Just like Jack Sock, who won the Delray Beach tournament without playing the final, following Milos Raonic’s injury, you know very well that the trophy which you’re holding isn’t the most beautiful victory of your career. As it’s mostly luck and good fortune which led you to win it. You admit it when…
…you’ve won Roland-Garros without defeating Rafael Nadal.
…you’ve won the Madrid Masters 1000 on blue clay.
…you opponent in the final is making a huge amount of unforced errors, but scoring three times as many winners than you. The best attack is defense, but still.
…the match point ends up on a double fault.
…you haven’t faced a single player ranked in the top 20 during the whole tournament.
…you haven’t faced a member of the big four in a Grand Slam tournament.
…you’re the world number 212, and you’ve won a Grand Slam title after facing four fellow countrymen, while the Australian Open is supposed to be an international tournament. Right, Mark Edmonson ?
…in that case, you should have never reached the final in the first place, as you were a lucky loser.
…you see your opponent grimacing in pain while the scoreboard shows 6-3, 5-2. In his favor, of course.
…you see your opponent starting to vomit.
…you’ve called your physio three times.
…however, those terrible cramps haven’t stopped you from spending three hours on the court.
… your coach says : « We don’t deserve this title. We were very lucky. ».
… the media admit that you’ve « made the most of your opponent’s imprecisions. »
… the same media are talking more about the unlucky finalist than you.
… you tell yourself that in the end, he really misused his chalenge calls. Unlike you.
…you tell yourself that everything happens for a reason. And you thank the draw.
… one of the linesmen is bleeding.
… you tell yourself that umpires have a difficult job and we must be clement with their natural errors.
…you tell yourself that in the end, sporting results can always go either way. In tennis, the difference can be measured in a few millimeters.
…you’ve saved about ten match points during the whole competition.
…everyone has forgotten that you’ve once won a Grand Slam title. And no video footage is there to prove it. Right, Brian Teacher ?
…you learn that a few matches may have been fixed. It’s true that this Oliver Anderson didn’t look too determined.
…you’re playing against your sister. Serena, we’ve already told you to stop making Venus cry.
…you wonder which nightclub your opponent has chosen to go to the night before. And what time he got back.
…especially when he asks what the score is, a few seconds after you’ve already told him.
…even more when he thinks that the game is over, while the score is still 40-0.
…but you still try to convince him that you’re a special talent, and that he’s not weakened.
