Tennis, Everyone!

Lefty from Luxembourg pulls it out.

"Tennis, Everyone" was my Facebook status that I re-purpose here as my blog entry title. I find myself so cross-platform, multi-media, re-purposeful these days. I mean, I love it. Now to get into video. It adds 27,000 pounds, however.

Back to the US Open I was. My second time on the number 7 train to Flushing to join the throngs of tennis fans. There is such a vibe, a spirit and even a New Yorker thing about being part of this event. I felt it, loved it and wanted to roll around on the grass in it. It was that wonderful.

My pal Ron (not to be confused with match.com date) and I spent 11 hours watching tennis today. (Thank you #70 sunscreen.) There is such access here and we were practically courtside for most of the day. Somehow seeing it in person makes it seem less slick and the players less god-like. They make lousy shots and hit it off the rim and out of the park. I know their pain, but not their paychecks. But you also see truly fantastic tennis. These athletes truly work hard, but when up close you can see their mental game at work and it is a lesson for us all. Amazing how so much in life is so much a mental game. Today I laughed, I cried, a cheered, I jeered. It was fantastic.

Gilles plays to the crowd. The Luxembourgian Sentinel was selling like hotcakes after this win.

I saw Gilles Muller from Luxembourg beat Nicolas Amalgro from Spain in what started out as a boring match and accelerated into a total upset. I was also thrilled and got too emotionally involved with the Patty Schnyder/Katarina Srebotnik match. I wanted Katarina to win so badly that my body physically willed it. It was not to be, but with my stomach clenches I think I developed my abs a bit more. The most professional and exciting match was the Jarkko Nieminen/Fernando Gonzalez match. The Finn vs. the Chilean. I have to say South American fans are WILD. They even have songs. The Finnish fans, if any, not so much. Gonzalez, when he was on, was a master at shot placement. Jarkko was amazing too. Sadly he slipped and slid on the court with his face and his hitting arm. The crowd cheered wildly when he got back up and continued play. We love our "heroes" wherever we can find them.

Srebotnik. The first time I got emotionally involved with a woman since 1992.

One of the highlights of the day was meeting up with my friend James LaRosa. (I use his last name here because he is a "public figure" and needs to be Googlible.) He was here from Los Angeles to cover the Open for The Tennis Channel. James is their official blogger and a great writer and a really nice guy. And handsome. What is NOT to like about this guy? (Plus he will read this entry so I must effuse!) Check him out on The Tennis Channel website. He also writes articles for Tennis Magazine. Go James! And heal thy back and get back on the courts!

James and I in front of the big ass scoreboard.

Ron and I had a great day and night at The Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Here we are in a photo pose that I stole from somone else and forced Ron to be a part of. Hey, I'm a semi-professional blogger and owe it to my 5 readers. I wish there was more of the courts and less of us. I think we both wish there was plain "less of us" in general. Then maybe you could see more of the court!