With the 2018 US Open now behind us, it is time for me to write my list of 10 things to take away from the fourth and final grand slam of the year. While there's always a lot to say about every grand slam, those that followed this year's US Open know it was more eventful than usual.
#1. Naomi Osaka is a champion:
The most overshadowed story of this year's US Open is the amazing performance of Naomi Osaka, who defeated Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 to win her first grand slam title. Due to the controversial events that transpired in the final, everyone spent far more time talking about Serena Williams and chair umpire Carlos Ramos after the match. I'll share my thoughts on that later in this piece, but I wanted to lead with Naomi Osaka since nobody else will do it. She dominated Serena and everyone needs to acknowledge that. She played the better match, better tournament, and is 100 percent deserving of this title. The way Osaka has conducted herself is truly admirable. She's a champion both on and off the court.
#2. Novak Djokovic is back: At the beginning of the 2018 tennis season, there were legitimate concerns about whether or not Novak Djokovic would ever return to form due to injuries that have slowed him down. Now that he has won both Wimbledon and the US Open this year, I think it's safe to say that he is back. The big question now is whether or not he can complete another "Djokovic Slam". I like his chances at the Australian Open, but the French Open will be tough assuming Rafael Nadal is a full go.
With this win, Djokovic now has tied the great Pete Sampras for third on the all-time grand slam titles list with 14, trailing only Rafael Nadal (17) and Roger Federer (20). It's not too soon to put Djokovic in the discussion for greatest of all-time. He's put himself back in the mix after the summer that he's had.
#3. Serena Williams got this wrong: Before I explain why Serena Williams messed up in the women's final, let me first say that I admire everything she has done for the game of tennis. She's done a lot of good for women, the African-American community, and the sport of tennis as a whole. The same goes for her sister Venus, who doesn't get enough love for all that she's accomplished.
With that now out of the way, let me explain why Serena is in the wrong for what happened in the final. For those that did not watch or ever get a full picture of the events that transpired, let me explain what actually happened:
With a 1-0 lead in the second set, Serena's coach Patrick Mouratoglou was signaling her to rush the net and/or bring Naomi Osaka to the net since she was losing the battle on the baseline (ESPN flashed a stat around the end of the first set/beginning of the second set that stated Osaka had taken just 2% of her shots inside the baseline). Mouratoglou's analysis of the match was spot on, but that doesn't make it okay for him to relay it to Serena. Chair umpire Carlos Ramos correctly ruled that Mouratoglou was coaching from the box and gave Serena a code violation as a result. Since it was Serena's first code violation of the match, she was given a warning.
Serena instantly questioned the call, insisting that she hadn't received any coaching. "If he gives me a thumbs up, he's telling me to come on," Serena explained to Ramos. "We don't have any code and I know that you don't know that, and I understand why you may have thought that was coaching, but I'm telling you it's not. I don't cheat to win. I'd rather lose. I'm just letting you know."
During the changeover, Serena continued to have an exchange with Ramos. "It's not something I do," she added. "But I can understand why you may have thought that. But just know I've never cheated...Okay, thank you. Because I'm like, I don't cheat. Yeah, so thank you so much."
After this initial exchange, things appeared to be fine. Ramos had issued her a warning, he seemed to understand what she was saying to him and all appeared to be fine between the two. Serena was keeping her cool and there was certainly no indication that things would take a turn for the worse.
Later on in that set, Serena failed to hold serve with a 3-1 lead, allowing Osaka to get right back in the second set. After blowing that game, Serena smashed her racket in frustration, resulting in a second code violation from Ramos. Because her first code violation was a warning, Serena's second code violation by rule resulted in a one point penalty. Osaka started the next game with a 15-0 lead.
It was at this point that things started to really come off the rails. At the beginning of that game, Serena seemed befuddled by the one point penalty, thinking that her warning for coaching wasn't a code violation even though Ramos stated that it was. Serena once again approached Ramos, expressing frustration and confusion.
"This is unbelievable," Serena said to Ramos. "Every time I play here I have problems, why? Yeah, that's a warning (about the racket)...I didn't get coaching! I didn't get coaching! I didn't get coaching. You need to make an announcement that I didn't get coaching. I don't cheat. I didn't get coaching. How can you say that? You need to, you owe me an apology. You owe me an apology. I have NEVER cheated in my life! I have a daughter and I stand what's right for her and I've never cheated! And you owe me an apology! You will never do another one of my matches!"
The problem with Serena's argument is the fact that she did in fact get coaching. Mouratoglou admitted so after the match. Whether or not that coaching rule should be in place is another matter, but she did in fact get coaching and as a result, Ramos was within the rules to issue that warning. Further, with that warning already given, he had no choice but to give her a point penalty after issuing her a second code violation for smashing her racket. Serena wasn't going to win this argument. Ramos was operating completely within the rules and she should have just taken the one point penalty and moved on.
After that exchange, Osaka would go on to hold serve and then hit a blistering forehand down the line to go up 4-3. Osaka was going to serve with a 4-3 lead, possessing all of the momentum at that point. Serena was very upset that Osaka hit such a good shot, causing her to continue her heated discussion with Ramos.
"And I explained that to you," Serena said to Ramos during the changeover. "For you to attack my character? That's something is wrong. It's wrong. You're attacking my character...Yes you are. You owe me an apology. You will never ever ever be on another court of mine as long as you live. You are the liar."
At this point, Serena paused for a drink of water. It looked like for a moment that she might finally let this go and carry on with the match. Instead, she continued to address Ramos.
"When are you going to give me my apology?" Serena continued. "You owe me an apology. Say it. Say you're sorry...Well then you're, then don't talk to me. Don't talk to me."
Serena paused once again for a drink of water. It once again looked like maybe her rant was over and she would go back to the match. Instead, she continued her same dialogue: "How dare you insinuate that I was cheating."
Once again, Serena paused to eat some gels. It once again looked like she might finally let this go. But once again, she continued.
"You stole a point from me," Serena then said to Ramos. "You're a thief, too!"
After this final exchange, Ramos then announced that Serena had received a third code violation, which by rule results in a game penalty: "Code violation. Verbal abuse. Game penalty Mrs. Williams."
With the game penalty enforced, that meant Serena Williams would serve down 3-5. It was as if Osaka had automatically won her service game. Serena approached Ramos again, confused by what was going on.
"Are you kidding me?" Williams said in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Because I said you're a thief. Because you stole a point from me. But I'm not a cheater. Well why would you, I told you to apologize to me. This is out-excuse me I need a referee. I don't agree with that."
Serena Williams then pleaded her case to the tournament officials to no avail.
"This is not right," Serena said while holding back tears. "This is not right...I've never cheated. He said I was getting coached and I wasn't getting coached. That's not right. That is not right...You know my character and that's not right. That's not fair. This has happened to me too many times. This is not fair. This is not fair. But to give me a point, to lose a game for saying that is not fair. I mean it's really not."
"She called him a thief," the referee explained to another tournament official after talking to Ramos.
"You know how many other men, you know how many other men do things that are, I didn't do much worse than that," Serena continued. "This is not fair. There's a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things that because they are men, it doesn't happen to them...This is unbelievable. This is unbelievable... No, I don't know there is because if I say a simple thing like 'thief' because he stole a point from me, that does not make, there are men out here who do a lot worse but because I'm a woman.
"Because I'm a woman you're going to take this away from me? That is not right. And you know it and I know you can't admit it, but I know you know it's not right. I know you can't change it, but I'm just saying that's not right. I get the rules. I get, I just, I get the rules. But I'm just saying it's not right. It happened to me at this tournament every single year that I play. It's just not fair. That's all I have to say. That's not fair."
Serving down 3-5, Serena would go on to hold serve, before complaining again to tournament officials. After more complaining from Serena, Osaka would hold right back, winning by a final score of 6-2, 6-4. Due to all the drama and controversy that ensued, Osaka clearly did not know how to react to her victory. The crowd rained down a chorus of boos and Osaka reacted as if the crowd was booing her.
In the championship ceremony, Serena tried to make things better, telling the crowd to not boo and let Osaka enjoy her moment, but the damage had already been done. Serena became completely unglued on the game's biggest stage, costing herself a grand slam title and Osaka of her championship moment.
The bottom line here is that Serena was completely in the wrong here. After smashing her racket and getting that point penalty, she should have just moved on and not let things spiral out of control like they did. Had she done that, she would have still had a chance to win this match. Instead, she chose to continue to berate Carlos Ramos, giving him little choice but to issue a third conduct violation.
One thing I want to quickly address with this whole mess are the claims that Carlos Ramos is sexist and that there is this double standard between men's tennis and women's tennis. In regards to Ramos being sexist, this claim falls flat both because Ramos has been equally harsh towards men and Serena has had similar fall outs with female umpires. Ramos is known to be one of the strictest chair umpires in the game and she should have known not to mess with him after getting docked that point penalty. Serena also had a similar meltdown at the 2009 US Open semifinals against Kim Clijsters, which also resulted in her losing the match. Her anger was directed at a female lines judge and a female chair umpire. She's been equally unruly towards women and has received the same treatment from them.
As for this double standard in which men can do far worse things, all I can say is I've never seen Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Novak Djokovic behave like she did in a grand slam final. For Serena to throw the competitors on the ATP World Tour under the bus like that was really uncalled for. It was reverse sexism and she owes the men an apology for insinuating that they all have such bad behavior. I'm not saying the men are perfect or that they don't get upset. They do. But to say that they get a hall pass while women don't paints things far too simply.
Serena Williams let her emotions get the best of her and that is what really cost her the match. As an athlete you are always taught to never let your emotions get the best of you. Unfortunately, Serena did not heed this council. To read anything more into this than that is letting her off the hook. She's a 23-time grand slam champion who knows better. She should act like she's been on this big of a stage before instead of acting like it was her first time.
#4. Juan Martin Del Potro has found some life: Another story overshadowed by the Serena Williams-Carlos Ramos controversy is the incredible run that Juan Martin Del Potro had to reach the final. Even though he lost in straight sets to Novak Djokovic (3-6, 6-7, 3-6), Del Potro should feel really proud of all he accomplished over these two weeks.
There was a point when we all thought Del Potro's career might be over due to all the wrist surgeries that he had. Instead of giving up, Del Potro continued to grind and never get up. Hopefully he'll once again taste the sweet victory of a grand slam championship. I know the tennis world is rooting for him.
#5. Madison Keys is not there yet: Madison Keys made an impressive run to the semifinals before losing to Osaka in straight sets. I still believe in Keys, but she clearly has more work to do in order to get over the hump to win her first grand slam. I'm optimistic that it'll happen, but it's hard to know when. I'm tempted to pick her to win it all next year, but I'll have to reserve judgment to see how she does in the next three grand slams. Her time will come, but it could take longer than we all expected.
#6. Rafael Nadal needs to take some time off (from hard courts at least): Rafael Nadal had a phenomenal quarterfinal match victory over Dominic Thiem, but ran out of gas in the semifinals against Juan Martin Del Potro, ultimately needing to retire from the match. Nadal will contend at future grand slams, but he needs to make sure he gets his body back to full strength. It might not be a bad idea for him to skip the Australian Open and really gear up for the French Open. The hard courts really wear down Nadal, who plays a very physical, grind it out style. It might be a good idea for him to take a break from them for a little while.
#7. Can Anastasija Sevastova make more deep runs at grand slams? Nobody is talking about the run that Anastasija Sevastova made to the semifinals, so I'll quickly address it. Sevastova defeated #7 Elina Svitolina and #3 Sloane Stephens to reach the semifinals, two top ten players. At 28 years of age, this was Sevastova's deepest run at a grand slam by far. Her previous best result at a grand slam was reaching the 4th round at the Australian Open in 2011. Whether or not this run was an aberration or not remains to be seen, but even if it was, Sevastova has something to be really proud of. Personally, I don't see why it would be. We've seen a lot of players find their groove in their late 20s and early 30s. Who's to say Sevastova can't continue this trend?
#8. Kei Nishikori thrives at the US Open: Kei Nishikori lost in the semifinals to Novak Djokovic, making it the second best run he's ever had at a grand slam. His best run at a grand slam also came at the US Open back in 2014 when he lost in the final to Marin Cilic. Outside of it being a hard court slam, I don't know what it is about the US Open that Nishikori likes so much. Whatever it is, Nishikori has proven himself to be a legit contender at this event. If you're picking a dark horse to win the US Open next year, Nishikori might be your guy.
#9. Sloane Stephens did not have the run she would have wanted: After winning the whole thing last year, Sloane Stephens did not want to get ousted in the quarterfinals. She had big hopes to defend her title and fell short. The future is very bright for Stephens, but when she looks back at the draw she had at this tournament, she'll definitely remember it as a missed opportunity. Look for her to have a strong campaign in 2019. She's definitely not done winning slams.
#10. Is Roger Federer a serious threat at the US Open? Roger Federer has recently won titles at the Australian Open (2017 & 2018) and Wimbledon (2017), but he has not won a US Open title since 2008. Given the drought he's had at the US Open, it's hard to consider him a serious contender at this event. He's won the US Open five times, but those titles feel like ancient history. My theory is he gets worn down by this point of the season, but that doesn't seem to fully account for this drought. Maybe he's due for one in 2019, but right now, I don't see Federer winning another US Open. I still think he has more grand slams left in him, but as far as the US Open is concerned, something about this event is causing him to come up short.
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