Grazie, signore!

Every now and then, sports just gets it right.  As sports fans, we dream about days like this Saturday.  As tennis fans, we just have to shake our heads and wonder how in the world we were the lucky ones.  How tennis took the stage and showed everybody how it's really done.  There will be more days like this for tennis, because it's the greatest sport in the world, but few will provide the sense of contentment we derived from the Flavia Penetta, Roberta Vinci Ladies Final of the 2015 U.S. Open.  This one, in that regard, may be untouchable.

Just yesterday, no one in their right mind would have thought that possible.  Not because Penetta and Vinci aren't talented players, but because anything outside of Serena Williams making history on Saturday simply had to be anti-climactic.  But it didn't go down like that, not even close, and the U.S. Open fans played a massive role in flipping the script.  This final had been sold out for days in anticipation of America's biggest tennis party, ever, and when the Italians -Vinci, especially - forced a drastic change in plans on such late notice, you had to wonder how many folks would even bother to show up.  The answer was resounding, as Arthur Ashe Stadium was full, bustling, and brimming with anticipation well before Ciara had finished "God Bless America".  If many of those fans were fortunate enough to take their seats thanks to reduced pricing in the ticket resale market, hallelujah, because this Open final was more than deserving of an audience that wanted to be there.

Both players displayed early butterflies, but matchups make matches, and the backhand to backhand exchanges between Penetta and Vinci were breathtaking in both skill displayed and tension held.  Vinci's slice was at it's sharpest, absolutely shredding the opposite ad-court baseline, and Penetta was left little reasonable choice but to dig in, get low, and return cross-court...right back to the same deadly weapon, knowing that Vinci would deftly pounce on any short ball with a tried-and-true slice and approach.  Penetta seemed hopelessly stuck in a defensive pattern.  So many other players could and would have folded, but the Brindisian has bedrock in her game, and that bedrock is her two-handed backhand.  Penetta stuck with it, weathered the first-set's onslaught of nerves and slice with true grit, and relied on some clutch serving and net play to carry her through to a tie-breaker.  Both had displayed first-rate commitment and courage for just under an hour, but it would be Vinci who would finally blink in the breaker, donating several errors, while Penetta rode steadier strokes and service to a 7-4 win.

Nobody knows Flavia Penetta's game any better than childhood friend and Fed Cup teammate, Roberta Vinci, and Vinci had to know she'd be facing a more relaxed, confident, and daring opponent in the second set.  A sobering realization, and just as prophetic.  Although Penetta was never able to replicate the forehand form she used to shock Simona Halep in their semifinal, she did breathe free enough to gain better depth off that wing, and the world #26 was able to dictate play in the 2nd set with increased ease and efficiency.  Vinci employed every trick in a considerable book to stem the tide, but Penetta had already taken her biggest punch, and there would be no looking back.  After jumping out to a 4-0 lead, Penetta overcame some nervy moments, late, to close out on a forehand winner at 5-2.  It took 49 Grand Slam singles appearances over a span of 13 years, but at 33 years of age, Flavia Penetta had stormed New York City to join 2010 Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone as the only other Italian woman to hoist the winner's trophy at a major.

The 2015 U.S. Open has shown that it's no easy feat to play against family with so much at stake, but playing a friend and loved one can't be any walk in the park, either.  Penetta and Vinci handled this final with such grace and aplomb, and that was only emphasized by an embrace at net that left many of us at home wondering how competitive tennis can sometimes become so crass and petty.  While this matchup of amici almost guaranteed civil behavior, everyone who swings a racquet can still stand up and take note of the spirit in which it was played.  By the beginning of the trophy presentations, we could see a complete transformation in the energy, words, and attitudes of ESPN's tennis team, as if there were something new, fresh, and exciting to be found in women's tennis.  By the end of the trophy presentations, the tennis world's existing axis may have been obliterated.

Vinci took the result for exactly what it was: a culmination of the greatest two weeks in her career.  There had to be disappointment, but no way was she going to rain on Italy's - or, her friend's - parade.  No, Vinci exuded pure joy for both her compatriot's achievement and for her own effort.  The tiny Tarantan had sent shock-waves across the planet, and although her life will never be the same, we can only hope Roberta Vinci doesn't change too much along with it.  Her candidness over the previous 48 hours had won her millions of new fans.  So did her play.  Vinci's style is a throwback to a visually appealing, artful brand of tennis driven by touch and feel, and she stands as an example that the game can be mastered by those small in stature, but big on belief.

Flavia Penetta accepted her winner's check for $3.3 million, and explained to the world how connected her own tennis journey had been with Vinci's.  "Pennuccia" thanked her small, but glowing entourage for their support, and capped off her words by taking the time to tell the U.S. Open fans she'd always appreciated so much that they'd just watched her last match in a major.  Penetta will retire from tour play at the end of 2015.  Perhaps that decision helps to explain the serenity Penetta displayed while knocking off three seeded players en route to the title.  She'd battled nerves throughout her career, and many thought such a struggle would keep majors out of reach, but Penetta never buckled in New York.  She overcame one-set deficits in matches, twice, before leaving her masterpiece to tennis, a 6-1, 6-3 dismantling of the 2nd-seeded Halep.  Penetta will exit Fed Cup play with an astonishing 25-5 mark, having helped Italy capture four championships, and she played in a U.S. Open final that rekindled an appreciation for tennis with flair, not attitude.  With her Open title, Penetta skyrockets to world #8, and will fight to earn a spot in the year-end WTA Finals to be played in Singapore.  A Finals berth would pit Flavia Penetta against the very best one last time, but there can never be any doubt that she belongs among them.

Italians Stare Down the Barrels

If Flavia Penetta and Roberta Vinci have been watching ESPN over the last couple days, these two 2015 U.S. Open semifinalists may not even bother to show up for their big matches, today.  What would be the point?  Serena is the surest of bets to steamroll Vinci, while Penetta simply does not posses the necessary weaponry to trouble rising Romanian star, Simona Halep.  ESPN has obviously begun the process of selling a colossal, 1 vs 2 final with a calendar slam in play for Serena.  Alas, Penetta and Vinci will both almost certainly decide to head on over to the National Tennis Center this morning, and it's doubtful that the Italian duo will use the media's narrative as little more than motivation to set up an all-Italian final.

You can't reach this level in tennis without being exceptionally good at the game.  In order to pull off these  upsets, though, Vinci and Penetta will both need to be better than that...better than great, there's really no known measurement for the level they'll have to play at, because they've probably never seen or even thought it possible.  It's entirely possible, though, and history tells us that the U.S, Open can bring forth such an effort.  How many of us expected Kei Nishikori to upset Novak Djokovic in the 2014 men's semis?  Okay, how about Marin Cilic over Roger Federer on the same day?  

This is America, land of opportunity, and this is the U.S. Open, toughest tourney in the world.  No one wins it on name, alone.

Why not Flavia?

Sometimes, we catch a glimpse of a streaking comet on the ATP or WTA tour, and have to ask ourselves, "Where has this guy/girl been?".  If you've ever been fortunate enough to watch Flavia Penetta compete - really battle a quality opponent - you may have asked yourself that question over and over, again.  Penetta is a joy to behold on a tennis court, seemingly natural-born to the sport with no visible weaknesses.  And her blessings?  Light feet, deft touch, high tennis IQ, versatile serve, reliable forehand, and a Caravaggio of a two-hander.  That is a lot of game.  To be fair, Penetta does not posses the overwhelming power that has propelled many of the ladies that sit above her in the WTA rankings, but those same players cannot lay claim to some of Flavia's gifts, either.  Bottom line, even at the relatively advanced tennis age of 33, Penetta is too good to be #26 in the world.

When we watch Flavia Penetta double-fault away the first set of her U.S. Open quarterfinal against Petra Kvitova - after leading 40-love in a 4-5 game - we can only ask, "why?".  The answer to that question can also help solve the riddle of why so many extremely talented players haven't accomplished so much more.  Nerves can suppress talent like weeds choking flowers.  Every player battles nerves, but those sharing Penetta's penchant for wearing their emotions on their sleeves seem especially vulnerable to being overtaken in the struggle.  At any given tournament, Flavia is as capable of a 1st-round exit as she is a deep run.  After breaking down on court during a match with Maria Sharapova at Indian Wells, the Italian spoke candidly about the pressure to defend points and meet expectations.  Still, Penetta has overcome nerves well enough to become a national hero in Fed Cup play, to win Indian Wells, and to reach the U.S. Open semis in 2013, so we know the ceiling is lofty for the Brindisi-born Olympian.

When we watch her fight back to win the second set of the same U.S. Open quarterfinal against Petra Kvitova - to force a battle of nerves in the third - we can only ask, why not Flavia?  To then wear Kvitova down in the 3rd, and beat the two-time Wimbledon winner.  Why not Flavia?  Could we also watch her go on to win the 2015 U.S. Open?  Hey...why not Flavia?

2015 U.S. Open Quarterfinalist, Kevin Anderson

It's a harsh reality on the ATP tour that the ridiculous amounts of pain and suffering these men endure off the court in training will only allow players to hold equal footing on the court.  Once between the lines, factors such as belief, instinct, courage, composure, talent, and execution will decide where the check registers within the win/loss column.  The best in the business always seem to have these ingredients on hand, but it takes time to learn how to mix them, properly.  For most, a long time.  During these unenlightened periods, there are sure to be some sleepless nights for athletes wondering whether or not all the blood, sweat, and tears make much of a difference.

Kevin Anderson has probably tossed and turned more than a few times this Summer.  Not because he hadn't forged a rewarding career on the ATP Tour - he's #14 in the world, is a 3-time winner, and has earned about 6 million bucks - but, because he had hit a wall in the way of progress.  Progress at the biggest events against the best players.  That had to gnaw at Anderson, because his fanatical devotion to the sport has long been without question, and he's proven time and time, again, that he belongs among tennis' elite.  But at 29-years-old, had all the hard work and dedication pushed him to a final plateau?  Going into yesterday's U.S. Open 4th-round match against world #3 Andy Murray, the answer seemed cut and dried:  over a 3-year period, the lanky South African had reached the round of 16 at the 3 other majors a total of 7 times, but had not a single quarterfinal berth to his name.  Anderson's latest failed attempt came this July at Wimbledon, and had to be the most painful of the bunch, as he let a 2-sets-to-love lead drift away in a loss to eventual champ, Novak Djokovic.  A clear sign that it was time to accept his fate and place in the tennis hierarchy, right?

Wrong.  Kevin Anderson is a 2015 U.S. Open quarter-finalist after upsetting Murray in the longest - and highest quality - match yet to be played on the men's side, 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(0).  Who knows what kind of doubts may have crept into Anderson's mind as the 4th-set tiebreaker began?  The heavy underdog had won the first two sets with outrageous tennis, yet here Murray was, a handful of points away from dragging Anderson into a torturous 5th set.  Shades of Djokovic at Wimbledon all over, again.  Throughout his comeback, Murray had whipped the Armstrong Stadium crowd into an absolute frenzy with some incredible hustle and shotmaking, but he also employed a few extra histrionics in an effort to both win the crowd over, and to make Anderson feel the moment to it's fullest.  Maybe the gamesmanship ticked Anderson off a bit, or perhaps the 6'8" quiet giant just finally mixed the ingredients to perfection, but he proceeded to play the finest tennis of his career in giving Murray a righteous, 7-0 spanking in the breaker.  The Scot had his slam quarterfinals streak snapped at 18, while Anderson celebrated Labor Day by drinking in some extremely hard-earned progress.

 On Tuesday morning, it was back to work.

Young v Wawrinka: The Rematch

Way back in 2011, Donald Young and Stanislas Wawrinka met at the U.S. Open, and it all boiled down to one, single, winner-take-all tiebreaker.  It had been a rollicking affair throughout the day, a vehemently pro-American, Court 17 crowd living and dying with every winner and unforced error that flew from Young's racquet.  The New York heat was suffocating, and after well over 4 hours of dealing with the brutal conditions - and giving up a break advantage in the 5th - the 14th-seeded Wawrinka could not muster much of a fight in the closing round, managing only one point in the deciding breaker.  There would be no repeat of his 2010 QF run in Queens - his best ever showing at a major - only bitter disappointment.  Meanwhile, Young had bagged the biggest win of his still promising career, and it was absolute bedlam out on 17.

Things have changed just a bit since then.  For one, hardly anybody refers to Wawrinka by the name of "Stanislas", anymore.  Just "Stan" will do, because the Swiss is now a certified superstar, and this tends to put tennis players on a catchy, one-name basis with the world.  He also goes by "Stan the Man", or "Stanimal".  Can't argue those monikers, either.  You go through Novak Djokovic, Tomas Berdych, and Rafael Nadal to win an Australian Open, and, yeah, you are the man.  You come back from a set down to deny a bloodthirsty Djokovic the Slam he covets so much - Roland Garros - and you just may be part animal.  Wawrinka did something else, though, en route to the 2015 French Open title that forced people to look at him through a completely different lens: he absolutely wiped Court Suzanne Lenglen with Roger Federer in their Quarterfinal matchup.  Shadows cannot and do not loom any larger than the ones cast over Wawrinka by Swiss countryman, friend, and Davis Cup teammate Federer, but through titanic effort and fortitude, Stan has finally carved out his own, considerable niche in tennis history.  Well, there is the talent, too....no human being has ever struck a backhand in quite the manner that Stan Wawrinka strikes a backhand.  Now, the Open's 5-seed is one of the chosen few on tour who can play with no other thought on his mind than to build upon a legacy, and Donald Young is right in the middle of that process.

Donald Young's career path has not followed the same trajectory since 2011, to put it mildly.  He's been ranked as high as #38, and dipped as low as #202.  On the ATP Tour, those two numbers may as well represent two different worlds.  #38 has a player basking in the sun of Indian Wells and Monte Carlo, while #202 forces him to fight for survival in Savannah and Tallahassee.  Did Donald Young appreciate either of those worlds while he inhabited them?  Probably not, but DY seems to have at least emerged from the journey with a clear understanding that his tennis can only give what it gets.  He says he's put in some hard yards to improve his fitness, but - more importantly - that he still has a long way to go.  That sounds like a man with a long-term plan to stick around.  But Young knows exactly what type of opportunity is in front of him, today, right now, as well.  He's also proven he can take advantage of it.

So, here we go again, Young against Wawrinka at the Open.  The rematch gets played on Ashe, and we can only hope the Big House reaches the decibel levels registered on Court 17, 4 years ago.

Significant Hurdles for the Williams Sisters

Well, we're almost back there, again.  Back to that awkward, uncomfortable predicament in sports fandom of having to watch family members get after each other over a game.  No, not that pair of pre-teens separated by the Optimist League commissioner because they were both too good to play on the same soccer team.  Not the brothers squaring off against one another on a basketball court because one had the grades to head off to private school, while the other sticks it out in P.S. 182.  We're talking high stakes, here...big money, big trophies, big history.  It can only mean women's professional tennis, and it can only mean the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena.  If these two remarkable athletes can notch 4th round wins on Ashe Stadium Court, today, the girls will have no choice but to officially duke it out with one another for the 27th time.  Again, it's an awkward and uncomfortable proposition for us fans.  Gosh, do we even wanna see it?  You bet your ascot, we do!

First, though, there is the matter of notching those two wins on Ashe.  And it will be no small matter.  Venus steps up to the plate first, facing Estonian qualifier, Annet Kontaveit.  Qualifier, schmalifier!  Kontaveit is flat-out dealing at the 2015 U.S. Open, already eliminating an experienced, capable trio of Casey Dellacqua, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova(31), and Madison Brengle.  The qualifying route can certainly take it's toll when a player is fortunate enough to advance to these later rounds, but Kontaveit has mostly breezed in Flushing Meadows, and she's running around on 19-year-old legs, to boot.  She's won 10 tournies on the "minor-league" ITF tour, 7 of those titles coming on hardcourts.  A win over Venus, today, would help to catapult Kontaveit up the WTA rankings, and allow her to find a few more main draws on tour without having to sweat the qualifying process.

Serena's 4th round opponent certainly needs no introduction to American tennis fans.  Madison Keys has been on a meteoric rise within the WTA since 2009, and she currently resides at #19 in the world rankings.  Keys is only 20-years-old and the future is beginning to look oh-so-bright for the Illinois native who was groomed at the Evert Academy in Boca Raton.  When does that future really begin to crystallize, though?  Will Madison be forced to wait for the American crown until Serena abdicates, or can she find a way to simply seize the throne?  Yes, it's a pretty cheeky question.  Come on, Serena is playing for a calendar Slam and her 22nd major!  Fine, but Keys put up a pretty cheeky performance against Serena in the semis of this year's Australian Open, saving 8(!) match points before bowing, 7-6(5), 6-2.  Madison Keys has always torn the cover off the ball, but since Lindsay Davenport began to work with Keys at the tail end of 2014, she's had the luxury of learning from - and leaning on - a coach who built her own Hall of Fame career on translating power into results when it mattered most.

Ashe should be jam-packed, and you better believe the crowd will look to lift the sisters over the final hurdles on the road to yet another installment of the world's greatest sibling rivalry.

One to Watch

At around 5:30 PM this evening, Kevin Anderson will say hello to the uber-talented Dominic Thiem within the intimate confines of Court 17.  Have to hope an enthusiastic crowd shows up for this tussle, because these two can play with anybody, and have the ATP rankings - both are top-20 - and titles to prove it.  Up to this point, Anderson is a much more accomplished hardcourt player - the South African is coming off a Winston-Salem title - but the 22-year-old Thiem is learning on the fly, and won't be stuck with a "dirt rat" label for much longer.  The young Austrian has every shot in the book, and made the 4th round of the Open in his very first appearance, last year.  Anderson straighted Thiem in Melbourne back in 2013, but he'll encounter a much more polished professional, today.  Thiem may be facing the same prospect, as Anderson has always been one of tennis' most dedicated practitioners, and continues to add wrinkles to an already imposing game anchored by one of the world's elite serves.  Give it a look on USOPEN.ORG/ESPN3.

To Conquer the Spaniard

151-0.  Not too shabby a record, is it?  No, it's actually remarkable, ridiculous, and damn near borders on miraculous that Rafael Nadal had compiled such a mark when going up two sets to love in Grand Slam matches.  So many opportunities for the best players in the world to climb Everest, to write history on the world's most revered courts, to forever have a fantastic tale to tell, but the Spaniard would give no quarter.  Over the years, the challenge lost much of its romantic charm and simply became mission impossible.  In the early hours of Saturday morning at the 2015 U.S. Open, though, Italy's Fabio Fognini would transform into the Lion with courage enough to ignore the sight of it's own blood, to claw back, and to finally take dead aim at the Gladiator.  Fognini shocked Nadal in front of a condensed, tennis-delirious Ashe Stadium audience, 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

How could Fabio Fognini be the one to do the deed?  The career underachiever?  The clay-court specialist who disdains asphalt?  The head case?  Talent, for one, and Fogs has it in spades.  Some seriously sinister magic was cast from his Babolat last night/this morning, as Fabio consistently outpaced Rafa from the baseline and painted lines like Leonardo for a whopping 70 winners.  Having beaten Nadal twice in 2015, already, Fognini could certainly sip from a reservoir of belief not afforded to many others, but there is also little doubt that the Sanremo native dug to new depths in order to make history.  Fogs' confidence seemed severely shaken at times, especially after falling behind an early break in the third set, but he kept mostly astray of the accustomed railings at himself, the umpire, even the opponent.  His level of concentration remaining consistent, Fognini's quality of play eventually began to follow suit.

Perhaps it was the major occasion that brought about the sharper focus.  Or, perhaps it was simply the measure of the man across the net - and the true myth he'd created - that carried Fognini to new heights.  Rafael Nadal takes the court for every match with a target on his back.  He respects every opponent, expects their best shot, and that mindset has helped Rafa become the ultimate warrior in sports, PERIOD.  There is also, of course, his maniacal work rate, which was on full display against Fognini, and Rafa did not fall for lack of effort.  Nadal's court coverage was astounding, he just could not bring himself to pull the trigger near often enough, tallying a meager 30 winners.  That's been a constant theme in 2015, but one that the 14-time Slam winner has worked tirelessly to amend.  Back to the drawing board Nadal goes, knowing that other Lions are sizing him up, licking their chops.  No matter to the Spaniard.  He gives no quarter, asks no quarter.

Friday is Just Getting Warm

Novak Djokovic has vanquished the always dangerous Andreas Seppi on Ashe, so we can now begin to focus both on what has finished on Day 5 of the 2015 U.S. Open, and - better, yet - what is yet to come.  2014 men's champ Marin Cilic needed 5 sets - 3 of which were decided by tiebreakers - to finally overcome Mikhail Kukushkin.  It's overcoming that type of challenge, though, that could get the Croatian going in the confidence department, and truly believing that he is turning the corner in what has been a disappointing, injury-plagued 2015.

Venus Williams turned back the clock, today, and the two-time Open champ simply routined the 12th-seeded Swiss, Belinda Bencic, 6-3, 6-4.  Venus will play unseeded Estonian Anett Kontaveit in round 4, and if today's odds hold, she'll be faced with the prospect of wrenching history from her little sister's hands.

Speaking of lil' sis, Serena happens to be one half of the opening act on Ashe, tonight, taking on fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.  This match has created a big buzz, mainly because BMS looked great in her last victory over Coco Vandeweghe, while Serena looked not-so-great in a sloppy win over Kiki Bertens.  The crowd will no doubt pull for Serena to win in 3 bloody, nerve-racking sets.  Those add up over a Summer, so be careful what you wish for, folks!

There's yet another American woman in action tonight, hard-hitting Madison Keys.  Keys will renew acquaintances with the ever-crafty Aga Radwanska over on Armstrong, and we can only hope the quality of play is reminiscent of their 2015 Wimbledon QF that saw Aga prevail in a 3-set war.  Very sharp contrast in styles, here, so who can impose their own to greater effect?  History points to Radwanska - she blanks Madison in the head-to-head, 4-0 - but a rowdy home crowd will be pushing Keys along every step of the way.

Hold onto your bandanna, because we're not done.  It's Friday night in the Apple, and machismo will be oozing all over Ashe when Fabio Fognini attempts to end Rafael Nadal's 9-match win streak at the Open.  These two have traded some massive blows on the red clay in 2015 - see above - with Fognini holding a 2-1 edge for the year.  Familiarity breeds contempt - see below - and there will be no backing down in this one!  Fognini has never done much on hardcourts, but that's only because he's Fabio Fognini, and, hey, he has better things to do with his time.  Rafa has had this one circled since the draw came out, guaranteed.

Paire v Robredo

We have a sweet opener on Court 17 this morning, as the mercurial Benoit Paire butts heads with the ultimate professional, Tommy Robredo.  Paire roars into this contest brimming with mojo after saving match points to beat 4th-seeded Kei Nishikori, and coming from a set down to defeat Marsel Ilhan.  The Frenchman will be aiming to reach the 4th round of a major for the first time, continue his ascent back up through the ATP rankings, and earn some serious cash.

To reap those rewards, Paire must overcome a player who gives nothing for free.  The #26-seeded Robredo has had a long and lucrative career - highlighted by a spot at #5 in the world - derailed by injury numerous times, and the unwanted time away from tennis has left the Spaniard with a razor-sharp focus and ravenous desire to squeeze every drop of opportunity from his remaining days on tour.  Tommy thrives in New York, making a quarterfinal run in 2013 that included a comprehensive thrashing of Roger Federer, and, at 33 years of age, he will leave the gas tank on empty at all Grand Slam stops.

These two have history, albeit, solely on clay...in July, Paire claimed his maiden ATP title with a win over Robredo in Bastad, and - two weeks later - beat Robredo once more over three tough sets in Hamburg.  Robredo bagged their first meeting back in 2013.  Different ballgame, today, though.  Faster surface, extreme temperatures, slam pressure.  Who wants it more?

Fed. Ashe. Night Session.

Nothing in sports sounds quite like Roger Federer playing the night session in Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Open.  Oh, man, the relentless squeak-squeak of those Nikes on the DecoTurf along the baseline and on the way to net, the thunderous percussion and echo of that Wilson racquet striking those Wilson balls with Swiss precision, the awed murmurs that start to drift around the big house when Federer begins to hit his rhythm and move through the gears.  There's the primal roars let loose from 20,000, plus, after some ridiculous winner to end a monster rally, and then about 30 seconds, maybe more, of those same fans laughing, clapping, high-fiving, whatever, because they can't believe what they are seeing.

But there are also distinct, deafening stretches of silence because the spectators, in fact, know exactly what they are seeing...a once-in-a-lifetime artist at work in his studio.  Eyes remain completely focused, and mouths completely shut, while the brain tries to absorb all the flair, class, majesty, and - yes - ego, that help make Roger, Roger.

Steve Darcis steps up against Fed, tonight, and Ashe Stadium will once again fill, and begin to rock and roll.  The Belgian has made noise of his own, before, taking down Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2013, but he's never heard what he's about to hear.

Qualifier Johanna Konta takes out Garbine Muguruza

Great Brittain's Johanna Konta and Spain's Garbine Muguruza have just concluded - at 3 hours and 23 minutes - the longest women's tiebreak-enforced match in U.S. Open history, with the Brittish qualifier coming through over the #9 seed, 7-6(4), 6-7(4), 6-2.  Complete shocker on paper, no question, but Muguruza's hardcourt results have been abysmal this Summer, as she's fallen victim to three qualifiers - without even taking a set - during stops in Toronto, Cincinnati, and, now, New York.  We're talking about a 2015 Wimbledon finalist who has enjoyed success on the asphalt, so a post-Wimbledon hangover could be to blame for such a drastic drop in performance.  Winning only 35% of her second serve points didn't do Garbine any favors, today, either.

World #97 Konta may be a qualifier, but she landed in New York with racquets blazing, having won two consecutive ITF Challenger hardcourt events.  Winning three U.S. Open qualies has her in sync with the conditions, and she is playing clean tennis as evidenced by today's paltry count of 34 unforced errors.  Next up for Konta will be everybody's favorite German Dancing Queen, Andrea Petkovic.

Donald Young has Fought a Good Fight

Benoit Paire's ousting of #4 seed Kei Nishikori grabbed most of the headlines pertaining to first round upsets at the 2015 U.S. Open, and rightfully so, as Nishikori is a superstar of the game who reached the '14 final.  26 year-old American veteran Donald Young's defeat of #11 seed Gilles Simon may have packed a bigger punch, though.  In five previous encounters with the indefatigable Frenchman, Young had never even secured a set, much less a win.  True to form, Simon ran through the first two sets with relative ease, and the sweep seemed all but a formality.

You know, like the way tennis fame and fortune were once supposed to be a formality for Donald Young?  Mr. All-Everything as a junior - Young won the Aussie and Wimbledon Boys titles, along with the Orange and Easter Bowls, Kalamazoo, and, well, you name it - DY's prowess elicited great expectations and bold predictions.  He was certain to be the next great American male player.  For a variety of reasons, it hasn't quite worked out that way.  Young has endured a bumpy, very well documented professional ride since beginning to play for pay in 2004.  Key word, there, though: endured.  

Twelve years later, Donald Young is still here, still putting in work, still chasing that fuzzy yellow ball around on a surface meant for an automobile, and still sweating bullets under that loathsome heat and humidity. And he's done things - accomplished things - as a tennis professional that don't get done or accomplished without extreme effort, discipline, and desire.  Two weeks ago, he beat Thomas Berdych to reach the round of 16 in Montreal's Masters 1000 event.  Back in March, he represented the U.S. in Davis Cup play and took a set off Andy Murray in Glasgow.  Going back to February, Young lost a 3-set SF to Kevin Anderson after making a nice run in Memphis, and the following week in Delray Beach, Donald Young reached his first ATP final before falling to Ivo Karlovic.

And, yes, on Tuesday, in front of a raucous crowd out on Court 17 of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, DY came from two sets down to topple Gilles Simon, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.  The result marks Young's first win while overcoming a two-set deficit, and bears further proof that the man can endure.  Donald Young has fought a good fight, and he'll continue to do so, today - back on Court 17, second match up - against Brit, Aljaze Bedene.

Louis Armstrong is the Place to be

A phenomenal slate of tennis is underway inside the regal confines of Louis Armstrong Stadium, and the first tilt should start us off with a huge bang, as Mardy Fish locks horns with #18 seed, Feliciano Lopez.  No question who the crowd favorite will be, here, as the 2015 U.S. Open will mark Mardy's final appearance as an ATP'er.  Fish has done respectable work at the Open in the past, reaching the 4th round three times and peaking with a QF appearance.  The American will have his hands full, today, as the lefty Lopez is an accomplished hard court player in his own right and comes into the Open hot off a spectacular Cincinnati SF showing that included wins over Raonic, Seppi, and Rafa.  Both play an aggressive style of offense, kick-started by two of the prettiest service motions you'd ever want to see.  Fish leads the head-to-head, 5-3, but Feli took their most memorable clash, a 5-set(8-6, in the 5th) Davis Cup masterpiece, back in 2011.  This is gonna be fun to watch.

Next up, two entertaining American ladies - Coco Vandeweghe and Bethanie Mattek-Sands - will see who can take one more step towards making some serious noise in their country's biggest tennis event.  Coco is finally putting that athletic ability to good use, with a QF showing at Wimbledon and a nice 1st round win, here, over Sloane Stephens.  Mattek-Sands is much more of a doubles threat - she teamed with Lucie Safarova to win Roland Garros this year - but she's one of those personalities who loves the big stage, and she has loads of experience to lean on.  Neither has ever gone beyond round 2 at the Open, so this is a biggie for both.

Rafa vs Diego Schwartzman has some potential.  Diego is still on the way up, hungry, and he knows he has Rafa at less than his absolute, 14-slam winning best.  Nadal did look very solid against Borna Coric in his return to New York, so we'll see if he can continue to build some momentum within a pretty doable draw.  Be sure to check out the young Argentine's two-hander, this afternoon, it's like buttah...with a hint of Nalbandian thrown in.

The capper has some real pop for a doubles match, as the Bryan Brothers go up against two American players known for their singles play, Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey.  Johnson and Querrey have both been eliminated from the solo stage, so they're looking to make a little bread, here.  The last match these two teams played was an entertaining 4-setter at Wimbledon won by the Bryans, and Johnson/Querrey have taken one set in all three of the head-to-heads, so let's see how it all goes down in Armstrong .

It's Now or Never for Nick Kyrigos

At the tender age of 20, Nick Kyrgios' act has already worn thin enough to alienate the large majority of planet Earth, but most folks still chalk up the talented Aussie's antics to youth and immaturity.  At least they did until Montreal.  After the lewd comments directed by Kyrgios towards Stan Wawrinka during their 2nd round match, many were left wondering if Kyrgios was simply a jerk.  Who knows, could be a bit of both, but most inhabitants within the tennis world are still pulling for Nick Kyrgios to right the ship, take advantage of some awesome ability, and go on to enjoy a fantastic career.  There's no question that Kyrgios has the means to extinguish this dumpster fire, but what about the desire?  He needs to act with a sense of urgency...as in 7 PM, tonight, against 2012 U.S. Open champ Andy Murray in a venue named after one of the classier gentleman to ever swing a tennis racquet, Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr.


Kyrgios can get back on track, starting tonight, by simply getting out of his own way and allowing his tennis to do the talking.  He's good enough to where it will speak volumes.  The young man is excitable, and that's great because fans love to hear players engage and get pumped up, but he has become negative enough in his constant chatter throughout a match to make Andy Murray sound like Tony Robbins.  Memo to Nick: You're not quite good enough, yet, to bitch at yourself like Andy Murray does.  You don't have a tour title to your name, man!  Win something, then think about starting to bitch.

The Canberra native is probably gonna have to wear some heat from the fans.  Tonight could be very interesting in that regard, as one wrong move can absolutely set the New York crowd off against anyone.  Kyrgios enjoys a big stage, though, and if he can feed off a few heckles from the stands, the crowd will come right around...they love to see players shake off some tough love.  And Nick Kyrgios is a player so many want to love.  He's someone the sport needs.  He doesn't have to go tip-toeing around on eggshells throughout his career because everybody makes mistakes and everybody forgives.  He just needs to make an honest effort towards maturing as both a man and a professional, and he needs to start now.

The Return of Rafa

Rafael Nadal is back in the Big Apple.  Nearly two years along from having his hand raised after a brutal slug-fest with Novak Djokovic for the 2013 U.S. Open crown, Rafa finally re-entered the Ashe Stadium ring and set about wearing down yet another Balkan warrior, Borna Coric, to the tune of 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.  Hard to argue that Nadal looked extremely sharp in his return to tennis' biggest stage, and there's also little question that he needed every bit of that edge because Borna Coric is on the verge of becoming a bonafide force in the men's game.

Nadal was able to dictate from just inside the baseline for a good portion of the evening, and that had a lot to do with the premium placed on some truly vintage, Rafa-esque footwork...he was running around the backhand to hammer the money-shot at every turn, and Coric - game as he was - was far too often forced into retriever mode 5-6 feet behind the baseline.  Needless to say, the Spaniard has reaped just a few rewards over the years by employing this formula, but it takes commitment, belief, and some serious conditioning, and Rafa has not been able to check off all those boxes throughout much of 2015.  The two-time U.S. Open champ continues to preach process over results, and Nadal is going to be a tough out in NYC if he honestly believes he's playing with house money.

For Coric...tough draw, heck of an effort.  There's much more to come from the 18-year-old Croatian, who - despite a world ranking of #33 - still has the legs of colt.  Thoroughbred colt, that is.  This kid can run, he's mentally tough, mature for his age, and does not shy from his elders - he's already notched tour wins over Nadal and Murray - or a good fight.  Monday night was a valuable learning experience for Coric, as he and Rafa were forced to recharge the event's opening evening session after a Serena-induced tap out.  Borna withstood a fierce beating in the match's early stages, but he soldiered on to take a set, make Rafa earn his paycheck, and win over some of the toughest fans in the world of sports.  The crowd definitely fed off the effort put forth by both players, and you can't help but believe Coric will be headlining more than a few night sessions in the coming years.