US Open

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Sheldon gets it done in 4. Great win and great match. Sheldon certainly looks like the real deal.

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One more observation, Bryan Sheldon and Christian Ruud are templates for "Tennis Dads".

[stotty]

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.

I just arrived back from the US after visiting my mother, who is now 90 and lives in Maine. I usually visit her once a year. Post Covid I am astonished a the steady and rapid increases in prices in the US. Going to the supermarket (Hannafords) was a joke. A loaf of bread was $6, a packet of biscuits $5...the list goes on. Inflation has taken hold here too but not like over there. I think there is a bit of greedflation going on if you ask me.

Personally I think governments should control the price of staple foods.

As for ground ticket prices, they seem astronomical too....greedy pricing.

[jimlosaltos]

I just arrived back from the US after visiting my mother, who is now 90 and lives in Maine. I usually visit her once a year. Post Covid I am astonished a the steady and rapid increases in prices in the US. Going to the supermarket (Hannafords) was a joke. A loaf of bread was $6, a packet of biscuits $5...the list goes on. Inflation has taken hold here too but not like over there. I think there is a bit of greedflation going on if you ask me.

Personally I think governments should control the price of staple foods.

As for ground ticket prices, they seem astronomical too....greedy pricing.

"Greedflation" is a good term. Early supply chain shortages showed vendors they could get away with price hikes so, in many industries, they've continued after supply shortages stopped. Consumer spending remains strong, with wages up for lower quartile, and savings up during pandemic.

Sadly, Current political envirnoment won't allow strong government intervention on prices for staples.

[jimlosaltos]

Strong close out by Coco in good -- if erratic, up and down match -- Woz.

Kudos to both. Woz back after 3 years off and two kids had a good event. This match seemed in her grasp early in third set.

Coco showed real tenacity in the third. Her defense in stretches is awesome. What speed.

[jimlosaltos]

Ostapenko's win over Iga late last night was something to see.

By ranking it is an upset but by match-up it is no surprise. The eccentric Latvian is 4-0 vs Iga.

"Alona" 's hands are amazing. Iga's second serve normally "seems" attackable, but behind that service Iga's speed and ability to hit on the run negates that -- not last night.

Iga's wonderful but complex forehand we talked about here broke down under Alona's sheer velocity. Iga has no plan A. Now, her plan A is better than most anyone' A+ mode, but she has no plan B.

Alona was standing inside the baseline on most second serve returns I saw and had plenty of time to simply T off. When Iga went into her default cross-court forehand mode, Alona just teed off.

With her forehand neutralized, Iga had no response.

[jimlosaltos]

Sheldon gets it done in 4. Great win and great match. Sheldon certainly looks like the real deal.

My guess is that Sheldon is a bigger threat amongst what's left on Djokovic's half of the draw than Fritz and Tiafoe because of one skill he has that you've mentioned -- he can hit all four corners.

If Djoko moves back, ala what he did vs Gojo, Sheldon's slice will take him to the hot dog stand to retrieve his serve <g>.

Of course, Sheldon's still got to get there.

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Nightmare, Mary Carillo back in the booth for Alcaraz vs Arnaldi.

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My guess is that Sheldon is a bigger threat amongst what's left on Djokovic's half of the draw than Fritz and Tiafoe because of one skill he has that you've mentioned -- he can hit all four corners.

If Djoko moves back, ala what he did vs Gojo, Sheldon's slice will take him to the hot dog stand to retrieve his serve <g>.

Of course, Sheldon's still got to get there.

Novak a heavy favorite vs Fritz with an implied probability of winning at about 86%. Taylor has Novak and the scar tissue of Cincinnati to overcome, a very tough ask. Taylor really has only the advantage of youth. Taylor just is not good volleying, or playing the touch game in the forecourt, so he really just needs to outhit Novak. He basically needs to serve lights out and really dictate with his forehand(and hope Novak is not in the mood to play whole match).

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Sinner, Big Foe, and Wall of Med are solid favorites over Sheldon, Zverev, and the demon. The Goblin makes the quarter over Draper.

[jimlosaltos]

If you thought Madison Keys was just discharged from a witness protection program to play pro tennis again, it's understandable.

But she has turned back the clock at the US Open. Takes out third seed Jessie Pegula in straight sets winning 62 to 40 total points.

21 winners to 6 (single digits).

[jimlosaltos]

Quinwen Zheng, this month's Tour Portrait subject, moves to the quarterfinals against the winner of Kasatkina v Sabalenka.

If it is Zheng vs Aryna it should be one slugfest. Neither plays with a semblance of moderation

Saby will become our world number one player, regardless of what she does the rest of the way, after Iga's entertaining if one-sided loss to Ostapenko last night.

Iga lost the match, her title and her number one ranking all in one bad night at the office. Back to the bakery.

[jimlosaltos]

What's wrong with European tennis? Who'll save European tennis from the American onslaught < kidding ! >

The Dominators ! ! !

Ben Shelton
Madison Keys
Coco Gauff
Frances Tiafoe
Taylor Fritz.

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https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-09-04/taylor_fritz_ready_for_novak_djokovic_quarterfinal s_showdown_at_the_2023_us_open.html

Fritz vs Novak 2nd match up on Stadium 1. I would have to think the scheduling in that slot did not catch Novak by surprise. Sheldon vs Tiafoe get the early morning assignment.

Zverev very impressive in grinding out a 5 set win over Sinner. It was quite the slugfest as to be expected. Zverev can certainly slug with anyone as we know.

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https://www.tennis365.com/us-open/taylor-fritz-handed-big-advantage-novak-djokovic-usopen-showdown

Roddick says this scheduling is a plus for Fritz. It would be very interesting to know what happened to determine this match scheduling.