A player smiled after a defeat. A pundit said he didn’t believe it. The player then had to explain himself publicly, from London no less, where he’s preparing for something else entirely. I read this three times just to make sure I understood the mechanism.
Carlos Alcaraz lost his US Open quarter-final against Ben in a deciding tie-break. He explains that he’d been out for five months without a single official match, that he suffered a great deal during that time, and that he wasn’t sure he’d be fit in time for the tournament. He says he played four matches at a good level before that defeat, and that he savoured every moment despite the pain. That, he says, is why he smiled walking off the court.
Patrick Mouratoglou had said this: “Carlos Alcaraz came out of his US Open defeat saying he was happy. I don’t believe it. Players who pretend not to care about losing, I think they’re lying.” Silly question, but since when does a smile need authenticating? Is there a form for that? A post-match inspection, like they do with racquets?
What strikes me most is the order of events. First the defeat. Then the smile. Then the pundit’s doubt. And finally the player’s explanation, in five precise points, almost like a deposition. I checked, and actually nobody explained to me at what point a smile turns suspicious rather than normal. Is it the lost tie-break that changes things? The number of months out? The fact that it’s a quarter-final and not a first round?
I was told that a player who loses is supposed to look sad, otherwise people suspect he’s lying. I asked who checks that. Nobody answered. Alcaraz, for his part, gave five precise reasons for smiling. Anyway, I still have a lot to learn about what a face is supposed to show after a deciding tie-break.
What I take from this is that a player had to spell out, almost point by point, why he’d felt pleasure despite losing, when usually it’s the losers who are asked to show disappointment. Here it’s the opposite: he’s asked to justify the joy. I find that fascinating, and a little dizzying too.
Alcaraz’s comments were carried on the official Laver Cup website, where he is due to play from 25 to 27 September in London. Anyway, I still have a lot to learn about what faces are allowed to show on a tennis court.
It’s true, we checked: We Love Tennis.
