The Biggest Match of the US Open Is Tonight

[markowitz]

Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin Del Potro played a brilliant five-set match yesterday with the Big Argentine coming back from a two-set drubbing to win. And everyone since the men’s singles draw came out is gearing for the possible Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer semis, their potential first meeting at the Open. Head to head, Rafa leads their rivalry 23-14, but Fed has won their last four meetings and Rafa hasn’t beaten Fed since 2014 Aussie O semis.

But the biggest match of the US Open occurs tonight in late prime time when American Sam Querrey matches up against South African–Univ of Illinois-Delray Beach resident, Kevin Anderson. With Qball standing 6-6 and KevAnd 6-8 that’s 13-and-one-half feet of players matching up in the tallest Grand Slam quarters, semis or finals pairing. Qball beat KevAnd in 5 sets at this year’s Wimbledon and KevAnd avenged the loss in Montreal, but Qball holds a 8-6 h-h career advantage. There’s going to be some big serving and hitting going on and I plan to be in Arthur Ashe Stadium to give you my perspective on this key quarter finals match up. I’ve said Qball could win this Open so I am picking him to come out on top against KevAnd.

This bowl of Lentil soup by the way, is what I had riding my bike out to Flushing from Astoria the other night. Delicious!

 

[markowitz]

Dan Markowitz writes:

Oh my goodness, what a second set tie-breaker. Qball was up 6-1, frittered away six set points, but finally won the breaker to notch a 1-set all match here and it's past midnight. Oball is not playing stellar tennis. I don't know if its the competition in KevAnd or just that Qball is tight with a chance to reach his second slam semis in a row, but his play while solid, has not been spectacular. KevAnd hits big off both wings, but Johnny Mac announcing on ESPN just said you see why KevAnd has never made a big semis or better run at a slam when he comes up to net. His volleying skills are well below his baseline and serving prowess. And Duke was right, the Venus-Petra match was a real good one decided by a breaker that Venus won in the third set.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Like I predicted, Anderson intensity was the difference. To win majors you have to roar like a lion and get down and dirty. This isn't Acapulco or Queens Club. This is a grand slam major semifinal on the line. Laid back doesn't cut it. Anderson was the beast.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

No surprise at all Andy is taking a much needed vacation. He was hobbling around the practice court like a senior player in the practice I saw vs Kwiatkowski.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Anderson is 2-0 vs Carrena Busta and both wins in straight sets, 63 76 in Canada this year. Anderson's emotional firepower was just too much for Sam. If Lleyton Hewitt played his entire career with Sam's emotional passiveness he would have never reached the top 50.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine; Todd Martin played like an emotional wild man after falling behind two sets to love against Carlos Moya and guess what happened? he won in five. It's a matter of a player developing a weak area and constructing it into a strength. Martin did it. Sam can do it. Mike Tyson was a shy meek boy who wore glasses. Then look at what happened. Lleyton Hewitt is a shy guy off the court - Ivan Ljubicic told me this. But ON THE COURT he's a raging bull. Sam can change his character ON THE COURT. Keep being Sam off court. If he really wants to be a champion he has to change his on court character. I could teach him how

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine; LOL, first thing I would do would be to hold seminars and workshops and teaching people to practice their yelling of COME ONs at the top of their lungs so they feel natural and become instinctive. I would recommend yelling Come One at the top of your lungs repetitively for ten minutes straight every day for a week or month until it becomes natural and comfortable. You know, like they say if you feel sad you force a smile on your face and it changes your feeling. Same thing here. Also will hire special speakers like Todd Martin who learned to roar like a lion late in his career to share his insights. Also will bring in silent players like Spadea to discuss how annoying and effective hearing opponents COME ONS were to their matches. Kerber actually has the fire but she seems to be out of sync with it. She needs to attend my workshop