An early look at the US Open

[ponchi101]

Pliskova is one of those players that, right now, can go deep, can go out in the first round. Was a finalist, so she can play there. But I wonder if age has not caught on early with her.
This week says it all for Rafa. If he makes semis at Cincy, he will be my favorite for the USO. Short of that, and he will be packed with Medvedev, who HAS to make some noise this week.

[AcesAnnie]

Pliskova is one of those players that, right now, can go deep, can go out in the first round. Was a finalist, so she can play there. But I wonder if age has not caught on early with her.
This week says it all for Rafa. If he makes semis at Cincy, he will be my favorite for the USO. Short of that, and he will be packed with Medvedev, who HAS to make some noise this week.

Even though Pliskova lost yesterday in the semis I still think she has the potential at the USO. Her serve will either take her far or take her out early.

Don't be surprised if Rafa doesn't win in Cincinnati, but still wins in the USO.

[ponchi101]

Agree on that point. He will use Cincy as a test. I don't see him going 100% at Cincy, especially after that abs injury. But, if he uses it as a warm-up and a testing ground, and makes the semis, in Bo5 matches and with a day off, he will be a favorite.
Only thing at Cincy: he can leave as #1. And I have never believed any player that says s/he does not care about that number. He might be tempted to go all out if Daniil drops out early.

[ti-amie]

[AcesAnnie]

Agree on that point. He will use Cincy as a test. I don't see him going 100% at Cincy, especially after that abs injury. But, if he uses it as a warm-up and a testing ground, and makes the semis, in Bo5 matches and with a day off, he will be a favorite.
Only thing at Cincy: he can leave as #1. And I have never believed any player that says s/he does not care about that number. He might be tempted to go all out if Daniil drops out early.

I really want to see how he serves with the abs issue. I want to see if that issue has improved, I imagine it has over time since Wimbledon.

[ponchi101]

More data points.
Barrettini must be counted as a possible winner at the USO; he is too good. But after his performances at Montreal and CIncy, I gather that he is stuck in Tier 3.

[AcesAnnie]

More data points.
Barrettini must be counted as a possible winner at the USO; he is too good. But after his performances at Montreal and CIncy, I gather that he is stuck in Tier 3.

Berrettini played a tough match against Tiafoe, and had his chance to win the match. Tiafoe seemed to have more energy behind him and maybe that came from the crowd support he was getting in the match. Berrettini has the tools to take it deep into the USO, but I don't think he is a contender to win it all. I would make the same statement for Tiafoe.

[ponchi101]

Tomorrow we get a look at Rafa and Daniil. Daniil is looking wobbly, let's see how Rafa's abs work.

[ponchi101]

More data points.
Osaka out in 1R at Cincy. Together with the back issues at Toronto, she seems far from the form that could lead to a good USO. Of course, she now gets almost too weeks off, in which to train, and at the USO she can perhaps round herself into form with a couple of easy rounds (although not being seeded, she can draw a seed herself) but at the moment, it looks hard to put any money on her.

[AcesAnnie]

More data points.
Osaka out in 1R at Cincy. Together with the back issues at Toronto, she seems far from the form that could lead to a good USO. Of course, she now gets almost too weeks off, in which to train, and at the USO she can perhaps round herself into form with a couple of easy rounds (although not being seeded, she can draw a seed herself) but at the moment, it looks hard to put any money on her.

Osaka is someone I would definitely not be putting my money on, if I was a betting woman. She seems to be in better spirits, but that isn't turning into results on the court. Maybe, like you stated the time off to practice and more focus for the USO will help.

[ponchi101]

Bencic, out too. Reasonable showing at TRT, not so good here. Tier 2?

[AcesAnnie]

Bencic, out too. Reasonable showing at TRT, not so good here. Tier 2?

I thought Bencic was looking good previously. Maybe she was a bit tired.

[meganfernandez]

More data points.
Osaka out in 1R at Cincy. Together with the back issues at Toronto, she seems far from the form that could lead to a good USO. Of course, she now gets almost too weeks off, in which to train, and at the USO she can perhaps round herself into form with a couple of easy rounds (although not being seeded, she can draw a seed herself) but at the moment, it looks hard to put any money on her.

Ben R tweeted that the last time Osaka lost back-to-back R1s was in 2008, Cincy and Canada, and she then won the US Open. But she was 13-11 between IW and the USO in 2018. Is 2-5 between Miami (her last good result) and USO this year. Perhaps she does better with a coach.

[ponchi101]

@ Aces. Bencic tired? Her last match was last Friday. I mean, if by now professional athletes need a week to recover from a regular three setter on Friday (62, 36, 36 to BHM in 2:11 hours), we are talking problems with conditioning.
And her previous tournament was Lausanne, in mid July. That does not seem to be an extreme load.

[meganfernandez]

@ Aces. Bencic tired? Her last match was last Friday. I mean, if by now professional athletes need a week to recover from a regular three setter on Friday (62, 36, 36 to BHM in 2:11 hours), we are talking problems with conditioning.
And her previous tournament was Lausanne, in mid July. That does not seem to be an extreme load.

Maybe Bencic had a wild time at a sports bar in Mason last night...