2012 U.S. Open

[darthvader]

This tournament holds a special place for me because I live 10-15 minutes away so I always try to attend at least 2 sessions a year even though it is quite expensive but being a passionate tennis fan I try to not to let that dissuade me. If anything is going to dissuade me it's when tennis become darker if you know what I mean. Unfortunately the process is coming about with all the chatter about sloane stephens. But I always believe and i truly hope I'm right that tennis will remain a white sport into the next century. Anyway back to the us open. The men's side as usual comes down to the ususal suspects albeit minus one since nadal pulled out. It will be federer or djokovic. I don't see murray coming through. If there is any player that deserves this it is murray but I see him falling to federer in the semis in what I expect could be the best and longest match in the us open. I will go ahead and make that prediction. I would really to like to see clijsters win this for sentimental reasons and also because she personifies class and elegance. But unfortunately I just don't see any woman beating serena. I would love nothing more to see serena get her clock cleaned like she did last year by stosur just to shut up all those commentators like chris evert. As a tennis fan I have to agree with the commentators that overall serena is just head and shoulders above everybody else on the women's tour.

 

[Matra2]

Kim Clijsters has now finished her singles tennis career. There's now hardly anyone left in the women's game who is even likeable.

Meanwhile ESPN has hired some black guy called LZ Granderson as a tennis analyst. As an avid tennis fan I was perplexed as I had no memory of a player by this name. Keep in mind he is an analyst - always an ex-player - not a presenter or play-by-play guy. So I looked him up at Wikipedia. Guess what? He's NOT an ex-player. AFAIK he's the only "expert" tennis analyst on US TV who isn't a former pro.

Here's what it says at Wikipedia:

He is a 2010 nominee and the 2009 winner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation award for online journalism and a 2010 and 2008 honoree of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for column writing. He is a member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.

So he's not only a black quota but a gay one. A twofer!

It goes on:

Granderson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, where he developed a passion for the National Hockey League and hockey.

Yeah right.

He is divorced with a son.

With a woman I assume. Though these days one can't assume too much.

Granderson's writings for Page 2 usually center on the social and human aspects of sports. He writes about his own personal struggles, the life of athletes, and occasionally provides social commentary.

Another gay man who likes to write about himself.

On April 18, 2012, Granderson wrote an opinion article titled "Ted Nugent should be in jail" for the online CNN website, accusing Ted Nugent of threatening the life of President Obama

:icon_rolleyes:

On June 27, 2012, Granderson published a controversial opinion article titled "Don't be nosy about Fast and Furious" for CNN's website, accusing the American public of being too nosy about the way their government functions

Especially when a black man is in the Oval Office!

ESPN=Cultural Marxist propaganda

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LZ_Granderson

 

[Matra2]

Jack Sock has made his long awaited breakthrough. He now goes to the 3rd round of the US Open. Of all the young American players he's the best hope for the future.

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga was bounced out in the 2nd round. His countryman Gael "super athlete" Monfils isn't at the Open. He's missed a big chunk of the year due to a knee injury.

Needless to say, Federer had no trouble with Donald Young on opening night.

 

[darthvader]

Andy Roddick remains an enigma. On the one hand he underperformed and on the other hand he had the unfortunate luck of having to play in the same era as roger federer and for that matter rafa nadal and djokovic. I am not sure if he ever recovered mentally from that loss to federer in the 2009 wimbledon final. He threw everything including the kitchen sink and the whole living room at federer but still couldn't beat him. The surprising thing is that when he won the us open I thought he was a one trick pony with only his serve as his weapon. Then he worked with other coaches including jimmy connors to develop his game but along came federer and then nadal and that's where he just ran into bad luck I guess. I can't say that I will miss him because for one thing he had divalike attitude at times and he also just didn't leave a lasting legacy like mcenroe, connors, sampras, agassi, and courier. But he always played with heart and I hope he does go far here at the us open.

 

[Quiet Speed]

Being preoccupied with the storm last week, I missed much of the early rounds. Caught two fairly good matches yesterday. The Roddick – Fognini match was a four setter. The Italian’s quirky off-beat game made for some entertaining points. Sharapova had to fight in the third set to pull out a victory over Nadia Petrova. She was down 0-2 and one point away from being down 0-3 in the final set.


The Ivanovic – Pironkova match will kick off soon with Fed and Mardy Fish taking the court this afternoon.

 

[Matra2]

Andy Roddick remains an enigma. On the one hand he underperformed and on the other hand he had the unfortunate luck of having to play in the same era as roger federer and for that matter rafa nadal and djokovic... I can't say that I will miss him because for one thing he had divalike attitude at times and he also just didn't leave a lasting legacy like mcenroe, connors, sampras, agassi, and courier. But he always played with heart and I hope he does go far here at the us open.

I agree with the above. That Roddick is good friends with Serena and Terrell Owens is something I've troubled getting past. Then there was his sanctimonious support for Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe'er when the UAE wouldn't give her a Visa to play there. I never liked Roddick but his retirement has been one of the only interesting stories to this year's (so far) lacklustre US Open. One thing I do like about Roddick is that he is quick-witted; he's always got a good comeback remark no matter what the situation. Interestingly, he seems to be playing better, more adventurous tennis since he announced his retirement.

 

[darthvader]

I agree with the above. That Roddick is good friends with Serena and Terrell Owens is something I've troubled getting past. Then there was his sanctimonious support for Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe'er when the UAE wouldn't give her a Visa to play there. I never liked Roddick but his retirement has been one of the only interesting stories to this year's (so far) lacklustre US Open. One thing I do like about Roddick is that he is quick-witted; he's always got a good comeback remark no matter what the situation. Interestingly, he seems to be playing better, more adventurous tennis since he announced his retirement.

It is those facts alone that makes me wish del potro steamrolls roddick which I do expect. Then again roddick seems to playing with some more spirit and after seeing what agassi and connors did after their prime you just never know. Actually del potro seems to be recovering more from his wrist surgery which means he can break the stranglehold between federer, nadal, and djokovic. Along with murray they both have the skills and the athleticsm to break that strangehold in the next year. My concern is how well nadal recovers from his tendinitis. I certainly would miss him more than roddick if he was forced to retire early. It's funny how I used to root for mcenroe, connors, evert, sampras and agassi when I younger. Now I find myself actually rooting against the americans. There is this concern where and when the next american superstar is going to come. My wish is that the next generation of superstars come from europe and australia.

 

[Don Wassall]

Roddick defeated in the round of 16 by Del Potro. He was emotional afterward but didn't weep, which is to his credit as I'm sure BSPN would have liked nothing better.

I guess I agree with the other posters about Roddick. Just could never root for him. Didn't root against him, maybe indifferent is the best word to describe it. One of the more open and honest athletes in this age of endless posturing and mindless cliches, but had a bit too much of the American brat in him as well.

 

[jaxvid]

Roddick defeated in the round of 16 by Del Potro. He was emotional afterward but didn't weep, which is to his credit as I'm sure BSPN would have liked nothing better.

Good to hear, I like him more already. I'm getting to really hate the cryin' sports guys and hope that trend is easing up. :Cry::drama:

 

[foobar75]

A rather rusty Federer was easily defeated by Berdych, and will now face Murray in the semis. Djokovic and Del Potro will be playing in the quarters tomorrow and it should be a great match.

With both Federer and Nadal out, and Djokovic not displaying that unbeatable form of last year/early this year, Murray has another golden opportunity to win his first major. I will be rooting for a Murray-Del Potro final, just to see the strangle-hold of the big three broken a little bit.

I'm not even going to talk about the women's side because we all know where that is headed.

 

[darthvader]

I really don't think rustiness or having all that rest had anything to do with federer's loss. It really had alot to do with berdych's game which disrupts federer without a doubt as evidenced by federer spraying all those errors. Maybe rust did factor in who knows but you have to give berdych credit because he definitely has the skills to win a couple of grand slams. Whether he does remains to be seen. Federer's last 4 us opens right now have been disappointments. As surprising as this seems a couple of months ago but this slam could be won by somebody not named federer, nadal, or djokovic or even murray for that matter. Then again nadal pulling out opened the doors for alot of players without a doubt. On the women's side I sometimes lament the fact that if maybe henin and clisjters had not retired previously 5-6 years ago and then came back they could have put a dent on serena's record. Henin especially because she retired still at her prime. I don't want to say it's a foregone conclusion but it's looking inevitable that the ugliest player and one of the most ugliest on this planet (I mean that literally) will walk away with that trophy. Then again I thought the same thing last year until stosur wiped the floor with her.

 

[Matra2]

The Ferrer v Tipsarevic match just completed was the match of the tournament - possibly the year.

I kind of agree with darthvader that it wasn't Federer's rustiness but Berdych stepping it up a notch. The Czech has given Fed problems in the past. After Federer suddenly started playing amazing tennis in the third set I thought he would go on to win it. Credit Berdych for keeping his head. He's been mentally weak before but maybe he's now over that.

BTW Berdych has my vote for player with the best looking tennis girlfriend! Everything you need to know about her:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...rything-you-need-to-know-about-ester-satorova

 

[darthvader]

If yesterday's match is any indication djokovic could surpass nadal pretty soon as far as grand slam titles is concerned and maybe tie sampras provided he stays healthy. He is simply marvelous and brutal on that deco hardcourt. It is perfect for his game the way clay is perfect for nadal. Djokovic should surpass federer and connors for most us open titles easily if he stays healthy which always has been an issue for him. It is almost impossible to hit through him because he moves so well and forces you to hit that extra second and third shot that you don't want to make. Add to the fact that he is the best returner there is right now and has the best baseline game. Basically I am saying that the baton has passed from federer and nadal to djokovic. Until we reach the french open.

 

[Matra2]

Add to the fact that he is the best returner there is right now and has the best baseline game.

His return of serve against Del Potro was magnificent. DP is a great server and he wasn't faulting very much yet Djokovic was returning his serves like he was on offence. Truly brilliant display by the Serb.

 

[Patricia]

Another poorly managed US Open

Both the Oz Open and Wimbledon have installed a roof on their main stadium. I'll never figure out why they didn't do that in NY when they built this tribute to a lesbian and blacks. Maybe someone here can explain Louis Armstrong stadium- I'd love to know.

Every year it seems like a repeat weather performance. Brutal heat and humidity opening week followed by a seasonal change in weather ushered in with rain storms and high winds. Okay- so I'm not the Weather Channel- but as long as I've been watching, that's the pattern. Five years in a row the men's final has been pushed to Monday. All that money in NY- spend some on a roof already.

Suspended play clearly favors Djoko though. Too bad for Ferrer who was crushing. It'll give Novak a chance to regroup and get his head back together. Ferrer was rattling him but good.

It's also unfair that Murray gets an extra rest day. If Djoko wins it won't be a huge factor since he's had a rather easy draw. If Ferrer wins, it could be a factor.

If someone decides to watch the women's final- let me know the score. I can't handle either of the Lee Sisters- Ugly and Homely. On the plus side- at least Azarenka isn't wearing a weird outfit this year.

 

[Quiet Speed]

After the Djokovoc – Ferrer match was suspended, Bill Macatee, John McEnroe, and Mary Carillo were discussing the handling of the scheduling of the matches. They felt the two men’s semifinal matches should have been played simultaneously, considering the weather forecast, to avoid the risk of the second semifinal being suspended. It was a tough call, and they obviously got it wrong. Mary Carillo injected a weird hypothesis into the talk. Out of the blue, she questioned whether any women were in on the decision making process, and figured how much better things would have been if they were. Bill Macatee and McEnroe were silent a bit, I guess out of shock, finally McEnroe said that was an unfair comment.


Carillo lives in a world were social commentary (her brand) ought to be part of any proceedings. I wonder if she realizes how much her bosses at CBS had to do with the decision as opposed to the tournament officials.

 

[Matra2]

Both the Oz Open and Wimbledon have installed a roof on their main stadium. I'll never figure out why they didn't do that in NY when they built this tribute to a lesbian and blacks. Maybe someone here can explain Louis Armstrong stadium- I'd love to know.

Every year it seems like a repeat weather performance. Brutal heat and humidity opening week followed by a seasonal change in weather ushered in with rain storms and high winds. Okay- so I'm not the Weather Channel- but as long as I've been watching, that's the pattern. Five years in a row the men's final has been pushed to Monday. All that money in NY- spend some on a roof already.

The US Open is now seen as the ugly sister of Grand Slams. It is notorious for its poor organisation and general unfairness to players on the lower half of the draw.

 

[Matra2]

After the Djokovoc – Ferrer match was suspended, Bill Macatee, John McEnroe, and Mary Carillo were discussing the handling of the scheduling of the matches. They felt the two men’s semifinal matches should have been played simultaneously, considering the weather forecast, to avoid the risk of the second semifinal being suspended. It was a tough call, and they obviously got it wrong. Mary Carillo injected a weird hypothesis into the talk. Out of the blue, she questioned whether any women were in on the decision making process, and figured how much better things would have been if they were. Bill Macatee and McEnroe were silent a bit, I guess out of shock, finally McEnroe said that was an unfair comment.


Carillo lives in a world were social commentary (her brand) ought to be part of any proceedings. I wonder if she realizes how much her bosses at CBS had to do with the decision as opposed to the tournament officials.

Funny because yesterday I was wondering what the point was in having her there. She said virtually nothing the entire afternoon other than repeating stuff that had happened earlier in the tournament and a few references to the weather. It is amazing that she actually gets paid for that!

 

[white is right]

Funny because yesterday I was wondering what the point was in having her there. She said virtually nothing the entire afternoon other than repeating stuff that had happened earlier in the tournament and a few references to the weather. It is amazing that she actually gets paid for that!

Hooray Serena Williams won today..... I can't help but feeling like a chocolate version of this Jim Carrey character won..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7S7YQpnklU&feature=related Ps. Carillo is scary with her feminist assertions is she out of the closet?

 

[Don Wassall]

Azarenka was trounced in the first set then came back and was serving for the match in the third set before the roided up linebacker put her away.

Carillo has always been a smug, insufferable feminazi. The Tennis Channel teamed her and Martina Navratilova for their French Open coverage. Carillo also had a prominent role in NBC's Olympic coverage in London. Minorities, feminists and homosexuals rule in corporate TV land.

 

[darthvader]

The men's final potentially could be the best and longest match in us open history. Djokovic and murray are two of the quickest and agile players on the tour who can run down any shot and possess some of the best clean ball striking. Where as djokovic has those deep flat groundstrokes, murray is now maybe close to federer with the variety of shots he can produce from various angles. As i said in my previous post if any player deserves this it is murray. After winning the gold medal and seeing how impressive he was against federer it's hard not to pick him but djokovic is the more agressive and steady player. Although murray has substantially improved mentally and is not prone to outbursts since lendl took over as his coach, he still loses his composure at times. On the hard courts djokovic is too brutal (like lendl) and will grind you to pieces. Djokovic in five.

 

[Quiet Speed]

[FONT=&amp]Absolutely fascinating first set. Murray prevails in a tiebreak. If the rest of the match continues like this, the match could rival the 2012 Australian Open final in length.[/FONT]

 

[Matra2]

An incredible final that often had poor tennis because of the wind but very enjoyable nonetheless. Djokovic just ran out of steam at the end. I wonder if having to play three sets yesterday while Murray got to rest affected him. Unfortunately, the US Open is notorious for putting some players at a disadvantage to suit TV. Next year they will supposedly play the men's semi-final matches on Friday to give the players a day's rest before the final. We'll see.

Now the race is on to see who will end the year at #1. With Nadal seemingly out for the next two months it will be between Federer - who is still #1 - Djokovic, and Murray.

 

[Patricia]

Great Men's Final

That was some Men's final. After a lackluster first week, it was great to see some truly high level tennis. Glad Andy Murray's got his slam. I was never a big fan of Lendl's but he's worked wonders for Andy- his mental game is noticeably improved. Now if he'll only stop cussing- or learn to cuss in another language.

That last Geico commercial with the black body builder directing traffic was too much though. The white woman twirling her hair as she stares out the window at him longingly- nauseating.

But really- nearly 2 million bucks? And Djoko got a half million buck bonus? Okay, so a Federal Reserver Note isn't worth what it used to be- but money in sports is still insane.

And yes, Don- I'm with you on Carillo.

 

[darthvader]

I really thought novak was going to pull it off. If anything he really had the momentum when he was down 4-0 in the second set but leveled the set at 5-5 and as Mcenroe stated was to about pull a houdini act. Somehow it slipped away from him. Then again Murray deserves all the credit and the trophy. Maybe the wind conditions and the fact that he played two days in a row had an effect on djokovic but like the true professional he gave all the accolades to murray. I did notice that djokovic was quite tentative at times using his slice backhand more than I was accustomed to seeing from him stead of relying on those punishing groundstrokes that has made him so successful all these years. But the match had some of the most amazing rallies that I have ever seen and will go down as some of the best ever. Indeed the match did live up to my expectations as far as length and the quality of tennis was concerned except for the result. But congratulations to murray who finally broke through. Can he win another one? Will serena finally go away? Will there be an actual tennis strike as rumors have been swirling?