Just another Flushing Meadows Sunday...

Through the grainy broadcast signal of Channel 2 the tennis ball was at times indistinguishable from the fuzzy interference, but that wasn't going to stop me from watching the end of an incredible career. It was a battle that sounded familiar- Agassi vs. Becker- but was only an ironic allusion to matches of the past. This Becker wasn't Boris. This Agassi was playing his final professional tennis match with grace and gratitude.

Viewers were told that Agassi received multiple cortizone and pain shots in order to walk out of the tunnel and onto the court at the Arthur Ashe Stadium for his Round 3 match today. Nobody watching had to be told why Agassi chose the US Open for his final Tournament appearance: the crowd of nearly 25,000 in Flushing Meadows, NY gave Agassi the shots of adrenaline and frenetic encouragement that seem unique to the Agassi/US Open Fans long-term relationship. I've watched other players get support at the Open, especially in the center court of the courts, Arthur Ashe Stadium. But that support never appears so intense, so compelling, so emotionally involving as when it is being produced for Agassi.

.

So this year, as Agassi made it clear that retirement was the immediate future, the electric charges surrounding his US Open matches were elevated to higher levels as everything he did might be the last time he did that. And today, I was tuned in to see if Andre could stave off "the last time" one time more. No one had any illusions about Andre getting past Round 4, even if he did get through this Round 3 game; Round 4 will most likely be Andy Roddick, a man who gave Agassi trouble when Andre was in much better physical condition. So Round 3 vs. Becker would probably be the last Agassi US Open win. After a phenomenal 5-set win in Round 2, we were ready to cheer just one more brilliant Agassi victory.

.

Today, he almost pulled it out of nowhere- that "last Agassi US Open win". But somehow Becker pulled himself up out of a slow free fall in the fourth set, and for a few minutes, when it most counted, played as he had in the first set, when he was fresh instead of wearied and fighting his own cramping. Those few minutes were enough to fight off a 40-love break attempt by a weary Agassi and then to fire a couple of 120+mph aces to take the match in 4 sets. Just like that, in just a few moments- from another Agassi wear-the-opponent-down win prospect to watching the last ace whiz past- and we were watching the last time Agassi lost a US Open match.

.

The players came to the net, the last time Andre greeted his opponent at a US Open center court. The players shook the hand of the umpire, the last US Open hand shake. Andre sat down in his courtside chair, and covered his shaved head with a white towel- the last time. That towel stayed up over his head, hands massaging his face, his eyes through the cotton, for longer than usual. Every person present had been standing long before Andre even made it back to his chair, and they would continue standing in an ovation that lasted a good five minutes.

.

Once he pulled the towel away Andre walked to center court and gave his signature four-sided bow and kiss to the spectators. Tears were present on and off the court as everyone thought: the last bow. Not, so, though- some minutes later after still more ovation, after sitting and staring up around the stadium through teary and satisfied, incredulous eyes, he got back up and bowed again for the last time.

.

.

.

Then, like he'd suddenly decided "this is it and it's time to go now" he packed his rackets, hoisted his bag, and walked with purpose to the tunnel, waving but not really pausing, that special bittersweet smile looking up for the last time before looking down and ducking into the shadow of off-court.

.

.

Becker called him "my idol growing up".

.

Andre gave the classiest farewell speech i've ever heard.

.

The crowd at Arthur Ashe will remain standing, giving its ovation, for many years to come: every time one of the kids at Andre's Las Vegas charter school graduates the applause will spill forth; every time a kid walks into the Boys&Girls Club he funded voices will cheer; when people look at his life and learn from his progression from punk-a&& kid to class-act role model, the masses will jump to their feet.

.

Every time Andre chases his daughter, or tosses a ball to his son, the crowd will roar as Andre leaves the tennis court for the last time and pours his energy into all the first times still ahead.

.

Thanks Andre, for the journey.