A-ga-ssi

It cannot be denied how riveting last night's tennis was in Agassi's first round match at his final US Open. Loomed with the backdrop of his retirment, every shot, every ace, every miss, and every break took on momunental proportions. After long and tiring traveling the previous night, I tried to will myself to bed, but alas I couldn't pull away. Agassi up a break in the first set, then loses a break, back to on serve, 1st tie break - Agassi loses? Wait this is not how it is supposed to go in what everyone has to hope will be a 1991-Jimmy-Connor-like run. 2nd set - another tie break? - Agassi wins - phew - at least back to even. 3rd set - Agassi down not one but 2 breaks? My heart drops. All is lost. Emotionally I invested in to the match and at times it is exhilarating and at times I wish i hadn't invested as much as we were on the brink of losing. I started rationalizing..."It is irrelevant if Agassi loses in the first round...This is a celebration of a career's work and not a judgment of him at 36 yrs old. No matter what happens tonight the crowd in Flushing Meadows will appropriately give him a Standing O and all will be ok." While rationalizing helped me not to fall into the traps of despair, I didn't have to hold those feelings for long. Agassi breaks back twice and forces a 3rd set tie breaker and wins! Agassi up 2 sets to 1. All is back to right in the world and I am going to bed before I can get trapped again.

It is a game like this that makes me wish i were in New York with a chance to be in the stands shouting "A-ga-ssi" (accent on the last syllable).

Post script - surprisingly decent article from the USA today