In a Better World Than This

It would be a satisfying experience full of life-affirming resonances to see Lindsay Davenport win the Australian Open title tomorrow on a reflex volley—the kind of reaction shot that comes just a little more easily to a crack doubles player. That’s because even after eking out a 9-7-in-the-third win over Alicia Molik a few nights ago, Davenport refused to pull out of the doubles in order to focus on her gathering singles opportunity. She had only one reason for choosing such a course, and it was a high-minded one; she didn’t want to disappoint her partner, Corina Morariu. You may remember
that Davenport and Morariu won Wimbledon in 1999, and have lost in the Australian Open final twice. So you can see why Davenport would say, “There’s probably not many girls I’d play doubles with, let alone stick it out {while still in the singles} late in the second week of a Grand Slam.”

But those loyal sentiments were freighted with extra meaning today, for this was the first Grand Slam final that the squad contested since Morariu abruptly left the tour for about three years, starting in the spring of 2001, to wage a debilitating, life-and-death struggle with leukemia. You can get all the details here.

“You know,” Davenport said, shortly after she and Morariu lost the doubles final to Molik and Svetlana Kuznetsova this afternoon, “We just thought it was a pretty cool thing to be back after four years, when, certainly for years there, we didn’t think there was any possibility of even playing, let alone trying to win it again.”

Three of the finalists struggled with their emotions during the trophy presentation after the match (Kuznetsova, as is often the case, had the disinterested look of someone waiting for a bus), and Davenport had to wipe away tears as Morariu reflected on her comeback before the crowd.

Molik brought them all back from the brink, quipping, “The tournament should add Kleenex as a sponsor.”