本期 Tennis 杂志的文 What is it about Roger Federer that pulls at our heartstrings? Watching him break down during the Australian Open trophy presentation after losing in five sets to Rafael Nadal in the final brought tears to my eyes. His passion for his sport runs deep, probably deeper than most realized, and his willingness to show it was moving. I don't think the flood of emotion from Federer was simply about that one match, though. He had lost to Nadal in a similar scenario at Wimbledon last year, and to see his opportunity to pull a reversal vanish after coming so close was too much for him to handle. 是什麽让 Roger Federer 扣紧我们的心弦？五盘输给Nadal後，在澳网颁奖典礼上痛哭让 我红了眼眶。他对网球的热情很强烈，可能比大家所想的还强，他对网球的意志也让人感 动，虽然我觉得他哭的原因不是只有那一场比赛。去年他在温布顿相同情形下输给 Nadal ，这次有机会逆转，但却与胜利失之交臂，这对他来说有点难受。 Some may disparage a man for crying after losing, but it's inspirational that he cares so deeply. Federer has all the money and fame he could want, but neither motivates him. What makes his rivalry so special is that Nadal is cut from the same cloth. His performance throughout the Australian Open was remarkable, possibly only surpassed by the respectful way he treated Federer after beating him in the final. People forget it's not only about forehands and backhands. Both these guys display character you don't always see in big-time athletes. Look at Michael Vick and the steroid-users in baseball to see how poorly some represent their sports. Tennis is lucky to have this duo at the top. 可能有人会觉得输球後哭哭很不应该，但这是他最在乎的。Federer 有名有利，但皆非他 打球的动力；也是此特质让他的对手 Nadal 与众不同。Nadal 澳网的表现相当出色，可 能只有颁奖典礼上给 Federer 的拥抱才更胜一筹，这不止是球场上的厮杀啊。两位运动 家都展现出与其他名运动员不同的特质。看看 Michael Vick （注1.）和服用禁药的棒球 员，是怎麽破坏他们的运动的形象。网球很幸运有这对顶尖组合。 While his legacy as a great sportsman is secure, of greater importance to Federer at the moment is how he's going to beat Nadal. I've heard commentators wonder if he'll ever do it again in a big match, or possibly even win another Grand Slam. I know what he's going through. I lost to Martina Navratilova 13 times in a row over a period of more than two years. Then, when I finally ended the streak, I went on to defeat her in two French Open finals and have a fairly even record with her for the rest of my career. 当 Federer 的霸业已确立，现在更重要的是如何打败 Nadal。我听过评述员怀疑他是否能 在大赛中击败 Nadal 一次，或是再拿一次大满贯。我知道他的感受，我在两年多期间连输 给 Martina Navratilova 十三次。是在两次法网决赛时我终止连败，并追平自己与他的纪 录。 So, I'm not counting Federer out yet, especially when there's not much separating him from Nadal on a fast surface. It's not like he got drummed in straight sets and didn't have opportunities. He served poorly, committed uncharacteristic errors, and missed numerous break point chances, yet still had the match knotted at two-sets apiece before losing his way in the fifth. I don't think Federer needs a new coach to make stroke adjustments or any drastic changes. He just needs a few tweaks, such as cleaning up the backhand errors and getting more assertive on his return of serve. But what it really comes down to, and it's easy for me to say, is that Federer needs to play better on the pivotal points. 所以我不看坏 Federer，尤其在硬地他俩实力相近，又不是说他被直落三或没什麽机会。 他那天发球很糟，有些不像他的失误，也错过了好多破发点，但还是把比赛带入第五盘。 我觉得 Federer 不用找新教练来改变打法或策略。他只需要作出一些调整，例如减少反 拍失误、回发球更积极点。但重点是他要能更会把握关键分，说起来好像挺容易的。 Obviously, there's another guy with a say in this, and right now he doesn't seem human. Nadal is a tireless competitor with the advantage of youth on his side. His intensity and fitness are unrivaled, making him difficult to beat in long matches. I'm curious to see whether in five years, when he's Federer's current age, Nadal will still be motivated to battle so fiercely for every point. For now, that's irrelevant to Federer. He must conquer a hungry opponent who seemingly has no limits. 显然地，有另一个人也这样说，而此刻他看起来不太像人。Nadal 是体力魔人，有年轻的 优势。他的体能是无敌的，这使他在长比赛中很难被击败。我很好奇五年後，他到Federer 的年纪时，是否还能这样积极地打每一分。现在这对 Federer 来说是不对等的，他必须 击败这个饥渴、看似永无极限的对手。 My heart goes out to him. 我的心选择他。 注1.：Michael Vick 是 NFL 亚特兰大猎鹰队的四分卫，因涉嫌斗狗遭判23个月徒刑。 -- But there is nothin' like the sight...of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. --

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