On tennis: A few minutes with Sascha Zverev

In art and poetry, the German writer and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, personality is everything. Perhaps, after watching Alexander Zverev last week, tennis should be added to that list, too.

The 21-year-old from Germany, born to Russian parents, with the rockstar appeal, sandy-blonde mop-top hair, and (as I learned from interviewing him) a wry sense of humor, is currently ranked No. 3 in the world, behind Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, two of the best that the sport of tennis has ever produced. Once again, he’s picking up right where he left off last summer, as one of hottest hard-court players on the ATP World Tour with his sights focused on winning the U.S. Open later this month. The young and mature tennis wunderkind, affectionately known as Sascha, plays with great confidence and authority – not to mention possessing a powerful serve – and, always, with a keen instinct that’s well beyond his years. Although his play at times looks effortless, it’s always entertaining.

On Sunday, Zverev added his second career ATP 500 series championship to his C.V. (which also includes three Masters 1000 trophies) as he successfully defended his Citi Open crown with a straight-set victory over 19-year-old Australian upstart Alex de Minaur, 6-2, 6-4, in Washington, D.C. It was his 41st tour win of the season. Zverev dropped just one set in his five matches, and played with plenty of confidence and authority as he moved about the hard-court surface on the Stadium court at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, where he was well liked by fans. In the final, Zverev took control of de Minaur from the outset, breaking his opponent in his first two service games. It prompted this comment from de Minaur afterward: “Today, he came out blazing and sort of was too good for me.”

The Citi Open title was the third tour-level title this year for the versatile Zverev to go with trophies he lifted earlier in Madrid and Munich on clay. He’s won nine ATP titles overall, but is still looking for his first Grand Slam triumph.

From observing him during the week against Malek Jaziri, his older brother Mischa, Kei Nishikori, Stefanos Tsitsipas and, finally, de Minaur, I couldn’t help but think that every time the tall (6-feet-6-inch, 1.98 m) and lean (189-pound, 86 kg) Zverev walked on the court, he painted word pictures with his tennis racquet while conquering all who came in his path. It’s worth noting that his ballet-like artistry on the tennis court was simply a thing of beauty that’s worth appreciating. Along with Tsitsipas and de Minaur, Zverev represents the future of men’s tennis.

As Zverev readies to defend his Masters 1000 Rogers Cup title in Toronto this week, beginning with a second-round matchup against the 116th-ranked Bradley Klahn of the United States, one thing that impressed me about him during his week-long stay in the nation’s capital city was how he handled himself during his daily press conferences. Sascha came across as both relaxed and charming – even showing a keen instinct like he does on the tennis court by being quick with his responses to reporter’s questions – and, he exuded a playful side of himself that not many get to witness. I sensed that Zverev enjoyed answering the media’s questions every day as he sat front and center on a raised platform before us, no matter how straight-forward, serious or light-hearted the questions might be. Each time, I came away feeling I learned something new about both sides of Zverev’s persona, as a highly successful tennis athlete and as someone whom many throughout the sporting world idolize.

Here’s a sampling of some of Zverev’s responses and witticisms:

• Asked about his pursuit of Nadal and Federer, the world’s No.1 and No. 2-ranked players: "I don’t think Roger’s too concerned about it. I think he’s somewhere in Switzerland right now enjoying, I don’t know, milk from his cow. From his own cow. ... I’ve said it a few times – Roger and Rafa are still the best out there right now. They are still winning Grand Slams. They are still winning the biggest titles. ... Saying that I’m at their level is something that wouldn’t be fair to them.”

• On handling the pressure of being the defending champion at the Citi Open and being ranked in the Top 5 in the world: “It’s means you come here, you know you have a few points to defend, and you still come out here to win. It’s feels great. It shows, I think, mental strength as well. I think it shows a little bit of maturity. ... It was a fantastic week for me.

“Last year was all just the beginning. This year I’m proving that I’m actually at this level, that I’m playing pretty consistent.”

• Asked after the semifinals, when it was pointed out by a reporter that at age 21 he was the “adult” on the court against the 19-year-old Tsitsipas, and the age of the other semifinalists were 19 and 20, he spit out: “I’m the only one who’s allowed to buy a drink here in the U.S., right?”

• When asked what it’s like being a role model, Zverev quipped: “Am I a role model for you? Well, you can grow a full beard and I can’t, so.”

• On playing his older brother Mischa, Sascha reflected: “I enjoyed the moment. We played great tennis. I think we both played close to our best. I just enjoyed it out there ... as much as I could. I hope everyone else did as well.

“I think knowing each other, that’s why the level was so high. You kind of knew an easy shot, he’s going to go there, I’m going to go there. ... We just had to enjoy the moment as much as we can and the level was pretty high. I played well, and I think Mischa played pretty well also. For us, it was more enjoyment.”

• On who might replace the Big Four of Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, an obvious but necessary question to ask the young World No. 3, Zverev didn’t hesitate when he said: “I think it’s natural that the higher you get in the rankings, the more people look at you, and the more people kind of want to play you and they want to play you at your best, and they want to beat you, no matter what.”

• On being surprised by the success he’s enjoyed at this early stage of his career, Zverev said: “I have put in a lot of work into becoming the player I am. I still am. Of course, I am happy every time I win, but I also know what it takes to be where I am.”

Photo: By Michael Dickens © 2018.

Pink Martini: The "little orchestra" that's bringing joy to the world in these troubled times

Pink Martini / The "little orchestra" that's inclusive, full of warmth and
represents many human experiences.

Pink Martini is an internationally acclaimed "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, founded by a couple of Harvard classmates, pianist Thomas Lauderdale and vocalist China Forbes, that mixes glamour and sophisticated easy-listening music. Since 1994, the band that the Washington Post once called "utterly cosmopolitan yet utterly unpretentious," have amassed an impressive repertoire of festive songs drawn from around the globe, including many timeless classics and a few rarely heard chestnuts.

A typical Pink Martini show -- and I speak from experience have seen the band perform nine times over the past decade in a variety of California settings -- is both multilingual and multicultural, and at holiday time it's also multi-denominational. Above all, it's inclusive -- full of warmth -- and represents many human experiences.

Through the energy and creativity of their music, Pink Martini brings joy to the world in these troubled times -- something which should make all of us feel grateful and appreciative.

"We're very much an American band," said Lauderdale, "but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore, have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America... the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world... composed of people of every country, every language, every religion."

Pink Martini has performed on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe and Asia, as well as in Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America. I have seen them perform both as a "little orchestra" as well as in concert with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. When his schedule allows, NPR "All Things Considered" host Ari Shapiro, also a Portland native, joins Pink Martini as a guest vocalist.

Pink Martini's 'Joy to the World'

Last Monday in Livermore, about 30 miles inland from Oakland, my wife and I saw our most recent Pink Martini show. It was part of a two-week "Joy to the World" bus tour through northern and coastal California towns, including Arcata, Davis, Monterey, Redding, and Santa Barbara.

On this night, the 12-member band delighted their audience at the Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center's 507-seat Bankhead Theater by performing from their expansive catalog of pop, jazz, classical and holiday songs that were beautifully sung in Latin, Hebrew, Arabic, German, Turkish, Armenian, Spanish, Italian, French, Romanian, Croatian, Chinese, Japanese and, oh yes, English, too. There was a nice mixture of charm, elegance and humor throughout the band's two-hour performance.

In a recent interview with the Santa Barbara Independent, co-lead vocalist Storm Large said: "Every language expresses love, pain, joy or grief, in whatever song I'm singing, in whatever language, it's just a matter of being honest in the feeling I'm expressing." This was plainly evident when Large sang the very serious Romanian folk tune "Pâna când nu te iubeam" ("Until I Loved You") as well as a long-time favorite of mine, the spine-tingling Croatian song "Eu plavu zoru" ("At Blue Dawn"), accompanied by violinist Nicholas Crosa.

Pink Martini performs their "Joy to the World" holiday
show in Livermore, California on Dec. 7.

Among the sacred and secular holiday songs which Pink Martini performed in Livermore were: "Little Drummer Boy," "We Three Kings," "A Snowglobe Christmas," "Talj, Talj," "La Vergine Degli Angeli," "O Holy Night," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

"Christmas music is so inherently joyful for me, as well as for the audience," said Large. "People just have so many good feelings around the holidays. It's a marvelous reason to sing."

Pink Martini's unique vision can be attributed to its inclusiveness of language, culture, and religion, musically. The band wants anyone and everyone to feel welcome at its shows and, if they are so encouraged, to jump up and dance. And many did dance in Livermore. The evening was complete  with an encore performance of the band's signature tune "Brazil" in which many in the audience at Large's urging formed a conga line while others danced at their seats and in the aisles.

If you think about it, said Large, "It's really the perfect recipe for 'Peace on Earth and Good Will' we hear about so often during the holidays, but sadly have witnessed quite the opposite in the world of late."

Note ~ Hear Pink Martini's "Joy to the World: A Holiday Spectacular" that's airing this month via NPR:

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/09/458905971/pink-martinis-joy-to-the-world-a-holiday-spectacular

'Curd' Your Enthusiasm: Shopping made fun

Trader Joe's / Making grocery shopping fun and enjoyable

I am a firm believer that grocery shopping should be fun and enjoyable, and not just another weekly chore.

So, after noshing on a mid-Saturday afternoon lunch of chicken tikka masala at Naan-N-Curry, our favorite Indian restaurant near the UC Berkeley campus, we shopped for groceries. After all, it's best not to shop on an empty stomach.

One of our favorite Bay Area grocers is Trader Joe's. With locations in nine states, including California and New York, there's three TJ's within close proximity of our house, including: Powell Plaza in Emeryville; and the Lakeshore Avenue and Rockridge stores in Oakland.  Since we were arriving from Berkeley, shopping at the Rockridge Trader Joe's on bustling College Avenue was the closest ~ albeit busiest ~ of the three.

The atmosphere at the Rockridge Trader Joe's is always lively, and the appearance and attitude of the shoppers there on this mid-winter afternoon reflected the vibe of the neighborhood: a mixture of college students, recent UC graduates, urban professionals and yuppy couples.

After picking out a small bag of Clementine oranges and adding some butter lettuce to our shopping basket, imagine my surprise as we reached the dairy section to select a half-gallon of low-fat milk and a 32-ounce container of fat-free cottage cheese. The hand-drawn sign above the cottage cheese caught my eye.  Immediately, regardless of the socially-awkward situation of pulling out a camera to photograph food in a grocery store, I knew that I wanted ~ needed ~ to take a picture of it for posterity.  It was a classic, serendipitous moment.

I couldn't help but laugh at the small, rectangular white placard outlined in black with bold letters that spelled:  "Curd Your Enthusiasm".  It even had a caricature of a snarky Larry David, the creator and star of the HBO sitcom "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

What a great food pun!

Immediately, I fired off a text message to my friend in Seattle and attached the "Curd Your Enthusiasm" photo I had just shot, knowing he would appreciate the gesture ~ and get the pun. Kudos to Trader Joe's. Now, that's what I call marketing your product.

Saturday's "Curd Your Enthusiasm" moment at Trader Joe's made me smile, made me chuckle, and made me thankful for the camera feature on my iPhone4.

I love a grocery store with a sense of humor.