2021 US Open

yerwanthere123

Women's Draw

Men's Draw

Some interesting first round matches!

https://twitter.com/josemorgado/status/1430932428038852616

https://twitter.com/josemorgado/status/1430926750544969734

Hope it's a good tournament, with no limitations on crowd size there should be a great atmosphere.

Djokovic has Zverev, Shapo, Berrettini, Carrreno-Busta on his side of the draw in the bid for the Calendar Slam

But could only face Berrettini of those before a semi final

Qualifier, Struff, Goffin 3rd round, De Minaur 4th, Berrettini 1/4 final going on seeds if Djokovic gets through each round.

Medved and Tsitsipas on the other side

lostcat

Not a bad draw for Djokovic till the semis, but really, the mens draws are starting to be as competitive/inconsistent as the womens so it's hard to know who will end up getting that far (apart from Djokovic). Zverev is the form player on tour but is as likely to loose in the third round as win the thing.

Murray has a hard first round against Tsitsipas, otherwise its hard to get overly motivated about it at this stage to be honest.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117809642#Comment_117809642

that's not really true.

There will never ever be the case in the mens' what the WTA produced at Roland Garros this year where you had the 4 semi-finalists having a ranking of 18, 30, 32 and 72.

And typically you get more than 4 (at least half) of the top 10 tournament ATP seeds making the quarters where in the WTA you might easily have only have 2 or 3 left at that stage (or just 1 at the French Open 2021).

whiterebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117809642#Comment_117809642

Zverev now has the missing ingredient, maybe? You need to lose one to win one. When he is on form, he is almost unplayable. if he can hold that 2nd serve together he might go all the way.

Hector Savage

Murray Tsitsipas ... hmm would not surprise me if Murray beat him.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117810938#Comment_117810938

Tsits has Murray on the hip in this encounter.

klr87

Emma Raducanu came safely through the qualifiers, but has (on paper) a very tough R1 match against Jennifer Brady, who but for injury would be seeded much higher than 13. Btady's lack of match fitness may give Raducanu a chance, With so many big names missing, that match is likely to be on a show court, probably Armstrong or Grandstand.

Girly Gal

Zverev denying domestic violence allegations which have resurfaced in the last few days, not exactly the kinda preparation he needs in the build up to the USO. In my opinion he's probably the biggest threat to Djokovic, but, his focus could be distracted by this, he has shown in the past that he's a bit flaky and liable to concentrate lapses, tbf he has improved this aspect over the last year, but, certainly, not ideal circumstances for him leading into the tournament.

klr87

Sloane Stephens has just squeaked past Madison Keys 6-3 1-6 7-6(7). A pity their 2017 final wasn't as competitive.

Muguruza beat Vekic 7-6(4) 7-6(5). Halep beat Giorgi (Rogers Cup winner) 6-4 7-6(3). Two potential banana skins avoided there.

Murray 1 set up on the third seed, 6-2

Murray had it at 6-4 on his serve in the tie-break and blew it.

Tsits was in danger of losing 8 grand slam sets in a row!

Murray got distracted going on about his court shoes losing grip doing the Murray shouting-at-himself thing that was still going on after he lost the tie-break.

And he only has 1 pair of shoes it seems!

I think that Murray may have lost his chance but will see - he has already played his best tennis in this match since he had his injury.

The two lads were sporting a disturbing look in general in the second set as the heat and humidity got to their shorts and a not-a-good-look see-through shorts thing ensued.

Amazon coverage not bad with Courier and Henman on match commentary but they do have that pearl-clutcher Catherine Whitaker from the Tennis Podcast in the studio.

She's a pain in the hole.

Hector Savage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117810938#Comment_117810938

I knew Murray would win this .... good win for him .... but God he is so unlikable ...

Tsitsipas is such a bottler, he will win zero grand slams .

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825467#Comment_117825467

"Would not surprise me if Murray won" to "I knew Murray would win this" - mmm... !

Not over yet either.

Tsitsipas will win at least 1 slam.

The quality of the camerawork in the coverage at the US Open seems ahead of what it was at Wimbledon or the French Open

yerwanthere123

2-1 to Murray 😎 Would love him to take out that dope Tsitsipas. Still wouldn't be surprised to see him lose in 5, but keeping the fingers crossed.

redlad12

Good lord mens tennis is about to enter into an absolutely rotten era haha. Fair play to Murray though.

Floppybits

Murray seems to be enjoying it out there. He is playing well.

lostcat

...rage, rage against the dying of the light..

yerwanthere123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825569#Comment_117825569

Difficult to know what the future holds, but I reckon we'll be heading for a time where there'll be three or four reasonably consistent players dividing the slams among themselves, with the odd Hurkacz-style randomer thrown in here and there. Like let's say Djokovic and Nadal were gone in the morning, I think we'd have Zverev, Tsitsipas, Medvedev and possibly Rublev dividing the slams between them. I'd expect Sinner to start coming good and challenging for slams also in the next two to three years. Don't know if all the aforementioned players will still be competitive by the time Djokovic retires, but I think that's possibly where we're headed.

Most likely Alcaraz also.

He only turned 18 in May and is world-ranked 55 already.

Sinner was in the 200's at his age.

Floppybits

Tsitsipas taking the mickey with these extended breaks between sets. Crowd getting on his back now.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825745#Comment_117825745

too much repeated whinging though from Murray - he should really concentrate on the match first and foremost

lost the second set mumbling to himself ad nauseum about his runners

josip

Hurry up, I want to go to sleep.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825806#Comment_117825806

Ah that's just Murrays way. Always been like that. Tournament organiser is getting it in the ear. The press conference will be interesting afterwards.

Not much of a handshake from Murray!

Murray did well but if he wasn't whinging about his runners at 6-4 in the 2nd set tiebreak he could have taken the match.

Murray has always been a whinger but seems to have maybe gotten worse in that respect!

Didn't think that Murray would ever play at a decent level again - not sure if it can be sustained but did show something.

redlad12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825598#Comment_117825598

I think you are probably right, I just think none of them will be in anyway popular to sports fans in general which could lead to problems for the ATP.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825700#Comment_117825700

Alcaraz beats Norrie (26) in straight sets.

Alcaraz was in late July the youngest winner of an ATP event in 13 years when he won in Croatia.

Kyrgios beaten in 3 by Bautista Agut, with a bagel for dessert.

Medved trounces Gasquet

Floppybits

Just watching the Osaka on court interview and I can't help but think that its all fake. I just can't watch her anymore.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/58389189

If the tennis authorities want to change something here about this they will have to change the rules, simple as

Not saying I agree with the Tsitsipas interpretation at all but the rules are there in the 5 set matches and that's the way it lies currently

Murray himself had to change his clothes as his jockstrap was showing through his sweat-soaked shorts in the second set 🤮

Royale with Cheese

I don't have huge sympathy for Murray. He was busy still shouting at the umpire halfway through the final set, just stfu at that point and concentrate on getting the break back. Constantly shouting after every point, basically just stfu in general. I'd almost forgotten why I had never warmed to him. He was also celebrating like he'd won the match at the end of the third set, I should have bet the house on Tsitsipas winning at that point.

Slashermcguirk

Why does Murray always moan so much. Very good player and have a lot of respect for him but he is constantly moaning and its a real turn off. I get that Tsistipas was taking the mick a bit with the breaks but surely Murray is experienced to know to expect this type of stuff, he has been on tour for over 15 years!

Lets be honest, most players do this type of gamesmanship with taking breaks between sets, it happens all the time. Do i think its right? no I dont but its within the rules of the game so I dont get why the opponent doesnt just suck it up and get on with it. Use it as an extra incentive to go on and win if you are that annoyed. People often criticise Djokovic for taking breaks but look at the French open semi final this year, Nadal took a break at an important stage in that key match and Djokovic just got on with it.

I just dont get why the likes of Murray get caught out by this stuff, it happens with so many players all of the time. This is not something new. Its up to the powers that be to make the changes, players need to just get on with it.

On a separate note, great to see Bautista Agut absolutely destroy Kyrgios in straight sets. no doubt Nick ready to make his usual excuses, courts fault or the umpires fault

Yes, too much pearl-clutching in general and selective-player accusative commentary on this issue and indeed lack of mental fortitude from some players on their perceived plight when another player goes off as if it's the first time they've seen such a thing or never done it themselves

As said, the tennis authorities need to go at the rules if change is deemed needed

Murray's incessant ranting had kicked off initially blaming himself and death-staring up his own at "team" for not prophesising that he might get sweaty in general and sweaty feet specifically in warm and humid conditions and not have a second pair of runners with him to change into.

Cue melodramatics pulling out the insoles and tipping his runners upside down as if literal streams of sweat were going to pour out of them

It really served to distract himself at the key moment of the second-set tiebreak when he should have taken the set at 6-4 in the breaker and on-serve

Tsitsipas taking a break just gave him something else to focus his rant on and the on-court fffing and blinding it descended to at the end said more about him than anyone else

Murray is still going at it!

Quite impressive how he managed to misspell such a short name as Bezos too.

https://twitter.com/andy_murray/status/1432677183030538248

Of course he must have forgotten about the time when.....

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/mar/30/andy-murray-toilet-us-open

Andy Murray credits toilet pep talk for US Open victory

"I was very negative in my own mind at the end of the fourth set at the US Open. My self-belief was pretty low."

Murray retreated to the sanctuary of the lavatory cubicle near the players' entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium. "When you walk out of the stadium there is a cubicle on the right-hand side," Murray explained. "It is small, not much more than a toilet, a sink and a mirror. I was thinking: 'Why do I keep losing these finals? Do I lack something? How on earth did I squander a two-set lead?'

"I could not go back on to the court feeling like that. I would have lost the deciding set before the first ball was hit.

"I never talk to myself, not out loud. Isn't that supposed to be the first sign of madness? That is why that toilet break was so unusual. I stood in front of the mirror with sweat dripping down my face and I knew I had to change what was going on inside.

"So I started talking. Out loud. 'You are not losing this match,' I said to myself. 'You are not losing this match.' I started out a little tentative but my voice got louder. 'You are not going to let this one slip. This is your time.'

Royale with Cheese

That's a fúcking pathetic tweet by Murray

Hector Savage

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117825700#Comment_117825700

Oh Christ, not another **** spaniard....

jesus, I don't care about him right now but no doubt the media here will make me hate him when he gets to the top ...

Itssoeasy

This 18 year old Dane will remember this game regardless of the outcome and with no line judges Djokovic can’t hit any of them this time. Also, having Daniela Hantuchova as part of the Amazon prime coverage is a good call.

This isn't going to take very long.

Hopefully the young lad gets a few games in.

Holger Vitus Nodskov Rune - longest name in the draw?

Itssoeasy

Well a 26 minute first set to Novak. This won’t last very long though.

Itssoeasy

Petra kvitova is through to the second round which is nice to see.

josip

He's broken Djokovic to love 2nd game in the 2nd set

And gone on to hold his own to love.

3-0 up now.

Djokovic avoids the bagel.

Weird from Djokovic letting that set go when back in charge.

Reminds me of the Zverev match in the Olympics.

Seemed to go flat.

Floppybits

No real stand out matches today, all seem straightforward wins for seeds. Wonder what sort of reception Tsitsipas will get from the crowd tonight when he heads off on his toilet break.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117832381#Comment_117832381

Might take a look at Alacaraz from 1600 Irish time

If he manages to win against Rinderknech then Tsitsipas next

Now very unlikely that he'd be able to win a match against Tsitsipas but could be interesting to see where he is at versus a top 5 player even though he's so young (in relative terms for the men's game)

Alcaraz just came back from 3-6 down in the first set breaker to take it

Some bottle and maturity of play from him for someone who has just turned 18

And Alcaraz takes it in 4.

Does have some room for improvement but a very solid all-around game (quality of volleying needs a bit of work) and with a pretty special forehand.

Will be interesting to see how much of a match he can give Tsitsipas assuming Tsitsipas wins his match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9BVp2Xflg0

...

The Golden Miller

Interested to watch Shapovalov in this major. Has the game to be the best, if he's strong mentally. Very powerful groundstrokes consistently.

This generation is missing a Lleyton Hewitt, not necessarily in talent, but a gung ho attitude to take it to the old guard. Hewitt did that brilliantly. No young player seems to have that will, fight or grit, like Hewitt did breaking through.

Then again maybe just aren't as good as Hewitt was. We forget and underestimate just how good he was at a young age, before niggling injuries, and later big injuries, slowed his game down.

Since on the topic, I'd argue that there's a case to argue Hewitt was the most natural tennis player ever from a technical standpoint. His game was so relatively weak and lacking power, relied heavily on movement and slight of wrist, to compensate. Few players with better intuition or feel for the game

Hector Savage

I was watching Schwartzman v Anderson in the Louis Armstrong stadium last night - bizarre scenes as the match was halted due to rain, the court has a roof!!!

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/58417080

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117836588#Comment_117836588

"Nature finds a way."

- Jurassic Park

World number 66 Sloane Stephens beats world 23 Cori (real name) Gauff 6-4, 6-2 in 66 minutes

Even though she has progressed maybe not as remarkable a story anymore.