Performance by a female
Serena Williams against Elena Dementieva, Semifinal
Sure, Serena lost fewer games in her blistering final victory over Dinara Safina, but it was her all-court performance against the tour's hottest player to whom she'd lost three consecutive matches that clinched this award for the world No.1.
Performance by a male
Rafael Nadal against Fernando Verdasco, Semifinal
Rafa put up a courageous performance against Roger Federer in the final, but it was his performance in this 5 hour 14 minute duel that stole the show. It was a remarkable victory when you consider all the intangibles. For years, Rafa has been knocked over by big hitters on the hard stuff. For years, Rafa has not been able to get past those big hitters in Slams. In Melbourne, he fell to another Fernando in the quarterfinals two years ago. Last year, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga floored him. This year, his compatriot, riding high on confidence after clinching the Davis Cup tie for Spain and absorbing through osmosis his conversations with Gil Reyes and Andre Agassi, was poised to knock Rafa out.
Not this time. Rafa refused to be knocked down. He ran and ran and ran, retrieving big shot after big shot until his resolve finally caused Verdasco to crack by serving up a double fault on match point. It was the best match of the fortnight and Rafa didn't receive nearly enough credit for refusing to go down for the count. And Patrick McEnroe led a chorus of commentators and analysts who underestimated his ability to recover and compete in the final, underestimated just how deep inside Federer's psych the Spaniard remains. If they haven't learned their lesson by now, they never will.
Performance by a male player in a choking role
Juan Martin del Potro against Roger Federer, Quarterfinals
Sometimes a choke begins on the first ball. Such was the choke the Argentine performed against Raja. It was such a great choke, it created the illusion that the Swiss Maestro was back to his old self, ready to pummel through to his 14th history-making Slam title. Illusions by nature may sometimes be sweet, but behind the shroud of lies lies a bitter treat...
Performance by a female player in a choking role
Alize Cornet against Dinara Safina, 4th Round
Two (or was it three?) match points. That's what she had. She missed a forehand down the line by inches to waste one and after that, she looked on the verge of hyperventilation. She never recovered. Sure Safina picked up her game, but not until it was clear Cornet wasn't going to be able to stay in the match mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. Tennis is mental. I love it.
Grand Slam breakthrough performance
Fernando Verdasco, Spain
My pick for the men's surprise finalist, I had to settle for surprise semifinalist. Through 6 rounds, he was a revelation. Top 10 players Andy Murray and Tsonga didn't know what hit them. Neither did Radek Stepanek, who'd just defeated him in the Brisbane final. The Czech won a total of 4 games and ate two bagels in the third round. Verdasco's challenge now is not to go the way of previous surprise finalists and disappear from contender radar like the Grammy's Best New Artist recipients of years past.
Grand Slam comeback performance
Jelena Dokic, Australia
After years of family drama and tension with Tennis Australia, Jelena rode the wave of unparalleled Australian fan enthusiasm into the quarterfinals before running out of gas against Safina. I already said I was falling in love. Let's see how the second date goes.
Performance by a talking head - drama
Martina Navratilova, Tennis Channel
She was the least fanatic of them all.
Performance by a talking head - comedy
Pam Shriver, ESPN
Almost everything she says makes me laugh. Even when it's not funny.
Achievement in costume design
Venus's Yellow Dress, EleVen
A beautiful outfit. Too bad it was a jinx.
Adapted screenplay
The Thrill Of Victory by Rafael Nadal
While Raja and Andy the Younger and Novak Djokovic were debating the title favorite, Rafa was adapting his game to the hardcourts and going about his business beating back his opponents. Quietly. Brutally. That he recovered from his grueling semifinal after so few thought he would (wishful thinking?) and won his third of the last four Slams, all with victories over the Greatest Of All Time, is a story for the ages.
Original screenplay
Cry Me A River by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
It's been debated in the blogosphere at length. Just check out the comments around here if you don't believe me. But who could have scripted this scene? Nobody, that's who. Rod Laver and the Legends of 1969 all stood awkwardly by as the man they were there to honor broke open like a damn. How gracious and compassionate was Rafa to comfort Raja in his moment of grief? Even Rafa's camp caught the vapors. I had no problem with any of it. Rafa sure does know how to crash a party, no?
Best motion picture
Spanish Duel by Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco
The best match I've ever seen. Period. I said the same thing about the Wimbledon final. But along came this gem. The Wimbledon final was certainly more important, but it didn't turn dramatic until after Rafa choked leading 5-2 in the third set tiebreak. Before that, he was poised to win that final routinely in straight sets. But in this stupendous semifinal, the longest match in Australian Open history, the second longest in Grand Slam history, each set could've gone either way. How many matches can you say that about? Verdasco struck 95 winners, Nadal 52. It doesn't get any better than that.
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