US Open

[don_budge]

I will say Novak has not lost a step on the medical timeouts.

Did he break a rule?

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mZhj8391uFttuD6Z7

I will try to find the odds on Novak completing the match without a Medical Timeout.

[stroke]

I will say Novak has not lost a step on the medical timeouts.

[jimlosaltos]

Craig O’Shannessy over at Braingame.com has put a finger on something I felt watch Djokovic this week, but couldn't sus out.
He's getting fewer first serves in PLUS more of his second serves are coming back. Not by a ton, but combine them and he's had to work a lot -- vs first week talent.

"What Happened to Novak Djokovic's Second Serve"

Djokovic's second serve has slowed down and players are getting on it more.
Now, it's down 2 MPH, which might not sound like much from 91.3 MPH in 2013 to 89.6 MPH in 2025

Excerpts:

'Novak’s second serve has been unreturned only 11% of the time in 2025, which ties him for 116th best in the tournament.
Only eight players sit below him. Seven of the eight lost in the first round"


Now, that speed might not matter, if his shot still works. And Nole is still winning 61% of his second serve points (at this USO), Good ! !?

Problem is, 61% is ALSO the number of first serves Djoko is getting in through 3 USO matches.
Combine them and Djokovic has to work his ever-older legs more and harder.
Maybe he'll turn the dial up on his serve, firs and second, in week two - potentially vs Fritz, Alcaraz, and Sinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Of the 16 players still left in the tournament, Djokovic sits in last place in this specific category. And it’s not even close.

Unreturned 2nd Serves (Rd 16 players)

1. 37% – T. Machac
2. 29% – C. Alcaraz
3. 29% – L. Musetti
4. 21% -A. Rublev
5. 21% – F. Auger-Aliassime
6. 19% – J. L. Struff
7. 19% – J. Sinner
8. 19% – A. De Minaur
9. 18% – A. Rinderknech
10. 17% – T. Fritz
11. 17% – A. Mannarino
12. 16% – J. Lehecka
13. 16% – A. Bublik
14. 16% – L. Riedl
15. 15% – J. Munar
16. 11% – N. Djokovic

[jimlosaltos]

Too much. Carlitos Behind the Back Half Volley, Vid clip on TWSFKW (The Web Site Formerly Known as Twitter )

ArthurRinderknech's caught Carlos guessing and hit behind him. Didn't quite work.

https://x.com/TennisTV/status/1962216632899526840

[jimlosaltos]

Darren Cahill on the importance of analytics in coaching.

Buried in an article some insights from one of the best. Excerpts:

"Cahill was at the forefront of embracing analytics in tennis. He has said it was his not-very-secret weapon when he was helping Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, and Simona Halep reach the No. 1 ranking.

“It’s always in the numbers,” Cahill said. “Sometimes they just don’t make sense at the time. You have to trust your gut a little bit as a tennis player. You have to be right in the moment.”

"During the past year, he said, Sinner’s ability to pull the trigger on a backhand down the line has been a complete game-changer. They use the data to study opponents, too, with Cahill combing tendencies the evening before a match, then boiling down his findings to a 10 to 15-minute chat."

"Before a recent match in Cincinnati against the rising Canadian Gabriel Diallo, they noticed that Diallo struggled when opponents returned his second serve from inside the baseline, even when they attacked his forehand, which is Diallo’s strength. Sinner followed the plan and Diallo made error after error on his stronger side."

From The Athletic / NYT Paywall

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6570181/2025/08/26/jannik-sinner-tennis-interview-us-open/?source=athletic_freeweeklyemail&campaign=602288&u serId=10787005

[jimlosaltos]

Misc Notes:

More on Ben Shelton's injury. He hurt his left shoulder in a fall during the match. It still hurts & is so far undiagnosed as of report circa 9 AM PT.
No idea if his play in either the Davis Cup or Laver Cup is at risk.

Cobolli also retired, his to friend Lorenzo Musetti, who has finally got his mojo back. Will he reach his French Open form?

Sinner stumbled early with a pair of doubles and went down a break to an in-form Shapo. But broke Shapo serving for the set. Now on serve at 4-5.

Since reunited with her coach, after he got his suspension repealed, Elena Rybakina is on a tear, as a friend told me of her first week opponents, "It's like feeding these young girls to a lion." Breadsticks and bicyclettes all around.

Djokovic got his snarl back, challenging someone in his own box to take his racket as if saying "You think you can do any better?". I guess that is how he motivates himself.

American players are tumbling in week one - Shelton, Navarro, Tiafoe, Brooksby, Boyer. .... But Townsend is a surprise victor into R4.

Coco's serve brought her tears, but she's still winning. Pegula also quietly chugging along.

Naomi Osaka bageled friend Daria Kasatkina in the first set, then Daria come back to win the second. The newly-Australian "Dasha" couldn't find the court with her serve in the first, but forced a decider.

[stroke]

Daniel Altmaier gives his verdict on Stefanos Tsitsipas' conduct after confrontation at the net following US Open clash https://share.google/WaPwNXr3b2VQuUPHu

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JLCjyT6qTAN8UgXHA

Tsitsipas did not really take the high road post match handshake with Altmaier.

[stroke]

It is. Zach is ranked 145 and all of 5 ft 9 in and 155 lbs. i.e. my size! There is hope for us all !

Djokovic is indeed having to "play himself into tournament shape" after the long lay off. At what cost remains to be seen.

Update: I leave for a while and it appears Djokovic returned to the mean, winning the second set. Still, 5 ft 9 in unseeded player has more aces - against Djokovic -- and more winners.

Nevermind on this Novak post ha

[jimlosaltos]

USA's Zack Svajda just took the 1st set vs Novak in 1 hour. Svajda seems to have a game plan of making Novak work, keep Novak out there, and not give him errors. This could be interesting.

It is. Zach is ranked 145 and all of 5 ft 9 in and 155 lbs. i.e. my size! There is hope for us all !

Djokovic is indeed having to "play himself into tournament shape" after the long lay off. At what cost remains to be seen.

Update: I leave for a while and it appears Djokovic returned to the mean, winning the second set. Still, 5 ft 9 in unseeded player has more aces - against Djokovic -- and more winners.

[stroke]

USA's Zack Svajda just took the 1st set vs Novak in 1 hour. Svajda seems to have a game plan of making Novak work, keep Novak out there, and not give him errors. This could be interesting.

[stroke]

It certainly gives him a more aggressive look out there

[jimlosaltos]

Carlos' new haricut is all the "buzz". Streamlining might make him even faster?
Blames brother mishandling new razor.
Venus playing doubles. Cries at presser saying she had never felt crowd support like what she received in her singles match.

filedata/fetch?id=108243&d=1756251289&type=thumb

[jimlosaltos]

Iga and Jannik combined for three (3) breadsticks and two (2) "Half Preztels" { if you're in the camp that accepts that slang for 2, personally I think half-pretzel should be a "3" ]

Meanwhile, Musetti and Gio Pericard continue their apparent quest to meet in every event the two enter with the Italian again winning, this time in four.

Here's an oddity: Musetti and Gio both hit 13 aces, but Musetti got two (2) aces on second serves.

Somewhere somebody had that prop bet and cashed in.