BAGEL ANYONE?: After dropping the first set 6-0 to Roger Federer in the USO quarters, Swede Robin Soderling said, “It’s tough to play worse.”
WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD…: Bud Colins called Melanie Oudin “a duplicate Dorothy, 5-foot-5 inches, carrying a tennis racket, and New York became her Oz.”
BACHELORETTE NO. 1: Startlingly single Caroline Wozniacki said, “I’m sure they can find a boyfriend for me.”
YOU CAN BE MY NO. 2: The wildcard duo of Carly Gullickson and Travis Parrott surprised No. 2 seeds Cara Black/Leander Paes to win the U.S. Open mixed doubles title on Thursday 6-2, 6-4. But, as we learned after the match, Parrott wasn’t necessarily Gullickson’s top choice as a partner. Said Gullickson, “I was actually supposed to play with Rajeev Ram.” To which a slightly embarrassed Parrott replied, “Brutal. I didn’t know that. I’m just finding this out now.”
HERE’S THE HOOK: David Letterman (somewhat crudely) quipped, “The hookers in Times Square have U.S. Open fever. For an extra $20, they will say that it was in.”
SCULPTING A WINNER: ESPN’s Greg Garber called 6-fot-6 Juan Martin Del Potro “a Giacometti gone bad.”
THE NUMBERS
1: Year in jail Israeli national Noam Aorta faces after running onto the Ashe Stadium court and kissing Rafael Nadal. (He’s also looking at a potential fine of $5,000.)
11: Days of dry weather at the U.S. Open until the rains came.
QUOTEBOOK
“When I was young I played soccer better than tennis. I don’t know what I am doing here.” — Juan Martin Del Potro
“She became completely unglued.” — Wayne Coffey on Melanie Oudin‘s collapse against Caroline Wozniacki in the USO quarterfinals
“It was great while it lasted, a Munchkin of an athlete, coming back from deficits again and again in her national tennis tournament, winning when she was expected to lose, thrilling a country that loves an underdog, especially an American underdog.” — Art Spander on Melanie Oudin
“I never saw anybody try harder than Connors until this guy came along.” — John McEnroe on Rafael Nadal
