It was not a perfect Sunday, and I had no idea how imperfect it would be. India lost the World Cup Test Championship in a hurry, not wanting the oval lunch to get cold. So, the TV remote would be just a prop in the evening while one watched the French Open final between Djokovic and Ruud.
To be honest, I was planning to celebrate my 500th consecutive week of writing the coming weekend. It was 25% more weeks than Djokovic had been the number one in the Tennis ranking. We were destined to write the record books every time he held the racquet or when I wrote an article. The only difference – his were global records and a personal milestone. Both were milestones, anyway.
Sunday Bright Spot – Magic At French Open.
Unlike Saturday, when one was unsure who would win the women’s singles title at the Roland-Garros, Sunday results were never in doubt. The only question was will it be a four or a five-setter? Novak Djokovic, the Serbinator, was destined to create history, winning his 23rd grand slam defeating Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5.
Not exaggerating, but like always, Djokovic was getting fresher with every game while the opponent was getting tired. At 36, he smiled to confirm he would be back next year! A smile that played even when he made errors. The smile that never allowed you to know what was going through his mind. A smile that said he knew he missed a few Grand Slams due to personal choices, and it could have been easily the 24th or the 25th Grand Slam win. And that he has no plans of stopping any time soon. He is ready for next month’s Wimbledon and the US Open the month after
The Goat Spoils My Day
Djokovic is an inspiration. He was a GOAT before the start of the match, and a GOAT he is in every sense of the word after it. Maybe, Djokovic is the GOAT Athlete if one widens the scope.
Things could have been okay if it was just the results. But Djokovic, as per tradition, took centre stage, speaking his mind. Jokes apart, he made it absolutely clear he wants to win and is proud of his achievements. No issue there; Djokovic has every right to do so. He said to Ruud earnestly, “I really wish you all the best. I wish you to win against anyone except me.”
Have I ever been so straight and clear in my thoughts? The answer is NO.
Visualising Success
He then crashed my celebration plans. He said, … ‘I was a seven-year-old dreaming that I could win Wimbledon and become number one in the world one day’ and added, ‘One thing is for sure. I feel that I had the power to create my own destiny… I tried to visualise every single thing in my life. I not only believe it but really feel it with every cell in my body.”
I wondered where I stood. When I was seven-year-old- I did not know what ambition could be. I was introduced to The SECRET and visualisation late in life, and I have not been a diligent practitioner of the science of visualisation.
Djokovic believes in visualising his success, and he further elaborated for everyone’s benefit. “Visualisation is an integral part of my preparation before every match: every season, for that matter. For something to become reality, one first has to picture it in one’s mind to see it happening… I’ve experienced it so many times in my life: visualisation is just another confirmation of how powerful we are as human beings, but it needs to be worked on’.
I had no reason to argue with something I have experienced, which has worked in my life.
Writing History
And Djokovic said. ‘I’m writing my own history. I don’t want to say I am the greatest. I leave those discussions to someone else”. He also said, “I knew that going into the tournament, going into the match, especially today, that there is history on the line,” he said. “But I try to focus my attention and my thoughts into preparing for this match in the best way possible to win like any other match… “I don’t want to say that I am the greatest because I feel, I’ve said it before, it’s disrespectful towards all the great champions in different eras of our sport that was played in completely different way than it is played today”.
Djokovic said, “Of course, the journey is still not over… I feel if I’m winning slams, why even think about ending the career that already has been going on for 20 years…I still feel motivated, I still feel inspired to play the best tennis on these tournaments the most, Grand Slams. Those are the ones that count, I guess, the most in the history of our sport”.
Djokovic makes me question My Milestone.
Suddenly the, age did not look like just a number. And the question was so relevant. Why think of stopping writing if I continue to enjoy doing so, even though I never had a Grand Slam equivalent moment? Maybe that will come with the three books planned to be released this year.
Well, it made me reflect on my milestone and what I was trying to celebrate.
Did I ever think about writing for 500 consecutive weeks when I did start writing my blog and articles?
The answer is No.
Did I visualise and believe in it?
The answer is another NO.
In fact, I was full of doubts if I was doing the right thing. If I really truly believed in the comments and the opinions I was penning.
Did I clearly plan and craft my writing, putting the process first and the result as a by-product?
The answer is No.
Eleven of his Grand Slams came after he turned 30, and my writings came after I turned 50. So, age is just a number, and milestones are just another reference point to move on.
So, what was I planning to celebrate? Was it just to make me feel better?
The answer is a resounding Yes.
Will my celebrating 500th consecutive week of writing be disrespectful to all the other writers many who write every day?
The answer was NO, and that did help a bit in making me feel better.
Djokovic The Joker Was Not Joking.
He was not finished with me and my thoughts.
Djokovic further said, ‘Be in the present moment. Forget about what happened in the past; the future is something that is just going to happen. But if you want a better future, you create it, take the means in your hands, believe it, create it’.
At least, here was something I believed in. Living in the present. Accepting the duality in life. Creating an album of good memories. Forgetting the past baggage and concentrating on the next chapter to write in life.
Thank you, Djokovic, for your small mercies and for not completely spoiling my Sunday and the coming weeks.
NET NET
I was confused by my reactions. Was the milestone of the 500th consecutive week of writing worth celebrating?
The heart said yes, and the mind said- how stupid. How small is it? How unplanned was it? Was I going to celebrate something that just happened and was never the original plan?
So, I shifted the grand celebration to the day I will complete my 500th article on MXMIndia.com, and it is a good few months away.
I hope Djokovic will not create further doubts and spoil the day while speaking at the Wimbledon or US Open.
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