AWAY FROM ALL THE CRICKET

While India and England were busy sharing the spoils on Sunday in their world cup match in Bangalore, some very important, significant changes were happening elsewhere in other sports.

Let’s start with tennis.

Novak Djokovic eyes the No.2 spot

Novak Djokovic, world number three and ‘heir-in-waiting’ (for long), has probably crossed an important milestone in his career. Continuing with this tremendous phase of his career (Second grand slam title at Melbourne, following the US open final in 2010), Djokovic won his second straight title in Dubai, extending his winning streak to 14 matches.

More importantly, he beat Roger Federer again, thrice in three matches now.

Not only is this victory testament to the fact that the ‘Djoker’ is a bigger, better player, it’s also a crucial step forward towards finally and actually being able to break the ‘Rafa-Roger’ stranglehold at the very top of tennis.

And who better to do it than Nova.

He has worked extremely hard to stay in the position of number three, that he has done for most part of the Rafa-Roger decade. He has consistently challenged the two men on all surfaces. And he has been the most consistent of all the other contenders.

Any other time in tennis and Djokovic would have stayed number one for a few long weeks.

While that is out of anyone’s control, Djokovic has done the one thing in his control right. Keep improving.

This time he’s done it with a new improved serve and it has made him a controller rather than just a challenger.

Now he’s served up the perfect platform to leave Federer behind and finally take over the number two position in world tennis. Just 80 points behind. I don’t think Fedex can hold-on any more.

Will Rafa be next?

Over to golf now where the shifts have been equally telling.

Another change in the No.1 spot

Martin Kaymer lost at the WGC Match Play in Arizona, but he is the new world number one.

In one sense, these are turbulent times in golf after such a long time, what with the number one position changing hands twice in three months.

But don’t we just love it? Actually it depends. You decide.

The thing is that as much as the PGA tour hates it, Europe has now taken over most of the attention and headline-capturing players.

Kaymer is No.1, Lee Westwood is down to second and Graeme McDowell is fourth… Luke Donald with his win in Arizona has climbed to number three.

So Europe now holds the top four spots in the world rankings for the first time since 1992, when Ian Woosnam, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros were at the top.

And would you believe it  - Tiger Woods is down to fifth for the first time since 1994. 

In this constant push between the PGA and European tour, the balance has firmly tilted in favour of the eastern side. So maybe we should expect more squirmishes between top European players and the PGA (Often the PGA has tried to control where and when European players play). Or will the PGA be ready to accept that they are not ruling the roost anymore?

But back to the question of whether we like it.

I’m not sure if I do. But I do know it’s not because I’m on one side of the divide. It’s just that there’s no longer a man to catch up with. I don’t like this constant shifting. I like to have a level that everyone is trying to achieve. Tiger provided that for many years. While a bunch of equally potent players is also good to have, but isn’t it nice to have a ‘Ruler’ looking down upon the schemes and battles below to overthrow him with glee.

Sigh.