OT: US Tennis Open...

[triaddukefan]

Welp... got the women's final I wanted.

 

[eebmg]

That match was alot of fun. Keys was beginning to dominate on her serve but Osaka would not give up on her own serve. She fought of 13 break points including a second serve ace up the T that was phenomenal. After blowing a 5-1 lead to Keys 2 years ago, she showed incredible poise. And the depth of her shots was pretty amazing. I hope she has staying power.

And her post game interview was a classic of "cuteness" . I hope (and assume) it will be up on ESPNw soon.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Welp... got the women's final I wanted.

Same here. Come Saturday's final one would think that Osaka will have a great deal of insight into Serena's game given how much time Osaka's coach has spent in the opposing camp.

 

[triaddukefan]

Same here. Come Saturday's final one would think that Osaka will have a great deal of insight into Serena's game given how much time Osaka's coach has spent in the opposing camp.

Im not sure if they have played since, but Osaka beat her in Miami in straight sets. That was in the first round however..... this will be a whole different kinda animal... I expect Serena in a rout.

 

[eebmg]

Im not sure if they have played since, but Osaka beat her in Miami in straight sets. That was in the first round however..... this will be a whole different kinda animal... I expect Serena in a rout.

Osaka has some heavy duty hero worship for Serena but Serena has been getting off to some really poor starts. If that happens again, that should calm Osaka down alot and I think it will be very competitive. I will give it a 70-3o % chance in Serena's favor based mainly on the serve unless Osaka is just too overwhelmed by the moment

 

[triaddukefan]

Osaka has some heavy duty hero worship for Serena but Serena has been getting off to some really poor starts. If that happens again, that should calm Osaka down alot and I think it will be very competitive. I will give it a 70-3o % chance in Serena's favor based mainly on the serve unless Osaka is just too overwhelmed by the moment

Normally i take my customary saturday afternoon nap around 3:30pm..... but I'll have to get some caffeine or something in me so that I can watch it. Personally I miss the days when the US Open was on CBS.... but alas... those days are gone for good.

 

[wire chief]

Two Japanese in the semis of a Major is a first. Kei returned to an earlier time when he was top ten, but beating Novak was too much.
Ah, but the other Japanese is in the spotlight. When asked how she saved so many break points, she answered that she kept telling herself
that she wanted to play Serena. Quite a mantra, no?

 

[eebmg]

Osaka took set 1 6-2. On serve in the second. Osaka is handling the pressure beautifully If Serena is going to win, she will have to beat her.

Maybe the Judge just gave Serena a gift by accusing her team of coaching and was given a warning. She is steamed.

More steamed. Serena broke for a 3-1 lead after Osaka saved a slew of break points. Then Serena quickly gets broken again with 2 double faults and a careless back hand. Serena crushes her racket. Gets a second violation and loses a point on Naomi's serve.


Unbelievable composure by Osaka. Holds her serve at love with a top notch ace and then breaks Serena while the whole stadium is in Serena's corner.


OMG. I think the ref gave a 3rd code violation which is a game penalty. This is nuts.

Osaka serves it out beautifully. I hope Serena will take the high road and realize the better player won today and give her full props.

 

[Wbbfan1]

The Williams Sisters Dominance is officially over. While I believe Serena will get her 25th Major Win, don't know when it will happen. Today was set for her to win. IMHO its not that Osaka, played so great, it was Serena played so poorly. Especially her power game.

Great Win by Osaka, American Women's Tennis have some young stars that should dominate the game over the next couple of years. Now if only the men would get their act together.

Osaka's parents signed her to the Japan Federation, but she's really an American.

 

[HawkHusky]

I love Osaka and her game. It's unfortunate that the ump controversy will overshadow her amazing run and Championship win.

 

[eebmg]

Follow up. Serena's coach sought of admitted he was coaching from the box after Serena vehemently denied it on court. I would think that would be a fireable offense. You can't throw your player under the bus like that.

 

[eebmg]

The Williams Sisters Dominance is officially over. While I believe Serena will get her 25th Major Win, don't know when it will happen. Today was set for her to win. IMHO its not that Osaka, played so great, it was Serena played so poorly. Especially her power game.

Great Win by Osaka, American Women's Tennis have some young stars that should dominate the game over the next couple of years. Now if only the men would get their act together.

Osaka's parents signed her to the Japan Federation, but she's really an American.

In my opinion, Serena played well enough to beat almost anyone else in the game but was completely perturbed by Osaka's discipline and power.

 

[wire chief]

Nuts is right, but no player is bigger than the game, not even Serena. The extensive berating of the ump led to the 3rd violation, effectively resulting in Naomi being up a break.
I only wish in retrospect that officials had been less cowardly in the face of John McEnroe.
Now, to Naomi...what composure for the 20 year old. Even when she showed emotion after a bad shot, she goes right back to business.
I'm reminded of a comment venerable Rod Laver made about Federer. You watch him and notice he's never out of position. Then you say to yourself, how can a guy be never out of position?
Now I segue that to Naomi's semi and final...How can a player save 22 break points in a row. TWENTY TWO!
Anyway I raise my glass to a deserving champ, who served beautifully and rallied the same.

 

[eebmg]

Nuts is right, but no player is bigger than the game, not even Serena. The extensive berating of the ump led to the 3rd violation, effectively resulting in Naomi being up a break.
I only wish in retrospect that officials had been less cowardly in the face of John McEnroe.
Now, to Naomi...what composure for the 20 year old. Even when she showed emotion after a bad shot, she goes right back to business.
I'm reminded of a comment venerable Rod Laver made about Federer. You watch him and notice he's never out of position. Then you say to yourself, how can a guy be never out of position?
Now I segue that to Naomi's semi and final...How can a player save 22 break points in a row. TWENTY TWO!
Anyway I raise my glass to a deserving champ, who served beautifully and rallied the same.

So true. After Naomi was finally broken, she broke right back and then held serve at love. Finally a player besides Serena on the women's side that serves well and is not broken all the time.

 

[HawkHusky]

Osaka crying from booing fans. Dumb*** fans. She outplayed Serena the whole match. Nothing was given to her.

 

[wire chief]

Osaka crying from booing fans. Dumb*** fans. She outplayed Serena the whole match. Nothing was given to her.

No, not from booing fans, just tears of joy from an overwhelming feat. God love her.

 

[HawkHusky]

No, not from booing fans, just tears of joy from an overwhelming feat. God love her.

You must have watched a different post-game interview. She was upset about how the match ended and the crowd's reaction. Lots of emotions and they weren't all happy ones.

 

[eebmg]

Some of the commentary seems to think that this will detract from Osaka's win. Nonsense. And if Serena (and her camp which seemed to be threatening to pull her out of the match at the time according to Pam Shriver) has any sense, she will simply say she lost to the better player this day and that she needs to curb her emotions better in the future.

 

[j66kicker]

Congrats to Osaka! Glad to see this happen. Serena is a whining, entitled crybaby. She was outplayed today, but she'll continue to try to make it about the officiating.

 

[eebmg]

Congrats to Osaka! Glad to see this happen. Serena is a whining, entitled crybaby. She was outplayed today, but she'll continue to try to make it about the officiating.

If she does, she will just look more and more foolish.

 

[lanieer]

Osaka was spectacular and not getting credit because of whiner media. Felt bad for Serena somewhat but Osaka was awesome in first set and held her own in second. If anyone was cheated it was Osaka’s celebration. When Serena said say your sorry then I’m not talking to you, I lost a little respect there. Poor Osaka had to hear boo’s.

 

[HawkHusky]

Some of the commentary seems to think that this will detract from Osaka's win. Nonsense. And if Serena (and her camp which seemed to be threatening to pull her out of the match at the time according to Pam Shriver) has any sense, she will simply say she lost to the better player this day and that she needs to curb her emotions better in the future.

It did detract from her win (which I hate). Did you not hear Osaka's response to the first question??? She even felt it from the crowd. I guarantee that all the Monday sports talk shows talk about the Serena-Ump debacle more than Osaka's win.

Also, did you not hear Serena play the female discrimination card? This story is gonna be picked up everywhere, and Serena will be in the headlines, not Osaka.

 

[eebmg]

It did detract from her win (which I hate). Did you not hear Osaka's response to the first question??? She even felt it from the crowd. I guarantee that all the Monday sports talk shows talk about the Serena-Ump debacle more than Osaka's win.

Also, did you not hear Serena play the female discrimination card? This story is gonna be picked up everywhere, and Serena will be in the headlines, not Osaka.

I am sure Osaka feels a bit cheated by the situation but I think all of that will be short term. When she internalizes how well she played, that will be the lasting take away. Anyone who follows and enjoys tennis will give Osaka her due as the true US Open champion.

I also think that Serena's PR team will come to the realization that if she keeps pushing her victim card, it will not benefit her so that will die down. If not, we are going to start remembering her abuse of linesman moment + other stuff we thought she outgrew.


Anyhow, in my eyes, this just magnifies Osaka's accomplishment.

 

[Zanzman]

It did detract from her win (which I hate). Did you not hear Osaka's response to the first question??? She even felt it from the crowd. I guarantee that all the Monday sports talk shows talk about the Serena-Ump debacle more than Osaka's win.

Also, did you not hear Serena play the female discrimination card? This story is gonna be picked up everywhere, and Serena will be in the headlines, not Osaka.

Osaka deserves the win she played much better but if you think Serena is singled out you are sadly mistaken. How many drug tests does she have to take the French open chenging the dress code. If you don’t think the red had a quick hook the men overall are much more obscene and vulgar and don’t get penalized

 

[wire chief]

What also interests me is what this topsy-turvy tournament will mean going forward. When the rankings come out Monday, who will be the 8 who (probably) qualify for the year-end championships?