Andrea, you’re doing fantastic, really, a great job, and this is not a criticism, I am merely letting you know, only if you want to, because you really ARE doing a GREAT job, that Disneyland is in California, Disney WORLD is in Florida :)
Signed,
someone whose body is sore and aching from spending the entire weekend at Disney World in Florida.
Maybe you can find some juniper berries and blueberries, and stash them away somewhere safe just in case this happens again. At the very least it’ll give you some energy.. but may help make you feel better. I’m still wondering myself, whether the they can heal.. and how they affect the senses. I guess it’ll remain a mystery of the natural world...worth trying to find out though.
It's funny, I think about how different worlds push different types of toughness. For instance many professional gamblers work to have a plan and stick to it. A professional in that sense will have a profit target and once they reach it they'll walk away. They'll have a loss target too for when they know that for whatever reason they're not performing as expected and need to walk away take time to readjust and then go again with a new plan.
Investors (might just be a fancier name for long term gamblers) need to know when to push through the pain and trust their work. But they also need to know when to cut losses. And the best of these know that it's most important to survive to another day even if it means a loss today.
My bet is athletes try to push through illness and injury too quickly often, because being back in the game is important, and push for a quick win versus a long term strategy. Anyway digression aside I enjoy reading your articles keep them coming!
Germans need to get coaching from the worlds cold and flu pros - Brits. #1 Fishermans Friends Original #2 Nasal rinse - NeilMed bottle + powder #3 Deep throat gargle with mouthwash #4 Sauna. Yeah its ugly - these new bugs are much tougher to kick than years ago. I'm recovering from chest cold - grandkids day care special. My HRV in the crapper 2 solid weeks - just back to Normal today. Off to the gym and sauna - be well again there gal.
Many people have read the DFW essay on Fed, but a few years ago, there was an article in, I think, the New York Times Magazine that was a treatise/appreciation on Rafa. I tried searching for it but couldn't find it... Coupling the words passion or suffering with Nadal resulted in way too many hits!
Well, Andrea's weekly writings really are a great discovery. What quality, and every week! And the comments are quality as well, had read the DFW Fed essay but had not seen the above Nadal story. I am really grateful for that link.
At his best, for sure Nadal did not attempt to hide any suffering on the court. He probably played through many bad colds. But its not as if he simply outlasted his opponents, its that on a point by point basis his defensive play was absolutely unmatched, and one might not see anyone in his league for a long, long time. His ability to run down any ball, and his willingness to do so (which is really what the article and Andrea's musings hit on) is just unparalleled, and its not as if tennis is a sport where players do not try hard.
Federer made it look like an easy game, anyone could handle. Nadal illustrates how difficult it actually is.
What of Djokovic? Well if anyone has that article let me know. But Djokovic's incredible gift is he simply "handles" any ball hit at him, via preparation and balance, better than anyone, perhaps ever (Rosewall maybe? Those old vidoes on youtube make it look like Rosewall is playing on a weekend at his club with average players when its the final of the US Open or something. Believe me, its not that easy, not even then, Rosewall just made it look easy.). For me, the test is this, if you look at video of just Djokovic, playing anyone, you cannot tell who he is playing. That's because he handles ever shot almost perfectly. That's why of the three Djokovic may have the longest career. What wears on a player is getting pulled and tugged around by hundreds of opponents in thousands of matches. Djokovic simply does not get yanked around a tennis court. His anticipation and prep are too good.
Enjoy your musings - in all their iterations. Feel better. A small request - to write more on how global politics - pandemic, ukraine, genocide in palestine- is clearly impacting tennis. The separation of politics and sports is not always clear and translates unevenly - benefits for Ukraine are applauded (as they should) but less is said and done abt the upheavals for Arab and players from the global south. We need more principled and robust debate - we can’t pretend this does not impact tennis
An idea for the next piece: How the WTA can work the media content better and bring more fans to women tennis. I feel that the ATP can do it much better nowdays with the promotion for men athletes.
Andrey Rublev played almost all the Madrid tournament with a throat problem, which I found it extremely out of ordinary, not to mention he won the tournament.
I like your direct style and please don't mince your words, speak up your mind even when you are talking about 5 stars hotel rooms like you did in the past.
I want to think you compose in German and translate to English but confound that, I’m sure you don’t. You’re a natural born wordsmith Andrea. Chapeau. Always enjoyed working with you at the WTA, and I’m glad you can share more of your innate self to a wider audience in writing 👏👏👏
Andrea, you’re doing fantastic, really, a great job, and this is not a criticism, I am merely letting you know, only if you want to, because you really ARE doing a GREAT job, that Disneyland is in California, Disney WORLD is in Florida :)
Signed,
someone whose body is sore and aching from spending the entire weekend at Disney World in Florida.
HAHAHAHAHAH
I’m becoming addicted to your writing! I find myself smiling, chortling, even laughing out loud.
I didn’t know that you had a back stress fracture. It can become a habit to minimize pain.
Stay well and funny, please.
This is wild!
Maybe you can find some juniper berries and blueberries, and stash them away somewhere safe just in case this happens again. At the very least it’ll give you some energy.. but may help make you feel better. I’m still wondering myself, whether the they can heal.. and how they affect the senses. I guess it’ll remain a mystery of the natural world...worth trying to find out though.
hope you are feeling okay now
Achoo
It's funny, I think about how different worlds push different types of toughness. For instance many professional gamblers work to have a plan and stick to it. A professional in that sense will have a profit target and once they reach it they'll walk away. They'll have a loss target too for when they know that for whatever reason they're not performing as expected and need to walk away take time to readjust and then go again with a new plan.
Investors (might just be a fancier name for long term gamblers) need to know when to push through the pain and trust their work. But they also need to know when to cut losses. And the best of these know that it's most important to survive to another day even if it means a loss today.
My bet is athletes try to push through illness and injury too quickly often, because being back in the game is important, and push for a quick win versus a long term strategy. Anyway digression aside I enjoy reading your articles keep them coming!
Michael Jordans flu game lol
Germans need to get coaching from the worlds cold and flu pros - Brits. #1 Fishermans Friends Original #2 Nasal rinse - NeilMed bottle + powder #3 Deep throat gargle with mouthwash #4 Sauna. Yeah its ugly - these new bugs are much tougher to kick than years ago. I'm recovering from chest cold - grandkids day care special. My HRV in the crapper 2 solid weeks - just back to Normal today. Off to the gym and sauna - be well again there gal.
Feel better soon! And I 100% concur on the Disneyland/Florida metaphor and definitely won't take it out of context.
Very funny because you can do self pity so well. Would make a good children’s story, “As I Lay Dying (from a cold)”
Many people have read the DFW essay on Fed, but a few years ago, there was an article in, I think, the New York Times Magazine that was a treatise/appreciation on Rafa. I tried searching for it but couldn't find it... Coupling the words passion or suffering with Nadal resulted in way too many hits!
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/magazine/21nadal-t.html
so good!
Well, Andrea's weekly writings really are a great discovery. What quality, and every week! And the comments are quality as well, had read the DFW Fed essay but had not seen the above Nadal story. I am really grateful for that link.
At his best, for sure Nadal did not attempt to hide any suffering on the court. He probably played through many bad colds. But its not as if he simply outlasted his opponents, its that on a point by point basis his defensive play was absolutely unmatched, and one might not see anyone in his league for a long, long time. His ability to run down any ball, and his willingness to do so (which is really what the article and Andrea's musings hit on) is just unparalleled, and its not as if tennis is a sport where players do not try hard.
Federer made it look like an easy game, anyone could handle. Nadal illustrates how difficult it actually is.
What of Djokovic? Well if anyone has that article let me know. But Djokovic's incredible gift is he simply "handles" any ball hit at him, via preparation and balance, better than anyone, perhaps ever (Rosewall maybe? Those old vidoes on youtube make it look like Rosewall is playing on a weekend at his club with average players when its the final of the US Open or something. Believe me, its not that easy, not even then, Rosewall just made it look easy.). For me, the test is this, if you look at video of just Djokovic, playing anyone, you cannot tell who he is playing. That's because he handles ever shot almost perfectly. That's why of the three Djokovic may have the longest career. What wears on a player is getting pulled and tugged around by hundreds of opponents in thousands of matches. Djokovic simply does not get yanked around a tennis court. His anticipation and prep are too good.
Enjoy your musings - in all their iterations. Feel better. A small request - to write more on how global politics - pandemic, ukraine, genocide in palestine- is clearly impacting tennis. The separation of politics and sports is not always clear and translates unevenly - benefits for Ukraine are applauded (as they should) but less is said and done abt the upheavals for Arab and players from the global south. We need more principled and robust debate - we can’t pretend this does not impact tennis
With the greatest respect, I read Andrea’s substack to escape from the “real” world - the wars, the suffering, especially of the children.
Commentators on politics are 10 a penny; very few good writers have Andrea’s knowledge of being an elite athlete.
Sorry, but I am happy that you don’t write about politics, Andrea.
Just my personal opinion.
Get well soon/ Gute Besserung 💐.
Hello Andrea!
An idea for the next piece: How the WTA can work the media content better and bring more fans to women tennis. I feel that the ATP can do it much better nowdays with the promotion for men athletes.
Fabulous article!
Andrey Rublev played almost all the Madrid tournament with a throat problem, which I found it extremely out of ordinary, not to mention he won the tournament.
I like your direct style and please don't mince your words, speak up your mind even when you are talking about 5 stars hotel rooms like you did in the past.
Get well soon, I am sorry for your cold!
Good one, Andrea. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece. I love the Carrie Bradshaw voice. And Roger is Disney World, Rafa is Florida. Perfect.
I want to think you compose in German and translate to English but confound that, I’m sure you don’t. You’re a natural born wordsmith Andrea. Chapeau. Always enjoyed working with you at the WTA, and I’m glad you can share more of your innate self to a wider audience in writing 👏👏👏
I look forward to reading you every week. Even with a cold a fantastic writing. Love the metaphor of Rafa
Oh yeah, when I have a cold, I take Influbene (soluble powders) - 3/ day.
It’s Austrian 🇦🇹 but I get it online. Honestly it’s good stuff. Fof daytime.
Oh, and Medinait for nights.