Once again, I’ve outdone myself. Last Sunday night I completed the Wimbledon men’s singles final by LISTENING, yes LISTENING to the entire match.
On Saturday night, an Indian channel was showing the ladies’ singles final so I assumed that if they will show that, then there’s no reason why they wouldn’t show the men’s singles final on Sunday. (I only have Destiny cable in my building and Star Sports is a “Premium Channel” so I get scrambled signal.)
But come Sunday night, they were showing cricket THE WHOLE TIME. Too late to go to Makati. So I closed my eyes and listened to the balls being hit. Come to think of it, based only on the grunts, sound of the balls flying off the players’ rackets, and crowd cheering I can tell the exact score ahead of the umpire announcing it.
And the nerves that I have? Oh, wow! Never been so nervous listening to a tennis match. If last year I was smoking a cigarette every time Rafa would serve, this year I was regulating my breathing pattern — exhale only when Roger is hitting the ball to reinforce the power of his shots and inhale when Rafa is hitting the ball so suck the power in his shots.
It didn’t work. Rafa won. But that was a glorious match — as far as I can hear. Could have potentially given me a coronary if I’d seen it. No difficult feelings for me. Rafa deserved it. And kudos to both for a classic match that we shall forever go back to and watch on DVD. The scoreline says it all 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7.
I might have to see my doctor though coz I’m afraid that I may have caused permanent damage to my breathing. Darn!
