OsOP: Semi-final Saturday
Posted by gauloises1 on August 15, 2009
Center Court (NB 13.00hrs)
1. Dinara Safina vs. Flavia Pennetta
2. Black/Huber vs. Amanmuradova/Niculescu
3. Elena Dementieva vs. Jelena Jankovic (NB 19.00hrs)
4. Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez vs. Ruano Pascual/Zheng
Central (starts at 1 p.m.)
Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) / Mark Knowles (BAH) vs Daniel Nestor (CAN) / Nenad Zimonjic (SRB)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) vs Andy Murray (GBR) (NB 3 p.m.)
Andy Roddick (USA) vs Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) (NB 7 p.m.)
Bob Bryan (USA) / Mike Bryan (USA) vs Max Mirnyi (BLR) / Andy Ram (ISR)
irefusetotellyou said
I feel like I need to prepare for the matches tonight. Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. Maybe sexually, too.
I mean, think about the kind of strenuous activity I get from jumping off the bed and running to the bathroom/kitchen during commerical breaks. Who knows what kind of cramping/injury I could get during this exercise? Where’s my physio?!
This shit is hardcore.
linz said
LOL, I feel the same way. Being a fan is EXHAUSTING.
irefusetotellyou said
True story. I also definitely need a stress reliever– you know those squishy ball things? And/or a punching bag.
gauloises1 said
My cigarette consumption would go down by about 75% if there was no tennis.
AmyLu said
My stress reliever is to throw things.
I’m hoping I can refrain from looking up the score when we return tonight so that I can pretend to watch the Elf match live, but I don’t know that I have that discipline (I also don’t know that I want to subject myself to another loss of my favorites — Nole and Rafa losing last night was not at all fun, although at least Rafa lost to another player I love).
neil in toronto said
you and i both G. I’m single handedly keeping and entire Native Reservation afloat with my ciggy consumption.
irefusetotellyou said
Re: Neil and G’s addiction — you should file a suit against the ATP. Get yourself that lawyer that Reeshie had with the whole “Pamela” debacle …
Anyone else watching Elf now? See his sweat stain on the front of his shorts? Hah.
gauloises1 said
I’m more concerned about the fucking shambolic way he gave away the first set.
neil in toronto said
he’s up a break in the second thankfully. I think most amazing Elf strategy is the “Look like i’m half dead” while blasting serves and groundies all over the place. The commies here haven’t picked up on it, but i know your plan Elf, i know it well!
And make that a double break!
linz said
Well, speaking of shambolic……WHAT THE HELL ANDY???? You have to win TWO sets to win the match. I don’t EVER remember Roddick being broked TWICE to start a set. AWFUL.
linz said
I haven’t seen Roddick take a walkabout this big in a really, really long time. Painful to watch, this is a disaster.
gauloises1 said
As Federer has taught us, linz, double breaks mean nothing.
neil in toronto said
Oh Andy, don’t start going off on the ump now.
linz said
Yeah, Neil, I don’t want him to start getting distracted by the ump, but when he’s frustrated that’s usually how he shows it….
I’m just so glad he at least got on the board. He really needs to focus and regroup for the third.
linz said
Didn’t I already see this set- LAST YEAR, the first set of LA??????
neil in toronto said
Nice come back by Elf in the second. Predict the third is going to be super close.
gauloises1 said
I’m going on record now to say this third set will be a repeat of the first. If that.
linz said
I don’t know Gaul, I still think Delpo’s playing WAY better than Roddick, though that last service game was slightly more encouraging.
It’s hard to see Andy pulling this one out right now….
neil in toronto said
Tee hee, so called it…tied at 5′s
linz said
Are you guys breathing??? I am not.
gauloises1 said
Not so’s you’d notice, linz.
linz said
Well, then there’s that. Congrats to you guys.
I’m crushed beyond belief. I’ll try to write something eloquent about the match/Andy’s season later, but right now I’m going to go drink.
gauloises1 said
Sorry, linz. That’s just … another heartbreaker for Andy. I don’t know what to say.
neil in toronto said
Congrats to Juan and the Elvin faithful…i really enjoyed that match. On record now that Juan will be the next mofo to bust into top 4 party!! Really impressed with him all around tonight.
linz said
It’s just like…it’s not just the fact that he’s losing. I mean, he’s making it late in tourneys and that’s great. It’s HOW he’s losing. Can’t he just lose quickly? Just not show up? Between these last two matches with Elf, the Wimby final (which let’s face it, was enough heartbreak to last FOREVER), and his QF with Fed in Miami this year, there have been more excruciating losses than I can ever remember- probably because the stakes are so high and they are all within reach for him to win. Just tough not to think about what might be…
Anyways, I’m going to go away now and stop being a buzz kill. Great win for Elf. He’s super impressive and great even though I now have to hate him. And this is a great moment for his career.
irefusetotellyou said
Sorry Linz. Despite my unending love and adoration and scary obsession with Elf, I was a bit disappointed by Roddick’s last few games in that set there … wish he could have held it together.
And I can’t deny how ungodly worried I was when ARod had match point … I thought he had the whole thing gift-wrapped for him, until that so-close-maybe-I-should-challenge unforced error.
Can’t deny, though, that I eagerly DVR-ed JMDP signing the camera lense and smiling and looking adorable. And re-watched it
91011 times.Seriously, this is getting a bit ridiculous.
gauloises1 said
I despaired when Roddick had that match point. I did. Fortunately Elf has more mental fortitude than his fans
Yeah … I kind of want Roddick to win something. Hell, I completely want Roddick to win something. Just not at the expense of Elf. That’s how I’m rolling.
happy ions said
juan martin, juan martin, juan martin! pirouettes and leaps.
& sorry linz.
juan martin never looks like he’s playing beyond what he can easily do.
irefusetotellyou said
Happy Ions, were you the one that said that “BG” (ugh, hate that nickname) was crushing on JMDP?
Because after listening to today’s commentary, you’re totally right.
BG and Elf-man sitting in a tree …
gauloises1 said
That just shows Brad Gilbert has some taste and sense.
Words I never thought I’d say.
happy ions said
also, i haven’t seen a player like this since federer. nadal is great, but in a completely different way. del potro like federer is going to change the way the game of tennis is played. the evolution of the game of tennis is in his racket. it’s awesome! i hope del potro wins tomorrow. i actually will be surprised if he loses. his serve. and his seven league boots…all these hunches about del potro. pfft, you ask me to explain it…i can’t. i just see it. for proof, just watch the next 8 years!
irefusetotellyou said
(shudder.)
He’s probably just jumping on the Elf-train before it runs him over …
(now THAT’S a nice image)
happy ions said
irtty, no i didn’t say that bg was crushing on elf. someone else did, though. i heard him a bit. i block him out like bad music in restaurants. i am interested in BGs observations about how tennis players play (but i know i have to take them at half their at value too), but i never pay attention to his love fests for players. in one ear and out other. i wish i could listen to the internet streams in synchronization with the espn2 hd picture on tv.
hope this doesn’t offent anyone: my friend who has a knack for coming up with obnoxious nicknames came up with marianus fartoli.
linz said
Apparently I need to talk about it some more, so I’m back.
But now I just want to focus on the positives: Roddick’s awesome season. With such heartbreaking losses it’s easy to forget how amazingly consistent he’s been this season. He’s played in 12 tourneys so far this year. 1 win, 3 finals, 9 semis (!!), 11 QFs (!!). Only ONCE has he lost before the QFs, and that was in the French Open 4th Round to Monfils.
I’m proud to be his fan, and I really hope that he gets some good quality wins this fall. Obviously I would LOVE to see him raise the USOpen trophy, but I think he SHOULD at least get one of the remaining Masters Series. It’s a shame his year has been so good with only one title to show from it, but one of these excruciatingly close matches HAS to go his way. He’s worked hard, he’s playing great, and he deserves it. And the tennis gods owe him big time.
I’m tempted to be encouraged by today because he OBVIOUSLY didn’t play his best- WAY below his level yesterday- and even that wasn’t his best as his first serve was still missing- and yet he still had a match point (HOW DID HE NOT WIN IT THEN OMG I FELL TO THE FLOOR). I just hope this doesn’t become some sort of “mental block” against Elf, but it’s kind of hard to see how it can’t. Luckily, Andy is much more mentally tough than I am, haha.
Anyways, the Cincy draw is TERRIFYINGLY difficult, and then there’s the USOpen, so there’s tons of frazzle ahead, but I have faith that his good form will continue.
I just really, REALLY want his serve to come back. I miss it terribly
(Sorry for the long post…hopefully you are all too drunk with happiness to pay attention, haha)
Daniel said
Linz, your man is in great shape and I predict great things for him in the near future. And besides winning a lot of matches and ranking points he’s earning the respect of all the tennis fans around the world. I used to be one of those “Roddick haters” (for no reason whatsoever)but now he’s one of my favorite players, I still had to pull for my main man today (Delpo) though.
irefusetotellyou said
Yeah, Linz, you should definitely be proud of Roddick, he’s obvz having a fantastic season and has matured a shitload as a player. (Shitload is a technical term.)
I’m sure there are great things in store for him in (very near) future … my crystal ball don’t lie.
irefusetotellyou said
P.S: The commentary quote of the night goes to Darren “Killer” Cahill, who had this long analogy about Hummers and Andy Roddick and fitness.
Anyone remember? He was like, “Andy is like a Hummer. What’s so great about a Hummer? The big powerful engine. And Andy had that — he just didn’t have the exterior.” (Goes on to blab about how he lost that weight.)
It was a rather hilarious metaphor and he sort of rambled on for a few minutes about it … classic.