This year’s US Open is a real treat for Russian fans. Moreover, it is unlikely that before the start of the tournament anyone could have predicted such successful results.

However, our tennis school is still at the top. Daniil Medvedev is in the final of the men’s tournament, and the most experienced Vera Zvonareva, even at 39 years old, shows class in doubles.

True, at the decisive moment she and Laura Siegemund could not cope with their nerves and, being favorites, gave victory to their rivals.

Absolute favorites

Women’s doubles tennis has always been one of the crown disciplines for Russia. At Grand Slam tournaments, our compatriots often play in key stages, and Vera Zvonareva has achieved considerable success here. If you thought that the 2008 Olympic singles bronze medalist had given up professional sports long ago, you might be surprised.

The 39-year-old Russian has established herself as a versatile tennis player. One of the few who played major finals in both singles and doubles, and even mixed doubles. Well, American courts are Zvonareva’s favorite. Just think about it, she won the US Open as a doubles player in 2006 and 2020. 17 years ago with the Frenchwoman Dechy, and more recently with his current partner Siegemund.

Vera Zvonareva and Natalie Deshi / Photo: © Al Bello / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Naturally, this year this German-Russian couple was among the main favorites. Together they won three hardcourt titles. But the Canadian-New Zealand duo Dabrowski/Routliffe was created only this season, and the athletes only reached the semi-finals once, having performed poorly on the eve of the US Open.

Unrealized advantage

In the first set, neither pair had a clear advantage, but it is fair to say that Zvonareva and Siegemund did more to get the break. In the fifth game, they led 40:15 on their opponents’ serves, but were unable to put the finishing touches on their less experienced opponents.

The ideal moment arose in the tenth game, and nothing foreshadowed trouble: Rutliff served confidently, the girls led 40:0, and then what is stereotypically called “women’s tennis” began. The New Zealander made a double, then Zvonareva played a return and it came down to another break point. Surprisingly, the character of the losing side was stronger again at this moment.

As a result, the tennis players had to play a tiebreaker, where at the decisive moment Vera faltered and made a double fault on serve – 0:3. The foreigners failed to cope with two mini-breaks, allowing them to return to the game, but then had four set points, which they finally converted: 7:6 (11:9). The most bitter thing for us is Zvonareva’s performance in the tiebreaker, who gave up a lot of points to her opponents on her serve.

Vera Zvonareva / Photo: © SMG / Keystone Press Agency / Global Look Press

Otherwise, viewers have nothing to complain about. The first set lasted more than an hour – a real showdown in the final.

Excessive excitement

During the break, Vera and Laura decided to go to the tribune room in order to tune in to the important set. But, apparently, something in the settings went wrong, since in the very first game the girls hung at 0:40 on the Russian’s serve. Unlike their stubborn rivals, who showed composure in a similar situation in the first set, Zvonareva and Siegemund could not cope. An alarming start.

Fate gave Zvonareva a chance, but the Russian “burned” a break point in touch, then missed another candle and after Dabrowski’s killer serve the score became 2:0.

Laura Sigmund, Vera Zvonareva, Gabriela Dabrowski, Erin Rutliff / Photo: © Al Bello / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

We can’t put the blame on Vera: Siegemund was also mistaken, and her rivals showed good mutual understanding. But the Russian woman was still the most titled of the four athletes on the court, so the burden of leadership automatically fell on Vera.

In the next game the situation became even more complicated, as the German player gave away her serve and then called a medical professional, complaining of pain in her lower back. An unplanned pause disrupted the leaders’ mood, and Zvonareva and Siegemund made a break for the first time in the match. All that was left was to do it one more time to get back into the game.

However, in the seventh game, Siegemund “hung” on her serve, made two double faults and, in fact, if not for Vera’s powerful smash, everything could have ended with another break. But there was no long wait for the match to end. With the score 5:3 on the Russian’s serve, Vera missed the ball and gave her opponents two match points.

At the most nervous moment of the game, the Russian-German duo managed to return equality in the game, but then there was another match point, which was converted due to Zvonareva’s error. A symbolic result of the final, in which Dabrowski and Rutliff were more accurate and confident than the favorites.