US Open

[stotty]

Is it me or has the forum had a wallpaper change.

I saw a bit of Shapavalov v Fritz yesterday. You can't help thinking that if Denis learnt to use a bit of finesse here and there, he would be a lot more more effective. It was a fine comeback, however. I thought Coric and Stephanos would be an interesting match up. Shame the wrong player won.

FAA has improved his serve quite a bit it seems. He stated he had been practicing and adapting his serve during lockdown. You would have thought a handful of others players might also have done that but it seems they haven't. What a golden opportunity the lockdown was for players to address technical issues. Oh well....at least FAA has a decent brain. His future might be bright.

[stotty]

Djokovic gets defaulted in a bizarre turn of events. Roger and Rafa must be delighted as the tournament was as sure as a bet can get. Just hand the trophy to Djokovic was how it was looking.

One thing is for sure is there will be a new champion outside the big 4, and Wawrinka, in goodness knows how long. Berrettini is looking pretty hot from what I have seen.

[glacierguy]

Wow, stunning.

[hockeyscout]

As we say in hockey - fans, players, officials - always keep your eye on the puck ... official sleepwalking on the job and completely zoned out ... and makes a spectacle of herself acting like she was hit with a John Isner’s serve ... like just walk off the court and don't detract from the match. Novak obviously a bit mindless - but come on, he is human, losing millions, stress, no woman, kids he can’t see, playing in a shitty bubble 20 plus hours away from home, invasive tests - Roger/Rafa the smart ones - fuck you, no. Roger’s wife probably said “hell no!!!” More things important than tennis. What a shit show of an event. At least in the NHL you can go beat the shit out of someone and have an outlet ... my heart bleeds for Novak. Yah, he is a bit of a goofy guy, kind of a dick ... never cared for him, doesn't have that inner hockey player quality in him ... plus the “sudden rocket improvement thanks to the gluten free diet ” ... all of its a bit forced, phony and much for me ... but, he is a young guy, evolving and his kids probably miss him. We are all learning this whole thing is nothing without the fans, eh? Boy in a few years when we have fan appreciation nights it will actually be sincere! How about that eh?

[stroke]

Wow, stunning.

At least she was not black, Novak could have been out of tennis forever.

[stroke]

As we say in hockey - fans, players, officials - always keep your eye on the puck ... official sleepwalking on the job and completely zoned out ... and makes a spectacle of herself acting like she was hit with a John Isner’s serve ... like just walk off the court and don't detract from the match. Novak obviously a bit mindless - but come on, he is human, losing millions, stress, no woman, kids he can’t see, playing in a shitty bubble 20 plus hours away from home, invasive tests - Roger/Rafa the smart ones - fuck you, no. Roger’s wife probably said “hell no!!!” More things important than tennis. What a shit show of an event. At least in the NHL you can go beat the shit out of someone and have an outlet ... my heart bleeds for Novak. Yah, he is a bit of a goofy guy, kind of a dick ... never cared for him, doesn't have that inner hockey player quality in him ... plus the “sudden rocket improvement thanks to the gluten free diet ” ... all of its a bit forced, phony and much for me ... but, he is a young guy, evolving and his kids probably miss him. We are all learning this whole thing is nothing without the fans, eh? Boy in a few years when we have fan appreciation nights it will actually be sincere! How about that eh?

I somewhat agree with some of your post, but he to me is way tougher than you imply. He won some massive matches vs the 2 best of all time, Roger and Rafael, having a winning record vs both. Not much else to say, but Rafael probably the toughest out ever in tennis, playing every point as if his life depended on it. And he defeated Roger in a lot of massive matches with the crowd basically treating him as if he was the visiting player in a Davis Cup match. He is to me about as tough as they come.

[hockeyscout]

Oh I think Novak is a pro’s pro ... he will sell his soul to the devil to win. A few kids like Dimitriev - not willing to go to that “dark place” to win a major.

[don_budge]

At least she was not black, Novak could have been out of tennis forever.

Yes...a not so subtle swipe at the anarchist "Black Lives Matter" movement. The BLM hoax. If they mattered why would a article like the one below be in play. Life matters until it doesn't and it sure as hell doesn't matter what color it is. Society is not without its problems. Birds of a feather flock together is human nature. There will always be a certain amount of "racism". But racism is such a nebulous term and it is used a the catch all in today's gotcha moment environment. The truth of the matter is not everybody likes everybody.

https://www.unz.com/sbpdl/define-irony-as-black-lives-matter-terrorism-rages-across-america-blacks-in-7-black-seattle-use-casket-to-lament-black-on-black-gun-violence-in-the-city/

The woman soaked it for all that it was worth. He didn't hit the ball all that hard. Unless it caught her squarely in the throat. Women...always up for a little drama. A guy might have "rubbed some dirt" on it and said play ball. Did I tell you of the time when this woman shanked a ball on the range in the bay next to me and it hit the front wall and ricocheted into my inside right shin. It felt like I had been shot. A golf ball is quite a bit harder than a tennis ball you know. But she was a good looker so I had to man up and not look like a woos. I didn't want her to feel bad in front of her kid. Besides if I played it smart she owed me something...right? For a few weeks now it has been real sensitive. Only recently is the pain subsiding. Maybe I should have soaked it for what it was worth. Tried for sympathy. Whatever.

Novak means nothing to me. I don't think of him other than a tennis player. He certainly is not the greatest ever in my book. I'm not sure if he is the top twenty. You see...he cannot volley or even begin to fathom on how to approach the net. He would be cat food for any player in the draw in the 1984 U. S. Open. Seriously...he would be lucky to get past the first round on the hard, slickety quick courts at Flushing Meadows that year. But he deserves what he got. No more...no less. I wouldn't even bother to vilify him. It was an accident. One thing I will say for him is he took his medicine like a man. No banshee crying and screaming like the demure Serena Williams. Not cries of racism or sexism. He knew he was wrong...albeit innocently so he went away peacefully and didn't in any way further detract from himself or the game of tennis. Which is important for a player of his stature.

Many times Novak Djokovic has shown rather violent displays of anger on the court when he has smashed racquet after racquet to smithereens. I wonder what the count is of racquets. But the thing about smashing those racquet is that is a potentially dangerous event and an accident waiting to happen. It only takes a shard of graphite to get in someone's eye and then you could have a lifelong situation. So he got what was coming to him in a way. I wonder if he will think his way out of smashing more racquets as a result of this accident. It would be a terrible shame to see him be on the receiving end of a shard of graphite. But I half expect he closes his eyes when he goes full nut case.

[arturohernandez]

Very unfortunate! COVID seems to have accelerated economic trends: Amazon, online shopping, telecommuting and video conferencing. It may have the same effect on tennis.

Do you think any of the remaining players see the chance at a major title as a sacrifice?

COVID may just accelerate the changing of the guard in tennis where a 20 year old hungry for a trophy will tolerate things a 35 year old won’t.

[stotty]

Sometimes I think God Almighty intervenes when it comes to Novak. 50mph winds at last year's FO, Wimbledon got cancelled, then he gets disqualified at the US Open...amazing. This year's FO may yet get cancelled with the escalating COVID situation going on over there. When it comes to the GOAT, someone up there doesn't want Novak to have it, at least in terms on the grand slam tally. But Novak is difficult to stop...even God Almighty might struggle to intervene enough. Novak still might just do it.

He has had outbursts in the past that have relied on good fortune when it comes to belting balls about in a moment of frenzy...the possibility was always there, lurking. But that night was about the lines woman. She milked it for all she was worth and wanted maximum coverage. She got it. I am not sure about the BLM movement. I am more of a ALM guy...all lives matter.

[postpre]

I must say, in the hyper liberal world of professional tennis, it's nice to read some thoughts that align more with my line of thinking :-).

[hockeyscout]

Very unfortunate! COVID seems to have accelerated economic trends: Amazon, online shopping, telecommuting and video conferencing. It may have the same effect on tennis. Do you think any of the remaining players see the chance at a major title as a sacrifice? COVID may just accelerate the changing of the guard in tennis where a 20 year old hungry for a trophy will tolerate things a 35 year old won’t.

Interesting - I have been doing these "new trends" since the 1990's - COVID won't accelerate any changing of the guard - it's just brought the top players in the game a few more year and time off from wear/tear/grind. Federer is gearing up with new bionic knees, Novak was 26-0 before the incident and Nadal is Nadal - this old guard ain't going anywhere for the next 3/8 years - today's 40 year old athlete can do what a 27 year old did 20 years ago.

[jimlosaltos]

Had to share this image.

Forehand Much? Dominic Thiem goes from outside his doubles alley {lower your right in red} to return serve to outside the opposite doubles alley to hit a forehand winner vs FAA. Putting in the miles. Set up match point, which Domi won with an full-tilt open-stance DTL one-handed backhand. {That's the only kind isn't it?} I combined frame caps from ESPN.


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[stotty]

Nice photo. Shows a world class player hitting from areas of the court that amateur players never contemplate...athleticism with a capital A

[stotty]

Tennis without the BIG 3. That is what you are looking at this week. Anyone can win from here...might as well draw the lottery in some respects. Plenty loathe Djokovic but he's the man to beat and he's set the bar so high only two others can live with him...one of those is 39. Does that say something to you?

You're looking at tennis without the BIG 3.