US Open 2020

First topic message reminder :

Devoid of many top players or not, the USO starts on Monday.

I know some will feel that this is a devalued Slam with so many absentees. But others might reckon there are no asterisks (*) in sport. Jan Kodes, for example, is still 1973 Wimbledon champion despite the mass boycott.

What it does mean is that Djoko looks an almost certain winner in New York this time. I would have put him as favourite even if there had been a full field of players. What does that make him now? Super-favourite, mega-favourite, a shoo-in?

The bad news for Kyle Edmund is that he could face Djoko in the second round. Murray starts against Nishioka and could later meet Dan Evans. Konta begins against Heather Watson, while Cameron Norrie has a tough one against Diego Schwartzman.

Apart from seeing how far Murray can go, probably the only interest in the men's is to see just who will emerge to play Djoko in the final. Or have I got it wrong?

The women's Slams have been unpredictable of late even when everyone turns up so gawd knows who's likely to win this time. You could argue it's all set up for Serena but I don't think anyone is afraid of her any more and each of her recent Slam final performances have been really poor.

Thiem could do a Stan the Man and win two or three Slams (may be more, who knows?) at a comparatively late age.

As for the Graf-Seles comparisons, we'll never know quite how it would have worked out due to the stabbing incident.

In that pre-stabbing Wimbledon final between the pair, Seles won only three games. Graf constantly played the ball down the middle thus denying Seles the angled shots she would hit so ferociously.

Steffi's game was totally suited to grass, with her booming forehand and low-bouncing BH slice.

PCB having his way with Zverev 6-3 4-0. The German’s fragility on serve really is a big problem

Zverev playing so awfully that it makes his quarter-final performance seem like prime Federer in comparison.

Zverev suddenly stepped it up a level in the third set and it's two sets to one to the Spaniard.

Think the fourth set will decide the match.

This is one of the problems with Zverev, he’s goes life and death too frequently at the majors against players he should really be dealing with much more easily.

Of all the matches only the Thiem vs Medvedev would be the one I would maybe watch if I could find a live stream for it.

Well Zverev turns it around and gets through, despite an atrocious first two sets. He's gotten away with sluggish starts against Coric and PCB, he certainly won't against Medvedev/Thiem.

Maybe, as the underdog in the final, the pressure will be off a little and he can play his natural game from the start?

Woke up to find it's Thiem who will play Zverev in the final.

Medvedev had his chances in a match that lasted nearly three hours despite being only three sets.

The Russian was a break up in the second set and had a set point in the subsequent tiebreak. He also had a set point at 5-3 in the third set.

Thiem will be favourite for the final, IMHO. It could be that Zverev will play much better than he did in the q-f and s-f....and still lose.

Less pressure on the German in that he's at least made the final. Thiem, a r-up three times already, really has to take his chance.

I always just favoured Thiem to come through. He seems better-balanced mentally and has more experience at the business end of these slam tournaments. Medvedev had his chances but just could not take them. Carreno Busta did cause Zverev problems but Zverev ended the far stronger. Zverev does seem to go through bad spells in matches though. He cannot afford that in the final. I take Thiem to win in four sets.

I think this is Thiem’s time. He was considered just a clay courted but his development this year on hard courts has been brilliant. Factor in deep down he knows he should won the Tour finals and Australian Open, I don’t envisage the Austrian letting another one pass him by.
Thiem in 4 sets.

Yes, Thiem's a strong favourite for me too. He's been the best player of the tournament and should get over the line with his all-round game stronger than Zverev's highly inconsistent one.

Only way I see the German triumphing is if he starts fast, and Thiem tightens up because of the pressure of being favourite to win a Grand Slam.

What about the women's final tonight? I'm going for Osaka but it could be close.

Only danger for Thiem tomorrow is the fact that Zverev has not been at his best in the last two rounds and may pay a lot better in the final.

However, his best may not be good enough if Thiem is at HIS best.

Yes Osaka for me to win tonight. Maybe two tight sets or in three sets.

Congratulations to Naomi Osaka. Beats Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-3, 6-3 to claim her second US Open.

I hope even though there was no live audience to watch her play and cheer her victory, that she enjoyed this win more than the last one two years when she was reduced to tears.

I saw the 3rd set of this match and whilst there were a few errors at times there were a lot of competitive and compelling rallies and it was an enjoyable final from what I saw of it, with plenty of crunching winners from both players.

One of the key differences I thought was Osaka's ability to get a few more cheap points from that big serve.

Looking at Serena, I think she's done fantastically well to keep so competitive at her age, but there are a lot of players now who can beat her on their day and even in her preferred slams at Wimbledon and US Open there are at least 2 or 3 players you would put ahead of her as stronger favourite.

Great fightback. I saw the first set and Azarenka was bossing the rallies and Osaka had not formulated a plan. Evidently, she found a way. Congratulations to her.

So Thiem leads the head-to-head 7:2 against Zverev, having won all three of their slam encounters (2 at Roland Garros, and also this year at Australian Open).  

For me it's fairly simple - if Thiem plays the final like he has the rest of the tournament he will win.  The stats say that Zverev hasn't played anyone inside the top 25 though Coric and Carreno Busta ought to be ranked higher and have been in top 10.  The positives for Zverev are that he has shown considerable mental resolve in fighting back, though I would still be seriously concerned about his serving which has been v wayward with a lot of double faults.

Clearly the pressure is on Thiem to win and Zverev has v little to lose, though so far Thiem has handled the expectation in this tournament v well, most notably rising to the occasion against Felix Augur Aliassime and Daniil Medvedev.

My prediction, Thiem in 4 sets after a runaway start - with Zverev winning the 3rd and mounting a fightback with a slightly tense 4th set.

Saw the Osaka score when she was down a set and a break and thought that this could be all over fairly quickly.

Checked the scores not long after and Osaka was 5-3 up in the second set. Good win by her and experienced enough, now, not to panic if things start badly.

As for tonight, I'm going for Thiem. I'm expecting Zverev to play quite well....but still lose.

Everyone might like to look at a close-by topic about the next person to win a slam. Some of those polled opted for Thiem or Zverev so can say after tonight "I told you so".

I'll put my head on the block and say, I've got a feeling that Zverev is going to do it tonight.

Attila. Your hunch could be right. Zverev has taken the first set 6-2.

At 6-2, 5-1 we were seeing the best of Zverev vs the worst of Thiem. The Austrian came back into the second set with a break, but Zverev still closed it out.

Not only has Thiem looked tight and tentative, but his serving ability has fallen off a cliff.

Not over yet, however!

Thiem playing some brainless tennis if you ask me. I understand Thiem’s style is belt the ball at 110%, but if he used more slices and more up the court.

Thiem wins the third. Zverev was a break up at 2-1 then seemed to get nervous

Thiem wins the fourth set. Zverev getting more and more tight

Listening to this on US Open Radio in the background.  Apparently no one has ever come back from 2 sets down to win the US Open.

Zverev gradually getting worse and more error-prone as the match wears on - the opposite of the previous two rounds!

Who can hold their nerve better in the final set? Thiem might tighten up again now he's back level.

Zverev has a huge first serve but his serve seems to have deserted him.

These two have certainly given us a spectacle of a final.

Thiem breaks first game final set. Zverev wilting

No name Bertie wrote:Zverev has a huge first serve but his serve seems to have deserted him.

When he gets nervous his game falls apart.

Wow, Zverev breaks straight back aided with an incredible winner at 30-30, followed up by a Thiem double fault.

Some of these Thiem forehand’s are right handed versions of Nadal

Zverev second serve only 20% successful in this final set.

Big test now for Zverev - serving for the championship.

Thiem goes to the well once too often. Zverev serving for the championship

Love - 30
15-30
2nd serve: 15-40

1st serve: 30-40
1st serve: Thiem breaks.

Back on serve. Thiem to serve to level the fifth set 5-5

Thiem breaks back. Crazy match

Thiem breaks and will serve for championship

Now Thiem has a chance to serve for the championship. If not it will go to a tie break.

Thiem pulled out some stunning shots to hold his serve and then break.

First time the US Open CHampionship will be won on a tie-break.

Zverev breaks back. Tie break

Zverev had the mini-break and then double faulted.

Zverev crumbling on serve double faulted again but then held serve on a second serve, but Thiem now has the minibreak.

Thiem has two championship points.

Zverev saves one championship point. Now Zverev has to serve to stay in the Championship.

68 mph second serve from Zverev but Zverev holds. Back level 6-6

What a final what a win for Thiem. Deserves this success. Tough luck Zverev but he’ll get many more chances.

But Zverev loses his next serve so Thiem one more championship point on his serve.
Thiem wins. First man to come back from 2 sets to love down to win the championship and the first time it was decided on a final set tie break. A very entertaining and dramatic match deserving of a grand slam final.