'23 USO Day 12 OoP & Discussion

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

I am totally impressed by this win by Daniil. I was completely wrong on how this match would go.

[meganfernandez]

Same


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[ashkor87]

This was a match worthy of semis..Shelton-Djoko not..Shelton is a bit over-rated as of now, Americans desperate for a male hero ..he will probably be good in a year or two..

[nelslus]

....You know, Ben DID have a set point in the third set.

And, he's good now. It'd be great if he could become a great player- we'll have to see. Also, it ain't just Americans rooting for Ben. I think many would like younger players like Carlos who can be the leaders of the tour soon.

[nelslus]

Excellent and quite a mature response from Ben.

[meganfernandez]

Excellent and quite a mature response from Ben.

He has good publicists.


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[mick1303]

I have to say that I was wrong with thinking about organizers intent to short-change Djokovic with scheduling. Because they did close the roof and this leveled the conditions between two semis. Or maybe intent was there initially but the temperature during the day was way too high and there was a real possibility of the heat affecting the quality of play and even players' health. In any case it worked out not as everybody expected because of the other semis result.

[Fastbackss]

The pettiness and meanness are never far away with him.

I feel like the goatee, due to it's black colour, gives him the look of a villain.

Sidebar - a few points before the phone gesture - he wagged his finger at Ben as if to say "no way, not today."

In some ways I felt that was more pointed. The phone, in its execution, was cold -but- could have been "talked away" in the press conference as he tried to do

[nelslus]

Excellent and quite a mature response from Ben.

He has good publicists.


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.....AND, thank goodness, he isn't a dull little drop-shotter like Carlos.

[nelslus]

I have to say that I was wrong with thinking about organizers intent to short-change Djokovic with scheduling. Because they did close the roof and this leveled the conditions between two semis. Or maybe intent was there initially but the temperature during the day was way too high and there was a real possibility of the heat affecting the quality of play and even players' health. In any case it worked out not as everybody expected because of the other semis result.

As long as I've been at the Open these past few day- most of the roofs have been closed in Ashe and Armstrong. (Very few of the audience members have had to deal with any direct sun). By the time Novak and Ben played, they had to fully close the roofs because of the rain and storms.

[ponchi101]

....You know, Ben DID have a set point in the third set.

And, he's good now. It'd be great if he could become a great player- we'll have to see. Also, it ain't just Americans rooting for Ben. I think many would like younger players like Carlos who can be the leaders of the tour soon.

That's an understatement. Right now, Carlos is the obvious face of the new gen, but Rune is like a Porsche stuck in mud, and Jannick has been unable to deliver. So, yes, we need at least two more 20yo to make the tour interesting. If Ben can be one, I say that would be good for the sport.
And, BTW, I DON'T LIKE BEN. All the gestures, the cliche "finger to the ear", the phone thing, the raising his arms whenever he hits a good shot, the incessant staring at his box (they all do it, I know); he is the kind of player I don't like. But that is me; I can see how appealing he can be to many.

[ti-amie]

[mick1303]

What mockery, I missed it.

Shelton did some sort of "hang up the phone" gesture when he beat Tiafoe the other night. I thought it was a little boorish then - but hey, he's young - and he followed it up with a heartfelt handshake with Tiafoe so it was fairly clear it wasn't meant disrespectfully.

Djokovic imitated it when he beat Shelton and barely looked at him at the handshake and ignored him when he left the court - making it clear it was very pointed. It's the type of behavior that if Tiafoe did it back to him at their next match or another peer did it, I probably wouldn't think twice. But it sure seems beneath the stature of someone like Novak.

I agree. Very poor form to imitate Shelton's celebration and not clap for him. As if Djokovic has never been brash and showy on court. And he beat Shelton easily. Djokovic is usually respectful of his opponents. Makes me wonder if Shelton has rubbed Djokovic the wrong way off the court.

I did not watch Djokovic-Shelton, but here are some witness accounts from Youtube users, who were there in person rather than watched on TV:
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2 instances:
1. At the beginning of the match, shelton at 2 - 2 yelled to his father from the other side, "this guy has no game"

2. In 3rd set, at 4 - 4 shelton fired a 145 mph ace and during the cross over this f00l ben shelton apparently stared down Djokovic. And the rest is history. Who in their right mind stares down an opponent, let alone novak. To clarify, it wasnt ben's celebration. Its his arrogance
===================
SHELTON was shouting VAMOS VAMOS and COME ON directly at NOVAK whenever he wins a point since the 1st set.. you can actually see the EYE-to-EYE they've had multiple times..

And when NOVAK faulted a 1st serve, which was clearly OUT, Sheton took a shot at it and directed the ball to NOVAK's feet which is rude and a big NO NO when it comes to TENNIS ETIQUETTE, same with apologizing with netball shots, he should have left the ball fly through.. THIS BEHAVIOR is actually pretty common in COLLEGE TENNIS, it's their way to "intimidate" their opponents...

THIS IS PROFESSIONAL TENNIS, he's been in the tour for 1.5 year now, HE NEEDS TO GROW UP.
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All in all - there was a reason why Djokovic, who is usually very warm to his opponents and hugs them at the net, was so cold afterwards.