Mindless

Is Serena Williams a Filipino politician? After months of comeback speculation, she finally confirms her return. Just like prospective candidates who deny running for office. Not necessarily lying each time they say no until it becomes a big yes. Just sizing up public clamor to know if they’re winnable. For how can they dare lie when they even quote biblical phrases through their teeth?

She plays with words. She never said goodbye to tennis, just evolving away from it. Semantics. Where’s the parallelism with Filipino politicians though? You must have stayed away from the idiot box of a TV and the dumber world of social media. By then you must have realized student councils are far honorable than Congress. Which house, upper or lower? Both have gone low, decide which one dropped the lowest. Forthwith.

Serena must be bored with her life and money she missed competitive tennis. Apart from raising her kid or husband maybe, we don’t know exactly what she does. Business. Or fashion. She revolutionized what to wear on court. Alas, Naomi Osaka beat her to it. Who is outrageous, or gorgeous, let the people decide.

Let her be, for as long as she does not run afoul of rules. Not in Wimbledon. Players must wear white and reportedly, submit the design for approval before wearing it on court. Censorship? No. It’s tradition. That’s what makes Wimbledon special, a cut above the other slams. No co-equality among the four majors, although they all give equal prize money to men and women. Equitable.

Of course top players warmly welcome Serena back. She is good for the sport, they say. Tennis struggles with viewership and against pickle ball. Even the well-loved Andre Agassi plays the slower clone of the sport he was great at. Are they really happy to have her back? Yes, she is no longer a threat. At 44, she can never flash back her old brilliance and power on court. Father Time, though it was her father who made her and her sister champions.

Incidentally, Venus is still around, though devoured by younger players in the first round. Familiar? Filipinos dub, or drub Alex Eala the first round exit queen. But she just almost served double bagel on her Australian foe in the opening round of the Birmingham Open. Regardless, it doesn’t change their mind, especially if there wasn’t any to begin with. Explain? Yes, in two words. Cognitive dissonance.