Is it really the end of summer already? Yet here I am in spirit, back in New York for the US Open. There are new names to learn, new faces and talent to watch, and some great matches being played. However, without Roger Federer, who has retired, the game lacks its usual style and grace.
I am encouraged that there’s a slight shift in the way tennis is being played. The game was turning into who could stand in the back court and beat the brains out of an opponent and vice versa. But tonight, Friday, the movement around the court had returned, with well-placed balls up the sideline and volleys at the net. Upsets through brilliance and courage occurred.
I’ve watched the US Open since I was a young girl. During those years, the Australians dominated the game, which influenced my love for tennis as I learned to play myself. I began to watch every Australian Open and Wimbledon. Tennis has always been a gentleman’s game, and the tradition of all-white attire will always be my favorite.
As we turn to September, American sports might just save our sanity as the upcoming November election looms. With college football kicking off, I’m going to watch the Georgia-Clemson game tomorrow. There’s hope that the humidity will start to lift, the heat will retreat, and the colors will return to my roses. Meanwhile, the last great baseball games of the season are yet to be played, offering a welcome distraction from the political nerves we’re feeling over the outcome in November.
Main Street Rocky Mount 