Grand Slam US Open 2020

May 4, 2009
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Not playing the US Open, including 4 former champs (Stosur is out too)




From Jose in twitter. Nadal missing was expected but huge. The defending champ.

Surprised by the wta list. We gonna see more I feel(Halep) Not sure how Madrid getting canned will influence things

Edited the list to update it
 
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Apr 28, 2008
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Not really surprising that defending champs Rafa and Barty would focus on the French given the short interim and travel/quarantine uncertainties.

Even with New York fairing better recently compared to other areas of the US, I've long secretly hoped that the USO gets canned this year. Just seems irresponsible given the global nature of the sport. Quietly hoping that two uncharismatic no-nonsense pushers/servebots which the gloryhunting Americans have never cared to notice make the final to their dismay. They'll definitely be hoping for an enhanced performance from the local American players. I'm viewing it a bit like the old Australian Opens when a lot of higher-ranked players didn't consistently bother.
 
May 20, 2014
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Will there be enought players to fill the 132 spots? Or will it be a condensed torunament with say only the top 64 participating.

Someone like Bernie would crawl through broken glass for a direct entry main draw spot atm. First round losers cheque is like a years income in the real world and he is pretty close to being in the real world now. If it ends up really weak and the draw is just filled out with South American clay courters from the Challenger circuit he might even win a few rounds.
 

danstar

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 2, 2013
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Someone like Bernie would crawl through broken glass for a direct entry main draw spot atm. First round losers cheque is like a years income in the real world and he is pretty close to being in the real world now. If it ends up really weak and the draw is just filled out with South American clay courters from the Challenger circuit he might even win a few rounds.
Hes probably still out there counting his millions.
 
May 4, 2009
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And Andreescu is now out. But that is as much injury-related than Covid.

This moves kiki into a seeded position from a ranking of 42nd.

Most European players are leaving this weekend. So, we might get a mad late rush of withdrawals.

Good quiz question. When was the last time both defending champs withdraw before the start of a grand slam
 
Apr 28, 2008
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It hasn't happened at Melbourne Park. Safin, Johansson and Agassi all failed to appear to defend their 2005, 2002 & 2001 titles from memory, but in all those cases the women (Serena & Capriati) did turn up. Korda still played in '99 amid the doping controversy, Seles didn't defend in '94 after her attack but Courier was there. And then in the late 80s/early 90s players like Lendl, Becker, Edberg, Graf and Seles were big 4-ing.

Nothing else from the other slams scream out to me from that period. A few defending champions failed to turn up, but their counterpart always did. Premature retirements like Borg in 1981 and Henin in 2008 also failed to break the stat.
 
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May 20, 2014
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Nothing else from the other slams scream out to me from that period. A few defending champions failed to turn up, but their counterpart always did. Premature retirements like Borg in 1981 and Henin in 2008 also failed to break the stat.

Yeah I immediately looked at the years Bartoli and Goran won Wimbledon but no luck. Looked at the year Del Potro won the US and got my hopes up when I saw Clijsters won the womens that year as she wasn't the most durable player either but she went back to back. Is there actually an answer for this BobbyMorri or are you just tormenting us.
 
May 4, 2009
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Yeah I immediately looked at the years Bartoli and Goran won Wimbledon but no luck. Looked at the year Del Potro won the US and got my hopes up when I saw Clijsters won the womens that year as she wasn't the most durable player either but she went back to back. Is there actually an answer for this BobbyMorri or are you just tormenting us.
I wish i knew the answer. I dont think there is one obvious.

Bencic is the lastest to withdrawal. so, that is one side of the last year's semi-finals wipeout before the tournament starts.
 
May 4, 2009
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I wish i knew the answer. I dont think there is one obvious.

Bencic is the lastest to withdrawal. so, that is one side of the last year's semi-finals wipeout before the tournament starts.
I found the answer.

I put it in spoilers, it happened this century.

Canada's Bianca Andreescu yesterday became the latest high-profile player to announce she would not compete at the US Open in New York City, with her absence meaning that the tournament will begin without both its reigning men’s and women’s singles champions for the first time since 2003.

On that occasion, men’s defending champion Pete Sampras had retired from the sport, while Serena Williams had been forced to withdraw due to injury.

The previous time the situation occurred was in 1971, with the Australian duo Ken Rosewall and Margaret Court not returning to defend their crowns.
 
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