As the AO17 came to a close on the dawn of a new day in America, I realized that though tennis got the matches its fans and commentators yearned, the redux has cost us all. No where is this more evident than the lack of poignant writing about this slam. I may yet dub this slam the white noise; we all hear it but it doesn’t resonate in a multitude of ways. Serena vs. Venus and Federer vs. Nadal was comfortable and enjoyable like a summer reunion. It is the experience that reminds us of where we are from and who we wanted to be but come the end of the weekend we leave it knowing that it is a cradle from which we have to emerge to grow. Tennis is stunted by comfort. It needs the discomfort of Kyrios, Vandewege, Zverev, Osaka, etal… These disruptors need to step-up to the challenge by taking on their s/heros.
5. Best women’s fit Eleven Thinka worn by Venus Williams. The playful purple print and white tank with the unique back was perfect for the royal one. Worst fit Adidas Melbourne worn by Angelique Kerber and others. Designed to echo the colors of the AO tournament, the teal top and the orange skirt was unappealing from design to mixed materials and color.
4. Tennis continues to ascribe to the more is better or quantity over quality edict. The men had twenty-three five set matches, forty-two four set matches and fifty-seven three set matches. Wouldn’t you rather see a competitive three set match from beginning to end than an unyielding five set match where the players lose focus, take medical timeouts and injury themselves?
3. Fastest serves were from Raonic at 146.6 and Osaka at 123.
2. Though the Bryan brothers came close to securing their seventeenth men’s doubles grand slam, they fell to Kontinen and Peers 5-7. 5-7. Mattek-Sands and Safarova secure their fourth grand slam together outlasting Hlayackova and Peng 6(4)-7, 5-3, 6-3. Spears and Cabal took out Mirza and Dodig
1.Winners: Federer securing his eigteenth and Serena with her twenty-third.
MORE TO COME…
1tennismate 