Serena Williams overcame a torrid testing by former Czech Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova to book her place in the semifinal of the Qatar Total Open. Williams’ celebration at the end was worthy of a Grand Slam final win. She was down on her knees and then pointed her index finger at the crowd, proclaiming her rise to the number one world ranking for the sixth time in her career. She later admitted that the celebration was not scripted, it just happened, a sense of exultation for recovering from her crises of the past two years.
Indeed Serena has had a difficult time of it of late. She stepped on broken glass in a restaurant, requiring two surgeries. Then she had a life threatening illness that took some time to recover from. She then followed it up with a world beating last months of 2012, winning Wimbledon, US Open and the Olympics. The Australian was a bit of a disappointment, with a swollen ankle and a gimpy back causing her to lose to Sloane Stephens. But, even though she looked a bit off her best Friday, Williams has shown that she is a in a class of her own when it matters. She shrugs of her age saying that she has less wear and tear on her body than much younger plays because she plays fewer tournaments and that she did not even play junior tennis, going straight into the women’s events. Certainly, she will be the player to beat this year at the major events.
Pakistan have given South Africa all they can handle in the Second Test at Cape Town. Even though wilted once again under the South African pace onslaught, two brilliantly composed hundred by Asad Shafiq and Younus Khan took Pakistan to a reasonable first innings total. South Africa, having handled Saeed Ajmal well in the first Test, were undone by the off-spinner this time. It is a measure of Ajmal’s talent as one of the best spinners that he adapted, adjusted and took the first five wickets in almost no time. De Villiers and Peterson resurrected the innings but it still left Pakistan with a small lead on which they would hope to build for a decisive target to pose for South Africa in the fourth innings.
Leaving by 100-odd for three at the start of day four, when these lines are being written, should they survive the first session without losing more than a wicket, then they are in with a good chance to take the fight to South Africa. On the wearing turning pitch, Ajmal and the tall pacer Irfan could make quick inroads, knowing South Africa’s brittle temperament under pressure.
The sporting world has been hit by a scandal of almost unprecedented proportions. South Africa’s ‘Blade Runner’ Quentin Pistorious has been arrested for the murder of his girl friend, who was found shot our times at Pistorious’ residence in a gated community in Pretoria. Reeve Steenkamp was a media personality, model and actress and had evidently gone to wish her friend a happy Valentine’s Day.
Pistorious who had had domestic issues in the past and was thought to like living on the edge, may have over reacted, thinking that she was an intruder. But it would be incredibly foolish to shoot someone four times without even asking who it was, especially in a gated community, where access was strictly controlled. Prostorious was a gun lover and used to go to shooting ranges regularly. The police, citing previous run-ins with the law, have accused him of premeditated murder – something that Pistorious’ and his family have strongly rejected.
This whole unfortunate affair is reminiscent of the OJ Simpson affair where Simpson’s former girl friend and her friend had been brutally knifed to death. Although there was overwhelming circumstantial evidence against him, OJ was let off. He was lat arrested on another charge and is in prison. OJ Simpson, also known as the juice, because of his first two initials, was one of the greatest running backs in American football history. He was also a world class sprinter at his University, UCLA. Simpson had a stellar career in the NFL setting all sorts of records. He acted in movies, living what could be termed as a dream career. But a moment of madness or jealousy put paid to all that.
Quentin Pistorious was a double amputee, whose legs were cut off below his knee because he did not have fibula bones in both legs, a congenital defect. A precocious athlete, he ran for his High School team on prosthetic legs without the coach finding out that he did not have legs. He won world championships in Paralympic Games. But the stir he created by trying to get into the Olympics themselves was what embroiled him in controversy. He was, surprisingly to some, allowed to compete in the 400 meters where he reached the semifinals – a creditable performance. But the question being raised was whether his graphite blade legs game him an unfair advantage over other competitors, whether the extra spring in the blades combined with lesser weight and wind resistance, more than made up for the lack of his legs. That question is now moot. Pristorious’ career seems to be over following a moment of madness or incredibly bad judgment. Should he be convicted of premeditated murder, he could spend the rest of his life in jail. His sponsors, Nike, Oakley and others are distancing themselves. Perhaps, as some people have claimed, there was a latent, fatal flaw in the man which was exposed in such terrifying manner the other day.
