I am not afraid to say it...the "EPIC" match between Nicolas Mahut and John Isner kind of annoyed me. No, definitely annoyed me. So much so that I'd go as far as describing it as ridiculous, but first let me say this.
My intent is not to make light of what these guys accomplished. It takes a lot of strength and endurance to play tennis. I recognize that. Then, when you think about how long these guys were battling it out against each other (11 hours, 5 minutes, over 3 days), you can't help but stand up and applaud them for their fortitude. I mean, to serve ace after ace and exceed 115mph is pretty sick! On paper, when you look at all of the records they've broken (longest match, longest set, most games, # of aces), it's phenomenal and will probably remain unbroken forever. *Cue applause.*
HOWEVER, at some point during yesterday's match, maybe it was around 41-41 in the 5th, I went from being completely in love with what I was witnessing to quietly questioning the killer instinct of these guys. I knew something was wrong because I lacked emotion watching them play their hearts out. Maybe it was because I tuned in when they were already at 28-28 and I missed how they arrived at that moment. Or, maybe it was because I'd never heard of these guys before so I had no attachment to either of them. Then I decided it was all of the above and then some.
The purpose of tennis is to break your opponent. And, these guys were having the hardest time breaking each other. And, on top of them holding serve, it appeared like neither of them challenged the other. Are their serves that deadly that they can't be returned? As I watched the match, I noticed that they both held serve 40-0 or 40-15. It was rarely 15-15, 0-30, deuce or anything that suggested that one player held an advantage over the other and there would be an end to the match if one of them went on a roll. The lack of intensity suggested that they were fine taking this match to a fourth or fifth day, if necessary. I guess what made this match so "epic" was that it was a classic pairing of talent. But, in my eyes, it wasn't tennis at its best. It was more like mediocrity at its best. A completely different vibe from Pete Sampras/Andre Agassi at the US Open 2001 or Rafa Nadal/Roger Federer Wimbledon 2008, just off the top. Maybe I'm spoiled by the greats and can't appreciate the up and comers. No, that's not it. I like Gael Monfils, Rajeev Ram and some others.
The only reason I didn't turn the channel sooner was because I thought I'd miss something if I did. Sports is about witnessing greatness when it happens. Replays are ok, but it doesn't replace that indescribable feeling that comes over you when you experience amazing happen firsthand.
Speaking of, I was also flying high from the USA/Algeria match when I tuned into Mahut/Isner. In the back of my mind, I was thinking that Wednesday, June 23rd could possibly go down in history as one of the greatest sports days ever and I wanted to be involved to the nth degree. As much as I'd like it to, life doesn't stop for sports. Duty called and I was forced to shut the tennis match off because I had somewhere to go.
Despite feeling that way last night, I watched the match this morning. I thought I'd feel differently. I HOPED I'd feel differently. Nope. Still felt like someone needed to step it up, take their game to the next level and win this thing. Enough is enough. Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not voting for a 5th set tie-break. I'm just saying that when your back is against the wall, the true competitor, champion within you must reveal itself and power you through to the next level. Will the strongest finisher in the game please stand up!
For example, I'm not a Kobe Bryant fan, but I won't deny it, that dude gets a look in his eyes when he knows time is ticking on the clock. He wasn't himself in Game 7 against the Celtics, but generally speaking, he switches gears and gets it done. He takes the game over, pulls the trigger and shuts teams down. In my opinion, that's the sign of a winner...a true champion (cue Ron Artest's song, just kidding. I wouldn't wish that on you guys).
Well, John Isner did it. He shut the door on Mahut and got the victory, 70-68 in the 5th set. I was naturally rooting for Isner because he's American, but that was the only reason. And, if not for that, I really would've been emotionless watching the match. Do you know how wack that feels as a sports fan? The stats for this match are astounding, but for some reason, there's still a disconnect for me.
Sadly, I can honestly say that neither of those guys won me over as a fan. However, they do have my respect. Isner survived to play another match, but both men deserve to be congratulated. I wouldn't last 30 seconds on the court with either of them. I know where I stand. But, before this match is entered into the books as one of the most "EPIC" matches of our time, let's rethink that once the novelty wears off.
Sidenote: The word "epic" is quickly becoming one of the most overused words. It annoys me to no end. My use of it in this post was purely facetious. Now that I've pointed it out, you'll see what I mean. Let's all do our part to reduce the number of times this word is used. I thank you in advance.
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