Grand Slam Review: Australian Open

HIGHLIGHTS

1. The "Serena scream" on the penultimate point (and again on match point) of her semifinal battle with Maria Sharpova.
2. Lindsay Davenport getting back on the court a mere two hours after her marathon quarterfinal singles match to play doubles with Corina Morariu--leading to a second women's doubles final appearance for these two best of friends.
3. The sleeveless shirts worn by the men (Hewitt, Nadal, Moya, Blake, et cetera)--show off those guns, boyz!
4. Serena's silencing of the critics by winning her 7th major title at age 23.
5. Marat Safin winning his second major title after a 5-year drought (2000 U.S. Open over Sampras at age 20).
6. 15-year old African-American left-handed phenom Donald Young winning the Australian Open Junior Title, the youngest ever, simultaneously becoming the youngest ever Number 1 Junior.

LOWLIGHTS

1. Lindsay Davenport's inexplicable collapse from 6-2, 3-4, 40-0 in the second set of the Championship Match to lose the next 5 points (double-faulting on break point) and then proceeding to lose the next 7 games and the championship in less than half an hour.
2. Serena Williams' bib of a costume she wore on court.
3. Dick Enberg's "commentary" on ESPN2 during the entire fortnight--inane would not be too harsh a description.
4. The "urine test" yellow color chosen for the on-court outfits of Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams et alia.

Best Matches
1. S. Williams(7) d. M. Sharapova(4) 2-6, 7-5, 8-6 (women's semifinal). This was effectively the women's championship match. I had predicted that the winner of Mauresmo-S. Williams would win the tournament and that Kuznetsova would defeat Sharapova. After spraying the balls on both the forehand and backhand side in the first 10 games of the match, committing nearly 25 errors in the process, somehow Serena was able to make the adjustment quickly enough in the second set to keep the match close. Then it was the 17-year old Wimbledon Champion who grew tight (and uncharacteristically muffled) to lose the second set after serving for the match at 6-2, 5-4. In the third set, Serena had to face three match points, two of which she dismissed with two blistering, forehand cross-court, service-return winners. Finally at 6-7 Serena was able to win an incredibly long point which included some great gets by Maria and a too-short volley which Serena was able to rush to net and hit for a down-the-line winner and her first match point at 15-40. After a good serve and netted return, on her second match point Serena won the match with her second strike of the ball, a cross-court forehand winner. Game, Set and Match, Miss Serena Williams!

2. L. Davenport(1) d. A. Molik(10) 6-4, 4-6, 9-7 (women's quarterfinal). This was an incredibly close match, which says a lot about the game of the up and coming Aussie, who cemented her arrival as a Top 10 player and Grand Slam contender status by winning the women's doubles title with Svetlana Kuznetsova mere 2 days after this match. The match result was another example of why tennis must incorporate electronic imaging technology into confirming line calls. Serving on game point at 7-7 in the third set it looked like Molik served an ace but it was called out. Shotspot showed the ball clearly caught some of the line. That would have given Molik an 8-7 lead; instead Lindsay was 8-7 and served out the match (saving two break points).

3. R. Federer(1) d. A. Agassi(8), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 (men' quarterfinal). This was the most hyped men's match of the tournament. Federer became testy when he was asked if he would have to raise his game to beat Agassi and he clearly did so. Federer may have peaked too early because he was clearly not at his best in his next match...

4. M. Safin d. R. Federer 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6), 9-7 (men's semifinal). Safin figured out a way to "solve the Federer puzzle" during this instant classic match. Federer received treatment for blisters and a sore arm and was clearly not at his best and he still almost won the match! He had a match point in his serve at 6-5 in the 4th set tie break. He saved 6 match points in the 5th set, finally succumbing on the seventh. Let's do the numbers: The match was almost 4 1/2 hours and ended a little after midnight, Australia time, on Safin's 25th birthday. Federer had less errors than Safin (59 to 60), won more total points (201 to 194), and STILL LOST. Amazing stuff.