The day was highlighted by two goodbyes. Marat Safin fell to Juergen Melzer in the first round, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, ending his final Open early. Safin won here in 2000, and also won the Australian Open in 2005. One of the most promising players of the past decade, he brought power and passion to his game. He was also blazingly inconsistent and prone to regular fits of pique towards umpires and... READ MORE»
The Austrians were out in full force last night, calling out "Ja, Sybille!" (pronounced "Si-bill-uh") and "Aufgeht!" Many of the spectators had clearly read the Times profile ("It was inspiring. She's with child!" we overheard one man telling his wife). But all the interest couldn't push hyper-local favorite Sybille Bammer to victory in her first-round... READ MORE»
We're so pleased that the incandescent Sybille Bammer, a secret star of the 2008 Open, is finally getting the attention she deserves from other news organizations. The Times now gives us some incredible tidbits about her wonderful boyfriend, Christophe Gschwendtner, of whom we are epically jealous. After blazing her way to the quarterfinals at last year's Open, she is now seeded 28th and plays Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez this... READ MORE»
It's the first day of the Open, which means chaos. Lots of matches, all courts full and crowds--everywhere, crowds. Here's what we're most looking forward to today: Viktoriya Kutuzova vs. Kim Clijsters; Arthur Ashe, 11am: The former Open champ returns for the first time in three years! And she might be more than respectable. Bethanie Mattek-Sands vs. Iveta Benesova; Court 4, late... READ MORE»
Sometimes God tests us, forcing us to confront unthinkable pain in order to know better the scope and power of His will. This is one of those times. Sybille Bammer has lost in the quarterfinals of this year's Open to Jelena Jankovic, 6-1, 6-4. It's O.K., breathe. It's hard for me, too. The "statistics" indicate that Bammer's near-ridiculous number of unforced errors (40, to Jankovic's 14) sealed her fate, but it doesn't... READ MORE»
Novak Djokovic got his first test of the tournament this afternoon, and now it's Roger Federer's turn. Federer and Igor Andreev have nabbed a set each (at 7-6) and Federer is up a break in the third. At this point, we'll start the women's match at about 8:30, Roddick's match at 10:30, and we'll all be going home well after 1... READ MORE»
Sybille Bammer, the 28-year-old mom whose every movement we've been chronicling, is now, at least in our mind, the greatest story in what is an otherwise very disappointing U.S. Open for women's tennis. For the first time in her career, the women's No. 29 player will make it to a Grand Slam quarterfinals after she beat Marion Bartoli this afternoon in a 7-6, 0-6, 6-4 match. The match took an astonishingly long 3 hours... READ MORE»
The great Sybille Bammer takes on the unflappable Marion Bartoli today in our Match of the Day on Louis Armstrong. Bammer, as we've discussed all week long, has inspired us all with her prowess on the court; Bartoli, the little French lady with the impossibly long ponytail, has always been one of our favorite players.Based on how Jelena Jankovic struggled today--she won in three tough sets over Caroline Wozniacki--it's not unimaginable that the winner... READ MORE»
We thought that Sybille Bammer was only the mother of our hearts, but it turns out that she is one of only three mothers (of children, not hearts) on the WTA Tour (one, Rossana De Los Rios, was blown out by Venus Williams today, and the other is Lindsay Davenport). Her seven-year-old daughter, Tina, is known for telling tennis fans to be quiet "because Mummy is concentrating." Bammer,... READ MORE»
Sybille Bammer continued her quest for truth and justice today with a scintillating 6-1, 7-5 win over Aravane Rezai. Rezai, I regret to inform you, had more winners than The Golden One, but -- BUT! -- far more errors, too, and Bammer's strong second serve carried the day. Our limitless enthusiasm for Bammer -- and it is limitless -- is looking steadily less... READ MORE»
