US Open

[jimlosaltos]

Abbreviated cross post with "Portrait" on Zheng Qinwen, our tour portrait this month.

US Open just published a feature on Zheng

Excerpts: "This summer Zheng parted ways with Pere Riba, the current coach of Coco Gauff, and hired coaching legend Wim Fissette, the man who has guided numerous players to Grand Slam titles, including Kim Clijsters and, most recently, Naomi Osaka.

~~~~
The Belgian coach, who has also worked with Victoria Azarenka, Angelique Kerber and Simona Halep, is confident that Zheng will make strides, because he has seen the way she works.

What impresses him the most about her?

“First of all her desire to be the best,” he said. “She’s willing to do everything it takes. Athleticism is a very important one. And weapons. She’s a very explosive player with a big serve and a really big forehand. Also the backhand is really strong.

“I think from her strokes and athleticism there’s a lot there, but obviously she needs to grow as a player, make better choices.”

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-09-02/best_photos_from_around_the_grounds_on_day_5_of_the_2023_us_open.html

[stroke]

Chris Eubanks in the commentator box, alongside Pat McEnroe, working the Sheldon/Paul match. He is already shining in doing this. Going from Mary Carillo to him may be the biggest upgrade in the history of commentators.

[jimlosaltos]

Who says doubles doesn't draw crowds? Women's doubles filled the grandstand even with the schedule moved around, delayed and late.

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula played late at night, in a match delayed ~2 hours because of Pegula's singles, yet "packed the house" according to announcers.

Coco and Jessie seem to be doing everything -- singles, doubles, mixed doubles, lines people, clean up ....

Looked as if a lot of people were still there late at the end, too.

filedata/fetch?id=102041&d=1693759442&type=thumb

[jimlosaltos]

Attendance is off to a great start, despite high prices. Announcers said US Open might reach 1 Million total attendance. I have no idea if that is right, but it would be amazing.

Here's piece from earlier in the event
The U.S. Open continues to break single-session and daily attendance records in 2023, as yesterday the tournament eclipsed 73,000 in single-day attendance for the first time in event history with a record 73,007 fans. After Monday's then-record attendance of 72,957, the first three days of the 2023 U.S. Open have produced the two highest-attended days in the event's history. U.S. Open Fan Week attendance rose 41% overall from 2022, while Arthur Ashe Kids' Day on Aug. 27 also set an all-time attendance record of 40,868, breaking the previous high of 35,525 set in 2022 (U.S. Open).

On the other hand as Sports Illustrated put it: "There’s something distasteful about grounds passes going for more than Taylor Swift tickets. But the counter: It beats the alternative and at least there’s demand.

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-08-31/2023_us_open_continues_to_smash_attendance_records.html

https://www.ozarksfirst.com/sports/sports-illustrated/5988a4ba/the-favorites-are-rolling-at-the-u-s-open/

[jimlosaltos]

Carolina Wozniacki continues her amazing comeback, next facing Coco Gauff.

Woz has not played in a major since the 2020 Australian Open. After 3 yeas off and having 2 children.

There were 10 mothers entered in the US Open. I believe Woz is the only one remaining in play.

[stroke]

I would personally rather overpay for a US Open grounds pass than a Taylor Swift concert.

[jimlosaltos]

I would personally rather overpay for a US Open grounds pass than a Taylor Swift concert.

Ha! Not my thing either. Still, "grounds passes" for $300 is too greedy by far. USTA is supposedly a "not for profit" that will make about $300 Million on this event, gets taxpayer subsidies and uses public property at rent of about 1% of the proceeds, all while paying numerous executives 7-figure salaries.

Justification for taxpayer support is promoting tennis in US, but at these prices it's more like tennis for the Hamptons set.

P.S. I know a lawyer that bought Swift tickets for $400 and sold them for $4,000. The post-pandemic surge for live events is out of control. I can't imagine what the Super Bowl will be like.

[jimlosaltos]

Anyone seen Daniil Medvedev? Had another late night match (or should I say, early morning match since it absurdly ended at 1:30 AM ( "A" and "M") DESPITE being straight sets.

I wonder what form he's in. Mixed feelings. I'd like to see Medy have a rematch with Djokovic, but fear instead that Alcaraz will have to fight through both Zverev and Medy while Djokovic cruises into the final rested by his cushy draw.

USO:
Daniil Medvedev took a sledgehammer to Sebastian Baez's 12-match winning streak inside Arthur AsheStadium Saturday night, defeating the diminutive Argentine 6-2, 6-1 7-6(6) at 1:30 a.m.

[jimlosaltos]

Here are some USO ATP stats via Craig O'Shannessy (link at end for more). US Men are certainly crushing in on the service end. I watched Gojo up close at the Golden Gate Open challenger event just 2 weeks ago. Hard, flat serves.

Unreturned 1st Serves (Tournament Average = 37%)

1. F. Tiafoe 54%
2. T. Fritz 50%
3. B. Shelton 50%

Aces

1. B. Shelton 46
2. T. Paul 39
3. B. Gojo 38

Returns In (Tournament Average = 70%)

1. D. Medvedev 87%
2. A. de Minaur 83%
3. N. Djokovic 79%

Return Games Won (Tournament Average = 22%)

1. T. Fritz 61%
2. D. Medvedev 52%
3. A. de Minaur 51%

RALLY / NET
net Points Won (Tournament Average = 66%)

1. J. Sinner 78%
2. D. Stricker 76%
3. F. Tiafoe 74%

Serve & Volley Points Won (Tournament Average = 65%)

1. A. Zverev 89% (8/9)
2. J. Draper 89% (8/9
3. J. Sinner 88% (7/8)

Baseline Points Won (Tournament Average = 47%)

1. T. Fritz 65%
2. A. de Minaur 57%
3. D. Medvedev 57%

https://www.braingametennis.com/2023-us-open-round-16-men-who-is-crushing-so-far/?mc_cid=c560edb7fe&mc_eid=56c87aa1fa

[don_budge]

http://utakmice.net/tenis/

[stroke]

Sheldon just hit a 148 and a 149 mph serve, serving at 3-1, up 2 sets to love, over Paul. Being a lefty with that kind of pop, and really hitting all the spots with slice and kick, is quite the weapon. Maybe the best lefty serve since Wayne Arthurs.

[stroke]

Paul fights back and wins the 3rd in a very compelling match thus far. Paul is ATP number 14 for a reason. A prototype professional out there that does everything well.

[jimlosaltos]

Sheldon just hit a 148 and a 149 mph serve, serving at 3-1, up 2 sets to love, over Paul. Being a lefty with that kind of pop, and really hitting all the spots with slice and kick, is quite the weapon. Maybe the best lefty serve since Wayne Arthurs.

Wow. Haven't seen a lot of him so far. Raw game. Saw him lose one trying to destroy a forehand - from the service line. Nearly took the net down <g>

I also saw bits of a match (Challenger? ) where he attempted to serve and volley every point he served, to work on it. Stayed committed as match got close. That impressed me.

Physically reminded me a bit of Taylor Dent, who hit 150 mph at USO, I believe.

[stroke]

Wow. Haven't seen a lot of him so far. Raw game. Saw him lose one trying to destroy a forehand - from the service line. Nearly took the net down <g>

I also saw bits of a match (Challenger? ) where he attempted to serve and volley every point he served, to work on it. Stayed committed as match got close. That impressed me.

Physically reminded me a bit of Taylor Dent, who hit 150 mph at USO, I believe.

He is a somewhat similar strong build to Dent, but way more athletic.

[stroke]

I am looking forward to the Fritz vs the "young Henri Leconte" match. Fritz is of course the heavy favorite, but Stricker has game. It could be very interesting.