Bright Lights Agitate The Stanimal
Meanwhile, just to give Fergus something to do, Joao questions each of the umpire’s line calls extensively. At the next changeover, they have a chat about Stan’s game-winning ace, and whether it made a sound when it hit the line or not. You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
The tide of the match has turned, and Stan has focused his anger into breaking back and getting the first set to a tiebreak. Joao falters, going down 1-7 in the TB.
A lot of gesturing and a steady stream of angry Spanish ensues. (Yes, it was Spanish, not Portuguese.)
Things seem relatively quiet at the start of the second set. Joao goes up 2-1 on serve. In the fourth game, he hits an error to make it 15-all.
“I can’t see the ball!” Joao yells.
Joao lasts one more point before walking toward the umpire’s chair again, asking about the lights.
“Stan asked me the same thing, Joao,” Fergus says as the player approaches.
“It’s impossible,” Joao laments. “I mean…every time the ball goes under…it’s impossible to see. I mean, I didn’t say nothing…”
“No, no, I take the point, but–”
“It’s complaining…but for him–” he gestures to Stan, “it has to be the same.”
As the camera focuses on Joao, Stan’s voice, dripping with sarcasm, echoes just off screen. “Maybe you should tell me again, it’s the same for both player.”
Stan continues, and the guys’ voices overlap as they both gesture exuberantly. “We both agree, it’s not good for us,” Stan says.
“Just now I didn’t see the ball,” Joao insists. “He just hit and I didn’t see the ball.”
Stan twice demands something I can’t quite make out, but he’s gesturing over towards the officals.
“I know it’s not perfect, guys,” Fergus tries to placate them. “I did ask, and we just have to live with it.”
The players reluctantly part ways, but Stan isn’t done yet. He stalks over to this group of people, expressing himself in French now.
He gets a few, barely perceptible responses. I could be wrong, but it sounds like Stan finishes up with a “No problema.” As the crowd starts applauding, Stan reveals a hint of an impish smile.
His case made, Stan gets back to business in front of the neon lights.
A couple points later, a phone call is being made. This is either to get the lights adjusted, or to arrange to have Stan beaten up in an alley later.
A couple games later, some viewers feel the lights are, in fact, a little dimmer.
If they are, Stan reaps the most benefit, finally landing a late break to take the second set 7-5.
The two men shake hands at the net, two opponents who had found solidarity in mutual irritation. Many beautiful friendships have begun that way.
Let’s see how Stan feels about the lights in the next round. If he got out of that alley, that is.
You might also enjoy:
Ernests Gulbis and Cedric Mourier: The Great, and Somehow Suggestive, Water Debate
and
Benoit Paire and Carlos Bernardes — The Epic Line Call in Monte-Carlo
