They should re-title this article "Be a good boy and do as you're told."
Claiming that his delay in surgery is a character flaw ignores the possibility that elbow surgery can be a career-ending decision. Agassi is not a doctor, and his personal choices haven't always been the best either. He lost a season, but in the end, his choice on this matter turned out well. Judging the timing of when he chose to go with surgery is typical of those on the sidelines not facing the consequences of a bad decision.
His default at the U.S. Open is a one-time event for something that many pros have been given a pass on. Novak accepted the decision and shook the hands of his opponent and left for home. Is there something I missed about his poor character here? He made a mistake and accepted the consequences.
Further, his choice to forgo an experimental vaccine for a young and healthy athlete with no health issues seems like a rational approach that many other people have taken. He just happens to be the highest-profile player in tennis to make this personal medical decision. He has also stated that he accepts the consequences of it and isn't complaining. It seems more like the author of this article is conforming to the mainstream narrative that leaves no individual choice, despite the current evidence that the vax isn't even reliably stopping infection or transmission. The mention of vax injury risk never enters the discussion, since it is called conspiracy theory despite evidence to the contrary.
There are many defining qualities of a Champion, and one that seems to work the best for Novak is to rely on his own council and those few he trusts. So far, it has served him well enough to reach the pinnacle of a sport while retaining the respect of those that matter to him. Since this story isn't over yet, his choice may turn out again to be best. If not, he seems content with the outcome.
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Novak Detractors Out in Force
