I was listening to the ABC on the way to work this morning. The news reporter was periodically giving updates on the Women's Finals in the US Open. As I was driving off from home, Stosur had won the first set.
It was good hearing the periodic updates. It only happened because an Aussie was in the final. It was quite dramatic too, with the Serena controversy (or, perhaps, not that controversial given that most people I know don't think too fondly of her little tirade).
I arrived at a local cafe near by work. It's a humble little place, unlike these fancy places in Carlton etc with glorified coffee beens, etc. $3 for a decent, strong latte. Anyway, I go there and found a bunch of people gathered around the little TV in the cafe, watching Channel 9 broadcast the finals.
I had intentions to get to work early and get some things done, but seeing my good fortune of it actually being on TV, live, at a decent hour, I just had to pause and join the crowd. I think they were about 3 games into the second set when I got there.
It was a great game. Stosur played well. Serena was not a happy chappy, most noticeably in her tirade. It was also the 10 year anniversary of the Sept 11 attacks, so I guess it would have meant a lot to the audience there for an American to win. She did pick up her game, and fired off some really nice winners. I loved what the commentator said, "Tennis is great in the way you can channel your anger in a safe way". And that she did.
It was really interesting watching with the other people in the cafe. I didn't know these people (except for the shop owner). Most of them didn't seem to know much about the players. One went, "Is this the finals? Is there an Aussie in it? I thought we didn't have any good tennis players in Australia." He was filled in quickly by someone else, and then he pretty much jumped on the bandwagon, cheering for Stosur, commenting on her athleticism, talking about how down-to-earth she was, as if he knew her, and hi fiving with everyone else as she got some winners. That is Australia.
Ended up watching the rest of the match. Got to work a bit late, my colleague had to deal with the coffee I had gotten for him that had gone cold, but I filled him in on the final and we had another high-five.
It's just a game, but it is someone's personal victory, and it's great to have people celebrating and happy for you, albeit people that had only heard of you 20 minutes before you won yet act like they've known you their whole lives.
I love the tennis.
