I’ve been too busy to get this done since Sunday evening, so here it is a couple of days late…

Justine Henin was never really challenged in the women’s final Saturday night. She won her second grand slam this year without losing a set (she also did so at the French.) She’s the best out there right now. She was all smiles as she received her trophy and $1.4 million check. Even during an unfortunate slip up by Dick Enberg, who called her Justine Henin-Hardenne in the post-match ceremonies (she divorced her husband earlier this year.)

As for the men, I was, of course, disappointed that my man Novak Djokovic fell in the finals (6-7, 6-7, 4-6). I was particularly surprised it was a straight set match. It was sort of a good news/bad news day for Novak. Good news, you’ve reached your first grand slam final. Bad news, Roger Federer is on the other side of the net. Djokovic had his chances. He had five set points in the first set. He served at 6-5, 40-0 and Federer would not go down, forcing a tiebreak, which he won. In the second, he then had two break points on Federers serve – also set points – but could not break him. Federer again forced (and won) a tiebreak. After that, it was pretty evident that it was over.

The thing I loved about Djokovic is that after the match and during the ceremonies, he was always smiling. He seems like a guy who is having a good time, despite the loss. Of course, he may also be smiling because he knows his time is coming, and coming soon. The gap is closing. Federer is still the best, and he continues to amaze me with his shotmaking ability. He seems to be able to make shots nobody else can, even when out of position or off balance. He almost seems superhuman at times, and appears to simply refuse to lose.

But despite that, he’s having to work harder. Nadal, had he remained healthy in the fifth set, may have upset him at Wimbledon. Federer had to play his best against two great matches by Roddick and Djokovic to hold on at the Open. He will be challenged, I believe, in the coming year by Nadal and Djokovic, and perhaps others. But for now – with his 12th grand slam title – he remains the best, and he proved it again this week.

So, another Open has come and gone. Each year, though, I’m reminded that it is the best of the grand slams, and this year was no exception.