Opinion Tennis begins at 42

Leander Paes and Martina Hingis with their US Open trophy after they won the title. (AP Photo)

Autumn was in full bloom this year in New York. Every final contested at Flushing Meadows — men’s and women’s singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles — boasted of one player in their 30s. Leander Paes picked up his 17th doubles title, and third of the season, at age 42. Tennis was suddenly defying every ageist perception held against it in the last decade, with Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal winning slams as teenagers.

Autumn burst forth in all its glory when Roger Federer (34), Martina Hingis (34), Leander Paes (42), Nicolas Mahut (33), Roberta Vinci (32) and Flavia Pennetta (33) made the finals of the September weekend. Tennis seems to be swinging from the celebration of teen upstarts to a wisened appreciation of champions who plod and persevere, and games pickled over years. Djokovic walked away with the title, but New York was abuzz for a fortnight since its first sighting of the SABR, the Sneak Attack by Roger. An ageing warrior’s defiant weapon, the net-rushing return developed over the summer was rushing younger opponents, driving them helter skelter. The Swiss would waltz into the final having dropped serve just twice in the tournament and not having lost a set since Wimbledon, and despite the loss, his efforts at continuing to reinvent the game were applauded, and even Boris Becker bothered to show some sulk.

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The world egged on Serena Williams, at 33, to go for the calendar slam, and it was brilliant that she would lose not to some brash teenager, but 32-year-old Roberta Vinci, who fought back to claim her spot in the all-Italian final. Flavia Pennetta, the Italian who won her first slam in her last match, would surprise the world by announcing her retirement the same day. Leander Paes has remained ageless for a decade now. He had by his side Martina Hingis, who seems unbeatable in doubles this year. At 34, the night is still young.