by Beth Rifkin
Looks like Phelps Phever has migrated to Flushing Meadows where Beijing's Water Cube buzzword "wingspan" is all the rage with US Open commentators. Now even more popularly associated with athletic prowess and superior ability, the width of a player's wingspan, especially for those of exceptional height, was put into play while forecasting future tennis stars.
All of the eventual champions have been dismissed by top seeds in New York - proving that height alone is not enough to keep your head above water on the men's pro tennis tour - but those boys with the long arms certainly showed no fear of flying-
6'6"Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina, world ranked 17 and who has won four ATP titles so far this year (Kitzbuhel, Stuttgart, Washington and Los Angeles), faced-off against 6th seed Andy Murray of Britain in a quarterfinal four-hour battle, before eventually losing 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), 4-6, 7-5 and ending his 23-match win streak.
American Sam Querrey, 6'6", ranked 55 and the champion of the 2008 Tennis Channel Open took on world number 1 Spaniard Rafael Nadal in a 4th round fearless fight, before falling in four sets 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-3.
And Croation Marin Cilic, also 6'6", fresh off winning his first ATP title last month in New Haven, took the #3 seed, Serbian Novak Djokovic on a thrill-ride in the 3rd round, where Djokovic emerged shocked - and victorious, 6-7 (7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (0).
Shame each round won doesn't earn a gold medal!
Is it fair to accuse the commentators of having pool envy? In their defense, a 4-5 hour tennis match is a lot of air-time to fill, especially when you're winging it.
Photo: Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro
September 4, 2008
