Grace

For Today's Flowers

It was more or less a decade ago when I first saw her on television, sporting a smile that I haven’t seen from other tennis players. It was actually her smiles that made me follow her other matches, only then I realized that aside from her innocent beams, she played great tennis (an understatement perhaps?). Many hated her, many loved her, and it’s just a matter of preference. She was the Swiss Miss of Tennis, Martina Hingis, hmm, maybe she is still the Swiss Miss of Tennis.

Last 2002, she had the last grip on her racquet. She stayed away from the tennis scene with ankle injury though some sports enthusiasts and analysts labeled her retirement as an act of cowardice as she can’t cope up with the way the power hitters are playing. But if they will carefully review her career and head to head accounts against these amazon-like babes, she is not totally beaten.

For me, women’s tennis was never the same after she left. Maybe I just missed her smiles, her on-court plays (using much of her brain than her brawn), her straight forward answers during the interviews (of course other fans, players and commentators considered them arrogance) and of course her white armpits. Yes, I just can’t help looking to those assets every time she plays.

Anyway, late 2005, one of the better news I’ve heard is that Martina Hingis is hoping to join the WTA Tour once again, not just in exhibitions but in actual tournaments. That made my day. So far, her comeback is the women’s tennis’ story of 2006. Last February, one WTA event was The Toray Pan Pacific Tournament, held in Tokyo, Japan, the venue was just an 8-minute train ride from our office. Would you believe that? I must admit that during the early rounds of this tournament, I kept on praying that she will reach the semi-finals at least so I can watch her play, LIVE! I was answered; she managed to book a semi-final match against Maria Sharapova. I never thought that getting a ticket would be a problem. The match was scheduled on a Saturday, 1300H. I arrived at the venue 0900H, the queue caught me by surprise, t’was very long and at 2 deg C, whew!. And one more problem, I didn’t know how to ask questions in Japanese, I resorted to sign language for heaven’s sake. After all the hassles, I was able to watch the match. Wow, I thought this is great, very much different from the television. Seeing Martina playing in front of my eyes was just spectacular, really spectacular. Damn, if only I knew how to follow her other events while she was in Japan, but the language barrier is in red light. GRRR!!! She won the match against Sharapova, and immediately I purchased another ticket for the Finals. I was able to watch it, but sadly she lost to Dementieva. Still, seeing her again, I couldn’t ask for more.

Well, I don’t really care if she will win a tournament or not, (she has 3 titles so far coming since her comebcak), as long as I can see her on court, I am fine. Too bad she can’t play at the FO this year sighting a hip and back injuries. Damn you, Radek!

/totomai
05/16/07

PS

never mind the photo, thought she is unique like the flower. lol