The US Open is underway and Novak Djokovic is the first big casualty, going out in the first round with a collapse of fitness after three and a half hours. I switched off when he was up two sets to one and a up a break in the fourth, but apparently he went downhill fast from that point on.
He says he had a chronic health issue that has hampered him all year, but he’s done quite well at the majors. Final in Australia, semifinal at Wimbledon and going out to Fonseca at Roland Garros is no disgrace either.
I think the odds are getting long on him getting another major, but he’s talking about the 2028 Olympics, so he’s not sounding like he’s ready to hang up his boots.
This loss does knock him out of the top 10 so he isn’t going to be at the year end tournament in all likelihood. It would take a spectacular loss of form fir four or five other players in the next three months for him to get in.
Yep. Djokovic is still a great player, but he is no longer competitive with the best players. I assume he loves playing and will keep doing so until it’s no longer possible. Tournaments will give him a wildcard spot whenever he asks for one (see Venus Williams, who lost in straight sets immediately after Djokovic lost), even after his ranking drops.
I think if he sets those Olympics as a goal, he can maybe make it. Having said that, I think he is simply experiencing what we all go through, though athletes fill it more distinctly.
Eight five setters yesterday. Tiafoe and Rublev were the Big Names who took the scenic route into round 2.
Fils, picked by many to win this, went out to Tsitsipas. I wasn’t terribly surprised. I’m not a fan of Tsitsipas, but he’s not a name you want to see on the draw next to yours.
Actually it was a rather disappointing day, IMO. Keys lost from a winning position (up 5-0 in the third) as did Fritz. Then if looked like Michael Zheng was going to make it the best tennis day ever for players named Zheng, but he faded and went out to Gea. To round it out Anisimova went out quite tamely to Potapova.
Jovic really saved the day. That was a fantastic match. Both players hitting out for three hours. Crowd really into it from both sides.
The announcers at the Iva Jovic - Alexandra Eala match on Saturday night were really into it too. Either Mary Jo Fernandez or Patrick McEnroe said that it was the match of the tournament, and they really hated the fact that one of the players would have to lose. They applauded them for both being so positive and composed, and said it was really refreshing to see players who weren’t having spats with their coaches or yelling at their people in their box.
I’m headed to the US Open day session tomorrow! Women’s quarterfinals with 1st seed Aryna Sabalenka vs 6th seed Linda Noskova, and then Men’s quarters with crowd fave 11th seed Frances Tiafoe vs Alex Michelsen.
Quarter finals start today. Three American women remain, and three American men. But, as the draw would have it, there’ll be two American-vs-American matches.
Jessica Pegula (3) will play Emma Navarro (26). Expectations are for Pegula to win, you never know. I’m not super impressed with how she’s playing lately. And Frances Tiafoe (11) vs Alex Michelson (unseeded). They’re both playing very well. Tiafoe especially is at the peak of his form at the moment.
Three unseeded players have reached the quarterfinals, Michelson, Khachanov, and Botic van de Zandschulp. vdZ is a real workhorse, going five sets in rounds three and four. And one unseeded woman, Qinwen Zheng, who won the Olympic gold in 2024 and is a real contender despite her worse ranking.
It’s been great seeing how quickly Iva Jovic has gone up the rankings. Great all-around player. She had a tough match against Alex Eala, the Filipina favorite. They’re good friends who play doubles together. They also did an exhibition match against each other before the tournament started. A real shame that they had to play each other. Jovic is local to us, about the same age as my daughter. They never played, but my daughter did play against some who went on to play Iva.
Jovic’s match against Coco Gauff was also tough. Gauff won in straight sets. Jovic broke the Gauff in the first game, but Gauff adjusted and wiped her out. It gives me confidence that she has what she needs to get to the final.
The other SoCal player is Learner Tien (14). The announcers were really boostering him against the Karen Khachanov (unseeded). Tien is a position player rather than power. But Khachanov’s power was too much for him. Tien is from Orange county; I don’t know his people, but still have to cheer for him.
Another two insanely close matches today. Sabalenka just edged out Noskova in the third set tiebreaker, and Tiafoe v Michelsen is in the fifth set tiebreaker right now.
Always great on quarterfinal days when the day session runs over into the night session.
Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton just finished the first set of their match. Went to tiebreak. One of the best sets of tennis ever. These are not men, they are tennis gods.
Unfortunately, I work for a living and cannot continue to watch tonight.
I went to bed after the Navarro-Pegula match. From the BBC description, I missed a very physical, very intense battle. Had a 6am meeting, so just seeing the result now.
Three of four matches yesterday went to a final set tie-break. Today’s matchup of Andreeva vs Gauff looks tasty. On the other hand I’d be surprised if Qinwen Zheng has anything left in the tank, so I expect Rybakina to sail through that one.
Blockx looks like a rising star on the men’s side, even if his name looks like a cryptocurrency.
It was a great quarterfinal Tuesday. Every match went to a final set and couple of tie breakers. Alas I fell asleep during the Shelton/Alcaraz match and I am glad that Ben won.
I am friends with a guy who works for juniors, and college matches. He has told me that most of the events, that the junior boys have to have sleeves on their shirts and the girls have to cover their midriffs. So Ben and Carlos “wife-beaters” would not be allowed and many of the girls outfits would also be not allowed.
So, tell me, how in the world has Alexander Zverev, through no doing of his own mind you, played virtually no one so far in the U.S. Open?!! Here’s the rankings of the players he has defeated thus far: 89, 52, 25, 22, and 70. He has yet to play even a top 20 player. Sure, a top player should have an easy first and second round, but this is ridiculous. Who does he play in the semis? Karen Khachanov, the number 50 in the world.
The women’s semifinals are today. Despite all the excitement getting here, the top four seeds have made it. Aryna Sabalenka (1) plays Jessica Pegula (3, U.S.), and Elena Rybakina (2, Kazakhstan) plays Coco Gauff (4, U.S.). It’s possible to have an all-American final, but I think it’s more likely to have none. (For those who wonder why it’s 1 vs 3 and 2 vs 4, it’s because tennis does some randomization of the draw so that the same players aren’t always facing each other.)
The men’s semifinals are tomorrow. Their bracket has been totally shattered. Alexander Zverev (1, Germany) will play Karen Khachanov (unseeded), and Ben Shelton (8, U.S.) plays Frances Tiafoe (11, U.S.). I’m favoring Shelton to win it all, but Tiafoe is at the top of his game as well. Although I haven’t watched Zverev this tournament at all, Khachanov is very strong at the moment.