US Open 2018

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The draw has been made. Djoko is in Fed's quarter and they could meet in the quarters. Murray has avoided a seed in the first round - he plays Duckworth. Delpo could be his third-round opponent. Cilic v Zverev is a possible quarter final in the bottom half of the draw.
Fed could meet Kyrgios in the third round while Stan the Man faces Dimi in the first round for the second Slam running. Rafa could meet Anderson in the quarters which means someone is going to drop big points as the two were the finalists last year.
The Williams sisters could meet in the third round, with the winner possibly playing Halep after that.
Konta has a tough opener - Garcia of France the number 6 seed. Kyle Edmund, currently losing to Johnson in W-Salem, faces Lorenzi in the first round.

Shocking game straight after breaking again from Andy. It’s rustiness but it must be so frustrating.

Murray breaks again and holds after breaking for the first time this match. 5-2* up in the second. Suspect chucking away the first set will ultimately cost him but better play currently.

Excellent end to the set for Andy, securing the second break looking much sharper. Needs a strong start to this set to keep Verdasco down - usual expectation would be that he will throw in a horror game either in the first or third games of the set though.

It’s the immediate horror game, handing Verdasco an easy break. Watching Andy is oh so predictable!

Well, at least he’s not wasting too much time losing this set.

I assume the conditions favour Verdasco (hot & fast). This is going to be a physical, mental and skill test for Murray. Murray played his first competitive four set match in the first round, now this is going to be at least another four setter. I agree with Craig earlier putting Verdasco as favorite. I just hope Murray is able to keep it competitive until the end (win or lose).

Sounds like a topsy turvy match. Murray must have been doing something well in the second set to win it 6-2. I guess Verdasco is showing his age and is not in top form ?

Checking Verdasco record he hasn't got beyond the US Open second round since 2012 (where he was knocked out in the third round). So maybe the conditions favour Murray.

Norrie one set all against 28 year old Serbian Lajovic but a break down in the third set, and serving to stay in that match. Norrie should have a chance against Lajovic, but Lajovic is the more experienced player, although he himself has never got beyond the first round of the US Open until this year.

Murray - Verdasco 7-5 6-2 4-5 Verdasco to serve for the third set
Norrie - Lajovic ... 2-6 6-2 4-5 Lajovic to serve for the third set

I'd forgotten the US Open have their silly scheduling of playing some 1st round matches on Wednesday - Federer and Kyrgios had to wait til today to play their matches.

Wawrinka continues to thrive this tournament, surprisingly so for me, through in 4 sets against Humbert, whilst Medvedev got the better of the young guns, beating Tsitsipas in 4 sets, and will go on to play another rising star in Coric in the next round. Straight sets wins for Del Potro and Raonic whilst Thiem successfully navigated a v tricky match, beating Johnson in 5 sets. Sloane Stephens had a scare but prevailed successfully in 3 sets.

Norrie now 2 sets to 1 down against Lajovic, and as Murray returns to court after the 10 minute break, he's complained that Verdasco has illegally been receiving coaching during the break. Maybe just the sort of thing to help fire Murray up at the start of 4th set. Meanwhile, Shapovalov in 1st set against the tough Seppi - would be good win for the Canadian to get through that one.

Verdasco beats Murray 7/5 2/6 6/4 6/4. Final game was some 11 minutes. Don't see Murray winning more majors unless he somehow developed crushing groundstrokes ala Del Porto or Wawrinka style. The hip doesn't seem right imo

Lajovic beat Norrie 6/2 2/6 6/4 6/3

MrInvisible wrote:I'd forgotten the US Open have their silly scheduling of playing some 1st round matches on Wednesday - Federer and Kyrgios had to wait til today to play their matches.

Wawrinka continues to thrive this tournament, surprisingly so for me, through in 4 sets against Humbert, whilst Medvedev got the better of the young guns, beating Tsitsipas in 4 sets, and will go on to play another rising star in Coric in the next round.  Straight sets wins for Del Potro and Raonic whilst Thiem successfully navigated a v tricky match, beating Johnson in 5 sets.  Sloane Stephens had a scare but prevailed successfully in 3 sets.

Norrie now 2 sets to 1 down against Lajovic, and as Murray returns to court after the 10 minute break, he's complained that Verdasco has illegally been receiving coaching during the break.  Maybe just the sort of thing to help fire Murray up at the start of 4th set.  Meanwhile, Shapovalov in 1st set against the tough Seppi - would be good win for the Canadian to get through that one.

Err, Federer and Kyrgios played on Tuesday - the night matches.

Murray exits in four sets in a great match. I only followed the scores online as I am at work but he put up a great fight but like in other matches in his comeback he has lost sets he could and perhaps should have won..

How was his movement? And his fitness?

2017 runner up Big Kevin Anderson into the third round with a 6/2 6/4 6/4 over Frenchman Jeremy Chardy

Happy enough with that from Murray. He will be winning that sort of match easily by January if he doesn’t suffer any setbacks in the meantime. Cost himself the match with some muggery in the middle of the first and start of the third. Very impressive in the end by Verdasco to serve out the fourth.

Fitness and movement both looked decent to me Craig. Serve is still very questionable but rest of the game is getting there slowly.

Seppi breaks with the benefit of a double fault by Shapovalov to take a 6-5 lead at 1 set all.

CaledonianCraig wrote: ... Jim Courier (during commentary) made a point about how US TV noticed his change in walking gait during Washington ...

Nathaniel Jacobs wrote:Verdasco beats Murray 7/5 2/6 6/4 6/4. Final game was some 11 minutes ... The hip doesn't seem right imo

I also noticed this in highlights of the Washington matches and also highlights of his US Open 2018 loss to Verdasco.  

It is most clear when Murray is walking back to his chair after a game.  He walks with his right buttock stuck out a bit, that is it is not "tucked in", he doesn't get his right leg fully under his centre of body weight during the walking motion.  It is also noticeable when he is walking from side to side on the baseline at the end of the point, I noticed a sort of click in his motion at the point he should be putting his full weight over the right hip, it creates a sort of clicking action to his walking gait.

This is a change to his walking gait at least during tournament play - compared to pre-injury days.

However, during actual game play, as he runs about the court, I can't spot any difference in his motion compared to the past, which has never been as smooth as those of Nadal, Federer, Djokovic and many others.  So at least during play it doesn't seem to affect him.  

Maybe an expert could check to see if his serving action has changed a little.  But he tosses the ball up with his right hand and straightens out his body over his left leg, with his bodyweight going over his left hip, as he pushes himself off the ground in stretching his body to hit the ball.  

Maybe as a right hander when he is hitting the ball he is putting weight over and down his left hip - so maybe that is what helps him during game play.  If he was a left hander - then perhaps his shots would be more affected by a right hip restriction in full movement.

So in summary although his walking gait has changed a bit, I can't see that it has affected Murray while he is running around the court and playing shots.

Born Slippy wrote:Seppi breaks with the benefit of a double fault by Shapovalov to take a 6-5 lead at 1 set all.

Good to see Shapovalov recover from losing the third to eventually win in 5. Excellent win over a tough competitor.

Kyrgios thru in four after apparently getting pep talk from the....umpire. Fed two sets to love up against Paire with the winner playing Kyrgios next.
Kerber seemed to be walking her match against Larsson before being taken to a final set, with the German going thru in the end. Fognini, seeded 14th, is out - beaten in four by Millman.

So Federer v Kyrgios in R3. Would be fantastic if Nick could finally start to fulfil his potential and get the win. Suspect he will crumble as he normally does in big slam matches though - Fed in 4.

sirfredperry wrote:Kyrgios thru in four after apparently getting pep talk from the....umpire. Fed two sets to love up against Paire with the winner playing Kyrgios next.
  Kerber seemed to be walking her match against Larsson before being taken to a final set, with the German going thru in the end. Fognini, seeded 14th, is out - beaten in four by Millman.

Just seen the “want to help you” talk between the umpire and Kyrgios when he was a set and 0-3 down. Incredible!

Tiafoe v De Minaur looks like it could be a fantastic match. The Ozzie has just broken early in the first.

Kyrgios comes back from being 3-6 0-3 down to win his second round match, after Umpire Mohamed Lahyani's bizarre intervention - giving Kyrgios a prolonged  "pep talk", which evidently inspired Krygios to turn the match around.  If this had been Kyrgios coach giving the pep talk, the coach and Kyrgios could have been thrown out of the tournament.

Sorry but it is inacceptable what the umpire did. Kyrgios should know by now what is deemed unacceptable and certainly not be given encouragement from someone who is supposed to be impartial.

Federer will winnin 4 I reckon. Novak gave himself an hour extra on court by dropping a set but at least it was not played in heat and humidity.

Rafa lost first set to Khachanov who served for a two sets to love lead before Rafa broke back for 5-5. At this point the roof was closed due to rain. Rafa has had the trainer on and they've already been out there for two hours.
Shapovalov took the first set against Anderson but the S African is 5-2 up in the second set. Thiem dropped the first set v Fritz but is now close to victory at 5-3 in the fourth.

Rafa breaks for a third straight time to level up at 1 set all. Feel he has probably weathered the storm now. Very strong second set. Slight concern in relation to his right knee though which may become relevant later in the tournament.

Fritz breaks back against Thiem after that nicely timed (for him) rain delay at 3-5. Thiem coming up with some badly timed doubles.

Thiem gets it done though, breaking for a 6/4 set and match.

Was tipping Thiem to lose early but he's confounded my expectations. Tough win for Nadal over Khachanov in 4 sets whilst Anderson outlasted Shapovalov over 5 sets. Meanwhile defending champion Sloane Stephens beat Azarenka and Serena and Venus are due to play shortly. Nishikori benefited from poor old Monfils retiring part way through their match and will be nice and fresh for next round.

Del Potro through in straight sets against Verdasco. This could be a very good tournament for the big Argentine.

Delpo only player in top half of draw not to drop a set so far. Rafa should get thru his next match Ok but faces some tough challenges after that. Just how fit is he?
Kyrgios has caused Fed plenty of probs in their previous meetings and seems to have his sensible head on when he plays the Swiss. But this is their first five-set encounter and I'm taking Fed to win. What might help Kyrgios is the fact that this is not a night match. Fed has an excellent night-match record.

I guess most matches have gone more or less as one might expect (so far) with the big names coming through their early rounds tests.

Tonight’s blockbuster, Kyrgios v Fed, is a difficult one to call, as evidenced by them having taken each other to TB’s in almost every previous set contested. For me, Federer has been a shadow of his (very impressive) 2017 form and, since his successful AO title defence, has not really sparkled other than in isolated matches. The 2017 consistency seems to be lacking and his BP conversion is often poor by his once mercurial standards. I happen to believe that his failure to close out matches - albeit against high quality opponents - represents the first signs of what will soon become a progressive natural decline, and I very much doubt he will hold on to his number 2 spot next year. All that said, he has still been winning a lot of matches over the course of his much-reduced schedule - although not (AO a notable exception) the big ones that really count.

If Kyrgios can bring his best AND can stay focussed throughout, I’d give him a solid chance of getting the better of Fed. When he’s hot Nick can be very tough to break and therein lies the problem for Roger.

I may be wrong, but I get the impression that Kyrgios looks to Federer as a sort of role model, in terms of Federer's inventive play. He even seems to copy some of Federer's moves (such as the sneak attack).

No, I don’t think you’re wrong. And I also think they both like each other - perhaps more so than is often the case with such a sizeable age difference.

Kyrgios was seen by many (though admittedly, not by  all !) as a very strong Slam contender of the future in the immediate wake of that stunning Wimbledon victory over Rafa back in 2014 ;  so it’s understandable that he would look up to a guy who has 20 of them there big trophies to his name

Kyrgios had most of the chances in set one, but lost it 6-4.
Now 5-0 up in set 2!

@LuvSports - I think it would have been worth you taking an extra second to add ‘Federer’ before the words “Now 5-0 in set 2”

If I hadn’t been following the scoreline elsewhere, I might easily have assumed you meant Kyrgios was the one with that 5-0 lead

Meanwhile ... third set looks headed for a return to the norm in the shape of a customary TB and the inevitable lottery that can involve !

Could this actually go the full distance ??

Soz Lags.
And nope. Feds through

Fed could be 2 sets and 5-0 up against the world number 1000 and I think Lags would still be worried it would go the distance!

Awful performance by Kyrgios from 4-4. Has to get himself a coach and listen to them if he wants to ever get anywhere. Zverev v Kohli is also shocking quality - pretty much guaranteed that Kohli will find a way to lose in straights though.

Kohli suddenly found top form to win the last two games of the second set, with a break to love. Match is on his racquet but will his nerve hold?

Astonishingly bad loss for Zverev. Couldn’t cope at all with Kohli’s slice and drowned in a tide of unforced errors, whilst allowing Kohli to totally dictate the match.

Another great day for the 30 somethings against the youngsters.

Zverev's poor run at GS events continues. Is it a mental block? He looks OK at other tournaments.
Surprised that Fed got it done in three. Cilic had to come from two sets down to bt De Minaur and even then the young Aussie saved MPs and came back from 2-5 in the fifth before succumbing 7-5.
If Cilic had gone out you would have assumed that the winner of Fed/Djoko would be a shoo in for the final. Nishi is still in the mix, too.
Kvitova, Kerber, Garcia and Bertens all out in the women's. Wonder if Osaka can go all the way.

I would still strongly favour either Fed or Djoko reaching the final in this half of the draw. Cilic has scraped through in a couple of matches so far.

sirfredperry wrote:Zverev's poor run at GS events continues. Is it a mental block? He looks OK at other tournaments.
  Surprised that Fed got it done in three. Cilic had to come from two sets down to bt De Minaur and even then the young Aussie saved MPs and came back from 2-5 in the fifth before succumbing 7-5.
  If Cilic had gone out you would have assumed that the winner of Fed/Djoko would be a shoo in for the final. Nishi is still in the mix, too.
  Kvitova, Kerber, Garcia and Bertens all out in the women's. Wonder if Osaka can go all the way.

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/07/10/sascha-zverevs-grand-slam-problem/

Impressive win for Thiem over Anderson in straight sets to reach quarter-finals - good to see the Austrian finally showing signs of performing at the other slams away from the clay of Roland Garros.

Raonic v Isner currently on - will probably clock up 100 aces between them.

Raonic v Isner has somehow got to a 5th set without a tiebreak, and Isner has now broken at the start of the 5th.

Isner beats Raonic.

So Rafa v Thiem and delpo v Isner at the top of the draw. Amazing that Isner played five sets without a tiebreak - probably a first. Apart from Murray, the players who have taken all the US titles back to 2004 are still in the tournament.
The women seeds have been truly scattered, but last year's finalists remain plus Sharapova and Serena.