U.S. Open

Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi tries to change the world one doubles match at a time

From 2009: The former coach also discusses, his critics, parenting, and the problem with tennis

“I try not to look at her, because if I look at her, I might start feeling sorry,” Serena Williams told the crowd after edging out her older sister, Venus, in a gripping U.S. Open quarterfinal which had the distinct air of a final.

You know, a lot of people are going to say that Tiger choked in this playoff, that he looked bad etc. But I don’t agree. I think he just looked human. In other words, his fantastic shots were sprinkled with some old fashioned misses. We’re just not used to seeing Tiger miss routine shots. Usually his only mistakes come when he’s attempting something miraculous. but through 16 so far, his numbers look decent, just not incredible.

La première étoile: Rocco Mediate. Yes, we watched in awe as Tiger Woods hobbled around Torrey Pines on a bum knee. And like you, we spent Father’s Day evening on the edge of our couches, knowing full well that Woods would drain that final-hole putt to force U.S. Open overtime. He is the greatest golfer ever. End of discussion. But don’t let Tiger’s heroics completely overshadow the man on the other end of today’s playoff. Mediate hasn’t won a tournament in six years; he hasn’t even made the cut in 8 of his past 10 events. Yet there he was on Sunday afternoon, smiling and waving on his way to a near-perfect fourth round. If Rocco somehow tames Tiger today, he will make history on two separate fronts: the oldest man to win the Open (he’s 45) and the first champion not ranked in the top 100 (he’s 158th). Go Rocco.

La première étoile: Despite the fact that he ruined the summer of ’94 for me when he captained the Canucks to a five-game romp over my beloved Maple Leafs in the Western Conference Final, Trevor Linden deserves a huge round of applause for his leadership, longevity and commitment to the game of hockey. Thanks for a wonderful 19 seasons Trevor.

Two minutes for … nose diving. Former world cycling champion Tom Boonen has been barred from this year’s Tour de France for testing positive for cocaine. Apparently the Belgian icon somehow justified that it was better to get wicked high and jeopardize his entire career than to just say “no” and have a couple of brown pops.

Who’s got tickets? This weekend’s 108th U.S. Open at Torrey Pines has all the ingredients to be a tourney for the ages. Tiger’s back from surgery, Phil’s playing well—and looks like he’s finally stopped eating those tasty Twinkies—and the course is in pristine shape. Let’s hope these two are paired in the final grouping come Sunday.

Fun police: I know it’s only June and I should probably stick this comment in a sack, but if Chipper Jones continues to hit the cover off the ball he might become the first player to hit over .400 since Ted Williams’s legendary campaign in 1941. The 1999 National League MVP definitely has the grit and hitting acumen to keep this dream season afloat.

Extra bases: I want you to try something this weekend. On Sunday, grab a six-pack of your favourite brew, plop yourself in front of the TV at 12:30 p.m., and watch the LifeLock 400 NASCAR race at the Michigan International Speedway. Then come back to this posting and explain to me what the hell is so damn exciting about a sporting event that appears to consist of nothing more than a giant left turn that lasts five hours.