US OPEN 2016 UPDATES
I’ve been tweeting so much about the US Open that I don’t have much left to say here. (If you want to keep up with my real-time [or close to it] observations for the rest of the tournament, please follow me @MajorCelebrity.)
(This is where I said that Serena had finally fixed her brows.) Photo by Karen Salkin.
But here are the rest of my thoughts, the ones that didn’t make it into a tweet.
So far, this is the most boring US Open I’ve ever seen. And it’s not just the absence of my beloved Roger Federer. Nor that of Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova. It’s just lackluster all the way around, from the players’ lack of energy the first few days, (probably due to the heat,) to the awful ESPN set, (nothing like watching old commentators sweat up a storm,) to the bad tinny music bleeding though the sound feeds, to even the tiny bland graphics showing the scores.
Besides no Roger, some of the tourney was a tad difficult for me. So many of the matches have been between two players I like. (Such as Marcos Baghdatis v. Ryan Harrison, and Marin Cilic v. Jack Sock.) I don’t know which one to root for, and then I feel bad for the one who loses. I actually could not sleep last night when Radwanska lost in the Round of 16, even though I like, and was very impressed by, the very young Croatian girl, Ana Konjah. I predict that she just may be the one to rule the sport in the next decade or so!
MONDAY
But maybe I spoke too soon. (Above.) Photo by Karen Salkin.
It was a weird match between Caroline Wozniacki and Taylor Townsend—it looked like they’re just two hackers hitting the ball in a park. There was nothing interesting or exciting about it. Maybe it was the heat.
They should have had a more important match as the first one ever on the new grandstand.
The idiots in the stands were chanting “USA!” Morons.
This is the view of the corner of the new roof from another court. I can’t stand that! Photo by Karen Salkin.
I hate to say it, but there are few American girls to root for. (CiCI Bellis and Alison Riske are the exceptions.)
It’s bad enough that Roger isn’t there, but my favorite girl is out, too. I was shocked to learn that Vika Azerenka is pregnant! Several of the girls look pregnant, with their stomachs sticking out, but she was def not one of them!
I couldn’t even sit in the shadow of the roof, let alone play in it!
The new roof, closed. Photo by Karen Salkin.
It was nice that, when interviewed after his first match, Rafa Nadal referenced Roger. And that he realizes what an honor it is to have hit the very first ball under the roof. (I’m sure it would have been Roger, if he could have played.)
Although I always root against him, (so he never catches Roger where the “most wins in Majors” record is concerned,) Rafa really is adorable.
Chris Evert just said, “We always miss Roger Federer.” But he’s never not been there before!!!
TUESDAY
Andrea Petkovic (on the left) being so warm at the net. Photo by Karen Salkin.
My only news this day was that Serena Williams finally fixed her brows! Maybe she actually reads my tweets. Or this e-zine!
WEDNESDAY
Andrea Petkovic’s lovely warmth at the net, towards the girl who just defeated her, was a joy to behold.
I actually loved Svetlana Kuznetsova’s outfit. It’s my fave color, from top to bottom. (But I was sad to see that she was not nice at the net.)
We got to see the new roof there close! Interesting. And so much faster a process than that at Wimbledon.
THURSDAY
Gael Monfils, playing in the rain. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Frenchman Gale Monfils is the only fun guy there. He and his buddies were out playing games in the pouring rain, while everyone else was hiding inside. The joy on his face was a sight for sore eyes. (And it was his thirtieth birthday, to boot. What a way to celebrate!) It gave me the revelation that he’s my second favorite player, (to Roger, of course.)
Two nice things tonight—Andy Murray gave his opponent a point. (The guy deserved it, but that’s a rare occurrence.) And, when Juan Martin Del Potro feel, his american opponent, Steve Johnson, checked to see if he was okay, which also rarely happens.
The McEnroe brothers sounded a little freaked-out that Jeremy Chardy and Grigor Dimitrov double-cheek-kissed each other at the end of their match. I guess they forgot that Chardy is French. And a good sport!
Paolo Lorenzi and his controversial orbs. Photo by Karen Salkin.
I have to be happy for Juan Martin del Potro to be back playing tennis, and he seems like a nice guy, but I never like him, anyway, because he beat my precious Roger in the Final here in 2009. I can never forgive him for that.
How rude of John McEnroe to say that Italian player Paolo Lorenzi has “a bit of those Marty Feldman eyes, you know, bugging-out a little!” I’m still in shock over that rudeness!!!
FRIDAY
How lucky is Novak Djokovic?! First he got a walkover in the second round, and then an early retirement in the third!
SATURDAY
Paolo Lorenzi’s very strange serve. Photo by Karen Salkin.
Oh no—clueless John McEnroe mentioned Paolo Lorenzi’s “bug eyes” again! John, I have news for you—comparing Paolo’s big eyes to Marty’s deformed ones is the rudest thing I’ve ever heard a commentator say!!! I would have thought someone would have clued him after he said it the other night! (For all we know, Paolo has Graves Disease, which eyes like that are often a sign of. I just hope that John doesn’t commentate on the Paralympics!)
But neither he nor anyone else mentioned Lorenzi’s weirdo serve!
Mr. X said that Lorenzi is the son of Steve Buscemi and Dave Grohl.
Nick Kyrgios’ posture is atrocious. He better fix it now. He’s twenty-four, but stands like an old man. And he’s actually really cute otherwise. Funny that Johnny Mac can comment on Lorenzi’s eyes, but not Nick’s stance.
Nick Krygios’ awful posture! Photo by Karen Salkin.
Wow—John was riled-up against Nick Kyrgios’s retirement in his match, and when they came back from break and showed the Round of 16 guys, John pointed-out that “Every one of these people is dedicated to this great profession we have as tennis players,” and went on, “I’m saying to Nick Kyrgios: If you don’t like what your doing, don’t do it anymore.” I agree.
SUNDAY
Now I have to finally like Caroline Wozniacki—she told the ref her opponent’s ball was good, after it was called out, thus virtually giving the other girl the point and losing the game herself. She’s a nice girl, after all!
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pointed to his opponent, Jack Sock, to get him applause at the end of the match he himself had just won. Class act.
Did no one else notice that Rafa Nadal’s Uncle Tony, who is his coach, admitted in an on-air interview to coaching Rafa during a bathroom break???
Commentator Cliff Drysdale said, “Rafa can’t pick it,” as Rafa was picking his butt! (He meant “…up the ball,” but I thought I’d engage in a little juvenile humor here.)
Cute Lucas Pouille, right after his shocking win over Rafa Nadal. Photo by Karen Salkin.
The match where newcomer Frenchman Lucas Puoille beat Rafa Nadal in five exciting sets was seriously the best match I’ve ever seen! (Outside of every one that Roger Federer won, of course!)
I think I’m in love! When discussing the match afterwards, Lucas said, “It’s tennis, you know. It’s a game, so we have to enjoy it. So that’s the most important thing.” When asked, “Were you nervous?,” he answered, “Of course, of course. But when I went on court, I really wanted to take full pleasure of the match, and so it took above the pressure.” I can’t believe this kid is only twenty-two!
Here’s an interesting note: Lucas went to Dubai to hit with Roger Federer a little while ago, to learn from the best, and now he inadvertently returned the favor by keeping Rafa from getting closer to Roger’s record. (While I was watching the match, I had the thought that the only one pulling for Pouille more than I was was Roger!)
Novak Djokovic had played only four complete sets, in three rounds, which is the smallest number any man has ever played to get to the second week of a major in the open era! Wow.
Rafa is mentally stable and explains sport well, especially for someone whose first language is not English. He told it like it is in the press conference. I feel bad because I do like and admire him, but I want him to never win another Major because he’s only three away from Roger’s record, and he’s five years younger, which means he has that many more chances.
And he really let the press know how idiotic their questions to him were in his post-match press conference.
I’m so glad that the idiot commentators are talking about Rafa like it’s all over for him in the sport, the way they aways do about Roger nowadays. Get off these guys’ backs!
MONDAY
This is how close the competitors are supposed to stand on the way to be interviewed before the matches. Serena is never in the picture with her opponenet. Photo by Karen Salkin.
What is wrong with these post-match interviewers?! Brad Gilbert gets right in their faces, physically, and doesn’t seem to notice that they all back away from him. And Tom Rinaldi asks all these foreign language speakers uber-hard, complex questions, that none of them understand, so they can’t answer correctly!
What a bitch Pam Shriver was during the pre-match interviews for the Venus Williams match! She just had to remind Karolina Plishkova, Venus’ opponent, on her way out, that she never played on this court and she’s never been in a fourth round, so that she’d be a little more nervous against Venus! She then asked, “So now what?” Ugh. Creepy.
OMG—Chris Evert just said that the crowd should get behind Venus because “She’s an American, for heavens sake!” That’s just creepy. You should root for the player you are a fan of, not because of their nationality! At any tournament.
That match where Plishkova beat Venus Williams was actually a great match!
The girl who beat Venus Williams, having to reach this far over the next to shake hands with her! Photo by Karen Salkin.
But Venus was rude after. (What else in new?) She didn’t even go all the way to the net to shake hands with her opponent. Karolina had to reach all the way over it to her!
Of Venus, Chris Evert said, “We’re still going to see a lot of her. Which is great for all of us.” Speak for yourself, Chrissie!
Serena is always so rude to keep her opponents waiting. She always leaves at least a minute between them for walking out.
Kei Nishikori is the only one who gave the pen back to the fans after each autograph!
Letr’s end with a fun pic of my favorite color outfit there, down to the shoes. Photo by Karen Salkin.
I’m so sad for Roger to not only be missing playing here, and at the Olympics, but also to be missing the first year of the roof, and the last year of Louis Armstrong Stadium! He’s such a student of tennis history that he must feel awful about that!
Idiot Chris McKendry, who mispronounces soooo many words, also says “merry,” for “Murray.” I can’t stand it!
I can’t believe that I find Andy Murray so likable these days. He’s really quick to smile now. (When he’s not playing, that is.)
On the other hand, I can’t understand why all these attractive, successful women have been in love with Grigor Dimitrov.
I love Aga Radwanska. And not just because she appears to be the only one who knows enough to wear good eye make-up on court.
Okay, that’s it for the middle of the tournament. Next week, I’ll have the wrap-up, and I hope it will be a happy one. For me, anyway.
