Right well its time for another post on the US Open, which is getting really into the deep end now as I will cover the ladies and men's semi finals, which will see who will reach the final to have a chance to lift the champions trophy.
So to start as usual with the ladies we first up had Victoria Azarenk, last year's finalist, take on Flavia Pennetta, which turned out to be an error strewn but entertaining encounter, which had a real topsy turvey opening set with both players struggling on serve. However it was Vika that finally moved ahead to go 5-4 to then close out the first set, but in the 2nd Pennetta made too many errors, and she struggled to deal with Vika's searing baseline exchanges. And despite a last ditch effort at pushing Vika to 40-30 on her serve, Vika closed it out to reach her 2nd US Open final with a 6-4, 6-2 win. Vika's lack of form at the US Open it has to be said has been a bit troubling and in this match it continued as she really struggled on serve in this match, and that is something cannot afford to do against the likes of Serena Williams in the final. But we will just have to see how Azarenka will cope in the final and with two major titles already in the cabinet she is sure to raise her game. For Flavia Pennetta however despite her loss, she has had a great tournament and its great once again to see someone different in the last four in a slam in the ladies game, which is always a welcome change up, and her ranking will no doubt sky rocket after this.
Next up we had Serena Williams, the defending champion, who played against Li Na for a place in the final and this promise to be a cracker. However it wasn't really to be in the end and Serena was way too good for Li Na as she handed her a bagel in the first (she seems to have been doing that alot in this tournament!). In the 2nd set things started to look a bit more encouraging for Li Na as she managed to break Serena's serve early on, but ultimately it was to no avail as the American broke straight back and she went on to nab a break herself to go 4-2 up. And from here it was easy street with Serena closing it out with no real problems to reach yet another US Open final with a very convincing 6-0, 6-3 scoreline. Well there isn't a great deal to say about this match other than it highlights just how far ahead of the competition Serena is, and to say she isn't the favourite to lift the title on Sunday would be mad. As for Li Na well its a shame she was able to get more involved in the match as she is more than capable of it, but it just didn't materialise on the day.
So this sets up yet another mouth watering final against the world's two best players, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka. And who will win it?????? Well its hard to bet against Serena, however Vika has managed score up two wins this year against her, both of them on hard courts and it would be silly to dismiss Vika's chances of causing an upset. Also Vika is the only player that can really go toe to toe with Serena just now as no one else is capable of it, and she is also the only player that can get into her head. However it also has to be said that Azarenka has not been serving that well in this tournament so far and she will need to against Serena otherwise the match will be over real fast. But given their past two matches and last year's final, I think this will be another belter and Azarenka will push Serena hard, and just maybe if she does serve well, she will have a chance to beat her rival and clinch her first US Open title. So despite Serena being overall favourite, and given their last two matches I'm going to be bold and go with Azarenka in three tough sets, but it will depend purely on how well she plays, if she doesn't well its going to be a straight set drubbing with Serena lifting the title once again. But whatever happens I think the match if its anything like their previous Cincinnati final then it will be a real classic and one of the great US open finals.
Right so onto the men's semis starting with the first one (and why not) which was a rematch of the Australian open 4th round match between Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka, which was easily one of the best matches of the year, so this one had quite alot to live up to. And it sure did that as both men produced yet another thrilling epic battle, which saw Stan start off where he finished against Andy Murray, by playing some magnificent tennis against a very flustered World No.1 in Nole. The Swiss's power and precision once again left Djokovic speechless and without answers in the first set, which Stan took with a double break. In the 2nd set Stan continued his dominance over the Serb with another break, however the tide soon turned as Nole broke back and play went on serve into a tiebreak, which Nole take int 7-4 to level the match. In the 3rd set however, Stan was far from done as Nole once again played a sloppy service, allowing Stan to break and go 5-3 up and he went on to serve out for a two sets to one lead. In the 4th set however Nole was not done yet as he fought back and broke Stan to level the match at two sets all. And in the 5th we were treated to a thrilling contest, especially in an epic 21 minute game on Stan's serve, as he battled to hold onto his serve to go 2-1 up. But in the end against all the odds it was Djokovic that made the final break and managed to serve out the match with an ace to reach his 4th consecutive US Open final after a monumental epic 2-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.
There is no doubt this was one of the best if not the best match of the tournament so far, and it was yet another epic clash between two great players, which saw Stan Wawrinka throw everything at the World No.1, yet he still came up short. And I think in the end it was testament to Djokovic's sheer belief, will, and incredible fitness that got him over the finish line. But Stan once again deserve tremendous credit for putting up yet another great fight against the world's best player, and there were several moments in the match where it looked like he had Nole's number. And his performance at this tournament has shown what a great player he has become and just maybe he himself could one day become a contender for a slam, not only that he will no replace Roger Federer in the rankings as the Swiss No.1. Now who would have thought that! Anyway so well done to Nole as he has shown once again that really is the world's best player, or at least for now he is, as there is one man who might just have his number...
And that man was in the second semi final, Rafael Nadal who took on the talented Frenchman, Richard Gasquet for a place in the final. This was only Gasquet's second major semi final (the last being at Wimbledon six years ago) and he had a mammoth task ahead of him in trying to beat Rafa, who he has never beaten in his professional career. And this match proved to be no different as Gasquet had real answer for Rafa in the first set as he went a break down straight away and before we knew Rafa served it out to take the lead. In the 2nd however, there were more glimmers of hope for Gasquet as he broke Rafa's serve for the first time in the whole tournament, after going a break down himself. And play in the 2nd set went to a tiebreak, but in the breaker, Rafa took full control again and Gasquet choked on serve to hand a two set lead to the Spaniard after serving a double fault. In the 3rd set Gasquet looked like a spent man and there was no way back for him against Rafa's might who took the break, and the match came to a tame end when Gasquet capitulated on serve with a double fault to hand Rafa a place in his 3rd US Open final, with a comfortable 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 victory.
Well this match doesn't really do Novak Djokovic any favours (who claimed after his match he would watch from his hotel room with a bowl of popcorn!) as it sees Rafa in unstoppable form, and while he had one minor blip on serve, he never looked in any danger at all from the Frenchman. Rafa's form in his comeback this year has be absolutely exceptional and so far with the exception of Wimbledon, he has reached the final of every tournament he has played in, having lost only two. And given those stats it would be hard not to see him as the favourite for the final. As for Gasquet, well he looked a spent man by the end of this match, however he also did really well in reaching the last four at the US Open, and he too this year has shown some great form, which should stead him well in the future.
Sooooo that's the US Open final set between yet again, like the ladies, the world's top two players, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. And the question must be asked: who will win the title?????? This one is really tough to call, as they have both played each other more times any other two players have on the tour (this being their 37th encounter) and they both know each others games so well. Rafa has the advantage of having spent less time on court than Nole (at least I think so!) and with a comfortable win over Gasquet he will far more left in the tank for the final on Monday. And just like Juan Martin Del Potro did against Nole at Wimbledon, he might have left Djokovic tired out enough for Rafa to deliver the knock out blow or at least slow him down enough to eventually overpower him. But if Djokovic's fitness and form at the Australian open last year was anything to go by this won't be a factor (and possibly not one at Wimbledon either) and he will try and give his all in this match. But for me I'd pick Rafa to win the title in five hard fought sets, and although I don't know if they can eclipse their amazing 2011 final, I think it will come real close to match it in quality, particularly if it goes to five, it could well be one of the all time great finals.
So that's it for now, we have two potentially great US Open finals ahead of us in the men's and ladies events, which are both rematches of previous finals, and I will report back once we know who the champions are.
Until then by for now!
No comments:
Post a Comment