Serena’s possibilities, Massive Three spoilers and different Week 2 US Open questions
NEW YORK — With the primary week of the 2019 US Open within the books, we requested our tennis specialists to mirror on the highest moments up to now on the Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle — and what can be on their radars in Week 2.
From continued Coco-mania to Taylor Townsend’s resurgence to Massive Three spoilers, Week 1 at US Open had its fair proportion of drama.
Here is what our specialists needed to say:
Novak Djokovic’s exit has left the door open for Roger Federer. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Photographs
With Novak Djokovic’s early exit, who will benefit from their alternative/opening essentially the most?
Jerry Bembry: Roger Federer. He hasn’t received a serious because the 2018 Australian Open. A path to the ultimate has simply been cleared.
Peter Bodo: The proof that Daniil Medvedev is the second-best participant (after Dominic Thiem) who hasn’t received a serious is mounting. However he is leg-weary after his stellar month of August, so give the nod to former US Open champion Marin Cilic. He struggled early this yr and has fallen out of the highest 20, however the highly effective, rangy 30-year-old has been to 2 Grand Slam finals, appears to have discovered his sport once more and carries a serve that may take the racket out of anybody’s hand — all elements that might assist him take out Rafael Nadal.
Simon Cambers: It needs to be Federer. With Djokovic out of the way in which, and given the advance from Federer over the past two rounds, the 38-year-old will fancy his probabilities of making the ultimate. May we now have a Nadal-Federer remaining on the US Open?
D’Arcy Maine: Stanislas Wawrinka is the apparent reply right here, and he regarded good within the win over Djokovic. Certain, the defending champion wasn’t feeling his finest and struggling along with his shoulder, however that should not utterly take away from Wawrinka’s evening. He had 9 aces, received 84% of his first serves and was simply the higher participant. The 2016 US Open champion could have his fingers full with Medvedev within the quarters, however he has confirmed he is aware of what it takes to win in Queens earlier than, and positively seems able to reaching the semis, no less than.
2 Associated
We’re halfway by means of the US Open. What are your predicted finals matchups?
Bembry: Federer versus Nadal on the boys’s facet, and Serena Williams versus Naomi Osaka — a repeat of final yr’s dramatic remaining — on the ladies’s facet.
Bodo: On the boys’s facet, Nadal and Federer will meet in a US Open match for the primary time subsequent Sunday. It is nearly fated, after the sort of Grand Slam yr we witnessed. It began with Stefanos Tsitsipas’s Subsequent Gen breakthrough to the Australian Open semis, then got here a well-recognized serving to of Nadal’s clay-court experience on the French Open and was sweetened with an enormous dose of Djokovic at Wimbledon. What higher option to finish this Grand Slam season?
On the ladies’s facet, pencil in Serena within the backside half. The highest half, whereas chock full of unusual company, nonetheless options No. 1 seed Osaka. Gritty Canadian Bianca Andreescu could be the most important impediment standing in the way in which of Osaka assembly Williams. Osaka’s huge win towards Coco Gauff can be jet gasoline for her confidence. Let’s face it, folks would like to see a Serena-Naomi rematch. It seems as if it’ll occur.
Cambers: Federer versus Nadal, and Osaka versus Elina Svitolina.
Maine: Federer and Nadal have by no means met in New York, and I believe this would possibly simply be the yr. Within the championship match, no much less. With Djokovic’s early exit, Federer, who would have confronted him within the semis, can benefit from his absence and arrange a protracted overdue US Open title match along with his longtime foe.
For the ladies, I am unable to resist. I am calling a rematch of the 2018 remaining between Williams and Osaka. They’re each enjoying so properly proper now, it appears as if they’re on a collision course with future. A possible semifinal match towards Bianca Andreescu can be tough for Osaka and will simply be a three-set thriller between two of the perfect younger gamers within the sport.
Which participant has shocked you essentially the most within the males’s and ladies’s attracts?
One of many greatest surprises of the US Open is Taylor Townsend’s run to the spherical of 16. AP Picture/Sarah Stier
Bembry: Townsend’s run has been the most important shocker of the event, and the arrogance she has gained right here could make her an issue sooner or later. Gael Monfils on the boys’s facet, merely due to his stunning 360-degree slam to win a second-round match. LeBron James would have been proud.
Bodo: Grigor Dimitrov put collectively a terrific first-week run, culminating with a win towards a really powerful rising Subsequent Gen Aussie star, Alex De Minaur (he eradicated No. 7 seed Kei Nishikori). Dimitrov, ranked No. three as not too long ago as January 2018 following his profession yr, slumped terribly over the following months. Simply 1-7 between his fourth-round loss on the French Open and the beginning of this event, Dimitrov got here into the US Open ranked No. 78.
Townsend has made a shocking run, however take that with a caveat: her considerable expertise and creativity have been manifesting for years. Nonetheless, this event was presupposed to be all about Gauff, Serena’s quest for No. 24 and Osaka’s try and defend her title. Then the forgotten prodigy Townsend pops up and beats Wimbledon champ and No. four seed Simona Halep within the second spherical and backs it up with a third-round win.
Cambers: Townsend. Not by means of her play — I’ve at all times thought she was a unbelievable participant to look at, with all the flexibility on the earth — however I have been pleasantly shocked by her consistency and skill to keep up her stage all through.
Maine: Medvedev actually will get my vote for many shocking second and heel flip, however on a strictly tennis entrance, Dimitrov’s quarterfinal run was considerably of a shock. He has dropped to No. 78 and hasn’t reached the quarters at a serious because the 2018 Australian Open and by no means made it this far in Queens. Certain, he hasn’t had the hardest opponents alongside the way in which and subsequent faces some man named Federer, but it surely has been good to see him within the second week of a Slam once more.
On the ladies’s facet, it might be nearly not possible to not decide Townsend and Kristie Ahn, two Individuals who’ve shocked the sector so far — Townsend along with her large win towards Halep to succeed in the fourth spherical of a Slam for the primary time, and Ahn along with her first Grand Slam win and advancing to the spherical of 16. It is nice to see laborious work and perseverance repay.
What does Serena have to do in Week 2 to lock up her record-tying 24th Grand Slam title?
If Serena Williams can deal with her play and never the burden of historical past, she might take house record-tying Grand Slam win No. 24. Elsa/Getty Photographs
Bembry: Preserve doing what she’s doing — enjoying good, centered tennis. With two of the highest three seeds (Ashleigh Barty and Halep) out of the event, there’s a considerably clearer path to historical past.
Bodo: The problem for Serena can be maintaining her cool, as a result of the strain will mount with every passing sport, set and match. Williams shares the event lead with Elise Mertens for service video games received (36 of 39, 92%), and whereas she’s solely No. four within the ace depend, she leads the sector in an much more important serving class — 48% (68 of 143) of her serves have gone unreturned. That is an enormous, crucial quantity. It is laborious to see anybody beating Williams if she maintains that tempo. However the huge query is how Williams will react to the strain after having come so near securing No. 24 solely to fall quick.
Cambers: Keep wholesome, to start with. That ankle roll Sunday was shut. After which, attempt, by some means, to maintain the stress ranges down. She’s shifting so a lot better than even a couple of months in the past and enjoying nice. It is actually going to be a battle within the thoughts in addition to on court docket.
Maine: In the case of ability and expertise, Serena remains to be among the many better of the perfect. And regardless of a scare along with her ankle in her fourth-round match, she seems to be feeling the healthiest she has felt in a while. For her to win, it in all probability will come right down to psychological fortitude. Can she maintain her nerves in verify throughout a championship match, or perhaps a run to the ultimate, with a lot on the road? She clearly has struggled in her three main title matches since getting back from the beginning of her daughter, and it appears as if every loss is somewhat more durable to beat. If she’s in a position to focus solely on the match in entrance of her and never the burden of historical past and expectations, she actually might take house No. 24.
Given the run by Coco Gauff and different feminine teenagers on the Open, ought to the WTA reevaluate its age-restriction rule?
Bembry: Let the youngsters play in the event that they’re gifted sufficient, as typically as they need. If these children can carry out on the highest stage — and Gauff’s stage has been fairly lofty — there is not any purpose to disclaim them the chance. You’ll be able to burn out on tour whether or not you might be 15 or 17. A key to a younger participant’s success is usually household steerage, and it is clear Gauff’s dad and mom have their daughter on stable floor.
Bodo: Gauff is an outlier. It will be a mistake to alter the age-eligibility restrictions merely due to her expertise. The Grand Slams don’t have to abide by the WTA guidelines concerning age restrictions, so a mixture of the entry to the majors and the variety of WTA occasions allowed appears fairly good in any respect age ranges. However let’s take this out of the theoretical realm. Does anyone suppose Gauff could be finest served by going to play the Asian swing of the tour within the fall? We do not have enough knowledge on how she would deal with a heavier weight-reduction plan of professional tennis. Gifted as she is, Coco remains to be solely 15. Had she gone deeper into the event, I would really feel in another way. However her loss to Osaka exhibits she nonetheless has loads to study and course of earlier than she’s mentally and bodily able to play hundreds.
Cambers: No. I do know they’re at all times reevaluating it, yr on yr, however I believe 10 tournaments as a 15-year-old is sufficient. At that age, gamers are nonetheless growing, bodily and mentally, and the rule is there to guard them. Hopefully, Gauff and different teenagers coming by means of could have longer careers because of the rule.
Maine: How a lot time do you may have? There is a legitimate case to be made right here for both facet of this debate. Gauff has actually confirmed she’s greater than able to coping with the pressures and competitors of the tour regardless of her age, and it feels unfair she’s not in a position to play in as many tournaments as she needs to realize that worthwhile match expertise. However, the rule is in place for the best causes (See: Capriati, Jennifer) and nobody needs to see the burnout of a promising younger participant when it may be prevented. There won’t be a proper reply right here; maybe it must be evaluated on a case-by-case foundation.