Sitting in his radio commentary booth at the United States Open, Russell Fuller was talking fast. The players on the court far below — Roger Federer and Mikhail Youzhny, slugging it out in a drawn-out second-round match in Arthur Ashe Stadium — were playing even faster, so he had to keep up.
Youzhny had the serve.
“Youzhny 15-30 down,” said Fuller, who works for BBC Radio 5 Live. “Forehand reply from Federer. Now backhand reply cross court. There goes Youzhny with a sliced backhand. Federer’s forehand deep. Youzhny’s backhand.”
His voice sped up, growing more urgent and excited, as if he were a Univision soccer correspondent covering a cattle auction.