What We Learned at the 2009 U.S. Open

|| September 15, 2009 | 8:49 a.m.

Well, that was quite the insane U.S. Open. After 15 days and more than 200 hours inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, we learned quite a lot!

We watched in horror as Serena Williams melted down before our eyes.

Serena (Finally) Apologizes

by John Koblin

September 14, 2009 | 2:12 p.m

Yesterday, Serena Williams issued a statement about her tirade on Saturday night that didn't serve as an apology per se. In it, she described her "passion" and an "unfair" call and that led her to handling "the situation poorly." The statement was roundly denounced by the press. "How not to apologize" is how Yahoo described it. Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim described it as "horrible damage control."Well! Today, Ms. Williams has come out with an... Read More>>

The Quote Keepers

by Zachary Woolfe

September 14, 2009 | 2:11 p.m

Linda Christensen and Julie Rabe dread James Blake. Also Sam Querrey. "He swallows words, he doesn't enunciate," Christensen says of Querrey, with palpable disdain. "We like him," Rabe clarifies. "We just don't like to transcribe him." Christensen and Rabe, who work for ASAP Sports (motto: "...when all is said, we're done"), are a vital component of the glue keeping the barely functional tennis press corps together. Working in tandem, with Christensen usually at the machine... Read More>>

Four Hours

by John Koblin

September 14, 2009 | 12:10 p.m

For a second straight year, we've got a Monday men's final, which means things are a little quieter than normal around here. We're about four hours away from the start of it. Roger Federer is trying to win his sixth straight Open; Juan Del Potro is trying to pull a Marat Safin--who beat Pete Sampras in the 2000 Open final in his first ever Grand Slam final--and shock the world. We'll be here all... Read More>>

Kim Clijsters Wins, Saves the U.S. Open

by John Koblin

September 13, 2009 | 11:53 p.m

Before the tournament began, Kim Clijsters, fresh from retirement and early motherhood, complained that women in the game today don't have a clue about how to grind out a win."I remember Justine [Henin], she was one who could mix her game up even if she was not playing well," she said. "Someone like [Amelie] Mauresmo, even Venus and Serena, were hard hitters, they can still work their way through matches even when they're not... Read More>>

Federer Advances to Sixth Straight U.S. Open Final

by John Koblin

September 13, 2009 | 7:34 p.m

This one was never in doubt. Yeah, the ledger will read that Roger Federer outlasted Djokovic 7-6, 7-5, 7-5, which looks like you had three close sets, but there was no question who was going to win every critical point at the end of each set.Federer's play has been so carefree in this tournament. There was no better demonstration than on the second-to-last point in the match, when Federer chased a Djokovic lob, and,... Read More>>