and Igor Kunitsyn winning ATP tournaments, and too many others to name in a 2008 season full of surprises. It wouldn’t be so interesting if what was supposed to happen always happened. In the words of one of the oldest clichés in sports, “that’s why they play the game.” I’m thankful for Hawkeye. A.K.A. the challenge system. It deprives us of some player blowups at chair-umpire blowups, but at least it gets the calls right. Well, at least I think does. Some players sometimes disagree.
  
  I'm thankful for witnessing chokes on a consistent basis from professional tennis players. It's painful to watch, but at the same time it makes me, and presumably all other tennis players from beginner to just short of pro level, feel a little bit better about my own failures to successfully serve out sets and matches. Ernests Gulbis comes to mind here (see: matches against David Nalbandian in Indian Wells, Nikolay Davydenko in Miami, Jose Acasuso in Canada, and Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open).
  
  I'm thankful for guys like John Inser (2007) and more recently Kevin Anderson and Somdev Devvarman for showing it's OK to go to college even if you are absolutely unbelievable at tennis. For those who don't follow the college ranks or professional players beyond the Top 100, Anderson finished runner-up at the ATP event in Las Vegas earlier this year. Devvarman won two NCAA singles titles, then won four straight Challenger tournaments immediately after leaving UVA. I’m thankful that the tennis’ two biggest stars represent the game as well off the court as they do on it.
  
  Did I mention that I’m thankful for the 2008 Wimbledon final?
  
  Most of all, I'm thankful that--as of Thanksgiving Day--the 2009 ATP season is only 39 days away.

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