CEBU, Philippines — Defer the debate on who is the greatest tennis player of all time. A journalist just titled Novak Djokovic loser of all time. This after the Serbian succumbed to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets at the Wimbledon finals, becoming the player to have lost 12 grand slam championships, the most by any man, just one above Roger Federer and Ivan Lendl. Although two women are still on top, Martina Navratilova lost 14 finals while Chris Evert lost 16 times. Hold it gender sensitive, history is not saying women are better at losing. It’s just plain numbers.
But Djoko’s father took offense and sought divine providence to help the man who called his son the greatest loser. How, he did not specify. He just prayed his best so his god will do the rest. How the divine responds to human plea, no one would ever know, except the expectant who interprets what happens according to their wishful thinking. Or, whether heaven rules it is derogatory, no one would ever know.
But it is, at least to the father of the 23-time grand slam winner. But for many other men who did not even reach a grand slam final, the number outnumbers, they dreamt of at least one but retired with none. More so since conversely, it brought Novak to a record 35 grand slam finals, the most by any player, man or woman.
For the literate at literature, the title greatest loser, like the biggest loser, could either be a paradox, hyperbole or pun, figures of speech that require discernment to appreciate. Otherwise, the reader is insulted like how idiots misread idiomatic expressions. Just as literal interpretation of the law is the first instinct of laymen, even of some lawyers, liberal interpretation the last.
For some, the commentary is funny. But obviously, the progenitor did not sense the humor. Maybe he felt it added insult to injury. The loss blocked Novak from tying the all-time non-record of 24 held by Margaret Court and the eight grass titles held by the Swiss Maestro. And, from running away from Serena Williams with whom he shares number 23. But experts say it was the weight of history that did him in.
Whatever, credit goes to Carlitos, the future of men’s tennis, even the present, who just tore down the once impenetrable wall of the big four at Wimbledon since he was born. Astoundingly, only four men won the grass championship since 2003. Federer won eight times and Djokovic seven. Nadal won twice, the first deemed greatest match in tennis history, at the expense of Federer. Andy Murray won a couple, the first extra special, having ended a 77-year wait for Great Britain to be great again, at the expense of Djokovic.
In this year’s final, Alcaraz and Djokovic went the distance worthy of a center court grand slam final. Down two sets, the defending champion did everything to even the match. He did, only to prolong his agony and realize he was jailed second best. From Alcaraz he could not escape.