che by Javier Britos

Back story

Che was a revolutionary on the tennis court; he chopped up his opponents like a bubble tape dispenser. His mighty impact on the world of tennis can be traced back to one iconic image - that of the string-splitting, court-cracking, tennis ball-tearing, ferocious forehand in the final, match-ending point of his exhibition match against Fidel. What was supposed to be a casual competition between friends turned into one of the most famous face-offs in sports history.

The first set went in Fidel's favor. 6-2, consistent finesse flowed from his strokes.

The second set went to Fidel as well. 7-5, but Che's plentiful power began to hack away at Fidel's stamina.

The third set went to Che. 7-5, the momentum shifted.

The fourth set also went to Che. 6-1, a fatigued Fidel fell apart after barely taking the first game.

And so, it seemed as though Che would be able to snake the third set with ease, overcoming a significant deficit on his way toward a remarkable victory. After the final break between sets, he strutted over to his side of the court. Gravitas gripped his tanned face. He raised his racket to the spectators above and they screamed and cheered.

While there had been no clear favorite at the start of the match, the majority of the spectators now rooted for Che - apparently, he had been stamped with the mark of underdog after the second set's conclusion.

Fidel signaled to the fans asking for silence. He waited for them to settle down, then bounced the ball three times on the baseline and tossed it in the air. His arm reached all the way back behind his head and as his body stretched to full extension his racket came down on the fuzzy suspended ball with the might of an explosion.

The ball rocketed over the net and struck the white paint 'T' that joined the deuce and ad-side service boxes. And though the placement was perfect, Che was fully prepared and met the ball with an earth-shattering winner, smacked right to Fidel's backhand corner. The crowd's prolonged raucous reaction left Fidel near tears. Their noise shot through Fidel's already fragile psyche like an unexpected bullet; he forfeited the match right then and there after having only played out a single point in the fifth and final set.