US Open 2023 [Men] - Grand Slam

[the AntiPusher]

Yes, you're finally seeing the light.

I'm not happy about it PE

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Two sets. 7-6, 6-3

Oops thanks I will correct

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jannik Sinner's projected path to the final:

R1: Y. Hanfmann
R2: L. Sonego
R3: S. Wawrinka
R4: A. Zverev
QF: C. Alcaraz
SF: D. Medvedev
F: N. Djokovic

Not the easiest of paths, but if he can get over that hump with Alcaraz, this is doable.

Going on present form I cannot see Sinner getting past Alcaraz if they meet in the QF, other seeded players eg Meddy have a more doable draw, also Meddy and Novak are players that present huge problems for Sinner, going on their previous match ups

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

FAA will not win that match is my fear

FAA will have to be on 'his return game' for starters, also his serve has to be 'on', FAA has to keep moving Milos around the court, FAA is a better athlete than Milos

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

For posters doing brackets for the USO,
Seb Korda sustained a ankle injury in his 3 set victory against Gasquet at the Winston Salem QF match, he withdrew before the SF.
Questionable for USO, now has a ankle injury will not heal immediately.Certainly in no position to play 5 sets.

 

[Jelenafan]

The irony is that Casper Ruud has a more than good shot to get to the SF's if not the finals against all odds. He's like a cockroach after a nuclear blast... ; )

 

[Kieran]

The irony is that Casper Ruud has a more than good shot to get to the SF's if not the finals against all odds. He's like a cockroach after a nuclear blast... ; )

He’s a sticky, that’s the best he’s got, but you’re right. If he shows up with a bit of form, he’ll be reliable..

 

[kskate2]

Jannik Sinner's projected path to the final:

R1: Y. Hanfmann
R2: L. Sonego
R3: S. Wawrinka
R4: A. Zverev
QF: C. Alcaraz
SF: D. Medvedev
F: N. Djokovic

Not the easiest of paths, but if he can get over that hump with Alcaraz, this is doable.

before he faces Chuck, he has to get past a resurgent Crown prince. Not an easy task.

 

[kskate2]

He’s had a favourable draw in every slam for a couple of years now. Even the FO this year, Carlos pulled up cramped. He beat nobody there. Nobody in Australia. Nobody at Wimbledon last year. In 2021 his difficult (and great) match was against Rafa. He beat nobody else. He played nobody who made him have to beat them. 2020 Australia? So many handy draws. He’s claimed about 6 slams without opposition. And you’re right, he had a favourable draw in Wimbledon. It was almost like the early days of the sport, where the champion got a bye to the final. Luckily this time he faced somebody in the final..

Charlie's had tough draws in the last 4 slams, resulting in 2 titles. I think it tunes him up. It definitely did at Wimby. After he played Jarry, he was a better player period. It's the only way he could have lived on the court w/ Djoke in the final. W/o those previous rounds, he goes down in the final likely in straights.

 

[Kieran]

Charlie's had tough draws in the last 4 slams, resulting in 2 titles. I think it tunes him up. It definitely did at Wimby. After he played Jarry, he was a better player period. It's the only way he could have lived on the court w/ Djoke in the final. W/o those previous rounds, he goes down in the final likely in straights.

Yeah that’s true. Adversity seems to strengthen Carlos in ways we haven’t seen before. It sharpens his blade and it stays sharp. Was very impressed with how he turned that Wimbledon final around. I think Novaks squeakiness in the second set tiebreak showed that he felt the Carlos Effect too. Novak was blessed in Paris..

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

The irony is that Casper Ruud has a more than good shot to get to the SF's if not the finals against all odds. He's like a cockroach after a nuclear blast... ; )

We might get Ruud vs. Tiafoe in the 4th round. Crazy to think that we were a few points away from getting this as a US Open final last year.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

We might get Ruud vs. Tiafoe in the 4th round. Crazy to think that we were a few points away from getting this as a US Open final last year.

Hey? ! your admiration for Frances is quite blinded I have to say

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yeah that’s true. Adversity seems to strengthen Carlos in ways we haven’t seen before. It sharpens his blade and it stays sharp. Was very impressed with how he turned that Wimbledon final around. I think Novaks squeakiness in the second set tiebreak showed that he felt the Carlos Effect too. Novak was blessed in Paris..

Charly is such a quick learner as we have all witnessed, Wimbledon was a prime example, that is why I am not worried when he lost in Cinncy, dosent hurt his chances to defend his title in NYC, even with a tricky draw, he had a tricky draw at Wimbledon and came through with flying colors.

 

[Jelenafan]

Yeah that’s true. Adversity seems to strengthen Carlos in ways we haven’t seen before. It sharpens his blade and it stays sharp. Was very impressed with how he turned that Wimbledon final around. I think Novaks squeakiness in the second set tiebreak showed that he felt the Carlos Effect too. Novak was blessed in Paris..

Because Alcaraz has already won so much, it's good to remind ourselves players at his age 20 are still sponges, i.e. there is in most cases an upward learning curve. Losing a tight 3 hour plus match to Djokovic is not going to set him back unless we believe he has already "peaked", which IMO is neither plausible nor probable.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Alcaraz, during Media Day at US Open,

"The thing in Djokovic game I might model most?. Everything he does is unbelievable. Probably his mental rock. He never give up. That's something that I learn and I'll try to do in my own game".

 

[atttomole]

Yeah that’s true. Adversity seems to strengthen Carlos in ways we haven’t seen before. It sharpens his blade and it stays sharp. Was very impressed with how he turned that Wimbledon final around. I think Novaks squeakiness in the second set tiebreak showed that he felt the Carlos Effect too. Novak was blessed in Paris..

Don’t worry, Carlito will make sure that Djokovic doesn’t win number 24. We will see how Carlito matches up with Nadal when he returns from injury.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Hey? ! your admiration for Frances is quite blinded I have to say

Unbiased, I think Ruud vs. Tiafoe is a tossup. It's the most competitive quarter. I'll concede that Rune would have been the favorite there had he been healthy (and would give Djokovic fits). But with Rune not completely healthy, I look at Ruud and Tiafoe as co-favorites. If Ruud and Tiafoe played 10 times, most likely both players are winning 5 times. Tiafoe can't get a more favorable draw than this to defend his semifinal points.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Unbiased, I think Ruud vs. Tiafoe is a tossup. It's the most competitive quarter. I'll concede that Rune would have been the favorite there had he been healthy (and would give Djokovic fits). But with Rune not completely healthy, I look at Ruud and Tiafoe as co-favorites. If Ruud and Tiafoe played 10 times, most likely both players are winning 5 times. Tiafoe can't get a more favorable draw than this to defend his semifinal points.

It is only hpothetical that if Rune was healthy he would give Novak fits for starters., Ruud has been disappointing this season, Frances hasnt set the world on fire so far on HCs.

 

[El Dude]

I only watched the end of the Cincinnati final and even though Alcaraz lost, I think he's become the player to beat. Novak is a close second, so it is really 1a and 1b, but what I saw was a wily veteran out-witting a younger, and probably (now) slightly better young player. Novak is still great, but he's not the same player he was in 2011-16, maybe not even 2018-21. I just haven't seen him get into an indomitable rhythm since then, we see for periods of time from 2011-21. The current version is still all-time great level, but it isn't quite the GOAT level player we say in 2011-16 and for periods of 2018-21. Alcaraz is, right now, playing as good as garden variety all-time greats and maybe even creeping towards "lesser GOAT" level ala Sampras and Lendl (at least he's heading in that direction), so they're crossing paths on different trajectories, but I think Alcaraz is hungrier and has the slight edge over Novak going into the tournament. Just my opinion, of course.

Medvedev is the darkhorse, a more distant #3. I just don't think he's on the same level as those two. He's almost playing a Big Four era Andy Murray role. Sinner is probably next, though I'm still not certain he has the fortitude (physical and mental) to win a Slam. But he's still improving and a year from now he could be right there with Medvedev, at least. As for Holger Rune, I'd rank him 5th but don't think he is healthy enough--or quite good enough--to really challenge for the title. He's almost there, and I suspect he'll be there by this time next year, at least coeval with Medvedev. I still maintain he's of similar talent to Alcaraz, but still hasn't mastered his emotional game. At some point he's going to put it together and win a Slam and the rest of the tour will be on notice. I can see peak Holger going through spells of utter dominance, even vanquishing Alcaraz, but also with less consistency. But again, I don't think we're quite there yet.

After the "Big Two" and the "next three," it is a significant drop to the "2nd tier" pack: Zverev (who has played better the last few months), Tsitsipas, Ruud, Rublev, etc. But does anyone actually think any of these guys have a chance to win this slam? They'd have to play the best tournament of their life and still probably need some draw magic.

In a similar vein, Zverev and Tsitsipas are really reminding me of Tsonga and Berdych. I think Zverev at least reached a higher peak than those two, but they seem to have settled into a similar position on the tour and in the rankings, just slightly better. More like peak Davydenko or Soderling ("2nd tier+") - but not true elite players. To be elite, I think, you have to be a serious candidate in at least a Slam or two every year, and they've never really gotten there. Sinner too, but he still has room to grow and we may have seen the best of Zverev and Tsitsipas.

 

[El Dude]

It is only hpothetical that if Rune was healthy he would give Novak fits for starters., Ruud has been disappointing this season, Frances hasnt set the world on fire so far on HCs.

I don't think Ruud has been as much disappointing, as the tour putting him back where he belongs -- as a solid and consistent top 10 guy, but not a true elite. His impressive four big title finals last year was largely because of a "wobbly" tour. he was beating 2nd and 3rd tier guys, but always defeated by whatever elite player he faced: Nadal and Novak once each, and Alcaraz twice. I made a comp to Ferrer at some point - not necessarily his game, but his position on the tour. He's the place where the men are separated from the boys, but he's more the "elder boy" than the "younger man" (if that makes sense).