When Dane Sweeny fell to the ground in exhaustion, having completed his first ever Grand Slam win in front of his home crowd no less, it ended a nearly four-hour, see-saw match between the Australian underdog and the French tennis extraordinaire Gael Monfils.
Monfils, long the entertainer who had captured the attention of tennis fans the world over, had been toppled by the younger player who less than a year ago wasn’t even in the top 700 players of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour.
As the two embraced in the middle of Melbourne Park, you couldn’t help but compare the entire affair to David and Goliath.
Physically, the comparison is a no-brainer. Throughout the match, Sweeny, who stands at 5’7, and is easily one of the smaller competitors on tour, had to grind and move quickly about the court to stand up to Monfils, a giant in both appearance and presence.
Sweeny’s sideways movements across the court were frenetic and demanding, Monfils’ languid, calm and strong. Throughout much of the first game, Monfils occupied the baseline while Sweeny was constantly on the move, scrapping his way to win the opening service game.
Despite his efforts, Sweeny would lose the first set, an early blow struck by Monfils who was clearly buoyed by an inner desire to leave Melbourne Park with at least a couple of wins to his name in his farewell season.
After his victory Sweeny continued his custom of signing the TV camera lens with a poignant motto which has become his driving force: This too shall pass.
It may have originated in ancient Persian poetry, designed to teach its readers and listeners about the importance of impermanence and tempering one’s pride, but Jewish folklore has long attributed the phrase to stories of David’s son, King Solomon, asking his wise men for a phrase which would provide counsel during his kingship.
It’s a mantra uttered to ground oneself to the present, to ensure one’s ego remains satisfied and one remains grateful for the opportunities and the sacrifices others have made. It presents a sentiment of humility and moderation.
When David faced Goliath, he knew he was standing in the way of a man who had always gotten what he wanted through brutality. While Monfils certainly isn’t a bully like Goliath, he has become one of the game’s greats. To leave a match against him as the victor, even if he is in the twilight of his career, holds weight in the tennis world.
Sweeny seemed unfazed by the challenge before him. Even as he found himself behind in the game, he composed himself, embraced the moment, and turned the match firmly back to his favour; perhaps recognising that further obstacles would lie ahead if victory came his way.
From the moment Sweeny won four games in a row to take the second, he didn’t look back. Monfils, reflexes slowing, energy depleting, looked to be in no-man’s land for the rest of the match as Sweeny dominated the court.
There were no extravagant, ‘through-his-legs’ shots. Each time Sweeny took a point, then a game, then a set, from Monfils it was through simple strategic gameplay, either keeping Monfils stuck to the baseline or moving him left to right between the singles lines.
In his heyday, Monfils would be able to keep up with Sweeny’s emergence halfway through the match. Now his calm exterior belied his declining position across the match. ‘This too shall pass’ for Monfils, who will no doubt hold no regrets and only gratitude for a wonderful career.
Following the breathtaking, traditional display of dominant tennis, Sweeny shyly addressed the enamoured journalists, who fired questions at a man they clearly knew little about. He seemed uncomfortable with his newfound fame, even as he became Australia’s new tennis wunderkid.
Sweeny only had kind words for his parents, who he said “sacrificed everything” to help him try and build a career in one of the most competitive sports in the world.
His father sold his cleaning business to accompany his son as his fledgling tennis career began. He described his parents as “not poor but not super well off” in recognition of his humble Australian roots.
Australian tennis has discovered its new phenomenon in Dane Sweeny, and no doubt fans and media will ruthlessly expect more from him.
But that is a challenge for another time. For now, Sweeny should be able to handle his career one match at a time, with a quiet confidence that even if he cannot replicate his efforts against Monfils, he will be satisfied.
For this too shall pass.
