US OPEN REVIEW!!!
I love this time a year... although, I don't quite get enough sleep because I'm staying up late to watch the end of good matches..... I've been meaning to comment for some time, but my work connection isn't being very cooperative with VOX lately.
Here are some thoughts in no real order...
Don't know who this is, but she looks ridiculous. This was her outfit during the first round and I'm pretty sure she got ousted in Round Two. She was quoted as saying she was bummed that she didn't get farther because she had more outfits to showcase... this is about tennis, T-E-N-N-I-S. If you care about outfits, go to Bryant Park for Fashion Week (happenening now) instead of Flushing Meadows!
She looks like a Freakin' American Gladiator.
Venus is playing some great tennis and it looks like she will be playing the winner of Serena/Hennin in the Semis, BUT this outfit is doing nothing for her boobs. Get some support - this is physical activity and your "girls" don't seem very happy braless!
I had been a big Blake supporter until I heard that the "J Block" -- his fan base -- were extremely irritating to sit next to... they scream things like "put it in the hole" that don't even make any sense... when we were at the Open, we sat next to someone Adam dubbed "DelBoca Vista" (Seinfeld reference) and this woman would scream for Marty Fish every other point -- so annoying.
We got to watch some amazing tennis yesterday afternoon. Blake, seeded 6, fell to Tommy Haas (German!) ranked 10th in a fifth set tiebreaker. Haas has historically been a pretty inconsistent player, but really seems to have brought his A-game to the Open. I think he's slated to play Federer in either the Quarters or the Semi's and the poor guy just doesn't stand a chance against Federer.
Great quote in the NY Times commenting on Sharaova's night-game outfit... it said something along the lines of "She looked like she got lost on the way out for a night of clubbing".... What the heck is this outfit? Her day-wear was a little better, but still overly dressy. It bothers the feminist in me to read her quotes where she says that she plays better when she feels pretty -- This is tennis, a sport, not a fashion show!!!
Maybe Sharapova and Bethanie Mattek will enjoy Fashion Week together since neither of them made it through to Week Two.
One of this nicest things I've seen during the USOpen was the sportsmanship between Andy Roddick and Justin Gimmelstob. Gimmelstob, a 30yr old American (from Jersey!) intends to retire after the US Open. He and Roddick are buddies.. that exchanged some nice banter back and forth during their first round match up and afterwards interviewed one another... Gimmelstob is planning on doing some broadcasting post-tennis. He had a very energetic, humorous personality and I look forward to hearing him during matches.
My prediction for the Women's Draw? Henin all the way! Unfortunately, the draw is a little lopsided. Sharapova didn't really have much competition in the bottom half, and she was beaten by a young Russian (?) ranked 30th -- so that half is wide open. Venis & Serena Williams, and Hennin are all in the top half.... each has 5 or more majors under their belt and each of them has won the Open previously. Serena and Henin's quarterfinal match is tonight at 7pm, while I am stuck in my exam-review class.... I've already requested that Adam keeps my up to date on the score. If it goes to the a third set, I'm bailing on class. I have my priorities! We got to see Serena play and she's not at the top of her game. Hennin would play Venus in the semi's and although Venus has beaten Henin almost every time they've played one another, they haven't been head to head since 2003 or 2004, when Venus was at the top of her game. I predict an interesting Semi Final on the top half of the draw and an uneventful Final. Hennin (or a Williams sister) will destroy whoever makes it out of the bottom-half of the draw. My money is on Hennin!!!
The men's side is still wide open.... Federer of course is still a superstar. Nadal is injured but still in it.... Roddick is just waiting to get yanked. I believe he's slated to play Federer in the Semis, if someone doesn't oust him first....
This guy - Djokovic, who is seeded third is playing some great tennis. He looks to be the only guy that could dethrown Federer.
I LOVE TENNIS!
Comments
Thanks so much! Happy to keep someone up-to-date on a sport I love. There's a great blog that track's day-to-day coverage as well.
http://usopen.blogs.nytimes.com/?8dpc