Oh, Canada! These kids are all right

They’re just three Canadian teens with the now-familiar names: Bianca Andreescu, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov. After an incredible run of success in March, in which each made plenty of headlines both back home throughout the provinces of Canada as well as across the globe. I’m happy to report: These kids are all right.

It’s a great time to be a Canadian tennis fan, isn’t it?

For starters, Andreescu, 18, who began the year ranked 152nd in the world and entered March at No. 71 after reaching the final in Auckland and semifinals in Acapulco, shot up to No. 23 by winning her first WTA Premier Mandatory title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif.

Meanwhile, Auger-Aliassime, also 18, won eight straight matches in Miami – including two just to qualify for the main draw – and improved his win-loss record to 19-9 in all competitions. He reached the semifinals in Miami after beating Nikolaz Basilashvili and Borna Coric, in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. Auger-Aliassime has enjoyed a stellar few weeks on the U.S. hard courts that began with a run to the third round at Indian Wells after beating fellow Next Gen ATP star Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.

Finally, Shapovalov, 19, who had his coming out on the pro tour two summers ago when he beat then-World No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the Rogers Cup, broke into the Top 20 by reaching the round of 16 at Indian Wells. Then, he followed it with a memorable performance in Miami, where he strung together four impressive wins before falling to his idol, Roger Federer, 6-2, 6-4, in the semifinal round.

Together, Andreescu, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov played a total of 30 matches during March in Indian Wells and Miami Their combined win-loss record of 25-5 was nothing short of fabulous. Characteristic of their wins, each was able to control the outcome of their matches by over-powering their opposition. When they lost, they went down with a fight.

Each of these prodigies wowed the tennis world – and the tennis media that cover them – by striking the right balance with their youthful exuberance and enthusiasm coupled with their obvious talent between the lines. Suddenly, thoughts of Grand Slam success started to murmur through stadium crowds and in broadcast booths – and on social media – during both Indian Wells and Miami.

“There has been all kinds of talk about the talent of this trio of young Canadians but one basic fact remains,” wrote Tom Tebbutt in an article for TennisCanada.com.

“They hit harder and bigger than their opponents.”

The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells provided such a memorable stage for Andreescu, born in Mississauga, Ontario, to experience overnight stardom. She won by showing a gritty variety in her game, thanks to her arsenal of backhand slices and well-disguised drop shots. Plus, she displayed a strength of hitting from the baseline that goes beyond her years.

Along the way to winning the first leg of the “Sunshine Double,” Andreescu beat four Top-20 players – Wang Qiang, Garbiñe Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, and in a dramatic final, Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. With hopes of another deep run in Miami, she began with wins over Irina-Camelia Begu and Sofia Kenin, then garnered a big victory in her re-match against Kerber, prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 Finally, into the round of 16, Andreescu’s painful right shoulder could withstand no more and the pain forced her to retire early on against Anett Kontaveit. Her spirit might have been broken, but she didn’t break out collective hearts.

Auger-Aliassime, who began the year ranked 109th, generated the same kind of excitement as Andreescu. As if expected, he became the youngest to reach the Miami Open semifinals in the tournaments 35-year history. Then, in the biggest match of his young career, age finally caught up with the promising Auger-Aliassime as the upstart qualifier was unable to close out either set of his 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) semifinal loss against John Isner, one of the game’s best servers. “For sure, nerves,” said Auger-Aliassime, a native of Montréal, who has improved his ranking to No. 33. “It was like I caught a virus of something.” After he lost, disappointed but not dejected, Auger-Aliassime gathered himself alone on the practice courts to work on his serve that had failed him against Isner.

As for Shapovalov, from Richmond Hill, Ontario, he celebrated a recent victory by breaking out an original rap verse in the middle of an on-court interview that immediately went viral on social media. The lanky lefty with the one-fisted backhand and backward ball cap also displayed some pretty fine tennis in stringing together six wins during an eight-match run. Shapovalov showed his superiority in beating a pair of his Next Gen ATP contemporaries, Tsitsipas and Frances Tiafoe, in back-to-back matches. Finally, his luck ran out against a vintage Federer, as the Swiss maestro won 91 percent of his first-serve points and his serve was only in danger two times. Although neither he nor Auger-Aliassime were able to make the next leap in a Masters 1000 tournament and reach the final plateau, each now knows what it takes to get there. There will be better days ahead for these kids.

The reception each has received following the “Swing through Spring” in Indian Wells and Miami has been welcoming. There have been lots of smiles and happy faces. Both in Toronto and in Montréal, it’s been game recognizes game. Andreescu was feted at a recent FC Toronto football match after returning home, in which she presented the game ball, and last week, she threw out the ceremonial first pitch as a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game, adorned in a bright blue Blue Jays jersey. Plus, she held a big Q & A with her fans on Twitter, where she has more than 340,000 followers. She said, “What really motivates me is the love of the game. I enjoy playing. Having the opportunity the inspire others and travel around the world is also a big part of why I enjoy it so much.”

Last Tuesday, Auger-Aliassime received a tremendous ovation while attending a Montréal Canadians ice hockey match in his home town. For now, each is relaxing away from competition – as a recent Instagram photo showing Auger-Aliassime enjoy a quiet home at home playing Yiruma’s “River Flows In You” on the piano shows.

Looking back, Shapovalov recently tweeted how it was “so great” to see biodegradable string bags being used at the Miami Open. “I used 42 bags just this week alone. Think about how much plastic we are wasting yearly. We need to see more of this on tour and try to be more #EcoFriendly.”

Not long from now, new challenges will await each, beginning on European clay next week, and later on, there’s the grass-court season culminating at Wimbledon. A lot can happen between now and the time each returns home this summer for the North American hard-court season and receives a hero’s welcome at the Rogers Cup (men in Montréal and women in Toronto). One thing’s certain about Andreescu, Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov: They are young talent ready to shine on big stages. Each in their own way has made watching tennis fun again.

Photos: Courtesy of Google Images.

(A version of this essay first appeared in Tennis TourTalk, www.Tennis-TourTalk.com.)

Andy Murray: “I tried my best.”

By all indications, tennis player Andy Murray put up a better fight against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut than anyone – the thousands of fans who crowded inside Melbourne Arena or the global TV audience that watched during all hours of the day and night – would have thought he could on this warm Australian summer Monday evening. It was opening night at the 2019 Australian Open.

Win or lose, it would be an emotional exit for the Scotsman. That’s because last Friday, Murray came into the interview room at Melbourne Park, teary-eyed and choked up with emotion, and revealed that he could no longer play with the pain in his hip he’s been experiencing while trying to play tennis. The former No. 1 had fallen to No. 230 in the world rankings because of his inactivity due to injury.

“Not feeling good. Been struggling for a long time,” said Murray, his shoulders slumped and the brim of his cap pulled down low. “I’m not sure I can play through the pain for another four or five months.”

Even still, as New York Times tennis correspondent Ben Rothenberg tweeted moments after Murray went down to a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-2 first-round defeat, “his clock struck midnight before we thought it should be over.”

The No. 22 seed Bautista Agut won and will advance on in the Australian Open. But, as Rothenberg noted, Murray will be remembered for his “incredible effort; Andy has everything to be proud of.”

Following the fourth set tie-break, which Murray won 7-4, BBC5 Live’s David Law tweeted, “Whatever happens from here, over the last 10 minutes Andy Murray has turned this into an Andy Murray match.

“Fighting tooth and nail, making people care, making them live their lives through him, the ups and downs, the agony and ecstasy. Forget the titles, that’s Murray’s legacy.”

While Murray’s effort, which produced what “The Tennis Podcast” called “a rousing comeback in a match of unrivaled poignancy and significance” wasn’t quite enough for him to win, it provided everyone with hours of compelling drama. Although it was after 11 p.m. when the match ended, because of the 16-hour time difference between Melbourne and the U.S. east coast, for me I saw the exciting conclusion while digesting my morning breakfast.

Interviewed on the Melbourne Arena court shortly after his glorious defeat by his former coach-turned-broadcaster Mark Petchey, Murray searched long and deep for the right words to say that expressed his emotions. Although he was exhausted from his effort, he wasn’t sad or bitter. Instead, he composed his thoughts very carefully. Finally, he spoke, saying, “It was incredible. Thank you so, so much to everyone who’s come out tonight. ... I’ve loved playing here over the years. If this was my last match, amazing way to end. I gave literally everything I had.”

For now, Murray appears to be keeping his options open and hopes to play the final tournament of his career this summer at Wimbledon. However, that could all change in a matter of days if not hours.

During Murray’s post-match press conference that followed his four-hour nine-minute loss, he was asked by French tennis journalist Carole Bouchard what his tennis legacy should be. Murray’s answer, so brief but eloquent, was summed up in just four simple words: “I tried my best.”

"My name is Sadiq Khan and I'm the mayor of London!"

Sadiq Khan / I'm a Londoner, I'm European, I'm British, I'm English,
I'm of Islamic faith, of Asian origin, of Pakistani heritage, a dad, a husband."

London began the week with a new mayor. Meet Sadiq Khan. Not only is he the first Muslim to lead Britain's capital city, he's the first Muslim head of a major European capital.

"I'm a Londoner, I'm European, I'm British, I'm English, I'm of Islamic faith, of Asian origin, of Pakistani heritage, a dad, a husband," said the newly elected, 45-year-old Khan in a recent interview with The New York Times.

Khan, a Labour Party leader, succeeds two-term Conservative Boris Johnson, who was London's mayor since 2008. He was officially sworn in as London's new mayor last Saturday during a ceremony at Southwark Cathedral, and was immediately greeted with cheers and applause.

Sadiq Khan / The first Muslim leader of an important
western city.

Born in Tooting, South London, Khan is the fifth of eight children whose parents immigrated from Pakistan. He grew up in the 1970s in a public-housing project – known as a council estate – where his father drove a London city bus and his mother was a seamstress.

"My parents came here because they saw London as a beacon," Khan told The Guardian. "A place where they could create a better life."

Following a bitter Conservative campaign of personal attacks that was dominated by anxieties over his religion and ethnicity, Khan won a striking and historic victory over Tory candidate Zac Goldsmith, gaining a broad acceptance from the London electorate who supported him with 44 percent of first preference votes (56.8 percent of the vote overall) in a crowded field. His election brushed aside attempts by Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron's government to link Khan to the threat of Islamist extremism and, perhaps, it signaled "a broad acceptance by voters of London's racial and religious diversity just months after jihadi terrorist attacks in Brussels and Paris," wrote the Financial Times of London.

"Sadiq Khan's election as mayor of the British capital – making him the first Muslim leader of an important western city – is a historic moment that will be scrutinized around the world, particularly in other European cities struggling to integrate Muslim communities," wrote the Financial Times. "The victory of the Labour party candidate reaffirms London's multicultural image at a time of rising populist fervor in Europe and the U.S."

Khan has said he hoped that Donald J. Trump – the presumptive Republican Party presidential candidate who has called for barring Muslims from entering the U.S. – "loses badly."

As mayor of London, Khan will have power over transport, housing, air quality and policing. He's promised to make 50 percent of new homes affordable. He takes charge of one of the world's great cities, "a vibrant metropolis where every tongue is heard," wrote The New York Times. "In his victory, a triumph over the slurs that tried to tie him to Islamist extremism, Khan stood up for openness against isolationism, integration against confrontation, opportunity for all against racism and misogyny. He was the anti-Trump."

Khan, married and the father of two daughters, comes to his new leadership post following a career as a human rights lawyer. He was a Labour councillor in Tory-held Wandsworth for 12 years. He entered Parliament in 2005 and in 2010 his orchestrated Ed Miliband's winning Labour leadership campaign. He ran Labour's London campaign in the 2015 general election.

Sadiq Khan / "Proud that London has today chosen
hope over fear and unity over division."

As an observant Muslim, Khan seems well placed to tackle extremism in a city known for its tolerance and respect of each other. Although Britain has not sustained a major terrorist attack since 2005, it's worth noting that unlike France, Britain's Muslim population is well integrated, and one in eight Londoners identify as Muslim. During the campaign, Khan openly proclaimed his Muslim faith and declared that he was "the British Muslim who will take the fight to the extremists."

Still, Khan's election as mayor comes at a time when Europe is struggling with an increase in Islamaphobia, "riven by debates about the flood of Syrian migrants and on edge over religious, ethnic and cultural disputes," wrote The New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/world/europe/100000004391820/londons-new-mayor-gives-victory-speech.html

During Khan's acceptance speech, he noted that London's mayoral election "was not without controversy," but said he was "proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division."

He added: "I hope that we will never be offered such a stark choice again. Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker and the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city."

Photos: Cover photo: Courtesy of Sadiq Khan Facebook page. Others: Courtesy of Google Images. 

Teaching her children well: The remarkable life of Fawzia Koofi and her fight for a better future

Fawzia Koofi / The Favored Daughter

"As you grow older you will learn about loyalty," writes Fawzia Koofi in her courageous memoir The Favored Daughter: One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future. In a letter to her daughters, Shurha and Shaharzad, that precedes the chapter entitled "The War Within," Koofi says: "Loyalty to your faith, to family, to friends, to your neighbors, and to your country. In times of war our loyalty can be sorely tested."

Indeed, these are challenging times for everyone throughout much of the world. For some of us, our homelands are facing political upheavals, while others are battling through the economic reality of uncertainty. 

Our loyalty is being tested every day.

In Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest and most volatile countries, Koofi, 38, who is her country's first female Parliament Speaker and a noted activist for women's and children's rights, is currently a leading candidate for the 2014 presidential elections. Mind you, in a country where women have been struggling for generations just to achieve gender equality, a woman has never been elected president of Afghanistan.

Recently, Koofi appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and spoke at Harvard Law School as part of a visit to the U.S. to drum up support for her candidacy as well as to promote her book. Immediately, after seeing Koofi's interview with Jon Stewart, I went online to put a hold on her book, and checked it out from my local public library by the weekend.

Since obtaining a copy of Koofi's book, I have not been able to put it down. It has been my reading companion at home and at work, even at the gym. It is both a highly fascinating and riveting read. And, I highly encourage anyone wanting to learn more about her life's journey ~ from being rejected at birth and left for death to becoming an author and a presidential candidate ~ or what life in Afghanistan is really like, as seen through this remarkable woman's eyes, should read Koofi's book.

In a review of The Favored Daughter: One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future, which Koofi wrote with Nadene Ghouri, an award-winning journalist and former Al Jazeera and BBC broadcaster, the Kirkus Reviews wrote: "An affecting inside look at the making of an Afghan woman leader, in spite of the repression by traditional Islamic society and the Taliban ... With moving letters to her daughters opening each chapter, Koofi delivers an important message."

The Globe and Mail wrote: "A powerful and moving book, not just for Koofi's daughters, but for all the daughters of the world."

Indeed, Koofi's message is an important one that needs to be shared and passed along from one generation to the next. And while her letters to her two teenage daughters focus on life in Afghanistan, I think it is a message that is germane to us all no matter where in the world we reside, and it's one we can all appreciate reading and learning from.

Koofi continues in her letter to her daughters about the importance of loyalty: 

"You must be loyal to the true and good nature of your Islamic faith, helping and loving those around you even when you might feel you cannot.

 "It is important to be loyal to your family, both those alive and dead. Our bonds of family do not cease at the grave, but we must also be careful not to remember the dead at the expense of the living.

"You must be loyal to your friends, because it is the action of a true friend. And if they are true friends then they will also be loyal to you, and ready to act when you need their help.

"You must be loyal to your fellow Afghans. There are many of us and we are not all the same. But you must be able to see past those ethnic and cultural differences and remember the thing that unites us together ~ Afghanistan.

"And you must be loyal to your country. Without loyalty to our country we have nothing as a nation. We must work hard and wisely to improve our country for your children and their children."

Loyalty can be a hard lesson to learn sometimes, as Koofi has reminded us. Yet, there are few lessons more valuable.