BSR

To me, the big difference between the porteño and peninsular accents isn't the pronunciation but the inflection. Porteños speak with a lilting, melodic inflection like their Italian immigrant forefathers whereas Spaniards are pretty flat, almost monotone in comparison. I found a scene that captures the difference. In the Spanish series "Physics or Chemistry," a Spanish father has a confrontation with his Argentine son-in-law. Yes, the Argentine pronounces Y's and LL's like "zh," and the Spaniard lisps all the Z's and soft C's, but more noticeable (to me at least) is the very different inflection, the sing-songy Argentine vs. the relatively monotone Spaniard. Dialogue starts at 1m12s:

Aren't suspensions supposed to be confidential? If a member has "misbehaved," perhaps he'd rather not have the whole board know. But I get your point. Unless you've shared your email or something with another board member, the community has no idea what happened to you when you disappear.

Tears of sadness and disappointment, surely, but I wonder if they were also in part tears of relief. While Novak appeared to be managing the pressure of the Grand Slam as well as anyone could, it had to feel like a ton of bricks on his shoulders. Dealing with that day in-day out, every waking moment (Novak might deny it, but come on) would overwhelm anybody, and I can see how being liberated from that pressure could trigger tears of relief. While I'm sad that Novak fell one step short of the Grand Slam, let's put his loss in perspective. If the tennis gods offered anyone Novak's year ("you win the first 3 majors but will lose the USO final, and the disappointment will be devastating"), every single player in the sport would pop out of their sneaks to sign up for that "disappointment." What I found so ironic is that only after suffering the most crushing defeat of his career did Novak get the love from the crowd that for so long he has desperately craved. After seeing Novak give his all (even if had little left in the tank) and his very human response to the loss, I think the crowds will warm up to Novak a lot more after this. He'll never get Roger or Rafa levels of support, but he'll be less villain and more hero to lots of fans. PS: maybe Martina, Serena, and Novak can form the world's most exclusive support group, players who came thisclose to winning the Grand Slam. Navratilova won the first 3 majors in 1984 but lost in the Australian Open (back then the AO was in Nov/Dec) semifinal against Helena Sukova. Serena lost that 2015 USO semi against Vinci, and Novak lost the USO final today. I guess they could invite the Bryans (lost in the 2013 USO semi), Gigi Fernandez & Natalia Zvereva (lost in the 1993 USO semi).

Oh no, with all the disappointment over Novak's failed Grand Slam bid, I almost forgot about Emma Raducanu. She went through 3 rounds of qualifying and won 7 matches to win the title, winning 20 straight sets -- a run for the ages. I felt bad for Leylah Fernandez, losing the final after beating three top-tenners (Osaka, Svitolina, Sabalenka) plus Kerber (who's playing like a top-tenner lately), but Fernandez will have so many opportunities in the future. Her smile during the trophy presentation looked like genuine optimism, not a fake smile to hide the pain. It was a good match, with both teens playing well. A lot of strong hitting, good rallies, and games within the match that could have gone either way (the first 4 games took 28 minutes). I wonder if Leylah was a bit tired after 4 consecutive 3-setters against top-notch competition. She must have been mentally/emotionally fatigued at the very least. Then again, you could say the same of Raducanu, who played 9 matches prior to the final (although technically so did Fernandez because she played 3 doubles matches as well). While most unexpected, Emma's & Leylah's runs were not a fluke or "just lucky." They both have strong games that could keep them at the top of the women's tennis for years to come. It looks like they both have strong teams around them who will guide them right. I'm very curious to see what happens to these two.

It's all in the eye of the beholder. I think this provider is the cat's meow & the bee's knees. That said, am I planning to travel to Peoria Heights IL to pay a $grand for an hour with a straight ("not that there's anything wrong with it!", to quote Jerry Seinfeld) guy who doesn't kiss? Nah, but I still think he's dreamy.

Although the match is sitting on my DVR, I can't get myself to watch it because the disappointment is just too much for this die-hard Novak fan. Granted, Novak played 4 4-setters in the first 5 rounds and a 5-setter in the Zverev semifinal, but I doubt Novak is actually getting old. He moved like a man 10 years younger during many points in the Zverev match. I'm guessing the pressure was just too much. Lindsay Davenport on Tennis Channel said she talked to Mike & Bob Bryan and Gigi Fernandez (all 3 came close but no cigar to the Grand Slam in doubles, which gets a fraction of the attention singles gets) before Serena's Grand Slam quest at the 2015 US Open, and all three doubted that she could do it because the pressure is just too much for anyone to bear. No disrespect to Roberta Vinci, but under normal circumstances Serena could beat her with one hand tied behind her back (even Vinci, in one of the greatest post-match interviews of all time, basically said as much). With the Grand Slam on the line, however, it was a very different story. Mind you, Serena was far more dominant over the competition in 2015 than Novak is today (imo). My heart believed 100% that Novak was going to do it, but my head was saying something very different. Ah well, just getting within one match to the Grand Slam is an astonishing feat, although I imagine that's pretty weak solace to Novak right now.

Wow, he did it! Congratulations to Dylan Alcott! My man Novak is about to go down two sets to love ... it sucks being a die-hard fan sometimes.

I saw the entire Raducanu-Sakkari match and the key parts (1st set tiebreaker & last half of the 3rd set) of the Fernandez-Sabalenka match. I also saw Sabalenka's & Sakkari's press conferences. Both veterans admitted that the pressure got to them. Watching their matches, oh boy, did it ever. After hitting a beautiful winner for her first point in the tiebreaker, Sabalenka then made 7 unforced errors to gift the breaker to Fernandez. Leylah didn't have to do much beyond keeping the ball in play. And when serving to stay in the match at 5-4 in the 3rd, Sabalenka once again became a font of unforced errors. Same song, different verse with Sakkari. She admitted that nothing was working for her. Yikes, some of her shots were flying out by 20 feet! When Boris Becker played his first Wimbledon final at 17, he wondered why his opponent the veteran Kevin Curran was so nervous. Only years later did he understand what was going through Curren's head. I have to think a similar dynamic played out in the 2 women's semis: a youngster playing freely while the veteran on court was playing with the weight of the world on her shoulders. PS: Special congratulations to Emma Raducanu for being the first qualifier ever to make it to a Slam final. John McEnroe once said that making it through Wimbledon qualifying was the toughest thing he ever did in tennis. If a qualifier wins their 1st Round match, that in itself is a helluva moral victory. Making it all the way to the final is simply unreal.

I have to mention my man Novak. Lucky for Novak that he got such an easy draw early on because he played C-level tennis for the first four rounds. Novak had to up his game and fast because he would face (imho) the three toughest outs in the draw QF-SF-F: Berrettini, Zverev & Medvedev. It was like Novak flipped a switch after his first set against Berrettini, going from B- tennis to his A game to win the last 3 sets. If he can bring the same level against Zverev & Medvedev that he did against Berrettini, I will be a lot more optimistic about Novak's chances of winning the calendar-year Grand Slam. But that's a big IF.

I saw part of one of Raducanu's matches at Wimbledon. While she clearly had talent, I never expected she'd get to the USO final. Beyond unseeded, Raducanu (ranked #150 going into the USO) was a qualifier. I don't know the last time, if ever, a qualifier made it to a Slam final. Aslan Karatsev made lots of headlines in February when he reached the Australian Open semifinal as a qualifier. The British press must be going absolutely bonkers. While I don't watch much women's tennis, I will definitely watch the final on Saturday because I'm simply gobsmacked that these two are the last women standing. By the way, Leylah Fernandez turned 19 on Monday (9/6); Raducanu turns 19 on Nov 13. While the last teenage Slam champ was fairly recent (19yo Iga Swiatek at the 2020 Roland Garros), it's becoming increasingly rare. I doubt we'll ever see it again on the men's side.

I read that Krejcikova was actually injured during the Muguruza match but somehow eked out the win. Unfortunately, she didn't heal up in time for the QF. I can't say I'm surprised that Alcaraz pulled up lame. 18yo's haven't had time to build up the fitness necessary to endure a 5-setter, much less two in a row. Still a great week for the young Spaniard, whose ranking will jump up to ~40, which means direct entry into all the Masters 1000s (lotsa ranking points, lotsa prize money). I hope Felix can give Medvedev a match. Felix always had all the physical tools necessary but lacked the mental strength to win big matches. With a Wimbledon QF and now a USO SF, Felix made a wise choice in hiring Uncle Toni as his coach. Not sure Felix has improved quite enough to beat Medvedev, but I'll be rooting for the Canadian. Edited to add: I think a player is allowed to receive treatment only if the injury occurs during the match. If a player goes into the match carrying an injury, he is not allowed to get treatment for it. If Alcaraz's quad was bothering him before the match, the most the trainer can do is give him pain pills or anti-inflammatories, no physical manipulation or taping is permitted.

@Charlie I think your 2 posts in the Naomi Osaka thread might be a better fit in this thread, so I'll respond to both here. To think, 13 Slam champions started in the women's singles draw yet not a single one is left. I couldn't even begin to predict a winner of the players remaining. I'm hoping Pliskova finally wins one because she's starting to be known as "the best player never to win a Slam," a distinction nobody wants. I follow a few amateur tennis analysts on YouTube, and they've all started calling Van de Zandschulp "Vandy" because the name freaks them out so much, LOL. As expected, Vandy bowed out to Medvedev but actually took a set, the first Meddy has lost in the tournament. I'm almost wondering if Medvedev's path to the final will be too easy. It's better to be tested a bit since your opponent in the final is usually a very tough player. I'm worried about my fave Novak because he hasn't looked good at all so far. I keep telling myself that he's just playing his way into form after a month-long break & no tune-ups, but he better shake off the rust pretty quick. With his current level, Zverev & Medvedev would crush him. I'm looking forward to the FAA-Alcaraz match, which starts in a few minutes. I fear the young Spaniard might be spent after two consecutive 5-setters. Then again, one should never underestimate an 18yo's powers of recovery. Win or lose, Alcaraz is Spain's heir apparent to the 35yo Rafa Nadal, who has 20 Slams and 209 weeks at #1 to his credit. No pressure, kid.

Oh yeah, a young Jean Paul Belmondo was sex on a stick. I watched "Breathless" three times at an artsy cinema in NYC even though I wasn't crazy about the movie, just because Belmondo was so damn sexy. R.I.P., beautiful man.

After her loss today against Raducanu, Shelby Rogers expected "9 million death threats" on her social media accounts. Ugh, apparently psychos on social media harass & threaten even journey(wo)men like Rogers, not just former Slam champs like Stephens.

According to Wiki, ~80 nations, socialist or not, celebrate Workers Day on May 1. The US & Canada celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September. International Workers Day is set on May 1 in honor of the American Federation of Labor convention which on May 1, 1885, passed a resolution calling for an 8-hour workday. You can read the Wiki article on Labor Day for the origins of the first Monday in September as the date for Labor Day.

Tennis Channel's Jon Wertheim reported that Donald Young never realized his potential because he simply refused to work. The USTA paid one of the top coaches in the business to work with Young (Wertheim didn't disclose the name), but this coach quit within a couple of weeks because Young simply wasn't willing to put in the work necessary to become a top player. Tiafoe does put in the hard work but has yet to see the results he's hoping for (current rank #50, career high #29). None of the American Next Gen has. Taylor Fritz won the boys title at the US Open, and Tommy Paul won the boys title at Roland Garros, yet neither has broken into the top 20. I can see Reilly Opelka in the top 20, but not the top 10. Mal Washington is selling real estate in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Only 3 upsets on the women's side ... Maria Sakkari over Petra Kvitova isn't that surprising since Kvitova, from a small town in the Czech Republic, has never felt comfortable in loud, bustling NYC. As much as Naomi Osaka has struggled lately, no one was expecting 18yo #73 Leylah Fernandez to beat her. Osaka announced she will take an indefinite leave of absence from professional tennis because she isn't happy when she wins (just relieved) yet is very sad when she loses. Hopefully she gets the help she needs during her time off. The biggest upset of all was Shelby Roger's over #1 Ash Barty. Most shocking is that Barty served for the match twice yet lost in a 3rd-set tiebreaker. Hey, number one's are human too. Not an upset because #17 Kerber on paper was supposed to beat #66 Sloane Stephens, but Sloane was looking so good in the first 2 rounds. Apparently weighing on Sloane's mind were ~2,000 truly vile attacks she got via social media -- racist, misogynist death threats. I wouldn't be surprised if all 2,000 were from the same person. Apparently plenty of players get death threats, mostly from gamblers who lost more than they could afford to lose because they bet big on a certain player who ends up losing. Now that the gambler is (literally) facing homelessness, they go berserk & take out all their anger on the poor player. Hopefully Sloane gets help from the WTA and law enforcement to deal with this. It sounds like it was the first time this happened to her, and she was really shaken.

Upsets reign at the US Open! First the men's side ... Jenson Brooksby (ranked #99) beat #25 Aslan Karatsev, but this is an upset only on paper. Brooksby has been having a great summer (Newport final, DC semi) whereas Karatsev has slumped (3 wins, 7 losses) since Rome (beat Medvedev) and Belgrade (beat Novak!). Another only-on-paper upset is Lloyd Harris over Denis Shapovalov. Again, Harris is having a career-best year whereas Shapo hasn't won a match since that Wimbledon semi, plus Harris beat Shapo in March. Frances Tiafoe over Andrey Rublev qualifies as an upset, although not a hugely surprising one. Rublev, despite his #7 ranking, has never done well at the Slams whereas Tiafoe loves playing at home (by "home" I mean in the US). After losing heartbreaking five-setters at the USO to Isner, Roger, and Zverev, Frances finally wins a five-setter against Rublev. The biggest upset was #55 Carlos Alcaraz over #3 Stefanos Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas still seems haunted by losing the Roland Garros final after leading 2 sets to love, but I sure as hell wasn't expecting this. Carlos played his heart out and played the match of his young life. Darren Cahill said that when he was looking for a coach for Simona Halep, he asked Juan Carlos Ferrero if he'd be interested. Ferrero said he'd love to except that he was working with a 15yo who was really good. Well, Ferrero has an eye for talent because his now 18yo player is in the 4th round of the US Open.

NFL commentator Gregg Rosenthal has an interesting hobby: amateur tennis analyst. With a buddy, he has a YouTube channel where they talk tennis, and he's a bigger fan of women's tennis than men's. Anyway, don't ask me for his source, but on today's video he claimed that Sloane Stephen's average forehand speed is the highest of all the players who have played on Ashe, including Djokovic, Medvedev, Tsitsipas, and Zverev -- yowza! In a wide-open women's field, that is a strong argument for why Stephen's has a chance to win the title. Argument against: she has the draw from Hell. Kerber in the next round, Osaka after that, and that's just to get to the quarters.

So how was it that play continued on Arthur Ashe without interruption?

And through it all, play continued on Arthur Ashe uninterrupted. If a stadium cost $200 million to build, I think it should be playable in anything & everything short of a Category 5 hurricane. Flooding caused the tragedy of a number of deaths in the area, but flooding did not cause play stoppage in Louis Armstrong. A design flaw did.

I was wondering how one man, even at 6'5" & 300 pounds of muscle, could overpower two able-bodied men without a firearm, which is not mentioned in the original story.

Well, Stephens has about as good a chance as any because the women's field is so wide open. She is 1 of 11 Slam champions still in the women's draw. In contrast, since Marin Cilic and Andy Murray lost in the 1st round (not that either one had a shot at the title), Novak is the only Slam champion left on the men's side. PS: not US Open-related but not worthy of its own thread, the 9/13/21 rankings (first after conclusion of the USO) will be the first time since April 25, 2005 that Rafa is out of the top 10. Despite his many injuries, Rafa managed to stay in the top 10 for more than 16 years -- simply jaw-dropping.

The USTA spent $200 million to build Louis Armstrong Stadium, which was supposed to be a 2nd retractable-roof stadium playable in all conditions. But tonight, while play continued uninterrupted on Arthur Ashe, Armstrong was flooded, and needless to say the match was stopped. Anderson & Schwartzman did resume their match, but in Ashe and after 11pm because they had to wait for the scheduled Ashe matches to finish. Uh, what exactly did the USTA spend $200 million for??

Frankie Avalon was one of my earliest celebrity crushes. I remember one of the local stations used to run "Beach Week" featuring all the Frankie & Annette beach movies ... ah, Frankie in a swimsuit. Here is an 18yo Frankie Avalon singing "Venus" on American Bandstand. Also, check out how young Dick Clark is in the clip, LOL.