Most Valuable Player, Men: Rafael Nadal. Djokovic fans will scream, but keep in mind that the MVP isn’t necessarily the best player—he or she is the one that had the greatest impact on the game (in our case, the tournament).
You have to love Nadal for getting to this final to set up the match everyone was hoping to see, and also for playing such a great match against Djokovic. It’s almost enough to make us forget that we have yet to be treated to a Nadal-Roger Federer final in New York.
Most Valuable Player, Women: Who else but Serena Williams? Say what you will about her aggressive, alpha personality; the reality is that for quite some time now, Serena has been the proverbial straw that stirs the drink for the WTA. She’s an enormous drawing card, and she showed once again that she may be the most dangerous woman ever to swing a racket. Fans love or hate her. She gives her rivals, real or imagined, a standard to shoot for, and she’s a controversy magnet.
The WTA is all glammed and gimmicked up, but it isn’t producing Hall-of-Fame worthy champions. None of the quarterfinalists save Serena had even one Grand Slam title on the resume. Serena had 13. ‘Enuf said.
Most Disappointing Performance, Men: Roger Federer had two match points against Novak Djokovic in their semifinal, just like he did last year. But this time, Federer was the one serving. Given all Federer had to gain by winning the match (among other things, single-handedly holding Djokovic to two Grand Slam titles in 2011, which would significantly if perhaps unfairly reduce the hype about his nearly perfect season), it was a shame that he couldn’t close the deal.
Grated, Djokovic blasted an unearthly forehand to wipe away that first match point, but the way Federer made a hash of the second opportunity will remain emblazoned on our memory for a long time.
!Cw Most Disappointing Performance, Women: Not to make this post all about Serena Williams, but…the way Serena, the No. 28 seed, pushed around No. 1 and top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki was almost disturbing. Wozniacki has been No. 1 for about a year, was coming off a big win in New Haven, and had looked very strong all the way to the semifinals (losing no sets along the way). But against Serena, her serve was woeful and even her vaunted defense startlingly ineffective. Was Serena great, or did Wozniacki once again come up small at a big event? Sorry to say, I think it’s the latter.
Whatever Happened to… (Men): Marcos Baghdatis has become a kind of invisible man, which is too bad because this former Australian Open finalist once was tabbed as The Next Big Thing. Give him a pass this time around, because facing American John Isner on a hard court in the first round of the U.S. Open is a daunting challenge for anyone. Baghdatis actually acquitted himself quite well losing in four sets, the first two of which were tiebreakers that went to Isner, 7-2, 13-11.
Whatever Happened to… (Women): Newly crowned Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova was gone before the tournament could be said to have started, a victim of No. 55 Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania. Kvitova went out meekly, 7-6(3), 6-3. Clearly, she’s still got her head in the clouds, but who can blame her?
Newcomer of the Year, Men: This is tricky because tennis players begin playing the tour at very young ages and almost never make a mark until they’re well past the “newcomer” stage. So let’s use the concept loosely, or metaphorically—whose face turned up, unexpected and refreshing?
Janko Tipsarevic declared a few weeks ago that he was ready to become a Top 20 player, and hoped to perhaps even make a run at the Top 10 after that. Tipsarevic, better known until now as Novak Djokovic’s wingman, achieved his first ambition when he made the semis at the Montreal Masters in mid-August, and he slashed his way to the quarterfinals here, where he split tiebreaker sets with Djokovic before he had to retire with a leg injury.
Newcomer of the Year, Women: Give it to a pair of American players, Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens, each of whom made the third round. Both of them had to survive tight three-set matches in order to get there. Stephens won a third-set tiebreaker to make it out of the first round, and McHale had to go to 6-4 in the third in her first encounter. McHale put up the bigger win, taking out No. 8 seed Marion Bartoli in the second round. Many pundits expected Bartoli to go deep into the second week.
Most Surprising Performance, Men: Donald Young has unwittingly become a symbol for the woes that have befallen American tennis, so it was gratifying to see him make it to the fourth round, with quality wins over Stan Wawrinka and Juan Ignacio Chela.
Most Surprising Performance, Women: This one goes to Angelique Kerber, as surprising a “surprise semifinalist” as any Grand Slam tournament has ever produced. The German about whom so little was known before this tournament had a great run. The word on her is that she’s only now figuring out how to meet the demands of the profession vis a vis training and creating a support team.
One unusual member of that “team” is countrywoman Andrea Petkovic, who boosted Kerber’s confidence and hopes when they practiced together a few weeks before the Open. “She (Petkovic) was helping me in the practice because we practiced together, and also she told me, You can do it. You play very well. You need to play consistent your tennis and not think about something or not think, you know, that you can win or you can lose. Just go on the court, play your tennis. Yeah, she helps me a lot.”
Kerber got as far as the third round at only two prior majors (the Australian Open and Wimbledon) in 15 previous attempts, but she fought her way through to the semis here—and gave eventual champ Sam Stosur all she could handle in a three-set semifinal.
Quote of the Tournament, Men: After he was crushed by Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals, Andy Roddick was asked: “Were you able to have fun today?”
He replied: “I didn’t have a lot of fun today, no. But it’s early.”
Quote of the Tournament, Women: You may remember that Mike Tyson quote: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Well, after Serena Williams played wrecking ball to Victoria Azarenka’s last chance to break through with a Grand Slam title in 2011, Azarenka was asked: “What are the specifics about what she does that makes it so painful when she’s really on?”
She answered: “You know, you should ask her to practice a little bit with you and serve at you. Then you’ll feel it. It’s better than me describing it in words.”
Ouch!
