Sir — In a year of grim tidings, Rafael Nadal has scripted a remarkable piece of tennis history by winning his 13th French Open title and 20th Grand Slam overall, equalling Roger Federer for the men’s all-time record (“Child’s play for King Rafa”, Oct 12). Nadal’s win against Novak Djokovic in straight sets at Roland Garros, yet again, underscored his dominance on the clay court.

Although both Federer and Nadal hold an equal number of Grand Slam trophies, it must be admitted that the Swiss player has a varied selection of titles spread across the four tournaments in comparison to the Spaniard. Most of Nadal’s wins are on the clay court. Nevertheless, it is astonishing to watch all three tennis legends scale such dizzying heights and still exhibit the utmost respect for all players, showing the world how a model of sportsmanship among rival stars can work. There is no doubt that the triumvirate of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will go down in the history of tennis as not only the best male players of their generation, but possibly of all time.

Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai

Sir — The French Open men’s singles final match last Sunday predictably resulted in the Spanish champion, Rafael Nadal, winning his 13th title at Roland Garros. It was however quite surprising that Novak Djokovic, the current top seeded male tennis player, would lose the match in straight sets. Nadal played remarkably well and did not drop a set, proving beyond a doubt why he is the undisputed ‘King of Clay’. With this win, Nadal matches Roger Federer’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic, with 17 trophies, is close on his heels. It would be interesting to see who ends up at the top of the heap by the end of their illustrious careers.

The consistent presence of one of the three in almost all Grand Slam finals indicates that no other male player from the current generation would be able to match their challenge. While it is a delight to watch the three players enrich the sport with each thrilling match against each other, a range of players vying for the title in the finals would have made the game even more exciting.

Abhiroop Sarkar,
Siuri, Birbhum

Sir — Rafael Nadal is referred to as the ‘King of Clay’ with good reason. With 13 French Open titles and 100 match wins at the Roland Garros, Nadal has made a place for himself in history. Defeating Novak Djokovic, who is in supreme form, in straight sets speaks volumes about the extent of his talent. Furthermore, Roger Federer’s congratulatory message for Nadal after this 20th Grand Slam win is a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship the game is known for.

This remarkable feat has, once again, brought up the discussion of who is the all-time-great in the history of tennis. However, dedicated fans will acknowledge that all three players have uniquely added to the game over the last decade and a half. With a few years still left before any of the three retires, tennis fans can look forward to more such historic feats.

Bal Govind,
Noida

Welcome decision

Sir — The decision of the Supreme Court to reject a plea by the organization, Akhand Bharat Morcha, seeking a ban on the halal method of animal slaughter comes as a relief. The apex court rightfully remarked that it cannot interfere in the food habits of people. The bench further pointed out that the petition challenging Section 28 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act did not stand as the said section allows for the slaughter of animals in a manner required by the religion of any community, which is, thus, not an offence.

The petition, as the bench observed, is indeed “mischievous” in nature. This outright rejection of the plea has assured the people of the country that as long as the independence of the judiciary exists, the constitutional rights of ordinary citizens will always be ensured.

Noor Ahmad,
Hyderabad

Sir — With every bigoted petition being brought to the court against the Muslim community, the role of the Supreme Court is becoming increasing crucial in upholding the secular ideals of the nation. The rejection of pluralism by certain sections of the people of India can only be countered with the support of the judiciary.

Raisa Saha,
New Delhi

Added trouble

Sir — The Covid-19 pandemic is adding to our health woes in different ways. As people spend more time glued to screens, be it in the form of working from home, online classes or binge-watching shows, many are putting immense pressure on their eyes. Excessive screen time, especially prolonged exposure to blue light from gadgets, can ruin eyesight and cause other vision-related diseases. While it is not possible to cut down on work hours or opt out of attending classes, we can stop scrolling through the internet unnecessarily. If we are not mindful, we could end up with a number of other serious illnesses.

Sounita Dey,
Calcutta