Courting Greatness

Realized on Sunday that it was my 28th year in a row attending the U.S. Open, something that would have seemed beyond my wildest imagination when I first watched it in my living room at Willow Hill in Madison Heights, Mich., as a 10-year-old back in 1977. This year's event is the first to start on the weekend -- with first-round matches spread over three days instead of two -- and boy did we clean up in the Hunk Department. But in addition to seeing many of my favorite players in action, I also had the long-overdue thrill of meeting up with my friend and fellow blogger Greg Hernandez, whom I hadn't seen in over a decade! (That's Greg and his friend Hope with Damian and me by Court 10.) See all the boys I got BELOW.

 

Open Season

It only seemed right that Damian and I would celebrate one year of wedded bliss in Queens ... where we attended Day 2 of the U.S. Open. We got quite an eyeful around the grounds, so much so that we never made it to our actual seats in Arthur Ashe Arena. Feast your eyes on it all -- including our future throuple partner -- BELOW.

Fuzz Cut

Some fun stuff already happening out at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, including mixed-doubles action, a slice-backhand competition, a star-studded benefit for Ukraine plus the return of Novak Djokovic's impersonations! Looking forward to our annual pilgrimage to Flushing Meadows over Labor Day weekend. 🎾

P.S. Have a look at the draw HERE.

Any predictions? 

Hey Nineteen

It’s 3 a.m. so clearly I won’t be blogging until the afternoon. Just finished watching Carlos Alcaraz come back from match point down to win a 5 hour and 15 minute epic against Jannik Sinner, 6-3, 6-7(7), 6-7(0), 7-5, 6-3, in what has to be one of the most exciting displays in memory. 

Truly incredible!

Maybe there is life after the Big Three. 

Weekend Tennis Diary

Happy to see that we successfully made it through the 2020 U.S. Open without (much) incident. Naomi Osaka confirmed her status as the present and future of the game with a come-from-behind victory over sentimental favorite (and mom) Victoria Azarenaka. 

 The men's final was also a come-from-behind endeavor -- and a roller coaster ride for the ages -- that saw a cramping Dominic Thiem outlast Alexander Zverev by the hair of his chinny chin chin, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (6). 

There are a couple of ways to look at this result: My gut reaction was that Thiem couldn't handle the pressure of being the favorite but lucked out by encountering an opponent even more afraid of his own (winning) shadow than himself -- a la Andre Agassi vs. Goran Ivanisevic at Wimbledon 1992. (Zverev was up two sets and a break -- and both men served for the title but couldn't close it out.) A more charitable interpretation is that winning a major is a lot harder than it seems -- a testament to just how incredible the Big Three are for having won 20, 19 and 17 of them. The reality probably lies somewhere in between, so I'm coming away from this most unusual Grand Slam event happy that they both have this experience under their belts, knowing they will each probably be better prepared next time. (Congrats to them both!)

(Did anyone notice that in their respective finals, Osaka did exactly what Azarenka did to Serena, and that Thiem did exactly what Zverev did to Pablo Carreno-Busta?)

Elsewhere at the event: 

Unseeded duo Mate Pavic of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil defeated No. 8 seeds Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Nikola Mektic of Croatia, 7-5, 6-3, to capture the men’s doubles title. This is the second U.S. Open title in men’s doubles for Soares and the first for Pavic.

Although these boys came up short, it was a lot of fun to watch.

And while Azarenka and Serena Williams weren't able to win one for the Motherhood, Vera Zvonareva, also a mom, and Laura Siegemund won the women's doubles title Friday, beating the third-seeded team of Yi-Fan Xu and Nicole Melichar 6-4, 6-4.

Vika coach and hot physio(?) have a lot to be happy about

I thought this was Mischa Zverev but he turned out to be another thick man in Sasha's box. (Anyone recognize him?)

UPDATE: Damian figured out it was Sergei Bubka, who has caught my eye BEFORE!

Other happenings:

Oscar Otte of Germany captured the Challenger in Aix-en-Provence on Sunday, outlasting Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-4. 

Close but no Brazilian cigar

  

Reilly Opelka nursed his first-round loss wounds by playing some table tennis

Robert Farah is in Rome and ready

Christian Harrison took a break from hanging out with Cesar Ramirez to practice

Reunited and it feels so good?

  

A maskless Karen in Rome

  

The Italian stallion returns 

Tommy's new 'do is adorable ...

as is his ability to "double fist" ...

Vienna sausages: Marko Andrejic and Lucas Miedler 

   

Stan Wawrinka faces a wildcard or lucky loser in Rome

Holger Vitus Nødskov Rune and Quentin Halys give cryotherapy a whirl

Miomir Kecmanovic on Sunday became the second #NextGenATP player this year to capture his maiden ATP Tour crown. The 21-year-old defeated Yannick Hanfmann to capture the Generali Open trophy in Kitzbühel.

Austin Krajicek and Franko Skugor captured their maiden ATP Tour trophy as a team on Sunday, beating Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 7-6(5), 7-5 at the Generali Open in Kitzbühel.

  

Shirtless perfection: Liam Broady

Why was Lloyd Glasspool shopping instead of watching Liam?

If you wanted to see Benjamin shirtless then you're in Lock

  

Sam Groth was all dressed up with somewhere to go

J.J. Wolf thanked his barber for his lovely locks. Still no explanation from the young American about his curious hand signals, of which there is another DISTURBING example.

Weekend Tennis Diary

Tennis made the front pages over the weekend for the first time in ages -- but sadly for all the wrong reasons. But with the way things are shaping up, it could happen again this weekend with Serena Williams looking like she may just finally tie homophobe Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles. 

Here are a few other things that caught my eye ...

Matteo Berrettini played pretty badly in his fourth-round loss to Andrey Rublev. I'm starting to think the dreamy Italian is more of a Top 20 player than a challenger, which probably gives him more time to fool around with Marco Gulisano 

J.J. Wolf showed some flair while losing to Daniil Medvedev, but still offered no explanation for his 'white power'-looking hand signal

Benoit "Patient Zero" Paire seems to be losing it in quarantine

It was a great week for Vasek Pospisil 

It was too bad he and coach Frank Dancevic came up short against Alex de Minaur in the fourth round

Mr. Mini Mustache is through to his first major quarterfinal, where I predict he will upset Dominic Thiem to make this event even more of a farce

Oliver Marach and partner Raven Klaasen got bumped in the second round, but he is hardly a cardboard cutout of a man

Neal Skupski and Jamie Murray lost in the quarters to Mate Pavic and Bruno Soares, but the Brit's smile is still a winner

It's a love match for Dominic Thiem and Dennis Novak

Who wears short shorts?

Denis Kudlka looked like a winner in his first-round loss to Marin Cilic

I have another after-hours workout plan for Jan-Michael if he's interested ...

Defending doubles champs Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal sent packing in the fourth round

Simone Bole and Machi Gonzalez fell in the Round of 16, but are still in contention for hottest doubles team ever

Christian and Ryan Harrison reached the Round of 16, but I didn't realize the big bro wasn't even entered in the singles draw (he's slipped to 451 on the computer)

Is James McGee a cult leader now?

  

Marton Fucsovics relaxed after getting completely pounded by Frances Tiafoe

But then Medvedev returned the favor to Tiafoe in the Round of 16

Stan Wawrinka and Gael Monfils get ready to French

And last but not least: Alex Robein and Jan-Michael Gambill like to play it safe