Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
It had to happen some time. Inevitably. Like everything else coming to an end, even the greatest sport stories have to come to a close.
Yet, when it finally happens, it does not fail to cause a tremor, provide a shock and generally trigger a sense of disbelief.
It was the same on the first Friday at the French Open. First Serena Williams withers under the midday sun against an inspired Katarina Srebotnik and before a new dawn breaks out Venus wilts under the pressure mounted by a defiant Flavia Pennetta. The next day's banner headline was predictable - 'Williams woes'.
I'm not sure if the shock would have been so obvious if the Williams sisters had lost on different days or even in the quarter-finals or the semis, or even if the defeats were at the hands of higher seeds. But the fact that they lost on the same day and against two virtually unknown players and in straight sets, I presume, added to the gloom and prompted the inevitable question - is it the beginning of the end for the Williams sisters?
Remember both Venus and Serena are on the wrong side of the 20s, battling a littany of injuries, short on inspiration and longing to start new lives far away from the tennis courts. Moreover, they have seen it all, done it all and even won it all (including a combined 14 singles Grand Slam titles).
The sisters have also lost that crucial competitive edge which had made them almost invincible at the peak of their careers when they played each other six times in eight Grand Slam finals and also took turns at decimating the best of players. They also shared the No. 1 rank almost at will.
But they have not been the same in the past couple of years though their superiority shone intermittently last year when Serena won the Australian Open and Venus the Wimbledon. They were, however, not the No. 1 anymore, not, in fact, for nearly five years.
I believe this story would not have been so touching if the protagonists were not siblings. But such stories have enriched various sports nevertheless. The Waugh twins, Steve and Mark, and the Chappells, Ian, Greg and Trevor, in cricket and the Schumacher brothers, Michael and Ralf, in Formula One for example made headlines not only because of their supeior skill and ability but also for the intrinsic and intriguing battles within.
The Waughs played more than 100 Tests together. The Chappells were even more famous with Ian and Greg going on to lead Australia with distinction. A line in the scoreboard which had two Waughs or two Chappells in it indeed made special reading.
Same is the case when the Schumachers finished first and second in a Grand Prix, which they often did in the late 90s. 'Schumachers 1-2' made interesting headlines. Ditto when Serena played Venus in the final of a Grand Slam with the entire Williams clan in the stands.
'Williams dominate Wimbledon' has a ring of romance to it, a touch of poetry too, if you like. But 'Williams Woes', I'm afraid, sounds terribly gloomy even though it may be closer to reality.
The Indian Premier Leauge has finally drawn to a close, thankfully on an exciting note after two dull semi-final clashes.
It is being labelled differently, some call it a Bollywood Bash while others refer to it as 'Cricketainment'. My take on it: the Great Indian Tamasha.
On the field it was a big hit with almost every game (even the inconsequential ones I must add) drawing a full house. But IPL is not about bums on seats alone given the huge sums of money involved.
This reality may sink in once the organisers get down to the serious business of commerce and economics and arrive at the bottom line. A couple of franchisers are already talking of washing their hands off the project while many others are dreading the prospects of a meeting with their bank managers.
The cricketers, however, will be smiling all the way to the bank. None more than the triumphant Rajasthan Royals. This is a team which turned the form book on its head and won without any superstars in its ranks, no film stars in the stands and not much of a fan following either.
Yet, as a team they were handsome, and ultimately deserving champions. I believe somewhere hidden in this is a lesson for the rest of the teams, and even the IPL bosses.
