Week 35/36 - US Open Main Draw, USA Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Week 35/36 - US Open Main Draw, USA Hard

LordBrownof · Futures level

It's been a very grim day, huh? Jo's game just wasn't "on" today. Missed lots of balls, low first serve % and some questionable shot selection. That said, Krunic played very well - some great shots and was very solid - she's a great defender too and always made Jo play an extra ball.

Question - does Jo need a plan B? She doesn't switch tactic, whatever the circumstance. Continues to push and push - very much like Venus - even if she's missing.

It'll be a very strange Singapore line up without Jo this year - QF in Aus, win in Sydney and Miami and SF at Wimbledon and shot at World Number 1. Let's hope she can win a title to end the year strongly.

markymc1983 · Club Coach

I think Jo needs to work on her defensive game, in particular by developing a slice backhand.

philwrig · Hall of fame

As tight as a drum, against an inspired opponent, a bit deja vu from the French, but this was on a hard court at one of her favourite tournaments. She's usually very good at playing one point at a time, but today, a bad miss would be followed by further poor play, also very angsty with her camp at one stage, which isn't the Jo we've come to expect over the last 2 years.

indiana · Tennis legend

For now Jo is fairly clear in the top 8 in the race but the gaps can now at least narrow and clearly will in some cases.

5. Wozniacki : 4170 +
6. V Williams : 3832 +
7. Konta : 3646 + 9 (net) = 3655
8. Ostapenko : 3364 +
9. Mladenovic : 2867 +
10. Kuznetsova : 2776 +
11. Vandeweghe : 1974 +

Ostapenko is fairly close to Jo but I guess gets to the tour finals anyway on the strength of her French Open title, though I don't know for sure with the women.

There are then two players starting here 779 and 870 points back from Jo. Kiki has not been in great form of late after a very good first part of the year. My main concern would be Kuznetsova ( again after pipping Jo to the tour finals last year ). At Wimbledon and Cincinnati Kuznetsova ran into Muguruza in the QF and has given her two good matches, particularly in Cincy, though she did lose in her first round to Bellis in Canada.

There is then currently a very large gap to the next batch of players, headed by #11 Vandeweghe with Kerber at #16 on 1785 points.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

From what i understand, both Heather and Jo were said to be sounding confident and upbeat prior to their matches. So that's obviously proven to be worth nothing judging by the description of these performances.

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

I do wonder if only choosing to play in 1 of 3 warm up tournaments was the best plan for Jo. I know burn out is a concern but she strikes me as someone who really depends on rhythm and consistency to be at her best and she has played very little tennis since Wimbledon. I think Kyle just gave a good demonstration today of the value of entering a big tournament on the back of a run of matches whereas Jo may have presented a good case for not coming in undercooked.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
For now Jo is fairly clear in the top 8 in the race but the gaps can now at least narrow and clearly will in some cases.

5. Wozniacki : 4170 +
6. V Williams : 3832 +
7. Konta : 3646 + 9 (net) = 3655
8. Ostapenko : 3364 +
9. Mladenovic : 2867 +
10. Kuznetsova : 2776 +
11. Vandeweghe : 1974 +

Ostapenko is fairly close to Jo but I guess gets to the tour finals anyway on the strength of her French Open title, though I don't know for sure with the women.

There are then two players starting here 779 and 870 points back from Jo. Kiki has not been in great form of late after a very good first part of the year. My main concern would be Kuznetsova ( again after pipping Jo to the tour finals last year ). At Wimbledon and Cincinnati Kuznetsova ran into Muguruza in the QF and has given her two good matches, particularly in Cincy, though she did lose in her first round to Bellis in Canada.

There is then currently a very large gap to the next batch of players, headed by #11 Vandeweghe with Kerber at #16 on 1785 points.

My reading of the rules is that Ostapenko does not automatically qualify due to her Roland Garros success. However, the rules as stated say top 7 on WTA race qualify, plus one at the discretion of the WTA, extraordinary circumstances etc. If WTA do not take up their option, then number 8 on the WTA race qualifies. So clearly there is a danger that the WTA might opt to include a slam winner over the official 8th place in the race.

indiana · Tennis legend

Thanks kundalini.

I did slightly wonder if the tour finals champion ( Cibulkova ) got back, but apparently not with the top 7 guaranteed plus one extra and I would imagine if Ostapenko doesn't make the top 7 she'd currently be the most likely. As I indicated, for now real evil eye is on Kuznetsova. Don't take it personally, Svetlana. And Ostapenko too I guess now.

If say Ostapenko does make the top 7, Jo is 8th, and noone from outside the top 8 wins the US Open to put a case, how high is Jo's stock and might the WTA come up with someone else? - I mean Sharapova should be available !!! disbelief

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 29th of August 2017 04:04:07 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

And now Sharapova beats Halep 6-4 4-6 6-3

She did somehow lose the 2nd set from 4-1* and 40-30* BP by not taking that BP, being broken, not taking either of 2 BPs, being broken and finally not taking any of 5 BPs.

But in the final set she broke early and although she did face a BP at *5-3 saved it and then took her first MP.

Half the bottom quarter 8 seeds are out in R1 including the top 2 and the 3rd, Cibulkova, came back from a set down.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

skibbarriz wrote:
From what i understand, both Heather and Jo were said to be sounding confident and upbeat prior to their matches. So that's obviously proven to be worth nothing judging by the description of these performances.

Unless that came from their parents, coach, best friend, not sure you can give any weight to players' official comments about how they are feeling.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

theemptyvessel wrote:
I do wonder if only choosing to play in 1 of 3 warm up tournaments was the best plan for Jo. I know burn out is a concern but she strikes me as someone who really depends on rhythm and consistency to be at her best and she has played very little tennis since Wimbledon. I think Kyle just gave a good demonstration today of the value of entering a big tournament on the back of a run of matches whereas Jo may have presented a good case for not coming in undercooked.

Yes, I agree.

JoKo seems to like a 'groove' where she doesn't really have to think, or change anything, just press 'go'. And it's very difficult to get that groove unless you've been playing.

Oh well....

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

One thing about the Halep loss is hopefully it stops Siomna getting near the top ranking based on her rubbish she's out on the tennis court the past 12 months. I do hope now Garbine storms to the title and the #1 ranking.

scottie1 · Futures level

Mervatron2 wrote:
One thing about the Halep loss is hopefully it stops Siomna getting near the top ranking based on her rubbish she's out on the tennis court the past 12 months. I do hope now Garbine storms to the title and the #1 ranking.

I tipped Mugurza to win Wimbledon and in my eyes she is favourite for US Open too

indiana · Tennis legend

I see that after turning over Sascha Zverev in Cincinnati, Francis Tiafoe took Fed to five sets on Ashe ast night.

Great teens, particularly in Tiafoe and Shapovalov, coming up to follow the decent crop of young 20s players, the relative washout of the now mid 20s group and the great older players, particularly now in their 30s.

I am currently making up a table of players through to the L64. The lack of good mid 20s players, already fairly well known, is just being so far highlighted again.

I guess that's one thing that has kept the great older players going, that such a generation of pretenders just didn't emerge, and even now the really talented younger players are still maturing.