US Open- Page 2

[DG]

Posted: 9/2/06 at 10:25am

This is scary stuff - but I trust that he means it when he says he won't compromise his future. It's got to be so frustrating, on top of all the pain.
Article.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 2:35pm

It's so sad to see Andre go.

I actually started crying the second time he got up to bow to the crowd.

[chealion313]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 2:39pm

I'm still bawling like a baby. What an amazingly classy guy.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 2:41pm

Yeah, he certainly went out with class.

[DG]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 2:41pm

Thank you, Gentle Sir - may your example inspire, and may you know peace and happiness always.

BRAVO!

[rose_pearl]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 3:04pm

That was so hard to watch. He really looked like he was hurting towards the end. But he is certainly a classy guy and a top notch athlete. You'll be missed, Andre!

[DG]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 3:11pm

He was limping badly when he left the stadium - hopefully to go immediately for some treatment! I'm sure everyone is worried about long term dammage, but they considered all the parameters before deciding to go ahead today. I doubt he'll ever be 100% again with his back, but he should recover enough to not be in constant pain. It's going to take awhile, though.

Nice match between Safin/Nalbandian - and good for Safin, who has struggled with injuries of his own.

There's been some great tennis in these early rounds - more so than usual!

[vbplayer]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 6:06pm

I am pulling for Nadal now. Agassi will be dearly missed and I wish him the best. I'm sure we will see him play in exhibition games down the road. Go Andre!

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 6:15pm

<---pulling for Blake and Roddick

[vbplayer]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 6:26pm

....ok, Blake and Roddick also.

[DG]

Posted: 9/3/06 at 7:11pm

I will be rooting for Roger

And also keeping fingers crossed for Martina! She'll be added to the Court of Champions next Sunday before the Men's Final - a nice little retirement gift.

[DG]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 3:39am

From the NY Times:

"Andre Agassi could not stop his tears from flowing as he walked, head down, to the locker room for the last time.

When he opened the door, he raised his head to a sound that was even more overwhelming than the din created by more than 23,000 cheering fans at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The players who had packed the men’s locker room erupted in an ovation that lasted for at least two minutes and that reverberated in the hallways and, he said, in his heart.

“The greatest applause that any person will ever receive in their life is that which comes from their peers,” Agassi said later. “It’s not like we’re a company who’s working together to accomplish something. We’re people that succeed, in some cases, at the demise of the other. To have them applaud you is the ultimate compliment.”

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:08pm

Its Rochus, not Bachus.



and WTG Mauresmo

[DG]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:14pm

Lioness - Martina has been one of my personal heroines for so long now, and has never done anything to make me waver in that devotion. I had the opportunity to meet her back in the early 80's, and then actually got to spend some time with her when I lived in Aspen. She has so much integrity and awareness. It has been wonderful to watch her have this little indian summer in her career, because she truly LOVES to play - and she still can, as she proves over-and-over!

I know that the focus has been on Andre, as it rightfully should have been, but I do hope they give a little attention to the fact that she will no longer be playing on this stage again. She says she wants to devote her time to her love in life, and her various charitable ventures. I sincerely hope she's happy, and gets to enjoy many years of reaping the benefits of her brilliant career.

I didn't get to watch today, so I'm hoping to catch a recap later tonight.

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:29pm

D'oh! Thanks, Zone. That was silly of me. See how much I paid attention to him other than his playing? It was all about Safin for me.


My friend and I were commenting about how much fun it looked like Martina and her partner were having out there.
That's really great you had so much interaction with her, DG. She is someone I've admired myself for a long time.
As far as her being given attention, while the stadium was packed, we were dismayed to find there seemed to be no photographers there during most of her match as they were for all but one of the matches we were at in the Grandstand. Not that it necessarily matters in the long run, it just seemed like they didn't think it was worth their time to cover this great champion, which seemed sad.

[DG]

Posted: 9/4/06 at 11:41pm

*sigh* Tis been much of the story of her career. She lost out on all that endorsement money through much of her career - an open lesbian immigrant or the perky blond all-American girl wasn't much of a choice apparently for corporate America. And THEN, when she let everyone know that she had actual thoughts and opinions - and the courage of her convictions - well, the press just became a little afraid (as they probably should have!)

I actually talked to her about whether she was disappointed in the way things had unfolded. She very candidly said that it had hurt, for some time, actually. There was so much that reeked of rejection - and that wasn't easy for an immigrant lesbian, especially one so much in the public eye. They couldn't ignore her playing - she was IT - but they could certainly pretend that that's the only place she existed. But she said age brought her perspective - and certainly, having come from such a place of real repression, she couldn't avoid the advantages she still had.

I've been happy to see that, at least in the tennis world, she has been truly embraced now - even revered. I think she knows what counts - and knows that there are many who understand her contributions, and love her for the incredible woman she is.

[Dancinqueen123]

Posted: 9/6/06 at 7:10pm

Nadal lost!!! This makes me happy because if Andy wins tonight, he won't have to play him later.

[DG]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 11:57am

Good for Andy - he needs something to jumpstart his career. Maybe Connors is exactly what he needs. And I don't mind at all that he beat Hewitt - never have cared for that whiny little twirp.

A shame about Rafa, but this isn't his best arena, so making the Quarters isn't bad. He'll do better in the future, I'm sure.

This looks more and more like Roger's to lose.

Martina playing twice on the big stage today. Women's doubles is a tough one - but the mixed looks very promising

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 2:35pm

And another Legend says good bye. Marina Navratalova has been eliminated from the Women's doubles.

She still has Mixed doubles tonight, but it's sad to see her go. I wasn't old enough to see her retire the first time, but I have loved watching her dominance in doubles since she returned a few years ago.

[vbplayer]

Posted: 9/7/06 at 8:28pm

Federer~vs~Blake right now. Tennis anyone?

[DG]

Posted: 9/8/06 at 1:00pm

Martina gets to play one last final (OK, they got a walkover through the semi, but she still gets to play the final!)

I can't believe I'm missing these matches - I'm in a place with no TZ - which normally would be heaven - but this is one of the few things I actually LIKE to see! And it's Martina's last match - ugh.

Oh, well - it's only tennis . . .

And Roger keeps looking like he's playing in a separate league.

[vbplayer]

Posted: 9/10/06 at 6:03pm

Roddick and Federer. Anyone?

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 9/10/06 at 6:58pm

yeah i'm watching... i think Roddick is so obnoxious... i'm one hundred percent rooting for Federer, a man with some class.

[TheHumanTorch]

Posted: 9/10/06 at 7:35pm

Congrats Federer!

[LionessInWinter]

Posted: 9/10/06 at 7:55pm

Martina and Bob Bryan won today! Congrats to them!
Nice way for her to go out.

I am neither a fan of Federer or Roddick, but congrats to Federer anyway/