TENNIS: US Open 2022 from a distance
Sep. 14th, 2022 06:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllIt was deeply unsurprising that the USA wasn’t going to change its policy on needing to be vaccinated to enter the country for Novak Djokovic or that it was less of a big deal than during the Australian Open.
Thanks to YouTube, I saw a sliver of charity doubles ‘matches’ at the US Open for Ukraine.
Emma Raducanu had a tough first round draw in the defence of her remarkable US Open in Alize Cornet, who continued her sparkling run at slams this year by beating Raducanu. Naomi Osaka also had a tough draw, facing Danielle Collins in the first round, but that’s what you get when you’re unseeded. Meanwhile, it was heartening to learn that no 7 seed Cameron Norrie has consolidated his Wimbledon run over the past couple of months and was able to despatch a Benoit Paire who was mostly having a bad day.
Serena Williams recaptured enough of the old Serenaness to beat the no. 2 seed Annett Kontaveitt (who hasn’t been impressive in slams for such a ranking). Perhaps the most telling thing will be that she needed to do it in three sets. Impressively, Jack Draper won no 6 seed (and last year’s semi-finalist) Felix Auger-Aliasseme in three. It seems as if he’s at the still improving stage of his career, and it’s exciting.
Not enough fuss was made of Harriet Dart beating Kasaksina (no. 10 seed) before she went out in the second round, but that’s an excellent result and it’s a shame she couldn’t have built on it
Nadal, Norrie and Evans were through, while the Williams sisters were out of the women’s doubles in the first round.
It sounds as though Murray didn’t serve well enough in the first two sets against Berrettini, while his opponent put together a better game. Murray, despite being a born competitor who hates to lose, must have the perspective to see that it’s no shame to lose to Berrettini at this point in their careers. It’s staggering when you read that Murray hadn’t been through to a third round here since 2016, when he was world no. 1. Jack Draper had to retire due to injury in the third set.
Serena Williams had to give way to Alia Tomjanovic, a high-quality scrapper, and before that, young Coco Gauff made it through to the fourth round in the only Slam she hadn’t yet done so, the home one, against Madison Keys.
Cameron Norrie won through to the fourth round as a player of his seeding should, but it’s only the second time he’s done so including the Wimbledon just gone. He hadn’t dropped a set; his next opponent, Rublev, booked his place in a five-setter. Some other tasty little next round matches in the men were set up: Cilic vs Alcaraz, Berrettini vs. Ruud…
A few names who’ve been doing well in 2022 continued to do so in the next day’s play, but the most eye-catching result was Kyrgios outplaying Medvedev for enough of their match to win in four. I thought it would be interesting to see whether he could maintain his standard for long enough – after all, at Wimbledon he lucked out of facing Nadal in the semis at Wimbledon. He’s never done this well at the US Open before.
There were more surprises on the men’s side, with Frances Tiafoe beating Rafael Nadal (before the QF!), a Nadal who wasn’t quite on song (but he’s about to become a father) and stopped his brilliant year at Grand Slams. Norrie’s good run was also stopped, with Rublev, only two seedings below him winning in three. The women’s side was a little more predictable (you’d certainly not expect the results to follow the seedings and they didn’t.)
Alcaraz disposed of Cilic, but Khachenov (to my slight surprise, although he be was the victor in the same match-up at the Aussie Open) won against Kyrigos in five sets. Kyrigos had become the favourite for the title. But the Russian would now face…Caspar Ruud, who has proved this summer that he isn’t just a clay courter, and beat Berrettini in three – did losing out the spring and Wimbledon finally tell? It’s definitely going to be a new male US champion, then, and the no. 1 spot may be up for grabs.
Jabeur fought back to win in three, and Caroline Garica continued to have an excellent summer, meaning it was ‘not yet’ for Coco Gauff.
Alcaraz beat Sinner in their quarter final match (Sinner had beat him at Wimbledon) in a very late and long five setter where he faced a match point! I saw the clip of THAT incredible shot he hit from behind his back. Proof that the young guns are properly coming – players who make the ‘next genners’ look old! He will be facing the American Tiafoe, who continued his run by beating Rublev to make the semi and will surely be the fresher player.
Belarussian Sabalenka made it through to her second consecutive US Open semi, beating Pliskova, to face Swiatek who beat Pegula (at a grand slam quarter final again). The no. 1 seed has never been to this stage at the US Open before, but is the only player standing who has won a Slam. She’s also the only one whose ranking has been vindicated, but Jabeur was a finalist at Wimbledon, and Sabalenka is the no. 7 seed, Garcia has played better than her seeding this season.
But in their semi, Garcia’s inexperience at this stage perhaps contributed to her nerves, while Jabeur, being more used to it, controlled hers better and won in two. Swiatek and Sabalenka had a closer match in three sets, and so, arguably, the two best women’s players this year (since Ash Barty retired anyway) will face each other in the women’s final.
Congratulations to Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram for winning the men’s doubles (beating Neal Skupski and his Dutch doubles partner, that’s the first time Skupski has made it to a men’s doubles slam final, apparently. He’ll want to do better the next time, I suppose.) Apparently, they’re the only team to have defended it in the Open era other than the Woodies. That’s impressive (and maybe gives Leon Smith a nice problem to have.)
The headlines for the men’s semis informed me that the men’s final would be a tasty one, because not only will the winner win his maiden slam, he’ll become the No. 1 player in the world. Ruud, 23, beat Khachenov, 26, in four. He was the only semi finalist who had been to this stage of a slam before as he did at this year’s French.
But that means he’ll be facing the incredible Alcaraz (comparable to Nadal and Sampras in the article I read for various achievements) who broke American hearts by beating Tiafoe in five (he could have beaten him in four). What a year he’s had, too, and improving again at a slam. My only caveat is that he’s got to the final via three very long and late matches. I then reflexively say ‘but he’s 19’ as if being 19 is a superpower, which in a way it is, but Ruud will have a little more experience and a lot less tiredness. Still, this is very healthy for the men’s game.
Swiatek won! In a way that almost made it silly to question whether she would – Jabeur was good enough to push her in the second set and not let her run away with it, but despite all of Swiatek talking herself and her expectations down after Wimbledon ended her run, she found a way to win through in a tournament she wasn’t as comfortable in as the French. She’s won a slam on a different surface and consolidated her dominance this year. She’s the one who stepped up when Barty stepped away, and she’s only 21 so she may continue to be dominant in years to come. Apparently no woman has won two slams in a year since Kerber did in 2016, which says a lot about women’ tennis. Tough loss for Jabeur again (whither Rybykina?), but she sounded as though she would try to take the positives.
Storm Sanders and John Peers won the mixed doubles, and Peers won after over 30 times of trying to win a doubles final. (Sorry, women’s doubles champions, you didn’t register with me.)
To cap it all, Alcaraz won in four sets and becomes the world no. 1, which feels rather seismic, as he’s the youngest world no 1, and getting there as a 19 year old man truly is impressive. I wanted him to win, but feared he’d be too tired after go many gruelling matches, but he physically had enough, and it’s been clear to me since Wimbledon, when I got a look at him. that all the hype was justified, he was talented enough, but he’s gone out there and done it, perhaps a little earlier than we thought. That means he is deserving of being mentioned in relation to various records alongside Nadal, Hewitt, Agassi and Sampras. He certainly has the potential to step on from this. Congratulations to him, and commiserations to Ruud, runner up again at a Slam, like Jabeur, although he’s younger and ought to have more chances.
[Edited for typos 28/2/25.]
Thanks to YouTube, I saw a sliver of charity doubles ‘matches’ at the US Open for Ukraine.
Emma Raducanu had a tough first round draw in the defence of her remarkable US Open in Alize Cornet, who continued her sparkling run at slams this year by beating Raducanu. Naomi Osaka also had a tough draw, facing Danielle Collins in the first round, but that’s what you get when you’re unseeded. Meanwhile, it was heartening to learn that no 7 seed Cameron Norrie has consolidated his Wimbledon run over the past couple of months and was able to despatch a Benoit Paire who was mostly having a bad day.
Serena Williams recaptured enough of the old Serenaness to beat the no. 2 seed Annett Kontaveitt (who hasn’t been impressive in slams for such a ranking). Perhaps the most telling thing will be that she needed to do it in three sets. Impressively, Jack Draper won no 6 seed (and last year’s semi-finalist) Felix Auger-Aliasseme in three. It seems as if he’s at the still improving stage of his career, and it’s exciting.
Not enough fuss was made of Harriet Dart beating Kasaksina (no. 10 seed) before she went out in the second round, but that’s an excellent result and it’s a shame she couldn’t have built on it
Nadal, Norrie and Evans were through, while the Williams sisters were out of the women’s doubles in the first round.
It sounds as though Murray didn’t serve well enough in the first two sets against Berrettini, while his opponent put together a better game. Murray, despite being a born competitor who hates to lose, must have the perspective to see that it’s no shame to lose to Berrettini at this point in their careers. It’s staggering when you read that Murray hadn’t been through to a third round here since 2016, when he was world no. 1. Jack Draper had to retire due to injury in the third set.
Serena Williams had to give way to Alia Tomjanovic, a high-quality scrapper, and before that, young Coco Gauff made it through to the fourth round in the only Slam she hadn’t yet done so, the home one, against Madison Keys.
Cameron Norrie won through to the fourth round as a player of his seeding should, but it’s only the second time he’s done so including the Wimbledon just gone. He hadn’t dropped a set; his next opponent, Rublev, booked his place in a five-setter. Some other tasty little next round matches in the men were set up: Cilic vs Alcaraz, Berrettini vs. Ruud…
A few names who’ve been doing well in 2022 continued to do so in the next day’s play, but the most eye-catching result was Kyrgios outplaying Medvedev for enough of their match to win in four. I thought it would be interesting to see whether he could maintain his standard for long enough – after all, at Wimbledon he lucked out of facing Nadal in the semis at Wimbledon. He’s never done this well at the US Open before.
There were more surprises on the men’s side, with Frances Tiafoe beating Rafael Nadal (before the QF!), a Nadal who wasn’t quite on song (but he’s about to become a father) and stopped his brilliant year at Grand Slams. Norrie’s good run was also stopped, with Rublev, only two seedings below him winning in three. The women’s side was a little more predictable (you’d certainly not expect the results to follow the seedings and they didn’t.)
Alcaraz disposed of Cilic, but Khachenov (to my slight surprise, although he be was the victor in the same match-up at the Aussie Open) won against Kyrigos in five sets. Kyrigos had become the favourite for the title. But the Russian would now face…Caspar Ruud, who has proved this summer that he isn’t just a clay courter, and beat Berrettini in three – did losing out the spring and Wimbledon finally tell? It’s definitely going to be a new male US champion, then, and the no. 1 spot may be up for grabs.
Jabeur fought back to win in three, and Caroline Garica continued to have an excellent summer, meaning it was ‘not yet’ for Coco Gauff.
Alcaraz beat Sinner in their quarter final match (Sinner had beat him at Wimbledon) in a very late and long five setter where he faced a match point! I saw the clip of THAT incredible shot he hit from behind his back. Proof that the young guns are properly coming – players who make the ‘next genners’ look old! He will be facing the American Tiafoe, who continued his run by beating Rublev to make the semi and will surely be the fresher player.
Belarussian Sabalenka made it through to her second consecutive US Open semi, beating Pliskova, to face Swiatek who beat Pegula (at a grand slam quarter final again). The no. 1 seed has never been to this stage at the US Open before, but is the only player standing who has won a Slam. She’s also the only one whose ranking has been vindicated, but Jabeur was a finalist at Wimbledon, and Sabalenka is the no. 7 seed, Garcia has played better than her seeding this season.
But in their semi, Garcia’s inexperience at this stage perhaps contributed to her nerves, while Jabeur, being more used to it, controlled hers better and won in two. Swiatek and Sabalenka had a closer match in three sets, and so, arguably, the two best women’s players this year (since Ash Barty retired anyway) will face each other in the women’s final.
Congratulations to Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram for winning the men’s doubles (beating Neal Skupski and his Dutch doubles partner, that’s the first time Skupski has made it to a men’s doubles slam final, apparently. He’ll want to do better the next time, I suppose.) Apparently, they’re the only team to have defended it in the Open era other than the Woodies. That’s impressive (and maybe gives Leon Smith a nice problem to have.)
The headlines for the men’s semis informed me that the men’s final would be a tasty one, because not only will the winner win his maiden slam, he’ll become the No. 1 player in the world. Ruud, 23, beat Khachenov, 26, in four. He was the only semi finalist who had been to this stage of a slam before as he did at this year’s French.
But that means he’ll be facing the incredible Alcaraz (comparable to Nadal and Sampras in the article I read for various achievements) who broke American hearts by beating Tiafoe in five (he could have beaten him in four). What a year he’s had, too, and improving again at a slam. My only caveat is that he’s got to the final via three very long and late matches. I then reflexively say ‘but he’s 19’ as if being 19 is a superpower, which in a way it is, but Ruud will have a little more experience and a lot less tiredness. Still, this is very healthy for the men’s game.
Swiatek won! In a way that almost made it silly to question whether she would – Jabeur was good enough to push her in the second set and not let her run away with it, but despite all of Swiatek talking herself and her expectations down after Wimbledon ended her run, she found a way to win through in a tournament she wasn’t as comfortable in as the French. She’s won a slam on a different surface and consolidated her dominance this year. She’s the one who stepped up when Barty stepped away, and she’s only 21 so she may continue to be dominant in years to come. Apparently no woman has won two slams in a year since Kerber did in 2016, which says a lot about women’ tennis. Tough loss for Jabeur again (whither Rybykina?), but she sounded as though she would try to take the positives.
Storm Sanders and John Peers won the mixed doubles, and Peers won after over 30 times of trying to win a doubles final. (Sorry, women’s doubles champions, you didn’t register with me.)
To cap it all, Alcaraz won in four sets and becomes the world no. 1, which feels rather seismic, as he’s the youngest world no 1, and getting there as a 19 year old man truly is impressive. I wanted him to win, but feared he’d be too tired after go many gruelling matches, but he physically had enough, and it’s been clear to me since Wimbledon, when I got a look at him. that all the hype was justified, he was talented enough, but he’s gone out there and done it, perhaps a little earlier than we thought. That means he is deserving of being mentioned in relation to various records alongside Nadal, Hewitt, Agassi and Sampras. He certainly has the potential to step on from this. Congratulations to him, and commiserations to Ruud, runner up again at a Slam, like Jabeur, although he’s younger and ought to have more chances.
[Edited for typos 28/2/25.]
