Number one loneliness. It is a good journalistic title (I do it myself) even if inspiration comes from the solitude of the first numbers, a novel by Paolo Giordano. Songs and novels always inspire my editorials, my reflections. This time the focus is seemingly sports, Sinner’s defeat with Alcaraz at the US Open in New York and the resulting loss of the sceptre, that is not to be the top of world tennis.
What happens in the traction from being number one to become in a few hours, in an intense Italian night (time zone), number two? First the venerable, invincible, dozens and dozens of articles of tens and dozens of tennis thinkers, from technical issues to metaphysical, existential, sociological, tax issues. And always with the usual Italian divisive spirit. Remember? Sinner is the Italian pride in the world. No, Sinner has red hair like a Scots, names and South Tyrolean family that look Austrian before the Unity of Italy and then Italian does not even speak well.
Sinner says to every great victory great things, words of common sense that inspire good values, parents, people who are sick. No, Sinner says in plain banality and then that Italian is if he lives in Monte Carlo and does not pay the taxes from us and then he did not go even to Mattarella, who in the meantime has already invited to the Quirinale that piece of Italy that always yesterday has won and excited, that is the girls of the volley (we call them so) that they have conquered the world.
It’s been over for a few hours. I’ve heard with my ears in a program that I lead Alcaraz, come on, you see it’s stronger. He has more shots, he’s more creative, he’s more spectacular. And it’s even more empathic.
For us in the New York City that we work on the cultural, economic and editorial bridge between Italy and the United States it took a great American tournament to undo a number one Italian. That already speaks from number two, has already lost the aura as Baudelaire would say.
“I have become predictable,” said poor Jannik, as if he were any racket. He is young, he will have time to remake himself, but up there, in the loneliness of numbers one, it must be difficult to stay there for a long time. Better perhaps for a while the Darwinian and popular anger of number two.
«I have to leave the comfort zone», Sinner added. This has disappointed me, the sign of this generation. Up there on the Olympus of all things, from sport to life, there is never tranquility. In fact, everything and everyone congregate to pull you down.
Too correct, my dear, but you have given us great emotions and I wish you to return soon to the top. With shots, and thoughts, less predictable.
Article The loneliness of Number One comes from IlNewyorkese.
