US Open: Day 6

Fanatic Omes:

Andy, NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.

Order of play today.

Ladies' match of the day: Williams vs Azarenka; 3rd on Ashe (hold on to your hats)

Men's match of the day: Tsonga vs Verdasco; 4th on Grandstand

(Pic: Reuters)

US Open: Day 5

Fanatic Omes:

Now that everyone in the tournie is freaking injured, let's just double check and do a quick head count. Rafa? Present. Roger? Present. Nole? Present. Muzz? Present. Good. Keep it that way.

Order of play.

Ladies' match of the day: Sharapova vs Penetta; 2nd on Ashe. Special mention for McHale vs Kirienko; 4th on Ashe

Men's match of the day: Ferrer vs Blake; 4th on Grandstand.

(Pic: Getty)

 

Second Round US Open blatherings

Fanatic Omes:

- Robbo (Laura Robson), who played an opponent with exactly the same outfit for the second time in a row,  failes to capitalise on her big chance. She just wasn't solid enough off the ground. Her concentration needs work but she's only 17 - it's allowed. There are good enough signs for the future. It give me so much respect for Masha (who totally owned her 2nd round match, 6-1 6-1 against Anastasiya Yakimova) - winning her first Slam at 16.

- Muzz, sporting an EXTREME MAKEOVER seemed to smooth out the couple of kinks in his game during his first round match. Credit to Somdev taking it to him in the first set. He'll be happy with how he's doing - lots of vintage Andy moments and some nice aggressive forehand play.

- Venus pulling out of the USO with Sjogren's syndrome just sucks hard. I liked it better when I pretended she was pregnant. Her withdrawal means she's now out of the top 100. Soderling also withdrew due to illness. Stop it guys.

- American teenage girls be killin 'em - Christina McHale upset Marion Bartoli big time. All hail McHale! She's the USO's American story and earns her spot tomorrow night on Ashe against Kirilenko. Can she handle the big stage? Only time will tell. And how bout Sloane Stephens huh? Kept pressure on Peer all through the match and held her nerve to serve it out. Oooh oooh and Vania King took out Jarmila Gajdosova, dropping only two games. Meanwhile even though she lost, Keys took it to Safarova big time. The wild, young thing is only 16 so she has an ok excuse for blowing the multiple leads she had in every set of the 3 set match. Is the future of American tennis with the ladies? It's looking likely.

- Delpo clearly had somewhere to be other than the tennis court as he obliterated Volandri in minus time. He's a dangerous dangerous man and most people's dark horse.

- Ok 14 retirements/walkovers -USO can we stop hurting out players?? Thankyouplease.

- Monfils. Oh Monfils. Hit 81 winners and 81 unforced errors during his match against JCF. Can we coin a new phrase? - "That's so LaMonf". He's just not gonna change is he? Phenomenal win from Ferrero though - talk about 'still got it'.

- Andy Roddick won ugly. Then talked ugly. But it can't be easy being at the brunt of all that "dude, retire soon, you old" speak.

- Didn't catch the match but apparently Tomic checks out when the going gets tough. If that's true, his attitude needs to change like yesterday otherwise all that talent and arrogance will go to waste. Nice in-roads for Marin Cilic though. He needs this.

- Do we even need to talk about how heads, shoulders, knees and toes Serena is above the rest of the field right now? I'm scared for the WTA.

(Vid: JP25 Tennis on YouTube)

 

Hooch is crazy.

Fanatic Omes:

Some were offended, some just laughed it off, others (me) thought it was as hilarious as it was awkward; but A-Rod's just doing what he does. Oh Andy, you crazy. 

More from the Roddster.

(Vid: Sports Grid) 

US Open: It's the 4th day already?

Fanatic Omes:

Greethings earthlings. Well yesterday was a bit crazy no? First sod pulled out, then Venus announced her depressing news. US Open I know you guys are the party Slam but can we cool it for a bit? Or at least pace ourselves. Jeez.

Order of play.

Ladies' match of the day: Ivanovic vs Cetkovska (you know, the one who made it to the finals in New Haven beating Li Na); 2nd on court 17.

Men's match of the day: Ferrero vs Monfils; 2nd on Louis Armstrong.

Enjoy yourselves.

(Pic: Reuters)

 

Venus Williams: Illness and Injury

Neutral Omes:

Injuries and illnesses. They are every athlete's fear. Unassuming and unforgiving they can attack at any time and in any stage of a career. And they've certainly gone after Venus Williams.

2011 has indeed been a nightmare year for the American. Plagued with injury she missed five months off the tour having retired in the third round at the Australian Open with a hip injury. She then returned (along with sister Serena who had had nearly a year off with an injury and extremely serious illness of her own) in Eastbourne, making a decent run to the quarterfinals. 

Wimbledon was a big test for both, and both fared very well considering the circumstances - Venus made it to the third round; Serena went out in the round of 16. But while Serena picked up the trophies of the next two tournaments she played, Venus was struck yet again. This time in form of a virus that prevented her from competing in Toronto and Cincinnati. We now learn the virus in question is Sjogren's Syndrome, an autoimmune disease which affects energy levels and causes fatigue and joint pain. And it has now caused Venus to pull out of this year's US Open in the 2nd round. 

This recent onslaught of injuires and illnesses - which actually date back to a knee problem in 2010 - have shown no tact and ruined what could have been a decent year for Williams in light of the inconsistency of the WTA. With the US Open lacking any of the three previous Slam winners, the draw was wide open enough for Venus to make a run. And at 31 years and closer to the end than the beginning, a run at the US Open would have been a very welcome prospect. But Venus has been set back yet again and many fear time is running out. With an energy sapping disease, who knows when she'll next be able to compete.

If retirement is on the horizon, it will be a huge blow to tennis. And a shocking reminder to enjoy our players while we can. Because sometimes injury and illness get their way.

(Pic: AP) 

 

US Open Day Three

Fanatic Omes:

Now that I can finally put pen to paper, or rather finger to key, I bring you the order of play for today.

Click me, and I will take you to the OOP.

Ladies match of the day: Williams vs Lisicki; 3rd on Arthur Ashe. (Can we talk about this?)

Men's match of the day: Baghdatis vs Isner; 4th on Louis Armstrong.

Notable shizz: Muzz and Delpo begin their campaigns today.

(Pic: AP)