During a dramatic fifth set in the Australian Open final, I could not help but notice the world’s number 1 tennis player, Novak Djokovic, as he fiddled with something he wore around his neck. Actually, he fished something tied to a cord hidden under his shirt and kissed it.
I supported his opponent in the match, Rafael Nadal, for two reasons — he was the slight underdog, and Nadal is left-handed.
I feel it is important that we “lefties” stick together.
Plus, it’s harder to pull for the favorite, in my opinion.
However, I do enjoy watching both men play the game and pull for both against different opponents. You can only pull for one in the final, though.
Right?
Clearly after five hours of tennis, these two men were as equal as you could get.
In fact, Djokovic was losing the match, down a break. Then he seemed to catch a second wind.
It also seemed the better he played, the more Djokovic played with the object around his neck.
What exactly was Djokovic kissing? On closer observation, it was a simple wooden cross.
Match commentator Patrick McEnroe helpfully described Djokovic as “kissing his necklace.” But it was obviously a plain wooden cross. Not a crucifix, but a cross.
To alleviate any possible confusion about the meaning of his gesture, Djokovic began to overtly make the sign of the cross over his entire upper torso after winning key points.
Yesterday, the biggest points all seemed to go his way late in the fifth set.
My atheist friends who watched the match probably got irritated by Djokovic’s antics, quite possibly to the point of apoplectic rage.
After all, they might have thought Djokovic was “pulling a Tebow.”
On court.
In “prime time” in front of God and everybody, if that is possible at 9:00 am Eastern, 1:00 am Australian time. Not on the sidelines, under his towel between games.
To be absolutely clear, I do not think God loves Novak Djokovic any more than Rafael Nadal. I do not believe divine intervention played a role in the outcome.
The only impact his on-court stunts had on my enjoyment of the match was it left me with no real disappointment when “my” guy lost.
If forced to hazard a guess, I would think it is possible that Rafael Nadal is also a devout Christian.
His humbleness and public expressions of humility, combined with his grace toward the opposition win-or-lose, lend credibility to the thought that Nadal certainly acts like a “good” Christian.
By some measure, that should make Nadal a “better” Christian than Djokovic…after all, does not the Bible warn about making public displays of piousness?
Or, was the warning really about insincere or falsely pious behavior?
One should probably assume that the better 300 mg neurontin tennis player won the 2012 Australian Open — better by at least two points.
One should not assume the better buy provigil online legit man won.
Djokovic won the match, but Nadal did not lose the championship. He did not “choke” by any stretch of the imagination. Both men played like champions. Both deserved to win.
Unfortunately, only one could.
Pity we couldn’t call it a draw. But the game doesn’t allow for draws, or ties.
Even so, I was not the least bit upset or disappointed that Djokovic emerged the winner.
If it were any other athlete, I would also roll my eyes.
I think Novak Djokovic’s faith is evident through his actions on and off the court.
This is not a “look at me, I am religious, pious” man. This is a man of faith, joy, love, grace.
There is youtube video of a 10 yr old boy who in the stand during practice shouts “Djokovic, will you marry me?” Nole’s reaction is just absolutely lovely. He invites the boy to come down and serve and then when the boy offers a handshake, Nole gives him a big hug.
Novak is one athlete that constantly amazes me and I am not even a fan of tennis.
as for using the description talnetless about novak ? fvogire me but one needs to know WHERE such comments come from namely, probably fans of roger who are = OUTSIDE of whatever are novak’s personal foibles that they don’t like simply was unacceptable to fans or those who PREFERED OTHER PLAYERS OF THEIR OWN to challenge roger so long as it is known that roger would beat them ANYWAY just so THESE players can have THEIR spot in the sun but the TRUTH is- if people WERE honest and disabused themselves of the dislike of novak or his family and all such nonsense HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR NOVAK since 2007 ONLY RAFAEL NADAL would have really challenged Roger FEderer in any seriousness UNTIL MURRAY began HIS maturation. the truth is people are MIXING UP their personal dislikes of novak WITH his family’s antics , admittedly annoying as they were with DEFINING HIM as untalented . that is silly, intellectually dishonest and simply nonsensical. the truth IS IF novak was anywhere NEAR his better playing with much accuracy and subtle changes that he can do well there are at least 93 out of 100 players that will NOT want to play HIM .and THAT includes Federer, Roddick, and all the rest of them besides the ONLY OTHER TWO or 3 PLAYERS : nadal, murray, nalbandian, that along with novak challenged roger federer in ways the OTHERS simply have proven to be SUCH FAILURES at and YET would be called by people TALENTED! let’s be REAL here!