It is the day of the finals between Alexander Zverev and Karen Khachanov. Sinner has already defeated the Russian surprise finalist twice this year. I will spare myself the sentence with would or would have at this point. I am more concerned with the question of whether we will succeed in our project. There are no spectators, I should also keep my distance from the Japanese. Apart from that, the Japanese have an even harder time with English than I do.
“Sinner? I do not know. Only Djokovic and japanese players ”, the person in charge of the vehicle fleet tells me. The players are driven through the course with golf carts. Nobody knows a Jannik Sinner here, and they certainly haven’t driven him around. I am a little surprised. There is hype about him in Italy. Sinner is better known there as Wimbledon finalist Berrettini. The employees think our shoot is funny, and now they really want to be in the picture.
I keep getting the same answer to Sinner. Then I meet an older woman who also speaks passable English. Of course she knows Sinner. “Of course it’s a shame he doesn’t play along, but guess what? You have to respect your decision. He’ll get his chance. ”An answer like from a script, even if it was all very spontaneous.
Today it is incredibly hot and humid on the tennis facility. Fortunately, I have two swap shirts with me, which I also need today. I have planned a reciter for the news. Imagine if Mommy sees you on TV and also has something to complain about.
We continue to rush to the stadium where the final is running. Zverev leads, has gold for Germany in mind. We see exactly five rallies, then we have to move on. It hurts. Who knows if I’ll see another Olympic tennis final. But that’s the reporter’s life. The report for the daily news this evening takes precedence. In 2012 I saw Andreas Seppi play against Juan Martin Del Potro on the Center Court of Wimbledon in London and four years later in Rio against Rafael Nadal. Also: in Tokyo there are neither spectators nor the unknown Jannik Sinner.
(mk)
