My hands were on my knees as I stood bent over behind the baseline. After retaining my title in Houston last month, I was choking back tears.

I looked to the sky and pumped my fist as I walked to the net to embrace my opponent, Tennys Sandgren, a first-time finalist who I knew wanted to win his first trophy badly. When I put my head down on his chest, Tennys said something I will never forget.

​“I know our Dads are watching in the crowd.”