US Open Record Breaker Monday

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Duke - Simona used that break to practise her serve - she could've just sat and taken a breather. A bit of free time. Years ago of course men's five set matches had a 15 minute break after the 3rd set. Don't know about women's 3 setters.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Chazz writes:

Hartt, there are probably two factors with Shapo's popularity at the US Open - 1) people are drawn to young players like him that exude positive energy. If he was dull and stoic like XYZ player (I won't list names), there is no way people would be as interested to watch him. Let's face it, he has a big personality. Also, 2) quite a few Canadians are probably in NY supporting him.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

JG writes:

did Alec Baldwin give it away in his interview at the Open last night that Federer's back is bothering him -- I thought he said he saw him at a charity event and Federer said his back was bothering him-Tiafoe may be able to make a run at him, but too bad he's getting him in the first round may be more vulnerable later on.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

Chazz, list the names! (Cough, cough, Americans Isner and Querrey)

 

[Busted]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

Sad comments by Tomic, you have to feel for the guy. He has no one in his life to get him on the right track and the tennis tour is full or piranhas. In typically candid comments afterwards, Tomic said he had his motivation back after his break but still felt "trapped" in the sport he has played fulltime since he was a child, given his lack of other options to fund his lifestyle. "I mean, it’s tough. Everyone has their own work, their own job and it’s not like I can go and start real estate or something, restaurants. I’ve got no idea about that," he told the Australian Associated Press. "Yes, I can afford to do those things, but I’ve got no idea. My job’s only to play tennis and it’s all I know. I’m not going to finish a doctor’s degree. I’m not the smartest person in the world."

I have no sympathy for someone who has enough money to quit a "job" he doesn't like, go to school, get an EDUCATION - anybody else remember that stupid thing called "an education" that people who want to better themselves used to do? - and build his life into something he DOES want. You don't have to be "the smartest person in the world" to achieve things in life but you do need discipline, self-control, hard work, motivation and a positive attitude and outlook. NONE of which Tomic has. I'm sick of reading his whiny ass "Whoa is me. I'm trapped in job where I make millions" comments. STHU already. There are people in the world who don't have the basic necessities like food, clean water and a safe place to live and this little twerp is whining about being "trapped" in his "job" as a tennis player. What a loser.

 

[Busted]

JG writes:

did Alec Baldwin give it away in his interview at the Open last night that Federer's back is bothering him -- I thought he said he saw him at a charity event and Federer said his back was bothering him-Tiafoe may be able to make a run at him, but too bad he's getting him in the first round may be more vulnerable later on.

If you've been watching the practice videos people are posting on YT - it's pretty obvious that Roger's not going at 100%. Whether that's the back or saving himself for matches is the question. He's always said he's not the best practice competitor. Here's a video I saw yesterday when he was practicing with Damir Dzumhur. He said at his press conference that his back was fine and he was ready to go, so who knows what Alec Baldwin was talking about. Why would Fed be saying at charity even that his back is bothering him when he's never been particularly chatty - on or off court - about his injuries in the past? Sounds hinky to me.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

People can't help being boring. I don't remember Rod Laver setting the world on fire with his sparkling personality. Same with Sampras. And of course to Dan all women players are completely uninteresting.

 

[Busted]

catherine writes:

Simona out - I missed most of the match live so can't say much except it seemed pretty close at times and I was reminded of the saying 'a good big'un will always beat a good little'un'. Maybe Simona just didn't have the firepower in the end. Or Cahill.

The reality is - she shouldn't have had to play Cheaterpova in the first round or at all because Cheaterpova never should have been given a wild card by the USTA. They're not some small event that needs a big name to draw in paying customers. It's the richest tennis tournament in the world and they should be above pandering to cheaters just because their marquee name value. They should have made her go through the qualies like everybody else who didn't automatically qualify. You couldn't be able to cheat, sever a 15 months PED suspension and then come back and be handed automatic entries into Slams. So shame on the USTA for even letting Sharapova in the draw without making her earn it.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Busted - I think it's time to shut the door on this 'cheater' stuff. Maria has served her suspension and like anyone else who has been punished for a crime and done their time she is now free. Do you want to go on punishing her forever ? She took a substance which wasn't even banned for a long time. Not exactly inhaling steroids. Maria is entitled to a wc at any Grand Slam event if she requests one. The USTA clearly weighed things in the balance and decided her presence would be good for the tournament. And so it was. Simona lost this match because in the crunch she just wasn't good enough. Faded in the finish as so often. Bad luck in the draw but that's life. You'll have to get used to Maria because I don't think she's planning to ride off into the sunset.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Chazz writes:

Catherine, it's probably not a popular opinion but I was never a fan of Sampras largely because of that. I'm too young to remember Laver on the court.

 

[Busted]

Dan Markowitz writes:

Amazing Sharapova win. Boy, the WTA needs her, with the exception of Sloane Stephens I couldn't have cared less about women's matches yesterday, but I watched first set of Maria v Simona and Maria from her black sequined Nike dress to her powerful groundies and serves (and her looks, let's be fair, she's a very striking woman which Halep is not) was the show. Halep is about as exciting to watch as say a Catskills stand up comic of the 40's and that might be giving her too much credit. She has the second serve of a junior boys player and walks around kind of glumly and piqued like she just got a parking ticket. Thank God, Maria's back. I don't care what she's taking.

The WTA DOES NOT NEED CHEATERS - and bottom line - that's what Sharapova is. Tennis does not need cheaters and the USTA giving Cheaterpova a wild card sends a bad message - if you're famous enough and rich enough you can cheat and still get into Slam events. What's to prevent other stars whose games have fallen off or just aren't as good as they used to be from doing PEDs and pleading ignorance and blaming everyone but themselves, getting a reduced sentence, spending 15 months at the beach and then coming back and getting direct entries into tourneys just like Sharapova? It sends the wrong message to not make her earn her way into the draw and I hope the Aussie Open doesn't follow suit. Make her do the qualies and earn her way back into the draw.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Halep and Kerber both out in the first round - Angie down 6-3 6-1 to Osaka. Her worst result by far this year. Disastrous. Battalions of coaches won't help her now it seems. There's a disconnect somewhere. I've no idea what it is and I wonder how she sees her future. She'll be out of the top 10 soon.

 

[Busted]

catherine writes:

Busted - I think it's time to shut the door on this 'cheater' stuff. Maria has served her suspension and like anyone else who has been punished for a crime and done their time she is now free. Do you want to go on punishing her forever ? She took a substance which wasn't even banned for a long time. Not exactly inhaling steroids. Maria is entitled to a wc at any Grand Slam event if she requests one. The USTA clearly weighed things in the balance and decided her presence would be good for the tournament. And so it was. Simona lost this match because in the crunch she just wasn't good enough. Faded in the finish as so often. Bad luck in the draw but that's life. You'll have to get used to Maria because I don't think she's planning to ride off into the sunset.

It's never time to shut the door on the "cheater stuff" when someone is NOT having to earn their way back into everyone's good graces. If she had the guts to cheat, then she should have the guts to EARN her way back into tournaments. I'm sick of athletes who make millions and millions taking short cuts and everyone giving them a pass. Sharapova has NOT shown any remorse and she has NOT taken responsibility for her actions. Instead she continues to blame the system and her own people for HER actions and stupidity. She has not had the decency to even attempt to do any qualifying. Instead she has her agent negotiate big fat appearance fees for her. So no, it's NOT time to let it go. How about some accountability from this annoying cheating trick?

Also, I said nothing about how or why Halep lost the match. I didn't see the match and refuse to watch any of Sharapova's matches. All that does is increase ratings and give ESPN and the USTA - and other tournaments - the idea that Sharapova is still a big draw and that it's worth it for them monetarily to give her a wild card. I won't be contributing to that narrative in any way, shape or form. What I said and what I stand by is that Halep should NOT have had to play someone who didn't deserve to be in the tournament. If you're fine with athletes cheating and getting carte blanche for it - then bully for you. For a great many of us, though - it don't sit well.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Busted- Don't insult me and I've got better things to do than continue this useless argument.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Duke Carnoustie writes:

How do you get paragraphs to work on this site?

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Duke - I don't know and I've tried everything. Re Angie - seemed today she didn't have a clue. A ghost of the player she was at Wimbledon. I watched a clip of her practising and she seemed to be moving pretty well, but not today. Serving dreadful. Really the pits. I wonder if it is a mental block she won't acknowledge and can't get over. In her interviews she's rat-a-tat cheerful and then goes out and does this. Needs a long break, maybe psychological mentoring, otherwise I can't see a future for her - at 29. Tragedy is too strong a word but it's been an awful year for someone who 12 months ago was on top of the world.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

And that tacky red nail polish - really inappropriate. Something going wrong.

 

[Busted]

catherine writes:

Busted- Don't insult me and I've got better things to do than continue this useless argument.

How did I "insult" you? I did not direct any nasty comments at you personally and you're attempting to deflect my points on Sharapova by claiming that I did. We don't have to agree about Sharapova. I hate to break it to you - but disagreeing with you is NOT an "insult."

 

[Busted]

catherine writes:

And that tacky red nail polish - really inappropriate. Something going wrong.

So...cheaters getting wild cards into Slams is appropriate...but players wearing what you deem as "tacky red nail polish" isn't? Alrighty then...

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Busted - no ill feelings but I've really said all I want to say on the subject of Maria S. As she said herself - she's here and she's not going away.