but didn’t (because you hand’t heard of him? The tennis world has been in search for rightful heirs to the Federer and Nadal. Janowicz has been largely overlooked in the sea of players like Tomic, Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov and even Dolgopolov. Not anymore.
At 6ft 8in, there are two players that eclipse him by an
inch and two- John Isner, who played the longest professional tennis match in history
at Wimbledon and currently world no.23 and Ivo Karlovic, currently world no. 153. Both these statistic are irrelevant as is his own ranking compared to Murray's No.2 What matters is how well he is playing now.
There have been tall players who had
the advantage of height and raw potential who failed to enjoy sustained success
on the tour. Janowicz hasn’t had it easy
at all and his story as an impoverished Polish tennis player who once had to
depend on the benevolence of New York’s Polish for tennis shoes, will fascinate
many and compel them to root for him.
Like all low ranked players, he has done his time- sleeping in cars,
staying in budget hotels, to economizing with just one croissant before matches
in Paris. Last year at the Australian
Open when Murray and Djokovic were battling it out at the finals, Janowicz did
not compete as he could not afford the expensive flight tickets to down under. Instead
he opted to head to England for gainful employment.
Along with training or perhaps more than that, it will be
the hardships he has had to face to come this far in his game and in world
rankings that will have built his temperament, that in the past has been
volatile echoing the self-destructive streak of the Russians players. We know
what can be achieved if you are able to curb your temper and channelize constructively. Federer once rivaled the greatest racket
basher Marat Safin in talent and temper.
In Federer’s words they could have competed for who bashed the most
rackets on court, but this couldn’t go on indefinitely and apart from
entertaining the crowds didn’t bring any gains to the table.
If Janowicz is able
to control the reptile inside his brain that threatens to lash its deadly tail
at every error or lineman’s call, it will take him away from his powerful game.
He needs to conquer the inner demons that rear their heads inside his head
before he bring his opponents to his knees with the 140mph heat missile in his
quiver. It’s a good thing that he plays Murray who also gets angry, mutters
reprimands and can hit his own personal crescendo in the anger stakes. But Murray has the experience of playing at
these levels for longer and is waiting for his sun to shine at SW 19 for the
last two years. Murray has pressure and
at this stage Janowicz has nothing to lose.
Which means in Serena’s words, he can play with freedom and
an unbearable lightness of being!
