So much for Canadians conquering the tennis world.
When the U.S. Open began nearly two weeks ago, hopes were high north of the border that Canadian tennis players might–just maybe–be ready to score at least one major breakthrough.
Most of those hopes centred on Eugenie Bouchard, the 20-year-old Montrealer currently being touted as the new “it” girl of tennis. All Bouchard, currently ranked eighth in the world, had done during this long-running tennis season was make the Wimbledon final and the semi-finals of the Australian and the French Grand Slams.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Milos Raonic, the world’s number six, appeared on a singular mission: to break into the top four, as he had at Wimbledon before losing his semi-final there to Roger Federer. With Rafa Nadal out of the draw because of injuries, there appeared just such a chance.
The effervescent 24-year-old British Columbia native Vasek Pospisil, who with his American partner, Jack Sock, had won the Wimbledon men’s doubles in the course of reeling off 14 victories this summer, appeared poised to find his place in prime time. He and Sock entered the tournament seeded eighth.
And, of course, there always is Toronto’s Daniel Nestor, who turned 42 on Thursday. Nestor was playing with the partner with whom he has enjoyed greatest success, Serbian Nenad Zimonjic. Nestor is–without doubt–one of the greatest doubles players of all time, winner of 12 Grand Slams titles (men’s and mixed), an Olympic Gold Medal and 85 tournaments. He and Zimonjic came in seeded third.
All hopes wilted in the blistering heat of the New York summer
Bouchard, playing in 32-degree heat, lost to the 17th seed, Russia Ekaterina Makarova, in straight sets (6-7, 4-6) in the fourth round.
In men’s fourth-round play later–much later–on Monday, Roanic was finally worn down by the 10th seed, Kei Nishikori of Japan, in five very, very tough sets (6-4, 6-7, 7-6, 5-7, 4-6). The match finally ended at 2:30 Tuesday morning and the last Canadian standing (barely) was gone.
A round earlier, Canada’s doubles’ hopes had evaporated. Pospisil and Sock were beaten badly in the third round by the Argentine team of Carlos Berlocq and Leonardo Mayer 2-6, 2-6. Nestor and Zimononjic did little better, losing 3-6, 4-6 to the American team of Scott Lipsky and Rajeev Ram.
Was it all just a shot in the dark? It sure turned out that way.
But hey! You gotta dream, right?
For an update on what happened and the ramifications (if any) of the losses, RCI spoke with Stephanie Myles, the person many consider the best tennis writer in Canada.
She spoke by phone from her hotel room in New York before heading back to Flushing Meadows for more.
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