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Here's my summary of the potential quarters and some first round matches of potential interest IMHO.
ATP side: Top seed and soon to no longer be world number one, Carlos Alcaraz would meet Jannik Sinner to reprise their intense quarterfinal here last year, won by Carlos 63 67(7) 67(0) 75 63. They're 3-3 head-to-head with Sinner winning their most recent meeting, that in Miami as well as Wimbledon 2022, Carlos the USO.
Daniil Medvedev potentially meets childhood bud Andrey Rublev. All made up and friendly Casper Ruud and Holger Rune are slated in the third quarter. Djokovic is opposite Stef Tsitsipas (7), but I wouldn't bet on the Greek making it there given his current form. Novak yet again has the easiest draw with a teenage wild card and nine (9) qualifiers in his section. Highest seeds in his quarter after Stef are Taylor Fritz (9) and FAA (15), neither of which has exactly been a terror at majors.
On the WTA side per draw, top seed Iga would meet the woman that just beat her for the first time in Cinci, Coco! The other quarterfinals are potentially Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari. Then Carolina Garcia, who did quite well here last year vs the top US player, Billionairheir$$ Jessica Pegula, and Ons Jabeur vs Arnya Sabalenka, slice and dice vs bang and boom.
Most notable first round matches include both halves of Bad Tsitsi ! (I refuse to use Tsitsidosa for the couple since BadTsitisi is sooo much better.): Recovering Paula Badosa vs 43 yo Venus Williams. Yes - forty-three year old. Will one have a back brace, the other a walker? Kidding! Sort a'. Among the men is an upset alert , Tsitsipas meets another 'Slam finalist, Milos Raonic, who got his dangerous serve cranking in Toronto.
Also, Humbert-Berrettini is a potential firecracker R1 more suitable recently for a semifinal.
Women's R1 matches:
Rybakina vs Kostyuk
Stephens vs Haddad Maia
Alexandrova vs Fernandez
Andreescu vs Tsurenko
Giorgi vs Pegula
Jabeur vs Osorio
Kasatkina vs Parks
Badosa vs Venus
Notable men’s singles first round matches:
Raonic-Tsitsipas
Nishioka-Wawrinka
Coric-Baez
Humbert-Berrettini
Bublik-Thiem
Auger-Aliassime - McDonald
Djere-Nakashima
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I certainly agree with your compelling 1st rounders. Raonic could very well take out Stef, very possible, Nishi and Stan a toss up, Hubert Berrenttini a toss up, Bublic Theim a toss up, FAA McDonald pretty much a toss up also. FAA just cannot get any real traction it seems. Great game, but definitely an example it seems to me of sum of parts not indicative of the whole.Comment
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FAA is a player I want to cheer for, his personality and great talent. Started so fast. Then just plateaued.Originally posted by stroke View Post
Ill-founded mere speculation, but I suspect people under-estimate the impact of scouting and learning what works against players. Like a starting baseball pitcher who's good stuff "works" the first time through the lineup, then the second time, batters are on to it, an ATP pro can do well the "first time through the tour", then people catch on to their game. Perhaps FAA is an example. Big serve, but a rhythm server that can't hit a kick serve for some incomprehensible ( to me, anyway) reason. At that level, players can return most anything if they're sitting on it.Comment
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While we're on odds/ adding the WTA:
The latest 2023 U.S. Open odds have Swiatek as the +200 betting favorite (risk $100 to win $200). Second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka is at +440, while sixth-ranked Cori Gauff is at +700. Others favored to win include fourth-ranked Elena Rybakina at +700, third-ranked Jessica Pegula at +1000, and fifth-ranked Ons Jabeur at +1600.
https://www.cbssports.com/tennis/new...20slam%20title.
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Court 5 is packed SRO pro Berrenttini crowd vs Hubert. Matteo up 2 sets to love.Comment
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Grigor and his beautiful game out on court 7 down 2 sets to love(2 tiebreakers) vs Molcan. A big crowd out there supporting him.Comment
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Tsitsipas in trouble down 3-0 in 5th set.Comment
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Stef goes down to young Stricker. Both had a lot more winners than errors. Stricker a bad match-up for Stef, a leftie with good technique on all shots that could really hurt Tsitsipas on the ad serve all day, in addition to the leftie forehand to Stef's backhand.
Last edited by stroke; 08-30-2023, 12:46 PM.Comment
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Grigor vs Murray 1st up today. Oddsmakers have it at nearly a pick 'em. I am picking Grigor. Rublev up today vs Monfils.Comment
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It is a good match, but Grigor definitely looking like the better tennis player, up 2 sets and 3-1 in the 3rd.Comment
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If I'm reading this right, and please correct me if not (it's hard to read US O draw without numbers/ splits for quarters), Taylor Fritz is only two unseeded players away from meeting Djokovic.
Conversely, Fritz is the ONLY top 30 ranked player left in Djokovic's side. Not one single player in Djokovic's quarter was won a single match against him. Feels almost like the old Wimbledon challenge format where everyone else plays to meet the reigning champ, who only has to play the final -- except Alcaraz is the champ.
Hope Fritz makes it exciting.
I think -- think -- Tstisipas was the only player in Djokovic's half that had won a single match against him (2-11 H2H) and his last win was 10 losses ago.
Every other player that was beaten Djokovic was stuffed in the top, Alcaraz half. Medy 5 wins, Zverev 4 wins, etc. for a total of perhaps 29-30 wins vs Djoko in the other half.
Bizarre draw.Comment
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Fritz is a to me very interesting matchup for Novak. Novak just absolutely embarrassed him in Cincinatti. It was hard to watch to me actually. I have always believed in Fritz' game, but infinitely more importantly, Fritz believes in his game. I certainly hope this match comes to fruition.Comment
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