'22 USO Day 5 OoP & Discussion

[meganfernandez]

Garcia was my pick to win the tournament before it started and nothing has changed.

She is playing better than everyone else, which guarantees nothing. But if she continues to maintain that level (a big if), she should win.

I feel like Gauff is playing well enough to beat her, and has more power. I know, I know, Gauff's double faults.

We may have cursed Garcia. I was already thinking I had posted prematurely. Edit: nvm.

[ponchi101]

Stop it. Serena is not going to lose today, nor to Samsonova. Ajla does not have the game, Samsonova will look up into the void over Ashe and will freak out.

[Deuce]

Ok... Garcia over Andreescu is now done...
The reason that Garcia won, of course, is NOT because she played better tennis than Andreescu, but rather because her clothing was more comfortable to play in than was Andreescu's.

It's nice to see Garcia playing well and clearly very much enjoying tennis.

[meganfernandez]

Where is the business bun, Serena?

[Deuce]

Serena has now completely blown that comfortable 2nd set lead - just as she did in the 1st set.

[meganfernandez]

Serena has now completely blown that comfortable 2nd set lead - just as she did in the 1st set.

yeah, can you imagine the nerves? She's still in it. Started to blow the TB lead.

Who ya got?

[meganfernandez]

[Deuce]

At this point, I say the match will be decided by Tomljanovic's psyche. She has the physical advantage at this point - but will negative mentality override that?
Can she overcome the letdown after coming back to even the 2nd set, then having it slip away?
Will the crowd/occasion get to her? (there have been a couple of minor signs that it is getting to her)

Two breaks to open the third... The plot thickens....

[meganfernandez]

At this point, I say the match will be decided by Tomljanovic's psyche. She has the physical advantage at this point - but will negative mentality override that?
Can she overcome the letdown after coming back to even the 2nd set, then having it slip away?
Will the crowd/occasion get to her? (there have been a couple of minor signs that it is getting to her)

Two breaks to open the third... The plot thickens....

Same. I think Ajla will win. Serena is looking tired. Not sure she can find one last push.

[jazzyg]

Tomljanovic has serious game.

She's made the Wimbledon quarterfinals the last two years and lost to the eventual champion, this time taking Rybakina to three sets. And she has two hard court wins over Kudermetova this summer.

A mentally fragile player in the past, she has won a ton of close matches in the last few months.

[meganfernandez]

Tomljanovic has serious game.

She's made the Wimbledon quarterfinals the last two years and lost to the eventual champion, this time taking Rybakina to three sets. And she has two hard court wins over Kudermetova this summer.

A mentally fragile player in the past, she has won a ton of close matches in the last few months.

For me - and i haven't see her play a ton - she's become very solid but isn't special. Nice backhand, mentally strong, good athlete, no big weapon or anything remarkable. Not sure she wins matches with her game, but with attrition. Which counts.

Also, this is Serena's longest US Open match ever.

[ponchi101]

There is a reason she is 29 and her highest ranking has been 38. She has not one single weapon.

[jazzyg]

She's playing a heck of a lot better than Kontaveit, and that's indisputable.

Players with zero weapons don't reach the Wimbledon quarters two years in a row. I do think she will lose to Samsonova in the next round if she wins this one, but they went three sets a few weeks ago, so it would not be a certainty.

She does not have elite power, but she hits the ball plenty hard.

[Deuce]

Also, this is Serena's longest US Open match ever.

^ Seriously? In 20+ years, and usually going deep?
Wow.

[meganfernandez]

Also, this is Serena's longest US Open match ever.

^ Seriously? In 20+ years, and usually going deep?
Wow.

that's what Twitter said. There probably aren't many three-hour best-of-three matches, period. And she often won quickly. Also PMac confirmed it. Also P-Mac confirmed it.