Summertime Sadness
ALISHA SULLIVAN
I’m going to say that, despite the title, no one is actually sad.
Naomi is a professional athlete. You lose more than you win.
It literally comes with the territory. If she got sad every time she lost, she’d hardly be happy, and then she would be a misery to live with.
So no, she’s not sad. Wyatt’s not sad. I’m not sad.
The only sad thing about this is that Naomi and Sam never got to take to the same side of the court.
If you’re very deep into the tennis world, then you will know that the two of them do train together. Sometimes. With an increasing frequency, actually (she’s training with him as I write this). Naomi is always useful to hit against because she’s a lefty. And an absolute power hitter.
So they have been existing on court together.
They are exciting to watch, which feels weird to say because I’ve only ever seen them training. But there is something a little bit magical about just that.
When they do eventually take to the court together, I think it will be pretty special. New York, get ready.
On a different note, let me address something.
Naomi didn’t pick up an injury in her first round match and try to play through it.
She didn’t even pick up an injury on the day.
She isn’t trying to take on too much too soon after an injury.
Nor is she too old to return to the sport (seriously, she’s thirty-two and in the shape of her life, are you all okay?).
My favourite conspiracy theory is that she threw the match for money. To be clear, she didn’t do that either.
Her period decided to wreak havoc on her body this time around, and you can’t outplay that. Even if you’re her.
But she’s fine. Like I said, she’s training right now.
And they’re back on the hard courts.
Which Naomi is oddly quite happy about. Mostly because she gets to say goodbye to her white grass court shoes.
Although I don’t think she’s looking forward to the humidity.
Until next time, from an indoor hard court somewhere in London.