Alright, alright, let me tell ya ‘bout this fella, Bopanna. He’s a tennis player, you know, the kind that whacks the ball back and forth over that net thingy. Don’t ask me all the fancy rules, I just watch ‘em on the TV when I ain’t got nothin’ better to do. Seems like he’s been around forever, like that old tractor in my barn, always chuggin’ along.
This Bopanna guy, he just won somethin’ big, real big. They called it the “Grand Slam” or somethin’. Sounded important, like winnin’ the blue ribbon at the county fair for the biggest pumpkin. He won it with another fella, Ebden, they called him. They was a team, like them two mules I used to have, always pullin’ together.
Now, they say Bopanna’s the oldest fella to ever win one of these Grand Slam things. Imagine that! An old fella like him, still runnin’ around that court like a young rooster. Must be eatin’ his Wheaties, I tell ya. Or maybe it’s all that fancy footwork they do. Jumpin’ around, hittin’ the ball, makes my old bones ache just thinkin’ ‘bout it.
- They say he’s real good at hittin’ the ball at the other fella’s feet. Smart, ain’t it? Makes it hard for them to hit it back. Like tryin’ to swat a fly when it’s buzzin’ ‘round your ankles.
- And when his partner’s servin’, he stands right smack in the middle of that box thingy. Takes away the easy shot, they say. Like blockin’ the chicken coop door so the fox can’t get in.
This Bopanna and Ebden, they been winnin’ a lot lately. Seems like every time I turn on the TV, there they are, smilin’ and holdin’ up a trophy. They must be doin’ somethin’ right. Maybe they got a secret handshake, or maybe they just know how to work together like a well-oiled machine, you know, like my old sewin’ machine, always stitchin’ things up nice and tight.
They said somethin’ ‘bout them losin’ the first set real bad one time, 6-0 they said. That’s like gettin’ skunked, you know? But they didn’t give up, no sir. They fought back and won the whole darn thing. Reminds me of that time my prize-winnin’ hen got loose. Thought I’d lost her for good, but I chased her all over the farm and finally caught her. Never give up, that’s what I always say.
So, this Bopanna, he’s a real winner, that’s for sure. An old fella winnin’ big things, it gives hope to us all, I reckon. Maybe I’ll even take up tennis myself. Nah, just kiddin’. I’ll stick to watchin’ it on TV. Less runnin’ that way.
They also said he won another game against some fellas with funny names, Bolelli and Vavassori, somethin’ like that. Sounds like Italian food to me. Anyway, Bopanna and Ebden beat ‘em. Seven to six, and then seven to five. Close game, it seems. Like when I’m tryin’ to haggle with the salesman at the market for a better price on tomatoes. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always gotta keep tryin’.
So, that’s the story of Bopanna, as best as I can tell it. An old fella who’s still swingin’ a racket and winnin’ trophies. Good for him, I say. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go feed the chickens. They’re squawkin’ up a storm, probably wantin’ their dinner.
Tags: [Rohan Bopanna, Australian Open, Tennis, Doubles, Grand Slam, Mathew Ebden, Victory, Sports]
