Not quite the fortnight everyone expected...

The Gods truly play with us for their sport. After the euphoria generated by the unforgettable Men’s final in Paris, thoughts turned to whether the forthcoming fortnight at Wimbledon can provide such spectacle and drama.  The final between Alcaraz and Sinner reminded us of how sport can uniquely transcend the quotidian aspects of life and demonstrate inspiring human qualities: skill, passion, sportsmanship, excellence and resolve beyond measure.

How fleeting such moments are! The next fortnight sees the world contemplating whether the destructive dimension of humanity may come to the fore with the outbreak of another major Middle East conflict. As febrile heat envelops Washington, America decided yesterday to overtly enter the conflict between Iran and Israel, with all the risks and dangers involved. Only days after the President presided over a Kremlin style military parade to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US military, Trump has taken the decision to rain down bombs over one of America’s sworn enemies.

Since the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, Iran’s loathing of America has been unabated. America is the arch-infidel of Tehran first supporting the deposed Shah’s brutal regime and then giving he and his family safe passage. Not to forget that America is Israel’s most significant ally.

Iran has never hidden its wish to destroy the Israeli state.  At the heart of the current conflict is Israel’s determination to destroy Iran’s capacity to attack it with nuclear weapons. After many years of failed diplomatic efforts to limit Iran’s nuclear programme to peaceful purposes, Israel has sought to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities. It has exercised “anticipatory self-defence” through air raids and missile attacks. However, Israel’s wish to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons programme could only be achieved by American armaments, notably the ‘bunker buster’ bomb that the President believes have “spectacularly” crippled Iran’s major reactors at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.

Once again, Iran bedevils American politics. The 1979 revolution and Iran’s subsequent capture of American embassy staff destroyed Jimmy Carter’s Presidency and America’s prestige. President Trump, who has often stated that the pathway to make America great again is to withdraw from its role as the world’s indebted policeman, has made a geo-political volte-face.

Trump is hoping that Iran’s leadership will “blink first” and seek a diplomatic settlement, even though his fourteen-day period of grace was a ruse for an immediate strike.  America’s greatest wish is that this crisis will lead to the unravelling of Iran’s government and a Tehran summer will see the overthrow of the country’s theocracy.  How ironic that America has used ‘stealth’ bombers as the conflict begins to percolate. Washington no doubt hopes that the days of the Ayatollah’s regime are numbered.  As much as the recently departed Brian Wilson might have wished that Americans could spend their summer thinking of simple pleasures that his ‘Beach Boys’ sound immortalised, this is unlikely.

How insignificant the manicured grass courts of Wimbledon seem when set alongside the gathering storm clouds of the Middle East.

The preliminary tournaments have concluded, except for Eastbourne which will be played this week. As always there have been shocks and surprises. Alex Zverev was unable to overcome Medvedev in the semi-final of the Halle tournament. On many occasions, Medvedev has made clear his distaste for grass but won through to a final against the mercurial Alexander Bublik who defeated Sinner.

In their Paris quarter-final, Sinner dismissed Bublik in straight sets; however, on grass the mercurial Kazak exacted revenge in three sets. The unseeded Bublik won the title, defeating Medvedev, in straight sets. If he can find consistency and an equitable temperament, Bublik may be an outside chance at Wimbledon.

At Queen’s Club, Alcaraz claimed the title winning the final against Jiri Lehecka in three sets. It was not an entirely convincing victory; however, like the great players Alcaraz finds ways to win.

Politics, tennis, life itself- how many times do the best laid plans go astray?

Anthony Albanese had his initial meeting with President Trump organised to occur alongside the G7 Leaders’ meeting in Alberta, Canada. Events in Iran intervened. Albanese considered trying to secure a meeting with the President at the forthcoming NATO summit, but then thought better of it. The President is likely to be otherwise occupied for the foreseeable future.

Whilst Mr. Albanese was away, his Treasurer was at play. Speaking with a candour that only a parliamentary majority guaranteeing two more terms of government can buttress, the Treasurer admitted what most of us known for some time. Australia’s Budget position is unsustainable without serious reform to our taxation system and complementary improvements to the nation’s productivity.

What a shame that the Treasurer can never be candid enough to admit that his commitment to increased spending to fund unsustainable government expenditure is at the core of Australia’s economic dilemma. The burden of paying for these programmes is increasingly borne by a shrinking pool of taxpayers who cannot participate in Australia’s untaxed black economy.

All aboard the productivity roundtable! Mr. Albanese, summoning Bob Hawke’s penchant for summitry, has announced a conference will take place to discuss this issue. No rush. Pencil it in for late August!

Why wait until then? Ask any shop or café owner struggling to pay exorbitant energy costs how to improve productivity and profit. The solution: abolish weekend and penalty wage rates. No chance. Mr. Albanese has declared, “I am a Labor Prime Minister and I support penalty rates.” Nothing like a so-called champion of the working-class preventing people from working. Once again, those who proclaim their understanding of the “typical Australian” from their Canberra bunker demonstrate anything but.

Our Prime Minister continues to display a naivete about economics that makes one wonder about the worth of his undergraduate degree. So many of his policies confirm that the road to hell is truly paved with good intentions. Continued support of increases to the world’s highest minimum wage and above-inflation wage increases for sectors of workers continue to work against national productivity. The Treasurer knows that his government’s largesse will only be more damaging if current world events deliver economic shockwaves.

Where will the government find the revenue needed for extra defence spending over and above AUKUS? As it is, the Australian government, long considered America’s most faithful ally, is struggling to offer free words of support for America’s strike against Iran’s nuclear capacity.

Maybe as our national debt heads to a trillion dollars, there are a similar number of reasons to think about Wimbledon to prevent being overwhelmed by Australia’s rapidly evaporating economic luck and/or the world’s precarious politics.

Wimbledon has had eight different Women’s champions in the last eight years. There is no reason why this year will not deliver a ninth. Can Sabalenka overcome the sulks? Can Gauff serve well enough? Can Swiatek not wilt? Or will the top seeds be overcome by another unheralded champion a la Krejcikova and Vondrousova in 2023 and 2024?

The range of possible Men’s champions is much smaller.  Alcaraz must have supreme levels of confidence after his victories in Paris and Queen’s. Djokovic has eternal hope that the Gods will deliver him a 25th Grand Slam title. After Halle, Sinner appears more vulnerable on grass than other surfaces. I am not sure any other male player has a genuine chance of victory. If Alcaraz wins a hat-trick of titles he will join Borg, Sampras, Federer and Djokovic as the only players to achieve this feat in the Open Era.

This year’s Wimbledon will be played against the backdrop of the Iranian conflict. Our preoccupations, sadly, will not be with summery images of a tennis tournament. Rather, the next fortnight and beyond will see use of the genteel phrases of tennis- volleys, barrage of shots, returns of serve, firepower-used in the context of another Middle East conflict that will affect the world.