Early US Open Ruminations

[GameSetAndMath]

It'll be great if he's there, but will he get any matches in before it? He can't go straight from a 4th round loss at Wimbo, to Flushing Meadows, and believe he has much chance to win. I hope he gets at least a few matches in one of the small knock-up events before the Open, if indeed he can play there...

Neither will he play in Winston-Salem nor is that desirable. Once his wrist is healed, he
can get practice by playing against guinea pigs.

 

[Kieran]

I think it would be better than nothing, if he played a small knock up event. There might be a hungry kid like Nick there, scrounging around. Rafa will need to find a bit of range before he tackles a major...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think it would be better than nothing, if he played a small knock up event. There might be a hungry kid like Nick there, scrounging around. Rafa will need to find a bit of range before he tackles a major...

We don't need a kid like Nick. Nick himself can be there possibly, being an unseeded playerat USO.

 

[Kieran]

Absolutely. Nick is on the up. Muzza betta watch out. The youngster has form. Long may that continue...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Prim and Howard are having trending up or down discussion.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Wayne HGH Odesnik has gained entry into the USO by performing well in USTA pro circuit events.
This is the first time he plays in USO since 2009.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

18 year old Noah Rubin has gained entry into USO by winning the Boy's 18 USTA championship.

There are 8 wild cards at USO, but only 4 of them are given at the discretion of organizers.
The other four are distributed as follows: Boys 18 champion, Pro Circuit Winner, a French
Guy decided by France and an Australian Guy decided by Australia (last two are bilateral
agreements).

Also, of the 4 wild cards, USTA must award one to the previous years College Singles
Champion, provided he gets ranked within 250 at the time of award. If not, then the
college champion gets a wild card into the Qualifying Tournament.

So, it could even be the case that the organizers have just 3 real discretionary wild
cards at their disposal finally.

 

[Front242]

You'd expect them to give Robbie Ginepri a wild card too.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

You'd expect them to give Robbie Ginepri a wild card too.

Ya, he would get one. But, I don't like wild cards being given to dead horses. I would
prefer them being given to up and coming players or returning players who are ranked
low due to injury.

 

[TennisFanatic7]

A significant move now is Tsonga's change of rank. His boost back into the top 10 means he won't be seeded in the 13-16 bracket, who are the guys seeded to face the top 4 seeds in the last 16.

With question marks over the participation of Nadal, Del Potro and Nishikori, and ranking changes from Cincinnati still to come, the wider picture isn't clear, but the significance is that we won't see Tsonga taking on Federer, Djokovic or Nadal if he plays, in the fourth round.

 

[Front242]

You'd expect them to give Robbie Ginepri a wild card too.

Ya, he would get one. But, I don't like wild cards being given to dead horses. I would
prefer them being given to up and coming players or returning players who are ranked
low due to injury.

Well he's never been quite the same since his motorcycle crash in Oct 2010 and took a long time to recover from that so in that respect he is just that, a returning player ranked low due to injury. Actually surprised he hasn't made more impact on the US hardcourts. He's built like a brick these days and you'd think he could hit enough players off the court to at least crack the top 100 again.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

OK. Now, all wild cards are announced.

1. Bernard Tomic (TA - Reciprocal)
2. Michael Llodora (FFT - Reciprocal)
3. Wayne HGH Odesnik (USTA Procircuit)
4. Noah Rubin (USTA Boy's 18 Champion)
5. Marcos Giron (NCAA Champion)
6. Ryan Harrison
7. Tim Smyczek
8. Jared Donaldson

I am impressed by the USTA selecting the teenager Jared Donaldson in preference
to Robbie Ginepri.

 

[Front242]

^ Yeah, Ginepri was pretty shocking today unfortunately. Great to see Llodra in the draw. Hope he manages to S&V his way through a few rounds in style.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Also Francis Tiafoe, the 16 year old kid, gets a wild card into the qualifying tourney along with
several others.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

FACTOID: In the last 13 Grand Slam Events starting from Wimbledon 2011, Djokovic
either won the event or lost to a player who won the event. You got to realize that
this is a stretch extending for more than three years now.

2011 Wimbledon --- WON
2011 US Open --- WON
2012 AO --- WON
2012 FO --- Lost to Rafa in Finals
2012 Wimbledon --- Lost to Fed in SF, who won.
2012 USO --- Lost to Murray in Finals
2013 AO --- WON
2013 FO --- Lost to Rafa in SF, who won.
2013 Wimbledon --- Lost to Murray in Finals.
2013 USO --- Lost to Rafa in Finals.
2014 AO --- Lost to Wawrinka in QF, who won.
2014 FO --- Lost to Rafa in Finals.
2014 Wimbledon --- WON

 

[NADAL2005RG]

FACTOID:
Nadal has won FOUR of the last TEN grand slam events.
Murray has won TWO of the last TEN grand slam events.
Djokovic has won TWO of the last TEN grand slam events.
Federer has won ONE of the last TEN grand slam events.
Wawrinka has won ONE of the last TEN grand slam events.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

Robredo (Federer's 2013 conqueror) in good form heading into the US Open, just disposed of Djokovic in straight sets. Robredo recently said that he's playing better than ever, and I believe him.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

17yr old borna coric, rank 193. uso junior winner 2013..and they didn't give him a wildcard ?..that's a bit shabby.

 

[NADAL2005RG]

17yr old borna coric, rank 193. uso junior winner 2013..and they didn't give him a wildcard ?..that's a bit shabby.

That's a shame. Big mistake. Tennis needs a prodigy.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

17yr old borna coric, rank 193. uso junior winner 2013..and they didn't give him a wildcard ?..that's a bit shabby.

That's a shame. Big mistake. Tennis needs a prodigy.

You both are missing the basics. Why would the USTA want to give a wild card to a
Croatian player when there are plenty of US players looking for one and some deserving
too. Only under very rare circumstances that a country gives its WC to players from
other countries. Bernard Tomic and Michael Llodora are exceptions as they got it
through reciprocal agreement with FTF and TA. i.e, French Tennis Federration will
give one wild card for a US player at the French Open and Tennis Australia will give
one wild card for a US player at the Australian Open. They give it to USTA and the
USTA will select the player.

Only UK gives some of its wild cards to players from other countries. That too,
not because they are philanthropic. It is just that they often could not find local
players who will not embarrass UK to give wild cards.