Dear Language Enthusiast,
Welcome to the Portuguese Monthly,
the Internet newsletter from Transparent Language. In
this issue, we look at the exciting world of sports.
Examining the traditions and pageantry surrounding
competitive sports offers a fascinating window into
the very soul of a culture. Even if you are not a
sports fanatic, I’m sure you’ll find this month’s
article both intriguing and helpful in building your
language skills.
Sincerely,
Transparent Language
www.transparent.com
Em português:
O tenista brasileiro Gustavo Kuerten comemorava seu
segundo título no French Open cedo demais. Ele achava
que já tinha vencido e até aproximou-se da rede para
cumprimentar seu oponente, mas Magnus Noman, da
Suécia, que não iria desistir tão facilmente,
contestou o que parecia ser a última decisão do
árbitro no torneio. Para a surpresa de todos, o
árbitro revogou a decisão do árbitro de linha, e
aquela bola, uma poderosa back hand que todos pensaram
ter ido fora, aparentemente tocou a linha. Até aquele
momento, o jogo tinha sido lento e Kuerten demonstrava
que o título poderia ser dele sem muito esforço.
Entretanto, a partir daquele momento, a final
masculina do French Open tornou-se mais excitante,
pois Norman usou esta oportunidade para desafiar
Kuerten e tentar salvar o jogo.
Depois da controvertida decisão, Kuerten desperdiçou
muitas chances, perdendo pontos importantes, falhando
repetidamente em arrematar o jogo. Norman ainda estava
atrás, mas continuou segurando o jogo. Recuperou-se e
empatou o set em 6-6, forçando um tie-breaker. Guga,
como este magro tenista é chamado por seus fãs, deve
ter sentido que a vitória estava em risco. Estava
fisicamente exausto. Além de estar sentindo fortes
dores nas costas, as conseqüências dos dois últimos
jogos, nos quais cinco sets foram jogados na mais alta
intensidade, começaram a afetá-lo. Seus seguidores
continuavam a animá-lo. Mas o apoio confiante tornou-
se mais e mais ansioso com o passar dos segundos.
Finalmente, o suspense acabou. Durante o tie-breaker
de 6-6, Kuerten assegurou os dois pontos finais e
venceu o French Open. Os fãs brasileiros explodiram
com o seu típico grito de "Gu-GA, Gu-GA", dançando e
comemorando ao som de tambores, geralmente usados em
grandes estádios de futebol com times como Flamengo e
Corinthians. O jogo tinha acabado finalmente, e Guga
venceu a partida em três horas e quarenta e quatro
minutos.
"Estou tão feliz de estar aqui novamente, disse
Gustavo Kuerten, 23, olhando para a multidão na
cerimônia de entrega do troféu do título já
conquistado por ele em 1997. Aceitou seu cheque do
prêmio de $600.000 e pulou a arquibancada para abraçar
um membro da audiência especial, Carlos de Almeida
Braga, banqueiro brasileiro que tem apoiado e
patrocinado repetidamente jovens talentos. O centro da
quadra estava coberto com bandeiras verdes, amarelas e
azuis que Kuerten e seus conterrâneos agitavam no ar.
Com esta proeza, Kuerten passa para a primeira posição
no ranking da ATP, deslocando nomes conhecidos como
Andre Agassi e Pete Sampras. Brasileiros no mundo
inteiro ficaram orgulhosos, pois seu conterrâneo
Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten tornou-se o melhor do mundo.
In English:
Brazilian tennis star Gustavo Kuerten began to
celebrate his second French Open title a little too
soon. He thought he had won and had even approached
the net to shake his opponent’s hand, but his
opponent, Magnus Norman from Sweden, who was not about
to give up that easily, contested what seemed to be
the umpire’s final call of the tournament. To
everyone’s surprise, the umpire overruled the
linesman’s call, and that ball, that powerful back-
hand that most people thought was out, had apparently
touched the side-line. Until that moment, the game had
been rather dull, and Kuerten had demonstrated that
the Title would come to him without much effort.
However, from that point on, the men’s final of the
French Open became very exciting because Norman used
this opportunity to challenge Kuerten and try to
salvage the game.
After the controversial call, Kuerten kept missing
chances, losing important points, failing repeatedly
to clinch the match. Norman was still behind, but kept
the game dragging on. He came back to tie the set 6-6
and forced a tie-breaker. "Guga," as this lanky
Brazilian tennis player is known by his fans, must
have felt that his victories were in jeopardy. He was
physically exhausted. Apart from feeling a strong pain
in his back, the consequences of the past two games,
in which five sets were played to the highest
intensity, began to effect him. His followers
continued to cheer him on, but their otherwise
confident support became more and more anxious as the
seconds passed.
Finally the suspense came to an end. During the tie-
break, at 6-6, Kuerten secured the final two points
and won the French Open. The Brazilian fans exploded
with their typical "Gu-GA, Gu-GA" chants, dancing and
celebrating to the beat of the steel drums usually
found at gigantic stadiums featuring Brazilian soccer
teams like Flamengo and Corinthians. The game was
finally over and "Guga" won the match in a total of
three hours and forty-four minutes.
"I am so happy to be here once again," said the 23-
year-old Gustavo Kuerten as he faced the crowd at the
trophy ceremony of a Title he had attained once before
in 1997. He accepted his $600,000 winner's check and
climbed over the seats to embrace one specific
audience member, a Brazilian banking pal named Carlos
de Almeida Braga who repeatedly sponsors and supports
the young talent. Center court was covered by the
green, yellow, and blue flags that Kuerten and his
fellow countrymen waved up and down in the air.
Upon that feat, Kuerten moved to the top position in
the ATP ranking, displacing household names such as
Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. Brazilians all over the
world were proud because that day their very own
Gustavo "Guga" Kuerten became the best in the world.
--Written by Ilán Greenfield
--Translated by Katia Parker
