US Open 2020

yerwanthere123

So, grand slam tennis is back! But obviously everything has changed. The field will be seriously depleted, those who do play haven't played much tennis at all this year, there'll be no crowd support, there'll be wildly varying different levels of fitness, and of course some players have themselves been infected by the coronavirus.

The continued threat from Covid-19 also looms large, with the possibility of (I think?) forced withdrawals if a player tests positive, or perhaps even the cancellation of the entire event if there's a large outbreak. Should be a fun fortnight! :pac: Hope they can do something to make up for the lack of atmosphere, but I guess we should just enjoy whatever we get really. Looking at the numbers in France at the moment, and Paris being declared a 'red-zone', I think it's likely this may end up being the only other grand slam we'll get this year.

Here's to an interesting couple of weeks!

Women's Draw

Men's Draw

Girly Gal

It'll be an interesting few weeks alright and I think because of all the withdrawals especially on the women's side it's definitely being devalued. On the men's side it's Djokovic's to lose now, hopefully one of the new generation can really put up a strong challenge to come through and win it, the men's game badly needs a new slam winner, especially now that Federer and Nadal aren't there it's a great opportunity for them. Djokovic still remains the one to beat.
The woman's side is wide open and Osaka may not be fit either so with all the withdrawals Serena will never get a better opportunity to will another slam, hoping someone else like Pliskova can come through and win it

yerwanthere123

A player has already had to pull out due to testing positive.

https://twitter.com/ATNtennis/status/1300081817735888896

They didn't name him in their statement, but the player is Benoit Paire. Contact tracing is underway so more may have to pull out.

whiterebel

It’s ridiculous. What are they trying to do, show that everything is normal? It isn't, and this is not doing anyone any favours.

mzungu

There was always a big risk this was going to happen.

All we can hope for is first and foremost a speedy recovery, and that it remains an isolated incident and the tournament can proceed without any further hiccups.

yerwanthere123

So, *11* players identified as being a close contact of Paire.. yet they'll still be allowed to play. Were made to sign a new waiver, limiting their contact with other players and with reduced access to certain parts of the facilities. A bubble within a bubble, so to speak. Fun!

Itssoeasy

I don’t know if people know this but if you have amazon prime video you can watch the US open and I was watching some of the games last night and it’s great. You can also watch all the games back.

yerwanthere123

Itssoeasy wrote: »

I don’t know if people know this but if you have amazon prime video you can watch the US open and I was watching some of the games last night and it’s great. You can also watch all the games back.

Yeah it's a good service. There were big problems with it when they introduced it last year but I think it's working well now.

No big shocks so far I think. We'll Gauff lost but not sure how much of a shock that is. Perhaps it is for the likes of Sue Barker who last month had her winning more grand slams than Margaret Court :eek:

mzungu

Andy Murray looks to be in a spot of trouble. Set and a break down.

yerwanthere123

Now two sets down. Hasn't won a five set match since winning Wimbledon back in 2016, and that probably won't change today. Tbh I'm surprised, I saw him making a bit of a fairytale run here, maybe even a semi final or final.

Tsvetana Pironkova plays (and wins) her first match since Wimbledon 2017. Always a player I like to see do well.

mzungu

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Now two sets down. Hasn't won a five set match since winning Wimbledon back in 2016, and that probably won't change today. Tbh I'm surprised, I saw him making a bit of a fairytale run here, maybe even a semi final or final.

Still some fight in him yet. On serve in the fourth at 5-5.

I would also like to see him do a fairytale run.

gmisk

Murray match now into 5th set.
And on serve.

Very odd with no crowd.

Amazon prime coverage is very good though I have to say.

gmisk

Murray takes it 6-4 in 5th set what a comeback!

AllForIt

whiterebel wrote: »

It’s ridiculous. What are they trying to do, show that everything is normal? It isn't, and this is not doing anyone any favours.

What do you mean by this exactly. No country is under total lockdown anymore so if lockdown restrictions are lifted then I don't see why you think we should behave as if we are still in total lockdown.

Individual sports I think are the easiest to manage in terms of the virus especially ones that don't involve body contact, like Tennis.

mzungu

Well played Murray.

lostcat

Well done Murray indeed.

To be honest, I'm not sure Covid is having that much of an effect on the crowds, sure no none was going to come to the US Open anyway once Federer withdrew...

Rob2D

While it's great to see from Murray, this sort of thing was always his biggest flaw. Never made anything easy for himself. People are talking about how great he played but the only place it leads is straight back to the hospital.

I thought when he came back he might change up his game to be more agressive like when he was younger. But I guess not.

gmisk

Edmund giving djokovic a decent match (he took first set on tiebreak) but djokovic really picked it up though to take the second set and now a break up in third.

josip

Djokovic had no right to win that point.
But an UE by Edmund all the same.

mzungu

Djokovic running away with it now.

To be fair to Edmund, at least he took the first and made a match of it.

gmisk

I am watching the dan evans match.
He has really improved hugely in recent years, very decent tight match so far against Moutet.

I would slightly fear for Murray against Aliassime...

gmisk

Raonic out in 4 sets to Popisil!
Pretty big shock that.

yerwanthere123

gmisk wrote: »

Raonic out in 4 sets to Popisil!
Pretty big shock that.

Yeah, I had him going deep, he was very impressive last week.

Konta out to Cirstea and Muguruza out to Pironkova. Cirstea is decent and something of an underachiever imo so not that big of an upset, but the Muguruza loss is poor. This is Pironkova's first tournament in over three years after having a baby!

mzungu

Thiem through with with very little trouble.

gmisk

gmisk wrote: »

I am watching the dan evans match.
He has really improved hugely in recent years, very decent tight match so far against Moutet.

I would slightly fear for Murray against Aliassime...

I was right to fear for Murray...he was blown away in straight sets, sad to see.

Chivito550

I really can't bring myself to watch any of it. Tennis without fans is just awful. Some sports can get away with it. Tennis can't.

Rob2D

Chivito550 wrote: »

I really can't bring myself to watch any of it. Tennis without fans is just awful. Some sports can get away with it. Tennis can't.

Hasn't bothered me to be honest.

yerwanthere123

I'm actually getting used to the no crowds, but I think it's not as big a deal in the earlier rounds when the stadiums would usually be less than half full with the majority scattered among the upper tier. It'll be a lot more weird from the quarter finals onwards.

Be interesting to see what happens with RG. They were originally planning to let in crowds, doubt that'll happen now, if it's even allowed to go ahead at all.

mzungu

I don't mind it without the fans. I would prefer tennis with no fans over no tennis at all.

mzungu

Shapovalov looking good for this one. Running way with the fifth set.

hollowlands

Djokovic about to be disqualified here

lostcat

He will be lucky not to be

yerwanthere123

DJOKOVIC DEFAULTED :pac: :pac: :pac:

lostcat

Proper order, fair play to the officials they took a strict interpretation of the rule.
Cilic lost earlier so we are going to have ourselves a new slam champion!

Itssoeasy

lostcat wrote: »

Proper order, fair play to the officials they took a strict interpretation of the rule.
Cilic lost earlier so we are going to have ourselves a new slam champion!

I’m just seeing this now. He hit a line judge but if he was disqualified then they must have seen intent. I haven’t seen any clips of it.

kevthegaff

https://twitter.com/Sachk0/status/1302701843944882177?s=08
Looks harsh

Shane St.

be nice to see a new winner although not in ideal circumstances

CassieManson

Shane St. wrote:

be nice to see a new winner although not in ideal circumstances

Would love to see Thiem win now

dominatinMC

Christ that looks very harsh! I'm all for a new winner but, between the reduced field due to Covid and now this incident, this US Open victory will definitely have an asterisk next to it!

gmisk

Rules are rules but I am watching it back on Amazon prime very harsh!

Mental Mickey

She made a total drama out of that ffs

gmisk

Mental Mickey wrote: »

She made a total drama out of that ffs

The ball hit her directly on her throat...I wouldn't fancy it

Mental Mickey

gmisk wrote: »

The ball hit her directly on her throat...I wouldn't fancy it

He didn't strike it that hard

Harry lyme

Defaulting an entire match for something like that does seem quite harsh.

The one good thing about it is it'll mean in future there can never be any more whining about Serena Williams incident in 2018 and nobody can ever claim that the men get away with more than the women in Tennis.

gmisk

Mental Mickey wrote: »

He didn't strike it that hard

He didn't hit it at full pelt but it was still pretty fast...it's novak djokovic like.
It isn't really the point he hit it in anger.
Very harsh but thems the rules

It's happened before I think with someone hitting the ball in anger and it hit a ballboy? Henman?

Yeah he just mentioned it in 1995 wimbledon he hit ball girl in ear.

EagererBeaver

Still grinning from ear to ear.

Any sympathy anyone might have towards Djokovic should be absolutely overridden by the arrogance he displayed on court when he realised he they were actually going to disqualify him. He genuinely didn't believe they'd have the temerity to do so.

Girly Gal

dominatinMC wrote: »

Christ that looks very harsh! I'm all for a new winner but, between the reduced field due to Covid and now this incident, this US Open victory will definitely have an asterisk next to it!

I agree with you it looks harsh from the clip I've seen it doesn't look like he meant it. I also wanted a new winner, but, as you say with the already reduced field and now Djokovic getting disqualified it does kinda devalue the tournament. I suppose it's the only way the new generation were ever going to make the breakthrough.

lostcat

There was no intent and it was bad luck to hit her straight in the throat, but luck wouldn't be involved if he didn't loose the head. Huge opportunity lost, huge opportunity for everyone left..

AllForIt

The incident itself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTmO80DkAQM


Never liked these totally unnecessary displays of aggression. For a multiple grand slam winner as experienced as himself to do this especially warrants the default.

Girly Gal

Will he get a suspension now and miss the French Open too, that would be extremely harsh

EagererBeaver

The fact he didn't mean it is irrelevant. He hit a ball in anger that struck a line judge. Completely his own fault.

The penalty is deliberately that harsh to try and stop players doing it.