Félix, Zen & Me
I came to tennis late in life, despite a connection that had been well-marked since childhood by the annual rhythm of Roland-Garros every spring.
It just happened like that, during an ordinary match: the sound of a ball snapping against the strings. A click. That sound you then dream of hearing again and again, the adrenaline of it—that sound that brings such a unique sense of joy. That sound which Jannik Sinner once explained plays a special role in his work and his relationship with tennis.
Ces moments de joie répétés me ramènent curieusement au cœur des philosophies des arts martiaux et du zen lorsque l’esprit, débarrassé du mental bruyant, fait place à une autre perception de l’espace et du temps, en le dilatant presque. Ce temps que l’on arrive à se créer après le rebond et avant notre frappe, ce temps si précieux que l’on tente de gagner pour préparer le coup et surprendre l’adversaire. Ce temps qui semble devenir autre, plus lent, où tout peut se passer.
My martial arts teacher often reminded me of the importance for the mind to occupy the space—to let go of preconceived patterns in order to execute the movement, to become one with the tool—in this case, the racket—as an extension of oneself.
Chez Félix Auger-Aliassime, une pureté de ligne et du geste qui rappelle la précision d’un kata. Dans sa posture, tout est droit, épuré, net.
Ce que je tentais d’appliquer sur un terrain de tennis. Faire le vide, le vide du zen, qui nous ancre dans l’instant, dans l’anticipation du geste adverse et tenter d’entrer dans cette danse, dans l’harmonie.
With each attempt, one image would come to mind—obvious, yet not entirely explainable (though perhaps that is precisely the magic of it): Félix Auger-Aliassime. There is a purity of line and movement in him that recalls the precision of a kata. In his stance, as in his poise, everything is straight, refined, and sharp.
Many meditation and visualization techniques are now integrated into players’ preparation, and it is both fascinating and beneficial to open oneself up to explore other disciplines to find new depth in one’s tennis practice.
It seems to me that the Zen breath of Asian philosophies has much to offer to those who know how to listen to its sound… and its whispers.
Illustration réalisée avec Gemini
