The story of the day
We must salute the consistency of Stefanos Tsitsipas. After losing the third set on Wednesday against Adrian Mannarino, the world number 3 took his now traditional “toilet break”. This boy must have a stopwatch in his head, because, almost to the nearest second, he took exactly the same time (seven minutes and a few small dust) as during his break against Andy Murray who, since, has caused so much talk.
This break had in any case had a radical effect: while he had just lost the third set in the decisive game, Tsitsipas then did not leave a single game to the French once back on the court, finishing his match on a 6 -0. But enough sarcasm. It is not this passage to the toilet, undoubtedly to change (even if, with the rain, the mercury had fallen severely Wednesday evening), which changed the destiny of this match. Even if Mannarino had glued two sets to one, the Greek’s margin was such that never a mad comeback of the Ile-de-France left-hander was never really possible.
US Open
Murray on Raducanu: “It’s amazing and a huge opportunity for British tennis”
–
09/14/2021 at 4:56 PM
–
Stefanos Tsitsipas appeared overall very calm during this night session. Physically, he didn’t seem to pay off his 47-hour marathon against Andy Murray (nearly five hours of fight) and the fact that he was out again after the third set against Mannarino can even be seen. as a trait of his strength of character. “Do you want to criticize me? Even call me a cheater? Go for it. Me, I will continue to do as I want“, he seems to respond to his detractors. He came back under the jeers of the public, but if he accepts the consequences of his attitude, it is perhaps also that he feels strong.
In terms of tennis, it is, no doubt and it is the most important. Apart from his hitch at Wimbledon, where he was taken out from the start, Tsitsipas is starting to pick up some very good Grand Slam habits and there is no reason that this should not continue here. If there has been a storm around him for two days, and above in the New York sky this Wednesday evening, displayed imperial calm, including under the whistles. And then, after all, the last one that was taken in by the Flushing audience didn’t fare so badly. So, a Medvedev 2019 fate for Tsitsipas in this 2021 edition?
The hit of the night
There is no way to define this winning end of Daniil Medvedev. Quite simply because it is unlike anything in existence. Not really acrobatic, not really elegant, not really coherent. But in its kind, it is spectacular. Not far from great, even. A word of advice anyway: don’t try this at home (or even on a court), you won’t succeed. In the end, that is perhaps the best definition: it is Medvedev.
Improbable: Medvedev stops playing and scores an unimaginable volley
We liked
Review Sloane Stephens at this level. Clinic, involved, precise, the American nipped any suspense in the face of her young compatriot Coco Gauff last night on the Arthur-Ashe. It is the Stephens that we see only too rarely and that we would like to see more often. We say her motivation is very fluctuating, to stay polite, but when she evolves at this level, she is capable, if not of everything, at least of a lot. Have we fully found the winner of the 2017 edition? It’s still a bit early to tell, but against Gauff it was impressive.
6-4, 6-2 in 1:05: Stephens swept Gauff
La nouvelle perf’ de Botic Van De Zandschulp. Bless you. He doesn’t have the easiest name on the circuit to pronounce, but the 25-year-old Dutchman will eventually earn a little reputation as a head-cutter. At Roland Garros, he had taken out Hubert Hurkacz in the first round. This time, it was in the second that he gave himself a big fish at the US Open. On Wednesday, the Batavian released Casper Ruud, seeded number 8.
A victory that will allow him to get even closer to the Top 100, which he will certainly integrate in the event of a victory against Facundo Bagnis in the round of 16. A real good move to play for this player in full confidence by dint of accumulating good results in challengers. We will not go so far as to predict a fate in the Karastev version Melbourne 2021, but watch out for him in an area of the picture that opens wide.
Ruud – Van De Zandschulp : Le résumé
We didn’t like
The lack of interest of this third day. A Grand Slam tournament is like a match. There are strong times and weak times. Wednesday at Flushing Meadows was clearly weak. Almost all of the women’s matches ended in straight sets and the overwhelming majority of men’s draws in three. It was not a day to vibrate. The good news ? The tenors, for the most part, advance without hindrance. It promises some hell of a poster in a few days if they continue.
Weather. Finally, it was perhaps not worse that this third day does not offer extended matches. Otherwise the program would have been severely disrupted. The sky went crazy on Wednesday in New York. There were first heavy thunderstorms in the afternoon, before these gave way to continued heavy rain in the evening. The weather forecast even issued a warning for… tornadoes over the Bronx and part of Queens, the “borough” where Flushing Meadows is located.
Just to know
Is there anyone to prevent Daniil Medvedev from reaching the last four? The Russian quarter-picture looks like a sort of boulevard, even a highway.
A ride and a magical fly: Medvedev had a beautiful day facing Koepfer
With 24 seeds still alive after three days in the women’s table, will this US Open be that of the logic found in the ladies? To be confirmed of course but for now, the favorites are being respected. And the highest seed eliminated, Cori Gauff, was by a former winner of the tournament …
The last three French in the tournament play this Thursday: Monfils, Moutet, Ferro. How many survivors in the round of 16? If there was one, that would be good. This is to tell you where tricolor tennis is at …
The stat of Game, Set and Maths
Another failure for Adrian Mannarino. This night, against Stefanos Tsitsipas, the French left-hander faced a member of the Top 10 in Grand Slam for the 18th time in his career. And for the 18th time, he bowed. Since 1985, no player has encountered more difficulties than the French in this area:
- Adrian Mannarino : 0/18
- Albert Montanes : 0/15
- Robin Haase : 0/14
- Paul-Henri Mathieu: 0/14
Here are Adrian Mannarino’s 18 failed attempts:
US Open 2010 (2e tour) : Fernando Verdasco (N°8) 6/1 6/2 6/2
Wimbledon 2011 (2e tour) : Roger Federer (N°3) 6/2 6/3 6/2
Open d’Australie 2013 (1er tour) : Juan Martin del Potro (N°7) 6/1 6/2 6/2
US Open 2013 (3e tour) : Roger Federer (N°7) 6/3 6/0 6/2
Australian Open 2014 (2nd round): David Ferrer (No.3) 7/6 5/7 6/0 6/3
US Open 2015 (2e tour) : Andy Murray (N°3) 5/7 4/6 6/1 6/3 6/1
Roland Garros 2016 (2e tour) : Milos Raonic (N°9) 6/1 7/6 6/1
Wimbledon 2016 (2e tour) : Novak Djokovic (N°1) 6/4 6/3 7/6
Wimbledon 2017 (1/8 of the final): Novak Djokovic (N ° 4) 6/2 7/6 6/4
US Open 2017 (3e tour) : Dominic Thiem (N°8) 7/5 6/3 6/4
Open d’Australie 2018 (3e tour) : Dominic Thiem (N°5) 6/4 6/2 7/5
Wimbledon 2018 (Round of 16): Roger Federer (No.2) 6/0 7/5 6/4
Open d’Australie 2019 (1er tour) : Kevin Anderson (N°6) 6/3 5/7 6/2 6/1
Open d’Australie 2020 (1er tour) : Dominic Thiem (N°5) 6/3 7/5 6/2
US Open 2020 (3e tour) : Alexander Zverev (N°7) 6/7 6/4 6/2 6/2
Open d’Australie 2021 (3e tour) : Alexander Zverev (N°7) 6/3 6/3 6/1
Wimbledon 2021 (1er tour): Roger Federer (N ° 8) 6/4 6/7 3/6 6/2 from.
US Open 2021 (2nd tour): Stefanos Tsitsipas (N ° 3) 6/3 6/4 6/7 6/0
Statement of the day: Victoria Azarenka
Vaccine or not vaccine? This debate also divides the circuit. On Wednesday evening, Victoria Azarenka, finalist last year, was surprised that the vaccine is mandatory for spectators if they want to access the enclosure of Flushing Meadows, but not for the players. “I want to restart the debate, did she say. In my opinion, it is inevitable that this will be made mandatory at some point, as other sports leagues do. I don’t see the point of delaying this, really after all we all want to be safe, we all want to keep doing our jobs“.
The poster not to be missed on Thursday: Opelka – Musetti
A poster in the form of an opposition of styles between two of the players who have progressed the most in recent months. Semi-finalist in Rome, finalist for the first time in Masters 1000 in Toronto, Reilly Opelka is no longer far from being among the underdogs of this US Open. Not necessarily for the final victory, but to play the obstacle to going around in circles. This man is dangerous, especially on this surface.
Thursday, he will pass a first test against the little Italian pearl Lorenzo Musetti, who is looking to find color. Because after his beautiful earthly spring, completed by a round of 16 at Roland Garros where he had led two rounds to nothing against the future winner Novak Djokovic, Musetti had a difficult summer: five consecutive defeats in the first round.
Facing the American Emilio Nava, he therefore signed his first success since Roland. But Nava is 385th in the world. Facing Opelka, it will be a different story. If Musetti manages to regain his spring grinta, this match could spark sparks. On the other hand, if the two men remain in the line of their last weeks, the great Reilly is likely to walk.
Musetti – Nava – Highlights US Open
US Open
A Grand Slam doomed to failure? “If even the Djokovic machine did not succeed …”
–
09/14/2021 At 10:50 AM
US Open
Raducanu, Azarenka, Zverev or Medvedev in their works: the top 10 of the US Open 2021
–
09/13/2021 At 10:48 PM
––
