Russian tennis players, you mean? The males seem as whiney as everybody else. The ladies must be a bit tougher. But at a certain level, one can afford to take extra care of one's health: once you've won a few tournaments, earned a few hundred thousand bucks and a modest reputation, there's no fear of slipping back into (relative) poverty. You can buy a house and make a living as a coach. Most Russian players you get to notice fit into that group. It's not really fear of poverty that drives them (most probably come from middle-class families anyway, except Kafelnikov and Sharapova), more the enormous investment they have been to their parents, plus their own ambition. Having made his first $5 or $10 million, did Kafelnikov really need to play at every thinkable tournament to earn 5 or 10 more? Go figure.

BTW, well-paid Russian soccer players are as squeamish about injuries as their European colleagues. Their health has appreciated enough as an asset to make them care about its condition. Note I'm talking about men.

As for pain as a cultural concept, it's sometimes hard to explain it (even if it's non-existent and there's nothing to explain) to people who find nothing wrong with living on painkillers -- for the brain and body alike.

Posted by: Alexei on September 7, 2005 02:50 AM