2 4s=1

My wife and I, avid ex-tennisplayers and buffs, have been mesmerized by the U.S. Open which ended yesterday, a day late due to weird weather.  And what an Open it was with tension-filled finals for both the men and women.

First, the ladies. Serena Williams, ranked fourth because she does not play the full complement of tournaments, met Victoria Azarenka, ranked numero uno, a 23 year-old from Belarus who lives in Scottsdale AZ.  Azarenka has really come on in the last year, winning the first major of the year, the Australian Open, and performing especially well on hard courts where her record was 34-1 and 12-0 in three sets matches. Serena has had an unbelievable second half of the year. The first half ended dismally when she was knocked out in the first round of the second major, the French Open. Serena has suffered a series of debilitating injuries the last couple years and, in fact, missed ten months of play last year, and it took awhile for her to round into shape---but did she ever. All she has done, prior to the U.S. Open final, the last part of the year is win Wimbledon, the third major (which many consider the pearl of the set of four Opens), two gold medals in singles and doubles (with sister Venus) in the London Olympics.

When Serena met Victoria in the finals of the U.S. Open, Serena started like she was going to a fire sale, gobbling everything in sight to win the first set 6-2 in less than half an hour. But then Victoria sucked it up, became acclimated to Serena's power and shortened her strokes accordingly, as well as putting more heat on her serve, and turned the tables and won the second set 6-2. It must be noted that Serena helped her along by suddenly turning erratic and spraying her shots everywhere but the court. Victoria started the third and final set with a break and suddenly was up 5-3 and at 30-30 on her own serve.

Then Serena Williams, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, became her inimitable indominable self and refused to lose. She broke Victoria and ran off four straight games to win 7-5 and claim the title. It was a breathtaking finale.

Then it got even better when the men's final played out on Monday between the defending champion and number two in the world, Novak Djokovich, and the number four, the perennial bridesmaid and hope of Great Britain, Andy Murray of Scotland. Murray was often near the top in various Open battles of the last few years but never could win the big one. Then, this summer he beat world number one, Roger Federer, to win the gold medal in the Olympics.

The Brits have not had an Open Champion in any of the four grand slams since 1936 when Fred Perry won the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. 76 years of frustration, count 'em. That sets the scene for Djokovich and Murray.

It  lasted four hours and 56 minutes and had the crowd screaming as the match yo-yoed from one to the other. Rallies of 20 strokes, 30 strokes---even one of 55 strokes--- two warriors laying their hearts and their guts on the court. Murray won an epic tiebreaker the first set, 7-6, 12 points to 10, a new U.S. Open record.. Then he won the second set 7-5.

Then the "Joker", as he is called. came roaring back and won the next two sets 6-2 and 6-4. He seemed to have all the momentum on his side.

Perhaps the effort of coming from behind by two sets took too much out of him, but Andy Murray buried the Ghosts of Matches Past and dominated the final set, also with more heart-stopping ralles, and won the final fifth set, 6-2. Britain had its champion---and I'm sure every pub in Scotland was open all night.

So, two number fours, to my mind, have earned the right to be number one as players of the year. Serena won two majors, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, plus two Olympic golds. The men's was not quite so clearcut: the four majors were won by four different men. but Murray won one of them, plus the Olympic gold to qualify as player of the year.

That's my New Math: 2 4s=1.