2021 US Open

gmisk

Rogers looked wrecked....Raducanu very impressive no doubt....won 11 games in a row, for two matches in a row!

6-2,6-1

but...and it's a big but...she has got to the last 8...without beating a seed...

Hopefully she isn't a flash in the pan like Laura Robson.

klr87

A tight last game from Raducanu, but does it on her 4th MP. She had not really been put under pressure in any of her 7 matches so far (3 qualifying, 4 MD). So that test is yet to come (against Bencic).

The biggest cheer from the home crowd was when BJK made an appearance and gave her blessings to the crowd. The stadium DJ responded with (what else?) "Philadelphia Freedom".

Rjd2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855620#Comment_117855620

Barty had no business losing to such a player.

I don't mind the UK press going silly over Emma, we do the same with our few sports stars.

Bencic is flying though so she should get through that match , but still Raducanu looks a special talent.

redlad12

Raducanu looks like a special player to be fair. I don't mind the brits getting excited , can't blame them on this particular occasion. I think she will beat Bencic.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855786#Comment_117855786

She definitely looks like a special player....but Bencic is a serious step up in quality, the first seeded player she has met...I think class and experience will tell, she will beat Raducanu imo.

Raducanu has (understandably) had a wobble in this and last march when serving for the win.

klr87

Raducanu is now up to 74 in the live rankings, with 1001 points. In normal times, that would get you to about mid-50s on the WTA rankings, but a lot of other players are still holding on to points from 2 years ago because of COVID-19. So once those old points go (and they will), Raducanu's "true" ranking will be evident.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855807#Comment_117855807

That is some jump...she was 343 for year end 2020...

redlad12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855798#Comment_117855798

Yeah she's had a kind draw but she's breezed through her sets. It should be a good match anyway. It's cool to see the teenagers doing well!

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855825#Comment_117855825

She definitely has and it's brilliant to see her and the couple of other seriously young players breaking through.

But I just think Bencic will be too good she is in great form going by the olympics performance and results so far (Swiatek is a seriously tough opponent)

yerwanthere123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855679#Comment_117855679

Hardly fair to call her a flash in the pain, she suffered incessant injuries to her wrist that ended her career. She's tried returning multiple times and always ended up needing more surgery.

redlad12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855852#Comment_117855852

Yeah to be fair she is definitely rightful favourite. I just have a feeling Raducanu will get the job done , I can see Bencic bottling it because of the expectation on her. Raducanu is in that sweet spot of not having pressure on her and being the unknown quantity. Although that won't last long haha.

gmisk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855872#Comment_117855872

That provides a reason....but..two 4th rounds in 2 majors....and nothing really of note since then, it's tremendously sad don't get me wrong.

Rjd2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855825#Comment_117855825

It was a kind draw for sure, but Tormo last round on paper was tricky. She is coming of a pretty good year and had just beaten Muchova so that was a more impressive result for Emma.

Bencic won the Olympics which should give her a serious boost and clearly in form, as good as time as any for her to finally win a slam.

yerwanthere123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855890#Comment_117855890

Well saying flash in the pan implies she just faded away out of poor work ethic/laziness akin to say Bouchard, but fair enough if you didn't mean it that way.

Robson at 19 had made the 4th round of Wimbledon and the US Open with numerous wins in grand slams against the likes of Clijsters, Li Na and Kvitova. So sad what happened, don't think she was ever going to be a consistent figure but I do think she had a couple of grand slams in her.

Itssoeasy

Emma Raducanu played well after a nervy start but Shelby Rogers gave up in the second set a bit. And yes she’s probably had an “easy” route in the competition but it’s not up to her or any player, she can only control her own game and just play what’s in-front of her.

[Deleted User]

Otte is injured for sure

Can barely chip slice the ball back at this point

Bummer

Berrettini really looked like possibly the most limited player in the ATP top 10 in this match

josip

Has anyone seen some of the tweets that Sloane Stephens got after her defeat?

https://twitter.com/SluggishLuca/status/1434198525139689477/photo/2

[Deleted User]

Ugly stuff.

In UK/ Ireland you'd be in court for that like the teenager in Kerry and Ian Wright who got offensive Instagram messages after the eejit lost some computer game where Wright was a character.

The police over here pursue things like that more than some other types of infringements that are harder to solve.

I'm sure that a lot of sports people get it from idiots unfortunately, especially where sports betting is involved.

https://www.rte.ie/news/courts/2021/0203/1194820-ian-wright/

[Deleted User]

Djokovic had a very tough match last night

I watched the first 2 sets

The Brooksby guy started off hitting with perfect depth and was making no mistakes - getting everything back

Took the first set 6-1 with a total of 1 unforced errors.

Djokovic wasn't even playing badly

There was a near half an hour game on Djokovic's serve in the fifth game of the second set!

Unreal. Almost half as long as the entire Rogers match. Different sport.

Djokovic eventually "broke down" Brooksby (said hip began to effect him) but it was it was a battle for sure.

If he can reproduce that form regularly he can be a decent player. Will get a rankings boost here also to get into more events. He has gone from the 300's at the start of 2021 to well into the top 100 as he had other good results this year.

Berrettini looked limited to me against Otte - would be a big step up to prove as much of a challenge.

He has the serve but that will really need to be on target - didn't seem great against Otte.

https://twitter.com/andyroddick/status/1435055277615747073

"Thanks Andy, I take that as a compliment," Djokovic said as it was brought up on court after the match.

Crowd even seemed to be be appreciating Djokovic pretty well.

Some have copped on how tough an achievement he is going for.

josip

Still, Djokovic has given up a set in 3 of his 4 matches so far.

Medvedev hasn't had a wobble.

Zverev has only lost 1 set.

It's not as if Djokovic's matches were any tougher than the other two.

Is Djokovic doing rope-a-dope that he's often accused of in the early stages of GSs?

Or genuine lapses in focus, that might be better exploited by Berretini, Zverev or Medvedev?

(I don't expect Berretini on current form to beat Djokovic, but it would be presumptuous to assume a foregone conclusion nevertheless)

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117857926#Comment_117857926

Berrettini could be a challenge IF he ups his game as I said - but not how he was playing against Otte.

But a player can change from one match to the next obviously.

Brooksby TOOK the first set - with his unorthodox style causing problems and the groundstroke depth was perfect and didn't miss (1 UE first set)

Go watch a replay if have haven't seen it.

Then a 30 minute game in the second set.

Djokovic is not a deliberate "rope-a-dope" player but he's just very hard to beat over 5 sets.

I've said before he's so lithe and wiry, carrying less weight than a bigger guy - nearly 20kg lighter than Berrettini for example - he'll drag players into a physical contest like Roddick said in his tweets and take their legs the more physical it gets over the 5 set match.

Bigger heavier guys aren't as good in marathon physical matches with long rallies the longer it goes. I think Djokovic deliberately gets into long rallies sometimes if he can to tire these guys out.

In the Olympics playing the really high heat and humidity combo (34 degrees with 70 to 80% humidity) and 7 matches in 7 days he underestimated and it drained him but those conditions aren't here in New York and he's not playing every day.

Going a set down in a 5 set match is totally different to going 1 down over 3.

Djokovic doesn't panic in that situation.

He doesn't even panic when he's two down really as he has come back to win so many times as has belief in his ability to do it.

For sure Zverev or Medved (who are tougher mentally now both) can beat him especially if they can serve well (and maybe Berrettini if he's on a career performance) but over 5 sets it's tough for them.

to beat the three of them in a row as it looking likely to be the case required (and more especially the last two) it's a very tough ask.

fitting maybe given what he's going for in history but he'd take an easier route if he got the chance for sure!

whiterebel

When RF, RN and ND are gone, they will be the last players who were brought up on 5 set tennis outside of slams. Until very recently you could see the difference with the later generation of players, but I think it will be a much more level playing field, stamina and tactic wise, when the aforementioned 3 are gone. It will interesting to see how Alacaraz' legs hold up in his next match.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117858336#Comment_117858336

FAA is favourite for sure now and the Toni Nadal effect seems to be kicking in on his consistency.

Alcaraz has been very impressive in "getting the job done" so far even when he had patches of really going off the boil in the matches.

Against Gojowczyk in the last round he played a smart game by the end as Gojowczyk started missing so Alcaraz didn't need to push the winners as much.

He was also able to adapt against Tsitsipas when he couldn't serve properly at the end.

He has a good tennis brain.

Will be interesting to see if he can do it again or at least be competitive.

His serve has to be at its best as it's still not the finished product.

Either way he's had a great break-out tournament making records for youngest ever in the 1/4 final men's along the journey and will be surely rising rapidly into the top 20 over the next year.

Would be a surprise if he didn't.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117858336#Comment_117858336

Djokovic played a grand total of 1 Masters 1000 5 set matches so I don't think that it had that much of an influence in his case.

2007 was the last year of 5 sets and only in the final of course.

Girly Gal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117858036#Comment_117858036

Of course anything can happen in sport, but, realistically can you honestly see anything other than Djokovic winning it out. Personally I'd give Zverev an outside chance (that's if he makes the semi) of beating Djokovic, if it's a Djokovic v Medvedev final which is what we probably all expect it to be, I wouldn't really give Medvedev much chance, even if Medvedev somehow gets into a winning position - I don't think he will, but, let's just say he does - will he be able to close it out against Djokovic, he'd be bound to get tight towards the end trying to win his first slam, that would be all Djokovic would need to turn the match in his favour, I don't think Medvedev would be able to do the reverse.

Anything other than Djokovic winning would be a massive shock. If you think about it, while Zverev and Medvedev are both fine players are either ever really likely to be considered greats of the game.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859362#Comment_117859362

I think that you're underestimating Medvedev

Just because he didn't turn up against Djokovic in Australia where on the day his serve deserted him doesn't mean that he can't beat Djokovic

If any top player has a bad service day they are going to struggle to win the match

His stats have been excellent here so far and he has shown that he can beat Djokovic in the head-to-head record

He's playing the best and most consistent tennis in New York so far

Same with Zverev - he can beat Djokovic, especially when serving well

Djokovic has to beat both of them most likely

But obviously it only takes one of them to have an on-day and Djokovic a bit off and poof calendar slam gone

Girly Gal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859415#Comment_117859415

I think if Djokovic is to fall it'll be to Zverev(he needs to get there first and have his serve firing) but, I'd still favour Djokovic. Maybe I am underestimating Medvedev, but, he hasn't really done it at GS level, outside GS yes, but, yet to do it at GS level, he's 25 now, most players that are going to win a slam already have one won at his age.

It would be interesting to see a Zverev v Medvedev final, just for the novelty alone, but, Djokovic has a once in his lifetime opportunity to do something none of his direct rivals (Federer & Nadal) couldn't and won't do. I can't see him passing up that opportunity.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859612#Comment_117859612

you have to take current form in the tournament into the equation as well as generalisations about past GS performance

Medvedev is making the court look awful small in New York with his giant reach and his flat ball forehand is really skidding off the surface this year - it's a different proposition to a higher topspin ball for Djokovic. He's also backing himself on big-game points with confidence - going to the net when break-point down and usually winning - confident stuff.

as for this - I think that this was maybe the first time that this has ever been done on a service return

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6wplH5aftk&lc=UgxN6t5TBzsGNy5u9Th4AaABAg.9Rv_TVO8iV09RxqNIitWYQ

Girly Gal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117859672#Comment_117859672

I take your point and it's very valid, of course current form has to come into it and he can only beat what's in front of him, but, so far he's had a favourable draw, he hasn't played anyone that was expected to really push him, but, he certainly hasn't played anyone close to Djokovic or even Zverev's level, the opponent has to be taken into account too.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117860197#Comment_117860197

that's true but even the guy today (Zandschulp) was able to play pretty decent tennis. It's not as if he capitulated losing 11 games in a row.

Medved was playing at a high level (even though first serve in not as good as other rounds)

Zandschulp beat Schwartzman (11), who is one of the most dogged players around.

And that was following up beating the 8th seed Ruud.

Two decent scalps. He was also a form player at this tournament but was disposed of handily.