US Open '05 and Sania Mirza

I finally made it to one of the Grand Slam tournaments. Like the quest for the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, my dad and me always wanted to go watch one of the Grand Slam tournaments to see Steffi Graf or Pete Sampras play. Notwithstanding that neither of them are playing and nor did I go with my dad, I still enjoyed every moment of my time this sunday at the US Open.

I even watched Sania play. For all the hype and the controversy surrounding her (yeah, the Indian media never spared anybody from any controversy) she has lots of promise as far as her game is concerned. Awright, before anybody starts asking me, I played a few many years of competitive tennis myself and that makes me qualified enough to make such statements :) Sania's got a pretty good forehand but I got the feeling that's all there is to her game and she tries to out-hit her opposite number. While this may be sufficient to take care of lesser players and a few top-ranked players in WTA tournaments, it will never be enough in Grand Slam tournaments, where top-ranked players raise their games and the level of competition is higher.

This was especially true in the match she lost to Sharapova. Sharapova is one of these new age women tennis players who hit the ball as if they want to get back at their ex-boyfriends. Not to mention Venus or Serena, who take up to hitting as they would do to an antique rug which was gathering dust in the attic since the time their forefathers came to the US on a ship from Africa. To top it all Sharapova was tucking into Sania's second serves like the way Sania would attack a bowl of Hyderbadi biriyani when she gets back to her home town. I guess with couple of years of experience on the circuit, with better knowledge of how to construct points and better second serves Sania might enter the top 20 and start making an impact in grand slam tournaments. Atleast her report card doesnt sound like her fellow Hyderbadi cricket star, who would say in a post-match press conference, something like we didnt bat well, we didnt bowl well or field well........duh, is there anything more to cricket. So thankfully, Sania has a great framework to work on and to top it all she seems to be enjoying every moment of the time she spends on the court.

As far as the Open tournament, it was great and it was everything I had expected it to be. Carnival atmosphere, great stadium, great crowd and great matches. Loved the great five-setter between Hewitt and Dent and enjoyed the fabulous hitting of the Williams sisters. Hold on did I mention the beautiful ladies who came on that day. I dont think I did. So heres to all the beautiful ladies who chose to grace the US Open that fateful day I also happened to be there. Thanks ladies.

So, thats one down and three more to go. Wimbledon, French and Australian Open still remaining to see :P