by Sowjanya M

Anger is a normal feeling and can be a positive emotion when it helps you work through issues or problems, whether that of work or of home.

However, anger can become knotty if it leads to violence, outbreaks, or even physical clashes.

 Novak Djokovic, is a great tennis player, his elegance and style set him apart from the rest. Presently, he is the number one tennis player and has won 17 titles. Djokovic is contentedly the most aggressive returner of serve and that is one of the reasons, he counted as better than both Nadal and Federer.

To date, Djokovic is the only man to have beaten Federer in all four majors, and similarly, Federer is the only man to have beaten Djokovic in all four majors. Both players are considered among the greatest tennis players of all time.

But recently, during an on-going match, Djokovic bristled with anger.

No methods of anger management helped him to stay calm, be it -Counting down, Taking deep breath, playing some favorite or soothing music, practising silence, taking some timeout and giving yourself a break, rehearsing your response, picturing a stop sign, talking to a friend and laughing. Nothing helped, of all these options, what could he have used in that raging anger in the center of the tennis court amongst so many audiences who have come to cheer their favorite player?

Anger control is important for helping you avoid saying or doing something you may regret. He could have tried to control his anger. Repeating a word. Find a word or phrase that helps calm down and refocus. Repeat that word again and again.

“Relax,” “Take it easy, and “You’ll be OK”.

Ifs, Buts, He could have, He should have etc… are the only assumptions and role plays we can do now.

When the world No 1 took a spare ball from his pocket after being shattered regarding the outcomes of the match and sent it spinning innocently towards the back of the court, his career unfastened in slow motion.

‘So unintended. So wrong‘: Novak Djokovic apologized after US Open disqualification.

A look of dismay spread across his face as the ball landed on the full in the throat of an innocent line judge. It did not appear to be traveling at the speed but when the ball struck the judge, she slid to the ground, coughing loudly and distressedly. The replay of Djokovic moving towards her like a man drowning in quicksand directed two completely different messages: he was fretful, evidently, that he had hurt her; but he knew too he had damaged his career, perhaps beyond repair.

What then unfolded compounded his dilemma. He pleaded for mercy with officials, with palms folded, he managed a weak smile, trying to take the steam out of the crisis, much like a schoolboy might do when caught rewriting numbers in the mark sheet. He meant no harm.

Djokovic is not a bad man, but at that moment he was unbalanced and imprudent. He had raised funds for Covid-19 sufferers, he is generous and he is often considerate and insightful, as well as humorous.

Ultimately, regardless of what the person truly is, how he wants to change himself after an uncertain situation, irrespective of his good deeds, he will be revealed not as a groundbreaker but a self-absorbed person, at least, until the trolls on the internet downtrends and memory of this incident fade away, this will be the way he will be portrayed to the world.

Emotions are powerful muses for creative individuals. Anger is a normal emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. However, if you find your anger turns to aggression or outbursts, you need to find healthy ways to deal with anger. It takes time for a person to learn to control reactions and respond in a socially appropriate manner.

Inappropriate displays of anger may portray the person as terribly wrong. Once we have reacted and responded in such ways, we know its aftermath that cannot be undone and it appears to be wrestling with the obvious. No amount of feeling remorseful or state of being conscience-stricken can match the amount of bad rap that brings to a person.

As matured and sensible individuals we all need to learn how to handle our tantrums, anger and the sayings quoted by great men – “The greatest remedy for anger is delay” and “When anger rises, think of the consequences.”

About the Author:

Sowjanya M is a software tester by profession and lives in Bengaluru. She is passionate about writing and her penchant for writing has helped voice her opinions by writing blogs on various topics and views on her blog site.