U.S. Open R2 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Fognini, Rune vs. Isner

Second-round action wraps up at the U.S. Open on Thursday, when Rafael Nadal and Fabio Fognini headline the schedule. Another intriguing encounter pits unseeded American John Isner against Holger Rune.

Fabio Fognini vs. (2) Rafael Nadal

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “Nadal vs. Fognini at the U.S. Open.” And Nadal fans surely do want to stop right there, as the first Nadal-Fognini meeting in New York resulted in one of the Spaniard’s most infamous losses ever. In the 2015 third round, Nadal squandered a two-set lead and ended up losing 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. On the bright side for the 22-time Grand Slam champion, this matchup has gone in his favor for the most part since that blemish six years ago. He has won eight of their last nine encounters, including five in a row on hard courts–most recently via a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 beatdown at the 2021 Australian Open.

Although Nadal is a heavy favorite to improve on his 13-4 overall lead in the head-to-head series, he does appear to be vulnerable at the moment. The 36-year-old dropped his only match in between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to Borna Coric in Cincinnati and he also surrendered a set to little-known wild card Rinky Hijikata on Tuesday night. But is Fognini playing well enough to capitalize? Maybe not. The 35-year-old Italian is saddled with a losing record this season (17-18) and has plunged to 60th in the rankings. He has played 11 consecutive tournaments without advancing past the second round. That is where Fognini finds himself after outlasting Aslan Karatsev in five sets on Tuesday night, and it is likely where his U.S. Open road comes to an end. With a match–and his first win since Wimbledon–under his belt, Nadal should be on course for significant improvement.

Pick: Nadal in 3

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WWW: Nadal vs. Fognini?

John Isner vs. (28) Holger Rune

The Rune-Isner matchup is a much different story, as this will be their first-ever meeting. Somewhat surprisingly, it is Isner who is actually the unseeded player in this contest. The 6’10” American is understandably on the way down at 37 years old, but he remains extremely dangerous–especially on hard courts in the United States. He is coming off a quarterfinal run in Cincinnati, where he upset Hubert Hurkacz before falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in a three-setter.

Rune is up to No. 33 in the world thanks in part to a breakthrough quarterfinal performance at the French Open. Since then, however, the 19-year-old Dane has a horrendous 3-9 match record–even after beating Peter Gojowyczk in straight sets on Tuesday. Rune would much rather face Isner on clay, too, as that has been by far the youngster’s best surface in the early stages of his career. He already has a history of being unable to physically withstand long matches, so best-of-five situations are not ideal. Isner may not be playing well enough to destroy Rune like he did Federico Delbonis in round one, but the American has to be considered the favorite despite being lower-ranked.

Pick: Isner in 5

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193 Comments on U.S. Open R2 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Fognini, Rune vs. Isner

  1. Rafa should win this in str8ts!! I won’t accept anything less!!! And besides, my money’s in the line 🤣

    Vamos, Rafa!!

  2. Anyone nervous for this ?:-)

    Rafa should remember that fabio said rafa likely faked his ab tear during wimby ..I hope he read it..wipe the floor with that rude useless joke of a person

    • I am nervous sanju
      Rafa said he was nervous against Rinky so he may well be against Fabio and we know he is a shot maker.
      I didn’t know Fognini said that. I hope Rafa did read it and it fires him up. Pathetic!

  3. I am a bit nervous about Rafa playing Fog. I hope Rafa gets his nerves under control. His first match gave him time on the court to work off some of the rust and get his legs under him. Fog is not who he used to be, but players seem to get motivated when they see Rafa on the other side of the net.

    Fog is a piece of crap for what he said about Rafa faking his ab injury. He knows better!

    • What makes you think he’s not faking it? Do you know him and his team personally? Fognini does, so his opinion holds more weight than yours.

      And not only that, here’s got a strong motive to be faking it.

    • Just because we are nervous doesn’t mean he will lose sanju!
      It’s just that he is still rusty so the early rounds may be stressful..
      I won’t be able to watch as it starts in the middle of the night here…

    • Sanju,

      I agree with Amy. It’s not that I think he will lose. It’s that I know the history with Fog and Rafa is lacking match play. Each match will give him confidence and help him get into really good form. Fog is a pain. I do not like him. I know he is not in good form these days. But these guys seem to get motivated when they see Rafa.

      It’s just knowing that Rafa has played so little coming off the ab injury.

      • Thanks for saying that nny!
        I really hope Rafa isn’t nervous tonight and gets it done in 3.
        I won’t be watching as it starts at 2am here but wish you luck watching and really hope it’s stress free..

  4. amy,

    Well I am cooling my heels here as they have this women’s doubles match. Rafa has to wait until it’s over. I understand this thing with Serena but I am not okay with a doubles match in prime time, especially when it pushes Rafa back later.

    I will be there cheering him on. I am glad we are on the same page regarding Rafa!

  5. Why does Rafa insist on playing from behind the baseline and engaging in baseline rallies with Foggy, when he should know that Foggy’s hard flat groundstrokes are giving him all sorts of troubles?

    Why not step inside the court and shortens the rallies as much as possible? He’s losing serves so often, hard to win the match playing like this, unless he makes adjustments to his game.

  6. Well rafa tidied up third and fourth ,once again ended the match better than it started..even hit himself on the nose n bled..

    But but but this level just won’t get him past Alcaraz .no way ..he may be able to sneak past gasquet ,Schwartz , norrie but no way against Alcaraz ..

    Alcaraz needs to be taken out either by brooksby or cilic or sinner

  7. Rafa ended better than he started but that level first set and a half was pathetic…

    This level just won’t cut against Alcaraz ..he may get lucky vs gasquet ,maybe Schwartz , rublev ,norrie but it def won’t cut against Alcaraz ..Alcaraz needs to be taken out by brooksby or sinner or cilic

  8. Very poor first 2 sets from rafa. This level just won’t cut it going ahead. He may get lucky against Gasquet, Schwartz, rublev, norrie but no way will he get past alcaraz with this level.

    Buck up rafa

    I think if he to win this uso, he will have to dig really deep. 2 sets already lost ,God knows how many more.he lost 6 in ao, 3 in French..

  9. What a stressful beginning to Rafa’s match with Foggy! To make it worse I couldn’t get into the site last night. Not at all! I assume everyone else was locked out too, judging from the lack of hysteria here! 🙂 Grats to Rafa for finding a “solution” ™ after a set and a half. I had concluded that Rafa had a bout of amnesia and had forgotten how to play tennis.

  10. So Rafa did get it done.
    I was very nervous about this match because I thought Rafa was going to come out shaky and drop the first set. Looks like I was right.
    I am glad I wasn’t watching live.
    Although I am glad and relieved Rafa got it done in 4 ( I was secretly fearing it would go to 5 because of Rafa being nervous and timid) I am concerned he is so uptight. Am hoping and thinking this will be like wimby. Pretty dire and unconvincing play by Rafa first few matches at wimby then suddenly dramatically upping his level.

  11. I am actually quite surprised by how nervous and uptight Rafa has been. Judging by the comments I have seen as I haven’t watched the match. I expected him to be nervy at first but the difference between the scintillating form he is showing in practice and the litany of ues on the court is a tad worrying. I do expect him to settle and raise his level soon.

  12. Let’s cut him some slack. It is normal to ‘forget’ the usual patterns when you lack match play. He is getting better and better. Personally, I am happy with almost all parts of his game. He continues to go for more with his backhand DTL. I can see how explosive and lively he is on the court. I think he is poised to go all the way here for the 5th time.

    If he gets Alcaraz in the semis and Med in the final, sure he’ll be pushed to the limit but I think he’ll be ready.

    Couldn’t have asked for a better 3rd rnd opponent. Rafa can consolidate his momentum and build more confidence.

    • Well if you are happy vr then I am reassured.
      I didn’t watch the match and some of the comments I read from tennis journos about it were very disconcerting.
      I am expecting him to suddenly up his levels he did at wimby.
      I have been saying all year he was going to win 3 slams so hope I am right!

  13. The site looks very different but finally one can actually use it.
    Thanks Ricky!
    It took me ages to post comments and access the site earlier.

    • Thanks very much for posting that nadline. It’s pretty instructive!
      I assumed he was nervous and honestly was sort of expecting it hence my own nerves before the match.
      He said before the match he was feeling good but on court in a night match is a different matter.
      Moya is so good with Rafa! Thank God he is there!

  14. Rafa was very poor for 1.5 sets..tons of UE..but good thing is he ended the match better than he started..to make matters complicated, he even injured his nose and was bleeding..His post later on IG said all good though in presser he said there was swelling and needs to check it..

    VR..what about serve? speed? placement? different motion and toss..

    This level just wont cut against alcaraz and meddy..he may scrape past gasquet, schwartz, norrie, rublev but he has up significantly up his level against alcaraz, meddy..I am more worried abt alcaraz than meddy..someone needs to take carlitos out.

  15. Rafa was very poor for 1.5 sets..tons of UE..but good thing is he ended the match better than he started..to make matters complicated, he even injured his nose and was bleeding..His post later on IG said all good though in presser he said there was swelling and needs to check it..

  16. VR..what about serve? speed? placement? different motion and toss..

    This level just wont cut against alcaraz and meddy..he may scrape past gasquet, schwartz, norrie, rublev but he has up significantly up his level against alcaraz, meddy..I am more worried abt alcaraz than meddy..someone needs to take carlitos out.

  17. This level just wont cut against alcaraz and meddy..he may scrape past gasquet, schwartz, norrie, rublev but he has up significantly up his level against alcaraz, meddy..I am more worried abt alcaraz than meddy..someone needs to take carlitos out.

  18. It seems rafa even cut his finger during practice before the match and was bleeding..it means he is attracting injuries but something in universe is protecting him 🙂

  19. Finally! I was trying to get on the site last night after the match! I was going out of my mind in the first two sets! The crowd sat there in stunned silence. I had to stop watching in the second set, my system texted me that Rafa won the second set. Then I started watching again. I thought I would have a stroke. Fog? No way!

    Then when Rafa hit his nose with the racket, I freaked out totally! I thought – now what? Is he going to have to retire because of this!

    Thus match took fyve years off my life.

  20. Nny, sounds absolutely awful!
    I really honestly don’t know what to think about Rafa right now except surely he will raise his level?!
    I am so glad I didn’t watch the match. I haven’t tried to see it on replay. Honestly don’t have the stamina !
    Please let this site start working again!

  21. amy,

    I keep trying to get on the site but I can’t. My sister texted me that Rafa won the second set.

    Rafa could not get a single ground shot in gif a set and a half. I was thinking it was the abdominal. Then my sister texted something about calluses on his hands. Rafa was honest enough to say that it was one of the worst sets he ever played. He was just not competing.

    I think it’s the lack of match play. Rafa was playing so well in Wimbledon. Then that stupid ab tear. He came in cold. I finally watched the second set late last night to see how he did it. Fog played a very bad game after Rafa held his serve. So Rafa took advantage of the opportunity abd gut the break. Then the crowd went crazy. Somehow he played his way out of trouble.

    He is so injury and accident prone! I couldn’t believe my eyes when his racket bounced into his nose! It was insane! I thought he might have to retire.

    You were smart not to watch it. I couldn’t get to sleep after it was over. I don’t have the stamina! I am hoping that playing Gasquet will be better for him. But I just don’t know what to think after this match.

  22. BTW rafas current level just won’t cut it .he has to improve ..there is no way he can get past alcaraz and meddy with this level…I am more worried about alcaraz than meddy ..someone needs to take carlitos out

  23. sanju I am glad you said that because it is true. Some tennis journos said they couldn’t remember Rafa playing so badly and Ricky himself was scathing. To.use a phrase of nny’s ‘ we need to keep things real”. It’s obvious he isn’t playing anywhere near his underlying level in practice.
    Meanwhile Alcaraz was scintillating in his last match.

  24. Rafa has to get into top form right now from this match…

    He may get past schwartzman with struggle but tiafoe can take him out on this fast court if he does not improve..

    Amy ..3 slams seems doable ?

    Im still surprised VR thinks his level is good enough

  25. 3 slams is still doable if he improves pronto sanju. But for now let’s be cautious as we agreed before the tournament started. It’s best not to raise our expectations and then be cruelly disappointed.
    I am a bit concerned about the video nadline posted and him saying he felt very anxious. Is the stress of all.these injuries starting to affect him as it has done before?
    There is absolutely no point thinking about future opponents such as Alcaraz right now. Alcaraz may well go out to Sinner but if Rafa doesn’t improve a lot he is not going far in the tournament anyway.
    Please don’t think I am being negative. I am not but I still think we should be cautious.
    I respect vr but I don’t agree with his point of view as things stand right now.
    If Rafa is nervy I would far rather he plays Tiafoe than Diego because he gets nervous against Diego.
    Let’s hope for a big improvement today!😀😀

  26. PS I did expect him to be nervous and look vulnerable in the early rounds because of the injury and lack of match play so none of this is surprising. But I am surprised he was playing quite so badly in sets 1 and 2 against Fog.
    It may mean nothing much in the scheme of things though. It’s entirely possible his game suddenly comes together on court and he grows in confidence. That’s what I was expecting beforehand.😀

  27. He says he is practicing very well and his game in match is not matching as in practice .I hope it will come together today and stay that way..

    Amy do u have his average serve speeds QST n 2nd in 2nd round…

    The anxiety thing maybe a lot to do with fog as he did lose to him here under the lights ..it disappeared as soon as he won second.. he played well post that..he can’t afford those slow starts .these slow starts every match is what killed Novak last year in final…he had nothing left for the final…

  28. I know that he is practising extremely well so that his underlying level.is there.
    He wasn’t on court long against Fog. It was less than 3 hours.
    Sorry I can’t find his serve speeds sanju….

  29. I watched most of Andy Matteo yesterday. Matteo served really well and could well.have won in straights with all the bps he squandered in the third set.
    Think he may start to play better with this win under his belt. His quarter is pretty much open now as I remember so could go to the semis.

  30. Gosh Alcaraz is playing well! But Brooksby is pretty hopeless, just hanging on for grim death.
    Coric really should have beaten him as he could have given Alcaraz a real match. Brooksby is a lightweight up against a heavyweight.

  31. Hi Amy!! Yes, I’m watching that match……..I don’t want to say it’s boring but….. if Brooskby doesn’t find solutions this match will be over pretty quick. Y is he entertaining long rallies with Carlos, disaster in the making! Sigh!!

    I can’t wait for Rafa”s match tonight! Even if it’s Gasquet but given that Rafa has started slow in all his previous matches there’s no telling what’s going to happen tonight, lol!! This will be my first live match with Rafa! Other than that alls well at the US Open!! Vamos!!

    By the way, I was having tons of trouble posting on here the past few days. Did Ricky do an upgrade? 😄

  32. I am having a lot of trouble getting on this site. I wish Ricky could get this site straightened out.

    On VB they put up a video of Rafa and Moya talking during the match with Fog. I have been dying to know what they said.

    Rafa came over and said molts ansietat. That means a lot of anxiety. Moya trued to calm him down saying, sortira, sortira, meaning it will come.it will come. Moya was trying to calm Rafa down. He was cheering him on and giving him fist pumps. That was when Rafa started coming back in the second set,

    Moya is so important to Rafa. But to hear Rafa talk about a lot of anxiety was very concerning. It is hard to come into a slam with no match play.

    Rafa needs to pick it up because there are tough opponents ahead. The injuries are really taking a toll. The inability to have the right preparation for a slam, makes it a lot harder.

  33. Nny, nadline posted that video with the translation yesterday. I mentioned to sanju further up the thread on the previous page I was worried about him saying he was very anxious. I said to sanju that I hoped the stress of all.these injuries plus carrying one which he says is dangerous ie it may suddenly get worse, wasn’t the cause of the anxiety ( I mean at an underlying level.causing uncons cious levels of stress).
    Of course there are many factors.
    It’s very telling in the video that although Rafa has 3 coaches he is primarily interacting with Moya who is the voice of calm and authority. Thank God he is there.
    I agree that he really needs to find the exceptional form he is showing on the practice court in matches asap.

  34. Beast mode on today. Much very as I expected. He’ll keep getting better and better. His movement is so explosive, his court positioning is exceptional and he is stepping up to take the forehand CC on the rise which is one of the signs of extreme confidence.

    Rafa’s getting tougher and tougher with every match. Competition is going to get tougher but he is the favourite.

  35. I’ve only watched one Brooksby match and was bored out of my skull by that pusher, in fact he’s a pusher’s pusher! Never again!

  36. amy,

    At least I can get on the site. So you saw the video. Rafa clearly says in Spanish that there is too much anxiety. I have to believe that the injuries have taken a toll. Then the lack of match play.

    I saw the match with Tiafoe today. He seems to be getting more confident with each win. He was talking smack about beating Rafa. I do not like that. Do it on the court and just shut up!

    Rafa will have to be ready because there are no easy matches from here on out.I did not like the way Rafa let Gasquet in the third set. Maybe because the match was so lacking in competitiveness. I have doubts about the serve.

    That video of Moya talking to Rafa and calming him down, showed me something. Rafa needs Moya. The ESPN commies said that someone in Rafa’s camp told them that he will get it together. Well it better be now because he will need it.

  37. Gasquet is a poor benchmark. He’s the complete opposite of Nadal due to his periodic laziness, and Nadal knows it. A straight sets win doesn’t mean much but I’m sure it’s given Nadal plenty of additional confidence.

    This draw has just been way too accomdating to him, for someone should be much more susceptible under normal circumstances, especially at his age.

    Let’s hope someone steps up to the plate in the bottom half of the draw and makes him work for it.

  38. Rafa played brilliant first 2 sets but what was that third set ..another shit show..

    Very nervous for the tiafoe match ..when I saw the draw first ,this was name that stood out as danger to me n was hoping for schwartz

  39. This serve will just not cut it ..I’m not sure if he is protecting it for further rounds..

    Can anyone tell what was average 1st n 2nd serve speed today ..us open website does not give it .he made 8 df today

  40. I have trued to post two comments. But they didn’t show up. I did not like seeing Rafa let Gasquet back in the third set. These guys have been playing for weeks. They are battle tested. They can hone their skills. Rafa has had one match, which he lost. I think that is the reason for the anxiety.

    I don’t like Tiafoe talking smack about Rafa. Do it on the court and shut up! But I will be nervous for this match. Rafa needs to step it up.

  41. I have trued to post two comments. But they didn’t show up. I did not like seeing Rafa let Gasquet back in the third set. These guys have been playing for weeks. They are battle tested. They can hone their skills. Rafa has had one match, which he lost. I think that is the reason for the anxiety.

    I don’t like Tiafoe talking smack about Rafa. Do it on the court and shut up! But I will be nervous for this match. Rafa needs tostep

  42. Nadal gets so many favours it’s unbelievable. All the players in top form capable of beating him will have taken each other out before they get to him. And then he’ll just pick off the one to win the title.

    Complete BS if you ask me.

  43. Let’s just hope Alcaraz can sustain his level so at least Nadal has a tough semi and final against Medvedev or Kyrgios. PCB doesn’t believe he can beat Nadal and Nadal doesn’t think he can lose, either. And we just saw what happened when those two conditions are present.

  44. Someone please just step up to the plate. That’s all I’m asking.

    Norrie and Tiafoe are both capable of the upset. Norrie is a bit of a hard head that doesnt go away mentally and Tiafoe understands biology. He knows he can go toe-to-toe with Nadal physically.

    Lebron James Jnr, let’s do this.

  45. My my all djoko fans desperately want rafa to lose ..don’t blame them..rafa fans would want the same..

    Rafa..buck up ..every round here on will be super tough ..tiafoe , norrie / rublev , alcaraz / sinner n med..

    Does cilic have chance against alcaraz

  46. Like NNY I’ve had megga problems getting on here. I have enjoyed lots of matches though.
    Such a shame about Draper and Dan. Expected Andy’s loss, that 2nd serve, never sorted out and now his movement is compromised, even more of a liability.
    Anyone else looking at their picks and crying, “You idiot?”

  47. I don’t think Cilic has much of a chance against Alcaraz sanju. Alcaraz was playing very very well against Brooksby. Although Brooksby simply doesn’t have the weapons to hurt him and Cilic does but he isn’t close enough to his best level.
    It’s against Sinner that Alcaraz will have his first big test and there is a good chance Sinner wins.
    My ? about Alcaraz is that he looks amazing against players who don’t have the weapons or are not playing anywhere near their real level. But he has gone down quite easily when he has faced players with weapons or back to their real level. So can be bring it when his opponent is playing really well?

  48. What did you think about rafa today Amy. Ofcourse he was better than first 2 rounds but it was Gasquet, so can’t read much into it.

  49. Think NK may well.beat Med tonight. If that is the case the winner is likely to be whoever wins the semi on the other side of the draw . Most likely to be Rafa vs Alcaraz or Rafa vs Sinner.

  50. Amy..did u watch rafa tonight what do u think ..I know it was Gasquet so can’t make anything out of it..

    Worried abt tiafoe? I’m nervous abt it..more than vs norrie or rublev as they are predictable ..tiafoe is not

    Nk won’t beat meddy .meddy will come fired

  51. Sanju, no I am not seriously worried about Tiafoe. Rafa is more at risk from a high seeded player if he is not on his game because they are better shot makers and match players.
    BTW, I am watching Rafa Gasquet on replay. At the beginning of the match they said that Rafa’s serve speeds were down around 5mph on both first and second serve from where they were at the AO. That’s quite a lot.
    However it is surely the case that Rafa will increase his serve speeds in the semis and final? The injury won’t just suddenly go so he can afford to do it in the very late stages. It must be stressful for him and the commies were saying he had moved his ball.toss which adversely affects the serve out wide. Anyway, it can’t be easy for him to adjust suddenly.

  52. This site is driving me crazy. I keep posting but it doesn’t come up.

    It looks like Berretini will win. It was a battle for a while. I want to see him get through. DF has a knee injury.

  53. Med is going to have a tough match with Kyrgios. But he is more mentally tough. Kyrgios will probably have one of his meltdowns and get another big fine.

    Med has a lot on the line. I think he will be ready.

    They decided to give Rafa his first day match tomorrow. Wonderful. I am nervous about Tiafoe. He is full of himself now.

  54. Matteo wins.
    Are we worried about Tiafoe?! I find him pretty damn i rritating. Good that Rafa finally has a day match.
    What exactly is there to worry about Tiafoe apart from his deeply annoying shirt ripping and bellowing?
    I am more worried about where Rafa is at mentally. That’s all that matters really.

  55. Are you both worried about Tiafoe?! Why exactly?
    I find him very irritating with his shirt ripping.
    It’s Rafa ‘s mental state which matters.

  56. Hello people.

    I’m not too fond of this new TG format.

    It is hard to get on, and by the time I get on, I don’t remember what I intended to say.

    I have to say this at least; I love the matches, and this USOpen is the best!
    I know my brackets are garbage, Fara Diba, but it is very much Okay because the tennis has been terrific. I regret choosing Halep to win, and I didn’t dare to leave the ATP final with Kyrgios where he belongs. And Rafa is the winner.

  57. Hello people.

    I’m not too fond of this new TG format.

    It is hard to get on, and by the time I get on, I don’t remember what I intended to say.

    I have to say this at least; I love the matches, and this USOpen is the best!
    I know my brackets are garbage, Fara Diba, but it is very much Okay because the tennis has been terrific. I regret choosing Halep to win, and I didn’t dare to leave the ATP final with Kyrgios where he belongs. And Rafa is the winner.

  58. amy,

    I am worried because I am not sure about Rafa’s level. You confirmed that he is serving 5 miles an hour slower. There seems to be an issue with the ball toss.

    I have seen Tiafoe and he is playing very well. He is kind of a big mouth and a hot shot. He was talking smack about Rafa in his presser. That made me mad as hell. Words mean nothing. He can’t psyche out Rafa. Do it on the court and shut the he’ll up! It’s bush league.

    I just hope Rafa is ready. I am worried about everyone because I don’t know if Rafa can get where he needs to be.

  59. I am having a lot of trouble getting on this site. I wish Ricky could get this site straightened out.

    On VB they put up a video of Rafa and Moya talking during the match with Fog. I have been dying to know what they said.

    Rafa came over and said molts ansietat. That means a lot of anxiety. Moya trued to calm him down saying, sortira, sortira, meaning it will come.it will come. Moya was trying to calm Rafa down. He was cheering him on and giving him fist pumps. That was when Rafa started coming back in the second set,

    Moya is so important to Rafa. But to hear Rafa talk about a lot of anxiety was very concerning. It is hard to come into a slam with no match play.

    Rafa needs to pick it up because there are tough opponents ahead. The injuries are really taking a toll. The inability to have the right preparation for a slam, majes

  60. I agree. It’s becoming so hard to post on here not sure how much longer I’ll bother.
    A pleasure has become a chore.
    If it’s to deter the ne’er-do-wells, it’s deterring everyone!

  61. https://www.atptour.com/en/news/carlos-moya-interview-us-open-2022

    ^NNY, you might want to read this to get some reassurance. I honestly think Rafa’s been serving well so far. The placement and spins are working pretty well and if he gets to the semis and final he can always ramp up the pace a bit.

    I digged out some serve speed numbers for those interest.

    Rafa vs Gasquet:
    1st serve average: 112 mph (fastest being 122 mph)
    2nf serve average: 99 mph (fastest being 109 mph)

    Rafa vs Medvedev (AO final)

    1st serve average: 116 mph
    2nd serve average: 99 mph

    The second serve speed is pretty similar. The serves do feel quite ‘lively’ and Rafa is not hesitating to serve and volley every now and then, which is also an indication he feels confident about this delivery.

  62. I just looked up Tiafoe on the leaderboards.
    He is #36 on serve and #51 on return. Those aren’t good numbers!
    My worry isn’t Tiafoe but Rafa’s state of mind.
    Nny, I understand your nerves. I won’t pretend I am not worried about that exchange with Moya. I already posted that I am and if he does get very anxious again then God knows.
    I still think Rafa will find a way through and win but it may be very stressful to watch. Unless Rafa starts well I am not looking forward to it tbh. It’s at a time I can watch but not exactly looking forward to it.

  63. I did pick NK to beat Med when the draw came out and for Tsitsi to go out early ( that one is kind of a given though). Saying this because my gut feelings have been coming out right so please God my Rafa to beat Tiafoe is also right as is my, for me, very unusual prediction early in the year he would win 3 slams.
    I never ever normally make predictions! !

  64. Fingers crossed, good people, that the Rafa from practice shows up in his match today! Rafa usually does rise to the occasion. Believe it or not, he actually enjoys this stress stuff!

    I really, really wish I were healthy enough to attend his matches. I think it would be easier with a lot of company!

  65. Amy I hope ur carlos losing to sinner comes out right. I am banking on your 3 slam a year 🙂 and rafa to reach 24.

    If both come true ,I am going to personally tell Mateo that you interested and to give it a strong consideration 🙂

  66. amy,

    I hope you are right. I thought that Kyrgios could beat Med. But I thought it might go either way. Med is not in his best form. The fawning by the ESPN commies is appalling. This guy is a piece of garbage. Being talented won’t change that. The crowd cheering for him was disgusting.

    I don’t think Tiafoe would normally concern me, but given Rafa’s state of mind I am worried. Rafa needs to step it up. These guys have been playing for weeks. They had a lot of match play and time to work on their games. Rafa did not have that. Hence the anxiety.

    I wish we could hear from Ricky about what is going on with the site. It is still not working properly. It takes too long to get on or pull up posts. I am with Margot. I don’t know if I will keep trying. You can’t have a conversation when it’s so hard to post a comment, I am still getting internal server error messages when I try to pull up the site. Someone wanted to bring down this site. They succeeded. We are left on the dark here, not knowing what is going on. To have it happen during a slam is especially frustrating.

    I will watch the match and just hope for good things. I wonder if Rafa will have problems adjusting to the day conditions for the first time.,

  67. Nny he has practiced during day time always…his level in practice has been great and he said its not translating to matches…maybe as it’s day and night difference…let’s be positive and hope for the best.

  68. Sanju,

    The roof was closed. It’s raining. My sister sent me that interview with Moya. It was great. He is so smart. He also really knows Rafa very well.I felt better after reading it. Definitely worth posting here.

    So they did change the serve to help avoid a relapse of the ab injury. Moya says Rafa’s speed is the same. Not five miles an hour slower. Moya is priceless. The voice of calm and reason.

    I feel much more positive now.

  69. Well I don’t know why the commentators said it was slower? Maybe it was then picked up again?
    Thank God for Moya!
    But Rafa playing under the roof with the humidity doesn’t cheer me up!
    Vamos Rafa!

  70. I just watched the end of the Norrie Rublev match. Rublev was playing well but Norrie was playing terrible. Didn’t look remotely like a top 10 player. He doesn’t have any big weapons and boy did it show today although the main problem seemed to be his ues on routine rallying balls. I have always been somewhat sceptical about him.
    Would much prefer him to be in the quarters rather than Rublev.

  71. Hey folks I have been trying to get on this site for ever!! What is going on? My comments r no longer being posted!! Hope it goes through this time!

  72. Hey folks I have been trying to get on this site for ever!! What is going on? My comments r no longer being posted!! Hope it goes through this time!

  73. Hey folks!! Finally!!! I’ve been here at the open since fFriday!! Things have been going great! Today I’m on Arthur Ash watching the women”s and waiting for Rafa and Tiafoe!! Happy for Tiafoe that he’s made it this far but that’s as far as my support goes for him I’m afraid 🤣🤣.

    Rafa is playing great in my view, of course there’s always room for improvement but I hope he brings it today!! Then after I await Alcaraz and Cilic……..hope both matches r great and r worth every penny!! 🤣🤣🤣

    Anyway, glad to be back on the site, felt like I had lost my right arm not being able to post! Looks like Rafa will be coming on pretty soon, Kvitova is getting blown away here!!

    #Vamos Rafa!!

  74. Yea Amy!!! I have been trying to post like forever, and others too it would seem 🤣🤣!! Oh gosh Amy, so happy to be back!!

    Rafa is coming on soon as the women”s match is almost done! Kvitova was a no show!!

    Anyway, the atmosphere is great!! With Pegula winning Tiafoe must be fancying his chances 😃.. But Rafa all the way!!

  75. Courier and Martina say his serve speeds aredown 5 mph!
    Courier says Rafa was diabolical against Fog..
    Come on Rafa, provethem wrong. They are all suggesting he will lose..

  76. Well Amy, u know how that goes!! They always predicting against Rafa but he’s tried of proving then wrong! He perhaps tinkled with his serve a bit to help with his injury but his groundies will c him through! He has many other weapons besides a serve! I mean Rafa has played his whole career without a serve and look where he is!! So what’s the big deal all of a sudden?! Sigh!

  77. After the treatment Rafa is serving bigger
    That’s good.
    This humidity doesn’t help him
    I must say this isn’t the first time I have been irritated by Martina as a commentator

  78. Don’t know what up today, he’s been serving well!! But I know he’s still fighting! He’ll persevere! 😀

    He needs to up his game fast!!

  79. Whatever Rafa does he NEEDS to hold serve!! The crowd is pro Tiafoe!! I think I may be the only Rafa fan there 😂🤣🤣🤣 but I cheering my heart out!!

    #vamos!!!

  80. Oh yes folks!!!! He did it!! Now I can breathe a lil bit better, still a lot more work to do!! 😃 but Rafa won’t go down like that!! I just love this guy!!

    Hope he opens up now and play his game!! Rafa still needs to serve better

  81. Yeah Amy, trust me I am!! 🤣 especially in second set when Rafa was 30:30 at 4:5 I think!! Rafa double faulted!! I was Vamosing like nobody’s business 😀

  82. Rafa”s issue is his return and serves!! That’s not clicking so he’s struggling with the rest of his game. And also he needs to be a bit more aggressive when he gets a second serve, He just knocks it back in!! Put pressure on Taifoe”s first serves!! Sigh!! Not sure what more to say there!! Hope he comes out better in fourth!!

  83. That’s not what Rafa said in his presser. He said there was no problem physically. He said he couldn’t push Tiafoe back to get better court positioning. He was not quick enough around the court. His shots were not penetrating.

    Rafa should know better than anyone else.

  84. Yes of course Rafa would never admit that he has physical issue! Since when Rafa can’t find solutions to problems on the court? And since when Rafa can’t do something on the court? It’s not that he’s never played Tiafoe before! Rafa”s serves and returns were MIA, that was his biggest issue!!! End of!!

    He needs to go back to Majorca and get well and come back next year in Australia to successfully defend his championship!! Vamos!!

  85. I can’t believe how much tennis has been reduced to just baseline game!’ The rallies r just ridiculous!!! Seeing it live at the stadium makes it even more astonishing!! Even Carlos” drop shots seem to be a thing of the past lol!!

  86. Oh really? So Rafa was not telling the truth? Why would he have to do that? Rafa told Moya that he had a lot of anxiety in the match with Fog. Was he lying then?

    End of? That is rude! Nobody should presume that they know more than Rafa or anyone else!

  87. I think all the injuries he’s suffering this year take it’s toll on him.Emotionally,mentally esp.
    His wife’s condition maybe played a part too.

  88. So much on the line and all hopes and dreams crashed

    No 23 , 5th uso to be highest , no 1..all dashed..

    However great rafa is , he also regularly disappoints.

    I think my prediction of 22 may hold good . My both favs Steffi n rafa with same slams.

    Rafa is too physically compromised repeatedly now to grab a slam more i feel .

    When I saw the draw ,tiafoe stuck out in my head like a red flag and I told about it repeatedly and here we are…

    Just disappointed

  89. Nadal didnt disappoint, he just ran into someone in his prime playing the tennis of his life that was at least on par with him physically.

    There’s was no excuses, he came into this match flying and was hitting down the line winners off smashes against Fognini.

  90. Sorry sanju. I feel bad for helping to raise your hopes.
    I don’t know what is going on with Rafa right now but he was off at many levels and we’ll only find out in the future.
    What he says in his presser doesn’t mean much because he has frequently said he was fine physically and then it has come out afterwards that there was a big problem. Eg RG 21.
    I think it was a mixture of physical and mental. The interchange he had with Moya during the Fog match saying he felt very anxious was a big red flag, plus the fact he was playing absolutely dreadful.
    You were right about the Tiafoe match!
    I haven’t seen any of his matches live and only excerpt s on replay, including none of the Fog match, which didn’t give me a clear sense of what was going on.
    In retrospect, the third slam he should have won was wimby. He might well have done so if he hadn’t had to withdraw.
    Onwards to next year!

  91. Mona, am really sorry your visit to New York to see Rafa meant having to go through this. Must have been very tough to travel all that way and then witness such a disappointing performance.
    Are you staying on long? Hope you get to see some good matches…
    I thought Rafa,was really really off mentally in the fourth set and I don’t know what is behind it.
    He has been off mentally all tournament and there has to be reasons. The toll of these recurrent injuries has really affected him.
    But that fourth round loss was one of his worst in a long while.
    Who will you support now? Alcaraz?!!😀

  92. PS Rafa doesn’t like talking about injuries in his presser when he loses. After he lost at RG in 21 he said his foot was fine! when in fact it was terrible and only admitted recently he couldn’t compete at all towards the end of that match. Plus I remember Moya saying he had reached a moment of complete mental exhaustion before they admitted to the physical problem. The 2 things are deeply bound up with each other. If Rafa is really off mentally it is because the struggles with injuries have just become too much for him.

  93. Anyway, let’s have some perspective! Rafa won 2 slams this year after being out for months and wondering if he would ever play again!. His AO win was perhaps his greatest win ever. He won RG with his foot anaesthetised including a massive win over Novak. If he hadn’t had to withdraw from wimby he might well have won that too.
    This tournament with the abdominal injury was clearly a bridge too far. He’s given too much emotionally and mentally.already this year and his fuel tank/ emotional reserves were running on empty. You can’t keep going to the well over and over again without at some point coming up dry.
    We have to be very proud of Rafa for what he has done this year.❤❤
    Thanks champ!❤❤

  94. Amy.. you think he has a slam left in him ? I frankly think he is done .

    Your view on Novak? I know everyone is thinking he will come back big next year but I think it won’t happen, it will be max a slam a year for him now on maybe till max 2024.

    He said in his presser that tennis is game of court position and he is not young anymore and does not have the movement . That to me tells a lot and he seldom says such things . I think he is just mentally exhausted with the injuries striking repeatedly.

    I won’t be surprised if he puts a lid on the year . He will be in race for no 1 only if alcaraz and rudd don’t make the final. Even if he does capture no 1 , I think it will be short-lived as alcaraz and rudd have played twice the number of tournaments he has and will continue to do so and there is no way he can keep up with it unless he wins a big one like atp finals or Paris masters.

    I think he should say quits to Laver cup too. Why play it if you have a ab injury .

    I’m supporting berretini ,jannik and rublev. I hope one of these win and I hope both rudd and alcaraz don’t reach the final. Rafa getting no 1 back will be the only solace to the otherwise crap show.

    BTW have Novak fans all over started group celebrations?

  95. sanju, I definitely think he has a slam left in him!
    This tournament was just a step too far after all the injuries he has been through going back seemingly forever to way before RG21.
    It doesn’t make any sense to say he has no slams left in him when he won 2 and had to withdraw in the semis of the third, otherwise he might have won that as well!
    I agree, and have said before, he is mentally and emotionally.exhausted. It will be great for him to go through the joy of having a child and be with Mery and surely he will call time on his season. I think he should. He needs to recharge at home and be with her.
    The things he said in his presser about lack of court position he has said before, including most notably in his presser after losing at RG21! !I have been getting a lot of vibes and echoes of that tournament. So let’s put them in some perspective.
    Many people said he was done then and he came back and proved them wrong.
    As for Novak, he has been extremely fortunate with injury but he will be hit by them at some point soon as he gets older. He hasn’t had to play in the endless stop start way Rafa has had to do with injury. But that will change at some point. It happens to everyone.
    Please don’t fallinto the trap of negative thinking when you are disappointed sanju! It’s not actually looking at things in the whole…This has still been a very positive year for Rafa and the foot treatment has worked!
    You were right about the match with Tiafoe! I am sorry. I haven’t watched him live and that didn’t help.
    Let’s look to the future.
    I like Matteo and Jannik. Hope that is the final. Either of them to win. 😀
    I am sorry again sanju.

  96. PS I don’t give a damn what the Mole Farm trolls are saying! I haven’t read them in ages and I am not going to go near them. They are utterly pathetic.
    Who cares what they say?! They spend all their time posting anti Vax conspiracy theories. No one can take them seriously.
    #22 over #21.

  97. Another thing to have perspective about is the fact that the USO is very very hard to win multiple times. No one has won it more than 5 times including Fed who last won it in 2009 when he was 28!
    There obviously are reasons for this eg it being the last slam of the year and people coming in beat up with fatigue and injury. Novak has had numerous surprising losses there. It just seems to be something about that tournament.at the end of the season.
    Given this is true for everyone, then obviously Rafa was going in with a massive disadvantage carrying a dangerous injury which could suddenly get worse at any moment. Also, with practically no match practice and having altered his serve motion which is extremely difficult to get used to, especially while playing a slam. In fact it’s probably downright impossible.
    I mean God knows what was going on with that serve given that the first set it was down 6mph, which is why he lost serve, and in the final set Rafa was hitting his second serve way harder than he ever did because he seemed not to want to be in any rallies. Courier said he had never seen Rafa do this and that it was extremely dangerous in running the risk of double faults and that there had to be some reason for it.I
    Just trying to put things in perspective!

  98. Sanju,

    You did say that Schwartzman and Tiafoe could be dangerous in the fourth round. I watched Tiafoe’s matches abs saw him play better and get more confident. That is the reason I was worried about this match. I also knew that Rafa was not playing well .

    I know that Rafa does not like to talk about physical injuries. But he will not lie. He answered a question in his presser about getting medical treatment and specifically denied that he got any treatment. Rafa is honest above all things.

    No one should assume that they know what was going on with him. We can only go by what he says and what we saw with him. I was not being negative about his chances. Amy said I keep it real. Well I do. I was looking at how well Tiafoe was playing and Rafa was struggling. He never seemed comfortable. I think this loss hurt, but he did say in the Spanish part of his presser that there are more important things in his life now than tennis. He is going to have a child. He said he would think about his future at some point.

    I do not presume to know what he will do. It has been a struggle all year with injuries. That takes a toll. Mentally he was struggling because he said so. That we do know. I was concerned about the lack of any match play going in. He did say that he wasn’t quick enough on the court. His words, not mine. He felt his shots were not effective. He looked very down after this loss. With what he has done this year I think he was disappointed. But it us clear that he has other things on his mind. Like his wife and the birth of their child.

    It’s too soon to awfulize. I am nit ready to say that he will not win another slam. He needs time to regroup. He will take the time to mahe the right decision for himself.

    This was a hard loss. To see him struggling was tough. I will not bother with the Novak trolls. They are not worth it. For now Rafa still has the most slams so they can shove it.

    There was a lot on the line. The 23rd slam, 5 USO slams, the no, 1 ranking. A lot to lose. But he just could not do it. He won two slams and we have to be thankful gif that.

  99. Sigh. Are we allowed to say anything about Rafa without being attacked, frequently gratuitously?!
    I am a Rafa fan not a member of a cult and I am going to say what I think.
    I have had it up to here with this authoritarian tone which is endlessly self contradictory.
    It’s getting out of control.
    PS Mona wasn’t rude yesterday you were. She may not mind but I am fed up with it.

  100. Don’t know what to say or think but I am sure with time this too shall pass and be behind us .

    Paris masters is 29 October and I think that is the earliest he will try to come back if he has to .so rafa has a good 7 weeks off ..i think he surely wants 1 ATP final title so may play i feel

    Pull out from laver cup rafa ..

    Rafa kept saying to Moya that I feel slow in tiafoe match, he surely was very anxious about something..I wonder if there is something on personal front..if you see his presser ,he said i need to go home and fix things..what is there to fix, if there is a pregnancy complication ,the doctor needs to fix it .i don’t know I got confused reading his statements and don’t know what to make of it…

    Neither of us expected the 2 slams this year at start of year ,they were won in heroic fashion .however this has been year of multiple injuries ,something never happened before..the time is surely near..

    I hope he somehow ends the year as no 1 but I’m not holding hope on that as if I want something badly for him ,he surely flops..ao 17, wimby 18, ao 19, wimby 19, rg 21, wimby 22, uso 22…

    The only exceptions were rg 22 and rg 20

  101. I didn’t know he kept saying that he felt slow to Moya sanju.
    Courier was endlessly commenting on him doing things he wouldn’t normally do and saying that it’s difficult not to think it’s because of underlying injury issues.
    If you are anxious then you get slower. I remember during his time of maximum anxiety everyone commented on how slow he looked on court. Endless reasons to do with ageing and losing speed were proferred then but as soon as he recovered mentally he went back to being super fast on court.
    I said days ago pretty much what Moya said as the probable reason for his saying he felt very anxious.
    It is a huge life change having a child. Surely he is going to want to spend time with Mery?
    Let’s wait and see.
    This site is becoming extremely difficult to use. I just lost a post after ages trying to access the site.

  102. There us no reason for the attitude. I am fed up with it! I am entitled to have my opinion. If you don’t agree, then fine. But stop with the gratuitous attacks becayse I do not intend to put up with it.

    Nastiness is not a response to anyone. You have done it before and I have had enough. I spoke about what Rafa said in his presser. His words. I spoke about what I thought about Rafa having struggles in the USO.

    Honestly, I don’t need to be the target of anyone, I did not deserve it in the past from you and I don’t deserve it now. Ink is rudeness when I read it. You obviously have an issue with me and therefore I am done with trying to talk to you.

    I have priorities in my life, like my health. Oh and by the ways my commend was directed at Sanju.

    Being a target of yours is not why I come here.

  103. There us no reason for the attitude. I am fed up with it! I am entitled to have my opinion. If you don’t agree, then fine. But stop with the gratuitous attacks becayse I do not intend to put up with it.

    Nastiness is not a response to anyone. You have done it before and I have had enough. I spoke about what Rafa said in his presser. His words. I spoke about what I thought about Rafa having struggles in the USO.

    Honestly, I don’t need to be the target of anyone, I did not deserve it in the past from you and I don’t deserve it now.is rudeness when I read it. You obviously have an issue with me and therefore I am done with trying to talk to you.

    I have priorities in my life, like my health. Oh and by the ways my commend was directed at Sanju.

    Being a target of yours is not why I come here.

  104. Sorry for the double post. I just thought it important to respond to being personally and gratuitously attacks on this site. There was absolutely NO attempt to be authoritarian in any way. I reread my post and think this latest attack is just someone looking for something that is not there.

    Rafa’s loss is difficult enough. Having to read this self-serving drivel is absurd. It’s hard enough to get on the site only to read attacks on myself for no reason. This is just shameful behavior. Take the hostility somewhere else.

  105. Nny n Amy.. just cool it please.. I read both your posts and I found nothing offensive in either . if anyone wrote that to me ,I would not mind even one bit ..just relax..I thought you both got along fine ..let’s instead channeling positive feelings both for ourselves and towards Rafa…

  106. Sanju,

    Thank you so much! I appreciate you stepping in. This is a difficult time for Rafa and for us. But I was really taken aback by that post from amy. I certainly did not mean to be authoritarian. That’s why I took the time to reread my post. I still do not get it. But I found it unnecessary.

    I listen to Rafa’s pressers to try and get information from him. He is so forthright and honest. But I could see it in his eyes. It’s painful for him
    I hate seeing him go through this.

    Again, thank you for stepping in. This should be about Rafa and just being grateful for what he has accomplished. But I do have to say that it has been hard to watch him lose our at Wimbledon, where I really did think he was going to win it and now this. A difficult ending to a year that started out so great.

    For my part, I am going to take your advice. It’s not good for one’s health to get into these kind of spats. I am still trying to deal with this loss. I hope Rafa can take are of himself and await the birth of his son.

    You have helped me a great deal. 😍

  107. Well, I am very sad about Rafa’s poor play during this USO. But, try not to hate on Tiafoe!

    The only upside here is if Tiafoe, Khachanov (!) or godhelpus Kyrgios end up winning this thing Rafa will become #1 again. I don’t know for how long. I doubt he’ll play again until Laver Cup or if he’ll play the WTF this year, what with the baby coming. If Ruud or Sinner win (my personal preference) one of them will be #1. I think.

  108. Disappointing when your favourite player loses (one reason I dont have one)
    I think I said at the start that we could be having a new champion and looks like I was right . Might even be Ole Nick. Great to see. I dont give a jot about the GOAT race.

  109. Kyrgios is his own worst enemy. He said in the pre-match “I’ll live and die by the sword”. His problem is he struggles to stay positive for extended periods which you absolutely need to win majors. You have to have such a consistent mindset.

  110. I just hope that if not Rafa for number one, at least the new number one would be the one holding this USO trophy, if not it may be embarrassing for the men’s tour (seeing the WTA tour was dissed for having a slam-less world number one in the past).

    As for Rafa, it’s not meant to be for him to win this USO. I knew Tiafoe was playing very well before coming to this USO, and knew that he’s one road block for Rafa; I was hoping for Schwartzman to beat Tiafoe but too bad for Rafa. Anyway the way Rafa was serving and returning, if not Tiafoe, it may be Rublev or Sinner or Alcaraz who could beat him; all of them are tough opponents for Rafa in his current state.

    Rudd is playing very well (I’m surprised he beats Berrettini here), but I’m not sure he’s able to win the trophy here.

  111. NNY, rude? No not at all. All I was suggesting is that Rafa would not want to mention any injury issues bcoz he would be criticized for it! Unless it’s obvious he would be willing to discuss it but if it’s something that he’s been struggling with all along and had not mentioned then he would never then raise it. Rafa”s abdominal injury has not completely healed. For me, it was obvious that something was hampering Rafa”s game! I was there! He can say whatever he wants, that’s a fact!! He couldn’t serve, he couldn’t return, he wasn’t even chasing down playable balls!! Rafa was a hot mess!!! Thank God at least he lost to Tiafoe who I happen to like very much!!

  112. Right now Watching Nick and Karen and I can’t tell who is going to win. Nick has a calf injury I think but took some meds so is playing better. Karen’s serves r out of this world!! These guys who r left in the draw r playing some good tennis and honestly it is nice to c. I am looking forward to the next set of quarterfinals tomorrow. I ended up with a ticket for Carlos” match, was hoping to watch Tiafoe but he”s been relegated to the day session, sigh!! That I find surprising considering he’s an American. Anyway, looking forward to some great tennis for the remainder of the tourney!!

    As for Rafa!! Two GSs in one year is a fantastic result!! He’s worse enemy is his body and age but he has the most GSs in history on the mens side so really and truly Rafa cant be bent out of shape for this USO loss. He knows that he was not fit! He can look forward to defending his AO title next year so he needs all the rest he can get considering how much bad luck he’s had at this tourney!!! I’m thinking some kind of silver lining here folks 😀! Vamos!!!

  113. Hey Amy!! Plz don’t be upset. I know sometimes we all can be a little testy but it’s all good, we all LOVE LOVE LOVE Rafa and should let that be the thing the binds us! 😀 U have no idea how upset I was when I could not get on this site! Now I’m happy all is back to normal in spite of Rafa”s loss! 😀😝

  114. Nick made a couple of fundamental mistakes.

    1. He was talking about winning the title after beating Medvedev. That never ends well because you’re already thinking the job is done after a big win.
    2. He came out with a negative mindset.

    Khachanov is playing career best tennis right now. It will be interesting to see how he backs up after two 5-setters.

  115. Nny, I am sorry for what I said yesterday. I regretted it straight away.
    Mona, I am really sorry you had to go through going to New York to see Rafa and then watch him lose! I really felt for you. That was the background to my getting angry with nny for saying you had been rude when you were just expressing what you felt.
    Sanju, your words are wise.
    I am writing in brief as I am really desperate to get some work done. Otherwise I would write more. Will try and write later.
    Love you all! ❤❤❤
    ps this USO is turning into a bit of a farce. It’s very NK to take out Med and then lose to KK. Very unsurprising. And I am disappointed in Matteo.
    I want Jannik to win the tournament now.

  116. Hey Amy, hope U get some work done today! 😀

    Yes, of course I’m always very disappointed whenever Rafa loses but there is always a risk that he will. In 2008 he also lost to Murray though I didn’t see the match. I’m ok honestly, I’ve been having fun, it’s par for the course. I’m looking forward to Sonner and Alcaraz tonight and will be watching Tiafoe this afternoon on tv. Depending on the line up for the final I’ll try to buy a ground pass so I can watch on live tv. After all, it’s what I came for, the tennis (I lie for Rafa 😂😂😂)!.

    As for Rafa, he really has nothing left to prove! He’ll be back! We will be right here again next year doing the same thing for each one of the GSs like we do every year!! But if Rafa chooses to retire tofay, I won’t be mad, he’s more than earned it and his legacy is cemented!! Enjoy the rest of the tennis folks!!!

    #vamos!!!

  117. NB
    I think the match between Sinner and Alcaraz is pivotal. Sinner has back to back wins so could take it. If Sinner wins the title is still up for grabs because he is inconsistent. But if Alcaraz wins then he takes the title imo. I don’t think anyone apart from Sinner left in the draw can beat him. Especially Kk or Ruud. I don’t think either of them can get close to him.

  118. Mona!!! Good to hear from you!!
    R u supporting Carlitos now?!
    The stars have aligned for him if he can get past Jannik. But Jannik has been a big problem for him recently.
    Off to try and get some work done!😀

  119. I forgot to mention yesterday that Rafa and Mery have been placed under a lot of pressure by the Spanish tabloids recently. First, they camped outside the clinic where Mery was being treated andcame up with false information. Then around a week ago they reported that in 2009 Rafa had had an affair with Shakira.
    This is a lot of invasive scrutiny and very unpleasant for Mery who is heavily pregnant with Rafa abroad.
    Maybe this also took its toll on Rafa who is a very private and sensitive guy? Seems possible.

  120. Hi Amy!!! I am throwing my support behind Tiafoe 😁. I am not sure who will win this tourney now bcoz tennis can be so unpredictable as we all know. I think most of the predictions for the latter brackets r all in the toilet now 😂 so I’ll just sit back and enjoy what’s left of the tennis. I have tickets for tonight”s matches and so I’m looking forward to watching Swaitek.

    As for Rafa and all those rumors it’s no surprise. At least now Rafa can be at Xisca”s side where he should be given the circumstances. Rafa and his wife know all too well that it’s best to ignore the tabloids! Wishing them all the best!! 🙏🏽

  121. amy,

    I have been trying once again to get on the site with great difficulty. Thanks for your kind words. Let’s just move on! Thanks to Sanju who cared enough to step in and be the voice of calm and reason.

    I am disturbed by the reports about the Spanish media being so intrusive during this private time with Rafa and his wife. It is very unfortunate. I am just happy that Khachanov beat Kyrgios last night. I watched the first two sets. After that I would just check the score online. I saw that Khachanov won the third set. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. But then I checked and Kyrgios won the fourth set. I just could not watch it except briefly in the fifth set when I saw Khachanov was up a break. Then I stopped watching. Finally I was going to bed at around 1:00: a.m. and I turned it on to see Khachanov being interviewed by Brad Gilbert. I was so relieved! I don’t know how he did it, but I am grateful! I saw the video of Kyrgios bashing two rackets after he lost. Good riddance!

    Now I am okay with whoever of these guys wins. I can just sit back and watch it without any emotional involvement.

    Finally this is for Sanju –

    You said that you think Rafa is finished winning slams. I don’t think so and here’s why – the way he played at Wimbledon. He was on fire. For someone who had not played on grass in three years, he just was playing brilliant tennis even with an abdominal tear.

    If he could play that well, I think he still has it in him. Too many injuries finally. It just all kind of caught up with him. I hope he can take some time and sort himself out and come back one last time.

    Again, thank you for caring enough to step in and keep the peace. You are a good soul! ❤️

  122. Oh and I wanted to add that I am with amy in being very disappointed with Berrettini. I expected better from him. I am not sure what is going on with him.

    Tiafoe and Rublev are going at it now. Quite a match so far. I am looking forward to seeing Sinner and Alcaraz tonight. I am getting g to like Sinner the more I see of him.

    This is for Mona –

    I should not have taken what you daud personally. I overreacted in the moment. I am sure that it was disappointing to see Rafa lose. I have been struggling with Rafa’s loss but am putting it in perspective. I don’t think he’s done yet, but if he decides to retire then I have to accept ot. He’s earned the right to make the decision for himself. He gave us as much as he could. He battled injuries all year. He still managed to win two slams and had a deep run at Wimbledon. He left it all out there. We have to be grateful for what he did.

  123. Hey folks!! I’m at the games, watching the girls battle!! It’s a bit chilly tonite but I bought some curry so hope that helps 🤣🤣🤣

    Anyway, looking forward to some good tennis in the mens and just wishing the best man wins!

    NNY, we’re all good. I love this site to bits and it is expected that we will have little disagreements, we’re human after all. So no worries!!

    Now onto my curry!! Vamos!!!

  124. Mona,

    Thanks so much! I just did not want to leave it like that. You did not deserve it. You are a good person, with great energy on this site. So I wanted to make it right.

    I hope you enjoy the tennis and your curry! ❤️

  125. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 @ Anon!!!

    Yes, NNY it’s really big of you to want to make things right, I like that!! 😀

    Now Swaitek is just making a mess with the field, lol!! I like her though! She’s about to serve for match!

    There r so many ppl here tonight!! I guess it’s the quarters but wow there is just a buzz in the air!! Like Tiafoe ppl wanted Pegula to win but that’s just a huge ask!!

    Whose staying up with me for the mens? 😁

  126. Ok NNY!!

    There r fireworks already in this match!! Alcaraz is being Alcaraz and Sinner is being I guess Sinner, lol!

    I can’t tell who may clinch this, currently there is not much between them!!

    Oh my gosh, Del Potro in in the house!! He looks so handsome!! Very nice!!

  127. Sinner has a match on his hands!! The lack of variety with those players” games will be their downfall!! Sinner clearly can’t bear Alcaraz from the baseline but Sinner does not seem to realize that! And his serves, they need to improve! If not Sinner better be packing his bags!

  128. One a piece!! Some gutsy tennis y”all!! Ppl r leaving at midnight, but I’m staying lol. May not get hope before 5 pm at that rate lol

  129. Sorry, Monalisa. I watched Iga’s quarterfinal – one of those old-time can’t-anyone-hold-serve fests! Too tired for the men, but I stayed up to see Sinner just barely eke out his 2nd set TB. I kinda think Carlos will win this though. I’m off to bed so you enjoy it for all of us!

  130. Mona,

    I have been watching it but am getting very tired. Even though it’s not that late for me. I thought this one would be interesting. I did see the women’s match. I wonder if this match will go five sets. Sinner was fortunate to win the second set. Alcaraz just got the break. These guys will be up very late tonight.

    If you stay to the end it will be a late one for you. I may not make it to the end.

  131. Hey folks!! So it’s Alcaraz vs Tiafoe eh? Sinner I believe was the better player, he should have won that match after all he served for it!!

    Anyway I got home at 4 pm this morning after the match, woke up not too long ago. So no tennis for me today, will visit the mall for some retail therapy! 🤣

    Have a good day folks!!! See u in the semis!!!

  132. Mona,

    Are you awake? After being up last night? I couldn’t stay up until the end. I admit to being gutted that Sinner didn’t win. He even had match point in the fifth set, according to amy.

    I can’t warm up to Alcaraz, though I respect his game. This is a tough loss for young Sinner, but he will learn and get better.

    You must be exhausted! Retail therapy at the mall sounds great!

    Will see you for the semis!

  133. Yes, he did have march point but Alcaraz was more gutsy!!! Sinner was too passive on a lot of those important points! Hope Tiafoe will not give Alcaraz those chances and take all the advantage of all the opportunities he gets!! Alcaraz has had two five setters, yes he’s young but that must take a toll at one point or the other. Like you NNY, I have not warmed up to Alcaraz either, not sure y!

    Anyway, c u guys at the games. I got a ground pass for the men”s semis. It’s gonna be another long day sigh! 🤪

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