What can I say? It's all over. Rafa and Serena are the 2009 champions and their wins couldn't have been more different!
Serena, who was staying at the same hotel as me, polished off Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 in double quick time. She really is awesome when she is in top form, alhough she picks and chooses her events so she can fit in shopping, acting, fashion design and - wait for it - right now, she is attempting to write her own screenplay!
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What an incredible athlete she is, she has such huge power. One Aussie reporter suggested she should be done for GBH such was the hammering she inflicted on Safina! She won the doubles title with big sis Venus the day before so this really was her tourney! It is her 4th Oz Open title - winning in 03, 05, 07 and 09. Get your money on her making it a handful in 2011!
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The men's event really came alive with that massive 5 hour semi-final between Rafa and Verdasco. What a match that was. I've been watching Verdasco for years and always thought he was a big underachiever. He had all the shots and the firepower but lacked the concentration to perform consistently and was always trying the flashy shot when out of position. Clinching the winning rubber for Spain in the Davis Cup final has given him huge belief and confidence and an off-season spent in Las Vegas with Gil Reyes ( ex-trainrt of Agassi) has made him stronger, faster and hungrier. This event was a break through for him and he came oh so close to toppling Rafa.
The final was a 5 set thriller - well maybe 4 sets were thrilling. Fed was very erratic in the fifth and looked down and out when he got broken early on. He was absolutely inconsolable afterwards I heard. But Rafa is such a great champion, he is so tough mentally and physically and a very humble guy. I've known him since the 12U events in France where he played Jamie in a couple of finals. And yes, he picked his shorts before he served way back then too!
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Memorable moments from the first Slam of the year? In no particular order
- The heat (3 successive days over 40 degrees)
- The custard creams in the player cafe
- Jelena Dokic's fairytale run to the quarters
- Rafa v Verdasco - 5hrs 15mins of magic
- Peter Norfolks victory in the wheelchair singles
- Laura Robson and Heather Watson competing so well in the girls singles
- Meeting The Prodigy (electronic rock band from England) in our hotel. Too many tattoos and piercings for me but fun guys.
- Ogling Pat Rafter in the player lounge!
.I'm home now, finally, so over and out till the next one!
Judy