Monday, September 7, 2009

US Open Day 8: Happy Labor Day!

Curtain Call
Player: Petra Kvitova
Nation:Czech Republic
Age: 19
Current Ranking: #72
Notable Conquests: Alisa Kleybanova (Russia), 27th seed and Dinara Safina (Russia), 1st seed.
Tour Page: http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/page/Player/Info/0,,12781~13403,00.html
Today's Match: loss to Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) in three sets, 7-5 in the third

Taking out the top seed would really have been enough to have called the US Open a success for Kvitova. But she also took out another seeded Russian and has improved significantly on last year's first round result. Her ranking took a hit earlier this year when she missed the French Open. This will help her get back up the rankings.

It's Labor Day here in the States, always a great day to watch tennis. Labor Day is usually (always?) a part of the Open's middle weekend and it feels like I'm playing hooky by watching. I spent the afternoon with Oudin and Petrova then the early evening with a spatchcock chicken and a Weber grill.

Football (American style) is in the air. My fantasy league, the first I have ever joined, is holding its draft on Wednesday night. In a facebook thread, my wife suggested to my soon-to-be competitors that I was planning to fill my NFL squad with tennis players. I could only wonder what that particular dream team would look like...

One must first acknowledge that few tennis players have appropriate football physiques. I would have to go with Federer at QB: calm, cool, collected in the pocket and the ball always seems to go exactly where he wants it. Nadal and Serena Williams would be the bruising RBs out of the backfield. Venus Williams at wide receiver along with Gael Monfils perhaps? I like del Potro for tight end but my man Jesse Witten is a tempting choice. He'd be a good late round pick as a backup, I suppose. Kicker? I'm going with Marcos Daniel. If there's a ball to be kicked and there's a Brazilian on the board, I'd say it's a no-brainer.

Back to work tomorrow...

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