Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
Ah. What a cool saying. But it is so commonplace that we really don’t even think about where it comes from.
I thought it was a rap lyric from rapper Ice-T back in 1999.
A quick check on Google says that an episode of the Jamie Foxx Show – his old comedy show – with that same title predates Ice-T by a year.
But I digress. My search for the origin of the “Don’t hate the player” phrase got me nowhere definite.
It could have been about anyone or anything. Maybe even Michael Jordan. It does date to the time when he was king of the basketball court in the 1990s.
Today the debate still rages on about whether His Airness is the GOAT after he bossed the NBA like no one else.
But we’re not we’re not here to talk about MJ.
Today we’re talking about a king of another type of court.
On the tennis court, Novak Djokovic reigns supreme.
At 36, he has outlasted his fellow greats and rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and, with a record 23 majors titles in the men’s game, he has surpassed most of their records already.
Two matches away from another Wimbledon crown, the Serb then just needs the US Open title in August-September to complete the Grand Slam – winning all the big tournaments in a calendar year.
Only Don Budge (1938) and Australian genius Rod Laver, in 1962 and 1969, have ever done it in the men’s singles game.
And there doesn’t seem to be any stopping his march to more glory.
If you’re a betting man, Djokovic is the safest of the safe bets to lift the trophy on Centre Court of the All England Lawn Tennis Club on Sunday evening.
That’s because of the aura of invincibility that he brings to the arena when he is in this current form.
Had it not been for the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions on the unvaccinated Djokovic – which kept him out of Oz and the US last year – he would have an even stronger grip on the game.
Who knows? He may have been on his way to matching Laver by now.
Djokovic’s unchallenged dominance makes me a bietjie bitterbek.
I smaak to stand with the underdog. Maybe that’s the little man in me. Maybe it’s cos I’m the same height as Lionel Messi.
But once again, it’s not about hating the player.
The game needs to step up to beat the best.
Not one player has made his stem dik since the decline of Federer and Nadal.
The next generation seem to be waiting for their time.
However, anything can happen.
Either way, I think the sport really needs to see someone truly challenge Djokovic.
Could it be Jannik Sinner when he faces him on Centre Court this afternoon in the semifinal?
The 21-year-old Italian has as good a chance as any to break Djokovic’s amazing will to win.
Maak’ie saak how far behind the veteran is, he always seems to find a way to beat his opponent.
If Sinner fails to do bring his A-game, then could it be today’s other semifinalists Daniil Medvedev or Carlos Alcaraz?
Either way, come the almost-inevitable trophy shot with Djokovic on Sunday, remember: Don’t hate the player, hate the game.
matthew.marcus@inl.co.za