Agassi vs. Running
Watching the news about Andre Agassi being retired from tennis (yes, it was his choice on general timing, but the specific timing was handled by Donald(?) Becker) at the age of 36.
Running and tennis are different; don't get me wrong, both are excellent lifetime sports. I got my introduction to tennis at a summer camp where the camp director was a regular player at about age 80. Both can be competed to very advanced ages. The key difference is in how they're competed.
Tennis is a sport of twos and fours, and if Canadian doubles is counted, threes. Running is a sport of ones and hundreds. It's almost impossible to train for tennis alone, though some ancillary training can be handled solo. Running, at least distance training, can be done solo, though many runners find greater success by training as or with teams. Some activities like speed work are vastly easier in groups rather than alone, and the efforts of the coach/timekeeper benefits more people. Racing usually involves hundreds of people, and at the extremes, dozens or thousands.
The real key to the difference is that any runner CAN line up with the best runners in the area on most weekends and can toe the same line, albeit several rows back, with the best runners in the country or the world. It's even possible for a virtual unknown to win a major road race. Due to the limited fields in a tennis match, combined with the fact that the worst players in a tennis tournement normally must play a string of the best players, this is nearly impossible.
I have to say that Agassi had a great run with his tennis career, and I think he knew it was time to put it to bed. My hat is off to him. I've enjoyed atching his matches at least occasionally through the years (including a little of his match last Thursday). He was a great champion.
Running and tennis are different; don't get me wrong, both are excellent lifetime sports. I got my introduction to tennis at a summer camp where the camp director was a regular player at about age 80. Both can be competed to very advanced ages. The key difference is in how they're competed.
Tennis is a sport of twos and fours, and if Canadian doubles is counted, threes. Running is a sport of ones and hundreds. It's almost impossible to train for tennis alone, though some ancillary training can be handled solo. Running, at least distance training, can be done solo, though many runners find greater success by training as or with teams. Some activities like speed work are vastly easier in groups rather than alone, and the efforts of the coach/timekeeper benefits more people. Racing usually involves hundreds of people, and at the extremes, dozens or thousands.
The real key to the difference is that any runner CAN line up with the best runners in the area on most weekends and can toe the same line, albeit several rows back, with the best runners in the country or the world. It's even possible for a virtual unknown to win a major road race. Due to the limited fields in a tennis match, combined with the fact that the worst players in a tennis tournement normally must play a string of the best players, this is nearly impossible.
I have to say that Agassi had a great run with his tennis career, and I think he knew it was time to put it to bed. My hat is off to him. I've enjoyed atching his matches at least occasionally through the years (including a little of his match last Thursday). He was a great champion.
posted by Scooter at 8:13 AM
1 Comments:
I will miss Agassi. He was awesome.
Post a Comment
<< Home