3.7.08

Sports trivia

This might very well be my first sports post, but it's really more of a quiz trivia post.

*****************************************************
Consider this.

Borg played right-handed, so does Federer.
McEnroe played left-handed, so does Nadal.

Borg was the "Ice Man", Federer is the unruffled one.
McEnroe was pumped up and emotional, Nadal loves bicep-flexing cries of Vamos!

Borg and McEnroe wore headbands, not caps, so do Federer and Nadal.

Borg won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title beating McEnroe, in a five-setter that pushed him more than he had been pushed in a Wimbledon final before.
Federer won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title beating Nadal, in a five-setter that pushed him more than he had been pushed in a Wimbledon final before.

Borg was runner-up to McEnroe, while going for his sixth straight Wimbledon title.
Federer is likely to meet Nadal in the final*, while going for his sixth straight Wimbledon title.

There are differences, I admit.

Borg almost single-handedly popularised the two-handed backhand, while Federer is one of the few left with a single-handed backhand.
Borg was going for his 12th Slam title, Federer's going for his 13th.
And crucially, Borg came into Wimbledon having won the French for four straight years, while it's Nadal who holds that streak in the current game.

But it's interesting, is it not, to wonder if history will repeat itself?

Also, if you are, who're you rooting for - Rafa or The Fed?


Update:

WHAT.
A.
Match!

Not that I wanted him to win at first, but hey, he sure as heck earned it.

...the next time I do trivia-analysis, I'm gonna bet on it.


* Much as I love the theatre that Safin provides, he's not as lovable or as tragic a figure as Ivanisevic was, so I'm hoping for the hoped-for matchup in the final. And good weather, of course!

14 comments:

km said...

Borg did some heavy drugs (and tried suicide) but the Mac did pot (and steroids).

This analogy does not bode well for Federer and Nadal.

??! said...

Heh.

Borg designs clothes now, and so does Federer. But do you really see Nadal commentating a la McEnroe?

NightWatchmen said...

Roger Roger Roger.....for all the talk of me being talked about as a cricket fanatic by most of my friends I cannot think of one sportsperson who has given me so much joy and left me in raptures with his play....(ok ok the hyderabadi in me is screaming something beginning with a V)

And finally there is someone who thinks the same that I did of Ivanisevic, his win in 2001 was so moving.....

??! said...

NW:
Welcome back. And it's "I" now is it?

Ivanisevic was meant to win that year, even at the cost of Henman and Rafter. His interviews alone were worth it.

The Hyderabadi in you should also be shouting something from A...

NightWatchmen said...

Aha the I is because a blogger we love to read has not written in a long time :)

Oh yeah considering Azhar was a person I bowled to when I was 8 years old ya bet and must say never been happier

Anonymous said...

IF I cared about tennis (hope my little brother doesnt read this), I'd probably root for The Fed. And talking tragic losses... are you old enough to remember Ivan Lendl? Poor guy, never won Wimbledon even once...

Szerelem said...

The Fed!!!

Also - omg that Ivanisevic final was the best ever. I got all my fiends to say they wanted him to win and promised to treat them if he won - which I did. I was broke for a while after that.

??! said...

NW:
Oh good stuff that. Keep the ball safely did you?

shyam:
I didn't much care for Lendl - but I did care for Edberg at the French. He lost to frikkin' Michael Chang!

szer:
Wow...you're a soft touch aren't you? Must remember that :)

Szerelem said...

why'd you thin i wasn't?!

Szerelem said...

think*

??! said...

I didn't think you weren't, I just didn't know you were.

Anki said...

one day i'm going to be one of those girls holding up a hand painted poster saying 'marry me roger'

If he agrees ... this streak will end

Unknown said...

safin might just suprise all of us.. otherwise fed for 6

??! said...

anki:
well, maybe we could all stand around you with posters pointing arrows at you and saying "marry her, roger". Although I suspect Mirka won't let go that easily.

the saint:
Yeh, I'm just thinking back to the 2005 Australian. Hmmm...