Keeping My Promise

Last year I watched the US Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open.

Immersed myself in tennis and my soul thanked me for it. 

The only major I missed was the Australian Open. I vowed that I would catch it this year.

And I am. It began on Sunday, January 15th and ends on Sunday, January 29th. I missed the first few days because I am trying to save my life. I was distracted. But I dove in last night.

I missed Rafael Nadal! I missed Rafael Nadal. He lost in the second round to Mackenzie McDonald. Nadal sustained a hip injury.

The man has been hurting over the last 18 months, dealing with a bunch of injuries, including a chronic foot injury that required injections to numb the pain before every match at the French Open. He won the tournament but left on crutches. At Wimbledon, he suffered a torn abdominal muscle and had to withdraw.

He is 36 years old. He plays hard. His body may be breaking down.

That sucks. I love the man. He is the current pirate of tennis. He plays with abandon and he intimidates the shit out of his opponents. 

Is this the way it will end? god, I hope not. I need him to enjoy at least one more day in the sun. I need him to win a major. Or two. Or three.

He is always stoic when he suffers setbacks, because he knows what it takes and what the sport does to the human body. And he makes the sacrifice every time. But this time, after losing in Australia he said: "I can't say that I am not destroyed mentally this time because I would be lying."

Breaks my heart.

Nadal holds the all-time record of 22 major singles titles. He has won the French Open 14 times, which is an all-time record. He is the second man to complete multiple career grand slams.

He is a god and I need to see more of him at the top of his game.

I will devour the 2023 Australian Open. I gotta have it. The three majors I watched last year gave me endless moments of virtuosity and perfection. The Aussie Open will do the same.

I have watched enough tennis recently to develop affection and respect for younger players. I will root for them and it will make the Open even more fun for me.

Nadal will lurk in the back of my mind.

The next time he plays I will crack open a bottle of fine wine and live the good life right along with him.

Raffa.