Flushing Meadows Corona Park Cafe : 2013 U.S. Open

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

we are just about a month away from the u.s. open.

doing great at Wimbledon will help some like andy murray for instance.


having lost very early--like nadal and roger--cant be good for their confidence going into the last slam.

this is why roger is playing 2 small clay events. he wants to get his ground game going.

even a 35 year old tommy haas with an all court game is staying on clay. he is also playing no less than 2 clay events.



ground game is far more critical for nadal then it is for roger. ground game is all nadal has. he cant serve well and he cant return well on quicker courts. he is not that comfortable at the net and he doesn't really have a kiler slice.

he doesn't have much of a backhand either at the moment. he has no confidence in it.


clay is the wellspring from which he flows. so if he wants to do well at the open then I think he is making a huge mistake not getting some practice and match play on clay.

clay can fix his ailing ground game and his backhand.


the man has a painful knee. he does not need to be tearing it up on the hard courts right now. he is practicing on the hard courts in Mallorca.

 

[Moxie]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

Don't forget the wind had a HUGE impact on the outcome of last year's US Open. Berdych was clearly unable to play against Murray as his ball toss is way too high for such poor conditions (couldn't serve at full speed all match as a result and his normally killer groundstrokes were all going miles long) and Djokovic is the weakest of the top 4 when it comes to handling windy conditions imo and this comes from observation of many matches played in poor windy conditions. Murray, Fed, Nadal all adapt their games much better to windy conditions and this greatly aided Murray's win last year against Djokovic. Personally I hate watching matches in conditions like that where they have to use a lot of pusher rallies in fear of over hitting. Fingers crossed conditions will be much better there this year and make it a more even playing field for everyone.

The wind was a factor, esp. in the Murray/Berdych semi. And Djokovic might not have gotten through that day, had they not had to stop. I think it helped Murray in the first couple of sets in the final, but it calmed down, and so did Djokovic. Murray got the early break in the 5th, though, and never looked back. I don't think the wind was a big factor in the 5th set. Credit Murray for winning it. Anyway, it was the final people expected, at that point. A HUGE impact would have been if Ferrer had taken out Djokovic in the SF due to wind.

And yes, I'll be hoping that wind, rain, hurricanes and plagues of locusts don't impact this year's USO, but we can't count on that. The worst thing so far is that they're already committed to a Monday men's final. Yuck.

 

[sid]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

I think we have seen some hard court action. we saw it at indian wells and we saw some at Miami masters.


we have also seen them on clay and we have seen them on grass.


so it seems that we may be able to draw fairly reliable conclusions from all that we have seen.


I am certainly prepared to make some predictions. as a matter of fact the whole world is already talking about the last slam of 2013.



here are my predictions:

1. I think will pick andy murray to take the title. incidentally I had also predicted that he would take the last u.s. open title fully 2 months before it happened.

I also predicted that he would make history at Wimbledon and he did.

2. del potro

3. nole

4. nadal

Hi Hurc,i hope your right & Murray defends the USO.The Masters in the USA should give a good pointer.Saying that Murray came nowhere in the Masters last year then won the USO.It would not shock me if Nole/Potty/Nadal or Roger won it.

 

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

welcome to the forums general sid.

post away and have a blast mate.


I expect andy to do well in montreal. he may skip cincy if he wins the title in montreal. I am just guessing here.

 

[sid]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

welcome to the forums general sid.

post away and have a blast mate.


I expect andy to do well in montreal. he may skip cincy if he wins the title in montreal. I am just guessing here.

Murray has won the Rogers cup in the past(2009-2010),if he's on his game he might take the title.If Murray did skip Cincinnati he might be very fresh @ the USO,or will he go out in both Masters Early again? IE in search of the USO.Djokovic has won Rogers cup the last 2 years.I wonder if Nadal might come good @ one of these Masters,lots of ranking points to be made.Cincinnati i won't see much of the first week due to other things in my life.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

It will be interesting to see if Murray can defend his USO title this year.
I am still sticking with Novak to win the USO.To me HC is his best surface.
For now I am looking forward to Montreal.....hopefully Rafa can make a good run at this tournament.

 

[britbox]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

I'm looking at Cincinatti as the biggest hope for Federer.

 

[Moxie]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

I'm looking at Cincinatti as the biggest hope for Federer.

Reading in, I'm seeing that Roger wants to go into the USO with some bragging rights. I think you're right to say the best chance is Cincy.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

Cincy is an opportunity to do well at a tournament. I don't know if a win there means much for the USO...it hasn't the last couple years.

 

[Moxie]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

Cincy is an opportunity to do well at a tournament. I don't know if a win there means much for the USO...it hasn't the last couple years.

Yes, but...everyone is going to be looking at how the Big 4, and others, go into Canada and Cincy. Rehabilitation and bragging rights are on offer. I think Rafa would be cool with QF finishes, and even skipping Cincy. Murray's OK with a reasonable coast. I think Roger and Nole want to come out with wins to set a president for the USO. I think they are the 2 with the most at stake for making a mark in Canada and Cincy.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

Cincy is an opportunity to do well at a tournament. I don't know if a win there means much for the USO...it hasn't the last couple years.

Yes, but...everyone is going to be looking at how the Big 4, and others, go into Canada and Cincy. Rehabilitation and bragging rights are on offer. I think Rafa would be cool with QF finishes, and even skipping Cincy. Murray's OK with a reasonable coast. I think Roger and Nole want to come out with wins to set a president for the USO. I think they are the 2 with the most at stake for making a mark in Canada and Cincy.

I agree except I think Canada is a fairly big tourney for Rafa. If he does well there he can feel better going into the USO. I'm not sure if those tournaments are that big for Nole unless he was to meet Murray (then that definitely becomes a huge match for Djokovic). Nole has had what has to be considered a disappointing year thus far but he still is making the semis pretty easily at these slams.

I don't think a win signifies Roger is back or necessarily a favorite for USO, but bad losses at Canada and Cincy would just make bad matters worse.

 

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

roger`s best chances remain at Wimbledon. it is the least demanding slam.

and that is the bottom line on that.

that is what the last few years are telling us so why should this year be any different.

roger really blew it in 2011 when he had nole on the ropes. I still cant figure out how he let that one get away.

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I am loving princess moxie`s avi. I just noticed it.


very cool.

 

[Front242]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

roger`s best chances remain at Wimbledon. it is the least demanding slam.

and that is the bottom line on that.

that is what the last few years are telling us so why should this year be any different.

roger really blew it in 2011 when he had nole on the ropes. I still cant figure out how he let that one get away.

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I am loving princess moxie`s avi. I just noticed it.


very cool.

---

I still think the US Open is Fed's best shot at a slam. He can get away with his very poor ROS there more than Wimbledon where frankly he's toast as we saw this year if he can't make decent returns. That's not taking anything away from Stakhovsky who played incredible, but the margins are so small on grass. One break on grass is a lot harder to recover than on hardcourts imo. With Murray's improved confidence he's going to be harder and harder to beat at Wimbledon now also. Next year Fed will be pushing 33 and playing the likes of prime Murray so fast hards are definitely going to be easier for him to win on than grass from now on imo.

If he avoids Berdych at this year's US Open his chances improve no end. He's had matches points against Djokovic 2 years in a row at the US Open (2010, 2011) and I'd say that's a harder task for him to achieve anywhere else. Last year's Wimbledon was a bit of an anomaly, whereas if they meet again at the US Open I'd expect a very close match again.

 

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

both nadal and roger could use a little bit of magic at the open:


they would need very kind draws

they would need the other top guns ambushed/upset or at least fatigued.


in short, they need a lot of luck.

 

[Mastoor]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

I think Delpo is the factor now more than he ever was so if Murray gets him in his half Murray won't be a favourite at all.

As for possibility of Rafa skipping Cincinnati, i don't think it will happen because he is in position to chase #1 and all the points he can win in Cincinnati will be useful.

 

[Moxie]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

Cincy is an opportunity to do well at a tournament. I don't know if a win there means much for the USO...it hasn't the last couple years.

Yes, but...everyone is going to be looking at how the Big 4, and others, go into Canada and Cincy. Rehabilitation and bragging rights are on offer. I think Rafa would be cool with QF finishes, and even skipping Cincy. Murray's OK with a reasonable coast. I think Roger and Nole want to come out with wins to set a president for the USO. I think they are the 2 with the most at stake for making a mark in Canada and Cincy.

I agree except I think Canada is a fairly big tourney for Rafa. If he does well there he can feel better going into the USO. I'm not sure if those tournaments are that big for Nole unless he was to meet Murray (then that definitely becomes a huge match for Djokovic). Nole has had what has to be considered a disappointing year thus far but he still is making the semis pretty easily at these slams.

I don't think a win signifies Roger is back or necessarily a favorite for USO, but bad losses at Canada and Cincy would just make bad matters worse.

Well, yes, Roger's Cup has been a better tourney for Rafa than Cincinnati, and I think he'd like to go deep enough to feel good about himself, I don't think he has to win it...or, if he does well enough, even play Cincy. And I'm not saying a win is essential to Roger or Nole, I'm just saying they seem to be the ones who would benefit from the specific confidence boost of a big score before the USO.

 

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

del potro could be a factor at the u.s. open. he could keep somebody out there for 5 hours.

I wont be surprised if he makes the semis.

 

[tented]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

del potro could be a factor at the u.s. open. he could keep somebody out there for 5 hours.

I wont be surprised if he makes the semis.

I still have nightmares of JMDP hitting Rafa off the court at the '09 USO semi, but nevertheless I wish him well this year. He seems like a great guy, and I do love his explosive, powerful game. A few of those forehands he hit during the Wimbledon semi were stunning.

 

[ClayDeath]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

del potro could be a factor at the u.s. open. he could keep somebody out there for 5 hours.

I wont be surprised if he makes the semis.

I still have nightmares of JMDP hitting Rafa off the court at the '09 USO semi, but nevertheless I wish him well this year. He seems like a great guy, and I do love his explosive, powerful game. A few of those forehands he hit during the Wimbledon semi were stunning.

rafa had a torn stomach muscle in that match. nadal just has a habit of not protecting himself late in the season because he is forced to win everything on clay.

and at least 5 times he has made deep runs at Wimbledon.

facts are facts: he is worn out by the time season wears on. we simply cannot expect him to win everything under the sun. he is human and he has a very demanding style of play.

clay is not an easy surface to win a match on. he ends up giving everything he has to dominate clay. and what is even more crazy, he has been dominating the red clay for nearly a decade.

 

[DarthFed]

RE: 2013 U.S. Open Sidewalk Cafe Chats

roger`s best chances remain at Wimbledon. it is the least demanding slam.

and that is the bottom line on that.

that is what the last few years are telling us so why should this year be any different.

roger really blew it in 2011 when he had nole on the ropes. I still cant figure out how he let that one get away.

---

I am loving princess moxie`s avi. I just noticed it.


very cool.

---

I still think the US Open is Fed's best shot at a slam. He can get away with his very poor ROS there more than Wimbledon where frankly he's toast as we saw this year if he can't make decent returns. That's not taking anything away from Stakhovsky who played incredible, but the margins are so small on grass. One break on grass is a lot harder to recover than on hardcourts imo. With Murray's improved confidence he's going to be harder and harder to beat at Wimbledon now also. Next year Fed will be pushing 33 and playing the likes of prime Murray so fast hards are definitely going to be easier for him to win on than grass from now on imo.

If he avoids Berdych at this year's US Open his chances improve no end. He's had matches points against Djokovic 2 years in a row at the US Open (2010, 2011) and I'd say that's a harder task for him to achieve anywhere else. Last year's Wimbledon was a bit of an anomaly, whereas if they meet again at the US Open I'd expect a very close match again.

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Agreed. Starting in 2010 Roger is really just more or less "dangerous" at Wimbledon. He can lose to anybody (darn near lost to Falla and Benneteau and did lose to a nobody this year) and he can beat anybody. What happened last year is that he survived the first few rounds and then got hot. It also doesn't hurt him that Nole and Murray are not great servers by any means (though Murray has improved since then).

If Roger gets to the semis of Wimbledon his chances of winning are higher than if he gets to the semis of USO. The problem is his chances of reaching the semis at Wimbledon are way less than the USO at this point. Clay Death is right in that grass is far less demanding and it is also a surface that he can win a match where he is badly outplayed at the baseline just by serving great. The whole problem is that God awful ROS. Breaking Stakhovsky 1 time in 4 long sets is unfathomably bad.