2021 US Open

Girly Gal · 02-09-2021 5:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117838818#Comment_117838818

She doesn't look like she'll fulfill the potential some people believed she had, some seemed to think she'd take over from Serena immediately. Even at 17 she's probably already financially secure for life, which does tend to blunt the hunger of young sportspeople and a lot start to take things easier and their talent for granted. She's still young enough to become a serious contender at slam level, but it's not guaranteed that she will.

Rjd2 · 02-09-2021 8:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117838884#Comment_117838884

Sloane in round 2 is a nasty draw.

She has had an ok year and if you look at who she lost to in slams this year no real bums. Svitolina, Krejkova, Kerber and now Sloane.

Very ballsy to write her off just yet.

klr87 · 02-09-2021 8:56pm

That Murray toilet break in the 2012 USO final is not really relevant to the Tsitsipas discussion IMHO. It was after 4 gruelling hours of play, and it's not as if Murray has any real history of taking long toilet breaks to upset the rhythm of his opponent. Also, I reckon he kept on chuntering about Tsitsipas on Monday to keep himself fired up.

Anyway ...

Emma Raducanu is into the 3rd round, after beating Zhang Shuai of China 6-2 6-4. If anything, it should have been easier than that. Zhang beat her in San Jose a few weeks ago, but it seems Raducanu is learning quickly. Very soon, she'll be direct into the slam main draws, no qualifying or wild cards needed. In fact, if she beats Sara Sorribes-Tormo in the next round, she would be just about in the top 100 after the USO. That's quite a big if though. The winner of that match would likely play Barty in round 4.

So far, no top 20 seed in the women's singles has lost, although Brady (# 15) withdrew before the tournament started, giving Raducanu an easier first round match against a lucky loser.

02-09-2021 10:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117839629#Comment_117839629

maybe not hugely but it's an interesting aside

Murray didn't specify if he took a dump in 2012 or just went for a tactical peptalk 😆

Catherine Whitaker (you might see her on Amazon or on the Tennis podcast with her lapdog David Law) was quoting that other pearl-clutcher extraordinaire Annabel Croft (who wouldn't know the second week of a grand slam if it landed on her head) who apparently said that all toilet breaks should be cut /banned.

Whitaker then said that this would be ok if it was for men, but not for women.

Have men got some special "hold it in" power for maybe 5 hours plus over 5 sets that women don't have over max 3 sets?

Whitaker is some spa in fairness and actually knows very little about the game at all aside from waffling on about her guessed / perceived emotional states of various players as if they were talking on the phone every night for hours or something. Have never heard her make a good point about actual tennis tactics or technique.

02-09-2021 10:26pm

Saw a bit of the Reilly Opelka / Musetti match earlier

Opelka can actually hit a ball decently well outside of his obvious strength the serve

Took out Musetti in 3 sets

Girly Gal · 02-09-2021 10:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117839532#Comment_117839532

Not writing her off at all, just saying there were some unrealistic expectations put on her by some who seemed to think she was Serena 2.0 and was going to dominate women's tennis instantly, as I said she's still young enough to have a great career, but, she still has a bit to go.

02-09-2021 10:56pm

Karatsev vs Thompson is down to the fifth set

You couldn't get a more Russian-looking Russian vs a more Aussie Aussie

Rjd2 · 03-09-2021 12:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117840025#Comment_117840025

Apologies may have misread you.

I think yeah their is seriously unfair expectations on her when she is so young. The Serena comparisons are insane as Serena is an all time great.

If I had to make a prediction for Gauff she may win a few slams and plenty elsewhere which will mean she has had a great career, but looking at how much depth their is when looking at young girls coming through that might be her absolute ceiling.

03-09-2021 12:47am

Djokovic looks "on it" tonight.

Would be surprised if it goes beyond 3.

Very smart shot selection and intelligent movement.

Serve is flying also.

josip · 03-09-2021 1:22pm

Zverev didn't waste much time getting through to the next round also.

03-09-2021 2:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117841844#Comment_117841844

True, Zverev motoring through so far

Haven't watched him but when his serve is on he's a tough prospect

Having beaten Djokovic in the Olympics recently he won't be over-awed by the prospect in the least

Zverev has "toughened up" mentally over the last year in general to fulfil his potential towards the player that he can be

He's the biggest threat to Djokovic's chances of winning the thing assuming both come through without injury to the semi

Well Medvedev also as has a good enough record against Djokovic on hard courts and it's known that he's better on the New York surface than in Australia although the change in surface in NY that took place last year in New York suits Djokovic as it increased in speed over the old Decoturf

Djokovic's serve has been very good so far - firing a lot of aces for him

03-09-2021 2:36pm

Tsitsipas vs Alcaraz at 18:30 today in the 3rd round could be an interesting match

The other Greek dick (OG is Kygios) vs The future of Spanish Tennis (albeit only just 18 but he will be a top player for sure - top 5 minimum I think)

Obviously Tsitsipas should win at this point but if you haven't seen Alcaraz he's worth watching (great acceleration through his forehand, good backhand, goes to the net a good bit usually, decent serve, no mental flake - steely even)

Zverev vs Sinner in the 4th round looks likely also (Zverev has to beat Sock and Sinner over Monfils) - another good prospect

yerwanthere123 · 03-09-2021 5:09pm

Some tiebreaker between Halep and Rybakina here.

03-09-2021 7:55pm

Alcaraz breaks Tsitsipas on serve in game 1 to let him know that he's in for a match.

And breaks him again. 3-0

And by the way Tsitsipas has gotten 11 serves of 13 first serves in, in the two service games

Complete weapon of a forehand

Alcaraz is going to be a beast.

Confirmed.

Tsitsipas will be going for 2 **** at the end of the first set.

dublin49 · 03-09-2021 8:03pm

first time to see Alcaraz,great seeing a new kid on d block

03-09-2021 8:21pm

Tsitsipas fooking around wasting time beyond that allowed at the back of the court on Alacaraz's serve after change of ends

bit of a wobble from Alcaraz, losing a break back after his rocketship start

hopefully he can take the set still though...

5-3 with Tsiti to serve

Breaks him yet again !! first set 6-3

And Alcaraz is on serve to start the second

Tsits hasn't gone off court shocker....

beacause he has called in the trainer ..... change of tactics

no treatment given either. just took tape off.

03-09-2021 8:38pm

And he has broken Tsits again from 30-0 to take 4 points in a row

Some arrival on the stage.

he's firing the serve straight at Tsits on occasion. right at the racquet.

beautiful to see!

break back - 3-2

josip · 03-09-2021 9:13pm

Dan Evans from 2 sets down has managed to take it to a 5th.

03-09-2021 9:22pm

One set all

Can Alcaraz rally back - faltered there in the second set

Forehand accuracy went off

but Tsitsipas got a bit lucky also in the last service game on the early break points but did well to close it out

Interesting now

Tsits hasn't gone off court

03-09-2021 9:59pm

Alcaraz showing bottle to try to come back into in the 3rd

one break back to 3-5

some touch for those drop shot

Savage - 2 breaks in a row

to 5-5

Come on Alcaraz

Tsitsipas annoying with his aggressive and too frequent shouting after a point.

03-09-2021 10:21pm

Quality has dropped off bigtime here but great tension

Tsits puts it into the net for 6-5 lead

Crowd loving this match

03-09-2021 10:34pm

Ah class!

comes back from 5-2 to takes the tie-breaker and third set

Tsits called for coaching violation, double faults point after

Tsits gone off for a change now - crowd onto him

Alcaraz backhand now hitting the winners along with forehand drop shots

josip · 03-09-2021 10:36pm

Evans is through!

First time to make the 4th round.

yerwanthere123 · 03-09-2021 10:36pm

Take that Tsitsipas ya wanker 😎 Don't even care if Alcaraz ends up losing this, love watching Tsitsipas being made to squirm, and with the crowd against him.

klr87 · 03-09-2021 10:37pm

Well, well, well ... from a double-break down, Alcaraz takes the third set in a breaker.

Meanwhile, Kerber and Stephens are in a final set.

klr87 · 03-09-2021 10:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843747#Comment_117843747

He's got a haircut to match. As Grandpa Simpson said "now there's a haircut you could set your watch to!"

03-09-2021 10:46pm

Tsitsipas was back very quickly

Must have only wiped once

Royale with Cheese · 03-09-2021 10:53pm

The crowd are getting a bit obnoxious with Tsitsipas imo. Would love to seem him go Medvedev on them but don't think think he has it in him really.

03-09-2021 11:13pm

Alcaraz's ability to serve is compromised

not going to be able to compete here

That first set was a thing of beauty though

Might watch it again

Will be seeing him around in the coming years

klr87 · 03-09-2021 11:15pm

Angie toughs it out 6-3 in the the third. She saved 3 break points at 2-3, and broke on her fourth break point the next game. Sloane just didn't have anything left. Angie's reward is likely a match with Osaka.

Alcaraz still looks to have some fight in him, even with that back trouble.

josip · 03-09-2021 11:21pm

Is Zverev the only 1 of the top 4 that the Flushing Meadows supporters don't have it in for?

yerwanthere123 · 03-09-2021 11:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844686#Comment_117844686

Well they're probably not exactly thrilled with him either given the domestic violence allegations.

klr87 · 03-09-2021 11:34pm

The increase in court speed this year is really noticeable, Players are able to hit winners more easily than in previous years, or at least that's how it seems to me. All for the best.

gmisk · 03-09-2021 11:38pm

Medvedev is looking in serious form....I don't give Evans a chance really I'm next round. Bound to be wrecked after that five setter.

03-09-2021 11:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844728#Comment_117844728

same court and surface last year

changed in 2020

Amazing that Alcaraz is staying in it here with a WTA serve

03-09-2021 11:58pm

Told ye this fooker was special

What a match

Itssoeasy · 04-09-2021 12:00am

What a set of tennis after the forth set. The crowd were amazing in that final set.

klr87 · 04-09-2021 12:02am

Well, that was some performance.

I guess the crowd were partly for the underdog, but also partly against Tsitsipas. Maybe he'll learn from that. Like most players, he'd probably prefer to have the crowd on his side rather than against him.

yerwanthere123 · 04-09-2021 12:13am

Wow, what a match and what a win. Alcaraz could be a real star.

I'd be surprised if we don't see some changes in Tsitsipas after this tournament. He's too young to have this chip on his shoulder and have stadiums of fans cheering against him. Entirely self inflicted too.

dublin49 · 04-09-2021 12:37am

what a match,Tsitsipas badly advised as he has all the ingredients to be a crowd favourite.He was beaten early in wimbledon so similiar to Zverez findng majors tougher than normal tourneys.Seem to be less challenges than previously or maybe it was just tonites match.

04-09-2021 1:41am

Video and transcript of Tsitsipas post-match press conference

Fairly open and honest in fairness

https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/interviews/2021-09-03/2021-09-03_interview_stefanos_tsitsipas_round_3_2021_us_open.html

yerwanthere123 · 04-09-2021 2:25am

Osaka smashes her racquet, gets a warning. Does it again in the next point and but no point penalty. Maybe Hughes let it go cause she was already dismantling enough anyway, but that really merited a penalty. Osaka loudly booed by the crowd.

Anyway, final set here we go.

Floppybits · 04-09-2021 2:40am

It has been car crash stuff from Osaka last few games. The umpire being a bit lenient with her after the racket throwing.

Floppybits · 04-09-2021 2:47am

Osaka looks to be getting back on track in her last service game.

Itssoeasy · 04-09-2021 2:48am

i was going to say Naomi osaka hasn’t played great. The repeated racket smashing needs to be called.

Itssoeasy · 04-09-2021 2:49am

4-2 to Fernandez in the third set.

Floppybits · 04-09-2021 2:57am

It is a tough watch because it is like Osaka just wants to get out of there. Taking no time between serves just rushing through the game.

Floppybits · 04-09-2021 3:00am

Some winners being hit by both players.

Itssoeasy · 04-09-2021 3:07am

Absolute magic. Between Fernandez, Emma Raducanu, and Carlos Alcatraz the teenagers are a breath of fresh air. They have zero fear and they are just a joy to watch.

Floppybits · 04-09-2021 3:07am

Osaka gone. Don't expect she will do a press conference but that was some loss of composure during the match. Fair play to Fernández for holding it together and seeing out the match.

2021 US Open

Comments