The two young women who played the US open 2021 finals today have very short Wikipedia pages. Not a surprise at all!! Emma Raducanu is eighteen years old, and Leyla Annie Fernandez is nineteen. How much can one talk about two players not yet out of their teens? There is nothing to document in Wiki, except the basic facts of where they were born, who are their parents, how far have they been educated, and what WTA tournaments have they participated in so far. That’s all. About Tennis, their wins, their achievements, nothing at all because both the players are just beginning to flower in their professional careers. A few weeks ago, if anyone were asked to name the top twenty women players in the international circuit, chances are very unlikely that either of these two names would have made the list, except that of the most ardent statistically oriented tennis enthusiasts. Yet, today, in the hallowed Arthur Ashe stadium at New York, packed with tennis fans congregating after a pandemic induced hibernation of nearly two years, Layla and Emma entertained the cheering crowd with a rare breed of tennis that is only possible, when there is nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Both the competitors had no reputation to protect, no Grand slam numbers to play for, no corporate endorsements to satisfy, or no emotional stress to cope with. The teenagers simply enjoyed themselves on the court, bubbling with energy and verve for the game they love. They played the game with all the natural instinct, cultivated talent, and razor-sharp focus they could muster, and nothing more. In the end, It didn’t matter who won or lost, both walked off the court as champions.
Between the two players and their respective parental lineage, six countries were represented on the center court. On Emma’s side, it is England, Canada, Romania, and China; and on Layla’s side, it is Canada, Ecuador, and the Philippines. The final was truly a world event in all sense of the term. It is remarkable how, in recent years, Canada has been producing some stunning tennis players. Canada did well in the Tokyo Olympics too. The country won 24 medals in total. For England, success in tennis hasn’t been that consistent in the last few decades. Yes, Andy Murray, Tim Henman, Greg Rudeski come to mind on the Men’s side, but in the women’s department, no one really has made a mark since the great Virginia Wade, who strode the grass and hard courts during the 1970s with grace and technique. Emma’s victory breaks one of the longest dry spells in tennis for England since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977. Lady Virginia Wade was in attendance today at the Arthur Ashe stadium to witness a possible resurrection of English Women’s tennis. She wasn’t disappointed. Perhaps, it is too early to pin Emma as a superstar. But if today’s game in the final is anything to go by, there is definitely an abundance of talent, poise, and style in the young English girl to compete at the highest levels for a long time. But, we will have to wait for some more time to see if that happens or not.
I couldn’t watch this US open as much as I would have liked to, but I did catch up with the highlights of most games, especially Layla’s and Emma’s. There are few striking features in the style of play of both the ladies. They are fast, have incredible anticipation, movement, and racket preparation, and more importantly, an all-around game with no visible weakness in any area. Their serves are powerful and well-directed and intelligently mixed. The impetuosity of youth shows sometimes in the shot selection, but that should improve with experience and maturity. Both are good athletes, and rarely tire. They play the game with an unencumbered mind with no emotional baggage at this point, and therefore their tennis is focussed and effortless. The usual errors and mistakes do creep in, but that is the very nature of the game. During crucial points that matter, the ladies are able to lift their games to a higher level, and the exchange of strokes during those transcendental moments of play achieves a sublime quality.
Some may argue that Layla and Emma had a relatively easy Grand slam. That is not true at all. It is not their fault if many top-ranked players opted out of the tournament quoting all kinds of reasons. In my opinion, even if some big names had played, the results would have been no different. Honestly, it is time for a few in the top five to retire gracefully and a few others to seriously reevaluate their careers in tennis. Between Layla and Emma, Layla had to play out of her skin in the few matches leading up to the final. Emma, on the other hand, was so dominant in all her games that she didn’t drop a set during the whole tournament. In balance, both players really worked their way to the finals and duly deserved their berth there.
So, do we now put Layla and Emma on a pedestal as the future of women’s tennis? The answer is “No”. It is better we don’t, and it is better if both these young ladies are not dragged into the miasmic world of excessive corporate endorsement for another few years, and also stay away from playing relentless tennis throughout the year. Let them enjoy the game, take a break, have fun, play when they want to, and how much they wish to. Let not tennis become a burden to them. In today’s media and the digitally soaked world, it is easy to burn out, as Naomi Osaka has clearly shown us. It is easy to be captivated by the glitter and fame, but the difficulty is to undo the effects. A considerable responsibility now rests with the parents of these girls. All of a sudden, their children have turned superstars. It can be dizzying, and intoxicating if the emotions are not held in check. Watching and reading the interviews of the parents, I am confident, they know what to do. That is good news for tennis.
For now, a standing round of applause to the two champions.
God bless…
Yours in mortality,
Bala
Nice review. Young genaration are playing very well we are proud of them👍👍🌹🌹
Thank you