The Three MusKeteers Revisited (and edited).
The archetypal Psychology of Tennis Greats: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
The Three Musketeers of Tennis
The triune Religious and Ideological embodiments of tennis' greatest love triangle: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.
Jan 14
12
Beginning with Martin Heidegger’s deconstruction of western metaphysics (merely to invert Platonism and then put it back together again) and Derrida’s misreading of the project with his aphasia between three relative truths, I propose that the triumvirate of: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic representing the embodiment of their respective native-national-international and spiritual souls are metaphysically and progressively to my mind becoming the only major archetypes of tennis left worthy to study. By being flung into the world towards semi-full pre-existing forms they have done so and by doing so have changed said forms into their own respective images. Yes, before them were Bjorn Borg, Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendel, & Pete Sampras/Andre Agassi not to mention countless other ‘great ones’ but these three will go down as the all-time greatest G.O.A.T s of all times simply because they seem to have like human hurricanes or vacuum cleaners absorbed all of the lessons and battles won before them, and like highlanders deciding that “there can only be one” applied equally to all three and to each other looked for inspiration.
Roger Federer the multilingual English speaking, French speaking and German speaking ideal whose mother is South African, and father is of Swiss extraction is the elder statesman and proponent of the archetypal tennis player and gentlemen. He may protest but Federer is the unconscious exponent of fellow Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung’s ideal of a fully integrated man, capable of assertive and targeted aggression but for the most part neutral and even keeled, always the diplomat and ambassador for his sport and country. He could protest but I don’t see how he could he is too polite.
Next, we have the fiery and passionate bullfighter from Majorca Spain, “Rafa", the supremely martial and in all ways suave confident and self-assured lefty (born right-handed) kinesthetic genius who by all accounts plays every point as if it is his last. As an authentic representation of a deeply Catholic (read; methodical and disciplined approach to the science of will power) and genuine faith in himself and the ever rational and irrational belief in the goodness of BEING in the vein of St. Thomas Aquinas, he like a conquistador has a divine mission. With the vengeance and supreme humility this athletic Don Juan meets Don Quixote honors his family as he extracts revenge with the humility to recognize that he is always still striving to emulate the Aristotelean imitation of Christ. Jesus.
And then we have the archetypal Jester, the clown, the D’Joker. Novak means little boy in Serbian and other Slavic tongues, this is meaningful if one is to believe that ‘name is destiny’, sometimes cliches and truisms are relevant because they are truer than fiction. In his own ironic but I think genuine words “People look up to me as somebody who is able to switch the image of our country from negative to positive.” The present and future threat to tennis world peace and democracy the Orthodox individualist and self-made man born into and forged in civil war, this overman and deeply contrarian Novak Djokovic is out for more than blood, glory, or world domination, he just wants to be the peoples champion (like he was recently honored by the US open crowd). But he is too egotistical and angry to allow that to happen in a sustained manner. Always caste down and thrown into the world as an outsider this resilient Serb wears a wooden Orthodox cross and respects his parents and family as simultaneously the world will never understand or respect him because he has his own truth, and it is in alignment with what Russian state idealogue and fringe sociologist and philosopher Alexander Duggin says is “Russian Exceptionalism in the face of American global hegemony.” *I am writing these sentences five hours after the announcement that he will not participate in the 2022 Australian Open after a tug of war FUGAZI of invitation, unwelcome welcoming, lawyering, breaking rules, rampant ego, and governmental incompetence that has been souring tennis fans and the world audience in the anticipation of the season opening Major. Tennis fans pro and anti-mandated vaccination alike are bewildered and overwhelmed and underwhelmed depending on their respective internet news feeds. As of January 16th 12:04 am Novak is Today · TBA Round of 128 playing fellow countrymen Miomir Kecmanovic…
*EDIT: As of , 2022, Novak Djokovic has been deported from Australia and will not be returning for 3 years. This bodes well for Nadal and Federer should he exit his cryochamber and the rest of the ATP tour.
And then with the next Gen (next generation) waiting patiently and, in some cases, breaking through like Domnic Teim (2020 Us open Champion, Dmitri Medvedev (2021 Us open Champion), and the newest sensation Carlos Alcaraz (currently ranked 33 after a breakout US open) having no one better to study than the big three they are ready to pounce on a weakened with injury Federer and a weakened with ego Djokovic as the last standing Rafael Nadal has the best chance to win 21, 22, and 23 respectively in Australia if Novak and roger never play their again. We have a lot of exciting tennis to look forward to and lot more thinking about the way the sport represents life and life represents tennis as an art and science of self-discipline and playing fair, so you are invited back to play again and again. It is about winning the set of all sets, mastery of life between the lines.
Now as a conscientious observer and lifelong partaker in tennis and obvious YouTube philosopher, with a degree in Psychology that took as many Philosophy courses as possible before switching to Kinesiology and eventually coming to Jesus on Psychology, I understand that this is a self-indulgent essentially puffed-up sports piece but hear me out… viewed through the extracurricular reading of the prism of Husserlian phenomenology (Go back to the things themselves!) or better yet Maurice Marleau Ponty’s primacy of bodily Perception I can see how Jordan Peterson (Federer), Noam Chomsky (Nadal), and Slavoj Zizek (Djokovic) could have been honorable mentions in the more or less abstracted and divorced but mystically united in the body and the world as ideological characterizations of thought. And although stretches and not as accurate representations of the kinesthetic and post-phenomenological embodiments of the way tennis is perceived to me through the Big Three and the ever present and beauty of the human body and form, and theory of mind and substance is obscured by pure language and language games in a Wittgensteinianism & analysis, I submit to you the reader that the debate is ongoing...
References:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=novak%2Bdjokovic&qs=SC&pq=nivak%2B&sc=6-6&cvid=EC3F6ED1868443F5B4389F3352E22FA8&FORM=QBRE&sp=1
On November 2, 2023, the world of tennis bore witness to a seismic shift, shrouded in both irony and brilliance.
Novak Djokovic, once an indomitable force in the sport, found himself facing an unprecedented twist of fate. Deported from Australia, he was condemned to a three-year absence from the ATP tour[^1^]. This abrupt departure cast a shadow over the future of tennis, creating ripples of uncertainty.
With Djokovic’s absence, the tennis landscape assumed a surreal quality, reminiscent of a Cleary-esque absurdist narrative. In this alternate reality, the fortunes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer hung in the balance, their respective challenges taking on a Kafkaesque hue. Federer, weakened by injury, and Djokovic, burdened by ego, became the central figures in this strange, almost Dostoevskian drama[^2^].
The next generation of tennis stars, led by Dominic Thiem, Dmitri Medvedev (the 2021 US Open Champion), and the sensational Carlos Alcaraz (currently ranked 33 after a breakout performance at the US Open), eagerly awaited their moment in the spotlight[^3^]. Like characters in a postmodern novel, they had no better mentors than the fading stars of the Big Three.
As the last standing, Rafael Nadal emerged as the unexpected protagonist, his path to victory taking on a Beckettian absurdity. With Djokovic and Federer potentially relinquishing Australia, Nadal found himself in a surreal position, poised to claim his 21st, 22nd, and 23rd titles in the land down under[^4^].
In this curious tableau, the sport of tennis became a metaphor for life itself. The delicate balance between competition and camaraderie, strategy and sportsmanship, revealed the inherent contradictions of existence[^5^]. It was a game of paradoxes, where victory and defeat intertwined like characters in a Pynchonesque labyrinth.
Now, as a conscientious observer and an enthusiast of both tennis and philosophy, my thoughts inevitably wander into the realm of theoretical musings. With a degree in Psychology that once dabbled in Philosophy, much like a character in a Calvino novel, I have traversed different intellectual landscapes.
Viewed through the lens of Husserlian phenomenology, I find myself pondering the nature of perception and experience, akin to a character in a Sartrean existential crisis. Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s emphasis on bodily perception further complicates the narrative, making me question the very essence of reality[^6^].
But let’s not forget the inclusion of notable thinkers in this tennis odyssey. Jordan Peterson assumes the role of Federer, symbolizing grace and finesse, much like a character in a Kundera novel. Noam Chomsky, with his relentless pursuit of truth, embodies the spirit of Nadal, resembling a character in a Borgesian labyrinth[^7^]. And Slavoj Žižek, with his enigmatic brilliance, stands in for Djokovic, his persona reminiscent of a character in a Calvino novel[^8^].
This elaborate comparison may, to some, appear as an intellectual stretch, an exercise in the absurd, a narrative scaffolded by postmodern whimsy. The interplay between tennis, philosophy, and life itself is, after all, a topic that engages thinkers in the tradition of Wittgenstein, a point of interest that spans the boundaries of language and reality[^9^].
In the ongoing debate, much like a character in a Derridean deconstruction, we grapple with the complexities of meaning, understanding, and interpretation. Tennis, a microcosm of existence, offers us a glimpse into the intricate dance of thought, perception, and action[^10^].
As the story of tennis unfolds, the characters, much like those in a Coetzee novel, navigate the labyrinthine twists of competition, philosophy, and the human condition. Whether the narrative leans towards the ironic or the brilliant, the essence of the sport and its deeper implications continue to captivate our minds, much like the characters in a novel by Calvino[^11^].
[^1^]: Novak Djokovic’s deportation: A plot twist worthy of Kafka or Camus?
[^2^]: Djokovic and Federer: A Dostoevskian duel of ego and injury.
[^3^]: The next generation: Characters in a postmodern tennis narrative.
[^4^]: Rafael Nadal’s Beckettian journey to victory.
[^5^]: Tennis as a metaphor for life’s paradoxes: A Pynchonesque labyrinth.
[^6^]: Husserlian phenomenology and Sartrean existential crises on the court.
[^7^]: Jordan Peterson, Federer, and Kundera’s grace.
[^8^]: Noam Chomsky, Nadal, and the pursuit of truth in a Borgesian labyrinth.
[^9^]: Slavoj Žižek, Djokovic, and the enigmatic brilliance of a Calvino character.
[^10^]: Tennis, philosophy, and the interplay between language and reality: A Wittgensteinian exploration.
[^11^]: Tennis and the ongoing debate: Characters in a Derridean deconstruction.