US Open Day 9: Stosur

Curtain Call

Player: Samantha Stosur

Nation: Australia

Age: 26

Current Ranking: 6

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Today's Result: loss to Kim Clijsters (2nd seed, Belgium) in three sets

Photo from Telegraph

It's been a tumultuous summer for Stosur, to be sure. She had a stupendous Roland Garros, only to lose to Italian Francesca Schiavone, aka Cinderella Story of the Year, in the final. Then she crashes out of Wimbledon in the first round. Her showing in the US Open has been outstanding. She played up to her seed and lost to the defending champion. Previously, she'd never made it past the 2nd round in Flushing. One hopes that for her, and for her country, she can make another deep run in Melbourne come January.

Stosur is also one of the world's best doubles players. She is a two-time slam champion in women's doubles and also a two-time champ in mixed doubles. Interestingly, she did not enter either doubles draw in New York, presumably to help her chances in singles.

All Part of My Fantasy

Speaking of the glass-slippered one, Francesca Schiavone matched her career-best finish at the US Open by also reaching the quarters. Alas, she has fallen to Venus Williams and as a result, my women's bracket is on its last legs. The only player left who can help me is Clijsters. She is my champion pick but, as the second seed and defending champion, it seems likely to assume that loads of other people have picked her, too.