All I wanted was a competitive match. I didn't get one. 59 minutes, 2 and 1, 20 straight matches for Kim on the blue courts at Flushing. Kim held up her end of the bargain. She bounced back after playing two sub-par matches to actually bring her game in the final. If both players brought their best, my sense was that this would be an easy win for Kim. Kim brought hers but Vera didn't and this one went embarrassingly quick.
Vera said she couldn't physically raise her level and that the fatigue prevented her from finding her game. Interestingly, she said that made her feel a bit better about the loss. She tried her best but just didn't have the physical capacity to do any more. They say that one of the reasons the USO is so hard to win is because of the back to back turnaround of the semis and finals. While the fatigue may have been something for Vera to hang her hat on, let's not forget that she played the early semifinal, hadn't dropped a set all tournament, and didn't have any long singles matches (though she did play doubles). Kim on the other hand had two tough, long, three setters leading into today's final. Vera's not using fatigue as an excuse but I just find it surprising that she couldn't recover from her semi for last night's match.
Anyway, it was a snoozer. And Jada knew it too. She wasn't all that impressed with her new baby food canteen.
"Nah, it's cool. I got one of those already."
So congrats to Kimmy, who survived and thrived to defend her title and capture her third straight USO crown ("that she competed at" caveat, of course). May your untamed locks power you through to a deep run in Australia.
