Tennis Panorama News

FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York –Samantha Stosur dominated Serena Williams to capture US Open crown, Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond comeback to win doubles title, Esther Vergeer wins 429 consecutive match in wheelchair tennis and an American girl and a British boy take junior championships on Sunday Day 14 of the US Open.

Stosur “slams” Serena for title

Australia’s Samantha Stosur upset three-time US Open champion Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3 to claim the US Open title, her first major tournament title. Stosur is the first Australian woman to win a Grand Slam event since Evonne Goolagong at Wimbledon in 1980. She is the first Australian to win the US Open since Margaret Court in 1973.

“I think I had one of my best days …I’m very fortunate to do it on this stage,” Stosur said.

“She was cracking them today, ” noted Williams.  She definitely hit hard and just went for broke.”

“I’m still kind of speechless” said Stosur.  “I can’t actually believe I won this tournament.  I guess to go out there and play the way I did is obviously just an unbelievable feeling, and you always, you know, hope and you want to be able to do that, but to actually do it, is unbelievable.

“I felt like I was definitely the underdog going into it, so maybe that kind of made me a little more relaxed going into this match than especially my last Grand Slam final.  I think I was able to draw on a lot of that experience from the French Open.  You know, I had to believe I had a chance to win.  I think obviously having two victories over her in the past definitely helped me feel that it was possible. I knew that I had to go out there and play well and actually do it, but I think having those victories in the past for sure made me feel a little bit more comfortable.”

Despite the dominating scoreline for Stosur, the match will be remembered for the umpire’s decision to award a point to Stosur when Williams yelled “Come on“ during a point when she thought she had a winner as Stosur was swinging at the ball.

Eva Asderaki, the chair umpire for the match ruled that Williams interfered with Stosur’s ability to finish the point and gave it to Stosur. Williams argued with the chair umpire to no avail.

“I think my opponent played really well” said Williams. ” I actually thought  it was a winner, but she did really good to even put her like racquet on it.  I thought it was a clear winner.  I thought it was the hat drop rule, where if you drop a hat you kind of replay the point. I don’t know.  I think for the most part it was just — I don’t know, I tried my best.  As always, I gave my 100%.”

The umpires’s ruling was supported by the tournament referee. According to the International Tennis Federation rules;“If a player is hindered in playing the point by a deliberate act of the opponent(s), the player shall win the point. However, the point shall be replayed if a player is hindered in playing the point by either an unintentional act of the opponent(s), or something outside the player’s own control (not including a permanent fixture).”

Two games after the incident while Williams was seated during the changeover continued to talk to the chair umpire Asderaki: “You’re out of control. … You’re a hater, and you’re just unattractive inside….Really, don’t even look at me.”

On whether or not Williams regretted what she said to the umpire at the chamgeover after call:” I just am really excited to be here really and to have gotten so far.  To get here has been a really great experience for me.  I regret losing, but I think there was nothing I could do today.  I think Sam played really, really well.

“I don’t even remember what I said.  It was just so intense out there.  It’s the final for me, and I was just  –  I have to go  –  I guess I’ll see it on YouTube.  I don’t know (Laughter.) I don’t know.  I was just in the zone.  I think everyone, when they play, they kind of zone out kinda thing.  I don’t know, I’ll see it later, I’m sure.”

“I just yelled, ‘Come on.’  It was a great shot.  It was beautiful.  I hit it like right in the sweet spot.  I don’t know.  It was a good shot, and it was the only good shot I think I hit.  I was like, Whoo Hoo, so…”

Stosur’s thoughts on the incident,“I was just kind of there, realizing what was happening. It had never happened (to me) before. I was trying to see what was happening. I’m aware of the rule. Obviously, it was something I’d never had to deal with before.”

In 2009 in the US Open semifinals against Kim Clijsters, Williams disputed a foot fault call against her and received a point penalty which gave Clijsters the match.

“The last 14 months has been anything less than disastrous,” said Williams. “And it’s been really, really, really hard.  You know, to even have a chance to play for the US Open I would have never thought I would have had that chance, you know, seven weeks ago, I mean during Wimbledon or whatever, you know, let alone six months ago.  I just would have never thought that that opportunity would have been available. So I can’t be too upset at myself.  I think I’m excited that I’m healthy and alive and still, you know, competing with the best.

“I definitely wanted to win today all because of 9/11 and everything that New Yorkers and Americans and — you know, 10 years ago I was actually at the same stage right before this all happened.  It was a really deep moment for all of us.  So obviously as the last American left I kinda wanted to do well, but it didn’t — I mean, it didn’t work out the way I planned.  Like I said earlier, my prayers are always with, you know, the victims and like everyone that worked so hard and risked their lives for our safety.  It’s unbelievable, really.”

The win improves Stosur’s record against Williams to 3-4. This is Stosur’s first tournament title of the 2011. She now has three career titles. At 27 Stosur became the oldest US Open winner since Martina Navratilova won the title at 30 in 1987.

Huber and Raymond rally from match point down to take doubles crown, Huber back to No. 1 in doubles

Americans Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond survived a match point to stop defending US Open doubles  champions Vania King  and Yaroslava Shedova for the US Open title 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3).

The win propels Huber back into the top spot in the doubles rankings. Huber said: “I’m speechless, really.  I think that ranking definitely doesn’t define you as a person.  We have a ranking system and that is great, but — and it’s definitely I think a goal of everybody to be No. 1, but it’s definitely not been my goal.  My goal has been to play with Lisa and reach success with Lisa.  So I think that goal is achieved to some extent, and we’re gonna keep working hard through the rest of the year.  So I think the ranking, you know, is sweet.  It’s nice.  But this US Open title is much bigger for me today than the ranking.”

“I think that’s probably one of our biggest assets as a team is our experience., Raymond said. “You know, we have numerous titles and numerous Grand Slams and we’ve been in these positions before.  Yes, they were the defending champs, you know, and they have two Grand Slams and they’ve done well, but, I mean, we have years and years and years of being, you know, in finals of slams, you know, winning the championships, you know, being down breaks in the third set to win or lose a slam. So I think we just, you know, we really relied on our experience today and sticking together. You know, and also, you know, with a bit of grace of God a little bit of a rain delay, we kind of, you know, changed it up a little bit after that rain delay.  You know, we just really just stuck together, even when we were down when they were serving for the match.  Just grinded it out, and now we’re sitting here as US Open champions.”

At 38, Raymond is now the oldest Grand Slam women’s doubles champion surpassing Billie Jean King who was 36 when she won the 1980 US Open championship.

After holding the joint No.1 doubles ranking with Black from November 12, 2007, to April 18, 2010 (127 weeks), Huber became the stand-alone No.1 after taking the title at the 2010 Family Circle Cup in Charleston (with Nadia Petrova). Huber remained at the top of the rankings for an additional seven weeks, bringing her total to 134 consecutive weeks, before relinquishing the top spot to Venus and Serena Williams.  After an eight-week hiatus, Huber returned to No.1 for 13 weeks (August 2 to October 31, 2010).

429 consecutive wins and counting

Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands, won her 429^th consecutive singles match today at the US Open, defeating countrywoman  Aniek Van Koot, 6-2, 6-1 for the US Open wheelchair title in women’s singles. Vergeer  has won 429 consecutive singles and last lost a match in  January 2003. Her US Open title on Sunday is her 19^th consecutive Grand Slam singles title.

“I am happy with the result, said Vergeer Today, I was confident, even though I didn’t feel as strong as the past two years. Aniek definitely came out tough.

“I enjoy the environment here. The fans are incomparable to any other Grand Slam. There were so many people watching this week and it was great. If there are a lot of people enjoying the game and cheering at the right time, it makes me feel good.”

What player inspires her: “The best example for me is Roger Federer, said Vergeeer, “his attitude, his calmness, his way of playing. Even though he lost yesterday, he still had a great attitude. He is an inspiration.”

“There are things in life you don’t plan for and that come unexpectedly. But, it is all about how you deal with that. You are the one that can make something out of your life.”

Min upsets Garcia for US Open Junior Girls title

American Grace Min upset top-seeded Caroline Garcia of France 7-5, 7-6(3) capture the US Open girls’ singles title. Min becomes the first American to win the US Open girls’ singles title since Coco Vandeweghe in 2008.

“I think I moved well said Min.  She hits a big ball, so I knew I had to play some big defense, and, you know, bring the ball back an extra time and hopefully make her hit — force an error from her.  Just letting her know that I was going to be in there every single point and not back down.

“I mean, it gives me a lot of confidence that I’m able to like be put in tough situations and come through.  Yeah, the indoor courts were a lot faster than these; the matches were back to back and they were tough matches.  So being able to come through that and come back after I was down 5-2 in my next match, just like little things like that, it’s a good confidence booster.

Seven matches in five days gives Golding the Junior Boys’ crown

Great Britain’s Oliver Golding stopped top-seeded Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 5-7 6-3 6-4 for the US Open Boys’ title.

I didn’t think it was gonna be that easy, to be honest.  I played a really good game.  He made a couple of errors at the beginning of the game which helped me out, but just was trying to think, just keep playing the same way you have been playing the whole match and you’ll get through it.

“It’s kind of something I have been working for for a long time, and, you know, feels unbelievable.  I don’t have the words, ” said Golding.

Golding had to play seven times in five days due to the rain postponing junior tournament matches, he spoke about where he found the energy to play, “I have no idea.  You know, it’s been a really tough few days.  There has been so many matches.  You know, he was obviously pretty tired, as well.  We both were.  But considering the circumstances, I think it was pretty high quality match.
“I played seven matches now in three days.  I think my body has held up pretty well.  I try and keep recovering after all the matches to the best that I can.  Yeah, I think it’s only gonna get tougher when you start playing best of five sets.  But I thought I handled it pretty well this week.”

Sunday Results

Women’s Singles – Final
(9) Samantha Stosur (AUS) d. (28) Serena Williams (USA) 62 63

Women’s Doubles – Final
(4) Huber/Raymond (USA/USA) d. (3) King/Shvedova (USA/KAZ) 46 76(5) 76(3)

Girls’ Singles – Final

Grace Min (USA) def. (1) Caroline Garcia (France) 7-5, 7-6(3)

Girls’ Doubles – Final

Irina Khromacheva(RUS)[6] /Demi Schuurs(NED)[6] def.  Gabrielle Andrews(USA) / Taylor Townsend(USA) 6-4 5-7 1-0(5)

Boys’ Singles – Final

Oliver Golding (Great Britain) def. (1) Jiri Vesely (Czech Republic) 5-7 6-3 6-4

Boys’ Doubles – Final

Robin Kern(GER) / Julian Lenz(GER) def. Maxim Dubarenco(MDA) / Vladyslav Manafov(UKR) 6-4 7-5

Wheelchair Men’s Singles – Finals

Shingo Kunieda(JPN)[1] def. Stephane Houdet(FRA) 3-6 6-1 6-0

Wheelchair Women’s Singles – Finals

Esther Vergeer(NED)[1] def. Aniek Van Koot(NED) 6-2 6-1

Monday Schedule

Arthur Ashe Stadium 4:00 PM Start Time
1. Men’s Singles – Finals
Novak Djokovic (SRB)[1] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2]