Why am I thinking about this today? Because I spent the morning hoping that no one would win the men's Wimbledon title today. There's no denying Federer's greatness, but I hate seeing all of Sampras' records tumble down. And I've always had a hardened heart against Murray. From unwarranted arrogance to his dinky dropshot style of play, I could never get behind him. To top it off, he's essentially tennis' version of a flopper. You know, those soccer players that take dramatic falls of their own accord then try to convince a ref it was an opposing player's fault? Murray blames external objects and circumstance: the balls, the court, the sun, his pockets.
Today, though, after watching him play a real and solid match against arguably the greatest of all time, I conceded a little bit. His post-match interview was genuinely emotional, tear-filled and heartfelt. I couldn't help the flow of compassion. This guy, despite the usual bravado, is throwing his heart and soul into an endeavor and continually being stopped just shy of the goal. My polarized stance hit neutral ground while watching him unsuccessfully attempt to keep his emotions in check.
Unfortunately, he didn't leave the flopper antics at home; his on-court demeanor still irked me. My passion runs deep when it comes to tennis, positive and negative opinions alike. He's still not going to be my favorite, and I'll continue to root against him in most match-ups. But I respect his emotional investment in his dream.
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