US Open Day 15: Leaving No Doubt

Curtain Call

Player: Novak Djokovic
Age: 24
Nation: Serbia
Current Ranking: 1
Today's Result: defeated Rafael Nadal (2nd seed, Spain) in four sets


Photo via CLBuzz

Novak Djokovic is the best player in the world. If there were any doubt before tonight, it's all gone now. Nadal put up a beautiful fight but in the end, Djokovic's victory seemed inevitable. Will he be able to even come close to matching this effort next year? It will be a tall order. He'll have significant points to defend at nearly every event he plays. He is the king until proven otherwise but I actually see Federer mounting a resurgence in 2012 - just when no one expects it.


My Tennis Fantasy

Current Overall Ranking: 16th
My MVP for the Week: Novak Djokovic with $1,800,000

US Open Day 14: Serena

Curtain Call

Player: Serena Williams
Age: 29
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 27th
Notable Conquests: Caroline Wozniacki (1st seed, Denmark), Victoria Azarenka (4th, Belarus), Ana Ivanovic (16th, Serbia) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (17th, Russia)
Today's Result: loss to Samantha Stosur (9th, Australia) in straight sets


Photo via connect.in.com

She is the world's greatest female athlete - end of discussion. That said, her behavior on court today was absolutely inexcusable. The chair umpire made the right call. Even if she hadn't, resorting to personal attacks on the umpire's character is well out of line. Nonetheless, Serena Williams had an outstanding tournament.

Samantha Stosur is a deserving champion. Let that, too, be the end of the discussion. Between Li, Kvitova and Stosur, there were three first-time Slam champions on the women's side this year. That is well worth celebrating.

US Open Day 13: Kerber

Curtain Call

Player: Angelique Kerber
Age: 23
Nation: Germany
Current Ranking: 92
Notable Conquests: Agnieszka Radwanska (12th seed, Poland) and Flavia Pennetta (26th, Italy)
Today's Result: loss to Samantha Stosur (9th, Australia) in three sets


Photo via Intentional Foul

Prior to this event, Kerber had never even made it past the third round of a Slam. In last year's US Open, she didn't even make it out of the first round. This result will give her ranking a huge boost.


Golden Squid Update Jurgen Melzer - I love the second career Melzer has found for himself in doubles. I think doubles could prove a career extender for loads of top singles players as the doubles specialists tend to have longer careers - less mileage on the wheels. Melzer and his pal Philipp Petzschner (Germany) won the US Open men's doubles, their second Slam title as a team. They defeated Mariusz Frystenberg and Marcin Matkowski (6th, Poland) in straight sets.

US Open Day 12: A-Rod

Curtain Call

Player: Andy Roddick
Age: 29
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 21st
Notable Conquest: David Ferrer (5th seed, Spain)
Today's Result: loss to Rafael Nadal (2nd, Spain) in straight sets


Photo via TopNews

Amazingly, Roddick and Nadal had only faced one another at a Slam one other time: the second round of the 2004 US Open. Nadal was all of 18 years old, mostly a source of curiosity at the time. The tone of the discussion from the commentators was along the lines of "who is this punk kid who dares challenge the defending champion?" Little did anyone know what was in store. The Slam total since then: Nadal 10, Roddick 0.

That match was a straight sets victory, too - for the American. While I have never been a Roddick fan, he deserves props for his performance here. This was his first time in the US Open quarters in three years. I'm going to go out on a pretty strong limb and say that Roddick will never win a Slam again. It's too late and everyone else is too good. But it's been an awfully good run.

US Open Day 11: The Rain Subsides

Curtain Call

Player: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Age: 26
Nation: France
Current Ranking: 11
Notable Conquest: Mardy Fish (8th seed, USA)
Today's Result: loss to Roger Federer (3rd, Switzerland) in straight sets


Photo via Famewatcher

Even with tonight's loss, it's been a fantastic summer for Tsonga. He didn't play the US Open at all last year so his ranking will get a nice boost with this result, his career-best for the event. It's my second Slam in a row to feature him in this space. Tsonga won the US Open juniors title in 2003, defeating Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) in the final.

US Open Day 8: The Mosquito

Curtain Call

Player: Juan Carlos Ferrero
Age: 31
Nation: Spain
Current Ranking: 105
Notable Conquest: Gael Monfils (7th seed, France)
Today's Result: loss to Janko Tipsarevic (20th, Serbia) in four sets


Photo of a younger Ferrero via Tennis24Seven

How quickly the tennis world forgot about Ferrero. Eight years ago, he was en route to a US Open final and about to become the #1 player in the world. Then Federer happened. Then Nadal happened. Then there was a seemingly endless barrage of injuries. His days as a serious contender are a distant memory. Still, by most human measures, he has had a brilliant career: 16 career titles including the 2003 French Open, significant contributions to Spain's Davis Cup dominance and a none-too-shabby $13.5 million and counting in prize money. Now in the twilight of his career, he turned in his best Slam performance in two years by reaching the fourth round.

US Open Day 7: Niculescu

Curtain Call

Player: Monica Niculescu
Age: 23
Nation: Romania
Current Ranking: 68
Notable Conquest: Lucie Safarova (27th seed, Czech Republic)
Today's Result: loss to Angelique Kerber (Germany) in straight sets


Photo via MY FABE TENNIS

In reaching the fourth round, Niculescu achieved her career-best singles result at a Slam. To this point, she has found greater success on the doubles circuit. She is currently ranked 49th in the world in doubles and has one Slam doubles quarterfinal on her resume: Roland Garros 2010.


Catching Up with Old Friends

Sabine Lisicki (Curtain Call, Wimbledon Day 12) - While Lisicki's meteoric rise up the singles rankings has certainly been impressive, the Squid latched onto her at Wimbledon for her performance in doubles. At the US Open, she teamed with Samantha Stosur (Australia) and the two lost in the first round to Eleni Daniilidou (Greece)/Polona Hercog (Slovenia) in three sets. However, Lisicki didn't play doubles at the US Open last year so it still counts as an improvement. Meanwhile, she turned in another strong result in singles, attaining the fourth round, her career-best for the event. Her tournament came to an end this evening against Vera Zvonareva (2nd, Russia) in straight sets.

US Open Day 6: Stephens

Curtain Call

Player: Sloane Stephens
Age: 18
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 106
Notable Conquest: Shahar Peer (23rd seed, Israel)
Today's Result: loss to Ana Ivanovic (16th, Serbia) in straight sets


Photo via Costagirl

Stephens received a wild card into her first singles main draw at the US Open. She made the most of the opportunity, taking out the seeded Peer in the second round. Stephens had an outstanding junior career, particularly in doubles. She and partner Timea Babos (Hungary) won the girls' doubles titles at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2010. Stephens will get a significant boost from her third round run, enough that she'll likely gain automatic entry for the Australian.


Catching Up with Old Friends

Juan Sebastian Cabal (Curtain Call, Roland Garros Day 14) - Cabal teamed with Robert Farah (Colombia) in the men's doubles, the first US Open main draw for both men. They lost to Paul Hanley (Australia)/Dick Norman (Belgium) in the second round. Cabal also entered the qualifying tournament in singles but lost in the first round to Greg Ouellette (USA).

US Open Day 5: McHale

Curtain Call

Player: Christina McHale
Age: 19
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 55
Notable Conquest: Marion Bartoli (8th seed, France)
Today's Result: loss to Maria Kirilenko (25th, Russia)


Photo via TennisNow.com

This was McHale's career-best Slam performance. She is currently the 4th-highest ranked American woman on tour. In 2009, she won the Australian Open girls' doubles title with Ajla Tomljanovic (Croatia).

US Open Day 4: Falla

Curtain Call

Player: Alejandro Falla
Age: 27
Nation: Colombia
Current Ranking: 119
Notable Conquest: Viktor Troicki (15th seed, Serbia)
Today's Result: loss to Tommy Haas (Germany) in straight sets


Photo via Browse Biography

As is typical of South American players, Falla is at his best on clay but he has some nice results on hard courts as well. His second round finish matches his career best for the US Open. He had a big win over Haas in Miami in 2007 but didn't have the goods today.


Catching Up with Old Friends

Marina Erakovic (Curtain Call, Roland Garros Day 3, Wimbledon Day 3) - Erakovic went through qualifying then lost in the first round to Mirjana Lucic (Croatia). It was her second US Open main draw, her first since 2008. She teamed with Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand once again in doubles but they also lost first round to Urszula Radwanska (Poland)/Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium).

Tamarine Tanasugarn (Curtain Call, Wimbledon Day 4) - Tanasugarn also qualified in New York. She has many more years experience than her doubles partner as this was her 13th US Open main draw. Now 34 years old, her career best at the event was a fourth round finish in 2003. She lost this year in the first round to Kaia Kanepi (31st, Estonia).

Bernard Tomic (Curtain Call, Wimbledon Day 9) - Wimbledon's breakout star had a much shorter run at the US Open, losing in today's second round to Marin Cilic (27th, Croatia). This was Tomic's first US Open main draw. He played the doubles, too, teaming with Ivan Dodig (Croatia). The team lost to Pablo Andujar/Daniel Gimeno-Traver (Spain).


Golden Squid Update

Richard Gasquet - Gasquet had a brutal second round draw - power forward Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) - and thus failed to live up to his 13th seed.

Rebecca Marino - Marino lost in the first round of the singles draw, falling short of last year's second round finish. She lost to Gisela Dulko (Argentina) in straight sets. She teamed with Christina McHale (USA) in doubles. The team lost to Maria Kirilenko/Nadia Petrova (5th, Russia) in the first round.

US Open Day 3: Oprandi

Curtain Call

Player: Romina Oprandi
Age: 25
Nation: Italy
Current Ranking: 131
Today's Result: loss to Flavia Pennetta (26th seed, Italy) in straight sets


Photo via Bettor.com

Oprandi went through qualifying to reach the main draw, then took out Melanie Oudin (USA) to reach the US Open second round for the first time in her career. She has only reached the second round of a Slam once before: Wimbledon 2010. She was born in Switzerland.


Golden Squid Update

Greta Arn - The 32-year-old Arn missed Wimbledon due to injury but is back on court. Unfortunately, she was out in the first round of both the singles and doubles draws. In singles, she lost to Vania King (USA). In doubles, she teamed with Arantxa Rus (Netherlands) and they lost to Shu-Ying Hsieh (Chinese Taipei)/Galina Voskoboeva (Kazakhstan).

US Open Day 2: Huta Galung

Curtain Call

Player: Jesse Huta Galung
Age: 25
Nation: Netherlands
Current Ranking: 160
Today's Result: lost to James Blake (USA) in four sets


Photo via Forty Deuce

Huta Galung went through qualifying to reach his first-ever US Open main draw. Clay is his best surface. All five of his career titles at the Challenger level have been on the red dirt.

US Open Day 1: Knapp

Curtain Call

Player: Karin Knapp
Age: 24
Nation: Italy
Current Ranking: 193
Today's Result: loss to Annabel Medina Garrigues (30th seed, Spain) in three sets


Photo via Wikipedia

This is Knapp's third US Open main draw but her first since 2008. Her best results have been at Roland Garros where she has reached the third round twice. She went through qualifying to reach the main draw, only to be slotted with a seeded player in the first round.


Golden Squid Report

Tobias Kamke - Kamke had the rotten luck of drawing the in-form Mardy Fish (8th, USA) in the first round and went down meekly in three. It's his second Slam in a row falling to the host nation's #1. He lost to Andy Murray at Wimbledon. I would love to see him make more noise at the smaller events so he could get the ranking up and avoid the seeds early in the Slams.


My Tennis Fantasy

I was very boring in my picks for the US Open, going with the top seven men's seeds. For the record, Djokovic is my favorite for the title, even with the nagging injury. Gael Monfils survived the day and, as I write this, Federer is up a set and a break in his first rounder.