Well, it's day four here at Flushing Meadows, and the tournament has started to get interesting. The weather has been perfect and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is probably the best place on the planet to be right now. The tennis has been also nearly perfect, as Kim Clijsters continues to show killer form and Roger Federer is still playing like the greatest player of all-time.
I'm sitting here in Louis Armstrong Stadium, and just watched women's number one seed Dinara Safina struggle in the second round to defeat unknown Kristina Barrois of Germany, after nearly losing in the first round to another unknown, Olivia Rogowska of Austria. As I look at her, I can't help but see her brother, Marat Safin, in her face and in her countenance.
Which actually makes me sad, because yesterday Marat took his final bow for the U.S. Open. At the "ripe old age" of 29, Safin lost to Jurgen Melzer, 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, 4-6, bringing his major tournament career to a crashing end. It was only nine years ago that a young Marat Safin stormed through the 2000 U.S. Open Men's draw, surprising all-time great Pete Sampras in the final in straight sets. Marat that day showed the game he always had in him, bullet serves, big ground strokes, and physical ability few others could rival. Marat looked like the next great champion.
Since that day, Marat has never lived up to that potential. Most of us would agree that his mental game was his downfall. While he did end his career with a U.S. Open and Australian Open title, more times than not, he floundered out in the early rounds of the big four. Yesterday Marat played the first set like he played the entire tournament in 2000. He was unstoppable. Then Jurgen happened. The old Marat re-emerged, although looking more complacent than disturbed. So Safin ends his run as a professional tennis player with $14,000,000 in career prize winnings.
I'm also shedding a tear for Fabrice Santoro, the crafty, wily Frenchman, a tour favorite and the elder statesman of the ATP tour. He also announced at the beginning of the year that he would make this his last hurrah.
Santoro fell to his long-time tour opponent Juan Carlos Ferrero. For the past 20 years, Santoro has been playing major tournaments, and it seems like only yesterday he made his debut at the 1989 French Open. Known for his quirky, two-handed forehand and backhand, his mastery of spin and tricky shots, he leaves with $10,000,000 in career prize money and two Australian Open doubles titles.
Au revior, Fabrice. Dasvidania, Marat. Tennis will miss you, as will I.
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