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Serena Williams. Photo from AP/Yahoo Sports.

Serena Williams doesn't like tennis.  Are we surprised? We shouldn't be considering she is one of the many tennis prodigies who was groomed from childhood to be a star and was probably never asked if she wanted to make her life tennis or not.  Yet, despite the numerous rational arguments that can be made for athletes not loving their job, we the fans don't really like to hear the words because let's face it, most of us would gladly give an appendage or two to live the sport that many deem just a job.  Williams said after her first round match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament:

I can't live without it - there's a difference between not loving something and not being able to live without it.  I have never liked sports and could never understand how I became an athlete.

Probably the majority of working people work to live rather than live to work, but what really irks us when "celebs" say it is that they get to make a living off of what most of us choose to do with our free time.  Sports, much like the arts and music are cultural pursuits that add value to the human existence; therefore, no one raises an eyebrow when an accountant doesn't love their job, but it's a big deal when someone who plays a game for a living doesn't enjoy it.  And the real kicker, is not that she doens't love tennis, it's that she's one of the best players to ever step on a tennis court and doesn't love tennis! (Shades of Andre Agassi and perhaps Steffi Graf).  This is where the true injustice lies.  Sure, we can argue that professional athletes earn their spot and the rest of us just don't make the cut but fact of the matter is there is some sort of innate talent that exists within these 'reluctant stars' that separates the fat from the cream.  Whether it is a physical talent, mental fortitude, or just a desire to be the best it is usually something that is not learned and THAT, Serena, is what infuriates the heck out of tennis fans when they read that you have never liked sports.  That those with, what seems like the most talent (Agassi, Williams, Safin etc. etc. etc.) are the ones who would never have chosen tennis if given the option.

Now that I am done my rant, I suppose the real blame should fall on the myth that we play sports for the 'love of the game'.  This is predominantly true at a young age but if we look at how young most talent identification programs start, I think we really need to question where love ends and business begins.  Williams' comments make me wonder how many of the athletes that I envy every night on Sportsnet actually choose to be there and how many are just punching the clock.  Can we really fault someone who is merely a pawn in a game designed to weed out those who do it for intrinsic motivation?  As someone who has always dreamt of a career as a professional athlete, and as someone who has read quite a few athlete autobiographies I realize that what it takes to make a living off of a game doesn't sound like much fun at all.  Therefore, the ones we see on television, in many ways, aren't the lucky ones; they are just the survivors.

Funny thing is, I still wish I were the one playing the second round of the Brisbane International tennis tournament.  Just shows you how strong the Kool-aid that sports serves up can be. We are not dealing with a rational beast.

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