I decided to sit
down recently and watch a replay of the final match of this year’s ExxonMobil
Open in Doha
It is Tsonga
against Monfils and I’m loving watching these two French countrymen battle it
out on court. It may not look like this at a glance as both players are such
gentlemen on court.
Looking at the
actual play of game, they are mixing it up with some killer angled shots,
powerful deep shots and a few well-timed drop shots all answered by some deft
hands. Both men are usually carrying a smile between points and Monfils has a
grin on him which is infectious at times.
It’s as if two
friends got together to play a friendly game, but both were going to give it
their all to come out the victor.
But, if one more
player was going to slip or fall to the court, I was going to Google or Ask
somebody for a phone number to a tournament official or even one of the
janitors.
I understand the
weather conditions in the Persian
Gulf region as I
have spent time there particularly within relative proximity to a body of water
or on one. Quatar (not pronounced as gutter or gitter as I have heard so many news
people do) is after all a rather small island for a nation.
At certain times of
the year one does not have to be concerned with sweating. It’s done for you –
just step outside and walk into the sweat.
I can understand
the court in general being moist as these clouds of mist were sprinkling down,
but something gained my attention as soon as I began watching this match. Quatar
is painted, laminated, stenciled or whatever within several feet of the
baseline on both sides.
I don’t know that I
have ever noticed this kind of advertising or promotion on any other pro
tournament court. I remember when Mercedes became an innovator of on-court
advertising and I was waiting to see their hood ornament atop the center strap
at one of the Slams. It may have been less of a hindrance and potential vehicle
for injury than this patch of slick lettering at Khalifa International Tennnis
& Squash Complex.
Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani already has his name on the complex so I
guess they had to do something. What kind of hazard would this have been at over
40 letters? Perhaps Quatar was not such a bad choice.
But please, after this was recognized, couldn’t someone managing this event
have called for this area to mopped or toweled dry between serves? Qatar has enough
surplus revenue to have Donald Trump and a bunch of celebrity apprentices dry
off about six feet of court. In fact, Qatar could probably buy Rhode Island if
it weren’t for all the wealth and pedigree, but that International Tennis Hall
of Fame does look pretty darn attractive.
The guys that clean off the court during NBA games are fast and they don’t
have a whole lot of time before two to possibly ten gargantuan men are bounding
and charging back down the hardwood.
Get rid of the lettering before the next tournament, any tournament. Da huh?
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