The Old Man and the Court...

What can I say?

I do not play tennis, nor do I follow it closely. I do tend to follow certain tennis players that I like and keep up with their careers no matter where they are playing, as well as follow the Grand Slam events closely every year. And I just have to give out kudos to one of my all-time favorites, Andre Agassi. At 35 (Mr. Dinosaur in the tennis world), he gave us an amazing story to watch as this year's US Open progressed. From missing out on the French open and Wimbledon due to chronic back injury and hints of retirement, he blessed us with his typical (though more understated as he has aged) style and finesse. Watching him smash through the early rounds was enjoyable. Watching him outlast and outwit the young guns in the Quarterfinals and Semifinals was thrilling - never bet against Andre in a 5 setter, even at age 35. But then came the proverbial brick wall. For Andre, who has played the likes of Connors, McEnroe, Lendl, Edberg, Sampras, and so on, to say that Federer is the best he has ever played against is quite the statement. Watching the final was like watching someone push a boulder up a hill. Even if Andre played perfect tennis, Federer's game is so flawless that even on an off day he will beat anyone at anytime. Andre looked like he had a spark in him when he won the second set and actually thought he might be able to pull off what everyone, including himself, thought was impossible. Beat Federer in the Final. When he was up a break in the third set, even I began to believe. But when Federer broke back to get back on serve in the third. It seemed as if the wind left Agassi's sails, and no matter what he tried, nothing would stop the Federer Wall. He managed the defeat with style and grace - admittedly more so no than in his early career. However, if you looked close, you saw him wincing at the pain in his back during the awards ceremony, and as he talked, you saw the look in his eye that said, "New York. This may be my last. I love you."

The best image of the tourney, though, was after the semifinal match when you saw Andre playing his other role, Daddy, to his two little children. Watching them run to him in the runway and him grabbing them for a big hug showed that the once brash rebel has turned onto a softer, more gentle, more well-rounded person beyond tennis. Bravo, Andre.

Here's to hoping we get to see more of you in the future.

Game, set, match.