US Open 2010 Winners
Rafael Nadal Wins 2010 U.S. Open
Rafael Nadal Wins 2010 U.S. Open
Top seeded and top ranked 24-year old Spaniard Rafa Nadal stormed through the field losing just one set to earn his first U.S. Open Championship. The champion downed 23-year old Serb Novak Djokovic in four power-filled sets 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to earn kudos from his opponents as well as all tennis fans.
The champion has now completed his first Grand Slam cycle and at 24 he becomes the youngest player in the Open era to accomplish the feat. Nadal has now won three straight Grand Slam tournaments and nine majors overall.
After the finals, Djokovic praised Nadal, “He has the capabilities now to become the best player ever. I think he is playing the best tennis that I have seen him play on the hardcourts. He has improved his serve dramatically. The speed, the accuracy, and, of course, his baseline is as good as ever.”
Kim Clijsters Defends Her Crown
Kim Clijsters
Belgian Kim Clijsters successfully defended her 2009 U.S. Open title with a convincing (6-2, 6-1) performance against runner-up Vera Zvonareva. Combining her title run in 2005 with her 2009 and 2010 titles, Kim extended her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to 21 matches.
Clijsters path to the finals was marked with potential potholes. Her bracket included Russian Elena Dementieva, former world number one Ana Ivanovic and her tough quarter final opponent, fifth seed Samantha Stosur. Kim defeated Stosur in three tough sets and then battled with Venus Williams in the semis in one of the best matches in the tournament.
For Kim Clijsters, the Open title compliments her two WTA titles earned earlier this season which was interrupted by foot surgery causing her to miss the French Open. Once again Clijsters is back and once again, she proved it in New York where she probably earned Player of the Year honors.
Bryan and Bryan Win 3rd U.S. Open
Mike and Bob Bryan
Twins Mike and Bob Bryan won their third U.S. Open Doubles Championship before a packed house at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday. The top seeded Bryan brothers repelled a stern challenge from the popular 16th seeded “Indo-Pak Express,” aka Rohan Bopanna and Asiam-UI-Haq Qureshi, with a tight 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) win.
For the Bryans, the win not only earned them their third U.S. Open title but also their 65th doubles title and their ninth major championship. The Bryan’s popularity has lifted Men’s Doubles so that the once lightly regarded event now draws full houses and boisterous crowds.
The longshots, Bopanna and Quereshi, had not lost a set until they reached the finals. The pair has had an impressive year reaching the finals in New Haven, Nice, Napoli and Casablanca. The Indo-Pak Express beat the Bryans in the quarterfinals in Washington before the Bryans evened the score in Los Angeles.
The finals was everything the fans wanted to see with power serving, great poaches and an extraordinarily high level of competitiveness. There were no service breaks in the match and the underdogs raced to an early lead in the first tiebreaker before the Bryans rallied to once again prove their dominance in Men’s Doubles.
King and Shvedova Women’s Doubles Champions
Vania King and Yaroslova Shvedova
Vania King and Yaroslova Shvedova out-dueled the second seeded Nadia Petrova and Liezel Huber, the top ranked women’s doubles player, to claim the 2010 U.S. Open Women’s Doubles crown. The 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win was finalized when Shvedova struck the perfect top spin lob over Petrova on match point.
The lob was a big part of the champion’s strategy as baseline battles characterized the title match. On the way to the title, King and Shvedova defeated the 1st, 9th and 12th seeded teams. Petrova and Huber had a smooth ride to the finals, losing one set to the 5th seeded team of Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs.
Bryan and Huber Champion Mixed Doubles
Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber
When the top men’s doubles player pairs up with the best women’s doubles player, good things are bound to happen. Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber proved the point by downing Kveta Peschke and Asiam-UI-Haq Qureshi 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2010 U.S. Open Mixed Doubles Championship.
Peschke and Qureshi, the first Pakistani to reach a Grand Slam final, had a remarkable two weeks in New York. Three of their matches were decided in ten point tiebreakers and their semifinal match was decided by two tiebreakers.
Bryan and Huber had too much firepower for Peschke and Qureshi. The match included numerous service breaks but every time a big point was needed, it seemed that Huber or Bryan was always in the right place at the right time.
Gavrilova Wins Girls Title
Daria Gavrilova
The 2010 U.S. Open Girls Championship was won by Russian Daria Gavrilova who defeated her good friend and practice partner Yulia Putintseva. The decisive 6-3, 6-2 final match was the first all-Russian finals since Nadia Petrova lost to Lina Krasnoroutskaya in 1999.
Daria and Yulia are experienced in international play. The girls train together at the prestigious Moratouraglu Academy in France.
The difference in the match was Gavrilova’s foot speed and more diverse game. Putintseva’s refusal to move from the baseline made her an easy and predictable target.
In her post-match interview, the Champion said she will now be concentrating on her professional career.
Sock Earns Boys Championship
Jack Sock
Not many people figured the 281st ranked wildcard entry from Lincoln, Nebraska, would be around very long at this year’s Open. But, as he has done everywhere he has played, Jack Sock turned disbelievers into believers by turning the tables on fellow American Dennis Kudla of Arlington, Virginia.
Sock has never competed outside the U.S and his gutsy 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 was his first ITF Junior Circuit championship. The 2010 Junior Boys Champion won a wildcard into the draw with his Boys 18’s National Hard Court Championship in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Sock and Kudla were teammates and practice partners for the U.S. Davis Cup team. Kudla had defeated Sock in the Boys 16’s National hard Court tournament two years ago.
Kudla got off to a fast start as Sock was clearly overwhelmed by the setting. Once he got settled, Sock used a big serve and courageous net approaches to disrupt Kudla. Chances are good that we will be seeing and hearing more of these two athletes in the near future.
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