OT: It's Party Time in Flushing Meadows

[wire chief]

Likely the most raucous crowd in all of the Majors is readying itself to cheer, boo, shriek,
grouse, groan or just talk loud at the US Open Monday.

Start at 11 with Dominica Cibulkova vs. Ana Ivanovic(7). Ana is playing rejuvenated tennis, while Dominica used to be higher ranked.
Venus is on hand about 1:15. She's had a terrible summer, following losing to lil sis at Wimbledon.
When Venus is done, Novak is on hand on the same court.
He'll dominate TV time, so the all-American contest between Coco and Sloane will give us little viewing at the same time.
Sometime after 5, Maria's fans will get a look, sharing TV time with Madison Keys on another court.

Serena is scheduled for the 1st night session at 7, but don't be surprised, if there's a lot of circus
before she takes the court, cause that's what they have done in previous years.

Poor Rafa--and I say "poor" because he's had an awful 2015--debuts after Serena to end the evening.
He's lost the championship touch following time off for troublesome knees. No French Open crown
and a sipped ranking to #8.
Martin Cilic was a big surprise as last year's champ, but this year a Rafa emergence would seem to be even bigger, despite his resume.

We seem to be handing the crown to Serena this year, and there's not much doubt afoot that the pressure of winning the calendar Grand Slam will trouble her.

The men's side is a tad trickier, partially based on none of the usual honchos won last year.
Of course Novak gets the #1 seed, but we must temper his expectations with the 2nd wind that is Roger.
Last weekend he bested Novak in 3 sets at Cincinnati. However, since Novak has never won in that city, we could just call it Novak's bugaboo, with no meaning this tournament.
And we never dismiss Andy Murray.

Happy viewing, Boneyarders.

 

[calpedaler]

Sometime after 5, Maria's fans will get a look, sharing TV time with Madison Keys on another court.

Maria's not playing.

Link

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'm not ready to crown Serena just yet... anything can happen in the world of tennis. The pressure... and the talk!

 

[Kaizen]

Whenever the US Open starts, that means the summer is almost over... pretty sad,

 

[wire chief]

Whenever the US Open starts, that means the summer is almost over... pretty sad,

Yes but if the summer never ended, there'd be no Husky Bball.

 

[wire chief]

I continue my unabashed devotion to Venus. Still, when she was up 6-3 in the tie-breaker of the 2nd set, with 3 chances to win the match
and then didn't, my stomach roiled. I'm thinking, " Oh no, she has lost twice this summer in opening matches, each a 3-setter. She'll not have the energy needed in set 3 to win this." So glad I was wrong. She even unleashed some 120mph serves to help her case.

Anyway, the link here gives you an interview with Serena, as well as a tidy summary of the day's events, including upsets vs, Ana and 2 other top 10's. Also Kei Nishikori, last year's finalist, is gone.

http://espn.go.com/tennis/usopen15/...n-ana-ivanovic-falls-venus-vandeweghe-advance

 

[DaddyChoc]

when did Venus play?

 

[wire chief]

As I write, Caroline the Woz has clinched set 1 and is up 2-0 in the 2ns.
Lucie Safarova, seeded 8, is ousted.

Roger is on following the Woz.

Andy Murray is the evening match, followed by last year's Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Every time I hear "Its Party Time in Flushing Meadows" I think of the 86 Mets and Bill Buckners gaff.

 

[wire chief]

TV tennis starts at 1pm, and by that time Madison Keys match could be over, as well as fellow American Madison Brengle, both starting a touch after 11. When Keys is done, last year's champ Marin Cilic comes on and then Serena follows, mid to late afternoon,. Competing for TV time with Marin will be the Americans Coco & Bethanie. Rafa plays along side Serena.

The honchos are actually making 23rd ranked Venus the lead-off night match(be still my heart). She certainly gets more respect than she got at Wimbledon. For you night owls, Novak follows.

Happy 2nd round viewing to you all.

 

[wire chief]

Serena in a 1st set tiebteaker...which she has won 7-5, on a fortunate net chord.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I turned it off after she won the 1st set... glad to read that she won

 

[wire chief]

Both sisters are through to the 3rd round, but both had their troubles. Serena had to go to a 1st set tiebreaker
vs. an unseeded player. Venus was poised to win in straight sets, blew her service game and lost the tiebreaker.
She recovered her confidence to take a 6-2 finish vs. a fellow American.
In another all American match Bethanie annhialated Coco.
Other Americans who made the 3rd round are Madison Keys, losing only 3 games, and Madison Brengle.

Today's winners will all take the court on Friday.

 

[wire chief]

Roger has just begun, to be followed by the Woz.

Friday Venus plays a tad after 1pm, matched vs. the 12th seed. Belinda
Bencic, an 18yr old Swiss. Young, but with nearly 100 pro matches done. She'll be tough.

Novak takes the court afterwards. Competing with the Serb for TV time will be an intriguing matchup between hard-hitting Madison Keys
and wily retriever A. Radwanska, both ranked in the teens.

Serena starts the night session vs. fellow American Bethanie, who had a strong Round 2 result.

Playing today, Americans John Isner, Donald Young and Varvara Lepchenko are through to the 3rd round.

 

[wire chief]

Two more female top 10 players are history, #9, Maguruza of Spain and 4th ranked Woz. The carnage is extraordinary.

 

[DaddyChoc]

long as the Queen is still playing... I'm happy

 

[DaddyChoc]

Venus is currently being televised

 

[EricLA]

Great match by Venus over rising Swiss star and #12 Belinda Bencic. She was tested - Bencic is good, but great for Venus to get out in 2 sets. She's playing really well at the moment. I think it's unlikely, but I'd love to see her win it this year...

 

[wire chief]

Great match by Venus over rising Swiss star and #12 Belinda Bencic. She was tested - Bencic is good, but great for Venus to get out in 2 sets. She's playing really well at the moment. I think it's unlikely, but I'd love to see her win it this year...

Eric, let us indulge our fandom a touch more.

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/ar...ools_rising_star_bencic.html?promo=right_rail

 

[triaddukefan]

I just found out that all of the tournament is gonna be on ESPN this year That moves the women semis to thursday night as opposed to friday afternoon... and the final will be saturday afternoon instead of sunday.

 

[wire chief]

I just found out that all of the tournament is gonna be on ESPN this year That moves the women semis to thursday night as opposed to friday afternoon... and the final will be saturday afternoon instead of sunday.

Not clear to me, as the women's final is always Saturday.

 

[EricLA]

Well... Nadal is done. Happy about that. Now if we can just get Azarenka to go too...

 

[triaddukefan]

Not clear to me, as the women's final is always Saturday.

The last several years the women's final has been on a Sunday afternoon following the CBS NFL football game

 

[calpedaler]

The last several years the women's final has been on a Sunday afternoon following the CBS NFL football game

I thought it was rain delayed but you're right. They did try a Sunday, Monday final for 2 years.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Don't understand how Serena lets the nerves get to her early is so many of her matches. Just when you think, she's not coming back to win today, she does it. Somehow she overcomes the nerves and starts to play dominant tennis. She does get a lot of help by her competitors as they're playing great tennis and when Serena applies the pressure they wilt and fall apart.

With the number of upsets in the Women's Draw, its now wide open for Serena to win the Grand Slam. Will her Nerves get in her way, time will tell. Four Matches to go.