London 2012 - Mirroring a New World

The games are on in good old London! Thousands of athletes from all around the world shall compete in the XXX Games of the Olympiad in England, with the iconic city in the background. As always, each edition of the Olympic Games brings in with it something new and unique, extra and different.

So what does London 2012 have to offer? Quite a bit, in fact. London 2012, in more ways than one, mirrors a new world - one that is fighting for liberalism. Over the last year or so, various regions of the world have risen up against restrictions. The Middle East is revolting. Afghanistan is limping back. The world economy is struggling. The world is looking forward to a new dawn - it is changing gears. London 2012 stands for all of that.

Take for example, Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has always been one of the most conservative naitons in the world. Liberties of various sections of the society have long been on hold, particularly the rights of women. But Saudi is changing. In September 2011, King Abdullah announced that women shall be allowed to vote and run in municipal elections in the Kingdom. Following that, Saudi also allowed women to take part in the Olympic Games at London for the first time ever in history. Controversy ensued, with the International Judo Federation forbidding Saudi's female judo competitor from wearing a headscarf. Enraged, the Kingdom snapped back saying that they would boycott the Games if their judo fighter wasn't allowed to compete. But better sense prevailed as the two warring factions finally came to a compromise. As a result, in what was a historic moment for Muslim women in the Middle East, long repressed by their men, Saudi's women athletes took part in the Olympic march at the opening ceremony of London 2012.

A similar story is up from the Paralympics, where 18-year-old Afghan swimmer, Malek Mohammad, shall be representing his country. Malek lost both his legs very early due to a Soviet landmine while walking through a field near Kabul's airport. What he didn't lose was his spirit. An American traveller noticed Malek and took him to America where he got prosthetic limbs made for himself. Malek didn't look back, training hard at aquatics. Today, Malek embodies every bit of his country - torn by violence, fighting for survival.

Blade Runner: Oscar Pistorius takes off

Double amputee 'Blade Runner', Oscar Pistorius, is yet another who shall make history in the 2012 Games. The South African will be the first ever amputee in history to take part at the Olympics, representing his country at the individual and relay 400 m race. Pistorius' participation wasn't without controversy either. Many have raised doubts over whether his prosthetic limbs shall give him an unfair advantage at the sprints. But how many of us shall dream of running at the Olympics after losing both our legs? Pistorius is one, heralding a new world.

The Olympic Games have often reflected the troubles of their times, from the killings at the Munich Games of 1972 to Tommie Smith and John Carlos' joint protests against racism at the Mexico Games of 1968. The Games have often awakened the world to the sufferings of many. London 2012 is now doing its bit, through the likes of Malek Mohammad and Oscar Pistorius. The Games are mirroring a new world - one filled with possibilities. As Pistorius himself said, "I'm fed up with it! I want to prove them wrong."

Roger Federer and the Art of Indulgence

One of the strongest barriers in the world of sport is that of Age. Those who breach it walk into Legend and carve a special niche of their own in History. There are many sportsmen who play their respective games way past the primetime age. But few remain successful at it as they grow old.

Over the last couple of years, men's tennis has been in the middle of a very special era. The world has been enthralled by some of the most talented sportsmen to have ever walked the tennis court - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray. These guys have weathered the tennis world's turbulent storms with dogged resistance, squeezing their opponents and rivals and going into a league of their own. But one man has stood out amongst them all - the legendary Pete Sampras says he is getting rather used to this man breaking his records - Swiss Master Roger Federer. Roger Federer has more often than not made history whenever he's walked out on to the court ever since his shock defeat of Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2001. But as it did with other great sportsmen like Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Schumacher and Muhammed Ali, Age soon caught up with Federer. The stamina disappeared, the running slowed down and the body started giving up. Many wrote off Roger Federer, as they did back in his earlier days after his form dropped rather phenomenally following the historic win over Sampras. People said that the height of achievement had gotten the better of Roger Federer - that he didn't have any real motivation or cause to go on.

But Roger Federer was no ordinary sportsman. He was a Legend. Fact was that there really weren't enough people out there who could defeat Roger Federer. While the likes of Nadal, Djokovic and Murray had suffered the odd upset defeat, Federer had hung on. The only people who really looked like they could defeat Federer were those at the top three. The others - they were mere students, watching their Master at work. Watching Roger Federer often reminds me of watching a dextrous artist at his painting - carefully sculpting a picture with masterful strokes and striking concentration while others watch in awe around him.

MasterClass: Roger Federer at work

Yes, Roger Federer has proven that he is special. He is a Legend. He can beat Age, he's been there and done that. But what makes the Swiss Master such a quality sportsman? Is it his energy, his intensity or is it just the collective incompetence of a whole generation of tennis players that makes him what he is? Well, every artist is known for his art. And so is Roger Federer. It is everything that Federer does on and off the court that makes him such a role model and such a quality sportsman - his nonchalant demeanour, his child-like smile, his intriguing yet magnetic and attention-drawing concentration while at work. Yes, when you watch Federer play, you know he's enjoying himself. He is enjoying himself not because he is not being challenged, but because he simply loves what he is doing. It is like a child being liberated from the restrictive hands of his parents and out on to his favorite play field. Federer indulges like there is no tomorrow. He doesn't care much for the scorecard or for his opponent. He just delves into every moment of his time on court. The longer, the merrier. There is no fuss over naive facts, no arguments with the umpire, no hassles, no stops. It is pure indulgence, heartfelt and soulful. In fact, most men who've watched Federer play, and are true fans of his, pay little attention to the scorecard or the opponent. They are too engaged in this breathtaking display of class and elegance. For it is as compelling as it is intoxicating.

Last Sunday, as Roger Federer notched up his seventeenth against Britain's Andy Murray, he said that he never felt the trophy had left him for three years. He was far too engaged in his soulful indulgence at the game to notice! Centre Court heartily cheered and applauded a man who had just beaten their local boy and home favorite - the first Briton to reach the finals of Wimbledon in 70 years. For a moment, they forgot all of those patriotic emotions. They were indeed completely drawn in by a skillful display of greatness - a true Legend at work.

For indeed, Art is compelling.

Wimbledon 2012 - Anybody's game

Barely a week has passed since Day 1 of this year's Championships at SW19 and already, there are some high-profile guests boarding their early flights back home from Heathrow. The ladies singles draw has lost the most superstars. Australian Samantha Stosur, Chinese Li Na, Danish Caroline Wozniacki, American Venus Williams, Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli have all gone out the exit within the first two rounds. The men's game, which is generally very predictable, has also been hit hard by upsets. Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, France's Gilles Simon and Spain's Feliciano Lopez, all seeded players, are now gone. Perhaps the grandest upset in the year yet was World No 2 Rafael Nadal's second round loss to the Czech Republic's Lukas Rosol - a man who in just a few hours turned himself into a household name!

Women's tennis has been rather unpredictable for a fair period of time. With the Williams' sisters losing their dominance, Sharapova having been hampered by injury and the other younger crop of players unable to keep up consistency in Grand Slam tennis, the phrase 'upset win' has lost its value. The last 6 Grand Slams have seen 6 different women players holding the trophy. Rather clearly, there are no favorites in the women's game. Now there can be a number of reasons for this. One that I've already stated is that no real woman player in the last few years has been able to sustain herself at the highest level. Take Kim Clijsters for instance. Clijsters came out of retirement and went on to win the US Open in 2010 followed by the Australian Open in 2011. Serena Williams' respiratory troubles and sister Venus' indifferent form, coupled with Justine Henin's retirement, worked well for Clijsters as she scripted one of the emotional runs in modern day international tennis. However, the joy didn't last long. A certain Chinese woman named Li Na had just announced herself on the world stage. Li Na, the flagbearer of a new generation of Chinese, and indeed Asian, tennis won her first Grand Slam in the form of Roland Garros 2011. She'd already begun sneaking in to the top of women's tennis by reaching the finals of the Australian Open just prior to that tournament. However, again, she couldn't manage to win any other Grand Slam thereafter. Other young ladies stepped up to the task - it was anybody's game now! Czech girl Petra Kvitova clinched Wimbledon the same year but had to give way to veteran Aussie Samantha Stosur at the following US Open. Meanwhile, World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki continued to search for that elusive maiden Grand Slam win of hers (that was a very curious case indeed!). However, the anomalous situation didn't last too long for her as Belarussian Victoria Azarenka started 2012 by winning the Australian Open and dethroning Wozniacki from the top. Maria Sharapova then made a rather unprecedentedly strong return from injury troubles by winning a string of titles on clay and finally topping it off with Roland Garros and thereby reclaiming the World No. 1 spot. On current form, Sharapova looks the most potent in the women's game. But the volatility continues. This certainly still is anyone's game.

Knocked Out: Nadal in his loss against Rosol

The men's game, meanwhile, has been far more stable. The top four of Serbian Novak Djokovic, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, Swiss Roger Federer and Briton Andy Murray have been fairly consistent at making the semifinals of each Grand Slam over the last couple of years or so. However, Wimbledon 2012 has challenged the predictability. Within 24 hours on Days 4 and 5, Nadal was knocked out, Djokovic was down by a set to Radek Stepanek and Federer was trailing two sets to love against Julien Benneteau. It isn't so much that the top three have slumped in their game as it is that a number of other men have re-invented theirs to match the top layer. In the last few tournaments, various players including David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic and Juan Martin Del Petro have challenged the might of the top four. In an ATP tourney in Madrid before Roland Garros, Nadal and Djokovic were in fact knocked out by Fernando Verdasco and Janko Tipsarevic (some think Verdasco and Tipsarevic are 'mirror images' of the other two!). That was followed by a rather intriguing Roland Garros which saw a number of hard-hitting Spaniards (Ferrer, Almagro, Verdasco and gang) dominate the court.

However, despite the strong challenge, the top four have largely prevailed. The consistency and variety of their tennis has only made the game better - compelling their rivals to lift themselves further and further. The others have responded well, adding spice to the game and pushing the top four to do even better. Women's tennis, meanwhile, seems to be in transition. The young bunch of Kvitova, Azarenka and Sharapova are likely to play musical chairs in winning the trophy while fighting off the strong challenge coming from the likes of Sara Errani, Tamira Paszek and Nadia Petrova.

Wimbledon 2012 certainly seems anybody's game.