Serving up a scoop of ice cream for Sports Day
QATAR National Sports Day, which falls on the second Tuesday in February each year, sees many of us in the Gulf state don our shiniest tracksuits or shorts (preferably below knee length) and perform our best impression of Wayde van Niekerk.
While South Africa’s Olympic gold medallist and world-record holder recently visited Qatar’s Aspetar orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital for treatment after a knee operation, he didn’t hang around to join in the various activities happening around Doha. But there were plenty of other famous athletes in town, thanks to the Qatar Open women’s tennis tournament.
The public holiday coincides with the week in which the tournament takes place at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in West Bay, the heart of Doha’s business district, where office blocks and luxury hotels dominate the skyline and offer stunning views of the waterfont.
With the mens’ tournament held last month, it’s the turn of the ladies to grunt and groan on the court. And no player does grunting and groaning better than Maria Sharapova.
“Why is she so loud?” The question comes from Saabirah, 7, who is enjoying a bit of time with her dad. I hesitate before answering. I could say the Russian’s grunts are a way to exorcise the demons of her doping past, or perhaps it’s her coping mechanism whenever the image of an all-triumphant Serena Williams pops into her head. In the end, I decide to go with: “Yes, she is loud, isn’t she? Now sshh, no talking during points.”
The match is a humdinger of a battle, with Romanian Monica Niculescu eventually silencing Sharapova after three sets and more than two and a half hours of thrilling tennis.
While the fans and the organisers are probably disappointed to see one of the tournament’s major drawcards exit in the first round, there’s still a bevy of talent remaining, which has attracted most of the top-10 players to Doha, including world number one Caroline Wozniacki.
Right now, though, the player I have to watch out for is right beside me.
As we make our way out of the stands, Saabirah decides it’s time to play her own game. “Please could we could get some ice cream from the food court before we go home? Just a little.”
True to her South African roots, she’s proving to be a very competitive and worthy opponent. But I’ve been playing this game a lot longer. I decide to go straight on the attack with a volley of arguments as to why we cannot, in fact, buy ice cream. It’s late, we have to be up early for Sports Day activities and ice cream doesn’t have anything to do with tennis, which is why we’re here.
“But daddy,” counters Saabirah with a winning grin, “the ice cream is soft serve.”
Game, set, match, Miss Bawa.