Sometimes in sports, you sit in front of your TV screen and simply enjoy watching a match or a game. Other times, you walk away with lessons that can last you a lifetime.
Observing Rafael Nadal in action often leaves you with the latter – at least that was the case these past two weeks in Paris, where the Spaniard stormed to a record-extending 13th Roland Garros crown and a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam title.
Nadal triumphing on Parisian clay is nothing new; in fact he’s done it 100 times before, literally. The 34-year-old owns a 100-2 win-loss mark at the French Open, which might make you wonder: why is his victory over Novak Djokovic in the final on Sunday any different from what he’s achieved at Roland Garros in the past?
In some ways it wasn't. Nadal has had the upper hand against Djokovic in seven of their eight meetings on Paris' terre battue. But in a year like 2020, where everything has been different and the world has been turned on its head by a deadly virus, pulling off the same, consistent result as you've done in past seasons is in itself a miracle.
Nadal usually arrives in Paris each May with two or three titles under his belt, captured on his beloved clay. This year, he got to the French capital with just three matches contested on the surface in the build-up.
Also it wasn’t May, but September, since Roland Garros had to move in the calendar due to the pandemic. The weather was cold, the tournament had new heavier balls and the conditions were pretty much the opposite of what Nadal prefers to play on.
“I was also thinking that these conditions are more favourable to me. But Rafa has proven everybody wrong. That's why he's a great champion,” Djokovic said on Sunday following his crushing three-set defeat to the Mallorcan.
Nadal is known to be a creature of habit. He likes to stay in the same hotel each year in Paris during the tournament, he places his water bottles in exactly the same spot on court during matches, facing a certain way, and he goes through a meticulous routine before every serve he hits. Yet, it’s his capacity to adapt that gave him the edge this year at Roland Garros.
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Nadal's trophy tour
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“Rafa is Rafa. I think he knows how to improve. He knows how to practice, how to do everything. After [I beat him in] Rome, he goes straight to practice. He went to improve the things that he did bad in Rome. That's why he's in the final right now,” said Diego Schwartzman after his semi-final loss to Nadal in Paris on Friday.
Nadal doesn’t toot his own horn that often but he did give himself a pat on the back for his attitude towards everything he had to tackle during the tournament.
“I was able to adapt well. I was able to be positive in every circumstances that I was facing during the whole event, trying to accept all the challenges in terms of sometimes the feeling on the ball haven't been great because of the cold and everything,” explained the world No 2.
“But I take it in a positive way, no? I just tried to work every day with the right determination, looking for my goals. I think this is one of the Roland Garros [titles] that have a better personal value for myself.”
That attitude can be contagious. We talk a lot about ‘greatness’ in sport, and one of the key factors to be considered when trying to quantify an athlete’s greatness is his impact on those around him, those competing against him or those watching from close or afar.
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens was one of the scores of players to congratulate Nadal on Sunday after his win.
“Truly amazing @RafaelNadal !! An incredible athlete and more importantly an incredible person. Thank you for what you’ve done for our sport & our communities,” tweeted Stephens.
Arab No 1, Ons Jabeur, told reporters earlier during Roland Garros that she initially didn’t feel like competing in Paris under such tricky autumnal conditions. Guess who inspired her to change her attitude?
“I'm going to be honest here. I was like, ‘Why are we playing?’” the Tunisian said of her first reaction upon arriving at the tournament.
“Then obviously I was looking how Rafa was taking this whole situation. To be honest, if he's a champion and he doesn't complain about it, I mean, who am I to complain about it right now?”
A few days later, Jabeur became the first Arab woman in history to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros. Nadal is obviously not why the 26-year-old hit a new milestone at the French Open, but it’s always helpful when you can gain that little extra perspective from one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.
Nadal is now on level terms with Federer at the top of the men’s all-time list of most Grand Slam singles titles won. He had been trailing the Swiss in that category his entire career, ever since he lifted his first major in Paris 15 years ago.
Moments after defeating Djokovic on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Sunday, Nadal spoke to the crowd, not about what it means to him to finally sit atop the Grand Slam leaderboard, but about the difficult times we’re collectively going through right now.
“Just keep going, stay positive and all the very best, together probably we will go through this and we will beat the virus soon,” he said on court.
He later added in his press conference: “Of course, it’s an important day for me, but I'm not stupid, no? It’s still a very sad situation worldwide.”
At the start of Roland Garros, Nadal acknowledged the context in which the tournament was being held. “It is sad, I can't say otherwise. A tournament under these conditions… But maybe that's what it needs to feel like. It needs to be sad, so many people in the world are suffering,” he stated.
Nadal struck the same tone throughout his entire 2020 Roland Garros journey, from start to finish. Whether he was chasing glory, or had already achieved it, he reminded us all of what truly matters, and that sport, and his role in it, should never be a distraction from what’s happening around us. Instead, it could be an inspiration for ways to deal with it.
Another life lesson from the wise Spaniard!
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m
Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The five pillars of Islam
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Tuesday results:
- Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
- UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
- Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets
Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
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- How do we shape the future?
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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On racial profiling at airports
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
