No “Lion, ” Leos Rule the Slam World
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Leo the lion is the fifth astrological sign of the Zodiac. If your birthday is roughly between July 21 and August 22, then you are a Leo. Leo’s traits include enthusiasm, optimism, luck in money matters and stubbornness. Let’s add in one more characteristic amongst male professional tennis players - many tend to be Grand Slam champions.
I am not really into horoscopes or “horriblescopes” as I call them but this is worth noting if you follow tennis.
Roger Federer – born August 8, 1981 – holds 16 major tournament titles and counting. Pete Sampras whose birthday is August 12, 1971 won a total 14 majors. Okay this is just a coincidence, right? Let’s do a little research and see what other slam winners are Leos. Well knock me over with a volley – Rod Laver born August 9 was the winner of eleven majors! This is getting scary.
Mats Wilander born August 22 and winner of six majors - a Leo! Hall of Famers Guillermo Vilas and Jim Courier both with August 17 birthdays holding four majors each – Leos!
Jean Borotra, one of France’s “Four Musketeers” of tennis and champion of five majors – you got it – a Leo, August 13. Let’s add in August 16 -Â Tony Trabert with five majors, Jack Kramer- August 1 with three majors. Andres Gimeno, August 3, one major. Vitas Gerulaitis, July 26th – one major. On the “cusp” of Leodom- Ilie Nastase born July 19th. I’m sure there must be others, but I’ll leave the rest to the king of ATP statistics Greg Sharko.
Leos beware of Geminis! Gemini, the twins, born roughly between May 21 and June 21, are Leo’s kryptonite or at least Federer’s. Rafael Nadal – born June 3, 1986 – has won five major finals over his Leo combatant and holds a career 13-7 record in head-to-head match ups.
Novak Djokovic, a Gemini born May 22, 1987 stopped Federer in the semifinals of the 2008 Australian Open and beat Federer recently in the Swiss’ hometown tournament in Basel.
Andy Murray, who leads Federer 6-5 in career meetings, is just short of Gemini status by a few days, born May 15, 1987.
Lately Nikolay Davydenko, a Gemini born June 2 has beaten Federer two out of their last three meetings.
Not a Gemini, but born under Libra which represents “twin scales,” Juan Martin Del Potro upset Federer to win the US Open this past September. Del Potro also defeated the Swiss during the round robin of the ATP World Tour Finals. Does Delpo now have Federer’s number? That’s for a numerologist to figure out. Right now I’m sticking with horoscopes.
Federer’s wife Mirka was born April 1, 1978 so she is Aries the Ram or Goat (under some interpretations), so one of the GOATs (Greatest of all Time) is married to a goat, astrologically speaking. Federer’s twin girls were born July 23, 2009 which makes them Leos. Since they are twins though, they may give their father a bit of trouble.
So if you are thinking about “producing” a male grand slam champion, better pay attention to the astrological calendar.