Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

LordBrownof · Futures level

Had a lovely day at the Open yesterday. I managed to watch most of Harriet and everyone is pretty spot on. Some thoughts in no particular order from courtside:

- The serving, oh the serving. Terrible from both but how anyone wins a tournament let alone make the top 10 with the serve of Daria is beyond me. It was almost as perplexing as why Harriet didn't step in more, esp on the second serve, unfortunately, most of the time she just hit it straight back to Daria. Very frustrating. There were times Kasatkina's second serve was so slow the serve speed clock didn't register it! Truth is, had it not been for those DFs, the outcome would've been different.

- Daria was and is the much better ball striker. Steady and with good penetration, once we got into a protracted rally it always felt like Daria would come out on top. That said, Harriet does have a great ability to hit a winner from nowhere, often with an excellent change in direction on some of those points.

- As has been reported, Harriet was complaining a lot about fitness. Plenty of times she would scream at Nigel "I can't even run!". At first, it looked like a problem with the left ankle but later just sounded like general tiredness. Unclear if it will impact her next match.

- At the end, I walked past Nigel and heard him say to the hitting partner "if only she would shut up between points and just play!". Which was both amusing and frankly, true. She was very down on herself through the second and third. Hopefully, this is a good lesson in hanging in there, even if you're pretty despondent with your play!

All being said, a top 10 win is a top 10 win. Nice milestone to achieve.

emmsie69 · Top national player

LordBrownof wrote:
Had a lovely day at the Open yesterday. I managed to watch most of Harriet and everyone is pretty spot on. Some thoughts in no particular order from courtside:

- The serving, oh the serving. Terrible from both but how anyone wins a tournament let alone make the top 10 with the serve of Daria is beyond me. It was almost as perplexing as why Harriet didn't step in more, esp on the second serve, unfortunately, most of the time she just hit it straight back to Daria. Very frustrating. There were times Kasatkina's second serve was so slow the serve speed clock didn't register it! Truth is, had it not been for those DFs, the outcome would've been different.

- Daria was and is the much better ball striker. Steady and with good penetration, once we got into a protracted rally it always felt like Daria would come out on top. That said, Harriet does have a great ability to hit a winner from nowhere, often with an excellent change in direction on some of those points.

- As has been reported, Harriet was complaining a lot about fitness. Plenty of times she would scream at Nigel "I can't even run!". At first, it looked like a problem with the left ankle but later just sounded like general tiredness. Unclear if it will impact her next match.

- At the end, I walked past Nigel and heard him say to the hitting partner "if only she would shut up between points and just play!". Which was both amusing and frankly, true. She was very down on herself through the second and third. Hopefully, this is a good lesson in hanging in there, even if you're pretty despondent with your play!

All being said, a top 10 win is a top 10 win. Nice milestone to achieve.

I watched Harriet at Wimbledon in 2019 and I don't remember her chattering away to herself at all, seems to be a relatively new thing post covid.

ETA if Daria can get to top 10 with a serve worse than Harriet's then there is hope biggrin

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Tuesday 30th of August 2022 01:50:24 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

LordBrownof wrote:
Had a lovely day at the Open yesterday. I managed to watch most of Harriet and everyone is pretty spot on. Some thoughts in no particular order from courtside:

- The serving, oh the serving. Terrible from both but how anyone wins a tournament let alone make the top 10 with the serve of Daria is beyond me. It was almost as perplexing as why Harriet didn't step in more, esp on the second serve, unfortunately, most of the time she just hit it straight back to Daria. Very frustrating. There were times Kasatkina's second serve was so slow the serve speed clock didn't register it! Truth is, had it not been for those DFs, the outcome would've been different.

- Daria was and is the much better ball striker. Steady and with good penetration, once we got into a protracted rally it always felt like Daria would come out on top. That said, Harriet does have a great ability to hit a winner from nowhere, often with an excellent change in direction on some of those points.

- As has been reported, Harriet was complaining a lot about fitness. Plenty of times she would scream at Nigel "I can't even run!". At first, it looked like a problem with the left ankle but later just sounded like general tiredness. Unclear if it will impact her next match.

- At the end, I walked past Nigel and heard him say to the hitting partner "if only she would shut up between points and just play!". Which was both amusing and frankly, true. She was very down on herself through the second and third. Hopefully, this is a good lesson in hanging in there, even if you're pretty despondent with your play!

All being said, a top 10 win is a top 10 win. Nice milestone to achieve.

I laughed out loud biggrin

Although it did work, after all, so maybe Nigel should factor that in.....

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
LordBrownof wrote:
Had a lovely day at the Open yesterday. I managed to watch most of Harriet and everyone is pretty spot on. Some thoughts in no particular order from courtside:

- The serving, oh the serving. Terrible from both but how anyone wins a tournament let alone make the top 10 with the serve of Daria is beyond me. It was almost as perplexing as why Harriet didn't step in more, esp on the second serve, unfortunately, most of the time she just hit it straight back to Daria. Very frustrating. There were times Kasatkina's second serve was so slow the serve speed clock didn't register it! Truth is, had it not been for those DFs, the outcome would've been different.

- Daria was and is the much better ball striker. Steady and with good penetration, once we got into a protracted rally it always felt like Daria would come out on top. That said, Harriet does have a great ability to hit a winner from nowhere, often with an excellent change in direction on some of those points.

- As has been reported, Harriet was complaining a lot about fitness. Plenty of times she would scream at Nigel "I can't even run!". At first, it looked like a problem with the left ankle but later just sounded like general tiredness. Unclear if it will impact her next match.

- At the end, I walked past Nigel and heard him say to the hitting partner "if only she would shut up between points and just play!". Which was both amusing and frankly, true. She was very down on herself through the second and third. Hopefully, this is a good lesson in hanging in there, even if you're pretty despondent with your play!

All being said, a top 10 win is a top 10 win. Nice milestone to achieve.
I laughed out loud
Although it did work, after all, so maybe Nigel should factor that in.....

At least with Andy in the family, Nigel is used to this type of ongoing chuntering!

(presuming we mean Nigel Sears here?)

PaulM · Tennis legend

The Amazon coverage is really great. I do think Catherine has become phenomenal since Prime first took over the coverage a few years ago, so assured and knowledgeable. Dani is always a joy and so interesting, and actually Tim does know his stuff and adds a fair bit.

I do miss Sam and Laura in the commentary booth, but they put a great product on and if you do want to watch the main coverage and not always a match, the analysis between matches is actually pretty thoughtful and informative. So much better than we used to get I think. It's obviously Brit centric and I'm not one to mind that at all but it's not OTT in the way you sometimes get, it's always pretty grounded.

Anyway, not relevant to anything being discussed I was just thinking how much I was enjoying the bit chat between Catherine, Dani and Tim before Venus' match when usually those links make me want to reach for the remote.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 30th of August 2022 07:27:28 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

So Rybakina has lost - well done to young Clara - but another seed bites the dust ...

And Ostapenko, and Teichman, and Halep, and Trevisan, as well as Kasatkina, of course...

Kennykoalabear · Lower Club Player

Apparently Sky has got the rights to the us open next year which I believe is a real shame. I do hope that they poach most of the presenters and commentors, especially Catherine!

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Emma just started. Shame the matches prior were long. A 12.35am start sounds a lot tougher than 12.05am. I don't start work until 11am tomorrow, so I'll try and stay up to a conclusion (a trademark New York straight setter would be nice...)

She's getting some good crowd support.

nicofrance · Strong Club Player

Unfortunately Cornet is having one of her very good days . Hardly making any unforced errors and getting some balls back that you think are impossible .

Emma isnt playing badly but she really needs Cornets level to drop otherwise I cant see her making a comeback here.

markymc1983 · Club Coach

I can't see it happening for Emma tonight, her serve is off and she's slightly more tentative than.in Cincinnati. Cornet on fire

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

3-6, *3-5 Emma serving to stay in the match. Cornet has played some awesome drop shots and winners here, bit of a horrible draw.

Emma also has blisters taped which isnt going to help.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Wow just as I say that Cornet plays a sublime drop shot slice and its now 15-30, Emma 2 points away from defeat.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Amazing scrambling from Cornet and its MP

30-40

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

All over for Emma. Cornet was just too good, returning and hustling as well as some sublime drop shots. Very Murrayesque from Cornet who is a joy to watch.

Feel for Emma, its been a tough year. Ultimately last year was such an amazing feat and fortuitous with the draw, all the stars aligned etc. She is certainly a top 50 player and still young enough to get back and compete for Slams in the future.