Harry Styles, seen performing in Rio de Janeiro last year, was heckled by Beyoncé fans at “The Grammy Awards.” *Photograph by* *Leticia Morales.*

Heckling diminishes us all

February 9, 2023

Heckling is as old as performing, but our digital cult and culture of narcissism, which has made everyone an instant celebrity, has given it a trending obnoxiousness. President Joe Biden was heckled by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and the other MAGA Republicans at the State of the Union address. Harry Styles was heckled by Beyoncé fans at “The Grammy Awards.” Novak Djokovic was heckled by a drunken “Where’s Waldo?” quartet at the Australian Open. And Sydney Warner, wife of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, was among the Niners contingent heckled at the Eagles-49ers National Football Conference championship game.

Of Novak and no-vax

February 4, 2023

Among those exulting in Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open triumph Sunday, Jan. 29, were members of the far right, who had adopted the world’s No. 1 male tennis player as the poster boy for their anti-Covid vaccine mandate crusade after the debacle last year in which he was deported from Australia for coming to the tournament unvaccinated, a moment that covered neither Australia nor Djokovic in glory.

Novak Djokovic and 'the courage to continue'

August 29, 2021

On Monday, Aug. 30, Novak Djokovic begins his quest to win the US Open and thus the Grand Slam — holding all four Slams (including the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon) in one calendar year. Only two other men have done it (Don Budge in 1938 and Rod Laver in ’62 and ’69), along with three women (Maureen Connelly in ’53, Margaret Court in ’70 and Steffi Graf in 1988, the year after Djokovic was born). Graf remains the only person to win the Golden Slam — the Grand Slam and the Olympic gold medal that year.

The elusiveness of the Triple Crown, Grand Slam

May 23, 2016

Still getting over Nyquist’s loss to Exaggerator at the Preakness. I know, he’s just an animal, I have no connection to him but still…We take these creatures into our hearts, don’t we? Did he peak too soon? Possibly. You’re undefeated, you’re that much closer to losing. Nobody wins forever, but the good news is that nobody loses forever either. Congrats to Exaggerator and it’s on to the Belmont Stakes. Here’s wishing Nyquist a career like California Chrome’s. Indeed, here’s wishing all the horses continued safe success. ...

Andy’s dandy in Rogers Cup win

August 19, 2015

Kudos to Andy Murray – An-deeee – for his convincing victory over Novak Djokovic in the Rogers Cup in Montreal, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

Andy had lost to Nole eight times previously so he needed this one. Now he’s back at No. 2 at a moment when he and wife Kim Sears are expecting a baby, due early next year. (As one site put it, looks like Andy’s following Nole’s example in more ways than one.) ...

When danger lurks across the net

July 2, 2015

Disturbing story on the front page of The New York Times’ July 1 edition about the stalkers whom female tennis players face, among them a guy after No. 3-ranked Simona Halep – I see no reason to give him publicity here by naming him – who became increasingly hostile after seeing a rumor that she was to marry.

It was interesting to read the accompanying comments, which as usual were all over the place, with some pointing out that male players also have crazy fans, that these women are better protected than the average woman, etc. ...

Roger Federer and Selfie Nation

May 25, 2015

The French Open isn’t even one day old and we’ve already had our first international incident. A kid tried to take a selfie with Roger Federer after his first-round win against Alejandro Falla, and Feddy Bear – a traditionalist if there ever was one – was not amused:

“I’m not happy about it, not for one second am I happy about it….All of a sudden, he was next to me. I didn’t know who he was. He tried to take a picture and nobody’s reacting, and I realize it’s just some guy out of the crowd….It happened yesterday (Saturday) in practice, too. It was just a kid but then three or four kids came….And today on center court where you would think this is a place where nobody can come on, he just wanders on and nothing happens….

“Normally, I only speak on behalf of myself, but in this situation I think I can speak on behalf of all the players, because (the court) is where you do your job. It’s where you feel safe so clearly I’m not happy about it, but nothing happened so I’m relieved but it wasn’t a very nice situation to be in.”

Fed said that while he was appreciative of the apology he received from French Open officials, who nonetheless insisted there was nothing wrong with their security procedures, he expects them in effect to walk the walk. ...