Tuesday, September 10, 2002
For N.Y., Open was a feel-good affair
By Jane McManus
The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News
NEW YORK — When a gracious Andre Agassi spoke to the full house at Arthur Ashe Stadium after losing the U.S. Open men's championship to Pete Sampras on Sunday, he said it was good to hear New York cheer again.
It was two days after that men's final was played last year that New York was changed forever by the events of Sept. 11th, and there was no way this year's tournament could go by without acknowledging the tragedy and the resilience of New York.
“It means a lot more to me this year after what took place a year ago,” Agassi said. “You know, I think the world has seen what a great city this place is, and the heart and spirit of New Yorkers is something that gives you a lot of hope.”
In the wake of an epic 2001 quarterfinal between Agassi and Sampras, Agassi's trainer Gil Reyes said that wasn't what sticks out about the year for them.
“More than the match, it's our memory of our time in New York that,” Reyes said. “We talked about New York more than we talked about the match.”
Many foreign players were back in the city for the first time, though Americans like Agassi, Sampras and Venus and Serena Williams had visited a few times over the year. The year's U.S. Open was a time of nationalistic feeling from the moment of the opening ceremony with Mayor Mike Bloomberg and a World Trade Center flag, to the closing ceremony Sunday with two American legends set to play.
“As far as the ceremony before, yeah, it touched me,” Sampras said. “New York's been through a battle this past year, and it's nice to see them come out and enjoy the tennis. It was a pleasure to play here.”
The 2002 U.S. Open was a celebration of the American game as well. Long Islander qualifier Bea Bielik improbably reached the third round a week after turning pro. James Blake again proved to be the classiest player in men's tennis in a rematch with Lleyton Hewitt. Jan-Michael Gambill and Chanda Rubin, tour mainstays who haven't always lived up to expectations, proved their games were back until they both lost to eventual finalists — Gambill to Agassi and Rubin to Venus.
Monica Seles finally beat Martina Hingis and affirmed that she would keep playing, just because she loved the game so much. Andy Roddick was the first this year to exchange high-fives with the crowd a la Todd Martin and his late-night matches of U.S. Opens past.
Lindsay Davenport gave Serena a test in the semifinals, and Jennifer Capriati failed a test on Title IX, the statute requiring gender equity in federally funded programs. Days later in the player's lounge, stacks of pamphlets explaining the law appeared. Although Capriati lost to Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo, the lone foreigner to reach the women's semifinals, both the men's and women's finals were all-American affairs.
The stands were full for the second prime-time women's final between Venus and Serena, and hours after Serena won her third major of the year, Sampras and Agassi showed that athletic prowess wasn't the sole domain of the young.
“No disrespect to anyone I've played over the years, but he's the best I've ever played,” Sampras said. “He brings out the best in me. I've said that over the years. He has that extra gear that is very tough to play against. You know, those moments are great moments. Win or lose out there, it's about competing against the best. He still is one of the best. It was a good moment out there.”
Only the sentimental would have predicted an final between the No. 6 Agassi and 17th-seeded Pete Sampras. With all the focus on Roddick, Hewitt and other players who claim Agassi and Sampras as childhood idols, it seemed their reign was long over. Yet for one fortnight, they proved it wasn't yet true.
“Well, it's hard to say what the future is going to hold for us,” Sampras said. “To meet in major finals, players are too good today — where we were five years ago when we were dominating, now, this could be it for us. But maybe next year we'll do it again.”
——
Reach Jane McManus at jmcmanus@thejournalnews.com or 914-696-8522.
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For N.Y., Open was a feel-good affair
