Recharged Henin Sets Sites on Career Slam

Henin begins comeback at the 2010 Australian Open.

Justine Henin didn’t let the suspense linger any longer; the world’s former top-ranked player will make her pro re-debut at next year’s Aussie Open in January 2010.

The rumors of Henin’s return have been swirling for weeks now. She says her primary goal is to capture the only Grand Slam title not currently on her resume – Wimbledon.

Henin’s best showing at Wimbledon was a 2007 semifinal loss to Marion Bartoli. Henin, a 7-time Grand Slam champion, left the game in May 2008 when she was the number player in the world.

At the time, she said tennis had taken too much of a physical toll on her and would not return to the game. Obviously, the 27-year-old changed her mind.

"A flame I thought was extinguished forever suddenly lit up again," Henin told a Belgian television audience on Wednesday.

Many wonder if that flame was rekindled earlier this month, when she watched countrywoman, Kim Clijsters, complete a comeback journey of her own – winning the 2009 U.S. Open Title.

Henin is slated to play multiple exhibition tournaments before trying to add another Australian Open to her resume next January.

Justine Henin Ready to Hit the Tour Again?

Justine Henin maybe eyeing a comeback, but keeping it quiet.

A week after Kim Clijsters grabbed an unlikely win at the U.S. Open, another Belgian star, Justine Henin, is reportedly ready to announce her comeback to professional tennis. Henin was ranked number in the world when she called it quits in May 2008.

Two of Belgium’s top newspapers, the La Derniere Heure and Le Soir reported the comeback on Monday. Henin holds seven Grand Slam singles titles including four French Open wins and two at the U.S. Open.

Clijsters quit when she was at the top of the women’s game citing a variety of physical issues that would never allow her to return to the tour.

There’s been a great deal of speculation regarding her return to tennis, but Henin herself has yet to release a statement.

Henin did take the take the time to congratulate her countrywoman on her website after Clijsters knocked out both of the Williams sisters en route to her U.S. Open title win earlier this month.

Del Potro Pulls Greatest Upset in U.S. Open History

Del Potro shocks tennis world, rallies twice to down Federer.

Roger Federer enjoyed 2,200 days of undefeated tennis at the U.S. Open – That streak ended on Monday as 20-year-old Juan Martin Del Potro shocked the world by coming back not once, but twice against the mighty Roger Federer to beat him in five glorious sets, 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.

During the first 19 games of the match, Del Potro looked nervous and lost as if the occasion had completely overwhelmed him. His shotgun serve was shooting blanks and his blistering forehand was missing in action.

But something strange happened around 5-5 in the second set; Del Potro began to believe in himself. Suddenly the booming serve was finding its mark and the forehand began to do its damage. Del Potro evened the match and seemed ready to take down the five-time U.S. Open Champion.

But disaster struck for the young Argentine when he hit two consecutive double faults to throw away the 3rd set. But Delpo would not go softly into the night. He actually seemed invigorated by the loss.

He found his game once again and began dictating the points. Federer began to lose his cool and even pulled a Serena, using audible expletives in front of a national television audience while berating the chair umpire.

Delpo took the fourth set tiebreaker and handled Federer easily in the fifth set. The giant killer blasted Nadal in yesterday’s semifinal and stole the king’s crown tonight. So many great players have tried to knock off Federer during his five-year win streak, but it was bull from Argentina that finally humbled the number one player in the world.

Having followed the exploits of Juan Martin Del Potro all summer long – I was honored to pick Delpo as the man who would end Federer’s long reign of power at the U.S. Open when the tournament began on August 31, 2009.

Here’s a brief list of articles and links chronicling his run through the 2009 U.S. Open Championships:

Monday, August 31, 2009
Beware the Dark Horse from Argentina

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Murray Melts Down, Del Potro Hungry for More

Saturday, September 12, 2009
Nadal-Federer Final? -- Don’t Count on It: 20-year-old Del Potro prepared to shock the tennis world

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Look for Del Potro to Derail Federer’s Win Streak

Tears of Joy as the "Working Mom" Kim Clijsters, Claims her 2nd U.S. Open Title

Clijsters falls to her knees after claiming the 2009 U.S. Open

When this tournament started more than two weeks ago, Kim Clijsters, the 2005 U.S. Open Champion, had more than a few obstacles in front of her:

1) It was only her third tournament back.
2) She gave birth to a baby girl 18 months ago.
3) She had the toughest draw in the entire tournament.

That’s no exaggeration either, Kim Clijsters absolutely had the toughest draw in women’s tennis and won the title by beating 5 seeded players including the Williams sisters, Serena ranked #2 and Venus ranked #3. And let’s face it, the top seed, Dinara Safina was no threat - she was out by the 3rd round.

So what began as a possible experiment for Clijsters, slowly started to take the shape of an unlikely run to the championships. After taking out Venus in 3 of the strangest fourth round matches played in a long time at Flushing Meadows, the chance was there. The question was, could Clijsters seize it?

Clijsters ran over the the 18th seed, Na Li in the quarters, setting up a semifinal showdown against the most dominant woman in tennis during the past year, Serena Williams. Clijsters played a brilliant match and served possibly the best match of her life against Serena. Serena lost the match on a penalty point, but Clijsters had certainly earned the victory.

The “working mom” made it to the final where she faced her third top ten opponent in just four rounds, the 9th seeded player from Denmark, Caroline Wozniacki. The 19-year-old Wozniacki made a spirited contest of it in the first set. Both women combined to drop their serves seven times in the first set before Clijsters took it 7-5 and the next one 6-3.

She dropped to her knees as tears of joy ran down her face. Clijsters made the perilous climb into the family’s box and was treated to a standing ovation from the crowd. When Kim made her way back down, she posed for multiple pictures alongside of her 18-month-old baby girl and her husband. It was a touching end to a very strange tournament and Clijsters savored every moment of it.

Look for Del Potro to Derail Federer’s Win Streak

Del Potro ready to close the book on Federer at the U.S. Open.

The men’s semifinals on Sunday produced some unexpected results – but very little drama. Of course Serena’s meltdown was a tough act to follow.

Rafael Nadal suffered a beat down at the hands of 20-year-old Juan Martin Del Potro. Nadal is the guy who owns the winning record against Federer, but he had no answers for the young man from Argentina.

Del Potro is six-foot-five-inches tall, moves like a cat and serves like cannon. He wiped Nadal off the court 6-2, 6-2, 6-2. No one in recent memory has ever done that to such a fearsome competitor as Nadal.

In the other semi, the score was a little bit closer, but the result was never in doubt. Federer slammed the door on Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5, 7-5. Federer never looked the least bit concerned and Djokovic lacked the confidence to pull out the win.

This of course sets the stage for Federer versus Del Potro. Federer has won the last five consecutive U.S. Opens and hasn’t dropped a match here since 2003. That loss was against a different man from Argentina named David Nalbandian, who didn’t even play the tournament this year. Look for the Argentine curse against Federer to resume in the finals on Monday.

Once again, I’m flying into the face of the popular opinion. I think the 20-year-old Del Potro is just what the doctor ordered to bring down the U.S. Open reign of Roger Federer. I picked Del Potro before the tournament began and I’m sticking with him now. Article 8/31/09: Beware the Dark Horse from Argentina

Head to head, Federer owns Del Potro with a flawless record of six wins and no losses. The last time they played on hard court was at the quarters in the Australian Open. Federer humiliated Del Potro down under with a 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 win.

Hard to argue with stats like that, but Del Potro has found the confidence and the serve needed to win his first grand slam tournament. Forget the past, because the Argentine is ready to make his mark here and now. Watch out "just call me Roger" your incredible win streak will likely end in the finals.

Nadal-Federer Final? -- Don’t Count on It

20-year-old Del Potro prepared to shock the tennis world.

A pair of amazing men’s semifinal matches are on tap for Sunday, but expect the unexpected. Rafael Nadal, who’s fought back from a slew of injuries, will face Juan Martin Del Potro from Argentina in the first match of the day. At the conclusion of that match, Roger Federer clashes with the Serb, Novak Djokovic.

Juan Martin Del Potro obviously comes in as the underdog to the six-time grand slam champion, Rafael Nadal this afternoon. Without question, Nadal is one of the most dominant forces in tennis, but he’s not a hundred percent healthy and the 6'5 Juan Martin Del Potro is my pick for this one.

The 2009 U.S. Open Championships will be the coming out party for the 20-year-old Del Potro. He’s a monster on the court with laser-like accuracy and a punishing first serve. Nadal has the heart of a champion, but Del Potro is poised for a major break-through. I picked Del Potro to win the tournament from the start and I’m staying with him - Article: Beware the Dark Horse from Argentina

Look for Del Potro to come through this one in an epic 5-setter.

In the other semi, Roger Federer needs no introduction. He hasn’t lost a match here since 2003 and it would take a Herculean effort from Djokovic to end his streak today. It’s not impossible, Djokovic has beaten him on the grand stage before, but Federer is playing beautiful tennis right now and Djokovic has suffered a few ups and downs.

Federer should make his way to his sixth straight final in four sets.

Temper Tantrum Sends Seething Serena Packing

Serena blows a gasket and any chance to defend her title.

The rain cleared and all finally seemed right in the tennis universe when Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters took the court Saturday evening. But when it was over, Serena, Kim and a stunned national audience could only shake their heads and wonder how things went so wrong, so quickly.

Kim Clijsters won the contest 6-4, 7-5, despite the fact that she never got to play a match point. The problems began when Serena lost her temper after dropping the first set 6-4. She bounced her racquet once, took a look at it and then crushed it on the court.

At the point, the chair umpire issued a code violation (behavior warning) against Serena. Once a player is issued a warning, the next punishment is an actual loss of a point. That warning set the stage for an ugly and premature end to this match.

Clijsters was up 6-5 in the second set. The score was deuce and Serena had just struck a second serve when the linesperson inexplicably and mistakenly called a foot fault. This foolish call gave Clijsters a match point and that’s when Serena lost it.

She stalked over to the chair gesturing wildly and showering the offending linesperson with a searing stream of expletives. The linesperson went to the chair umpire and the tournament referee, Brian Earley, came to the court. Serena spoke to them and learned that her tirade and verbal abuse had earned her an un-sportsmanlike conduct point penalty. Since it was match point, game over, SERENA LOST.

Serena walked over to Clijsters, shook her hand and congratulated her. Poor Kim looked devastated. This was not the way she wanted to win and the pleasure of her victory was tainted.

All the credit to Clijsters who played a great match and served brilliantly. Despite the bizarre outcome, Clijsters earned her spot in the finals. She will go for her second U.S. Open title on Sunday against the 9th seeded Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki breezed past unseeded Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3 to reach her first U.S. Open Final.

Friday Washed Away – Tennis Schedule Revamped

Washout Friday: The more they rolled - the more it rained.

A day and night of the rain on Friday wreaked havoc with the schedule at the U.S. Open Tennis Championships that will now be extended until Monday.

Here’s the latest schedule which of course is still at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Rafael Nadal is slated to resume his match against Fernando Gonzalez at noon on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The weather of course, is still in question, but Nadal is up a set and on serve in a second set tiebreaker, 7-6, 6-6(3-2).

Once Nadal in finished, the schedule calls for the first women’s semifinal featuring Wozniacki versus Wickmayer.

The premier women’s semi, Serena Williams versus Kim Clijsters is set for the night session on Saturday beginning at 8pm.

The men’s semifinal matches, will be played on Sunday and the women’s final has been shuffled to Sunday evening starting at 9pm.

The men’s final which was to be played Sunday, will now be played on Monday. There will be a quiz after reading this!

Wet and Nasty Conditions Looming: Serena and Clijsters Up First – Nadal Match to Resume

On the women’s side, this is the clash that many people hoped for. Serena Williams has yet to blink running through 5 rounds of tennis like she was on vacation. The “Working Mom” Kim Clijsters is one of the great “feel good” stories of the tournament.

Clijsters won’t feel good for long. She’s been very impressive so far, but no woman on the planet is match for Serena right now. Williams serves too well, moves too fast and hits too hard for anyone to pose a serious threat. But Clijsters had a great run.

After that match wraps up, Rafael Nadal will resume his contest against Fernando Gonzalez. Nadal’s match got suspended last night, not once, but twice. Rafa is up a set and on serve in a 2nd set tiebreaker by a score of 7-6, 6-6(3-2).

Nadal aggravated an abdominal injury last night, but should be able to push past Gonzalez. The cold and wet conditions are apparently compounding the injury issues for Nadal and today’s conditions won’t be any better than the weather was last night.

Although advancing to the semis would be a great accomplishment for Nadal, he would run into the red-hot Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro struggled with the wind early in his match against Marin Cilic, but then overcame the conditions and swatted Cilic away 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

No one wants a piece of Del Potro including Nadal. But Nadal has pressing issues to take care of this afternoon, before he can worry about the semis.

A Summer Off May Be Exactly What Nadal Needed

Rafael Nadal proves it time and again - Never count him out!

Very often, I'm not happy to admit that I was wrong, but this time is different. Plagued by a summer of knee issues, few writers thought they would still be covering Rafael Nadal during week 2 of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, but here he is - playing Fernando Gonzalez in the quarterfinals.

Rafa’s knees have come through with flying colors and he’s done well to overcome an abdominal injury earlier in the tournament. He was pushed to the limit in a four set win over French strongman, Gael Monfils in the 4th round. Nadal split two of the most physical sets you’ll ever see against Monfils before taking him out in four sets.

Going back to today’s quarterfinal matchup - Nadal has easily beaten Gonzalez five straight times and today should be no different. Gonzalez has a 3 and 6 lifetime record against Rafa and two of those wins have come on hard courts, but that is ancient history. If Rafa holds up physically, he should win this one in straight sets.

In the other quarter, my pick to win the tournament has me a bit worried now. When I picked Juan Martin Del Potro to steal his first grand slam title away from Federer this year, I foolishly never thought he might have to encounter Nadal. I’m staying with Del Potro for now, but I may change my mind for the next round.

Of course I’m way ahead of myself right now – for Del Potro to get to the semis, he must take out Marin Cilic from Croatia. I don’t think that’s going to be much of a problem for him, but that’s why they lace up the sneakers. Look for Del Potro to cruise past Cilic in four sets and meet Rafa in the semis.

Fairy Tale Ends for Melanie Oudin – No Surprises for the Men’s Side

Clock Strikes Midnight for Cinderella - Out in Straight Sets

It was a magical week for Melanie Oudin, she made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open and beat some of the best players in the game on the way. But Oudin ran into mirror image of herself on Day 10, the 9th ranked player in the world, Caroline Wozniacki.

Oudin was able to fight back from a set down in each of her previous matches, but it was not to happen in the quarterfinals of the 2009 U.S. Open. Wozniacki was content to keep the ball in play and use a series of angles to beat Oudin in two easy sets, 6-2, 6-2.

On the men’s side, Fernando Verdasco had high hopes in his quarterfinal match against the fourth seed, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic appeared to be on his heels throughout the first set, but somehow managed to steal the first set tiebreaker by a score of 7-2.

Instead of going away, the loss in the tiebreaker seemed to pump Verdasco up. He tore into Djokovic, who seemed to wilt under the pressure losing the second set 6-1. After a rash of unforced errors and poor service games, the Serb did his best to hang in there and survive the 3rd set.

At 5-5 in third, Djokovic played his best game of the match and ended up running away with the whole thing by a final score of 7-6, 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. His reward for the big win is a semifinal clash with the man who’s won 39 straight matches and five straight titles here at the U.S. Open, none other than Roger Federer.

It took four sets for the top seed to put away Robin Soderling 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. Federer advances to his 22nd straight Grand Slam semifinal. 22 straight semifinals?? That’s two short of six straight years - where his worst performance at a major was a semifinal appearance. I could write the same thing about six more times and it still wouldn't make sense.

U.S. Open Day 10 Preview: Melanie Oudin Making Life Miserable for Top Seeds

Melanie Oudin has her opponents literally talking to themselves on the court. What happened to them? They were up a set, seemingly in control and suddenly they were being escorted off the grounds. It’s as if they were having a bad daydream, "What, didn't I win?"

If I were coaching her 19-year-old opponent, 9th seeded Caroline Wozniacki, I would tell her to play the entire quarterfinal match as if she were down a set and a break. 

She'll have to if she wants to advance to her first grand slam semifinal, because the 17-year-old Oudin has "Braveheart Syndrome." She’d launch herself over a game of checkers to beat you. Oudin says of her opponents ‘they know that I’m not going away, they’ll have to beat me.’ She means it, too.

The edge goes to Oudin here. Throw out the rankings and look at the way the young American has won her matches. She’s willing to grind or go for broke, whatever it takes to win. Her confidence is sky-high and she will have the raucous support of an entire nation behind her.

The other quarterfinal match pits the 50th ranked Yanina Wickmayer against the 52nd ranked Kateryna Bondarenko. This is what happens when 8 of the top 10 seeds get knocked out on the women’s side too early.

On the men’s side, the Andys are long gone, but there is still a field full of challengers left for the world’s number one, Roger Federer. Fed takes on Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals, the Giant Swede he conquered at this year’s French Open to claim his career Grand Slam.

Soderling has been playing big tennis all week long, but this is Federer. He hasn’t lost a match in New York since the Dutch settled the colony back in 1609. I doubt Soderling will be able to take a set unless Roger gets very bored.

However, there is one guy on the top half of the draw who’s actually managed to beat Federer a few times. Novak Djokovic from Serbia boasts four wins in 12 meetings against Federer. Djokovic meets Fernando Verdasco in his quarterfinal match. 

Verdasco is a tough and capable opponent, but I don’t believe he has what it takes to win three sets off of Djokovic. The Serb should push through in three to four sets.

Murray Melts Down, Del Potro Hungry for More

Andy Murray: Missing in action, knocked out in the 4th round.

Most experts in the tennis world felt that the time had come for Andy Murray and the United Kingdom. Most experts were wrong. Andy Murray got dropped on Arthur Ashe Stadium today by Marin Cilic from Croatia and I’m not really sure why.

Andy Murray fell off the face of the earth after the first set losing 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. Cilic didn’t do anything particularly impressive, he just kind of showed up.

Murray displayed no real fight and not much emotion. He went out there, got his butt kicked and left. Not much more to say except that the people in the U.K. are going to be pissed when they see the low-lights from this match..

Cilic earns (sort of) a quarterfinal matchup against the 6th seed Juan Martin Del Potro, my pick from the start to win the whole darn thing. ((Article: Beware the Dark Horse from Argentina)) It’s safe to say that I’m in the overwhelming minority here.

Del Potro wasn’t a popular pick when I selected him to shock the world and win the Open and he still isn’t. Regardless of that fact, this six-foot-six Argentine has been racing around this tournament punishing his opponents with remarkable speed and sledgehammer-like power.

He treated Juan Carlos Ferrero like a speed bump, thumping him 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. I believe that even the mighty Federer will wilt under the barrage that Del Potro will bring to him. Stay Tuned!

Day 9: Kim Clijsters in Search of the Semis

Some outstanding headlines on tap for Day 9 at the 2009 U.S. Open Championships including the breathtaking comeback of unseeded Kim Clijsters and her return to professional tennis. Clijsters won a thriller against Venus Williams during the weekend and says it is these types of moments -- that made her long for a return to the game.

She took Labor Day (yesterday) off without hitting so she would be fresh for her early afternoon quarterfinal match against the 18th seed, Na Li from China. Clijsters, the 2005 U.S. Open Champion has to be the favorite in this one having already dispatched Venus in three tough sets. Look for her to cruise to a straight set victory today.

Serena Williams, a three-time U.S. Open Champion is playing in the other quarterfinal against Italy’s Flavia Pennetta. Pennetta has enjoyed a remarkable run in this tournament, but Serena is playing on another level right now. If Italian veteran manages more than 6 games against Serena in the entire match, that would be an accomplishment.

On the men’s side, "My Darkhorse Pick from Day I" 6th seeded Juan Martin Del Potro should have no trouble today against the 24th seed, Juan Carlos Ferrero. Del Potro had some injury issues in his last match, but says he’s feeling great again. I still believe (perhaps foolishly) that Del Potro will claim his first grand slam title here against Roger Federer on Sunday. He's too tough and too fast and is ready to shock the world.

Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal remain on a semifinal collision course. But Nadal has to get past a tricky fourth round match against the Frenchman, Gael Monfils. Nadal reaggravated an abdominal strain in his 3rd round match against Nicolas Almagro and had to get taped up during the match. Monfils has also had some injury issues, so health will be a factor for both players. Look for Nadal to advance in four sets.

As for the second seeded Andy Murray, he’s had some up and downs in this tournament so far, but should take care of business rather handily against the 16th seed, Marin Cilic from Croatia.

Teen Sensation Melanie Oudin into the Quarters - No More Russians Left to Play

Melanie Oudin takes out four Russian players, one in each round.

Teen sensation Melanie Oudin has taken the U.S. Open by storm this year with a dazzling combination of fire and ice. Her spirit and intensity blends beautifully with her ability to manage her emotions under pressure.

Oudin seemed overwhelmed by the occasion and the Labor Day crowds as soon as she stepped onto the court this afternoon. Melanie had shown maturity far beyond her 17 years during the past week and it all seemed to be catching up to her.

13th seeded Nadia Petrova came out firing, breaking the teen at will and running away with the first set by a score of 6-1. Oudin was on the ropes, down a set and oh-so-close to falling behind 5-3 in the second.

But after stunning wins over Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova, people are learning that you can’t count the teen from Georgia out. She’s displaying the fierceness of a Rafael Nadal with the compact stature of a Justine Henin.

Petrova and Oudin traded punches until they found themselves in a second set tiebreaker. Petrova had a look of disbelief that the match had come this far. That shred of uncertainty coupled with Oudin’s killer instinct resulted in a convincing 7-2 win for the American in the breaker.

With the match tied at a set-a-piece, Oudin began to assert herself over the stunned Russian. She finished off Petrova, tossed her racquet into the air and raised her hands in triumph. There were no tears this time from Oudin – she was already thinking about the next round.

She advances to the quarterfinals where she will face another Russian-beating teenager, 19-year-old Caroline Wozniacki from Denmark. The 9th seeded Wozniacki gutted out a tough 4th round match under the lights upsetting the 6th seed and final Russian in the tournament, Svetlana Kuznetsova: 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3).

The two teens are both first time grand slam quarterfinalists and will have a day to rest before they mix it up for a spot in the semis.

Labor Day Preview: Teen Sensation Melanie Oudin Puts “Red Scare” into Petrova

Melanie Oudin’s coming out party has been nothing short of spectacular at the 2009 U.S. Open Championships and this Labor Day should be no different. Today Oudin continues her Russian assault taking on the 13th ranked player in the world, Nadia Petrova.

If you’ve been following the tournament, you know Oudin has already escorted two Russian powerhouses out the door including Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva. Expect the “red scare” to continue against Petrova at Arthur Ashe this afternoon.

The Williams sisters are off today, but there is a former U.S. Open Champion and two-time grand slam winner lurking in the women’s draw. That woman is 6th seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova who plays the 9th seed, from Denmark, Caroline Wozniacki. You have to give the nod to Kuznetsova who's been flying under the radar since the tournament began.

Turning to the men’s side, Roger Federer should have a trouble-free afternoon when he takes on Tommy Robredo. However, the next round could provide more of a challenge for Fed if has to play Robin Soderling, the man who conquered Nadal at the French. At 6'4, the 12th seeded Soderling is an imposing figure with a big serve. He got a huge boost in confidence after advancing to the finals of this year's French Open where he lost to none other than Roger Federer.

Soderling, however, has to get to the next round first. He will have his hands full this afternoon against a rejuvenated Nikolay Davydenko.

The fourth seed, Novak Djokovic should also have a relatively stress-free 4th round encounter against Radek Stepankek.

The best matchup on the men’s side this afternoon may come from the man who blew Andy Roddick out of this year’s draw. Six-foot-nine-inch John Isner is back today and playing the 10th seeded Fernando Verdasco. This match should produce some sparkling tennis and a possible upset.

Clijsters Stuns Venus, Serena on Auto Pilot

Moms have more fun, Kim Clijsters into the quarters.

Talk about a comeback story that would make Rocky blush -- Kim Clijsters, the 2005 U.S. Open Champ has been out of tennis for the past two years. She left the game to start a family and recently had a baby girl. Clijsters returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium with a vengeance on Day 7 at the U.S. Open with a strange, but convincing 6-0, 0-6, 6-4 win over the 3rd seeded Venus Williams.

This was only Clijsters' third tournament back, but she now finds herself in the quarterfinals of the world’s toughest tennis tournament with a possible semifinal run-in against Serena Williams, looming on the horizon.

Venus Williams on the other hand, ran hot and cold during week one at the Open because of a nagging knee issue. Her topsy-turvy loss to Clijsters was a prime example of her struggling game and limited mobility.

Venus came out flat and slow this afternoon and paid the price with an embarrassing 6-0 loss in the first.

Just when you thought Venus was down and out, she returned the favor with a bagel of her own, dropping Clijsters 6-0 in the second.

No one, including the players, had any idea what to expect when the third set started. Clijsters came out firing, broke Venus early and ran away with the 6-4 win in the deciding set.

If Clijsters can get through to the semifinals, she would likely face Venus’s kid sister, Serena Williams. Serena needs no introduction, owning 11 grand slam championships of her own, including three U.S. Open titles.

I wondered earlier in the week if Serena was peaking too early. Today, I got my answer. Unlike the unseeded women who tormented Dinara Safina all week long – the players who face Serena look downright helpless.

Today’s 6-2, 6-0 demolition of Daniela Hantuchova was just another illustration of Serena’s dominance.

The defending U.S. Open champ looks like she’s on the practice courts, getting to every ball and hitting winners at will. This seemingly stress-free version of Serena is having her way with all who dare to trespass on her court. She’s dropped only 17 games in 4 matches and her toughest test so far (if you can call it that) was a 6-3, 7-5 drubbing of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the 3rd round.

Should Serena Williams match up against Clijsters in the semis, it has all the makings of a classic.

The 2009 U.S. Open Championships featured a wealth of young talent this week including 17-year-old Melanie Oudin. But the young are not likely to inherit this tournament. This year's title will ultimately belong to one of the champions from tournaments past. 3-time winner, Serena is certainly the favorite to repeat, but the 2005 champ, Kim Clijsters has earned her way into the conversation.

Isner’s Serving Barrage Blows Out Roddick

Another grand slam disappointment for Andy Roddick

One of the best chances in years for Roddick to add another grand slam title to his resume ended in disaster on Day 6 with a five-set loss to the six-foot-nine-inch tall American, John Isner, 7-6(7-3), 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6(7-5).

Try as he might, Andy Roddick just couldn’t hold it together against the big-serving John Isner. Roddick clawed all the way back from a 2-sets to none deficit against the giant – only to blow it in the fifth.

Yes, Isner played the match of his life. He launched 38 aces into the night and knocked the cover off the ball. But that doesn’t excuse Mr. Roddick.

News flash: Multiple grand slam winners find a way to win. Andy Roddick didn’t. It doesn’t matter how well Isner played, Roddick had realistic chances to take this match, but couldn’t get it done.

Roddick went 2 for 9 on break point chances including a love-forty lead he let slip away in the first set on Isner’s serve. Andy only dropped his serve once in the entire match, but failed to exploit his chances and didn’t really get fired up until he was down by two sets to love.

I appreciate the sportsmanship when Roddick credits his opponents for playing great, but at some point during these matches, Andy has to take stock. He must realize that no matter how well a “lesser player” is playing – he should still find a way to beat them. Otherwise, he’ll finish his career just like Michael Chang, a great player yes, but still just a one-slam wonder.

This doesn’t take away from the fact that Isner played a terrific match, but he has as much chance of winning the title this year as my cat.

Andy was the best shot on the men's side for the red, white and blue at the 2009 U.S. Open, but once again, that train left without us. Oh well, there’s always 2010.

Melanie Oudin Slays Another Tennis Giant

Melanie Oudin continues her assault on the tennis world.

Add Maria Sharapova to the list of top women knocked out of the grand slam tournaments by giant-killer, Melanie Oudin. The 17-year-old Georgian continues to serve notice at the U.S. Open Championships that she is for real after her 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 3rd round win.

Moments after knocking out Sharapova, Oudin told the packed house of well-wishers, “I don’t even know what to say right now, thank you so much for cheering for me.”

That kind of humility and innocence is winning her fans worldwide.

With her left thigh tightly wrapped, and her underdog status firmly in place, Oudin strode into Arthur Ashe Tennis Stadium and picked up right where she left off when she beat Elena Dementieva in the second round.

At first, the blistering pace from Sharapova seemed to be too much. Oudin fell in the first set by a score of 6-3. But If Sharapova sensed that victory was near, Oudin had other ideas. Sharapova was being pressured in every service game – and finally, the wheels started to come off.

The double faults began piling up and before the crowd knew what hit them, Oudin claimed the second set.

With the match even, Oudin quickly went up another break in the 3rd set when Sharapova made a strategic call to the trainer. Surely that would cool off this little upstart. And for one game, this possible display of games-womenship paid dividends. Sharapova broke back leveling the match at 3 games a piece in the third.

But the fiery Melanie Oudin is quickly establishing a record of mental toughness. She’s more than scrappy, she’s a true pitbull. She dug deep and broke Maria right back, punctuating the win with a fist pump and a “C’MON!!”

Each woman continued to trade breaks until Melanie the Lionhearted slammed the door on Sharapova in the third and took her rightful place in 4th round.

Look out world, this kid is here to stay.

Day 6 Preview: Men’s Seeds Shine at the U.S. Open

OK, so there are 32 players seeded for each Grand Slam Event. On the men’s side, of the 32 players left in the draw, 24 of the seeded players are still alive and 17 of them are the top seeds in order. That’s the first time in the Open Era (1968) that has ever happened at the U.S. Open.

But the good times for the world’s top men get tough in a big hurry. The more seeds left in the tournament, the tougher the competition is.

Roger Federer often makes things look easy even against the best players, but former world #1, Lleyton Hewitt is never a player to be taken lightly. Federer knows this and will likely take him in straight sets.

Andy Roddick has no day at the beach either. He faces the hard serving and hard hitting American John Isner. Isner can be fraught with danger, but Andy will likely handle him in 3 to 4 sets.

Novak Djokovic meets the 276th ranked Jesse Witten, the overachieving American who has nothing to lose in this one. Djokovic is playing like a man possessed and should have a short afternoon.

James Blake squares off against Tommy Robredo and I give the heavy edge to the Spaniard. Blake’s not playing very well. Robredo in four.

Taylor Dent: From Back Surgeries to Flying Backhands

Taylor Dent: Dazzling Crowds, Defying the Laws of Nature

A miracle is defined as an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment. How else would one describe what veteran tennis player Taylor Dent has been able to accomplish at the 2009 U.S. Open Championships?

Two years ago after his third back surgery -- doctors were telling Dent that not only should he forget tennis, but that he may never be able to walk again. He was bedridden for days on end, trapped inside a full body cast. Surely this man would never compete as a tennis professional again.

But here he is -- headed to the third round of the world’s toughest tennis tournament after an awe-inspiring 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(7-1), 7-5, 7-6(11-9) win over Ivan Navarro. He captured the hearts and minds of the people who came to watch him and even after the match was over, found a way to keep it going.

He embraced Navarro with a warm hug at the net and then marched over to the umpire’s chair. He shook hands with him and then did something I’ve never seen before after watching and playing more than three decades of tennis. Dent grabbed the microphone and in a choked-up voice told the crowd, “I just want to say, you guys are unbelievable. I love it here! LET’S GO!!"

The already electrified crowd went wild and Dent fed off of every cheer. Everyone was one their feet as the celebration echoed into the night.

Then came this question from Pam Shriver:

If the low (for you) was the back surgeries and the pain and lying motionless in bed, can you imagine anything better than this?

(The crowd erupts: U-S-A!! U-S-A!!)

Taylor Dent: No, I mean really, it’s all gravy right now. I can’t ask for anything more than to play the sport I love, battle the way I love and to have the support. This crowd is just phenomenal, it’s amazing.

Dent’s courage and tenacity is the stuff movies are made of and for the 195th ranked player in the world and the people that packed the Grandstand, it’s a night they will never forget.

Seeds Fall, Safina Double Faults Her Way to Victory

             15 double faults equals almost 4 games

Somehow, the top-seeded Dinara Safina is still here with us here at the U.S. Open. She is turning the double fault into an art form. Safina survived a rash of unforced errors and 15 DOUBLE FAULTS to sneak into the 3rd round with a dismal 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 win over the 67th ranked Kristina Barrois. The sad truth is that Safina actually played better today than she did in the first round.

The 4th seed Elena Dementieva and the 5th seed Jelena Jankovic were not so lucky. Both players will have plenty of time to explore the Big Apple during the upcoming Labor Day Weekend after being whisked away by a pair of unseeded opponents.

Dementieva ran into an unexpected challenge from a scrappy powerhouse named Melanie Oudin and Jankovic says she was emotionally drained by the death of grandmother the night before the match.

Jankovic looked confused for most of the day as she dropped a 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 decision to Yaroslava Shvedova from Kazakhstan. (cue the theme from Borat)

Two of the top nine seeds on the women’s side held true to their rankings today. #6 Svetlana Kuznetsova and #9 Caroline Wozniacki both cruised into the 3rd round with a pair of straight set victories.

Maria Sharapova also continued her dominating comeback with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 thumping of Christina McHale from Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

Day 4 was a good day for American tennis on the men’s side. Andy Roddick was the last of the red, white and blue victors winning a convincing match over the Frenchman, Marc Gicquel 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Other Americans moving into the 3rd round on Day 4 included James Blake, Sam Querrey, John Isner and even the 276th ranked player in the world, Jesse Witten.

4th seeded Novak Djokovic had no problem toppling his 6-foot, 6-inch opponent, Carsten Ball in straight sets. Joko still remains on a collision course with Andy Roddick in a potential quarterfinal clash next week.

Lion-Hearted Melanie Oudin Stuns Tennis World

Melanie Oudin displays true grit overwhelming Elena Dementieva

Fans who came out Arthur Ashe Stadium this afternoon were treated to a rare display of tenacity, grit, determination and fearlessness in the form of 17-year-old Melanie Oudin this afternoon at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The teen was unseeded, fighting through a left thigh injury and facing the number 4-ranked player in the world, Elena Dementieva.

Oudin played a tough enough first set, but ultimately lost it 7-5. Most teenagers on such a grand stage would have been content with their effort, but not Melanie. She buckled down and put the pressure on Dementieva. Her court coverage was spectacular and the tiny teen from Georgia was fearless – going for shot after shot.

The crowd was buzzing when Oudin stole the second set 6-4 and the third began with such promise. But then trouble struck. Melanie tweaked her left thigh, which was already taped up and had to take a lengthy injury timeout. She retook the court with a heavily rewrapped thigh and the sinking hopes of the crowd.

The match continued with the drama and pressure building – when Oudin yelped after hitting a serve. The color drained from her face and the tears started rolling down her cheeks. Oudin took a few tentative steps and looked ready to call it quits. She thought it over, kept testing her thigh and decided she had come too far.

Her service speed decreased greatly along with her mobility and the Georgia teen seemed destined to lose. But then a funny thing happened. Dementieva drew Oudin into the net and tried to lob over her 5’6 frame. No dice! The 70th ranked player in the world leapt into the air and put away the overhead.

Suddenly she was recharged, pushing the pain aside and going for broke on shot after shot. The number 4 player in the world wilted under the barrage of shot-making and eventually succumbed to Oudin by a final score of 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.

If Melanie Oudin is what the future holds for women’s tennis in the United States, we are truly in good hands.

Day 4 Preview: Venus, Why on Earth are you Playing Doubles?

Tell me a secret, "Why aren't you resting?"

Professional doubles players, please forgive me, but you must agree -- that winning a grand slam singles title would be preferable to winning the doubles title. I’m not being rude, just throwing it out there.

Venus Williams is hobbled right now. She’s hurting and for the second fastest woman in the game, (Serena is Faster) Venus needs to be taking it easy between singles matches, not hopping around on the doubles court. That being said, you can catch Venus and her kid sis Serena mixing it up on the Grand Stand Court this afternoon against Julia Goerges and Arantxa Parra Santonja. The best thing that could befall Venus in this situation is a painless and calculated default.

Moving on to the women’s singles draw, top-seeded Dinara Safina has a chance to get her act together and forget about her first round performance. Getting some second serves in would be a terrific start.

Maria Sharapova is in good shape today squaring off against a 17-year-old named Christina McHale from Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

4th seeded Elena Dementieva is taking on another American teenager named Melanie Oudin. Melanie, from Marietta, Georgia created quite a stir this summer by reaching the 4th round of Wimbledon.

Turning to the men’s side, Novak Djokovic is the highest seed in action today and should have little trouble with the six-foot-six-inch giant from Down Under, Carsten Ball. 5th seeded Andy Roddick plays the last match of the evening on Arthur Ashe Stadium against Marc Gicquel from France.

Is Serena Peaking too Early?

                 Can Serena maintain this punishing pace?

I’m actually a little bit worried about Serena Williams. That’s crazy talk right? Probably. She mashed the ball so hard tonight that I thought her opponent, Melinda Czink might have asked the umpire for a bodyguard or better yet, a flak jacket. Serena’s 6-1, 6-1 win was not as close as it sounds. You had the feeling that there was nothing any woman on earth could have done to slow down that assault.

But is Serena’s overwhelming effort in the early rounds a good thing for her? I’ve been watching her since she first hit the tour and I have never seen her play with such ferocity and intensity this early in a Grand Slam tournament. She usually plays her way into form and starts tearing people apart in week two. This early house cleaning is not really her M-O.

She is either peaking too early after having a mediocre summer or she is the “New Look” Serena. It’s still too early to tell – and she is the reining champ at every Grand Slam Event right now with the exception of the French.

Serena crushed the ball tonight like someone had done her wrong. I could be off the mark, but I question whether or not Serena can maintain this level intensity for the entire fortnight. If she can, the remaining women in the draw should invest in some riot gear or skip any upcoming matches with her altogether.

Subdued Safin Plays Last Match

     Safin lacked intensity during his final match, surprised?

It’s hard to know how react to the retirement of Marat Safin. It’s not like you can say he left it all on the court for us. Yes, he won two Grand Slam titles, beating Sampras in the U.S. Open final and denying Federer at the Aussie Open. And yes, he may have been one of the most talented players of his generation. But what did he really give in return?

Can you imagine if this guy had the heart of a Chang, a Roddick or God forbid a Nadal? That change in attitude or desire could have shaved at least five slams off of Federer's resume.

Safin loved to party, liked to sulk and his temper tantrums could definitely be entertaining. He’s only 30-years-old, but like he often did on the court, he’s hanging it up.

He came out on fire this afternoon. As you might expect, he cut down Jurgen Melzer in the first set, 6-1. As you might also expect, he faded away all too quickly and lost the next three sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

The result, like his career, was just a bit too anticlimactic.

Day 3 Review: Venus Hurting, Rafa Running Wild

                     How far can Venus go on a bum knee?

Rafa Nadal is showing no ill-effects from the double knee tendonitis that kept him on the sidelines for the majority of the summer. He jumped on top of Richard Gasquet from the start and never let up. He has lumbered into the last several U.S. Opens looking a little bit haggard. Not this year – he’s playing with purpose and I think he wants his number one ranking back. He certainly has his work cut out for him, but if Rafa were to win the title here, he would regain his number one status.

In a tale of three knees, Venus Williams has a much darker prognosis. She is struggling with her left knee and her opponents will only get tougher from here. Early on in her 6-4, 6-2 win over Bethanie Mattek-Sands, she lunged for a ball that left her grimacing for the next five minutes. It was unclear which upset Venus more, the pain in her knee or the terrible knee-high socks that her opponent was strutting around the court in.

Assuming that Venus fights her way past her 3rd round opponent, Magdalena Rybarikova, she could potentially meet a recharged and hungry Kim Clijsters in the fourth. Clijsters had to fight back from a set down to beat the 14-seeded Marion Bartoli from France 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. She has fire in her eyes and is looking to reestablish herself at the top of the women's game.

Two-time grand slam winner and 17th seed, Amelie Mauresmo crashed out in the 2nd round today after being soundly beaten and bageled by Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4, 6-0. 15th seeded Sam Stosur also made an early exit today after a 7-5, 6-4 loss to the 20-year-old American, Vania King.

Day 3 Preview – Nadal Draws Tricky Frenchman

                Nadal needs to pounce on Gasquet early

Day 3 Preview: It comes as no surprise that the most intriguing matchup of the day features former number one and six-time grand-slam champion, Rafael Nadal versus Richard Gasquet from France. Both players are returning to the grand stage after being absent for two very different reasons.

The 3rd-seeded Nadal was unable to defend his Wimbledon title this year because of tendonitis in both of his knees. He’s played only a handful of matches coming in and admits to having some difficulty getting back into the speed of the game.

Gasquet once was ranked as high as number 7 in the world. He was out of the game for a couple months after testing positive for a banned substance in May 2009. In a bizarre chain of events, the International Tennis Federation lifted a possible two-year suspension because they determined that Gasquet had kissed a girl who had been using cocaine. Ummmm, ok.

So these two will battle in Arthur Ashe Stadium this afternoon to see who can advance to the second round. Gasquet is a tough player who has a history of losing focus. Factor in some flaky behavior and I expect Rafa to take him out in four.

The quirky scheduling Gods have determined that Federer will play his 2nd round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium after the completion of Nadal’s first round match – go figure?

Both Serena and Venus Williams will be in action today. Keep a close eye on Venus to see how she’s moving and whether or not that knee will allow her to compete for this year’s title.

Other notable players on tap for today include Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo and my darkhorse pick on the men’s side, 7th seeded Juan Martin Del Potro from Argentina. Del Potro had an amazing summer and may fly under the radar all the way to the semis. He’s slated to play the last match of the day at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Day 2 Drama - Safina Looks Lost, Ivanovic Out

         Safina barely avoids a top-seeded collapse

The first round is supposed be a relatively easy affair for the top seeds in a Grand Slam event. This U.S. Open has held true to that form with one glaring exception. We’re not talking about Venus – yes, she struggled, but she was dealing with knee issues. No, we’re talking about the top seed, Dinara Safina.

Her performance was dismal. I’m still in shock that you can play such sloppy tennis and win at the professional level. The UNFORCED ERRORS, double faults and all around bad play made this one tough to stomach. She needs to the right the ship or that top ranking will become a thing of the past.

On the topic of Safina being number one – there are many people who believe that she does not deserve the number one ranking. I disagree. There may be better players out there (like the Williams sisters) but Safina’s ranking is based on her performance this year. Although she has yet to win a major, she’s won 3 tournaments this year and done no worse than reaching the finals of two slams and the semis at Wimbledon. She’s won a tour best 52 matches this year, so the numbers speak for themselves. The other tournaments count too – otherwise, why play them?

11th seeded Ana Ivanovic got her first round walking papers on Day 2 from Kateryna Bondarenko – Ana faltered in a 3rd set tiebreaker and is playing with very little confidence right now.

On the good news front – Maria Sharapova looked dominating in her first round match and could become the story of the tournament. Look for her to be around next week.

Other seeds ran into little resistance booking their 2nd round invitations including the 4th seed, Elena Dementieva and the 6th seed, Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The top seeds on the men's side avoided any significant drama on Day 2 with Novak Djokovic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray all advancing in straight sets.

Murray faced a rather stiff challenge against the Latvian giant, Ernests Gulbis, but came through with top marks, 7-5, 6-3, 7-5.