Friday, September 01, 2006
Late Nights (and well worth it)
I figure, after one of the best matches of the last 10 years, now would be a good time to check in from the US Open. First, I need to admit that I picked Marcos Baghdatis to beat Andre Agassi and end his career yesterday, and obviously I was wrong. It won't be the last time. But I also can't say I care much. That was one of the most compelling matches I've ever seen. It wasn't at the level of the 2005 Aussie Open semi between Marat Safin and Roger Federer, but the possibility that it could be Agassi's final match, coupled with Baghdatis cramping in the fifth set (and still hitting winners!) made it impossible to go to stop watching.
It's a funny thing to say after watching Agassi, 36 and bad back and all, pull out the win, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 7-5, but Baghdatis may have impressed me more last night. Despite the fans in Ashe Stadium booing him for taking too long between points (despite the fact he was in agony and could barely walk), he could not have been more gracious in defeat, nor Agassi more gracious in victory. We won't see a better match this Open, though we will be watching that match on a loop during the rain delays to come on Saturday and again 15 years from now. Amazing.
As to other highlights from the first four of my 14 days at the Open:
Getting to see Federer and Rafael Nadal play in person, from about 10 rows back. These two guys are amazing and TV, as the NY Times Magazine "Play" article pointed out last weekend, does not do them justice. Nadal routinely hits winners from purely defensive postures and moves like a man whose 5-foot-8 (not 6-1). And Federer is just remarkable. Where everyone else seems to bludgeon the ball with every shot, he carves it. The ball sounds different when Federer hits it.
Meeting John Feinstein, a really cool guy. Very laid back, very friendly, great story teller as a writer and in person. I grew up reading him, and it's always nice when people you look up to turn out to be solid people.
It's a funny thing to say after watching Agassi, 36 and bad back and all, pull out the win, 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 7-5, but Baghdatis may have impressed me more last night. Despite the fans in Ashe Stadium booing him for taking too long between points (despite the fact he was in agony and could barely walk), he could not have been more gracious in defeat, nor Agassi more gracious in victory. We won't see a better match this Open, though we will be watching that match on a loop during the rain delays to come on Saturday and again 15 years from now. Amazing.
As to other highlights from the first four of my 14 days at the Open:
Getting to see Federer and Rafael Nadal play in person, from about 10 rows back. These two guys are amazing and TV, as the NY Times Magazine "Play" article pointed out last weekend, does not do them justice. Nadal routinely hits winners from purely defensive postures and moves like a man whose 5-foot-8 (not 6-1). And Federer is just remarkable. Where everyone else seems to bludgeon the ball with every shot, he carves it. The ball sounds different when Federer hits it.
Meeting John Feinstein, a really cool guy. Very laid back, very friendly, great story teller as a writer and in person. I grew up reading him, and it's always nice when people you look up to turn out to be solid people.
# posted by EJ @ 11:22 AM 
