Natural Talent Versus Guts and Determination
I was at a friends house watching the Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal French Open final. Unfortunately for me, Federer lost to the current king of clay, Rafa. I just can't stand Rafael Nadal. I find his fighting style so obnoxious. One of the commentators description at the end of the match really made me think though. He described Nadal as a "warrior" and that Federer needed some of that warrrior mentality if he is to win on clay which is a very slow surface where you have to grind out points.
The commentators words are very accurate. When you watch Federer play Nadal on clay, you always have this sense of the envitable and that Nadal will be able to grind out a win. The way Nadal plays is similar to how I used to feel about Lleyton Hewitt as well. These players aren't blessed with the total natural abilities of others, but yet have been able to be so successful because they train hard and fight things out. They use pure will power to win some of their tougher matches.
We all would love to be blessed with natural talent like Roger Federer and make things look so elegant and easy. I guess that's why so many, like myself, admire him. We all wished that we were that lucky and could make things that seem so hard by others look like a stroll in the park.
However, Roger Federers are few and far between. In fact, a lot of people who are blessed with natural talent don't go on to do well at all. These people lacking that fighting quality to take them to the next step. There lies the solution for all of us. Even if we aren't blessed with natural talent, every one of us can work hard and fight to achieve what we want. Although it may not be pretty sometime, being able to achieve that final result is testament to what type of character you are.
So although I hate watching tennis players like Nadal and Hewitt, I definitely respect them for being such competitive and driven individuals. They have managed to succeed using what talents they have and working extremely hard to improve other aspects of themselves, a trait that is well worth admiring. I just wish it wasn't so hard to work hard. Why couldn't I have been born with heaps of natural talent hahaha.
posted by thanh7580 @ 9:03 PM
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4 Comments:
i disagree
Nadals style of play is more on chasing down every ball and relying on Federer to make a mistake. Nadal is Hewitt 2.0. The slower clay courts allow Nadal to chase down the ball and put pressure on Federer to make a mistake.
So really...your admiring clay court style which has consistently been Federers thorn in getting the Grand Slam.
So is Hweitt and Nadal as talented as everyone thinks they are? I would say no. Have they been consistently churning out results like Federer? No.
Or have i completely missed the point of your post?
Oh and one more thing; dont u think that clay court is sorta boring to watch?
Alan, well the post was more about people being born with natural talent and some having to work hard to get where they are. I was just using the tennis players as an example.
However, to take you up on your argument, here goes. I think Hewitt and Nadal are talented due to their hard work. They don't have natural weapons and like you say, have to run down balls. But they still make the shots when they count. If it was that easy to merely run down balls, a lot of other players with that style would also succeed. Consistency in itself is a skill.
And Nadal and Hewitt have been consistently achieving very good results. Hewitt was number 1 for like 3 years in a row, you don't do that by just fluking it. Nadal won as many tournaments as Federer did last year and this year is the leading tournament winner. If you compare anyone to Federer, they would all look terrible, but Nadal and Hewitt (Hewitt is finding some form of late) are in that same elite league.
Finally, I do find clay rather boring. The fact that the French Open always has these winners that you never hear of again says something about how specialised a surface it is and that you have to just play on that particular surface from young. Who can remember past winners like Sergi Bruguera, Albert Costa and Gaston Gaudio. They aren't exactly legends of the game are they.
Bring on Wimbledon, where good shots actually produce winners.
Shut up Mr.Do of Vision Systems
It's good that Federer doesn't win everything. Nadal was a worthy champion and took him down fair and square. Guts and determination is a talent in itself. So Nadal has both. I coulnd't give s**t about Hewitt. He should not be in comparison with Nadal. Nadal doesn't whine about every single thing that goes against him (e.g. the court is too slow, blah blah)
Every sport needs competition. Otherwise you should just watch Hollywood movies where the "good guy" always win with a happy ending.
I'm a Ferrari fan but I still thought the end of the dominance was sorta of a good thing. Give some one else a go and give them their dues everytime they beat your love child Federer.
It's Mr Do of ex Vision Systems thank you.
Nadal played well, I didn't disagree with that. As for guts and determination being a talent, I don't think that quite fits the word talent. It is a skill though I guess.
So I want Federer to win everything, what's so bad about that. I just love his style of play.
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