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

Spectator · All-time great

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

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Spectator wrote:
CD, my comment about the top half of the QFs being a perfectly reasonable Slam SF was not meant as a commentary on the bottom half - but simply as an observation that it's a brutally strong top half. Federer/del Potro would be a perfectly fine final!

I like the bottom half, too. I actually feel that Querrey and Anderson are both overdue good runs, and PCB should now be in or near the top 10. You don't get there because you had one good tournament.

And on that topic, I think it was you who commented that we should see the value in Wimbledon qualies, as they gave a chance to see a soon-to-be quarter-finalist. But I am more impressed with those who invest for the really, really long haul and scour the futures tournaments of Murcia for the purpose of being the first to see future semi-finalists ....

Just a shame the player in question doesn't have different coloured hair. wink

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Oh, we're all on the same song-sheet, there's no doubt

So, allez, Kevin, and Sam, and Pablo and Andrey. And the 'big' names too.

Yes, there have been a large number of no-shows.

But nobody 'made' Dimitrov lose. Or Berdych. Or Tsonga. Or Pouille. Or any of the other guys who should have been delighted to have the chance to really make their mark. Kudos to the others who took their chance. (Can't help it, though, am really glad that Schwartzman lost.....)

JonH · All-time great

the addict wrote:
brendan wrote:
hopefully I'm not the only one old enough to remember Chris Lewis
I'm afraid you aren't - I was at Wimbledon for that SF win in 1983

and me. Beating Kevin curren, excellent. And his success caused new Zealand to change their Davis cup tie against Sweden being played the week after Wimbledon to Eastbourne, yes in Britain. They wanted to play on grass and also avoid the travel given Lewis made the final. Alas, Sweden still won.

JonH · All-time great

Vandenburg wrote:
I think it is also criminal that old grand slam records are kept for the old 'clown slams', The Australian open was a joke pre 1994, look at this example from the 1983 australian open

Top 8 seeds (world ranking)

1.Lendl (2)
2.Wilander (4)
3.Nyström (16)
4.Kriek (17)
5.Cash (18)
6.Gerulaitis (19)
7.Mayotte (24)
8.Edberg (26)

This is more like a decent ATP 500.

People that won the Australian open in this era should have it removed from their slam tally. Guillermo Vilas winning more slams than Murray is joke. If Borg had chosen to play these clown slams of the time, his slam tally would be 20 ish. These silly records as much as stain as old drug cheats records. useless.

-- Edited by Vandenburg on Tuesday 5th of September 2017 07:36:57 PM

-- Edited by Vandenburg on Tuesday 5th of September 2017 07:48:43 PM

lendl, Wilander, cash, gerulaitus, kriek and edberg where all multiple slam winners, gerulaitus one of the best to never win Wimbledon. Not that shoddy and remember Australia dropped the grass soon after and that had depleted the fields. You can't reinvent history and at least we have 4 genuinely strong slams nowadays. Unlike golf where many a winner leaves me thinking "who"

indiana · Tennis legend

Oh yes, Del Potro beats Fed in four

Nadal vs Del Potro
Anderson vs Carreno Busta

Let's be having a Del Potro vs Anderson final.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Golf I think is harder to predict, so many more independent variables and statistically the odds of wining on the final day at a very basic level are compound by the fact that potentially upto half the field is in the final. Tennis, the final is a two horse race over 5 sets plenty of opportunity for the better player dominate. Golf one mistake and the whole pack are waiting to pounce, indeed one player just needs to get a hot streak and your lead is dust.

The weather changes in golf and it's a different game it's a bit like switching from grass to hard and thenback to clay all over 4 days, different players are better in different conditions. The most important factor is of course the ball is smaller, admittedly it is stationary but you get the tip of a stick to hit with, very difficult game if you ask me!

Careers are at least a decade longer statistically it is just a more competitive sport, to dominate all 4 majors is a very rare event, infact it is rarely talked about. For Novak and Serena a couple of years back it was their definition of a successful year.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 7th of September 2017 05:45:45 AM

Julia Carrot · All-time great

indiana wrote:
Oh yes, Del Potro beats Fed in four

Nadal vs Del Potro
Anderson vs Carreno Busta

Let's be having a Del Potro vs Anderson final.

We can hope, but I watched quite alot of Nadal demolishing Rublev and he seems in extraordinarily good form.

JonH · All-time great

Oakland2002 wrote:
Golf I think is harder to predict, so many more independent variables and statistically the odds of wining on the final day at a very basic level are compound by the fact that potentially upto half the field is in the final. Tennis, the final is a two horse race over 5 sets plenty of opportunity for the better player dominate. Golf one mistake and the whole pack are waiting to pounce, indeed one player just needs to get a hot streak and your lead is dust.

The weather changes in golf and it's a different game it's a bit like switching from grass to hard and thenback to clay all over 4 days, different players are better in different conditions. The most important factor is of course the ball is smaller, admittedly it is stationary but you get the tip of a stick to hit with, very difficult game if you ask me!

Careers are at least a decade longer statistically it is just a more competitive sport, to dominate all 4 majors is a very rare event, infact it is rarely talked about. For Novak and Serena a couple of years back it was their definition of a successful year.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Thursday 7th of September 2017 05:45:45 AM

making tiger Woods dominance all the more amazing

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Agreed, phenomenal; but he has paid the price, physically, reputationally and emotionally. Rodge seems to have a much better balance in every respect. I am fascinated to see what he does with the rest of his life. Rodge not Tigger

TMH · Futures qualifying

What a win for DelPo, lovely stuff.

Quite happy with those semi-finalists, would be happy to see any of them win it.

indiana · Tennis legend

Julia Carrot wrote:
indiana wrote:
Oh yes, Del Potro beats Fed in four

Nadal vs Del Potro
Anderson vs Carreno Busta

Let's be having a Del Potro vs Anderson final.
We can hope, but I watched quite alot of Nadal demolishing Rublev and he seems in extraordinarily good form.

Bah, he's already lost two sets in this tournament, one not even on a TB but by 6-4. We didn't have any of this nonsense at the French Open and he won 13 completed sets by 6-2 or better there. So far only 10 at this US Open. So err there

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Watched both semis Nadal was impressive but didn't really have to do much, Rublev struggled on serve and Nadal read his game very easily. Keys v Kanepi was also a bit disappointing only ever one winner there but then Kanepi hasn't played much.

And even Del Petro V Roger was a bit of an anti-climax, neither player really got going. Del Petro had break points for 4-0 in the third set and looked done in the TB when Roger broke back. The key moment in the match was after an awesome return on set point down that only Del Petro can make. Both players struggled with fitness was obvious Roger had a niggle with his back and Juan Martin still doesn't look well. Can't really see him lasting against Nadal but you never know with DP.

Anderson to take out Busta in straights would be the best option for a chance of a reasonable final out of all the scenarios, although I would also like to see a Del Petro v Anderson final. Doubt it would be a classic but probably the best from a spectators point of view.

A thoroughly disappointing Slam though, in fact the French and Wimbledon were also a bit tepid as well. Here's hoping all these injured players rest up now. I can Roger, Cilic and Raonic also ending their years now to be honest. The ATP finals will probably have the likes of Busta, Querrey, Bautista Agut and maybe even Isner and Anderson playing if they all continue to play the remaining Masters and 500s as most if not all of the injured guys won't play them all.

-- Edited by Jaggy1876 on Thursday 7th of September 2017 12:13:11 PM

-- Edited by Jaggy1876 on Thursday 7th of September 2017 12:48:59 PM

Vandenburg · Futures level

LOL at all the clowns on this forum that tried mocking me when I stated a non European would win US OPEN.

Vandenburg · Futures level

Kevin Anderson is the only man that can save tennis, the idea of Carreno Busta in a slam final makes me sick. Kevin Anderson aka Kandy will take down the Spanish vulture in 3 sets.