Steen Kirby (Tennis East Coast) – Stan the Man continued his career year by crushing a listless Andy Murray in straights, while Djokovic needed four sets to take care of Mikhail Youzhny, cruising in the first couple before a minor hiccup in the third. This match is, of course, a rematch of some of the best tennis of the year in Melbourne, where Djoker prevailed 12-10 in the fifth set. In that match, Djokovic was terrible for the first one and a half sets and Wawrinka was redlining it almost the whole time, but the world No. 1 still prevailed…just as he has in 10 of their other 12 meetings, including a straight-set win (with a retirement) at last summer’s U.S. Open. Wawrinka probably takes a set in this one, but unless Djokovic comes out as listless as Murray did, he should advance.
Djokovic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Ricky Dimon – Djokovic-Wawrinka at the Aussie Open is arguably the match of the year to date, producing inspirational tennis from both men once the Serb woke up late in the second set en route to a 1-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-7(5), 12-10 triumph. Wawrinka has endured his fair share of heartbreak on the court in 2013, but he is back in peak form when it matters most. The Swiss got past Berydch–who had been playing great ball, himself–then clobbered Murray. Djokovic is playing far better than he did in Cincinnati (he actually played well in Montreal despite losing to Nadal), but he has labored through a few brief walkabouts in New York. The result should be a competitive affair on Saturday, but this is Wawrinka’s first major semifinal and Djokovic is far more accustomed to this kind of situation. Djokovic 6-3, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4.
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(2) Rafael Nadal vs. (8) Richard Gasquet
Steen – Gasquet accomplished some career milestones by reaching his second Grand Slam semifinal (Wimbledon 2007), his first semi at the U.S. Open. He avoided a collapse by beating David Ferrer in five sets on Wednesday and now he has to play the most dominant player in the draw whom he has never beaten as a professional (0-10). But they haven’t played since 2011. Nadal drubbed Tommy Robredo in the quarters and while Gasquet had his backhand firing against Ferrer, it’s hard to expect him to even get a set here. Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Ricky – Not only is Nadal a perfect 10-0 lifetime in the head-to-head series, but he has also won 14 consecutive sets against Gasquet dating back to the 2008 Toronto Masters. Gasquet is playing stellar tennis this fortnight and he showed rare mental strength against Ferrer, but he needed 10 total sets to get though his last two matches–including four hours and 40 minutes against Raonic. Sure he has a lot of recovery time, but anything less than 100 percent is a death wish for anyone–not just Gasquet–against Nadal right now. The Spaniard is undefeated on hard courts in 2013, he has dropped only one set at the U.S. Open, and he looked borderline unbeatable against Robredo. Nadal 6-2, 6-2, 6-2.
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NY Times have to go there about Nadal vs. Federer. Of course, Federer fans come out to defend their man’s GOAT title:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/06/sports/tennis/in-federer-nadal-rivalry-best-debate-is-yet-to-come.html?_r=0
Agree with the picks. Stan is not going to take Novak out which means Novak gets to keep the #1 spot even if Rafa wins the tournament. Bummer. However, with his strong showing at Flushing, Rafa will be year end #1, no question.
If Rafa wins the USO it will only be a matter of time before he is #1. I hope Djoker doesn’t make the final and Rafa wins. That would be awesome.
Ah well, I guess Tan will soon be doing regular checks on the rankings to see where Roger’s at!
^^*Stan*
should be a close race to the end of the year (the Swiss one, not the world No. 1 one)
So why will there not be a close finish to Year end World No 1? You see a clear contender, if yes who? Novak or Rafa?
I think Roger’s #7 ranking is safe. Tsonga is sidelined and there is too big a gap between Roger and Gasquet or Wawa.
people actually care if a No. 7 ranking is safe!?!?!
If Wawrinka wins in SFs, he will rise to No. 5 – 6 and Federer will drop to No. 8 in the ATP race rankings (race to London).
Wawrinka and Gasquet are not far behind Fed:
7. Roger Federer – 3055 points
8. Stanislas Wawrinka – 2925
9. Richard Gasquet – 2765
10. Jo Wilfried Tsonga – 2455
good stuff. the race this year could be more interesting than usual.
I have an innate dislike of the goatdom discussion which rages on all the forums. Watching the 40 year celebration for the living No.1s for me underlined the futility of elevating just one man above all others to crown as the ultimate GOAT.
I am lucky enough to have seen all of the players gathered there in action in their prime and hate the lack of respect shown to them by the spurious arguments laying claim to Federer’s right to be crowned as superior to the legends of tennis who went before him.
Ditto, ed251137 re the GOAT discussion. And frankly, there is an air of desperation nowadays about it. What I find pretty perculiar is that hardly anybody argues against Fedfan’s coronation of Fed as GOAT and yet they feel they have to constantly justify Fed’s GOAT status! I guess we know who the real sceptics are………..
ritb,
Did you notice on tennis-x that the post-mortem continues about Fed’s loss? Someone even felt compelled to post something about letting go of it and talking about the tennis still being played at the USO. Reams of posts going over and over this match and what Fed should do, what Fed shouldn’t do, why he lost, get a new coach, don’t get a new coach, do this, do that, and on and on and on.
It’s too bad that they can’t see the simple truth – Fed is getting old as all great champions must. No one is exempt from it. I think they are terrified that Rafa is going to be able to catch Fed’s record of 17 slams. Seeing him in this kind of form has made them cling even more tenaciously to the whole GOAT propaganda.
Tough times for them.
ed,
You have made so many great posts over the years that I have been privileged to chat with you, but this one will rank as one of my all-time favorites! Thank you for saying it! I am in complete agreement with you!
It’s interesting that you brought up the recent celebration of all the #1 players in the last 40 years. I had the same thought as I watched them – I have been fortunate enough to see them all. You know that I despise the whole GOAT argument and refuse to even participate in any discussion about it. It’s an insult to the great champions who have graced this sport in prior eras. I was reminded once again how each of these players has contributed something unique and special to this sport. They have helped to make it what it is today.
That celebration was one of true greatness over the decades and years past and present.
NNY: Thanks for your kind words. When you have seen half a century of tennis It sure is difficult to be patient reading the endless justifications put forward by the obsessive Fedups.
ritb raises the interesting point that it’s relatively rare for fans of other players to become embroiled in the discussion. I guess Fedups believe if they recite the mantra often enough it will come to pass.
Really disappointed to see Andy play, god he was so bad and so passive, he got whacked on the court. This is the biggest issue with Andy – you just dont know which Andy will turn up. This means we wont get a long Andy-Djoko semi and Novak will come well rested for finals which will mean difficulty for Rafa.
I think Novak – Rafa if in finals is anyone game, can go either way, it will be brutually contested and both guys will give their all on court . Hope Rafa wins 🙂
Stan – Please push Novak a lot and Gasquet – please dont trouble Rafa 🙂
Amen
Lol u guys 🙂 As a “neutral” I want 2 intensely fought grueling 5 set semis…;) Well, I can hope…..
I also want the final to go to 5 sets… but I want Rafa to win all of them 🙂
It anyways wont be a straight setter that is for sure . Minimum 4, likely 5.
I don’t see the semifinals going five sets. That would surprise me. I think Gasquet has worked hard to improve his fitness and is reaping the rewards. But I think he’s going to come up short against Rafa. I am not sure that we will see a similar score line to the Robredo match. I think it will be more competitive. I think that I voted for Gasquet winning 11-13 games. If I am wrong and it’s a blowout, that won’t bother me. 🙂
As for Djoker and Stan, I don’t see this being a straight sets match. If Youzhny could get a set off Djoker, then so can Stan. I wonder if Stan will keep in mind that tough match he lost against Djoker at this year’s AO. I remember that he broke down and cried after the match. He was that close! Will that give him more determination this time? He is playing some outstanding tennis. But I think that Djoker got a little wakeup call with Youhzny taking that third set. He really did go walkabout in that third set and it cost him. There was even the sight of Djoker double faulting away a break. He got himself together and righted the ship by shutting out Youzhny in the fourth set. I think the sets should be competitive and the scores close.
Honestly, I don’t even want to think ahead about the final. I know it seems like a foregone conclusion that Rafa and Djoker will be there. I do think it will happen. I just don’t want to think about how it will play out. We know how it will go – how it always does with these two guys.
@nny 8:04 am;
I have likened the Fedfan reaction to Fed’s recent loss to going through the 5 stages of grief, they are now at the bargaining stage. It reached poignancy levels when one of the hard-core Rafa haters there (therefore, a hardcore Fedfanboy) said Fed needed to grind more to win. He probably did not realise it, but this was as good as conceding that Rafa’s game wins. Coming from people who have spent their entire tennis-fandom lives disparaging and excoriating grinders, this was……………priceless. Any chance they will soon concede clay court tennis players are the best? I am not holding my breath…….
Karma truly is a biatch………..
Ribt, i know what you mean. I see the kind of comments they make about Federer needing to play every point like its match point, that the fire has died in him unlike Rafa and Novak, that he needs to run more and be more patient………..all the things they had dislked about Rafa’s game in the past and Novak’s to some extent, they are now suggesting that Fed add to his game. I just sit back and laugh……….indeed!!!!
You make an interesting point @mona, Novak grinds as much as Rafa, if not more, but the Fedfans call him a genius! Why, because he is the closest (in their minds) that will come to stopping Rafa. But hey, I’ve noticed a cooling off in the Novak love-fest lately………..hmmmm.
Next they will be suggesting Fed hire Uncle Toni………..
But seriously though, Fed could do no worse than hire a Spanish coach right now.
Hahaha! Even the High Priest of “beautiful Fed tennis”, Bodo, has “beautiful and brutal” in the same sentence in describing a tennis match:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/09/beautifully-brutal-tennis/49067/#.Uir82z9RCDc
ritb,
I read that comment! I know exactly who you are talking about! I could not believe my eyes when I saw it! Wow, was all I could think! That just says it all. They really are going a bit nutty these days. Losing it completely!
I do have to give respect to Fed fans like abhirf. He has always been fair. There were a few others on TT. But the rabid Fed fans, the ones who hate Rafa with every fiber of their being, give the good ones a bad name.
I do not think djokovic will have it easy against stan. I am not convinced djo will lose to stan BUT, I feel this could be a really tough match…. chances are low but I do have in mind the possibility of a 5 setter…
nadal will roll over gasquet though !
stan has really toughened up mentally…and the results are there for the showing…
according to greg sharko, stan is 7-7 vs top 10 players this season …he is 7-28 for the previous three seasons combined
What does he mean 7-7 vs top 10 players this season? Didn’t Stan lose to Rafa at RG quarters, and wasn’t Rafa a top tenner then? And he lost to Rafa in Madrid 2013 final too……..
The beauty about Stan’s game is that it is not heavy on defense, so he does not expend too much energy out there even if he plays a 5-setter. Gasquet, otoh, tends to get yanked from side to side during matches, and that takes a toll…..
ritb, yeah he lost those two matches to rafa this season and they are part of the 7 loses he has had against top ten players this season..he has won 7 and lost 7 ! in the previous three years he was 7-26
and i agree, stan’s game is not based too much on defend even though he can defend really well…he is a complete player
Thanks @vamosrafa, I understand now……………………….
Heartening to see Stan do so well… Should be a cracker against Novak. The marathon at AO earlier this year will be playing on both their minds.
Will Stan fold – if again under pressure – or will he exact vengeance?
As much as I’d welcome that, hard to look beyond Novak in this… But should he suffer lapses, a dialled-in Stan could do the unthinkable.
Hoping for a great match!
PS: Fleeting thoughts on Stan’s rise… http://www.sportsbox360.com/editorial-14678-tennis-stan-and-deliver
which SF is first?
I read on another blog that Djokovic/Wawa would be first. Don’t known the source of that info as the Saturday OOP is not yet out.
You tell us 🙂
Day 13: Saturday, September 7
Arthur Ashe Stadium
12:00 pm
Men’s Singles – Semifinals
Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1]
vs.
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [9]
Not Before: 2.50pm
Men’s Singles – Semifinals
Richard Gasquet (FRA) [8]
vs.
Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]
http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/s…chedule19.html
the best part is “not before 3:30”
LOLOL
Nole played QFs after Rafa so he should play his SF also after Rafa.
Whether this happens or not remains to be seen.
I voted ’11-13 games to Gasquet’.
Keep your mind focused, remain confident and be strong like a lion, Rafa!
I am going to the Semis!! Woo Hoo!!
epic
Wow!
While I do have to admit that Fed is my all time favorite player, and I am not too hung up on the GOAT issue one way or the other, and I too have seen all the greats going back to Laver and Newcombe.
In the semis I like Rafa in 3 relatively quick sets, and Joker in 4….then an amazing final on Monday!
Djokovic-Wawa first
not sure why