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2019 US Open Update:

• There was no stopping the brute force of Nadal, though his Russian opponent gave him a major league, five-set fight. Midway through the third set, with Nadal up a break and looking to consolidate his advantage, he missed a set up, put away volley, which opened the door for a comeback. Most amazingly, Daniil obliged and had Rafa on his heels for the next two and a half sets, with strong serving, sharp ground strokes and some great net play. But in the end, as is usually the case, expecting a mere mortal to withstand five sets of body punches from the spirited Spaniard was just not realistic. It’s over, and congratulations to the holder of 19 majors … now just one behind Roger.
• The power of sports — working to transform a rather gruff Russian into a beloved crowd favorite in the blink of a Hawkeye.

2019 US Open Update:

• It looked like Serena definitely left her monster first serve in the dressing room today. She gets broken a whopping 6 times, and commits nearly twice as many unforced errors as her opponent. Another major issue was her sloppy footwork, and sluggish movement, which led to countless off-target, off balance shots. Until she seemed to wake up down 5-1 in the second, it was as if she lacked the will to stay in the longer points, in which she was unable to put the ball away and found herself actually on the defensive. The bottom line is Andreescu showed up today ready for a knock down, drag out brawl, while Williams just showed up … and the player who was visibly, and happily, showing her competitive zeal ended up prevailing.

2019 US Open Update:

— Baby Fed’s all grows’ed up with an electrifying comeback win over adult Fed. Yes, Dimitrov was ranked in the high 70s, but anyone who has followed his career knows he had this kind of win within the fabric of his new look bandanna. During the 4th and 5th sets, Grigor was the one who still had the bounce in this step, the one with the more picturesque shots, the one who had the hungry, eager look in his eyes. By contrast, as the match turned against him, Roger looked weary, at times awkward and, unbelievably, uncoordinated, and long in the tooth. This is what age does to a tennis player in his late 30’s … ask anyone. Give him much credit for finishing what he started/seeing this one through even when he was clearly out of it and depleted. The question remains, however, when is enough, enough. The longer he goes without a Major, the more he risks leaving the stage with our view colored by his failures, not his triumphs. This is indeed why the great ones like to retire on top, or near the apex.
— Serena mows down Miss Wang … no offense … without as much as a second thought, knowing she has green pastures to pursue in the finals … if she can in fact get there.
— Stan can’t stand the thought of staying on the road to redemption, and makes a wrong turn toward perdition with a curiously weak effort against the somewhat slovenly, and always saucy, swinging serf Medvedev.
— Steady Svitolina has no problem repelling the unwanted advances to the net of Johanna “I kont stand the pressure” Konta.” From the start of this match, there was little question that the Ukrainian knew she would prevail playing the role of human backboard, while her opponent seemed to have palms too sweaty to even grip the racket. In terms of prime time theatre, this was shades of Novotna in the 1993 Wimbledon Final.

US Open Update: Day 8, Round 4 (Women’s Singles)
— Bencic bears down impressively on Osaka, coercing the top seed into a continuous stream of errors. You could see it written all over Naomi’s face, as well as with the sluggish, negative body language — she simply didn’t have the will … or apparently the wheels … to stay with her eager and aggressive Swiss opponent. The knee should heal, but is that needs to improve here?
— Goerges was in cruise control mode, until she was undone by some very nervous serving late in the 2nd; she could never really recover, and resilient Donna Vekic was there to clean up in the ensuing wreckage.
— Elise unceremoniously releases American Ahn 1 and 1 on her own recognizance.
— Canada’s Andreescu keeps her cool against heroine Townsend, relying on her superior groundies, as well plenty of naked aggression.

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2019 US Open Update:

— No more Novak, who can’t shoulder the burden of a bare knuckles brawl with Switzerland’s barrel-chested Bavarian. Sebby has his first serve and power groundies working tonight, and that was certainly a beautiful sight to behold. Look for him to use this upset as fuel for thrashing Daniil “The Heel” in the next round!
— In a match that was largely overlooked, an all grow’sed up Baby Fed moved like a dream in navigating the mine field that is little Alex De Minaur. Grigor looks primed to put up a huge fight for the right to land in this year’s semis. Much credit to his team for getting him into superb shape.
— Tennis’ original, salty Soviet scarecrow, Medvedev, used his superior firepower to subdue qualifier Koepfer, but not without the underdog from Tulane, by way of Germany, keeping this uncomfortably tight for his crankiness from the former Communist Block. Daniil will definitely to clean things up if he hopes to survive Wawrinka in the quarters. And one thing’s for sure, a raucous crowd will be all over him like flies at a late Summer picnic.
— A masterful Fed puts Goffin to sleep in his coffin; who can fault him for trying, but the Belgians belly flops in the mid-to-late rounds of Majors is really becoming tiresome.

2019 US Open Update:

• Nick’s swagger and schtick couldn’t save him tonight, as he finds it’s rough going rubbing tennis elbows with Russia’s Rublev.
• Chung had no staying power, or for that matter power off the ground, in his short-lived fracas with ritual killer Rafa.
• Isner leaves way too many break points on base, and lets a sub-par Cilic slip through his fingers.  The oversized American is fated to hit that 3rd round/4th round/quarter wall here on an annual basis until he figures out how to consistently (and effectively) return serve and execute from the baseline.  And please, get a fashion coordinator (horizontal and vertical stripes should not live on the same tennis outfit).
• Short Schwartzman makes short work of a not-so-sanguine Sandren.
• Shapovalov is told to ship out due to Gael force winds.  Nice job by Monfils hanging in for a very hard earned 5 set triumph.
• Now that he’s stopped Popyrin, Matteo hopes to pop his cherry by advancing to his first Major quarterfinal.

2019 US Open Update:

• A really chippy Novak barks at some impertinent fans, including one guy with the nerve to show up in a bathrobe, and then Mr. Chips proceeds to very efficiently clobber Mr. Cuddly … while reminding the world he’s eternally grateful for the edgy energy.
• This year in NYC it’s a different story for Nishikori, who had the misfortune of getting get down to size by De Minaur, the lithe, but lethal, Aussie buzz saw.
• Good day for Daniil, who acts like a real heel, while denying fan favorite Feliciano the Fourth Round.
• Bad day for Daniel, who wishes he had never gotten out of bed to face Fed.
• A very fresh Dimitrov vaults over the Pole Majchrzak.
• Stan wins in straights, standing up for his vow not to pal around with Paolo.
• Koepfer keeps his head in knocking off Nikoloz.
• Narrowest of narrow wins for the nimble Goffin.

2019 US Open Update:

• He did wobble, but in the end if was home sweet home in the 3rd round for tennis’ favorite palindrome; herky jerky Cilic finds enough big 1st serves to sidestep Stebe.
• Dusan was the seed, but it’s Denis who grows in confidence.
• Goffin corners Gregoire.
• De Minaur gores the Chilean Christian.
• Evans makes sure the tourney is Pouille-free.
• Is Zverev’s 5-setter over underdog Tiafoe much to crow about?
• Paire’s worse for wear after being beaten by Bedene.
• Carreno Busta continues to relish the role of bracket buster.
• Heavy favorite Daniil barely emerges as victor against Frenchman Hugo.
• Feliciano looked particularly ferocious in stringing together a 3-set run against Nishioka.
• Isner breaks the will of Struff by saving his best stuff for the breakers.
• No surprises as Sandgren, Schwartzy, Kyrgios, Monfils and Nadal answer the call and move on.
• Verdasco gets stung by Chung.