And Then There Were Two

Wow, the train took forever last night to get me home, but no matter, Kim and Victoria didn't start until late (although they never did tell me if the Bryan Brother's pulled it out, darn).  Kim looked great!  Azarenka looked better.  There were nerves on both sides.  Any time one was down, just look away and they'd pull themselves out and be on top.  Three sets of a roller coaster and Azarenka has made it into her first final (can that possibly be right--she is an awesome player) and it is time for Kim to say good-bye to Australia.  This is bittersweet, since Kim (a long time ago) dated Australian tennis superstar, Lleyton Hewitt and she was known as Aussie Kim (even though she's Belgium).  Now she's a mom and she wants to have another child, so this is her last season in tennis--heartbreak for us--she will be missed.

And then before you can get your breath, Petra and Maria take the stage.  I looked at the clock and it was already 9:30--I couldn't believe it was so late and yet their match was just starting.  Kvitova came out fighting hard--making Maria look a lot older than she is (she's only 24--I think Serena has already had her 30th).  Maria fought for every point, but Petra just looked a lot better in the beginning.  And then the cracks began to show.  Kvitova was soooo nervous and Maria was soooo determined.  Another roller coaster ride--one minute I was sure that Kvitova had the match well in hand and I was sadly ready to say good-bye to Maria and then Maria had the match masterfully in hand and I was sadly ready to say good-bye to Petra--better luck next time.  And then Petra would not go away.  She found more weapons and then Maria made errors and then Petra made errors and then Maria hung on against terrible odds and then Petra held on against terrible odds.  It took three sets, but Maria did it (Petra's nerves were too much in the end).

So the finals will be Maria Sharapova looking for her second Australian Open Championship, but her first after shoulder surgery.  The commentators could not come up with a single athlete who had that serious surgery and came back from it to win a major.  Against Victoria Azarenka--a very solid, powerful, talented player who is in her first final in a major.  Maria will be the favorite, but Azarenka is the one to watch.  Even though it is her first final, I do not expect nerves from this one (of course, I didn't expect them from Kvitova either who had won the French--oh well, I love Maria's chances on this one).  The winner will be the new number one women's ranking which is usually not a good thing--past number one's crash and burn or never win majors--Maria, however, I am sure, will be happy to chance it.

And then I crashed.  It was almost midnight and the men's semifinal was going to start at 12:30.  I set up the DVR and prayed.  At 5:30 a.m. I was wide awake, hoping that I could watch the dream match--Men's semifinal, NADAL v. FEDERER!  The DVR worked, I was so happy.  I settled in to watch holding the remote, since if it went five sets, I was going to have to fast forward over some play in order to still make the train at 8:30.  The first set was an impossible nail biter--could Fed really beat my Nadal.  He seemed to have all the answers, but then so did Nadal.  Nadal made Fed look human and not so magic after all.  It was amazing.  No more elegant Fed--Nadal made him scrap and scramble and jump and miss and the net, oh the net was not Fed's friend at all.  But Nadal was no longer the king either.  He too did not get the impossible shot that he usually makes look routine.  Oh my, Fed won the first set and was up a break in the second.  How could this be?  Then Nadal took command, never say die, he broke right back.  This one went back and forth so much.  The commentators said that these two know each other's game so well that there are no surprises.  At 8:00 a.m. I was so nervous--would I miss my train.  I looked at the train schedule.  If they went to a fifth set, I was going to have to wait until 10:45 for the next train.  I could possibly drive in, but I'm staying in Glendale tonight and then I have the kids on Friday and I'd have two cars in Glendale and have to drive back on Monday night--it is just not going to work.  Please win in the fourth!! put an end to this.

I could pause the game--Did I?  I did made the train, but that is all I will say, because some people have not had the opportunity to watch it yet.