Alright, alright, lemme tell ya ’bout this tennis match, Zverev versus Djokovic, y’know, like them fellas on TV, always whacking the ball. Don’t ask me why I’m watchin’, just somethin’ to do while the chickens are clucking.
So, this Djokovic fella, they say he’s a big deal, won a whole bunch of matches. More than them other fellas, Federer and Nadal, they say. He’s like the rooster in the henhouse, always on top. They say he’s got like, 24 of them big trophies, Grand Slams they call ‘em. Don’t ask me what that means, sounds fancy though. They even say he’s the only fella who won all them big trophies, like, three times each! Been the top dog for almost 400 weeks, longer than my old Bessie lived, bless her soul.
Now, this Zverev fella, he’s younger, like my grandson Johnny. He’s strong, real strong, hits that ball hard, like when Johnny chops wood. They played this match, see, it was in the Olympics, I think, or somethin’ like that. Don’t rightly remember when. Anyways, they was battlin’ it out, like two roosters fightin’ over a hen. Back and forth, back and forth. Zverev, he gave Djokovic a real run for his money, lemme tell ya.
- Djokovic is a legend, they say. Like them old stories Grandpa used to tell ’bout the war heroes, only this fella fights with a racket, not a gun.
- Zverev, he’s tough, a real scrapper. Reminds me of that ol’ mule we used to have, stubborn and wouldn’t give up.
But Djokovic, he’s somethin’ else. Even when he’s down, he keeps comin’ back. They said somethin’ ’bout him losin’ a match lately, to some other fella, Popyrin, I think they called him. Folks was surprised, like when the well dried up last summer. Nobody thought it could happen. But this Djokovic, he don’t stay down for long. He gets right back up and keeps on swingin’.
They showed this other match, Djokovic and some other young fella, Alcaraz. That was a tough one, like pullin’ weeds in the summer sun. Went on and on, and Djokovic, he was tired, I could see it even on that little box. But he won, that fella’s tough as nails. Afterwards, he just fell down, shakin’ and cryin’. Guess even them tough fellas get tired sometimes. Reminded me of when my ol’ man used to come home from the fields, bone-tired but proud.
Anyways, back to Zverev and Djokovic. They got history, see? Like me and old Mrs. Higgins down the road, always bickerin’ but still neighbors. They played before, lots of times, and Djokovic mostly won. But Zverev, he’s gettin’ better, like my tomato plants this year, growin’ bigger and stronger every day. He almost got Djokovic that one time, in that Olympic thingy. It was a tough match, lemme tell ya, and Djokovic, he barely won.
This Nadal fella, he says somethin’ ‘bout Djokovic, how he’s always gettin’ better. That’s somethin’, comin’ from him, ‘cause they say Nadal’s a big deal too, like Djokovic. Guess it’s like when the old blacksmith compliments the young’un’s hammerin’. Means somethin’. And this Djokovic, he said that losin’ that French Open match last year was the hardest thing ever. Imagine that, a grown man cryin’ over losin’ a game, makes ya think, don’t it?
So, that’s the story, y’know? Djokovic, the old rooster, still fightin’, still winnin’. Zverev, the young gun, tryin’ to knock him off the perch. It’s like life, ain’t it? Always a struggle, always someone tryin’ to take your place. But you gotta keep fightin’, keep swingin’, keep on keepin’ on, like Djokovic. Even when you’re tired, even when you’re down, you gotta get back up and keep goin’. That’s what makes a champion, I reckon, whether it’s tennis or just plain livin’ out here in the country.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go feed them chickens.
