2015 US Open (Tennis)

[bradl]

Forked from the Wimbledon thread:

Williams catching up with Graf and is not done yet and few will challenge Serena being seen as the best ever.

With 2015 Wimbledon win just completed, Djokovic with his two majors, first three masters 1000s attempted and won, biggest point lead in rankings, arguably ranks up there overall on tour with his 2011 year or any single year for men. If he wins US Open this will put him in same sentence as Sampras and Federer for best ever. At least in his career, he's 20-20 with Federer and 70% in meetings since his #1 in 2011, so who is going to eventually dethrone Djokovic?

My thoughts are that Andy Murray or Kei Nishikori are still on the rise and will realistically challenge to be the next #1s but probably more than two years from now. DJ will get at least another couple of majors, or more, and log in well over 250 weeks at number #1 in an era that had Federer and Nadal before and during, and Murray concurrently.

I had thought that being #1 during the age of Agassi and Sampras was the hardest, or Connors/Borg/McEnroe/Lendl, but the big four of the last few years is the best golden age on men's side, ever. I can't be happier unless Wawrinka, Nishikori, and Murray all rank up a ton of majors wins, too and still have Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer as relevant top 10 players five years from now. A crowded field is the best way to determine who is the best and has a way of already great players becoming that much more honed.

I love the rivalries on the men's side but it will take a lot more to be like this one:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1703668-ranking-the-10-best-rivalries-in-tennis-history/page/11

There are no women in tennis that can out power either Williams sister. They both have power and finesse that is unrivaled today or going back in time.

Tonight is going to be powerful, brutal, and emotional.

Serena is one major away from tying Graf for the most majors won, plus completing the first Grand Slam since 1988 (which I believe previously was Graf)...

.. But to get through that, she'll have to get past tonight, which she faces Venus. Not only do they know each other's strengths and weaknesses, but with so much on the line for Serena, this is going to be a hard match. barring this being for the title, this is what their father wanted: both sisters duking it out, at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Forget Sampras/Agassi. Forget McEnroe/Courier/Lendl. Forget Connors/Borg. Forget Navratilova/Everett-Lloyd. Forget Hingis/Seles. This is the biggest women's match this millennium, and the second biggest match and rivalry outside of Nadal/Federer/Djokovic.

I don't know who to barrack for here.

BL.

 

[63dot]

Venus still has it and it a great player in her own right. I don't give this automatically to Serena.

update: Serena but in 3 so it wasn't a walkover.

 

[ftaok]

Not to take anything away from Graf (cause she's truly one of the greats), but she would not have as many titles as she does had it not been for that unfortuneate incident with Seles.

Seles was on the upswing and was consistently beating Graf for major titles. But then she got stabbed and Graf picked up a bunch more majors with Seles out of action. Seles never really recovered her dominance after that.

This is why I feel that when Serena gets past Graf, she'll clearly move ahead of her on the all-time list of greats.

 

[63dot]

Not to take anything away from Graf (cause she's truly one of the greats), but she would not have as many titles as she does had it not been for that unfortuneate incident with Seles.

Seles was on the upswing and was consistently beating Graf for major titles. But then she got stabbed and Graf picked up a bunch more majors with Seles out of action. Seles never really recovered her dominance after that.

This is why I feel that when Serena gets past Graf, she'll clearly move ahead of her on the all-time list of greats.

That is so true.

I also think while there's no doubt Djokovic is the man to beat and can kill with back court game or net game, forehand or backhand, etc, he wouldn't be as dominant had Federer been in his prime. They would generally be equally matched. Nadal had injuries, but will get back to top form, and can still challenge Djokovic and Murray is no slouch, either.

Kei Nishikori has been as high as #3 and he has shown he can take out Djokovic on a fast paced game.

Before it's over Djokovic will leave with over 15 titles and 250 or more weeks at number #1 (he's at 163 weeks and 9 major titles), but wouldn't it have been nice seeing him, Federer, Agassi, and Sampras all battle each other at their prime?

 

[bradl]

That is so true.

I also think while there's no doubt Djokovic is the man to beat and can kill with back court game or net game, forehand or backhand, etc, he wouldn't be as dominant had Federer been in his prime. They would generally be equally matched. Nadal had injuries, but will get back to top form, and can still challenge Djokovic and Murray is no slouch, either.

Kei Nishikori has been as high as #3 and he has shown he can take out Djokovic on a fast paced game.

Before it's over Djokovic will leave with over 15 titles and 250 or more weeks at number #1 (he's at 163 weeks and 9 major titles), but wouldn't it have been nice seeing him, Federer, Agassi, and Sampras all battle each other at their prime?

I'd pay for that alone just to see the imitations.

BL.

 

[63dot]

I'd pay for that alone just to see the imitations.

BL.

I wonder if Novak does both Williams sisters playing each other?

 

[bradl]

I wonder if Novak does both Williams sisters playing each other?

I dunno.. a year or so ago he already did a little Back Dat *** Up with Serena. Followed that up with a little Gangnam Style with Ana Ivanovic. Again, him pissing off John McEnroe and calling him out during the US Open a year or so ago was comedy gold. Old Man Johnny Mac beat him a couple points as well.

I want to say that he did impressions of Goran Ivanisevic, Pat Rafter, and Sampras to near perfection.

BL.

 

[63dot]

I dunno.. a year or so ago he already did a little Back Dat *** Up with Serena. Followed that up with a little Gangnam Style with Ana Ivanovic. Again, him pissing off John McEnroe and calling him out during the US Open a year or so ago was comedy gold. Old Man Johnny Mac beat him a couple points as well.

I want to say that he did impressions of Goran Ivanisevic, Pat Rafter, and Sampras to near perfection.

BL.

I think the pair are going to dance again when they win the US Open.

 

[bradl]

I think the pair are going to dance again when they win the US Open.

And somewhere in the ether, Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe will be smiling with Mai Tais in hand.

BL.

 

[63dot]

43 vs. 26 on women's side!

I have never heard of this for men or women, especially since top two seeds were still in semis.

Unless top two seeds of men fall, all my attention this year will be on women's open.

Many congrats.

Unless Serena stays on top, there won't be any calendar grand slams on women's side. Men's side probably saw their last viable year for any man to get all four and Djo's likely win in NY will be a repeat of his personal best of three calendar year slams.

Grand slams are just plain rare, much like a World Series sweep.

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think Djokovic is probably the only tennis player left right now that could actually win a calendar-year Grand Slam--this year was probably Serena Williams' best chance to do it until her shocking loss.

 

[63dot]

I think Djokovic is probably the only tennis player left right now that could actually win a calendar-year Grand Slam--this year was probably Serena Williams' best chance to do it until her shocking loss.

It was sad to see her miss out and if DJ does it which is a good possibility in the future, this year's mediocre play (for him) at French Open closed that door for 2015. Vegas odds put him pretty far ahead of Federer for upcoming match.

They have met three times so far in major finals in 9 years and last time Federer beat DJ in such a final was in 2007 before DJ even won the first of his 9 grand slam championships. DJ would have to really blow it to lose this one but Federer is counting on that. Stranger things have happened and a very dominant Serena in 2015 lost out in an otherwise amazing year, and #2 Halep also fell in a match she should have easily won.

 

[63dot]

If there's any doubt about serve and volley, they were confirmed today. I loved being taught the elegant serve and volley in 70s and it's still more fun to watch versus power tennis and fast serves. We all know Wimbledon's surface since early 2000s and new gear made serve and volley passe, but on hard courts, it doesn't seem to work, either.

Federer may be older and lack stamina but has more speed on his feet than ever and is doing things with serve and volley never seen on hard courts, but you can't charge Djokovic or Nadal when they are playing good. Physics doesn't allow for it and there's no margin for error.

I think the same thing that made serve and volley die at Wimbledon is also much the case at hard court matches. Grippier strings for massive topspin and powerful racquet frames for speed has made this sport boring and hard to watch with ball moving like hockey puck.