Double Bagel

Sesame and cinnamon-raisin dept.

Anyone not named Alcaraz, or a Spaniard, or in particular favor of three-peats, had to be happy for Jannik Sinner, who took out Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.

It was a reversal of their stirring final from a month ago at the French Open in Paris, where Sinner famously blew 3 match points in the 4th set, then lost his service game, and subsequently saw Alcaraz run away with a lopsided 5th-set tiebreaker.

Song: “Alcaraz and Sinner:”

Alcaraz

Had Alcaraz prevailed yesterday, it would have been a 6th straight win for the Spaniard over the Italian, and it might have cast doubt on what seems sure to be a great rivalry between the two over the coming years.

Sinner

Tennis fans appear blessed with an array of great matches ahead, on the order of Federer-Nadal. If history holds, we might expect a third player to arrive and break things up, as did Djokovic (to the dismay of many). Djokovic himself has been gamely hanging on, trying to slow the great Sinner-Alcaraz duopoly. And he’s still there. But with the exception of last year’s Olympics, he’s been able to hold off Father Time only until the semifinals….

The women’s final held none of the drama we saw from the men, with Iga Swiatek overwhelming Amanda Anisimova.

Swiatek

Swiatek’s victory was so lopsided, a 6-0, 6-0 “double bagel,” that perhaps the least said the better.

So we will leave it with a song.

Song: “Double Bagel:”

Before we leave the grass court season behind for the year, I must mention that I had the good fortune last week of enjoying an hour on the grass of the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, near Charles City, Iowa. Mark Kuhn built what amounts to centre court Wimbledon on his farm. It’s hard to imagine a more pleasant way to spend an hour than hitting on a beautiful grass court.

Especially in a cornfield.

My daughter on the Iowa grass