US OPEN 2023

starts today

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_US_Open_(tennis)

Thiem beats Bublik 6-3 6-2 6-4
Thiem is overjoyed with the win, he’s beaten Bublik in style. After all his problems, the 2020 winner is delighted. “It was amazing. I haven’t won a slam match since Australia 2021 and that’s a long time. I couldn’t have asked for a better place than this with all the memories.”

dammit gasquet

Jack Sock, the most unfortunately-named person in professional tennis, announced his retirement after this year’s US Open

Word on the street is that he’s going to switch to pickleball, so I guess the sounds-dirty-but-isn’t train still has a few more miles of track before it

Isner retiring also after the Open, tho not demeaning himself via the pickleball route

holger rune out on court 5 (which he sniped about), out of the tourney to carballes baena

Rune out.

I’ve only just realised that Prime no longer have the rights for this (and are basically ditching ATP/WTA coverage at the end of the year). So…back to following this on the radio / score app.

I did my usual thing of re-upping my Sling subscription for a month to watch ESPN.

I’m not too clear on the Pickle vs Padel differences but I do know that two of the four tennis courts at my local sports centre have been converted to padel. For weeks I never saw anyone in there but now it seems they’re in use. The padellers seem to be having fun, the regular court users swing and shank/frame/sky and spend 70% of the time retrieving balls. (Full size) tennis is frustrating and unrewarding if you’re no good at it, I know this. So I get the appeal of something on a smaller scale, where the enclosure is part of the court too.

farewell john isner

in another dimension he's still out there playing that fifth set at wimbledon

out in dubs too, damn

ill miss him

Fun player but his Trumpiness is obnoxious.

Good he never looked like winning a slam.

I was quite pleased when he took Roddick out at the USO, what... 14 years ago? But I can't think of a single other time I've rooted for the guy. Maybe vs Nadal at the French, just cos it was a novelty to see Rafa stretched that much. I was definitely Team Mahut during the three days of The Epic, and was glad Anderson outlasted him in The Minor Epic a few years later.

Good luck to him and all that. I don't suppose being 6-10 is much fun in later, civilian life.

Sigh @ djoko coming from two sets down

Ostapenko, more like Osta-spank-o

Three US men in the quarters!

Last time we had an American champ I remember complaining bitterly in here that the USTA were pulling every scheduling trick in the book to engineer a Roddick-Agassi final out of the weather chaos of that event. (Ferrero and Nalbandian still did their best to try and spoil that).

This year, I say do whatever it takes to get Shelton or Tiafoe into the final!

Now that Djoko got beaten at Wimbledon I am hoping other young players will see that and keep on chipping away.

Otherwise I am pleased that Ostapenko got her win. If she is firing on all cylinders she will take some stopping.

In 1975-78 the opening three rounds of the men's singles were best-of-three at the USO. If only, eh?

I think of the various BO3 defeats Djokovic has suffered recently - Zverev, Auger Aliassime, Evans, Rublev, Bautista Agut, Davidovich Fokina, Vesely, Rune, Sonego, Musetti et al (from a list I keep in my head to cheer me up) - he probably wins them all in five.

It's a shame the elite players who are actually in form (Medvedev, Sinner, Zverev, Rublev) are mostly in Alcaraz's half, and the ones for whom the wheels have come off lately (Tsitsipas, Rune, Ruud, FAA) were in Novak's.

Gauff-Ostapenko! Almost worth the PPV fee. Except that it'll be in the middle of the night.

Last time we had an American champ I remember complaining bitterly in here that the USTA were pulling every scheduling trick in the book to engineer a Roddick-Agassi final out of the weather chaos of that event. (Ferrero and Nalbandian still did their best to try and spoil that).

This year, I say do whatever it takes to get Shelton or Tiafoe into the final!

― Michael Jones, Monday, September 4, 2023 3:36 AM (thirteen hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

novak/fritz scheduled for midafternoon

Rooting for Tiafoe but it's not looking good against Shelton right now

Yeah I was pulling for Tiafoe too, but gotta say, Shelton is strong. He's a little wild, but he already does a lot of things well.

Never thought I'd root for an American but anything to get rid of Djokovic

Was good to see Coco win, but dang Keys looks even better so far — 4-0 in the first set against Sabalenka. Wonder if she can keep it up.

Spoiler: No, she couldn't.

Looks like a crazy match, that one.

Gauff's comments on the protest were sound.

man shelton has a pretty limited game huh

It's just power, but he breaks Djoko to get us to a 3rd set tie break

Comedy smash into the net from Djoko, but expect his vast experience to see him through

Shelton has actually been pretty good from the back of the court.

5-1 but has won the next two big rallies. 5-3

6-4. MP

Does it

damn djokovic does the phone thing after match point

Lol @ djoko's celebration, mimicking Shelton's phone hangup.

The man cannot miss an opportunity to rub his nose in shit. For once I was ok with it. He's 19 and cocky so gotta take him down a bit xp

alcaraz holds serve SO easily vs medvedev, its almost comical

Save this rally for posterity. Alcaraz defense after defense on the net. He lost the point but my god incredible reactions. Even Medvedev was waving the racket

TB

Medvedev 3 SPs

And he takes it.

Alcaraz...it doesn't look like his fhs are firing rn.

Error after error now from Alcaraz, bp

The drop shot hasn't worked, predictably enough. Game's gone.

Alcaraz unraveling just a bit here

It's Medvedev doing the drop shots now!

Medvedev has two more bps. Alcaraz hangs on

hoping this goes 5, meds is playing as well as he can against carlos

both these guys court coverage is insane

both these guys shot making is insane

there it is

What a play for the CP!!

Belated congrats to Gauff, I was away yesterday and couldn't watch the match. She has been a fun player to watch on the rise, would seem well positioned to be a top contender for some years to come — but of course, experience shows you can't take that for granted.

Gauff with a nice comeback and sweet post match comments re her Dad, family, and others .

Hoping Medvedev will win today

Yeah I feel like Medvedev could solidify a move from player-crowds-love-to-hate to crowd favorite if he beats Djoko.

Not happening so far. Medvedev is playing just a bit too loose rn.

Brutal rally for 2 SPs d

Too many DFs from Med, not enough consistency. Shame really

Another deuce on a Med serve...

Has the looks of a 3-setter so far, but Med could always find a higher gear.

Serving gets him through it but something has to improve.

Djoko hasn't lost a point on his serve in this set so far

0-30..

Did great, on serve - but how to break novak

Just a machine. 3-3, but yeah Medvedev has spent way more time serving.

Great drop shot dtl. 0-15

Now to the 1st BP..

Amazing game. Medvedev just had the upper hand in the last couple of rallies..but still a game to save

3rd deuce, epic

Awesome save. Very long rallies, Med getting through...could be a key moment in the match.

Amazing game from Djoko, it looks like he is fatigued.

Another deuce

BP med

What a save from Novak, Jesus.

Follows it up with another point at the net. GP

Fantastic passage of play.

Love service hold. It's shifting...you feel can Med can break him...but Novak is such a good tactician too.

Every time we have a rally of 7+ shots Djoko loses but he is shortening points and gets through that masterfully. 5-5

What a fucking rally. Djoko should've lost that but poor smash from Med. Deuce

Hold.

Come on Med...if he can wring this set out from this cunt he should win the match.

Two DFS, deuce..

SP after a great rally

Great serve and volley should've gone dtl aargh

Epic service game..

this whole second set hs been a grind

Tactical masterclass from Djoko, should he win this. Lots of serve and volleying to get him through, no adjustment from Med.

TB

Med, 3-1. But then weak. 3-3.

Another timid smash from Med leading to insanity. Med wins that point tho'.

So...sp Djoko.

Just lost this in the most stupid way. I am off!

what a set

Total blown chance.

1h 45m set
novak really dug deep

well done nole

Djoko is a great player who I will never like

A dozen Slams in his 20s, two years in decline, and now a dozen Slams in his 30s. Let’s just fast forward to him getting the gold medal in Paris so we can wave goodbye.

Djokovic and Margaret Court. What a combination.

Has anyone used "Coco" and "Djoko" in a headline together, because they should.

Doubt we'll ever see a player get 20+ slams again. This is as good as it gonna get xp

https://x.com/AleksDjuricic/status/1701249650253074481?s=20