US Open Tennis 2014: Schedule and Bracket Predictions for Day 14 in New York
No matter who comes ahead in the women's final at the 2014 U.S. Open, the narrative spools will be spinning gold.
For Serena Williams, it's all about legacy. One of the most dominant forces of nature in the sport's history, Williams enters Sunday afternoon looking for her 18th major championship. The win would tie her with Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova for the second-most in the Open Era, putting her within reach of Steffi Graf's 22 Slams.
Williams would also be winning her third consecutive U.S. Open—a first of her career and the first time that's happened since Evert's run of four straight in the 1970s.
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For Caroline Wozniacki, it's all about finishing her redemption story. A former World No. 1, Wozniacki is playing her first Grand Slam final since 2009. The years since have seen her ascend to the mountaintop of the sport before a precipitous drop outside the top 10. Wozniacki's high-profile breakup with golfer Rory McIlroy has also played a factor in the intrigue, turning her into one of the darlings for the Flushing Meadows crowd.
Unless you have some vested rooting interest in the result, it doesn't matter who wins. The stories of redemption and pure unadulterated dominance are the two easiest to tell. No one needs an advanced understanding of tennis to discuss Williams' historical reign atop the sport, nor do they need to know the difference between an U.S. Open and Australian Open to be happy for Wozniacki.
It's the perfect ending to a thrilling two weeks of tennis in New York. With that in mind, let's highlight when and where you can check out Wozniacki-Williams on a day most are thinking about football.
| Serena Williams (1) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (10) | 4:30 p.m. ET | CBS | USOpen.org |
U.S. Open Women's Final Preview
Wozniacki needs to overcome more than her own futility in Grand Slams to earn her first U.S. Open. She'll have to overcome a mountain of head-to-head evidence that points to Williams being the clear favorite.
The pair have met nine times as pros. Eight have gone Williams' way, including two victories in the past month. Williams defeated Wozniacki in Montreal and Cincinnati, with each match following a similar refrain. Williams comes out sloppy, drops the first set and then turns on the jets when she needs them most to take the last two sets.
Having failed to reach the quarterfinals in the year's first three majors, Wozniacki will also be getting the worst possible version of Williams: a motivated one. While her passion with the sport has waxed and waned over a decade-and-a-half career, there has never been any question Williams is her generation's best player when engaged.
The world's top-ranked player has not even dropped more than three games in a single set during the tournament, let alone seen a third set.
“I’m just really excited to be in the final,’’ Williams told reporters after her 6-1, 6-3 waxing of Ekaterina Makarova, via Marc Berman of the New York Post. “In the beginning of the week, I definitely wasn’t sure I would make it this long. Definitely wasn’t sure I’d be here.’’
Wozniacki has had a much tougher trek. She was nearly upset in the first round by Magdalena Rybarikova. She went three back-and-forth sets with Maria Sharapova, at times looking like the far inferior talent. Peng Shuai pushed her to a tiebreak in the first set before cramping eventually forced her out of the tournament.
Though fans were far more entertained by her matches, Wozniacki doesn't get style points for giving the fans their money's worth. Williams has been a machine; Wozniacki has been a tennis player.
It falls into the narrative that follows each of these two women. Williams is perhaps the most unstoppable athlete—male or female—on the planet. Wozniacki's breakup with McIlroy helped turn her into a sympathetic figure, that friend you root for during tough times to come out ahead. The breakup also helped facilitated a close friendship with Williams, who is famously closed off to her opponents—her sister Venus aside.
Williams expanded on the relationship in an interview with John Koblin of The New York Times:
"You really have to be careful because we have to take our jobs very, very seriously, and you kind of just almost have to be a loner, so to say. It feels good not to always be like that. And I’ve been fortunate because I’ve had my sister, and we’re super-super close. And so it feels good just to have that relationship with someone else where you can give 100 percent on the court, and at the same time and at the end of the day, we’re still friends.
"
Personal relationships always change the dynamic of watching an event. In golf, you can tell when two players like being paired together. Silence becomes muffled compliments of "good shot"; caddies acknowledge each other's presence, like two significant others who hang out only when their spouses host a gathering; Tiger Woods might even crack a smile.
In tennis, it's even more stark. Williams, the most fiery competitor in her sport, is not quite as over the top when facing her sister or Wozniacki. The same level of competitive spirit is always there, but it's placed in a much more subdued package. You can tell when Williams respects her opponent because she doesn't blatantly disrespect them.
Wozniacki is more subdued by nature, so you're not likely to see much change in her demeanor. But their friendship creates such an interesting dynamic because of how much both have on the line.
Serena seems like an unstoppable force until you realize she turns 33 this month. Tennis, forever and always, remains a young person's game. It doesn't take much to turn an unstoppable force into someone who is merely very good. At her age, any Grand Slam final could very well be her last.
Wozniacki should have her best tennis ahead. She's 24, refocused on the sport and back to playing at a high level. These are things we said a couple years ago, before Williams reascended and Wozniacki imploded. The easiest way to overcome her confidence issues on the court is finally getting over the hump for her first major.
Both players need this, and they'll have to break their friend's heart to do it. This should be fun to watch.
Prediction: Williams def. Wozniacki 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
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