Frustration, disbelief and heroism
Did you hear the one about the Serbian, Russian and Australian playing in a tennis tournament in Beijing? Well, it’s not a tale, but its truth provides confirmation, if any were needed, that the world has seen more predictable days.
The end of the tale is that Novak Djokovic has won his 102nd tournament title (Federer 103, Connors 109). Aged 39, he defeated Daniil Medvedev in their semi-final. Djokovic made the semi-final after unexpectedly beating Alexander Zverev in their quarter-final. Djokovic served for the semi-final only to see Medvedev defaulted for swatting a ball into the crowd that hit a spectator. In the final, Djovokic faced 27 year old Alex de Minaur. Surely, this was the Australian’s chance to emerge from the shadows and confirm that the sheer vitality of youth could conquer the aging Serbian? Strangely, it was the Australian who had to retire early in the second set- after losing the first-with an injury.
Djokovic emerged from the carnage with an unbeaten record in the Beijing tournament. Seven appearances for seven wins over eleven years. Will he now be emboldened to come to Australia?
At 39 Djokovic's ability to produce tennis capable of beating the world’s best must be frustrating for his rivals. It prompts disbelief amongst many. Objectively, Djokovic’s endurance is bordering on the heroic.
Disbelief and heroism were displayed when brave crew and passengers overpowered a rogue co-pilot seeking to hijack a plane travelling to Israel. The seriously injured pilot was able to open the cockpit door to enable the plane to be saved. After subduing the terrorist, passengers on the flight, some of whom were trained pilots, were able to reverse the plane’s downward spiral. Extraordinary heroism.
Disbelief and frustration surfaced when ancient sectarian tensions reappeared in Northern Ireland when a court allowed a Loyal Orangeman march through the Catholic neighbourhood in Garvaghy Road, Portadown. Nearly thirty years on from the Good Friday settlement, the troubles instantly reappeared and were no less troublesome.
Utter disbelief in America last week, when a woman survived two doses of a lethal injection as Tennessee sought to execute the first woman in America for 200 years. The botched execution has reignited debate about the efficacy and humanity of capital punishment.
Disbelief when Elon Musk re-entered the Oval Office. He was there, along with the CEOs of the world’s largest ‘Big-Tech’ companies as Donald Trump sought to convene agreement about a Code of Conduct for these behemoths. How ironic it was to see the President, who has spent most of his second term destroying international rules-based agreements, trying to create one. No disbelief when one realises that Trump looked to bask in its reflected glory alongside the gaudy gold drapes!
Some sort of agreement is needed. The Australian government recently received an apology from a San Francisco AI company, Open Mind-irony again abounds-for one of its AI agents breaching data about Australia’s national medical insurance system. Utter disbelief when I learnt about the capacity of autonomous AI agents. They can process a quadrillion requests, a mere one million billion! Into whose hands have we commended our minds? Cicero asked, “Who edits the editors?” Now we must ask who “controls the enquirers?”
So many world-wide problems seem so unmanageable is it little wonder that there is a collective frustration about so much?
Living in England one has seen more new arrivals to 10 Downing Street than asylum seekers in recent years. Their much-treasured National Health Scheme is on life support.
In Australia, we have a Prime Minister and Treasurer who have taken prevarication to a new art form: “Don’t blame us for anything, we are just innocent backwash in the events of the world.”
In America we have a President who is wilfully disrespectful of most democratic principles of government, especially the separation of powers doctrine: witness his recent comment when the Supreme Court ruled against his wish to declare postal votes unconstitutional: “well, these aren’t the people I interviewed.” Well, what does the American electorate now think of the man they elected ? The forthcoming mid-term elections will tell a story.
In France, plus ca change : the spirit of 1968 is reborn as high school students protest en masse against the quality and resources of their schools. Frustration turns to anger.
And where are the heroes? Has the cynicism that pervades so many has made most of us sceptical of both the system and potential saviours? If “the best lack all conviction”, then will more of our governors be “full of passionate intensity”?
A famous Christian entreaty is “to hold firmly to that which is good.” The dilemma of our times is that social consensus on what is the good seems particularly elusive.
This is why we love tennis. Its purpose and rules are settled. The boundaries of the court are clearly delineated. Technology has ended the frustration and disbelief of players about dubious line calls. The players are free to be heroes as they quest to be their best, from the newest teenage star through to Djokovic. We love the game and what it produces. It is worth the fight!
Believing that the “better angels of our nature” are worthy of ‘holding firm’ is the perpetual Grand Slam of life requiring the same heroic commitment, drive and persistence!
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