Talk About Tennis 2.0

Defending the titles. Alcaraz - IW 23,24; Barcelona - 22,23; Madrid - 22,23; Wimbledon - 23,24; French - 24,25
Sinner - Sofia 20,21; Australian - 24,25. end of list.
Alcaraz leads 5:2 in defending the titles. Sinner has a chance to make it 5:3.

One thing that bothered Coco last night (and shouldn't have, but it points to a larger problem I have noticed in Cincinnati)... With her attempting to serve at 3-all, deuce (first set, I think), she noticed a group of 3 or 4 people trying to find those perfect, most ideal seats in the lowest level of the stands. Those people took their sweet time as she prepared to serve, twice, until the chair finally said something and the spectators settled on seats that were only marginally appropriate for their personal greatness and overdeveloped sense of entitlement... At which point Coco got broken by serving two doubles. In my book, that's still Coco's fault.

That said, there doesn't appear to be anyone or anything inhibiting free movement among the spectators in the lowest level of the stands. This is Cincinnati, a Masters 1000 event. Someone should be monitoring the entrances and exits to prevent this from happening, especially at crucial stages of a match. Perhaps this happens all the time at this level of events, and I just didn't notice it. But I've noticed it more than a few times in Cincinnati. That's not right.

ashkor87 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 16, 2025 3:03 am Alcaraz not impressive ..struggled to beat Rublev..

Not that fast. Rublev played a very good match on a surface that he really likes. He served particularly well.
I mean. It is not as if Carlos was playing your or I. He is not going to beat players like this 0 & 2.
Let's see what he has for the semis. Zverev will be a real test.

My best guess is Sinner and Rybakina as winners this week.

I took Swiatek in Predictions. Thinking she would down Sabalenka and her 70 UE's per match in the semis.
But if Rybakina wins, I will not be happier.

Rybakina's matchups vs Saba and vs Swiatek are kind of moving in the opposite directions. Vs Saba she started 0:4 and now it is 4:6, meaning that out of last 6 she won 4. Vs Swiatek she started 3:1 and after that Swiatek won 4 out of the last 5. Including last 3.

True, but one would think this surface would favor Rybakina. Not for sure of course.

Full order of play for two remaining days at P&G Center Court.

Sunday (1PM start)

1. Women's Singles - Semifinals
KAZ Elena Rybakina [9] vs POL Iga Świątek [3]
2. Women's Singles - Semifinals (Not before 3PM)
RUS Veronika Kudermetova vs ITA Jasmine Paolini [7]
3. Men's Doubles - Championship (Not before 6PM)
USA Rajeev Ram/CRO Nikola Mektić vs ITA Lorenzo Musetti/ITA Lorenzo Sonego
4. Women's Doubles - Championship (Not before 7:30PM)
Errani/Paolini OR Guo/Panova vs CAN Gabriela Dabrowski/NZL Erin Routliffe [2]

Championship Monday (3PM start)

1. Women's Singles
Rybakina OR Świątek vs Kudermetova OR Paolini
2. Men's Singles (Not before 6PM)
ITA Jannik Sinner [1] vs Zverev OR Alcaraz

dryrunguy wrote: ↑Sat Aug 16, 2025 3:40 pm That said, there doesn't appear to be anyone or anything inhibiting free movement among the spectators in the lowest level of the stands. This is Cincinnati, a Masters 1000 event. Someone should be monitoring the entrances and exits to prevent this from happening, especially at crucial stages of a match. Perhaps this happens all the time at this level of events, and I just didn't notice it. But I've noticed it more than a few times in Cincinnati. That's not right.

The rules have changed in the past few years, and it varies from event to event. For Toronto this year they weren't checking tickets once you were inside the stadium so people could sit wherever, and as long as you moved when the seat holders came along there was no issue. They were also allowing fans in between games on the side of the courts, and only holding the ends for the changeovers.

Gauff's issues are a real problem in my opinion, and I'll keep pointing it out until I am proven wrong, if it happens.

They keep making excuses for her and pointing our her toughness, but she wilted at the end of that match yesterday under the weight of all those double faults. It's not natural, what is going on with her. It wasn't with Sabalenka a few years ago, either, but she was the rare player who overcame her mental block. Gauff absolutely has the athletic ability to recover, too, but right now she is a contender only on clay.

Not to worry. Carlos won 6-4, 6-3.

Monday schedule update:

Men's Singles - Championship (Not before 6PM)
ITA Jannik Sinner [1] vs ESP Carlos Alcaraz [2]

Sincaraz 2025 Part 4