The ongoing U S Open Championships have brought in plenty of surprises and shocks but if one is to look at the end result Indians will be reasonably happy. To begin with there were far many disappointments in store which many Indians would not have imagined of with the star trio of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza making a early exit. There were opportunities in plenty for the star trio because Mahesh Bhupathi and Paes have two chances each at Gland Slam glory as they play Mens Doubles and Mixed Doubles while Sania Mirza gets to play an additional event in the form of Ladies Singles. Between the star trio Indians had a combined 7 chances to win the U S Open and yet they failed to make anywhere near to the Championship round.
However the consolation has come in the form of Rohan Bopanna entering the Mens Doubles finals of the U S Open in the company of Pakistani ace Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi. Nothing would have brought more happier news for the Indians than a Indian making the finals of Grand Slam tournament in the company of a Pakistani and also the fact that both Bopanna and Qureshi are not only of the same age group and have been partnering each other for a decade is great news but the greatest of them is the fact that they are very good friends. It was also nice to hear Bopanna saying prior to the final that he expects half the world to cheer for him. If the duo of Bopanna and Qureshi who are nicknamed Indo-Pak Express manage to win the U S Open it would be a perfect Ramzan gift for Qureshi and Pakistan and a moment to rejoice for Indians and Pakistan's and probably this would be the first ever time that there will be a joint celebration in India and Pakistan for a joint achievement.
There is some good news for Roger Federer and his fans because he has been able to break the quarter final jinx as he had lost in the quarters at French Open and Wimbledon. Federer got a perfect opponent to set things right as he achieved the dual objective of extracting revenge for his unexpected quarter final loss at Wimbledon and also set things right by making to the semi finals of yet another Grand Slam. Roger Federer probably was charged up and had a point of prove and that was the reason he was ruthless in dismissing Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals. While Federer has every reason to celebrate having made it to the semi finals of the U S Open for the 7th consecutive year he has a reason to worry as the other contender for the title has also made it to the semi finals.
Nadal too has plenty of reasons for worry because if he fails in the semi finals or finals he has to wait for another years or if you look at it in a more harder way 4 more grand slam tournaments to achieve a career Grand Slam in Mens Doubles. Talent and consistency alone is not enough for Nadal to win the U S Open as has a mental block to conquer as well. Ivan Lendl who achieved legendary status in his playing days could never ever win the Wimbledon even though he won two successive finals and the reason for that was that he won the other majors very early in his career that he began to have a dislike for Wimbledon and eventually got to a mindset that he could never win Wimbledon. Nadal too finds himself in a more difficult situation and while he has won French Opens comfortably he has struggled to win Australian Open and Wimbledon's when pitted against Federer.
There is a possibility that Nadal may beat Federer to win the U S Open but one thing is for sure that Nadal has to sweat it out unless Federer is injured or sick.