McEnroe and Evert mull Medvedev and Osaka at US Open

Daniil Medvedev
Mal Taam/MALTphoto

Both with John McEnroe and Chrissy Evert have won at Flushing Meadows. They were the best players back then, but now they have retired. However, they are on ESPN. While they talked about with Serena and Venus Williams earlier this week for a long time, still, they had a lot of comments. Some very good ones, and some real questions.

Outside of the famous Williamses, there are other players who could go very deep — or even to win — the US Open.

The No. 1 Daniil Medvedev won it last year, but since then, he has looked pretty good, but not spectacular. The former No. 1, Naomi Osaka, who won it twice at the USO, she has been struggling a lot.

According with McEnroe, Medvedev has not improved enough.

“He looks more or less the same. You wonder what’s going on in his head, obviously, with what’s going on with that war,” McEnroe said. “So, I can’t imagine it’s not playing a part in all these Russian players [who couldn’t play at Wimbledon] and what’s going on in that part of the world. Having said that, I still think he’s one of the favorites, one of the top two couple guys, no question about it. So that’s obviously an interesting storyline to follow. And tactically there’s a whole other thing. Obviously he plays so far back. It seems like that will catch up to him … players should figure out a way to deal with that and he’s got to adjust.”

Osaka has been phenomenal when she is so focused, with her huge first serve, and her hard hitting with her forehand and backhand. In her first Grand Slam final in 2018, the fans were almost stunned when she exploded out of nowhere and she upset Serena. But eventually, after Osaka won the 2021 Australian Open, she became depressed. Mentally, the Japanese player had to stop, a lot. She wouldn’t play that much, and here and there, she could walk on the court and be pleased, but in the matches, maybe she didn’t want to be there.

Evert said, “You don’t know how she’s made us very aware that mental health is very important in her tennis. And I think she’s hitting the ball fine. I’ve watched her the last couple of weeks. She’s hitting the ball fine. She’s made some coaching changes [she does not have a real coach, currently] by which I think was probably because of the time — I don’t know why. But anyway, she’s made some changes. And I think she just isn’t match-tough. I think that’s the one thing that’s hurting her. She just hasn’t played enough matches where she feels her instincts are back and she feels confident going for the shots, going for shots on big points like when she was playing her best tennis. If she gets to the second week, I think she’s going to be dangerous. She loves the hard courts and I think she’s going to feel good playing at the US Open.”

McEnroe thinks that Osaka can be thrilled, on and off the court, or she can be very gloomy. When she is smashing her forehand and backhand, then she can put together a ton of winners. But she is now ranked No. 44. He thinks the 24-year-old needs to step it up.


“Did she look happy? Does she look sad?,” McEnroe said. “Does she look this way or that? So, in a way it made it more difficult for her. So that part I think she didn’t take that. It seems like that part may not have been taken into account enough. And so that’s made it trickier. I don’t know where her head’s at. Obviously, she’s incredible on hard courts. And I’m sure if her head is into it the way it can be, she’s obviously one of the favorites, in my book. But at the moment it doesn’t seem like she’s all there. But she’s won it twice [at the US Open] and she’s won four majors [also twice at the Aussie Open] on hard courts. To think she wouldn’t be capable of doing it would be crazy.”

NOTES
Here is my story about Alize Cornet on Tennis.com.

Cornet, 32, is set to break the consecutive Slam appearance record, with her 63rd straight major at the US Open. She could retire next year, but right now she is playing very good, so maybe she can continue for a couple years. She will probably make decision in 2023.

Here is my Tennis.com story on Maxime Cressy. The French-American, said, “I do big things when I’m really focused.” He will have to. The best think is that he is seeded for the first time at a major at No. 30. In the third round, if he gets there, he might face Stefanos Tsitsipas. That would be a huge battle.

19-year-old Ben Shelton is in the draw based on winning the NCAA singles this year. If he makes it to the third round he might have to face against the No. 1, Daniil Medvedev, who won it last year. That is almost impossible, but you never know. … Jessica Pegula has yet to reach into the quarters at the USO, but she is ranked No. 7. So this time, she has to be so real and be much more fierce. Just do it. 

TennisReporters.net plans on commenting on the US Open draws on Saturday and Sunday.

2008 US Open finalist Jankovic may return: ‘The door is open’

Jelena Jankovic

In the fall of 2008, Jelena Jankovic become No. 1. During the US Open that year, she knocked down Elena Dementieva in the semis. However, the super consistent Jankovic looked pretty good in the final versus better player, Serena Williams, and she was somewhat close. But, the American went for the lines, she hit some huge returns, and then won it again.

Serena now has 23 Grand Slams, while Jankovic is one of a handful of No. 1s who has never won a Slam. Without a doubt, the strong Serbian has been a dominant player and has won 15 titles. But, three years ago, she hurt her back and she couldn’t play at all. She had played week after week, all over the world, and she rarely stopped, except for the fact was she was hurt a lot and she would complain about it. Many of the players did not like her and some people though that she was cocky. When she was very young, it was all about her.From a journalist’s point of view, she was a delight. If you want to talk to her, she will about anything.


Perhaps she has grown up a lot. Currently, the 35-year-old hadn’t played since 2017, and now, she might play again on the WTA Tour, but she isn’t sure, yet.
 
Last week, she finally started again at an exhibition in Belgrade, with Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Grigor Dimitrov and Nenad Zimonjic, among others. 

She did not play fantastic, but good enough. To go back on tour, well, that is a huge tossup.

“This is the first time I’ve held a tennis racket in a very long time. I was sidelined by a back injury which not only hampered my tennis career, it was so bad I couldn’t walk properly or sleep,” Jankovic said. “I’ve made a full recovery but I don’t know if this is a comeback. The door is open, I never officially retired, but I am living a different life now.” 

Her dangerous backhand was a weapon going down the line and crosscourt. She had great touch, too. She was always very fast, and she hustled all the time. But, her forehand was never great, and her serve was spotty. So, if she happens to come back in the WTA, hopefully, she has improved — finally. She needs to raise her game, one way or another.
 
“Making a tour comeback is a very different matter and a painstaking process.” Jankovic said. 

FALL SCHEDULE, US OPEN PICKS
This week, the ATP and the WTA announced their schedules from August through November, including Cincinnati, the U.S. Open,Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros, among others. Obviously, they are thrilled to play again in six weeks. Still, right now, no one has any idea if they will be healthy n August. Athletes in many American sports are currently coming down with the virus. The international contingent in tennis just puts more and more players at risk.

Let’s just assume that everyone is healthy. That brings us to two big questions: Who will play the US Open and who will win. It’s still too early to answer the first question but the chances are high that both draws will contain many of the best players a very full fields. Even though they haven’t played in the big tournaments since early in March, eight people can reach the quarters in Flushing Meadows. 

My [crazy] picks for the women: Ash Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Belinda Bencic, Serena, Naomi Osaka and Alison Riske. 

Federer falls again, giving Robredo first win in 11 matches

Federer IW 11 MALT5774If the state of Roger Federer’s deteriorating game is based on his age, why was he defeated by a player he has never lost to who is only five months younger than him?

In straight sets.

At the US Open.

With one match away from facing nemesis Rafa Nadal in the US Open quarterfinals (and for the first time ever in Flushing Meadows), the 32-year-old Federer fell to Tommy Robredo 7-6(3), 6-3, 6-4.

The Swiss legend was stymied by one of his weaknesses – converting break points – and it really bit him badly. He only converted two of 16 opportunities. True, Robredo stepped up with a wad of passing shots and aces when he needed them. But, the key was Federer often tried to blast a forehand winner on the first shot he had. And, the fearsome forehand that sent Grand Slam pretenders out of contention for year upon year, was neither accurate nor dependable.

“I struggled throughout, which was not very satisfying, to be honest,” Federer said. “I mean, Tommy did a good job to keep the ball in play and make it difficult for me today. I missed so many opportunities. Rhythm was off.”

Throughout the post-match press conference, the string of negative comments came from the player who has gone for invincible to vulnerable.

“It was up to me to make a difference and I couldn’t.”

“I just couldn’t do it. It was frustrating performance today.”

“It just ended up being a bad combination of many things.”

Federer talked about going back to work and training harder in hopes he can continue to improve on the success he’s had in the last month. But, he will finish this year without making a major final, the first time since 2002.

But, slump or not, Robredo still found great pleasure in knocking off the player who had a 10-0 record over him.

“Well, it’s amazing. For me, Roger, for the moment, is the best player of all times. And, to beat him in a huge stadium like the US Open and in a Grand Slam, a match of five sets, it’s a dream, no?”

Still, Robredo mentioned the cinch in the armor, the failure for Federer to convert break points. “But, I think the difference today was the break points conversion,” Robredo said.

For the first time in 12 attempts, Robredo’s will play in the US Open round of 16.

Asked why older players are making a great impact on tour today, Robredo said, “I think right now all the players take a lot more care of our body. We have physios; we have trainers. In our team, we are a lot of professionals.”

Next up for Robredo is countryman Rafa Nadal. Nadal dropped the first set to Philipp Kohlschreiber, but quickly recovered to post a 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win.