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Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
He's Supposed to be a College Freshman. Instead, He's Lighting Up the French Open.
Paris The sun-baked court at the far end of Roland-Garros was so loud that Joao Fonseca couldn't hear himself speak. Everywhere he turned, he was met by the noise of fans in the canary-yellow jerseys of Brazil's national soccer team. They were all chanting his name. This, Fonseca realized, was how it feels to be one of the most exciting teenagers in tennis. 'Sometimes I feel goosebumps,' the 18-year-old said after punching his ticket to the third round of the French Open. 'It's a vibe that I can't explain.' Fonseca isn't the only one at a loss for words. His formidable talent had been talked about for years in junior circles, but his emergence on tour wasn't expected to happen for at least another season or two. Under his original plan, Fonseca was supposed to have spent this past year as a freshman at the University of Virginia. Instead, Fonseca turned pro before he ever enrolled in school. 'How old is he? Is he still in diapers?' seven-time major winner Venus Williams joked on the TNT broadcast. 'I wish I was hitting like that at that age.' That purity every time he strikes a ball had already secured him an endorsement deal at age 16 with On, the brand part-owned by Roger Federer. Then in 2023, Fonseca won the U.S. Open boys' title and finished the year as the world's No. 1-ranked junior. 'Joao could have gone to whatever school he wanted,' UVA's director of tennis Andres Pedroso wrote in an email. Only the real question wasn't where he would end up, but how long he might stay. Pedroso understood when he recruited Fonseca that there was a real chance he would never suit up for the Cavaliers. Still, he figured it was a risk worth taking. 'His parents and his coach were very up front from the beginning that at any point he could turn pro,' Pedroso wrote. 'Ultimately it would be Joao's decision.' Fonseca tested the professional waters by playing an ATP 500 tournament in Rio in February 2023. Though he was bageled in his very first set and lost his only match in little over an hour, he felt that the pro circuit was the place for him. Fonseca's mind was made up. 'It was an incredibly tough decision for me and my family as I have been dreaming about living a college life in Charlottesville,' Fonseca wrote at the time. 'But, in the last few months, professional tennis called me in a way that I simply couldn't say 'no.'' Every day since has served as a reminder that he made the right call. At this season's Australian Open, Fonseca stunned world No. 9 Andrey Rublev, becoming the youngest man ever to take down a top-10 player in the 52-year history of the ATP rankings. Along the way, he also happened to crack the hardest forehand of the entire tournament at 112 mph. Fonseca followed it up in February by claiming his first tour-level title in Buenos Aires. 'He has the fire in the racket but he has the fire also in his personality,' veteran coach and analyst Patrick Mouratoglou said at the time. Fonseca's matches around Roland-Garros are easy to find—they're the ones you can hear even before you approach the stands. Through the first two rounds, Brazilian fans packed Court No. 7, then Court No. 14, with many more stuck in the long lines at the entrance. It's been a while since they had anyone to be this excited about. Brazil has only ever produced one men's Grand Slam winner and he left fans with a few indelible memories of Paris. Gustavo Kuerten, the curly-haired clay-court specialist, won the French Open three times between 1997 and 2001. 'He's a legend for us Brazilians,' Fonseca said. Like his hero, Fonseca grew up with an appreciation for the clay. That comfort was obvious on Thursday as he slid around in a slugfest against Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. The turning point was a second-set tiebreak that saw Fonseca crank up his level and eventually take the match in straight sets. 'Something happens when he really goes for it on his forehand,' Herbert said. 'There were two in the second set that really went through the air fast and traumatized me in the tiebreak.' The Brazilian fans responded by turning the stands into their little corner of Rio. And on Saturday, they'll be back to watch Fonseca face No. 5 Jack Draper of Great Britain in one of the matches of the third round. 'The expectations are going to come. People are going to talk,' Fonseca says. 'It's normal. You need to deal with it.' Write to Joshua Robinson at
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Warrior by Christopher Clarey: The nice guy you wouldn't want to face across the net…
The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and his kingdom of clay by Christopher Clarey (John Murray £22, 360pp) What a privilege it's been for tennis fans – no, for sports fans everywhere, for anyone who admires excellence – to have lived through the game's Golden Age, the era of the 'Big Three'. There's Roger Federer in his stylish branded whites, effortlessly firing off exquisite winners while occasionally flicking away a bead of sweat with his little finger. There's the Serbian Novak Djokovic, like some supranatural Transylvanian being who wouldn't give up even if you buried him outside the court and put a stake through his heart – he would still find a way to leap out and defend the next point. And finally here's Rafael Nadal, Rafa the inexhaustible fighter, the force of nature, never ever knowing he was beaten. Never-say-die Rafa, with his obsessive on-court rituals, lining up his water bottles and touching his nose before each serve. Rafa the great, perhaps the most likeable of them all. With his muscles bulging out of his sleeveless shirt, his ferocious hitting and his intense focus, he could look scary and remote, but when he pulled off his bandana and shook out his sweat-soaked hair, a sweet boyish smile would spread across his face. Humble and surprisingly shy, Nadal was born into a prosperous middle-class family, in Majorca, but he had no airs and graces. I saw him once on a budget airline flight, in the early stages of his career, stuffing his tennis rackets into the overhead compartment. He would always stay behind to talk to tournament staff, everyone from referees to media room typists, thank them personally and sign autographs. Guy Forget, the former French No 1 and tournament director, put it like this: 'He was always very polite, he showed respect for everybody. Some guys walk in like they own the place. Rafa was always connecting with people, from the guy who does the court to the referees, to anybody he sees. That's why people like him so much, because he hasn't changed for all these years, with all that fame and success.' This year the French Open, currently under way at Roland Garros in Paris, is for the first time in three decades not playing host to Nadal, its greatest ever champion. Finally, the body gave out, the pace was too much, and it was time for Rafa to stop. Even that gladiatorial fighter had to retire last year, aged 38, amid much tearfulness from all and sundry. Fittingly, French tennis laid on a spectacular and hugely emotional tribute to their great champion on the first afternoon of this year's tournament. With at least 90-odd members of Rafa's family and stars past and present on centre court, as well as the band being brought back together when Federer, Djokovic and Andy Murray came on for a special appearance, this was always going to be a tear-stained afternoon. Rafa himself was weeping and there wasn't a dry eye in the house, certainly not from me. But this masterful and exhaustive portrait from one of the world's leading tennis writers should be some compensation. Christopher Clarey, the long-time sports correspondent for the New York Times, has interviewed Nadal and his associates countless times since he made his debut as a pro in 2001, and The Warrior is an affectionate biography of one of the world's greatest athletes. But it is much more, too. Between them, the Big Three won a scarcely believable 66 Grand Slam titles. Federer won 20, Djokovic, who is still ploughing on at the age of 37, has won 24, and Nadal 22, of which an unsurpassable 14 came on the clay of Roland Garros. I say unsurpassable, and of course it could be bettered, that's what records are for, but it's hard to imagine. Before Nadal came along, the man who had won most French Open titles was Bjorn Borg. He won six, a triumph that prompted Ilie Nastase to say it would never be beaten. But he hadn't met Nadal. It was always likely that Nadal would be a sportsman of some kind. One uncle played football for Barcelona and Spain; another, the irrepressible Uncle Toni, was a former tennis player who saw his nephew's talent from an early age. But it wasn't easy. A natural right-hander, under Uncle Toni, Nadal turned himself into a ferocious left-hander, sustained by the belief that suffering and pain were to be embraced. He grew up playing on the clay courts at Manacor, his hometown and base of his tennis academy which now occupies most of his energies. He was clearly a teenage prodigy. At 12 he had signed with Nike. At 14 he beat former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, and at 19 he won his first French Open. He was blessed with unique hand speed and power, and hit with blistering topspin. Murray has ruefully described how tiring it was, when playing Nadal, to keep hitting the ball from shoulder level, such was the power of his topspin. And to play well on clay, you had to know how to slide to return a shot, and Nadal could slide equally effectively to his left and right. Richard Gasquet, a hugely talented one-time French No 1, and a teenage rival of Nadal, said after one defeat: 'When I came off court I told my father, 'It's over, that's the new champion of Roland Garros. There's no doubt.' I saw very quickly that he was an extra-terrestrial.' Among the rich commentary from other star players, Jim Courier talks most illuminatingly about Nadal's extraordinary competitiveness. 'It's the attitude, the way he handles defeat, the way he handles success. He's the Kipling quote [on triumph and disaster, from the poem If] come to life. As famous as that guy is, he's never seemed famous. He's the guy who cleans up the practice court when he's done. He's not entitled in the least . . .' Then Courier chokes up. 'It's hard not to break a racket. The guy's never broken a racket.' Nadal's uncle Toni taught him that breaking a racket would be showing a lack of respect to those who either have to buy their rackets, or cannot afford them. What moved Courier, says Clarey, was Nadal's dualities: the blend of self-control with competitive passion; of modesty with ambition; and relentless destructive force with ingrained common decency. Clarey, as you would expect, writes about some of Nadal's greatest victories away from Roland Garros, the breathtaking 2008 Wimbledon final when Nadal finally overcame Federer in gathering darkness after hours of thrilling, rain-interrupted battle – the best tennis match I have ever seen. 'This is sports,' Nadal said. 'It's a competition so of course my goal is to finish with the most. But for me it truly never has been an obsession. I was never looking over to see if someone had more than me, if their house was bigger or their phone was better. Whatever happens, Roger, Novak and I have all made our dreams come true.' You can't argue with that. And if you have ever held a racket or seen a champion play, you will find this splendid book a rich source of pleasure and inspiration.
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
‘The Warrior' Review: The King of Roland Garros
Writing about sports is an art—complete with its own conventions and clichés. At its best, it can sound like this: 'Clay is to [Rafael] Nadal what water is to Michael Phelps or midair is to Simone Biles: a natural habitat suited to serial success. Clay was paradoxically not Nadal's favorite surface in his youth, but it was and will forever remain his best surface.' That's a passage from Christopher Clarey's 'The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay.' It's a scintillating account of the elastic Spaniard's epic run to the pinnacle of men's professional tennis—a 23-year career in which he won 92 titles on the pro tour, among them 14 on clay at the French Open, six on hard courts at the U.S. and Australian Opens, and two more on Wimbledon's fabled grass center court. Still, Mr. Nadal trails Jimmy Connors, who won 109, and Roger Federer, at 103. Mr. Clarey, a former sports reporter for the New York Times and the author of a biography of Mr. Federer, is especially good at analyzing Mr. Nadal's prodigious shot-making skills:
Independent Singapore
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
Rafael Nadal to be 'excited' to have a friendly match against iconic rival Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal would be delighted and excited about the idea of playing against his iconic rival, Roger Federer, in a friendly exhibition match, according to Rafael's former coach and uncle, Toni Nadal. Nadal and Federer had one of the most exciting rivalry matches in tennis history as they fought each other 40 times, including 14 Grand Slam matches. Their last official match was in 2019, in which Federer defeated Nadal in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Moreover, both athletes played several exhibition matches during their careers, especially while they were still playing on the tour. The last one was in 2020 in Cape Town, where they played in front of 51,954 people. Federer then retired from professional tennis in 2022, and Nadal recently retired two years later in 2024. Toni Nadal said that he believes that an exhibition match between the tennis stars will happen soon. He stated that fans might not have to wait long to see their tennis greats share the court once again. ' I imagine he would like to play an exhibition match with Federer soon, to give back a little of what tennis has given him and what tennis has meant to him,' Toni expressed. Furthermore, Toni Nadal also admitted that it would be much more 'special' if Nadal and Federer had a chance to play against another long-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Recently, Djokovic defeated Mackenzie McDonald in the first round of the French Open. Toni Nadal also said, 'It would be very special for people to see the three of them playing again. And yes, I think they'll have to do something, because I suppose it will motivate people to see them play again in the future… I think I've been close enough to him to know him a little and know that he would be excited to play Federer.' 'Tennis has been a big part of his life; it has meant a lot to him, and you can't just erase that from one day to the next,' he added. When Toni was asked about when these matches might happen, he did not give an exact date. He stated: 'After these months away from the courts, I think that at some point he will want to get back to training and feel that he is hitting the ball well… I am convinced that he will play again soon, quite soon.' See also Golden gift from Shanti Pereira and Remy Ong to National Museum In this year's French Open, Rafael Nadal was given a special tribute for his legendary contribution to the tournament. In a social media post, the athlete shared, 'I don't know where to start, because after playing on this court for the last 20 years, after enjoying, suffering, winning, losing, and most of all, after being moved every time I've had the chance to be here! (translated)' Nadal added, 'Roland-Garros is unique, not only because he is a fundamental part of the history of tennis, but also thanks to all the people who work there tirelessly, always with a smile, to make this tournament what it is: UNIQUE…. Thank you France 🇫🇷, thank you Paris! (translated)' Netizens flooded Rafael Nadal's social media with messages of admiration and appreciation following his emotional tribute at Roland-Garros. One wrote, 'Thank you for everything, Rafa! You are legend not only in tennis but also in sports. You're an inspiration on and off the court! A tribute to the height of the immense champion that you are.' Another echoed the sentiment, 'It's a testament to how loved and adored Rafa is in the tennis world that his retirement continues to stir so many emotions. We love you Rafa. Thanks for the memories. And dear French People, pure class 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻.' In another social media post, Rafael Nadal posted a photo of himself with Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray with the caption: 'Thank you guys ☺️… From the bottom of my heart!' Fans warmly embraced the moment. 'Legends. The best rivalries! The finest gentlemen! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ How lucky we are to witness this era of tennis! 🎾' wrote one. Another added, 'The greatest era of men's tennis ❤️.'
Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
No misery here — this memoir will have you giggling for pages at a time
It's amazing that it's taken so long for Geoff Dyer to write a memoir. Most of his wide-ranging, thought-provoking and entertaining books are as much about him as what they're supposed to be about — whether he's visiting war memorials (The Missing of the Somme), watching Where Eagles Dare (' Broadsword Calling Danny Boy ') or failing to write a book about DH Lawrence (Out of Sheer Rage). Perhaps this man with 'a willingness to share and display all the psychological nooks and naked crannies of my life' thought there was nothing more of himself to cover. But of course there is, and after a book about endings (The Last Days of Roger Federer) comes a book about beginnings: Dyer's own. Where did this smart, funny man come from? The short answer is . . . Cheltenham, and Homework covers Dyer's childhood and adolescence there. (The long answer is . . . read the book, or at least this review, and find out.) On the face of it Dyer's upbringing was nothing special: he was born in 1958, an only child to a lower-middle-class family, and his youth was filled with 1960s and 1970s cultural touchstones, from Eagle and Beezer comics to The Generation Game and Stingray on television. But it's the way Dyer tells his story of 'England, my England' that sets it apart. He riffs on everything he remembers, from the never-used front room of his childhood home — 'because of its unused-ness there was no point in staying in it (nothing to do there) and so its strange negative power was reinforced' — to the footbaths in swimming pools that were 'intended to prevent the spread of verrucas but it was difficult to avoid the suspicion that this was where we caught them'. The era is evoked not just by the events and objects but by the language we no longer use. 'What's a homo?' Dyer asks a knowledgeable schoolfriend. 'It's a double spastic,' comes the reply. A good memoir needs to be both particular and universal, which Dyer achieves by applying his idiosyncratic world view to experiences many of us will recognise. This means his characteristic blend of frivolity and profundity — he is 'most at home in the idiom of the ironic switchback' — enables him to go from a funny anecdote about his inept diving skills to a reflection on how we construct our lives around things we choose not to do as much as what we do. His ability to entertain can seem effortless. When he works up a routine about his childhood love for sugar — 'And the extraordinary thing? It did us no harm!' — and then develops it into a rant about how the 'slop' served at school dinners was even worse than the slop served at home, I was more or less constantly giggling for pages at a time. (The closest thing I've read to this is Don Paterson's equally brilliant memoir Toy Fights — which Dyer mentions in Homework. It's a weird meta moment, like seeing a character on EastEnders watching Coronation Street.) But Dyer also makes us think about things. Looking at old family snaps, he observes that a photo doesn't spur memory — 'the photograph is memory. If I remember the weather of my childhood as perpetually sunny that is because photographs were only taken on days when the light was deemed sufficient.' The recent past always seems strange because of its proximity, and selective memory feeds unhelpful nostalgia, but it's hard not to feel something's been lost when Dyer remembers the joy of buying books from the corner shop (or Virginia Woolf novels in Woolworths!). Homework is also about how we differ from our parents and the points at which our lives diverge. For Dyer this was passing the 11-plus — 'the most momentous event of my life . . . Everything else that has happened could not have happened were it not for that'. It took him to grammar school and then to Oxford — away from Cheltenham, away from his mum and dad. The moment when part of our life becomes 'incommunicable' to our parents is always a minor tragedy for them, always essential for us. Dyer's father at first seems more fully explored than his mother. He's a 'passionate creosoter', a reluctant allotment tenant, a man of extreme reticence (not a quality passed on to his son) and miserliness for whom 'the idea of indulgence or pleasure played no part in his make-up . . . He never invested himself wholeheartedly in anything except saving money.' But then Dyer's mother comes to the fore late in the book, with an extraordinarily moving account of an aspect of her life that 'even mentioning is a betrayal'; it curtailed her ambitions and showed how the strangest, most innocent things can become destructive obsessions. If you've read Dyer before then you'll need no persuasion to read this book. If you haven't, it's the perfect place to start, because you don't need to be interested in any of Dyer's obsessions (tennis, jazz, Russian cinema) to enjoy it. You just need to be interested in great writing, in the eccentricities of people, or in life. That should cover pretty much everyone.
