2018 U. S. Open Championships...ATP 2000...New York, New York U. S. A.

[stotty]

Novak takes the first set 6-3. It's a dull game, not too much shotmaking so far, just solid stuff.

You're not safe even when you're 40 love up on your serve against Novak. Roger found that out in Cincinnati too.

Let's hope Del Potro can play better and start belting that forehand, otherwise Novak is just too secure off the back for Del Potro to win it seems.

[stroke]

Well that is a most "liberal" interpretation of the events that transpired in the women's final. I really have to question how you say that a true tennis fan "should" no be concerned with the hysterical events that transpired during the course of the match. One would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not be concerned with what happened. Nope...this was a major, major meltdown and it could all have been simply avoided. But Serena continues with her persecution complex right to the bitter end of her career.

I don't consider myself a fan of tennis. Much less a true tennis fan. But if I were I don't think that I would like to be told what "should" matter to me or what "shouldn't" matter to me. That is really up to the individual and people tend to have different perspectives about different ideas about things. I know that there is a political movement that seems to believe that everyone must think the same way. If you don't then you run the risk of being called the "N" word. These days the "N" word is Nazi. I'm not buying into that one at all. I reject it altogether.

I consider myself a student of the game. As a student of the game I have done some teaching to a lot of different people. I would never tell my students anything that would even remotely suggest to them that all of them had to feel a certain way about anything. It's a big part of the beauty of the process. Letting people make up their own minds.

In this case we have a player with a history of some rather odd behaviour on the tennis court let alone off of it. It was a great performance by the young lady from Japan and she performed superbly all week long and what is more she undoubtably has dreamed her whole life of sharing a platform with Serena but I am rather certain she never dreamed in a million years that Serena would act so bizarrely in front of a stadium full of conscious, sane and rational people.

So actually the story is about Serena's behaviour. Athletes are aware of the microscope they live under and the demands it places on their personal behaviour. They have sponsors, fans as you say and a lot of people who have misplaced there moral compass when they assign the term "role model" to these flawed specimens of the human race. Flawed they are as the attention that is fawned on them, the money that is lavished on them gives them a false sense of their superiority to the rest of us. The reality of it is that this particular person, Serena Williams, has once again began a campaign to blame others and has introduced "sexism" to the story. As if all that she had to do was quietly accept the fact that her coach had perhaps signaled her and accept the warning. But no she caved in to a self induced fit of self indulgence and hysteria. She smashed a racquet and she proceeded to not accept responsibility of where she was and what it was she was doing.

Here is a moron who will blame everyone else but herself for here bizarre meltdown. Not only this, but she has an infant daughter who is going to look up to this person as a role model someday. There is much here to observe and analyse. If someone wants to turn a blind eye for whatever reason that is their business. But I for one think that it is high time that these prima donnas are called out on there shenanigans. The same might be said for the skunk in the men's draw. Just as Serena robbed her opponent of her moment of glory (Serena being the thief in this case) Nadal robbed Juan Martin his moment too. But none of it means a little bit to either of these true narcissistic children. It's duplicitous world we live in. Rules for one that don't apply to the other. Ironic that it shows that once again that tennis metaphors life in more than one way.

But then again...I hardly consider myself a fan. More of a student. Students have minds that are free to make their own way. Nobody "should" think of this event one way or another. Everyone "should" have the opportunity to weigh in with their own feelings...if they happen to have any.

Db, your take on Serena and her essence, I agree completely. As I am sure you know, I do not agree about Nadal. I do think he is a great champion and has nothing in common with Serena.

[stroke]

Novak takes the first set 6-3. It's a dull game, not too much shotmaking so far, just solid stuff.

You're not safe even when you're 40 love up on your serve against Novak. Roger found that out in Cincinnati too.

Let's hope Del Potro can play better and start belting that forehand, otherwise Novak is just too secure off the back for Del Potro to win it seems.

Pat McEnroe termed Novak right now as erilly composed and said when he gets there, no where to go for his opponent. I agree with that and love that assessment of Novak at his best. When he is there, he is playing tennis at a higher level than anyone ever has, even Fed.

[tennis_chiro]

Pat McEnroe termed Novak right now as erilly composed and said when he gets there, no where to go for his opponent. I agree with that and love that assessment of Novak at his best. When he is there, he is playing tennis at a higher level than anyone ever has, even Fed.

at 5-6 in the second set:
I’ve seen Del Potro win matches where he looked further behind than this. It can be a very long process against him. Obviously, very tough if he doesn’t get this set, but Novak is wasting a lot of nervous energy on frustration AND FEAR.

I think Del Potro has a little momentum heading into the tie-breaker and even more if he pulls off the break here.

don

PS . And there was absolutely nothing wrong with Nadal's behavior in the semis. Nothing!

[tennis_chiro]

Oddmakers have Novak at about 70% chance of winning the match.

Odds just went to about 95%, but not 100%

don

[stotty]

at 5-6 in the second set:
I’ve seen Del Potro win matches where he looked further behind than this. It can be a very long process against him. Obviously, very tough if he doesn’t get this set, but Novak is wasting a lot of nervous energy on frustration AND FEAR.

I think Del Potro has a little momentum heading into the tie-breaker and even more if he pulls off the break here.

don

PS . And there was absolutely nothing wrong with Nadal's behavior in the semis. Nothing!

Djokovic somehow squeezes through...2 sets to love. Djokovic is so incredibly good. There so many times he could have lost that set yet he hung on.

Long way back for Del Potro if Djokovic continues to be so stingy.

Bedtime for Stotty...late over here...not the most attractive game to watch.

[tennis_chiro]

Djokovic somehow squeezes through...2 sets to love. Djokovic is so incredibly good. There so many times he could have lost that set yet he hung on.

Long way back for Del Potro if Djokovic continues to be so stingy.

Bedtime for Stotty...late over here...not the most attractive game to watch.

Stingy is exactly the right word.

don

[tennis_chiro]

Just some stats to look at:

Feet run in Match and Match time

Delpo/Djokovic, 3 sets, 3 hours 15 minutes, 96 points/110 points

Delpo - 11395 ft. Djoker - 11904 ft


Cilic/deMinaur, 5 sets, 4 hours, 167 points/166 points

Cilic - 14066 ft, de Minaur - 17425 ft


Cilic/Nishikori, 5 sets, 4 hours 8 minutes, 152 points/144 points

Cilic - 9689 ft, Nishikori - 10 729 ft


Nadal/Thiem, 5 sets, 4 hours 49 minutes, 166 points/171 points

Nadal - 15270 ft, Thiem - 15018 ft


Just think if Delpo/Djokovic had gone 5 sets!

don

[tennis_chiro]

Just finished watching the recording of the Women's Doubles Final. These ladies can really volley. And the volley technicque from all four is so good. I wonder how much of Vandeweghe's volleys has to do with coach Pat Cash, one of the all time great volleyers on the men's tour and a Wimbledon champion in 87. If you get a chance to watch it, it's really entertaining.

don

[don_budge]

Bedtime for Stotty...late over here...not the most attractive game to watch.

I chose sleep. Didn't see a point of it. No regrets. I guess I am not a fan at all. As a student of the game I am inclined to believe that this fairy tale is over. Good night Roger Federer Era.

[don_budge]

Db, your take on Serena and her essence, I agree completely. As I am sure you know, I do not agree about Nadal. I do think he is a great champion and has nothing in common with Serena.

PS . And there was absolutely nothing wrong with Nadal's behavior in the semis. Nothing!

The ceremony was the worst part for me. I can, to an extent, accept what went on during the match in the heat of the moment, but the ceremony was awful, and poor Osaka was left meek and almost looked ashamed to lift the trophy.

By the way. Just so there is no misunderstanding. Whether you agree and disagree with me is totally irrelevant. I always look forwards to your comments and thoughts. Always...always...always.

[stotty]

By the way. Just so there is no misunderstanding. Whether you agree and disagree with me is totally irrelevant. I always look forwards to your comments and thoughts. Always...always...always.

We all know this by now, don_budge. It's great to have diversity of opinion and the freedom to express it. How lucky are we.

[stotty]

Stingy is exactly the right word.

don

I stole the word of Jim Courier who last year used the same word to describe Bjorn Borg's style of play on a clay court.

[stotty]

Pat McEnroe termed Novak right now as erilly composed and said when he gets there, no where to go for his opponent. I agree with that and love that assessment of Novak at his best. When he is there, he is playing tennis at a higher level than anyone ever has, even Fed.

True. Roger once said that once Novak starts moving well and blanketing the baseline, he's the most difficult player to beat.

[stroke]

By the way. Just so there is no misunderstanding. Whether you agree and disagree with me is totally irrelevant. I always look forwards to your comments and thoughts. Always...always...always.

ha, no misunderstanding. But on Serena, your take was too good, cut and paste. I cannot express my thoughts as well, great writing.