US Open 2010: Champions

Caro showed that her game still needs development to win a slam as Bepa was able to keep her off balance with variety.

Vee's power and athleticism was not enough to overcome her inconsistency or Kimpressive's defensive.

Bepa felt like hiding after getting manhandled by Kimpressive.

The Mum Train paraded Jada out for another year.

Head Banger came out flat, and could only sustain the intensity he knew he needed to beat the Rafinator for only one game.

Federror struggled with his forehand and first serve, and could not convert two MPs on the Djoker's serve.

When you face the wall that is called the Rafinator, you'd crack your rackets too.

Rafa took him the trophy to bite, and join the rarefied air of men who have won a Career Slam in singles (Federer, Agassi, Laver, Perry, Budge, Emerson). Like Rafa did, let's hold off on GOAT debates and just enjoy the moment.

Courtesy of Forty Deuce, here's the trophy ceremony which was interrupted by ESPN2's rush to get to football.

US Open 2010: Fedal Salivations

C'mon, if you're a tennis fan, admit that you've been think about this for a week: these two dorks could face off again. Yeah, Rafa has to beat Nando and then Misha/Wawa. Rogi has to beat the Djoker. But it looks extremely likely given their form. Rafa has been cranking the MPHs on his serve, getting them up to 130s (and more importantly the free points). He has not been broken in the entire tournament. Fed is headed toward hitting the most aces in the tournament; he has currently clocked 74 aces, which is two behind the current leader Tree.



They are clearly like laughing together.

They like hugging each other.

They conspire to wear the same kinds of clothes at media appearances.

They like goofing off on a tennis court

Rogi has even tried to steal Rafa's forehand.



And the 21 matches they've played over the years have been a magic carpet ride for the fans of the game.

The only places they've been able to play each other in the last two years have been Madrid. Rogi, are you working on your espanol?

They did play each other Down Under on hard courts even longer ago. A good friend is always there to console you even when they don't have to, no?

Even in their ceremonial pics, you wonder if they're about to bust out laughing.

Here's their last hard court match.



May you meet each other next Sunday and give us an epic.

US Open 2010: Spanish Shots of the Day

And I must emphasize Spanish shots of the day.

Nando comes back from two sets down to take out compatriot Daveed in the tiebreaker with this epic shot.



Rafa continues his quest to do everything Rogi can do.



This, of course, sets up a rematch of this great match from AO 2009.

US Open 2010: Labor Day Weekend

On Saturday, I was on the grounds of the US Open catching a bunch of the matches. I'll post on this later even though it will be anti-climatic. I spent the rest of the weekend recovering from watching several hours of live tennis (and I did sneak out to hit some balls myself).

Swiss precision triumphed in the form of Ewok.

The triumph made a Scotsman surly, and edged him closer to the dreaded category: best player never to have won a slam (yet).

The best WTA player never to have won a slam was in tears, because she couldn't convert 4 match points, on her own serve which is sadly the weakest part of her game.

The shyest player in the WTA showed real heart in fighting off those match points, even though she was a break down in the third to come back and win it in a run away tiebreaker.

In the battle of glamazons from Nike and Adidas, Shrieka couldn't hit the ball hard enough (and into the court).

A shriek did knock down Caro when she couldn't run down a lob in one of her few forays to the net.

The jinx showed up in the player's box of TMF.

Alas, Jurgen, the tennis gods just didn't give you enough.

Methinks, TMF worked super hard after Wimbledon on his defense and speed. It shows.

US Open 2010: Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better

For those old enough to remember Mia Hamm, she did a great Nike commercial with Michael Jordan, based on this classic jazz standard.



Watch Franny do it better



We already know Fed can do it again.

Watch the Magician school Fed. It's a bummer he retired. No wonder Feddy felt like he had to add a shot to his repetoire.

US Open 2010 Fashion Grades (Women)

The ladies have always gotten to do more then the men with their kits, but the women I know who hit balls want to look good.

Stella McCartney has finally hit the spot with Sunshine by actually designing something that fits her body. The shorter dress accentuates her legs, and the simpler lines complement her figure. And they actually depart from monochrome.

Grade: A

Shrieka's dresses continue to accent her skinny figure. I don't think the collars work. But kudos for Nike for the colors: retro with anthracite and rattan.

Grade: A-

The night dress is a variation of the day dress but ink with black and solar flare. This color combination doesn't provide enough contrast to be as interesting as the day dress. Can't you tell that underneath all that fierceness is a real goofball?

Grade: B+

Since ReeRee is injured, Vika gets to wear the dress that ReeRee would have worn. Nike seems not to care whether or not Vika wears the "night" dress during the day. Since she fainted in the middle of her second round match and had to be taken off in a wheel chair, one wonders whether she should have worn the day dress. The poor thing must be disappointed after having a great summer.

Grade: A-



It's a pity that we won't get to see the day dress on someone live.

Grade: A-

Good Nails was around for one set, crushing returns; and then Bad Nails showed up to spray balls in the last two sets of her first rounder. We won't get to see her functional kit long enough.

Grade: B

Adidas has taken a step up by allowing Ms. Fistpumps to use 4 colors: white, black, purple and pink.

Grade: B

Adidas steps out on a limb and puts Courage in purple. It actually works better on the ladies than their attempt to do so with Nando earlier this year.

Grade: B

Anta must think Lady JaJa secretly wants to wear an Adidas kit. It's a pity that it's been so hot and humid that she can't look glamorous sweating up a storm.

Grade: B

Vee continues to blur the line between a nightie and a tennis dress with her shiny black lace dress. At least she isn't flashing flesh-colored knickers.

Grade: B+

Vee goes unconventional with her day kit: it looks perfect for going to the beach. Just for creativity

Grade: A-

Sam's LaCoste whites are professional as the Hammer should be.

Grade: B+

The purple version of the same kit works even better. See how hard it is to tweak a design.

Grade: A-

Is Mum Train's Fila kit camouflauge? The diagonal stripes against the blue work.

Grade: A-

US Open 2010 Fashion Grades (Men)

The US Open's liberal dress code with its night matches set in fashionable Gotham has given wide parameters for what can be worn on court. New Yorkers know their style, and the sponsors for the pros have got to raise the bar. With matches at night for the top seeds and grueling day matches in humid heat, this means some folks have a night kit and a day kit. So here come fashion grades which are below their respective pictures.

Fed's night kit stays conservative: navy blue with button placket and white trim on the collar. The only major change (gasp) is that his logo is on the chest and the swoosh is on the sleeves. See his day kit below.

Grade: B+

Just another day at the office for TMF with a "football blue" polo and khaki shorts. The polo is a lighter blue version of his night polo. It certainly suits the middle-age set of men who play tennis on weekends to relive their youth.

Grade: A-

Rafa, could you ever see your Swiss friend wearing neon yellow? True story: I've already seen one of the regulars at my local tennis courts wear this. We all had to put on sunglasses.

Grade: B-

The Rafinator has decided to copy the Sith Lord look pioneered by his BFF. With the damage he's been doing this year, it works. Watch out for Darth Nadal!

Grade: A

Djoker survived a meltdown in his first round. His kit is two-sided as his personality: on the one hand, his Sergio Tacchini is classic a la McEnroe; on the other hand, the dragon print really suits his fiery personality. You cannot be serious if you think he is fit enough to actually make it to the finals.

Grade: B

ARod has switched kits from his tri-colored collar. His day polo is white with checkered piping. Yeah, I know tennis clothes and whites are a natural, but it's the New York, where white ain't mandatory. Show some creativity, LaCoste.

Grade: B

ARod's night polo is ... uh ... blue with white checkers. Not bad. It matches his racquet. I'm sure your fans felt the way you did watching Tipsy hit you off the court in that.

Grade: B

For Adidas creativity means using three colors instead of two: purple, navy blue and white on Nando.

Grade: B

In the case of Muzz, creativity means removing the neon yellow from the polo he wore in Oz. His polo is as bright and cheery as he.

Grade: B

US Open 2010: Foot Fault Gate 2?

Well, not really ... the lineswoman clearly got the call right on ARod, but blubbered the wrong foot when ARod angrily asked her which one. El Jono rightly points out that ARod was completely in the wrong and should have moved on and played the game. Had this been Fed or Rafa, it's pretty certain they would have.

US Open 2010: Hazardous to Your Health

One of the favorites of many (e.g. BG) to win the US Open had to retire from her second round match due to heat exhaustion. Kiddies, it's brutal out there.



Poor thing, I hope she recovers and gets better. I feel for you. I fell over and nearly died when I tried to make myself hit 2 sets of 20 running forehands earlier in this the New York summer.

Update: Vika had to be taken off the court in a wheelchair and treated at a local hospital. She suffered a mild concussion while warming up in the gym before her match, and almost certainly the heat aggravated her condition. For a fuller story, see here.

US Open 2010: They're Melting

With temperatures soaring into the 100s on the blue griddle that is the US Open hard courts (with humidity to boot), yesterday's first round action was a physical and mental test for many. Sure it ain't Pennsylvania, but trust me, the weather ain't that different here in New York.

In a total surprise, the Djoker passed the test due to the mercy of shade in the 5th set and actually outlasted his fellow countrymen Viktor

I won't comment on his on-court interview as others already have (here and here).

Nails had the match under her control after the 1st set, but couldn't adjust to KBond cleaning up her game. According to Virginia Wade who was commenting the match, Nails just brain farted and couldn't back away brainless ball bashing. Even a hacker like me knows that the ball will fly in hot and humid conditions, and that you have to play patient tennis in those conditions. I hate you Nails; you were supposed to make the semis to take out Caro.



Bags shouldn't have played New Haven despite his promise to return them a favor.



Lady JaJa survived and didn't look all glittery against Breast Reduction Gal.



The Force is with young Gulbis but he is not a Jedi yet.

Benneteau evoked Sampras, splling his guts in the midst of the match but closed it out to beat the Sex.