Integrity and Achievement

This is a brief post to celebrate Samantha Stosur‘s victory over Serena Williams in the Women’s Singles at the US Tennis Open 2011.
Performance is a key theme in my blog.
I am fascinated by the process by which athletes prepare to perform. I am fascinated too by the realisation of the readiness to perform in actual performance.
I look out for athletes’ performances of understanding.
I think Sam Stosur’s win at the US Open Tennis is a great case study in this realisation and demonstration of performances of understanding. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the integrity of and in sport too.
For me:
There was:

  • A technically and tactically outstanding first set.


Source: IBM data


Source: IBM data
I thought the game had everything an observer could want in a game of tennis. I do think that Eva Asderaki’s decision in the first game of the second set contains within it the essence of the integrity of sport. It reminded me again of the partnership players have with officials in making a game … and the role spectators have in engaging in a sporting event either at the event or through a live broadcast.
Photo Credit
Sam Stosur’s Blog

4 COMMENTS

  1. Agree Keith. very interesting reaction too from Serena following the match in reference to the umpires call. She basically admitted ‘not knowing the rules’ on the call against her. It was clearly a correct decision and Serena’s reaction against the umpire questionned her own integrity and could have changed the course of the match. To her credit – she was controlled and gracious to Stosur at the end but still refused to shake the umpires hand or to acknowledge her own reactions toward the umpire. I guess we’ll never know if she understands how her personal integrity was compromised – maybe for her this is ‘just part of the game’!
    Stosur was quite brilliant throughout.

    • Peter, what excellent points you make. I think the issues are very important to the flourishing of play. Eva is a highly qualified umpire. I was impressed how she and Samantha dealt with the moments around the decision. It was a very big emotional day in New York.
      I think it was one of the best games of tennis I have seen.
      Thanks for making time to comment.
      Best wishes
      Keith

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