Daily Hindu Editorial 14th July 2022//Change and continuity: On the Wimbledon titles of Djokovic and Rybakina

 

The Hindu

Change and continuity: On the Wimbledon titles of Djokovic and Rybakina

Djokovic won his seventh title, while Rybakina was the fifth straight first-time winner

Novak Djokovic is unlike the archetypal (ठेठ, मूल प्ररूप संबंधी, मूल आदर्श-विषयक) Wimbledon champion. He is neither a big-server nor a net-rusher and does not slice and dice his way through points. Instead, he is peerless (अद्वितीय, बेजोड़, बेमिसाल, अतुल) in how he absorbs an opponent’s most devastating (उजाड़ना) play, seizes (पकड़ना, छीनना, रोक लगाना) crucial (महत्वपूर्ण) moments and flips the narrative within a blink of an eye. No one in living memory has anticipated (पूर्वानुमान करना, प्रत्याशा करना, पहले ही विचार कर लेना), moved and defended a grass court quite like the 35-year-old Serb. On Sunday, he brought to the fore all these facets to clinch his seventh Wimbledon crown — fourth on the trot — and a 21st Grand Slam title. Admittedly, the grass at SW19 is slower and the bounce truer than earlier times, helping consummate all-courters like Djokovic. But the run of Nick Kyrgios to the final — albeit (हालांकि, यद्यपि) after a walk-over against an in-form but injured Nadal in the semi-final — was enough evidence that the surface still offers purchase to those willing, and able, to play traditional grass-court tennis. Kyrgios did this for a set, bouncing off the audience’s energy like a showman would in a theatre. Wimbledon, in fact, has come to be his safe space, where he is still loved and not judged despite (इसके बावजूद) his boorish behaviour from time to time. Yet Djokovic, the ultimate diffuser, displayed patience and tactical (सामरिक, कार्यनीतिक, फुरतीला) endurance (सहनशीलता, सहन-शक्ति, टिकाव), the lack of which proved Kyrgios’ undoing yet again.

For Djokovic, the Australian Open may have brought the most success (record nine titles), but it is Wimbledon that has proved more momentous (सब से अहम, सब से महत्वपूर्ण, प्रभावशाली). Pete Sampras’s maiden triumph (एक महत्वपूर्ण सफलता) in 1993 sparked his interest in tennis and he has now equalled the legendary American’s tally at Wimbledon. Victory in 2018 resurrected (मरे हुए को जीवित करना) his career after a prolonged slump and the latest win is sure to galvanise (प्रेरित करना) him again, after the fiasco in Australia over his unvaccinated status and the stinging quarter-final loss to Nadal at Roland-Garros. He has now surpassed (पार करना) Roger Federer in the all-time Major race and is just one behind Nadal. That he has fallen to seventh in the ATP rankings because of the absence of ranking points at this year's competition will be a mere footnote. While Djokovic has been a near constant at Wimbledon, Elena Rybakina was the fifth straight first-time women’s singles winner. The 23-year-old was up against the sentimental favourite in Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, bidding to become the first Arab and African woman to win a Slam trophy. There was also the awkwardness surrounding her nationality, in light of the All England club’s ban on Russians and Belarusians. Rybakina was born and raised in Russia, but switched to Kazakhstan four years ago in return for funding. But she displayed remarkable mental fortitude (Courage in pain or adversity), and with a power-packed game felled two Major winners and the World No.2 to secure tennis’s most coveted (To desire what belongs to others) prize.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Archetypal (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - ठेठ, मूल प्ररूप संबंधी, मूल आदर्श-विषयक

English Meaning - Typical of a certain kind or person.

2.Peerless (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अद्वितीय, बेजोड़, बेमिसाल, अतुल

English Meaning - Having no comparison.

3.Devastate (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - उजाड़ना

English Meaning - To Destroy

4.Seize (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पकड़ना, छीनना, रोक लगाना

English Meaning - To take possession of something.

5.Crucial (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - महत्वपूर्ण

English Meaning - Extremely important.

6.Anticipate (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पूर्वानुमान करना, प्रत्याशा करना, पहले ही विचार कर लेना

English Meaning - To perform an action before another has acted.

7.Albeit (Conjunction)

Hindi Meaning - हालांकि, यद्यपि

English Meaning - Even though

8.Momentous (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सब से अहम, सब से महत्वपूर्ण, प्रभावशाली

English Meaning - Having a great importance.

9.Tactical (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सामरिक, कार्यनीतिक, फुरतीला

English Meaning - Of tactics, especially military or naval tactics.

10.Endurance (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - सहनशीलता, सहन-शक्ति, टिकाव

English Meaning - The strength to withstand a difficult situation.

11.Triumph (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - एक महत्वपूर्ण सफलता

English Meaning - A significant success.

12.Resurrect (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - मरे हुए को जीवित करना

English Meaning - To bring into life again.

13.Galvanise (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रेरित करना

English Meaning - To startle into sudden activity.

14.Despite (Preposition)

Hindi Meaning - इसके बावजूद

English Meaning - In spite of

15.Surpass (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पार करना

English Meaning - Outdo something or someone

16.Fortitude (Noun)

English Meaning - Courage in pain or adversity.

17.Covet (Verb)

English Meaning - To desire what belongs to others.

18.Continuity (Noun)

English Meaning - The quality of being continuous.