Tennis Tidbits: Roger Federer Rolling Toward The US Open
Roger Federer set himself up nicely for another US Open win with the demolition of James Blake in the final of the Western & Southern Financial Masters in Cincinnati 6-1, 6-4. The win gave Roger his 50th career title and with it the US Open Series. James got stomped in the first set and in the second he was simply out matched.
Blake did well for himself getting to the final this week with wins over Juan Carlos Ferrero, Sam Querrey, and every betting man's player Nikolay Davydenko, but I'm beginning to feel his chances of making noise at the US Open are pretty much over.
By all rights, Lleyton Hewitt should have beaten Roger in the semis yesterday when he had him in a third set tie-break. Throughout the match Hewitt played the best I've seen him play in a long time but he played a lousy tie-break to lose a match he should have won.
Poor CBS. Not only do they get a blow-out final with the Federer/Blake match---so much so, they made the dubious decision to replay some of the match as filler---but every true tennis fan must have been doing what I was doing at the beginning of the match. That is flipping back and forth between ESPN2 to watch the nearly 20 minute epic game between Justine Henin and Jelena Jankovic at the Rogers Cup women's final in Toronto.
Jankovic was tied 5-5 in the second set and trying to break Henin to serve for the set. Like last week's epic game between Federer and Novak Djokovic, the game went to multiple deuces, swinging back and forth between game and break points. Both players hit some incredible shots and Henin was especially rattled that she couldn't put Jankovic away. Unlike last week however, the Serb Jankovic wasn't able to match her countryman's feat. Henin finally won the game to go up 6-5 and it was just a couple of seconds later that she won the match, 7-6 (3), 7-5. Too bad.
The winner of the women's US Open Series title will be determined next week at the Pilot Pen.
Random Thoughts:
I love CBS's new graphics and player pix. I hope they'll be using those during the US Open, but what was with that crappy video from Cincy? I know it was humid and it looked a little misty, but the video was so washed out it looked like all the camera lenses had been cleaned with Vaseline.
You ever notice how ESPN2 pumps up the court audio like crazy, especially during the women's matches? It makes them sound like they're firing gunshots when they hit the ball. Is the WTA paying extra for that or are the ESPN2 guys in the truck just titillating the viewers with all that Sharapova-like grunting. It's exciting yeah, but it's bordering on the pornographic.
Serena Williams has pulled out of the Pilot Pen in New Haven, and because of that nagging thumb injury, she's now a question mark for the Open. Good thing I passed on ordering those Pilot Pen tickets 'cause I would not have been a happy woman driving all the way up there to watch Sybille Bammer play Dinara Safina in the final. Yeah, yeah I know they're both fine, hard working players, but I don't want to pay to see them.
Speaking of Serena, take a look at this in depth profile in today's New York Times. It's an interesting read.
I'm hoping to get to the US Open qualifying rounds at the end of the week. When I do, I'll have updates of what's happening out in Flushing.
I'll also be attending several sessions when the Open starts and you'll hear about those as well. I'm especially looking forward to opening night and the salute to Althea Gibson the USTA has planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her US Open win.
