OT: US Open Starts Today
Yes, I fully get there's a chance this thread gets nuked- fine with that. Hoping to talk tennis with some of my fellow tennis heads on here and there's not bleep-all going on right now on Monday football-wise that hasn't been covered 20000 times.
Nakashima is currently in a second set tiebreak with Isner- I'm pulling for the young man in this one. Isner is so limited and Nakashima is looking like a potential star for the American men.
Tsitispas got rocked in his first set against Murray- that would be a very weird result if it actually pans out.
No Federer or Nadal means if there was ever a year for someone else not from the Big 3, this would be it. Just not sure who can defeat Djoker outside of Daniil.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
Update: Nakashima wins the 2nd set on Isner. Up two sets to love.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:32 PM ^
Isner is ranked 19th. Also like 16 years more experience. This would appear to be a pretty big upset, especially considering Nakishima won all 3 sets.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:34 PM ^
Honestly, it's not.
I have been watching a lot of tennis this summer and Brandon has been rising through the ranks very quickly. He's got the perfect game to beat Isner; super consistent, doesn't get rattled, and makes you work. He rarely makes errors.
Isner was not serving that great either, so it made him super beatable. Any time the rally goes past a few, he's cooked. That is why I think Opelka can be a better Isner; he serves just as well and moves WAY better.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:56 PM ^
This Nakashima guy is only 20 years old. I would think he has a ton of upside.
August 30th, 2021 at 5:58 PM ^
This is the second time Nakashima beat Isner this year (first time was in Mexico) so while it certainly is an upset from a rankings perspective, it's not a shock.
I'm all aboard for it. We need one of these twenty-something American men (e.g., Reilly Opelka, Taylor Fritz) to move forward and crack the Top 10. They win plenty of junior titles (including the junior Grand Slams) but then don't make it to the second week for the Slams. With Federer and Nadal on the decline, the time is now.
August 30th, 2021 at 6:04 PM ^
I'm starting to worry about Fritz, much like I am with Tiafoe.
I really bought into Fritz early, but when I watch him, I'm not seeing it. He's got power, but he's all over the court, gets hurt a bit, seems to get frazzled- I just don't know. I hope he proves me wrong.
August 30th, 2021 at 6:42 PM ^
I’ve soured on Fritz quite a bit. He has some talent but I’ve seen too many underachieving losses with lackadaisical effort while rocking frosted tips in his hair for me to jump on his bandwagon. Big serve, decent ground strokes but can’t move. Don’t think he has the fire in the belly.
August 31st, 2021 at 1:25 AM ^
Invest more time watching Seb Korda. Fritz nor Tiafoe has it. Fritz is a choke and Tiafoe can't stay focused in a match. Another guy you should check out is Jenson Brooksby. Played a season at Baylor and has made a fair amount of noise this summer. Plays a quirky game that is a lot of fun to watch. Competes HARD. Korda is set to play tomorrow on Court 5 at 2:15 pm. Brooksby is scheduled for 3:30 pm on Court 4. Both matches will be on ESPN+. Those times are obviously approximate since they're dependent on other matches finishing on time before them.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:29 PM ^
I usually get tix for the Arthur Ashe day session during the first week which is just an incredible day. Full access during the day session and then all access to non-ticketed stadiums (Ashe & Louis Armstrong) for the nigh session. Get there at 11 and enjoy incredible tennis running from stadium to stadium and outer court to outer court for the next 12 hours.
Sadly, not able to make it this year but with that said, go Djoker, go make some fucking history!
August 30th, 2021 at 4:32 PM ^
I have talked about going for close to a decade now, and still have not made it happen.
I think next year will have to be it lol
I would love to check out the smaller courts that don't get a lot of traffic- feel like I'd enjoy that more.
August 30th, 2021 at 5:43 PM ^
Do it! But do it during the first week when it's pure tennis mayhem. Also, those smaller/outer courts get busy, very busy, especially as they start to let the night session ticket holders in and everyone can be on the grounds at the same time.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:35 PM ^
Murray and Tsitsipas in a 2nd set tiebreak.
F this is the best time of year isn't it? All these sports start to emerge together.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:53 PM ^
In the era of the Big 3, the U.S. Open has been an outlier. Nearly half of the recent titles (5/12) have been won by someone other than Roger, Nadal, and Djokovic. I see this year being no different. Give me Kyrgios with a huge shocker. I think the fans, the energy, the primetime lights puts Nick the Eccentric into the right mindset to breakthrough and win this title.
I almost called it with Tsitsipas at the French, maybe my intuition is one match better this time. Thanks for the thread Leo!
August 30th, 2021 at 4:57 PM ^
I just don't think Nick will ever do it.
He'll be under the bright lights and play great tonight, and then in a couple days he'll have a 2pm start on a tiny court without a lot of fans and he'll fall apart.
At some point, we can't talk about his talent- he just does not care enough about the game outside of it being his career.
I think Opelka is going to make a run. I also think Nakashima can get far, especially with how weak his portion of the bracket is.
And you are welcome!
August 30th, 2021 at 5:16 PM ^
LOL I can't disagree with anything you said about Nick. His inconsistency is the most consistent aspect of his game. Lightning does strike sometimes, though. Cilic, del Potro, Wawrinka all had it strike for them at the U.S. Open.
And, since they're in NYC, I'm going out like Axe in Billions, I'm playing a hunch.
August 31st, 2021 at 12:32 AM ^
Yikes! Kyrgios on his way to losing in straight sets on opening night!
August 31st, 2021 at 1:28 AM ^
RBA put him in a sleeper hold and choked him out. These courts will suit his game well. I don't know his draw, but wouldn't shock me to see him make a deep run.
August 30th, 2021 at 5:45 PM ^
Thanks for creating this thread! Love talking with my MGo Tennis pals.
Murray is giving Cheatsipas all he call handle. Choked away the 2nd set TB otherwise he’d be close to the finish line. Glad to see Murray finally getting his serve cranked up…to me that and his forehand have been liabilities the last couple of years. I guess Stefano’s dad can’t text him during bathroom breaks so he doesn’t know what to do.
Really sad that Roger and Rafa can’t play. This was setting up to be an epic Open with each of the Big 3 at 20 slams and Novak playing for the CYGS. So who can beat Djokovic? I watched both Zverev and Tsitsi play live in Cincy a couple of weeks ago. Zverev looked really good. Hammering his serve and his groundies. He will probably collapse mentally though- especially once Novak starts to make him move side to side.
Any hopes for American men? Probably not but would be nice to see Korda or Opelka make it to the second week. Would be nice.
August 30th, 2021 at 5:55 PM ^
Forgot about Korda!
I like Nakashima quite a bit, especially considering the bracket he is in.
Korda and Opelka can make good runs too.
I hope Tiafoe can do something also.
August 30th, 2021 at 6:44 PM ^
Murray and Tsitsipas going to a 5th
August 30th, 2021 at 6:47 PM ^
Wonder if Stefano is taking another of his famous 9 minute bathroom breaks.
Gotta let his dad call and tell him what to do in the 5th.
August 30th, 2021 at 6:49 PM ^
If you have Directv, the Murray match is on channel 903
August 30th, 2021 at 7:08 PM ^
Yep- I'm all over the DirecTV coverage during these majors- I end up getting frustrated with ESPN so I find what I want lol
There could be an epic match going on (like this current one), and ESPN says "Sorry! We have to cut away to Ash Barty in her first-round match against this qualifier."
I don't get it.
August 30th, 2021 at 7:38 PM ^
Down goes Murray.
I don't really care for either of these guys, but I don't get Stefanos's deal. He seems like such a likeable guy off the court, but on the court, he keeps doing all these dirty tricks with coaching and breaks.
HAHAHA! WOW. They have the cameras on Murray and he goes "IT'S A ******* JOKE!"
He's not that old- I thought he was like 39. He can definitely get back on a decent trajectory if he just stays healthy.
August 31st, 2021 at 7:50 AM ^
TENNIS! You talkin' bout TENNIS?! Not a GAME! Not a Football GAME!! And we sittin' in here talkin' about TENNIS!!!
August 31st, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
I follow the WTA side of the house. I am a huge Halep fan, and though she did get past Giorgi, who has been playing very well of late, I do not have a lot of confidence in her going super far this year. It's been a rough, injury-filled year for Simona.
Until she gets stopped, I will always assume Osaka takes the hard court slams.
This could the breakout slam for Sabalenka though. Hard courts suit her game and she's been inching ever closer to winning something big.
I would love to see Swiatek take a another leap forward and win something huge on the hard courts as well. Two of her three titles were on clay, but she did win in Adelaide earlier this year. Rooting for her pretty hard. I have to love a player who puts together Lego kits in between matches to stay focused, has apologized to an umpire's chair when she bumped into it and, after winning in Rome earlier this year, thanked her cat in her speech.
Outside of Osaka though, I suspect this is Barty's to lose. Her side if the draw is far weaker than the other and she's been playing fantastic all year.
Here's to a fun tournament!
August 31st, 2021 at 8:09 AM ^
Great first day of tennis and should still be a fun tournament. But man do I miss Roger...
August 31st, 2021 at 3:36 PM ^
American Men doing well so far, except Korda looks to be losing 1 set to zero so far.
August 31st, 2021 at 3:45 PM ^
Tough break, out with illness. Basilashvili looked red hot though and would have been a tough out regardless.