Quirky Commentary Around The Clock
He's bright, he's beautiful and now he's a US Open champion. Rafael Nadal held off the rain and the smashing forehands of Novak Djokovic to win his first US Open title and also make history. By winning, he became only the 7th man to complete a career grand slam and the first in nearly forty years to win three of the grand slams in one calendar year.
Even Djokovic had to sit back and marvel.
It's a remarkable achievement and something no one could have predicted just a couple of years ago when Rafa was winning French Opens left and right but was still considered a clay court player.
Well think again guys, because two years later, with a whole lot of work and a brand new monster serve, Rafa also has two Wimbledons, an Australian and now a US Open under his tennis belt.
As soon as Roger Federer won his first French Open last year, I proclaimed him, along with many others to be the greatest tennis player ever. That's still the case, but Rafael Nadal is now an extremely close second and may surpass Roger if the grand slam numbers add up by the end of what's sure to be an illustrious career for Nadal.
So congratulations to Rafa! I can't wait to see what you pull off next!
He's fast, crafty and tenacious, and now he's can be called one of the best tennis players ever.
That's because Rafael Nadal did something that was unthinkable just a few short years ago when for the second time, he won the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.
Poor Tomas Berdych didn't have a chance as soon as the man from Mallorca got into a groove on Centre Court at Wimbledon. It was a straight set 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 win.
After Rafa broke Berdych to win the championship, he treated the crowd to a joyous somersault on the grass.
Rafa was joined at the champions dinner, but women's No. 1, and four time Wimbledon champion, Serena Williams.
There's nothing like the Venus Rosewater Dish as a fashion accessory.
Congratulations to Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams!
Congratulations to Serena Williams on her fourth Wimbledon win and her 13th Grand Slam title overall!
This Wimbledon is turning into the "what's the next shocking headline we can come up with" tournament.
This after Roger Federer was bounced out of the tournament in the quarterfinals by the very dangerous Tomas Berdych. Federer finally flirted with disaster one too many times, and Berdych took full advantage of Roger's sketchy play.
Venus Williams added to her disastrous Wimbledon showing by being a significant reason she and Serena lost their doubles quarterfinal match to Vera Zvonareva and Elena Vesnina.
Of course her worse loss was yesterday, going down in two sets to Tsvetana Pironkova.
Pironkova played a smart game by giving Venus no pace and changing things up with junky forehand slices and backhand spins. But no way should Venus not have been able to adjust. I think she got panicked after losing the first set and that was the end of that.
So with all these upsets, I'm now firmly seated in the Serena and Rafa player boxes. The only one who might give Rafa trouble is Novak Djokovic because as always, the pressure is going to get to Andy Murray.
As far as the women, Serena's gonna want some payback for big Sis and no way is she leaving London without her fourth Wimbledon title.
Bring on Championship Weekend!
The final clock on the match, 11 hours and 5 minutes. Eleven hours!
That's the number of hours it took at Wimbledon for John Isner and Nicolas Mahut to play the longest tennis match ever.
That's longer than some people are married!
It also took three days, a whole lot of tennis balls and two very sore bodies.
Ultimately it was probably inevitable that Mahut couldn't keep holding serve, game after game, hour after hour. So despite Isner looking like walking death a majority of the time, his pounding serve kept him steadily just a smidge ahead.
And then today, after earning yet another match point, Isner clocked a passing shot by Mahut for a winner.
The final score, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-3), 70-68 broke every match record tennis had to offer:
Match duration: 11 hours, five minutes
Fifth set duration: 8 hours, 11 minutes
Total number of games: 183
Fifth set number of games: 138
Total number of points: 980
Isner aces: 112
Mahut aces: 103
Combined aces: 215
Isner winners: 246
Mahut winners: 244
So a match that was called two days in a row for darkness finally ended. There was a little ceremony on court at the end, starring former Brit fav, Tim Henman, gifts for the players and the umpire, photos at the scoreboard which was resurrected after dying yesterday at 47-47 in the fifth, and poor Mahut putting up with it all in spite of losing a heartbreaker.
During his post match interview, Isner was asked how he slept last night:
I honestly, when I left the match, I really thought it was a dream. I didn't think that type of match was possible. So I was really expecting to wake up, in all seriousness.
No, I went back. I didn't sleep great. I only slept for four hours. I talked to Nic. He said he only slept for about three. So we're both kind of running on fumes right now.
During his interview Mahut was asked if he was proud of his role in the match:
Yeah, ask me tomorrow I will probably say yes. Tonight, it's really difficult. This is just a match I will never forget. I hope the people who watched the match will think the same.
At this moment, it's really painful.
Congrats to Isner and Mahut for some history making tennis.
History--or rather Her-story--was also made at Wimbledon today when Queen Elizabeth showed up for the first time since bell bottoms went out of style.
I'm a sucker for royalty and I loved nothing better than seeing all the top players dressed up to meet Her Majesty and sit down for a little lunch. She was primarily there to watch Andy Murray, the Scot that England embraces as one of their own only when he's winning at Wimbledon.
But the controversy concerned the rest of the Centre Court schedule. Rafael Nadal was the other top man scheduled to play on Centre Court. Nothing wrong with that. But Serena Williams was put out on Court 2 in favor of Caroline Wozniacki. Nothing against Wozniacki, but no Serena? Come on!
I agree with Mary Carillo and Patrick McEnroe that Serena should have been scheduled to play on Centre Court in front of the queen. As was only right, both Serena and Venus were included in the luncheon with Her Majesty that also included Roger Federer, a dapper looking Andy Roddick, and Novak Djokovic.
But once again, the All England Club screwed up when it comes to one of the Williams sisters.
@HarlemWriter on Twitter sent me this link to an interesting article about the issue that suggested Serena's outburst at last year's US Open might have had something to do with it.
As it turned out, the queen never stuck around for the Wozniacki match, but that's not the point. The All England Club dissing one of the greatest female players ever is.
Other than that, a lovely day on the lawns.
Rafael Nadal won his 5th French Open over the weekend and the tennis world righted itself. And because he also unseated Roger Federer as No. 1 everyone took note that Rafa is back!
He sobbed with joy and relief after sending Robin Soderling back to Sweden with only the runner-up trophy.
The women's final didn't involve a Williams sister, a Belgian or a Russian, but instead an Aussie and an Italian.
Francesca Schiavone, the 1st Italian woman
ever to reach a grand slam final saved the best for the twilight of her career by grasping her once in a lifetime opportunity and wringing the life out of it.
But poor Samantha Stosur. She played like a grand slam winner, beating Serena Williams, Justin Henin and Jelena Jankovic, but ran into the stubborn Schiavone.
So kind of like Andy Roddick at last year's Wimbledon, playing the best he possibly could in the final against Roger Federer, Sam Stosur did it all. All except win the tournament. But really, Schiavone is 29 and Stosur is in her mid-20's so by all rights, Stosur will have another chance.
And don't cry for the Williams sisters. They won the doubles crown. Below are some great shots from the final weekend.
Oh man, these crunches are a killer.
If that alligator doesn't stop smirking, I'm shoving this ball down his throat.
Must. Get. To. The. Chair.
I told you to shut that baby up!
I'm gonna hit it, I'm gonna hit it, I'm gonna HIT IT!
Did I ever tell you about the time I beat Federer in Cincinnati?
(Beyonce and JayZ were in la maison.)
Mmmmmmmmmmmm, clay!
You get it. No, you get it. No, YOU GET IT!
Ladies and gentlemen, there's a new man in the tennis town and he's a 20 year old Argentine named Juan Martin del Potro. Juan Martin did the near impossible by beating world No. 1 Roger Federer in the US Open men's final 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2.
And it wasn't easy. He was two points from losing to Federer in the 4th set at 4-5, 30-30, but an ace and a smokin' forehand kept him in the match.
As the match wore on, Federer's crappy serving got worse and worse. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him serve so badly in such an important match. It could have had something to do with del Potro's crushing returns and his devastating forehand.
Though Federer always looks like a Baryshnikov on the court, all balletic moves and power, del Potro was more like an overgrown little leaguer: all arms and legs and unharnessed power, that in this match at least, he learned to channel very quickly.
In the post match press conference, del Potro said:
Well, when I lay down to the floor, many things come to my mind. First my family and my friends and everything. I don't know how I can explain, because it's my dream. My dream done. It's over. I will go home with a trophy, and it's my best sensation ever in my life.
It's too early to explain. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week I will be believing in this. But now, I don't know. I don't understand nothing.
Federer's battle with the Hawkeye challenge system continued as he railed against its accuracy and then got understandably pissed at the umpire when he allowed del Potro an excessive amount of time to decide to challenge.
The umpire made the mistake of telling Federer to stop complaining and even the usually calm Federer let fly with some expletives.
Roger however has nothing to be ashamed of. He's had an incredible year personally--getting married, having twins; and professionally--finally winning the French, winning another Wimbledon and surpassing the men's all time number of Grand Slam titles, so don't weep for him. He'll be back.
I do have some regrets however for Rafael Nadal because I really, really want to see him win a US Open title. Hopefully he'll be able to keep himself healthy enough next year to get to the final and then take it all.
Meanwhile, Viva del Potro!
You know, as a woman, I came to a stage in my life, too, where I wanted to get married. We wanted to start a family, and I was glad. I feel very lucky that I got this chance to, you know, be back here now and that I made that decision, because it's obviously been a good choice.
But, again, being a mother is obviously my first priority, and being a wife, so...
But I'm just very lucky that I'm able to combine both and that my family supports me in doing this.
This all came of course the night after Serena Williams' meltdown in Saturday's semi-final against Clijsters. Serena has been fined $10,500 by the USTA and released a statement of regret yesterday:I want to amend my press statement of yesterday, and want to make it clear as possible - I want to sincerely apologize FIRST to the lines woman, the USTA, and mostly tennis fans everywhere for my inappropriate outburst. I'm a woman of great pride, faith and integrity, and I admit when I'm wrong.
I need to make it clear to all young people that I handled myself inappropriately and it's not the way to act -- win or lose, good call or bad call in any sport, in any manner.
I like to lead by example. We all learn from experiences both good and bad, I will learn and grow from this, and be a better person as a result.
All righty, then.
If you're Svetlana Kuznetsova, you might think twice about wanting to face a certain 17 year old from Marietta Georgia named, Melanie Oudin in this week's US Open quarterfinals. After all, at this year's US Open, Melanie has been knocking down veteran Russian players like so many bowling pins.
First there was Elena Dementieva, then shockingly Maria Sharapova, and now Nadia Petrova.
By all rights, Oudin should have lost her match today against Nadia Petrova. But despite Petrova's position as the No. 13 seed, everyone in tennis knows she can crack like an egg when pressured and that's exactly what happened.
Oudin lulled Petrova into a false sense of security by losing all her serves in the first set and then losing the set 1-6. But then in the second set, Melanie pulled it together and the pressure was on. With a crowd full of screaming New Yorkers solidly behind her, Oudin hung tough against some excellent serving by Petrova and came back from a break down to win the second set in a blowout of a tie breaker.
To her credit, Petrova did try to change things up in the third set by coming in to the net but Oudin hit winner after winner and defended like nobody's business.
Petrova was ready to be scrambled. Oudin won the match 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.
Melanie's twin sister, who'd flown into town last night for the match sobbed in the stands while Oudin reveled in the roaring crowd.
So right now Svetlana Kuznetsova is playing Caroline Wozniacki in Arthur Ashe stadium. She's just won the first set 6-2 but it's tied up 2-2 in the second and the former US Open champ is starting to look shaky.
Maybe she's thinking about taking my advice and letting Wozniacki take a crack at Oudin.
Oh, and in other action, Serena Williams is still in it and looking like winning the whole thing, Dinara Safina finally got her unconscious wish and lost, Rafael Nadal's knees look solid and sturdy, Roger Federer looks like Mirka's doing all the night feedings and Kim looks like her hubby did all of theirs.
Go Melanie!
What can I say? Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player ever and once again he proved that today by beating American Andy Roddick, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14. in the longest match, in games, in Grand Slam history. The final score in the fifth set was an unprecedented 16-14.
In addition, this sixth Wimbledon win gave Federer a total of fifteen Grand Slam titles, more than any man in history.
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