Rain Ravages The US Open (Again); Roddick v Del Potro, Djokovic Heldover
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When you play the US Open you don’t just battle an opponent across the net, you also battle the rain. For the umpteenth time in recent memory rain again stole most of a day from the tournament, forcing the inevitble discussion of a roof and a Monday final.
The rain, a product of the leftovers from Hurricane Isaac, began early just after first ball at 11am, then interrupted play a handful of times before finaly sending all the players scurrying home around 9pm.
The lucky few were just that, a lucky few. Victoria Azarenka overcome a lengthy rain delay to dash the hopes of defending champion Sam Stosur in a third set breaker. The win moved the top-seeded Azarenka into her first US Open semifinal and kept her on top of the WTA rankings for a few more weeks.
Later, David Ferrer managed to get his match in against my semifinal pick Richard Gasquet in straight sets. Ferrer is a former semifinalist and the favorite to spell Rafa this weekend.
And that was it. At the end of the day, only Azarenka and Ferrer were the only two matches completed. The other four all began but were postpoened to Wednesday.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic seems sound in leading Stan Wawrinka 2-0. His countryman Janko Tipsarevic has a 5-2 leadd on Phil Kohlshreiber and Marion Bartoli enjoyed an early hammerlock on 2006 winner Maria Sharapova up 4-0.
In the main event this evening, Andy Roddick resumed his final event against fellow former champ Juan Martin Del Potro. Roddick came out red hot breaking an irratated Delpo who seemed unhappy with the wetness of the court (he toweled off the lines himself at one point!) to jump out to a 5-2 lead. But the Argentine clawed his way back to get it to a breaker. Roddick won the first point on his serve before the rains returned.
Having watched Roddick for many years, I can’t recall him being failing to close out a set from 5-2 too many times, if ever, at the US Open. The fact DelPo got his teeth back into it that quickly and easily tells me it could be a finale for Roddick tomorrow.
Regardless, because of the weather the men on the bottom half will have their work cut out if they want to win the title. If the tournament still plans a Sunday men’s final, the finalist from the bottom half – Djokovic, Roddick, Del Potro or Tipsarevic for example – will have to win four hardcourt best-of-5 set matches in five days. That’s a lot of tennis. And after a grueling summer, what a tough ask.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer once again has had the schedule go his way. Thanks to a Mardy Fish withdrawal Federer hasn’t played since Saturday and his match against Tomas Berdych is on schedule for Wednesday night when the rain is forecasted to be lone gone from the New York area. Sometimes it’s good to be the king!
Then again, Fed’s main rival, Andy Murray, also benefits. The Scot who is also still on schedule meets Marin Cilic tomorrow afternoon in a rematch of their 2009 fourth rounder won by the Croat. I think Murray gets revenge for that loss.
As for Fed, I give him a slight edge, but I expect it to go maybe four or five sets, and really it wouldn’t shock me to see Berdych win. I think the commotion with the rain and Roddick’s retirement will help Berdych as the match really doesn’t have time to be hyped up any. And the more obscure it is the better for Berdych, I think.
Looking at the four suspended matches, Djokovic should take out Wawrinka in three. I think Tipsarevic wins over an exhuasted Kohlschreiber – not easy finishing a 2:30 in the morning then playing a day match then a morning! With a night to think about Sharapova probably comes back on Bartoli.
And I think Del Potro does in Roddick. The fact Roddick couldn’t convert from 5-2 just sends the wrong signals, and Del Po began connecting with his shots towards the end as was perches Andy to far behing the baseline. Also, by playing early in the afternoon the crowd will be no where near as electric as night, so the Argentine now gets the edge since Roddick won’t have that same energy from his fans. But if Roddick can start strong against like he did tonight and win the breaker then he’ll need just two more sets and maybe he can ride his serve to victory.
Overall for the tournament, It’s still hard to pick against a Djokovic-Federer final. I think Novak is an absolute shoe-in for Sunda whereas Roger could lose to Berdych or even to Murray in the semifinals. And if the rain does impact Federer’s schedule it will be interesting to see if the 31-year-old can keep his fitness. Remember at the Olympics final he said he still was recovering from that epic match with Del Potro two days earlier. But for now things are going Roger’s way.
Matches begin on ESPN2 at 11am assuming the weather improves.
WEDNESDAY US OPEN SCHEDULE
Arthur Ashe Stadium 11:00 AM Start Time
1. Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Marion Bartoli (FRA)[11] v. Maria Sharapova (RUS)[3]
To Finish 4-0
Not Before:12:30 PM
2. Men’s Singles – 4th Round
Andy Roddick (USA)[20] v. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)[7]
To Finish 6-6(1)
3. Men’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Andy Murray (GBR)[3] v. Marin Cilic (CRO)[12]
Arthur Ashe Stadium 7:00 PM Start Time
1. Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[12] v. Serena Williams (USA)[4]
2. Men’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Tomas Berdych (CZE)[6]
Louis Armstrong Stadium 11:00 AM Start Time
1. Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Sara Errani (ITA)[10] v. Roberta Vinci (ITA)[20]
Not Before:12:30 PM
2. Men’s Singles – 4th Round
Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)[18] v. Novak Djokovic (SRB)[2]
3. Men’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Julien Benneteau (FRA) v. Bob Bryan (USA)[2]
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) Mike Bryan (USA)[2]
Grandstand 11:00 AM Start Time
1. Men’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK)[9] v. Christian Harrison (USA)
Jean-Julien Rojer (NED)[9] Ryan Harrison (USA)
To Finish 6-2 2-2
Not Before:12:30 PM
2. Men’s Singles – 4th Round
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB)[8] v. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER)[19]
To Finish 5-2
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