US Open Update: Biggest and best weekend at the Open
Sure, the big finals happen next weekend, and the best seats go for more than Joe the Plumber makes in a month. For true tennis lovers, though, the middle weekend delivers maximum rallies-per-hour and a lot more backhand for the buck. The first few rounds have washed-out the posers and pretenders, leaving the contenders to wage epic battles on every court. In fact, the best tennis often happens on the outer courts, where rising stars play better than their best, hoping to leave a mark on the hallowed ground.
Wozniacki slaps Sharapova.
A study in contrasting styles, the match between the tournament’s top seed and its top draw pitted Wozniacki’s scrappy quickness against Sharapova’s icy intimidation. Scrappy prevailed 6-3, 6-4, leaving most spectators and commentators saying the match seemed much closer than the scores suggest. The numbers support their claim: Sharapova converted only one of nine break-point opportunities. Count the match as a fashion upset. Both super-stars appeared in custom-designed dresses—Sharapova’s from Nike and Woniacki’s from Adidas. Sideline sartorialists gave the edge, surprisingly, to emerging Danish wonder-woman Wozniacki.
Federer battles for “best ever.”
Playing in American prime time, a fitter and more aggressive Roger Federer continues his quest for a sixth US Open Championship and acclamation as “The Greatest of All Time.” The top seed currently is locked in a three-way tie with legends Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors. Currently training with Sampras’s former coach, Paul Annacone, Federer has put a truly fine edge on his tactics, and he has lost only five games in the Open’s preliminary rounds. The last time Australian Melzer met Federer, a three-set affair at this year’s Wimbledon, Federer dispatched him in straight sets. Experts predict a similar outcome in the grand finale of the tennis world’s annual Labor Day extravaganza.
