Tennis WAGs

The first thing that comes to your mind when you say WAGs is Football. Yes, we can credit football for introducing the term WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends in short) to all of us. 

However, there are other sports too where WAGs play an equally important role in the success of the sportsmen. And with the Australian Open 2012 just concluding, it would be worthwhile to have a look at some Tennis WAGs.

Is there a better way to start the post than to start discussing about the most fabled man in Tennis in recent years. Yes,I'm talking about Roger Federer.

All of 30 years, he is considered as the icon of tennis after Pete Sampras. He has won a record 16 Grand Slams (more than any other man). Supporting him in his endeavor to become a champion tennis player is his wife Mirika.

Roger Federer with Mirka and Twin Babies

Mirika herself, like Roger, was a Tennis Pro playing for Switzerland. She retired from professional tennis is 2002, and took on the role of his PR Manager. She married him in 2009 and has since then given birth to twin girls.

She is usually present on court for all of Roger's matches and is an epitome of calmness. Needless to say, she is a reflection of uber cool Roger Federer. 

Next in line is Jelena Ristic. I wouldn't blame you for asking Jelena Who?

Novak Djokovic's Gal Jelena Ristic

Well, Jelena is the girlfriend of the Serbian World Number 1 Novak Djokovic. Little is known about Jelena in the public domain. She is considered to be a student and has been with Djoker for the last 5 years.

She is a vociferous supporter on all his tour matches. And with Djoker being World Number 1 for the last year or so, her contribution to his success cannot be understated.

How many times do you think she would have asked him before a Final match - "Can you win that match for me?". I bet, a many times. Maybe that's the  Djoker played his heart out, winning 3 of the 4 slams last year.

Next is Maria Perello. Her claim to fame? Well, she is Rafael Nadal's lady love.

Nadal's Lady Maria Perello

Nadal has been a top performer for the last many years. He has won 10 Grand Slam titles and is often considered as Federer's nemesis. At the moment, he is the strongest challenger to Djoker and looks to be the only person who can dethrone him from the number 1 spot.

Nadal exhibits tremendous physical fitness on the court. And Maria's contribution in maintaining his mental fitness would be stupendous. 

Then you have Kim Sears. Kim is the girlfriend of the British Star Andy Murray. Andy is considered as Britain's best bet to win the Wimbledon. 

Kim Sears

And come this summer, Andy and Kim would be drawing out plans to help him take giant steps to win the championship. Andy has often thanked Kim for his on court success. 

At one time when his lady was travelling with, while his coach was not, Andy commented - "Hopefully she'll come to a few more tournaments. He (his coach) was a bit worried I was going to sack him and hire my girlfriend. It is the first time she has come to a tournament with me, and maybe I have been a little more relaxed on court."

Next one is Brooklyn Decker. For all practical purposes, she is more famous than her beau - Andy Roddick.

Style Icon Brooklyn Decker

Andy Roddick has had modest success on the ATP tour. Brooklyn has been tremendously famous, as a super model and SI model. She has also featured in TV serials, and has made her movie debut recently. 

She reassures you that WAGs are not only about gloss. They can be stars in their own domains. 

Bridgette Wilson is another lady who is Tennis WAG and an actress. All of 38 years, she is the wife of ex super star Pete Sampras.

Bridgette Wilson

And with Pete having retired now, Wilson is enjoying her time under the sun as an actress.

Finally, if there is any WAG who is a right mix of style and substance, it is Steffi Graf.

Steffi is all of 42 years, and has won a total of 22 Grand Slam single titles during her Tennis career. She has also won a Gold Medal in the 1988 Olympics. 

Steffi Graf

Needless to say, she is superbly attractive. When she was not playing tennis, she was upping the style quotient and setting the hearts racing. To add, she has been wife to another tennis star Andre Agassi for the last 10 years, making her a Tennis WAG.

Andre Agassi Steffi Graf

All in all, these Tennis WAGs have contributed to the success of their men during their hey days. They have been successful in varying proportions in their own lives. 

Boris Becker, winner of 9 Grand Slams, once said - "Girls had never been important. I'd had a girlfriend or two and had liked them a lot but it wasn't love, because my first love was tennis." 

The men featured in this post have been equally successful as Boris and would disagree with him. After all, their wives and girlfriends have been equal contributors (if not more) in their success.

A Girl's Mind

Overheard :-

"You know, it's very difficult to decipher and understand a girl's mind!!", said someone.

"Why do you say so?", asked the friend 

"Well, decoding a lady's mind is much more complex than solving a Rubik's cube", was the reply.

A Girls Mind is complex than A Rubik Cube

A pregnant pause and raised eyebrows followed.

"Unlike a Rubik's cube, the answer does not lie in arranging the same color on all the faces of the cube. The mysterious solution lies in a jumble of colors on each of the faces. And if you plan to ask about the mix of color on each face, let me tell you that it is a far cry from the fact that the sun always rises on the east."

A stony silence followed for the next 5 seconds. It seemed like hours.

"What do you suggest? Is there a solution?" asked the person who made the initial statement.

"Well, it's quite simple." the friend replied. "When you can't solve her mind, figure out her heart. The rest, as they say, will be history!!"

A Complex Mind

And before the conversation could continue, the elevator had reached the ground floor. And I walked away.

P.S. A Rubik's cube has 43 quintillion (43,252,003,274,489,856,000) combinations.

In Celebration of Women

On the occasion of International Women's Day (celebrated on 8th March), I am sharing a small composition, a tribute to women.

Happy Women's Day - In Celebration of Women

~~~~

She is the one who gives you birth,

She ushers you onto this dear earth.

A towering angel, A protective armor,

She is your dear Mother.

At loss of words to describe her,

She deserves the highest honor.

She may be junior, She may be senior,

Dearest to you, She is your Sister.

She helps you take the steps nimble, 

She prepares you for the long battle.

She teaches you lessons galore,

She is the Teacher you adore.

She is a helping voice,

She helps you relax and rejoice.

In her, your faith you repose,

She is your Friend close.

Wearing multiple hats in a single soul,

She completes you, shares your goals.

She is the companion of your life,

She is your dearest Wife.

She protects you, 

She blesses you.

You succeed under her aegis,

She is a divine Goddess.

~~~~

P.S. Who is She? She is a Woman.

Happy Women's Day

Show Your Love

One of my friends is a keen observer and wonderful at building co-relations. A few days back he narrated an interesting anecdote which caught his keen eye.

The incident went as below.

~~

He brought three cups of hot tea. It was a group of four. She hesitated to have one of the cups. She must have thought, is one me them for me? 

You could see the hesitation in her eyes. You could also sense her expectations. You could feel the apprehension, and the desire. He failed to notice either. 

Either he was ignorant, or didn't feel strongly enough to ask her to drink her cup. After all, one of the cups was for her. 

Time passed. A studied silence followed. 

The shy lady that she was, she went about her chores, hiding her expectations. Finally, after 15 odd minutes, when he asked her to drink, she humbly accepted. Neither did she raise any questions, nor did she show any reluctance. 

Thoughtful about Warmth

She had a couple of sips. The tea was cold. It had lost its warmth. She couldn't gulp a sip more. 

And within the next ten seconds, she threw the cup of once warm tea - almost full - out of the running train. 

~~

The lesson. 

~~

Well, its simple. When you give something to people, tell them that its for them. People are happy when they are told about things which are done specially for them.

And if you are giving love, telling is important. 

Subtle hints work, sometimes. Speaking aloud works, quite a few times. Clear indications work, almost always.

Remember, an expectant heart is always on look for that signal. A green signal. 

Love which is dished out from the bottom of the heart is warm. If it gets lost in time, it becomes cold. 

And if given gracefully, with the right intent, and accepted humbly, in time - it remains warm forever, like the molten kernel of the earth. It is at the core, and it lasts more than a lifetime. 

Show your Love and Care.

~~

Show that You Love

Midnight Poison

She passed by me in a flash. Her eyes caught my attention. Her gait held me in awe. I exclaimed wow, and thought that this would be last I would see me her. 

Destiny had something else in store, as she came and sat right in front of me. Her beauty brought tears in my eyes. Her eyes growled in silence. And fluttered a million feelings as her glance caught me.  

Her smile had already doubled my heart beats. A smile crowned her pretty face as the snow covers the north pole. It was perennial and mystical. 

She was shy yet demure. She was tender yet brash. She was petite, yet classy. 

Eva Green

She seemed lost in the world around her. And I was lost in her thoughts. The book in my hand had lost the race to gain my attention. She had won handsomely. 

She was a polished princess. She was a dearie queen. She was raw and ravishing. She was a soothing siren. She overshadowed everyone around. She cast a spell on me. 

She was glowing. A warm halo surroued her. Her hands held her in warm embrace. How I wished it could be me. In her moments solemn, dreams were her companion. How I wish it could be me. 

Her simplicity and obedience astonished me. She deserved more respect. She deserved supreme respect. She wanted her confidence to be nourished, so that the tender caterpillar that she was could be transformed into a majestic butterfly. 

She had appeared like a flutter of invisible air. And she would disappear into the night, an enamoring angel would become an elusive pimpernel. To be lost forever. 

If I lay awake, her thoughts would occupy me. I thought, It's better to sleep, forgetting her thoughts, rather than defying the laws of nature. 

Fate and fortune have a habit of being quirky. I always wanted to sleep on a beach, under the stars and the moon. 

And tonight, she obliged to be My Star, My Moon. She was my Midnight Poison.

Midnight Poison

Epilogue :- 

I showed her the words of appreciation I had written for her, she narrated the below composition softly in my ears.

~~~~

A carpet of green grass, 

Covers dear earth.

Hidden beneath are treasures many, 

Waiting to be discovered. 

Dig a bit, 

Explore a little.

There is lots on offer, 

Let me show you my mettle. 

You could have won me, 

Made me your very own. 

Wish I could rewind time, 

To make myself your own. 

The moment now has passed, 

Laws of nature binding us mortals.

I an sorry your dreams are dashed,  

In our life next, we could be One. 

~~~~

P.S. This is for a sweet Midnight Poison. And I have already lost her, never ever to meet her again.

Eva Green Midnight Poison

All That I Need

She asked me, "What do I need today, tomorrow and forever?"

~~~~

Specks of white, waiting to be colored,

Eager to be erased, dark flecks rife.

All that I have is words,

To solve the crossword of life.

Myriad thoughts, varying themes,

Every night sets them alight.

All that I have is dreams,

To paint a canvas called life.

Miles to go before you sleep,

All that you have is courage deep.

I wish to be your companion forever,

In this life, our endeavor.

Brimming with aspirations much.

Seeking for a finishing touch.

All that you have in me is trust,

I'l gladly oblige, my lady august.

With blessings from God above,

You are my essence.

All that I have is love,

To fulfill our existence.

Lots to do in this journey small,

Keeping me afloat, avoiding my fall.

Someone gives me strength anew,

All that I need is You.

~~~~

All That I Need is You

P.S. Unknown You, Unknown Me.

Waiting

Human beings (you and me) experience a mixed bag of emotions in our life. There are different circumstances which provoke these emotions. There are varying experiences which elicit these emotions. 

And if there is one situation or context which educe a plethora of emotions, it is Waiting. 

Yes, Waiting in Anticipation.

I am Waiting

Think about the time when God Almighty would have created Adam and Eve, and waited for a moment, before releasing his creations on this very earth. He would have been supremely Delighted. 

Think about the time when you are creating something. As you see your creation take shape, and await its completion, you experience intense Joy. 

Think about the time when the baby is growing, and the parents are waiting for him or her to take the first baby steps. This wait would be characterized by Affection and Love for the baby.

Hope

Such emotions are indeed precious, and would be definitely better that the way I have projected. Let me delve into my own mind and look at some emotions I would have experienced.

Let me go back to school time. Back in school, waiting for the examination results would sometimes evoke Fear. What if I scored poorly in a subject? What if I didn't pass? And so on.

In those days, no one had heard about the internet. Snail mail was the in thing. E-Mail was an unknown commodity. People used to learn DOS.

The students had to give a self addressed envelope to the school folks. They would dispatch the results on 30th of April. And from the time the exams ended, till the results actually arrived by post, days and nights would be filled with Anxiety. And even Hope. And fervent prayers to God.

Anxiety

And after the results having actually arrived, and the burden being put off the heart, the care free bird (that I was) would play his heart out in the summer.

To add, such feelings of Anxiety, sometimes on the higher side, were cyclic and were repeated every year.

During the Engineering days, the exams were held every 6 months. The silly thing was that the results for a particular semester didn't turn up until the last month of the next semester. Such a long wait was often characterized by Frustration, and a deep sense of Anger for the evaluation mechanism.

And if I have to flashback to my placement exam, the wait of 8 hours -  between the exam and the selection announcement - caused intense Stress and Tension. 

Stress

I completely understand that a wait of 8 hours is very short as compared to the days and months which some people go though before landing up with a job. But the fact that it was a short wait itself added to the anxiety. It was like a T20 match, where before you know, the result is out.

There have been moments, where waiting for an acquaintance to turn up, resulted in Annoyance. Friends, however, are exempted from this feeling. There have been times, where the wait for a lonely weekend to pass away quickly, caused extreme Despair.

The wait before MSD cracked the last sixer in the World Cup finals had been filled with Excitement. The wait, before God Himself did the rescue act in the difficult times, were characterized by intense Fear and Helplessness.

Agony

The wait to ask a question, while the mind still being made up, caused relentless Agony. And if the question itself was not to be asked, or the point itself was not to be stated, the wait was followed by deep Regret and Remorse.

The wait for a dear friend to return a call was sometimes heart wrenching, causing Anguish. It was filled with moments of self doubt, and utterly low self confidence.

Envy

Lonely moments of waiting, in a public place, have often invited Envy and Jealousy in the mind. These are usually followed by pangs of guilt for having such disturbing thoughts. And sometimes, with feelings of Hope for a brighter future.

The wait for a friend evokes a mixed bag of emotions. I am yet to give a name to it.

The wait before sleep takes me over is sometimes characterized by Pride on the good work done though the day, or with Happiness resulting from help being extended to someone. Sometimes it is filled with Worry, and many a times with Gratitude and Contentment.

Contentment

A friend recently told me that she gets nervous while she gets ready to do her  work. She added that she gets excited too. Isn't it surprising that these two emotions coexist? Yes, they do and they manage to get the best out of her.

Nervous but Excited

I wonder why does a mind experience these myriad emotions while waiting. 

Is it because the future is unknown? Is it that we expect a particular picture of the future, and use these emotions as tools to realize the future as we want it? 

Well, questions are many, answers are few. I'm waiting for the answers. I don't think they would come out of some copybook. It would have to be a realization, provoked by Time and God Almighty.

Ultimately, waiting is a pause in our busy life, a pause to gather our thoughts, to appreciate life, to be thankful for the past and to shape up our mind and put the best foot forward in the future.