Running U.S. Open discussion

Oudin wins, Oudin wins!!!!!!!

Next up Petrova.

 

It will be interesting to see what Sharapova does in the next 12-18 months.

She's still losing to people she shouldn't, often getting crushed by the top players and she, like Roddick, doesn't have the game to be a major threat without a big serve.

I think she's far to competitive to just hang around and be a top 15 player who occasionally goes deep at a major.

 

Yes, her team has said they're aiming for 2010 AO as target tournament for when she should be back fully without arm fatigue, etc. But considering that the trainer was working on Maria's shoulder... That might change things once again. She looked and sounded (complete silence) to be in pain during that match. Not just the usual arm fatigue that she normally talks about. I don't expect she will admit to anything in the presser though; she's a notorious liar about her injuries after a loss. Which is nice in someways.

Windy midday matches have been a problem for her since she first injured her shoulder in 2006. She lost in the 3rd round in 2007 pretty much the exact same way, in the exact same conditions, to a similar, but more established player. She played better in that match though. Today she gave away a set in DFs. She's a completely different player at night and indoors now.

She better swallow her pride and go see Lansdorp again and ask him nicely to help her. If he wants the fucking car he's always bitching about or a suitcase of cash whatever. It doesn't matter that the guy is a total dick. Or that he'll run to the media as soon as possible. Or that he's the guy who gave her the serve that hurt her in the first place. He can probably give her an abbreviated serve that will work better than this one.

 

I guess they dealt with the same trainers at the same time during their developments.

Serena says "I always root for Andy Roddick".

Unfortunately today, she didn't root hard enough.

Speaking of Serena, I dug the "Can't Spell Dynasty Without Nasty" t-shirt.

 

Huge win for Isner, especially the way he didn't crack after losing the third and fourth sets.

 

Safina drops first set to Kvifona (or something).

 

After flirting with losing earlier in the Open, Safina managed to do it tonight against an unseeded Kvitova, losing 7-6 in the third.

 

Wifey is not going to like Oudin.

Beat a Russian in the first round.
Beat a Russian in the second round.
Beat a Russian in the third round.
Plays a Russian in the fourth round.
Could play a Russian (Kuznetsova) in the quarters.
Another Russian (Safina) was looming in the semis, but Safina screwed that up. Instead, Oudin may play a Ukrainian (Bondarenko).
And then likely a Williams in the final.

 

Your girlfriend and my wife would get along great.

Of course, when you compare Serena ("my opponent was lucky") to Dementieva ("my opponent played great"), well, it's hard to argue with them sometimes.

 

As much as I've enjoyed her play the last week or so, I really can't see Oudin getting past Kuznetsova. Course if Kuznetsova's head's in the wrong place, Oudin could cruise.

 

CBS is feeling mighty lucky right now.

If Sharapova had to go out, at least it was to an American Cinderella.

If Roddick had to go out, at least it was to an American Redwood.