If only history did not relentlessly seem to recycle events and moments!
Only days after President Carter’s State funeral, we are hopefully witnessing the implementation of a ceasefire to the Gaza conflict after fifteen months of conflict. The length of the conflict nearly mirrors the days that Americans were held hostage in their embassy in Tehran after the Iranian revolution of 1979, an event that paralysed and doomed the Carter presidency.
President Carter negotiated the release of the hostages until the last day of his term in office, with the hostages being released on the day of his successor’s inauguration. The Ayatollah cruelly denied Carter the accolade of being President when the hostages were released. A mere forty-four years later, President Biden, one of Carter’s earliest supporters, sees the final days of his administration dominated by the Gaza ceasefire process.
Carter’s funeral itself saw a temporal ceasefire in American politics. The five living Presidents and the Vice President sat in two pews. Hillary Clinton abutted George W. Bush Jnr in this mix of Democrats and Republicans. Much was made of the fact that Donald Trump was seen to be having a pleasant interchange with former President Obama. The memes flowed about what they may have talked about.
It says much about the cultural change in American, if not Western politics, that the main eulogy for President Carter was delivered by the son of his political rival, Gerald Ford, yet there was astonishment that more recent and contemporary rivals could, or should, be civil.
The polite ceasefire has not lasted long. Days approaching an inauguration are often ‘lame duck’ affairs, with more attention being given to who will perform at half-time during the Superbowl which takes place in the days after a President assumes or renews their term in office. Not in 2025.
The wildfires that have engulfed Los Angeles have provided an ominous backdrop to the start of President Trump’s second presidency.
The fires seem to symbolise much of modern America and its political zeitgeist. The firestorm that claimed more than a score of lives was a reminder of America’s score of problems: the profound gap between the rich and the poor; the decline in essential community services which sees a mighty nation not able to provide an effective firefighting response-what did Galbraith say about “private wealth and public squalor”?; the ongoing environmental debate about the effects of climate change and the cultural and political divide within America’s Federation between a liberal California and an incoming conservative administration.
And Americans, thanks to President Trump’s musings are having to think about colder climes. The incoming President has spoken about reclaiming Greenland and, mockingly, has talked about Canada becoming the 51st State of the Union. Not even repelling such overtures has been enough to save Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who reeling from internecine party strife has announced his resignation.
Trump’s supporters see Trudeau’s profound fall from favour as proof of the rejection of the “woke” DEI agenda of progressive politics. Ironically, Trump has also been talking about reclaiming the Panama Canal, territory that was ceded to Panama by the Carter administration. Let’s hope there is someone in his cabal that can remind him of the Suez crisis in 1956!
So who will be the champions of the Australian Open this year, only a few days after Trump is inaugurated?
One thing is for certain and that it is neither singles champion will be a wildcard entry. Australian tennis officialdom generously granted fifteen wildcard entries to the tournament, nine of which were for Australian players. As the second weekend of the tournament approaches, eight of the wildcards had lost in the first round; all had lost by the second round.
Sentiment and generosity often governs the granting of wildcards especially to local players; however, the lopsided scores of some of the matches involving Wildcard players, especially Australian female players were sad to see. The road to tennis oblivion may be paved with good intentions. Similarly, there was some ignominy in seeing Stan Wawrinka, a former champion and the beneficiary of a wildcard, lose his first round match on an outside court.
In 1977, a young American qualifier called John McEnroe reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon. This year in Melbourne two young guns have been equally startling, both defeating top-ten seeded players. Playing in his first Grand Slam tournament, Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, aged 18 ousted Andrey Rublev, seeded 9 in straight sets. He lost his next match in five sets, but has made his mark.
Not to be outdone Jakub Mensik from Czechia defeated sixth seed, Casper Ruud in his second round match.
It is the first time since 2006 that a Grand Slam tournament has seen two teenage players beat two top 10 players. Back then it was Djokovic and Murray, who can now converse with each other as player and coach in the newly introduced courtside coaches’ boxes. Controversial in the eyes of many, the boxes see the coaches closer to the players than the living Presidents were to Carter’s casket.
In the Women’s draw, it is hard to see anyone outside of Swiatek, Sabalenka or Gauff winning the title. And, possibly, Rybakina, who seems to be reclaiming the form that won her Wimbledon in 2022. Swiatek, however, can wilt in the heat and must play a resurgent Emma Raducanu in the third round. Remember Raducanu? She was the British prodigy that won the US Open in 2021. Sabalenka and Gauff are scheduled to meet for the tenth time in their semi-final, with Gauff having a narrow 5-4 lead in their rivalry.
Even if Novak Djokovic does not win an historic 25th title, he has already eclipsed another of Roger Federer’s records. By winning his second round match, Djokovic has now played more Grand Slam matches than any player, male or female. He has now played 430 matches in the majors and has won 379 of them. Federer still shades Djokovic in terms of most ATP titles won – 103-99- and has one more Wimbledon title. How ghastly and impossible it is to try and demarcate greatness!
If Djokovic is to win, he must prevail against both Alcaraz and Sinner, assuming they meet their seeded destinies. Alcaraz can achieve a career Grand Slam at a precocious age. Sinner, by defending his title would do much to silence his own doubts and those of his critics about the investigation of his misuse of banned substances.
De Minaur, as predicted, flies the flag for Australia’s first Men’s title since 1976 and his first. And there are players like Zverev and Fritz desperate to prove that they are not just occasional Grand Slam finalists.
As for tennis players, so it is for Presidents and humanity; all are engaged in the crafting and creation of legacies, some noble, some less so. And we all bear witness to the lasting consequences of our efforts and passions.
Carter’s funeral itself saw a temporal ceasefire in American politics. The five living Presidents and the Vice President sat in two pews. Hillary Clinton abutted George W. Bush Jnr in this mix of Democrats and Republicans. Much was made of the fact that Donald Trump was seen to be having a pleasant interchange with former President Obama. The memes flowed about what they may have talked about.
It says much about the cultural change in American, if not Western politics, that the main eulogy for President Carter was delivered by the son of his political rival, Gerald Ford, yet there was astonishment that more recent and contemporary rivals could, or should, be civil.
The polite ceasefire has not lasted long. Days approaching an inauguration are often ‘lame duck’ affairs, with more attention being given to who will perform at half-time during the Superbowl which takes place in the days after a President assumes or renews their term in office. Not in 2025.
The wildfires that have engulfed Los Angeles have provided an ominous backdrop to the start of President Trump’s second presidency.
The fires seem to symbolise much of modern America and its political zeitgeist. The firestorm that claimed more than a score of lives was a reminder of America’s score of problems: the profound gap between the rich and the poor; the decline in essential community services which sees a mighty nation not able to provide an effective firefighting response-what did Galbraith say about “private wealth and public squalor”?; the ongoing environmental debate about the effects of climate change and the cultural and political divide within America’s Federation between a liberal California and an incoming conservative administration.
And Americans, thanks to President Trump’s musings are having to think about colder climes. The incoming President has spoken about reclaiming Greenland and, mockingly, has talked about Canada becoming the 51st State of the Union. Not even repelling such overtures has been enough to save Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, who reeling from internecine party strife has announced his resignation.
Trump’s supporters see Trudeau’s profound fall from favour as proof of the rejection of the “woke” DEI agenda of progressive politics. Ironically, Trump has also been talking about reclaiming the Panama Canal, territory that was ceded to Panama by the Carter administration. Let’s hope there is someone in his cabal that can remind him of the Suez crisis in 1956!
So who will be the champions of the Australian Open this year, only a few days after Trump is inaugurated?
One thing is for certain and that it is neither singles champion will be a wildcard entry. Australian tennis officialdom generously granted fifteen wildcard entries to the tournament, nine of which were for Australian players. As the second weekend of the tournament approaches, eight of the wildcards had lost in the first round; all had lost by the second round.
Sentiment and generosity often governs the granting of wildcards especially to local players; however, the lopsided scores of some of the matches involving Wildcard players, especially Australian female players were sad to see. The road to tennis oblivion may be paved with good intentions. Similarly, there was some ignominy in seeing Stan Wawrinka, a former champion and the beneficiary of a wildcard, lose his first round match on an outside court.
In 1977, a young American qualifier called John McEnroe reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon. This year in Melbourne two young guns have been equally startling, both defeating top-ten seeded players. Playing in his first Grand Slam tournament, Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, aged 18 ousted Andrey Rublev, seeded 9 in straight sets. He lost his next match in five sets, but has made his mark.
Not to be outdone Jakub Mensik from Czechia defeated sixth seed, Casper Ruud in his second round match.
It is the first time since 2006 that a Grand Slam tournament has seen two teenage players beat two top 10 players. Back then it was Djokovic and Murray, who can now converse with each other as player and coach in the newly introduced courtside coaches’ boxes. Controversial in the eyes of many, the boxes see the coaches closer to the players than the living Presidents were to Carter’s casket.
In the Women’s draw, it is hard to see anyone outside of Swiatek, Sabalenka or Gauff winning the title. And, possibly, Rybakina, who seems to be reclaiming the form that won her Wimbledon in 2022. Swiatek, however, can wilt in the heat and must play a resurgent Emma Raducanu in the third round. Remember Raducanu? She was the British prodigy that won the US Open in 2021. Sabalenka and Gauff are scheduled to meet for the tenth time in their semi-final, with Gauff having a narrow 5-4 lead in their rivalry.
Even if Novak Djokovic does not win an historic 25th title, he has already eclipsed another of Roger Federer’s records. By winning his second round match, Djokovic has now played more Grand Slam matches than any player, male or female. He has now played 430 matches in the majors and has won 379 of them. Federer still shades Djokovic in terms of most ATP titles won – 103-99- and has one more Wimbledon title. How ghastly and impossible it is to try and demarcate greatness!
If Djokovic is to win, he must prevail against both Alcaraz and Sinner, assuming they meet their seeded destinies. Alcaraz can achieve a career Grand Slam at a precocious age. Sinner, by defending his title would do much to silence his own doubts and those of his critics about the investigation of his misuse of banned substances.
De Minaur, as predicted, flies the flag for Australia’s first Men’s title since 1976 and his first. And there are players like Zverev and Fritz desperate to prove that they are not just occasional Grand Slam finalists.
As for tennis players, so it is for Presidents and humanity; all are engaged in the crafting and creation of legacies, some noble, some less so. And we all bear witness to the lasting consequences of our efforts and passions.
Comments