US Open 2010: They're Melting

With temperatures soaring into the 100s on the blue griddle that is the US Open hard courts (with humidity to boot), yesterday's first round action was a physical and mental test for many. Sure it ain't Pennsylvania, but trust me, the weather ain't that different here in New York.

In a total surprise, the Djoker passed the test due to the mercy of shade in the 5th set and actually outlasted his fellow countrymen Viktor

I won't comment on his on-court interview as others already have (here and here).

Nails had the match under her control after the 1st set, but couldn't adjust to KBond cleaning up her game. According to Virginia Wade who was commenting the match, Nails just brain farted and couldn't back away brainless ball bashing. Even a hacker like me knows that the ball will fly in hot and humid conditions, and that you have to play patient tennis in those conditions. I hate you Nails; you were supposed to make the semis to take out Caro.



Bags shouldn't have played New Haven despite his promise to return them a favor.



Lady JaJa survived and didn't look all glittery against Breast Reduction Gal.



The Force is with young Gulbis but he is not a Jedi yet.

Benneteau evoked Sampras, splling his guts in the midst of the match but closed it out to beat the Sex.

Federer Chokes

If you're a tennis nut like me, you probably know by now that this douche bag shanked his way out of Indian Wells.



Fedshanker had 3 match points: 2 in the second set and 1 in the third set tiebreaker. To be sure they were all on Bag's serve. He could not convert his chances. In contrast, the tennis gods gifted Bags with one match point which he converted.



Bag's record against Fed is now 1-6.

The match statistics tell part of the story.

	RF	MB
Aces	8	3
DF	1	2
1st Serve %	60	59
1st Serve % Pts Won	54/63 (86%)	48/65 (65%)
2nd Serve % Pts Won	21/42 (50%)	30/46 (65%)
Break Points Won	2/8 (25%)	2/4 (50%)
Total Service Points Won	75/105 (71%)	78/111 (70%)
Total Return Points Won	33/111 (30%)	30/105 (29%)
Total Points Won	108/216 (50%)	108/216 (52%)

At 50-50 in points won, a match will be a crapshoot. But with three match points, Fed had the match on his racquet but he just couldn't close it out. After the match, both players had contrary analyses.

Roger Federer: "I just couldn't find the way to win. I was maybe one shot away, maybe wrong choices at the wrong time, maybe playing too passively."

Marcos Baghdatis: "Roger was a bit too aggressive. He was missing a lot of balls. I was more calm than him."

For the interviews, see here and here.

Hard to say what was going on mentally for Fed, as playing aggressively is his game. For sure he was serving well, but returning mediocrely.

Kudos to Bags for hanging in there for the win!