In the sweaty arenas of sport, fairness is rarely found. If you're a judoka, you'll never earn like a footballer. If you're a shooter, don't wait to be asked for an autograph. There is no level playing field, no gender equality, no uniform treatment. How much press you get can depend on the fluke of where you are born.

There are only so many pages in a newspaper and so little attention span in a world with a preference for flash. It swoons over cross-cultural heroes, prodigies and big-talking Nick Kyrgios. It falls for anyone who looks good on a billboard or if you play with such artistry that ballet critics at a newspaper come to watch. It's enamoured with mothers who can play and intrigued by those who have a hectoring father.