Appreciating true genius in all walks of life

Is there any significant difference between a virtuoso guitar riff and a perfectly executed tennis shot? In my mind there really isn’t.

By ALLON SINAI
Allon sinai 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Allon sinai 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Watching Roger Federer and Eric Clapton within a few hours of each other in Paris last week made me realize a couple of basic truths about life and art.
Genuine artistes may be the rarest of commodities, but they come in all walks of life and they are a source of joy for us all.
You may be asking yourself by this stage what in the world a musical legend has to do with the world’s No. 1-ranked tennis player.
However, is there really any significant difference between a virtuoso guitar riff and a perfectly executed tennis shot? In my mind there really isn’t.
Artistry with a tennis racket is just as rare and special as artistry with a guitar.
There are very few people, if any at all, who are capable of what Federer and Clapton do on a regular basis. And perhaps the best part of it all is that these unique talents are here for us all to enjoy.
It doesn’t really matter if Federer wins a second straight French Open or if Clapton sells out his next concert.
Winning Grand Slams and selling millions of albums are incredible feats, but they quiver in comparison to the pleasure brought to so many by such geniuses.
Experiencing Federer or Clapton, whether live or at home, is a treat anyone can enjoy. You don’t have to be a tennis fan or a guitar expert to appreciate an artist at work.
You don’t need any previous knowledge of sport or music to delight in the play of the Swiss master or the English musician.
After all, every performance by Federer or Clapton is quite simply a concert. And in a concert no one wins or loses, but everyone enjoys themselves.