Sunday, August 30, 2009

The US Open the hoe of 5th set tiebreakers and Stupid Saturday

Well it's that time of the year. The US Open, the last Slam of the year, where things are done differently in New York. The innovators of the 3 day 1st round, where it can be a pain to follow who is playing when, yes there is a schedule button on their homepage, but it's easier top half plays one day and the other half play on the alternate day. In this case there is mix and matching between the sections, this along with Stupid Saturday and the 5th set tiebreaks combine to make this Slam unique, though in this case it doesn't make it better.

The qualifying rounds as usual were competitive and the final day had these possibilities of making the main draw. Kavcic, Koubek, Machado and Luczak getting through. All of them lost on the last day, but Pete got in as a LL, living up to the nickname Lucky. Kavcic and Koubek were beaten comfortably so that isn't so bad. Luczak lost to Yani and no not the Greek musician, but an American with a very flat game that is built for hardcourts. Machado had the clown perfomance of the day, he is on the flight to Como after such a shit showing. He lead a set and 5-3, but lost 4 games in a row to lose the 2nd set. Had a break in 3rd and lost 6-4.

Now onto the main draw, there are some good first round matches, though good is subjective depending on the view point.

The King will be playing Chubby Chela, good chance for the King though he might want to tank and party, whereas Chela is past his best and still trying to find form on the challenger circuit. The King winning and playing Hewitt would be fun stuff, though Chela will get the cash.

Blake has a great chance to make the 4th round, didn't exactly get a minefield playing first the "Sleeve Man" Ramirez-Hidalgo who is in New York for a holiday. Kunitsyn got Blake in Canada, but not sure "Mr Kremlin Cup" can win more than two matches outside of Russia. Polansky qualified for another main draw and has a good chance against GGL, the other seed is Boredo wooo.

Djokovic and Ljubicic one of the better first round matches, they get along well and are former training partners. Ljubo will be competitive, but he will get exposed on the forehand side and Djokovic shouldn't have too many problems in this section. Polaco Brzezicki making the MD on hardcourt good for him, though he plays a fellow qualifier Carsten Ball who with his big serve should get the cash.

The South Tyrolean beast Seppi plays Kohlschreiber, the Bavarian goes hot and cold, if he is on, then the winners are flowing, if not then there isn't too much variation in his game, just hope it doesn't go to a 5th set tiebreaker then Seppi has no chance.

His mate Bolelli plays Thunder Lips Stepanek, definitely one for the ladies, got a guy who can't return against one of the more tactically astute players who still hits a continental forehand.

Nieminen is back on tour and his second match on tour, though personally I think he should have taken some more time in coming back. He plays the Fog in the 1st round and hope somehow he can win that, not that the Fog is a better player, just not sure of the confidence that he has in the wrist.

Lucky Pete got the LL and he is up against Troicki, not sure how this will one go. The question will be whether Luczak can return enough of Troicki's serves. Viktor has an unusual looking game, but he has done well off the court, there are worse seeds that Luczak to have got.

Good to see the US Open doesn't care enough about Horacio Zeballos not to give him the right nationality or first name.
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He has been the form player on the Challenger circuit and qualified easily, he has a good chance of defeating Michael"Best Smash in the game" Berrer, wonder if they will adjust his name.

Chilean derby with Massu and Gonzo, at least the Chilean fans will win in this one. Another local derby "the Tandil showdown" between del Potro and Monaco, these two have hit a lot together, and will know each others games inside out, but the firepower of del Potro will be enough here.

The Gooch and Cuevas another classic encounter with sexiness abound, too bad the Gooch didn't get Nadal instead.

Dani Koellerer will be up against fisker med Mardy Fish. Two combative cats, this needs to be a late night match with some drunk New Yorkers in the crowd will try and heckle Koellerer, he will love this shit, then the shenanigans will start.

Nadal and Gasquet, as for Nadal, well if he is not fit, then he shouldn't play at all. So once he takes the court, then all the bullshit excuses stop. He hasn't played that many matches by his standards, but he is able to play, therefore the wah wah he is injured is tired and old. He has a marshmallow soft section of the draw, good he has Gasquet in the 1st round, though Richie will be inspired to go for the lines and stand up closer to the baseline. Gasquet will hit a few flashy winners and we'll get the spiel about his undoubted talent, at the end of the day Nadal wins this.

As for papa Federer number 16 GS is on the way.

8 comments:

A. said...

Wow, an entire paragraph on Nadal?? Almost as on Seppi and the King combined, do you think he's gonna lose? :tears:
Of course the biggest space for mocking USO and rightfully so for all the mentioned reasons :(
Sorry for your favorites, I'd have liked to see Kavcic making the main draw, and no, I don't think he's ugly.
I hope Seppi wins against E-Kohli and waiting to see Bol-Radek and the chiliean battle for sexiness and testosterone levels.
Nice read, as usual.

Nathii said...

Gotta love the Federico Zeballos of Bolivia, they should add Fernando Gonzalez from Argentina.

Vassiliki said...

The upcoming DC tie hastened Jarkko on the court, Radek should get this as it's not just a beauty contest, as for Richie, I guess that he's all show and not substance, paradoxically.

Denys said...

Funny write up, looks like a big fan of the US Open. Everything is done for the TV market there and squeeze every last drop that they can.

Blogger boy going to be shattered that Fish has pulled out, so no Fish and Koellerer, but at least Machado got in.

Rose said...

I forget you hate the US Open about as much as I do. 5th set tie-breakers and Stupid Saturday - who needs them? Great write-up. Thanks.

Sigurd Sigurdsson said...

Lucky Rui Machado got in after his garbage showing in the final round of qualies, that was some shocking choking and yes Denys, no Koellerer and Fish no good. Fuck got to put up with shitty Aussie coverage.

I am not mocking the US Open, just highlighting a few problems with it.

Seppi and the King would be great but unlikely.

A said...

I intended to write "bashing" but I felt it was too strong of a word :o

Vassiliki said...

... and it successfully ended in orgasm.