US Open Men's Finals on 9/11/11

Last week, the United States Tennis Association announced that it would pay special tribute to those lost on 9/11/01 during the Men's and Women's finals on September 10th and 11th.

September 11th and Sports

The last major sporting event in New York City prior to the tragedy of September 11th was the 2001 US Open Men's Final between Lleyton Hewitt and Pete Sampras on September 9, 2001. Neither the Yankees nor the Mets played in New York on September 10th. The Yankees game for September 10th versus the Red Sox was rained out.

In a very emotional return of sports to New York City, the Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves on September 21, 2001. We had 10 days without major sports as a result of the terrorist attacks, but the Mets brought sports back with class, reverence, and superb performance.

A bit more than a month later, starting on October, 27, 2001, the New York Yankees took on the Arizona Diamondbacks in a memorable World Series that included incredible late-inning comebacks by the Yankees and a perfect strike first pitch by U.S. President George Bush before game 3. The Diamondbacks ultimately prevailed, but the 2001 World Series provided healing for New York City and for the country.

The US Open paid tribute to the heroes and loved ones lost on September 11, 2001 at the 2002 US Open, but the US Open ended prior to September 11th every year.

This year, 2011, exactly 10 years after the tragedy, the US Open Men's finals will fall on September 11th, and the United States Tennis Association, the organizers of the US Open, will pay tribute to our heroes and lost loved ones once again.

Tributes at the 2011 US Open

The tributes will include performances by Cyndi Lauper and Queen Latifah, and both the Men's and Women's finals will take place with "9/11/01" written on the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Yesterday, an American woman, Serena Williams, won the Canadian Open in Toronto, and an American man, Mardy Fish, competed in the Finals of the Canadian Open in Montreal.

Perhaps we can have an American man and an American woman in the finals of the US Open on September 10th and September 11th this year to help us pay tribute to the victims and heroes of the tragedy of 10 years ago.