Stosur wins US open

Stosur's victory was phenomenal in scoreline and composure. She was dignified and dripping in Australian-ness. Her acceptance speech was humble and endearing, amounting to little more than a "thanks for having me" to the people of New York before she climbed into the grandstand a la Pat Cash at Wimbledon.

An American reporter enquired about the roll-up-your-sleeves psyche of Australian athletes compared with Williams's more . . . confrontational approach. "We grow up being taught that whether you're playing tennis or whatever other sport, be respectful and friendly and nice to people," Stosur said. "In tennis nowadays, maybe that kind of gets lost. I think it's important you go out there and play between the lines and play a good match. That's the way I was always taught to play, go out there and have respect for every single opponent you play."  The surface at Melbourne Park is cut from a very similar cloth to Flushing Meadows'. A full-blown tilt at the Australian Open looms. "Hopefully this is the first day of a new beginning for me as a player," Stosur said.

By Will Swanton.