2017 U. S. Open Championships...ATP 2000...New York, New York, U. S. A.

[klacr]

klacr...you rock Brother!

Thank you Sir!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

klacr...you rock Brother!

[don_budge]

I know women's tennis is an off-topic on this forum but I gotta ask, did Anyone see that Sharapova-Halep match. Say what you will about Maria, her technique may not be flawless, or net game is shaky at best, etc, etc...but damn does that woman compete. She's a fighter. Wild opening night at the open. I love this tournament.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Shapovalov and Sharapova...kissing in a tree. K I S S I N G. First comes love...then comes marriage. Then comes Maria with a baby carriage.

Having never been a big supporter of Maria Sharapova I am committed to her at the 2017 U. S. Open. She has rocked this tournament. Hypocrites...cheaters...tourney officials...WADA...throw them all in one basket. Call it what you want.

She was banned and she got herself a wildcard. Somehow...the luck of the draw...she drew the number two seed Simona Halep. Maria took her down. I hope that she get to play Bouchard at some point...and destroys her. How can you not love Sharapova now after all of the "Russian Collusion" fiasco. Shapovalov must be a Ruskie deep down in the genes too. It's great...the two of them. Good job klacr...keep transmitting for the forum from the Open. Live...from New York!

Sharapova and Shapovalov rock! Russians rock! All of humanity should have a place at the party. They do at the U. S. Open. The best sporting event in the world. Period.

[klacr]

I know women's tennis is an off-topic on this forum but I gotta ask, did Anyone see that Sharapova-Halep match. Say what you will about Maria, her technique may not be flawless, or net game is shaky at best, etc, etc...but damn does that woman compete. She's a fighter. Wild opening night at the open. I love this tournament.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Denis "The Menace" Shapovalov...Impressive

In a word...impressive. That is the summary of the play of Denis Shapovalov in his opening performance at the 2017 U. S. Open Championship. Next up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the #8 seed. Shapovalov went 7-6, 6-1, 6-2 over Daniil Medvedev who has been very impressive himself over the last couple of months including Wimbledon.

Interesting interview from Marin Cilic discussing primarily his preparation or lack of for the championships. He also devoted some of his airtime to talking about the balls and how they appear to be "lighter" which in his estimation slowed down the game somewhat. He doesn't appear to be one hundred percent confident or committed to winning this thing. Next up for Marin is Florian Mayer aka "The Quirky One". Florian has a rather unorthodox style and tactical approach to tennis that really can throw opponents off. Case in point...Marin Cilic. Cilic is up 3-2 head to head but the matches have been dogfights. Yesterday's "Sleeper" sometimes can quickly morph into todays "Cat Food".

Meanwhile Alexander Zverev is toiling away on Darian King with a two sets to love advantage. The "New Media Darling" is not exactly the Apple of his eye to my great and best friend who resides out in the Pacific Ocean on The Big Island of Hawaii. I wish I had the tape of our conversation...it was a scathing review by the acid tongued Ugly American. He doesn't spare any punches. Interesting guy...we stand on opposite sides of many things, climate change or global warming (whatever they are calling it now) yet the conversation always retains a sense of humor and sense of brotherly love.

[stotty]

An BBC article which covers some interesting points.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/41071538

[stotty]

Granted, but if the number 2 seed exits, the nr 3 seed should take his place.

Yes that would make sense. It unbalances the draw otherwise. I don't why Murray entered. He's been limping since Wimbledon and hasn't even looked like being fit for the US.

[don_budge]

who says I care about the draw? Just linking an article that might explain it better.
I'm wise enough to k now that if you wanna win a grand slam you are going to have to beat all comers, no matter where you or they started in the draw. I'm smarter than I look.

Will be at the US Open for a day and an evening session. Should be a blast. A little less conversation a little more action please. Let's get this tourney going!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Who cares?

Have a great time! PARTY...PARTY...PARTY! They repositioned Marin Cilic afterall. My post was a general posting. You're a smart kid. Just killing time. Denis "The Menace" Shapovalov up against another young tough cookie tonight. 9 PM here in Sweden. Right after NAVY CSI. Perfect day I would say. Walked the doggie three times so far. I will walk him again before bed time. That little boy of mine...PUNTZIE. He's my number one seed.

A day at the Open. An evening session to boot. Did I ever tell you about my day and evening session in 1984? Aaron's father gave me a coaching pass. I was face to face with Jack Nicholson at one point. Cheryl Tiegs too. John McEnroe came in just after beating Connors in five scintillating sets. It was the greatest day of tennis ever...so said Bud Collins. Go for it klacr...you only are young once.

[klacr]

Gentlemen...a word of advice from good old don_budge. Forget about the draw. It is what it is. It would actually be more constructive to go back to the video I posted of the great John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl to discuss the shortcomings of the modern game of tennis with the oversized bazookas. It's a sneaky way of promoting the latest darling...Alexander Zverev. I doubt though that even this manipulation will get him through in two weeks of best of five. A different universe.

All of the withdrawals are a thing of the past...the rearview mirror. Now the games begin and to the victor will go the spoils. At the end of the day it is only hindsight. It doesn't matter. The trophy will be viewed twenty years from now only defined by who won and maybe...just maybe...by who lost in the finals.

Andy Murray pulling out at the last second is another blemish on his character. It's become a large stain at this point. Probably one of the worst examples of a number one player ever. But it is fitting. This is how far the game has fallen. How far it has been dumbed down. By pulling out he has now done the draw a huge disfavor and in the process his profession. He has defied everything that was tennis etiquette...a word that no longer exists as the modern tennis brain trust rewrite history. By destroying the past they control the future.

The New York Times is a very poor source for information. On anything really. I hardly think of it as more than "Fake News"...right in there with CNN. They all parrot off one another. The article on Gail Monfils was pathetic. About ten thousand words too long about a bit player in the game of tennis. I didn't make it halfway through it. It was boring. Trying to drum up interest in an era where athletes are considered entertainers. I call Gail "The Amazing Mr. Monfils" in that vein. Speculation as to what might have been if he concentrated on being the best he could be. Instead of concentrating on being the number one hot dog in the game. I haven't read the article on Roger Federer and probably will not. Even though Roger being who he is. Who cares if he is slow to take it back and quick to finish. The New York Times will not change that reality because they say so. Consider the source...an important aspect of discernment.

Come on Roger. Injured back or not. There are drugs to render you superhuman throughout this fortnight. If you use them...use them judiciously.

who says I care about the draw? Just linking an article that might explain it better.
I'm wise enough to k now that if you wanna win a grand slam you are going to have to beat all comers, no matter where you or they started in the draw. I'm smarter than I look.

Will be at the US Open for a day and an evening session. Should be a blast. A little less conversation a little more action please. Let's get this tourney going!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The women. Don't forget the fair sex. Maria Sharapova versus Simona Halep, the number two seed, first round. Sharapova leads head to head...6-0.

[don_budge]

That matchup may very well happen. Nick certainly has the game. I really think he is the most talented tennis player I have seen since Fed, but I would be shocked if he reaches anywhere close to his potential career wise. Fed, as massively talented as he is, did that. Not many do.

Emotionally this is potentially a very tough draw for Roger Federer. A round of 16 match with Nick Kyrgios could be a huge drain on his resources and then he would still potentially have Nadal to deal with. It's going to be interesting. The depleted draw should give a lot of players a sense of belonging. klacr is thinking his boy Tomas Berdych is one of the them. He could very well be. The Sleeper?

The key for Federer is to get off of the court ASAP. The first couple of rounds are going to be real important. He doesn't want to get bogged down.

[stroke]

Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios also has a great draw out to the point where he may meet Roger Federer in the round of sixteen. Dominic Thiem also appears to have a bit of opening to gather some steam. Perhaps the depleted draw will make this thing interesting afterall. The silver lining.

That matchup may very well happen. Nick certainly has the game. I really think he is the most talented tennis player I have seen since Fed, but I would be shocked if he reaches anywhere close to his potential career wise. Fed, as massively talented as he is, did that. Not many do.

[gzhpcu]

Apparently Stan Smith started playing tennis at age 17.

[stotty]

I started rather late...14 years old was the first time that I touched a racquet and we didn't have indoor courts until I was 18 years old in my town. But enough about me. Let the match roll...Action!

That's late to start tennis and reach such a good level. You were just in the nick of time in that case. In my experience if a child comes to the game beyond the age of 15 they rarely reach a good level. It's just a tad late...the boat missed. I was 12 or 13 when I started. By aged 14 I was playing every day for two hours at least. I drove my parents and neighbours mad by volleying endlessly against the garage wall; the main reason why I became a good volleyer. But enough about me. Let the games begin.

[don_budge]

Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios also has a great draw out to the point where he may meet Roger Federer in the round of sixteen. Dominic Thiem also appears to have a bit of opening to gather some steam. Perhaps the depleted draw will make this thing interesting afterall. The silver lining.