Weeks 35 & 36: US Open, New York (hard)

flamingowings · All-time great

Weeks 35 & 36: US Open, New York (hard)

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, as doors seemed to be opening all over the place Lady Luck slams a big one firmly in Kyle's face.

What a shame

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Correct decision from Kyle but what a shame. Up until the injury, that was anybody's match.

theemptyvessel · Club Coach

Vandenburg wrote:
Even Bolder prediction:

Kevin Anderson will reach the USO final.

Just noticed this and got to say with the field as it stands it could be set up for big Kevin after a couple of pretty hellish injury hit years. I for one would not be unhappy to see him lift the title, a lot more to his game than just a big serve and a thoroughly nice guy to boot.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Such a shame for Kyle. He was playing well, too......

Congrats to Lorenzi, though, age 35, making the fourth round of a Slam for the first time, at his 26th (!) attempt.

indiana · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Such a shame for Kyle. He was playing well, too......

Congrats to Lorenzi, though, age 35, making the fourth round of a Slam for the first time, at his 26th (!) attempt.

Yes, great for Lorenzi and a L16 win over Kevin Anderson ( who has dispatched Coric in straight sets ) should see him take out his CH 33 first achieved way back in err May 2017.

I'm with theemptyvessel though. Kevin Anderson is my new "who I most want to win the title".

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Bob in Spain wrote:
Correct decision from Kyle but what a shame. Up until the injury, that was anybody's match.

It was the right decision and he played an excellent first set however as I thought mighty happen Shapovalov was starting to read his game and was certainly in the ascendancy when the injury started. Personally I never thought he would win from 1-1. As soon as the 'fearhand' went off there wasn't any variation to the play, he may have managed to hustle it but Dennis was looking the more assured and confident player despite his years.

It is a real shame the way the draw is going, it's without doubt the poorest Slam for at least a decade, possibly pre Fed. We are going to have some very average ATP players possibly even challenger hustlers like Lorenzi in the quarters maybe even beyond that. Its almost a case of names in the hat for this years finalist on the weaker side of this years US Chal... I mean US Open.

Currently watching Schwartzan V Cilic replay, Maran looked about 80 per cent fit. Schwartzman is another hard working grinder but the quality and entertainment on offer here is minimal.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

indiana wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Such a shame for Kyle. He was playing well, too......

Congrats to Lorenzi, though, age 35, making the fourth round of a Slam for the first time, at his 26th (!) attempt.

Yes, great for Lorenzi and a L16 win over Kevin Anderson ( who has dispatched Coric in straight sets ) should see him take out his CH 33 first achieved way back in err May 2017.
I'm with the emptyvessel though. Kevin Anderson is my new "who I most want to win the title".

I ll join you in that club I think. Starting to be sparse pickings of those left this year. So come on Big Kev!

flamingowings · All-time great

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Bob in Spain wrote:
Correct decision from Kyle but what a shame. Up until the injury, that was anybody's match.
It was the right decision and he played an excellent first set however as I thought mighty happen Shapovalov was starting to read his game and was certainly in the ascendancy when the injury started. Personally I never thought he would win from 1-1. As soon as the 'fearhand' went off there wasn't any variation to the play, he may have managed to hustle it but Dennis was looking the more assured and confident player despite his years.
It is a real shame the way the draw is going, it's without doubt the poorest Slam for at least a decade, possibly pre Fed. We are going to have some very average ATP players possibly even challenger hustlers like Lorenzi in the quarters maybe even beyond that. Its almost a case of names in the hat for this years finalist on the weaker side of this years US Chal... I mean US Open.
Currently watching Schwartzan V Cilic replay, Maran looked about 80 per cent fit. Schwartzman is another hard working grinder but the quality and entertainment on offer here is minimal.

Marin hadn't played since Wimbledon final so lacked any warm up tournaments and form.

One of the following will be the finalist from this side of the draw:

Querrey
Albot
M.Zverev
Isner
Lorenzi
Anderson
Shapovalov
Carreño Busta
Pouille
Schwartzman

Women's side much better but a shame Garbine and Petra play R4.

-- Edited by flamingowings on Friday 1st of September 2017 09:51:25 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

I wonder if Andy had foreseen how 'his half' of the draw might play out when he was greetin at pulling out. Reach the L32 and today would have been vs Schwartzman who rather than get an unfit Andy got an unfit Cilic to play.

indiana · Tennis legend

Querrey and Mischa Zverev complete the bottom half of the last 16. So Isner held the baton as highest ranked in that half for just a few hours before losing to Zverev and passing that baton on to (12) Carrero Busta WR 19. PCB, who'ed have thunk ?!

So of course it is a historically very weak looking half of a Slam draw, extremely weak in ranking terms. Though just let's not go too far, it's essentially a decent group of ATP tour players.

6 of the 8 are seeded here with WRs from 19 to 33. With these 6, all of them had won over 20 ATP matches this year coming into the US Open and all had won more than they had lost save Mischa Zverev WR 27 whose record coming in was 21-24 ( now 24-24 ). None have played any challengers this year. So I don't see a debate re these 6. So what about the other 2?

Paolo Lorenzi, aged 35, WR 40, long and varied career, certainly often at challenger level. But he is having the year of his tennis life. He too has won over 20 ATP level matches ( his record this year coming in was 22-27 ) and he reached a CH 33 in May and now this. He has played in two challengers this year, just two and won one of them. And now this week. Essentially at age 35 Paolo Lorenzi is an ATP player, credit to him.

Denis Shapovalov, aged 18, WR 69, and who would dismiss him?? Of course played loads of challengers this year and coming in had an ATP record ( incl. Davis Cup ) this year of just 5-6, just beating Kyle at Queen's before the other 4 more recently - a SF at the Montreal Masters including beating Nadal. He is in the fast lane upwards to who knows where, will probably turn out the best of all in the bottom half in time, may not be far off now and won't be seen near many, if any, further challengers again. ATP level now.

So a group of 8 decent ATP players - but because it is so lacking in top ATP players ( not a top 18 ranked player among them ) opportunity really knocks. Great for them and clearly not uninteresting to many.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Unfortunately having to play himself into form has taken its toll on Kyle. Physically he looks much more robust to me compared to last year but I feel he will always have to carefully manage his playing time, at his peak he should play as close to 18 counters as he can, pay careful attention to how he does his conditioning and I know it sounds obvious but rest when injured.

For me the US Open is the end of the season the guys should rest their joints after smashing them through August on those rock hard US courts.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Saturday 2nd of September 2017 04:58:55 AM

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Saturday 2nd of September 2017 04:59:12 AM

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Incomplete games at slams 1995-2004 (men)

Wimbledon 2%
Australian Open 3.1%
French 3.6%
US Open 4.3%

Definitely work to be done, admittedly old data and there are many other data sets one would want to look at but those are very significant differences between hard and grass with hard appearing to hurt the players.

Spectator · All-time great

Having been among the first to join the 'Big Kev' promoters group (he's one of my favourites, too, for all the reasons others cite) can we just get him out of his quarter? At this point, I'm rather inclined to think anything can happen to anyone, so I'm even prepared for him to fall for Lorenzi. But more seriously, I think Mischa Zverev is quite dangerous. And then that bottom eighth is impossible to predict .... though I'd guess Bob might have some preferences.

Very sorry for Kyle Edmund: rotten way to end a tournament, but he had done well. And Denis Shapovalov's style means he's not a player where you can just keep getting things back as best you can while you deal with an injury. Hope Mr Edmund is better soon.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oakland2002 wrote:
Incomplete games at slams 1995-2004 (men)

Wimbledon 2%
Australian Open 3.1%
French 3.6%
US Open 4.3%

Definitely work to be done, admittedly old data and there are many other data sets one would want to look at but those are very significant differences between hard and grass with hard appearing to hurt the players.

Not sure that means that hard hurts the players. There are other ways of interpreting it.

After all, the Aussie Open (hard) has less retirements than the French (clay).

The peak for the US Open could be down to weather (how hot and humid it sometimes/often is in New York now).

Or to the timing in the calendar and that the US Open is the back end of the season.

Grass has the quickest matches (and usually pretty cool conditions in London) so you would expect those to be slightly 'easier' - less problems with cramping etc.