[DownloadMan]

Few, if anyone called either of this year's champions.

Kim Clijsters comes back from a 2 1/2 year retirement, plays two tournaments, neither of which she gets beyond the 1/4s, then comes to NY and beats two Williamses, along with another Top 10 player, another top 15 player, and another top 20 player (and to more ladies) to be the first unseeded woman ever to win the U.S. Open.

Juan Martin Del Potro beats the 5 time defending champion (and world #1), another winner of 3 of the last 6 Slams, a top 20 player who knocked off one of the top two favorites pre-Open, and a former USO finalist in his run to the title.

So which one is the bigger upset for the tournament?

[CicyHannyCeli]

Juan Martin - Other than Roger or Rafael, the other player favored to win was Andy M especially with a title in Montreal and a SF in Cincinnati along with his title in Key Biscayne. Also, most people thought he would wilt in the 5th set especially when he faded in the 3rd set at Montreal.

[yxn2dC07]

Didn't take but a nanosecond to pick Del Po. I could see Kimmy coming seven rounds away

[allvideO]

Clijsters. No one expected this.

[loikrso]

Clisters has been close, as close as match points, to beating Serena in a Slam.

Until Roland Garros, Del Potro has been Raja's doormat.

I don't even think it's close.

[loikrso]

Clijsters. No one expected this.

I did.

[SannyGlow]

I went with Clijsters. I know she came back a ready-made top tier player, but thought she would be schooled by the first "contender" she came up against in the draw. Oops.

[yxn2dC07]

Clijsters. No one expected this.

I did.

[carfAball]

jmDP, for sure.

[kictainiSot]

I went with JMPD.

I don't know what to expect with the WTA anymore, so no expectations=no surprises.

[bobibnoxx]

If we don't mean in any particular match, Clijsters hands down.

[allvideO]

I did.

Really

[urbalatte]

Once I saw Del Potro match (well parts of it) vs. Monaco live, I thought to myself that he will be very very hard to beat by anyone in this tournament. He was hitting the hardest and cleanest ball of all players by a wide margin.

When the final started I thought he would simply not be able to produce the level of tennis he is capable of, but after a set of nervy tennis, he proved me wrong.

I pick Kim, because.. well it was her 3rd tournament back! duh!

[joanbertis]

For me, Clijsters was the biggest surprise. Yes, I know, talent doesn't disappear, but to have the mental and physical strength to win seven straight matches after not having played a professional match in 2 yrs, that is astonishing.
Del Potro on the other hand had the ranking and the results to be considered a contender, especially on his favorite surface.

[Muramoursuard]

Juan Martin by far, I mean Kim winning is big, she's no longer a one slam wonder, but she should have never been one.

Juan has been coming good for a long time and I'm so happy for him today. He deserves this win beyond measure. But him winning in the field he had is more impressive than Kim's, particularly in the final.

[freevideom]

DelPo by a country mile.

[loikrso]

Really

Really. I can't point you to a concrete prediction, but I didn't pick Serena to win this title. Once Kim got past Venus, I expected (but did not want) her to get past Serena too.

I thought this might end up being the widest open Slam on the women's tour this year and it was.

Del Potro beat the world No. 1 in a Slam final on his first try and this after being routed by the same player at the first Slam of the year. He was supposed to have a letdown after the "best day of [his] life" yesterday.

Huge. Upset.

[Nopayof]

I'll put this question here because I don't want to start a thread. Kim will not have enough tournaments to break into the top ten. Does the WTA have a rule that invites all GS champions to the YEC (kind of the ATP) or will she be left out of that tourney?
Because with Serena and Venus, she would be a favorite there.

[yxn2dC07]

Really

I did. Because Kimmy had a baby...she NEVER lost her tennis game She strengthened her body and got fit. And those two tourneys she played? The fire was there...the movement was there....her fantastic game was there...the ways she hits the ball like nobody and....each time she played it was better than the time before. When I saw her draw...I knew she was going to get past Venus. And Serena is tricky...But I saw a huge upset coming .....(but I expected it to be a bloody fantastic three setter...and fully expected Serena to be stunned by Kim's play....) that's why I didn't predict for Serena as the winner of the US Open. Kimmy coming in....was still a Grand Slam Champion.

Plus...having a kid does something to you. You could see it in Lindsay. You could see it in Kim. I didn't see any of Kim's old fears hanging around, none of her old fears messin' with her game..whoosh! I knew she was serious.

But JMDP? Totally expected a big meltdown on one of the biggest tennis theatres in the world...Too bad the meltdown came from my fav and not from JMDP!

[insightmike]

I'll put this question here because I don't want to start a thread. Kim will not have enough tournaments to break into the top ten. Does the WTA have a rule that invites all GS champions to the YEC (kind of the ATP) or will she be left out of that tourney?
Because with Serena and Venus, she would be a favorite there.

I think the invitations are based only on the rankings.