Arena Federer/Nadal/Djokovic Era - Now 1/3rd Over

Programming note for UK folks missing Wimbledon this year - BBC2 will be running two programs each weekday for the next two weeks. The 1:30 PM program will beWimbledon Rewind - a replay of a past match (or matches). The 8 PM show will be Wimbledon: The Best of the Championship - Sue Barker being joined by tennis legends (via social distancing, I assume) to look at past highlights. Monday's replay match will be the 2008 final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

 

Davis Cup cancelled for 2020.

 

Wimbledon to pay qualified players even though event was cancelled.

 

I didn't remember that the ATP is only 30 years old. It's not so steeped in tradition that it can't be replaced by something better, but maybe not this...

 

It means a lot that Federer and Nadal are opposed, though it would mean more if it was 2010 and not 2020. Of course, they'll still be beating all the top players when they're in their 60s, but still. I don't think they carry as much weight as they once did.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/53967336 - unnamed player has withdrawn from the US Open after testing positive for COVID-19. He/she isn't showing symptoms but now has to isolate for ten days. Contact tracing will take place to see if anyone else is affected.

 

Watching the Joker match via ESPN+. It's at Arthur Ashe stadium opening night and you can hear the subway in the background thru the TV.

If you told me a year ago that was possible, I would lost my house at least I never being able to hear the subway while the US Open is going on.

Edit: And now you can hear I believe motorcycles on the highway. Again incredible.

 

Djokovic defaulted from his round of 16 match for negligently hitting a linesperson in the throat with an angry ballstrike. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that happen. Serena Williams making threatening remarks, sure. But not this.

 

Players are supposed to avoid angry moves precisely to avoid bad consequences like this. Imo it was a good call.

 

Djokovic's default really leaves me feeling choked up.

 

Strange and sad way to get there, but we're going to have a first time major champion at the US open. The new batch has been waiting a while.

 

They've been waiting so long that it's different new batch now.

 

True there's an old new batch and a new new batch

 

Comment read tonight on L'Equipe: "Watch the replay in slow motion, the ball that hit the line judge wasn't fast."

Er...

 

Joker most likely would have steamrolled to his 18th Career Grand Slam. Instead his emotions got the best of him over really nothing and now has to live with the fact that he just cough up a major that was essentially gift wrapped. It guarantees that the men's draw will have a champion who has never won a Grand Slam before and it will be the first time since 2016 that someone other then the Big Three won a major. And with Sofia out (she just played a poor match against a opponent who is playing really well), neither one of the Australian Champs from January will win the US Open. But Jennifer Brady just clobbered her quarterfinal opponent punching her ticket to the semifinals. Imagine if her and Shelby Rogers both make the semifinals of the US Open this year. Who the bleep had that to begin the year?

 

Medvedev looked so strong last night. I'm hoping he and and Thiem get to play a semifinal match. It could be pretty good. I'll be very surprised if one of those guys doesn't make it to the final. Zverev, well if he can't break through right now when is he going to do it, but Coric is having such a good tournament.

 

So glad Djo got booted. He deserved it, but he's also just a sexist ass so meh.

 

And Serena is still searching for GS 24...

Azarenka v Osaka should be a good final!