Thanks for thinking of me! We did have good seats, but they are always on the sunny side, so, while it was a very lovely summer day in NY...not too hot, not humid, and breezy, it's always going to be hot sitting in the sun for several hours.
Glad to hear you got good seats. Sitting in the sun for a few hours is never easy, you kind of just have to endure it. You move to a shade after a few hours and you feel like you changed a climate zone. You've got to see a most exciting player on the tour right now and that's priceless.
A few notes from the front:
* Alcaraz v. Evans was very entertaining. Alcaraz can certainly put on a show. Evans won some entertaining points, too, and a couple of times they both had a laugh. Generally, though, Evans is inclined to be grumpy. Charly has yet to find his game completely, but, boy...when he does!
I missed some action in the first 2 sets, but watched 3rd and 4th. The quality of tennis was high and it was really an entertaining match. Alcaraz pulled of a few unbelievable shots and Evans was really hanging in there, kudos to him for putting up a good fight. Players now just bend down against Alcaraz, like a certain Greek.
* As to Alcaraz's grunting: I know a few have commented, even to the extent it could be hinderence. I know
@Kieran has said as much. He doesn't grunt on every point, and when he does, it's just before his swing. If anything, it telegraphs that the change-of-pace is coming. He doesn't grunt on neutral rally shots. But when he changes pace, he grunts. Before the shot. And those shots are breathtaking.
That's interesting. I'll pay more attention when I watch him next time. Basically when he grunts you know a bomb is coming your way.
* This was my first live match with no lines people. I hate to say it, but you don't miss them. The lines are called electronically, and you can still challenge, but it does seem to keep things moving.
Yes, the flow of the game is way better without the wrong line calls.
* We did try to go to Armstrong for the Sinner/Wawrinka match. It was at the change after the Keys match. We got in, but it was crowded trying to get in, and my friend was already over-heated from sitting at Ashe for so long.
That's a pity. Stan also put up a good fight, but he has really become too slow. You just need to move him around the court and he is done. I don't think he won a point while chasing the dropshots. He still has good shots, but his movement is woeful. Well he is 38.5 years old already...
I'm happy I got to see Charly live, and we did have fun. I got back in time to see that last 2 sets of Sinner d. Wawrinka on my stream. I hadn't realized he had a "Carota Squad" following him around. They are insane. It has to be hot inside of those costumes.
Carota squad probably lost a few kilos through sweat in those costumes. I would feel claustrophobic wearing that thing. Didn't know they are following Sinner.
