US Open

[Russian]

I've broken even now, and it's probably smartest to walk away... so i've put $100 on Coria at $2.15... The bastard ows me.

Should've walked away

Lots of upsets overnight with Pierce easily beating Mauresmo, Ginepri beating Coria in 5 and Dementieva beating Davenport in a 3rd set tiebreak, and Blake's broken twice to take the first set against Agassi although Andre broke opening game of the 2nd

A few upsets in the women's doubles too - with top 2 seeds Black/Stubbs and Molik/Kuznetsova beaten by Stosur/Raymond and Groenfeld/Navratilova. Number 3 seeds won against the Chinese pair, the Bryan brothers won their All-American semi, but Mike couldn't win twice in a day, going down to the surprisingly unseeded Bhupathi and Hantuchova in the mixed semi

Women's Semis:
Sharapova [1] v Clijsters [4]
Pierce [12] v Dementieva [6]

Men's Doubles Semi:
Bjorkman/Mirnyi [1] v Black/Ullyet [4]
Winner plays the Bryan twins in the final

Women's Doubles Semis:
Raymond/Stosur [6] v Martinez/Ruano Pascual [3]
Dementieva/Penetta [14] v Groenfeld/Navratilova [7]

Mixed Doubles Final:
Srebotnik/Zimonjic v Hantuchova/Bhupathi

Tonight:
Men's Doubles Semi (1am AET)
Mixed Doubles Final
Hewitt v Nieminen (4am AET)
Federer v Nalbandian (9:30am AET)

Nine's coverage begins tonight with the day session after the late Footy Show (or Nightline in Perth), and the night session from 9:30 tomorrow (9:00 Adelaide).

Agassi in trouble, has dropped his last 4 service games and down a set and 1-3

 

[Drummond]

Blake serving at 4-3 in the 5th!

 

[hans moleman]

Blake serves for the match at 5-4...but Agassi breaks back...hard to pick a winner from here.

 

[TigerFan]

god I hate 5th set tiebreaks...

BUT HOW ABOUT MY MAN AGASSI!?!?!?!?!

 

[hans moleman]

Agassi comes back from 2 sets down to win 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).

Bad luck for Blake, but it would be great to see Agassi go all the way.

Too bad this had to be decided by a tie-breaker but oh well...

 

[Russian]

The tiebreak:
Blake won the first 3 points
Andre won the next 3
129mph Ace to Blake
Agassi levels
Unforced error gives Blake the mini break at 5-4 with 2 serves to come
Agassi hits a winner
Unforced error by Blake sets up match point for Andre on his serve
Blake hits a winner to save it
Agassi ends a 17 shot rally with a winner
Blake serves to stay in the match, Agassi hits it down the line, in the corner, all over

 

[thewhippersnapper]

Go Agassi, what a legend.

 

[bongo]

Mary Pierce, playing like she is 19 again

some said she should have retired a good 5 years ago, she is going great

 

[TigerFan]

Federer just smashed an insipid Nalbandian, I can't believe I wagged class to watch it

 

[X_box_X]

I honestly do not understand how people cannot like Agassi. He is one of the nicest players on the tour, and has exceptional sportsmanship. On top of that, he is an excellent player and has been for the past fifteen years.

On to a different matter, I cannot believe how well Pierce has been performing this year. Agassi and Pierce are terrific players for veterans on the tour.

Yet another matter, I wonder how Lleyton will approach yet another encounter with the Switz Wiz. Do you think Lleyton goes on court against him actually thinking he is a good chance, or that he has very little hope and has to try and get on top of him mentally if he is to have any chance?

 

[red+black]

Yet another matter, I wonder how Lleyton will approach yet another encounter with the Switz Wiz. Do you think Lleyton goes on court against him actually thinking he is a good chance, or that he has very little hope and has to try and get on top of him mentally if he is to have any chance?

My suggestion for Lleyton is to feign an injury, default his semi, and fly back to Adelaide asap to watch the Crows. Might as well.

 

[TigerFan]

Hewitt is silly if he thinks he can beat Federer from the back of the court, it might take another 10 losses, but Hewitt is eventually going to realise that the only way to beat Federer in a straight fight is to serve-volley, and Hewitt's serve-volley game is better than most people realise.


personally, I think a parochial home crowd can get Andre Agassi over the line against Federer - and there will never be a more fitting end than if Andre wins the US Open. the word champion is over-used in sport, but Andre Agassi is both a champion tennis player and a champion human being.

also nice to see Mary Pierce doing well, but where's Jennifer Capriati this year? I'm a huge Capriati fan, and I don't remember her at any of the grand slams this year - she hasn't retired has she?


now, to beat Federer, you have to get on top of him early. he's not easy to beat because he's so sublimely skilled, but if you can get him annoyed or frustrated, he crumbles mentally. Hewitt's done it to him in Davis Cup before, so hopefully he can again.

and it's a shame Safin pulled out of the US Open, god knows he's the only one who can beat Federer in a shootout, and Federer knows it too

 

[X_box_X]

now, to beat Federer, you have to get on top of him early. he's not easy to beat because he's so sublimely skilled, but if you can get him annoyed or frustrated, he crumbles mentally. Hewitt's done it to him in Davis Cup before, so hopefully he can again.

If you are talking about the Australia and Switzerland Semi Final in 2002, then Hewitt came from behind to beat Roger in one of the best games ever; he didn't get on top of him early and mentally beat him. It was at the stage when Federer was beginning to reach his height as a superstar player, and also the same time that Lleyton was at his best. I doubt Lleyton will ever recapture that form again (now that he has a family), but you never know - the same thing happened to Agassi when he was with Brooke Shields and, when he returned to the ATP, he was able to recapture the form that he had before retiring, and even better that form.

Basically, what I am saying, I cannot see Lleyton ever beating Federer. Federer is simply a freak and will be better than Samprass was. He won't lose many games for the next six years (he is still only 24). He may even win all four Grand Slams in the same year shortly. I think the only player who will stop him from achieving this is the Spanish Wizkid, Rafael Nadal, whose form on clay at Roland Garros.

My dream final at the beginning of the tournament was a Hewitt/Agassi battle, which is still alive, but I was counting on someone else to knock Federer out. What ray of hope was there?

 

[Carmichael]

I am expecting a bagel set from Hewitt!

COME ON, don't let me down boy!

 

[red+black]

I don't see Fed winning the French any time soon. If he did win it, then won at Wimbledon, that would be an awesome achievement. Only 5 players have won all four slams, the last being Agassi of course.

Fed has won 5 slams so far, now has a chance to equal Becker and Edberg with 6.

 

[Drummond]

If you are talking about the Australia and Switzerland Semi Final in 2002, then Hewitt came from behind to beat Roger in one of the best games ever;

That was easily the best game I have ever seen. Absolutely brilliant

Federer just smashed an insipid Nalbandian, I can't believe I wagged class to watch it

I did the same thing yesterday, but that was for the Davenport/Dementieva match. I was delighted with the result!

 

[~GURU~]

Hewitt to smash Federer!!!

 

[Drummond]

Hewitt to smash Federer!!!

I sincerely hope so. However Federer seems to lift about 10 notches when he plays Lleyton though.

The Dementieva/Piece game has just got underway, Cmon Elena! If Mary wins, lets just say I wont be too happy.

 

[red+black]

Thankfully Sharapova lost, there is a God!

Her stupid mouth is good for one thing only, and its not screaming on a tennis court. Stupid woman has been known to scream even when doing drop shots! Cheat.

 

[~GURU~]

damm that is a shame that Sharapova lost

she is jsut so god damm hot

 

[Baxter Stockman]

I honestly do not understand how people cannot like Agassi. He is one of the nicest players on the tour, and has exceptional sportsmanship. On top of that, he is an excellent player and has been for the past fifteen years.

I hate him cos hes a yank!

 

[Baxter Stockman]

Gooo Lleyton!

 

[Baxter Stockman]

Hewitt to smash Federer!!!

I agree!!!!!!!

 

[hans moleman]

So it's everyone's favourite Grand Slam choker (Clijsters) vs. the biggest time-waster (Pierce).

Wouldn't mind seeing Clijsters crush Pierce French Open style - can't stand Pierce and her posing/posturing.

As for Hewitt, not only does he have to have a blinder like Safin did at the Aus Open, but he's also got to up the antics...you know, scream a lot, use the 'vycht', call people '*******s'...just to see if he can put Federer off his game a little.

He may even win all four Grand Slams in the same year shortly. I think the only player who will stop him from achieving this is the Spanish Wizkid, Rafael Nadal, whose form on clay at Roland Garros.

Who are the other promising youngsters out there?
Gasquet looks a player.
There's a lot of hype around Monfils, but he hasn't had any decent results.

 

[Funkalicous]

I'm surprised Hewitt made the semi's given his recent injuries, but I guess that's a testament to his fighting qualities. However, he's no way near ready to take on the Fed. He'll get over-powered like he always does. I don't know what he can do? Federer's just the perfect tennis player.