US Open '10: Point by Point Coverage

[roseha]

I missed most of the semis but I'm really, really saddened about Roger's loss - I thought he had been playing playing quite well earlier this tournament. I don't know what to think. I watched the last two men's Slam finals but I don't think I can this time. I can't even get into the women's final right now.

To me Roger brings the artistry to the men's game and it's hard for me to see him go down before the final like this. Maybe next year.

As far as Super Saturday goes, I tend to agree with apocalipstick, I have no sympathy for Djoker but I totally agree he's going to collapse tomorrow after this. It would be much more fair to have the day off in between semis and finals, even if they put the matches on at night (why not, the new CBS season doesn't start till next week, as they remind us incessantly?)

[lt]

I wasn't spelling Collette's name in any special way--I'm just typing on a really liitle keypad and making spelling mistakes.

[falafaclese]

I didn't think you were, it's just that my spelling has been bugging me for a while. More of my kookiness

[breezybee]

Wow. That women's final sucked. I was hoping it would be all tense and exciting and I would forget about Roger's crappy match today. Oh well, one of my friends just called and asked me to play tennis tomorrow right when the men's final starts so I'll just record it. If Rafa wins I'll watch. If Djoker wins I'll just pretend the US Open never hapened. Except for lt's shirtless Ferrer picture. That will become my entire US Open experience.

ETA - and Vera's coach. Also, Feli's legs. But that is it.

Shirtless Ferrer, Vera's coach and Feli's legs. That will be the sum total of my 2010 US Open memory.

ETA#2 - and Collette.

[falafaclese]

Second bummer in as many days. Not that Kim won, but that it wasn't more of a match. Oh well. Kim was playing some great tennis for sure. Congrats to her.

[harry24]

I agree with lt that it was particularly depressing seeing Roger play so poorly, especially after having handled the wind so well against Sod a few days earlier. The only up side is that I think Rafa would have chewed Roger up and spit him out, and that would have been even harder for me to watch, fond as I am of dear Rafa.

Speaking of depressing: ANOTHER appalling women's final.

[acre]

And this is why I can't get worked up about Zvonoreva - I mean, at least make a match out of it?? I don't care if Kim was playing great, Vera should still be able to make it vaguely competitive, this is the woman who reached 2 GS finals in a row, and for that? Bleh.

And Kim certainly has a thing for the US Open - sure she's won 3 slams, but all there. I know it's her best surface, and really, winning 3 Slams anywhere in any combination is pretty damn good, so kudos to her.

And back to Roger - he really didn't play that great overall, I hate that he lost, but he contributed to it himself. "Age" will tell I guess. Age in quotes cause really it's only in elite sports that 29 is anything other than your prime. Hmm, although the tennis he played up until this match was as good as any, so maybe not. I knew Djok was a real threat, no question he has the game to beat anybody when he's on, other than Rafa in his current form, or Roger at his best. Anyone else, absolutely, and those two also if they're even a bit off.

ETA to agree with harry - no question in my mind Rafa would have taken Roger out tomorrow had they met. He's flat out the better player at this point. And I'm just gonna stick in a quote I stole that pretty much sums my feelings about the two of them - I like Rafa a whole bunch, he's my #2, but the distance between #1 and #2 in my affections is like, miles:

"Federer. Like so many others I find his grace, movement and shot making unparalleled, most of the time. Nadal is outrageously fantastic, but the pure physicality of his game is less compelling to me, though it's hard to argue with his results."

[falafaclese]

Sept 12, 2010 1:58:54 GMT harry24 said:

I agree with lt that it was particularly depressing seeing Roger play so poorly, especially after having handled the wind so well against Sod a few days earlier.

Ugh, that's right. Make that three bummers. Venus was the first.

[whyistherumgone]

Sept 12, 2010 1:32:45 GMT breezybee said:

Oh well, one of my friends just called and asked me to play tennis tomorrow right when the men's final starts so I'll just record it. If Rafa wins I'll watch. If Djoker wins I'll just pretend the US Open never hapened.

Yeah, that sounds good. I'll record the match, and if I find out Rafa won I'll watch it. If not, it'll be deleted immediately...from both my DVR and my mind. Because I won't be able to handle Djokovic winning. The bullshit will flow from him like water from a stream, and I just can't. I can't.

Didn't watch the women's final, and it's just as well it seems.

[oopssorry]

What US Open??

ETA: One "l" in Colette if it's French; two if it's Greek.

[lizm]

I won't begrudge ANYTHING this US Open, as long as Rafa wins.

[lt]

The only up side is that I think Rafa would have chewed Roger up and spit him out, and that would have been even harder for me to watch, fond as I am of dear Rafa.

Agreed. That's what I was thinking watching Rafa, and then watching Roger/Beaker.

"Federer. Like so many others I find his grace, movement and shot making unparalleled, most of the time. Nadal is outrageously fantastic, but the pure physicality of his game is less compelling to me, though it's hard to argue with his results."

Love it.

ETA: One "l" in Colette if it's French; two if it's Greek.

Then let's make her Greek.

Shirtless Ferrer

I have video of Feli changing his shirt but that felt WAAAYYYYY too weird to put online since my flickr account is public. I mean, there's creepy stalker and then there's that.

The Woman's Final made me so unhappy. Vera was playing well, keeping her head together and BAM! losing to the whipsaw that was Kim. Man, iron nerves. It was impressive--and ridiculously boring.

I was watching the Woman's Doubles Final on ESPN2 earlier. Wow, what a great match that was until at 5-4 in the 3rd set the rains came. Yuck. At most, 3 games and a tiebreak and those four women are just sitting and waiting and, at this point, wondering if they have to stay until tomorrow. I just adore that Vania King. Her ecstatic smile is just so contagious.

Speaking of the rain, I cannot watch Roger/Beaker but I just can't watch football when tennis is still in the picture so I've spent the afternoon making sauce. Yummy Jersey tomatoes into masses and masses of sauce that will last until tomatoes are fresh next year. Oh well, it had to be done but I wish I was watching tennis.

eta: Jack Sock *clap, clap, clap* He's from one of my favorite Midwest cities and he's sticking with high school in his senior year. Really wish Roger's camp had called him one minute earlier because I'm sure hitting with Roger would have been quite the treat--although I'm guessing hitting with Djoker was a thrill for him as well.

eta2: Three years in a row for a Monday final? Someone way up high isn't too fond of men's semis on Saturday either, it appears.

[falafaclese]

Sept 12, 2010 3:26:06 GMT oopssorry said:

One "l" in Colette if it's French; two if it's Greek.

Hee! that works for me.

[chestylarue]

Urgh- another Monday final. Will have to be scoreboard and DVR watching.

"Federer. Like so many others I find his grace, movement and shot making unparalleled, most of the time. Nadal is outrageously fantastic, but the pure physicality of his game is less compelling to me, though it's hard to argue with his results."

I can't remember who made this original quote but I remember when I first read it not agreeing with the pure black and white themes of it. (Of course- we all have different opinions on players.) I know there is the common theme that Fed is all about grace and shots and Rafa is just simply brute force-but I think that is a little unfair. First- I think Roger's physicality is under-rated. Second- I don't agree with the common assumption that Rafa's game is just physical. He can actually have his own type of grace- for example his volleys and net game (which I am glad that JMac recognizes and does not fall into the common trap of just paining Rafa as nothing but a player who gets results because of & "pure physicality." I don't think Roger is just grace and ballet tennis but also has heart and the physical aspect has been very important to him (he has been injured less than most players- even taking into account mono, etc.) I do know that many find Rafa's game nothing but ugliness and physicality- but I do think he has fine skills, shots and at times grace.

Again- we can't all like the same players but I do think that Rafa has grown a lot as a player and his game is not just a factor of physiciality as it is sometimes portrayed as.

[breezybee]

I have video of Feli changing his shirt but that felt WAAAYYYYY too weird to put online since my flickr account is public. I mean, there's creepy stalker and then there's that.

I knew you were holding out on us lt!!! Can't you just put it up long enough for us to have a peak and then take it down again?

My perfect plan to miss the US Open was foiled. Stupid rain.