An article from: La Repubblica

MASTERS

NEW YORK. Standing ovation for Noah's invention. He thanks, bows to the right and the left, almost as praying Allah. Comes back to the chair, while the Madison collapses under the applauses, Edberg meets him smiling, they clap each other's hand. A basketball-like "high five", in a basketball temple.

It's not an exhibition, it's a match at the Masters, a match that could mean qualifying, that anyway is worth 20 thousand dollars for the winner.

And then? Simple, when Noah plays, tennis is fun. All was born out of an Edberg's lob. First game of the third set, 40-0 Noah. Yannick, passed by the ball, had chased it with the Swede coming to the net. With the back to the net, a masterpiece: through the legs, a passing came out unreachable for Edberg.

"How would I name that shot? Why not shot through the legs?". He doesn't name it, he does it. He already did it once against Arias, "but it wasn't a winner, I won the point on the successive rally". Cbs had fallen in love with such a bravery, showing it again and again for tens of times. Well, Noah makes the show.

But Noah doesn't win. Yes, because Edberg did, as in the previous four matches. The Swede saved a match-point, on 5-6 in the third set. Serve and perfect backhand volley, played before the body. Then he closed the tie-break, 7 points to 4. "A very close match", Edberg admitted. He won 107 points, Noah 105. A minimal difference. But Noah didn't win.

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