Weeks 35 & 36 - US Open Tennis Championships, Flushing Meadows, NYC - Hard

Michael D · All-time great

RE: Weeks 35 & 36 - US Open Tennis Championships, Flushing Meadows, NYC - Hard

Jan · Hall of fame

So pleased to see that Bianca won!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Jan wrote:
So pleased to see that Bianca won!

I must admit that I would like Serena to get that one more. She's been a great ambassador for the sport for many years, and it's a great shame to see her nerves and expectations getting the better of her.

SuperT · Futures level

I know she's a great player, but I'm not a huge Serena fan. After last year's atrocious behaviour it felt right that she got beaten again at FM again. However, if she could go and equal the record in Australia it would seem appropriate in Margaret Court's back yard and I would take my hat off to her.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

I grew up not particularly liking Serena and her dominance of the tour, and her potentially losing in a slam was one of the main reasons why I would tune in, particularly at Wimbledon, but as I've got more and more in to the sport over the years, and I suppose highlighted by her maternity absence, I have come to appreciate her much more and all that she's achieved, and as Helen says, she is a great ambassador for the sport. I also think she has helped bring a bit more legitimacy to the women's side, which helps make it more mainstream, and differentiates it a bit from other leading women's sports.

She has, and will keep on inspiring young girls to play tennis, and her still being around does ensure interest and ratings are maintained (last night apparantly did well on US TV), and in a way, the likes of 20 year old Naomi (particularly given the aftermath), or 19 year old Bianca beating her on the biggest stages is great for enhancing the profiles of the next generation - Osaka went from hardly known outside of the tennis world to one of the most famous sportswomen overnight, which wouldn't have been the case if it was say Pliskova kicking off with Ramos in the final. A grim moment for a first slam title, obviously, but a dream from a marketing and endorsement point of view once the dust settled a bit.

I hope she is able to get that 24th before she eventually bows out. The French seems unrealistic, there seems to be too much pressure on in New York, so maybe getting it at Wimbledon next year would be fitting, and that would then be the slam that she would have won the most, which in turn would be a bit of a feather in Wimbledon's cap.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Michael D wrote:
the addict wrote:
I cheated and looked at the draw - so many familiar names from the current WTA tour. And I guessed the answer before looking.
Good heavens, well I would never have guessed the answer to Rosamund's question, without looking at the 2008 draw too. For a start I hadn't realised at all that the player who I assume Rosamund must be talking about was a junior contemporary of Laura's!

I'm sure you realised the answer is Johanna Konta. There was a small crossover in their junior careers in 2008. In fact they met twice in the juniors with Jo winning the 1st meeting in the Santa Croce final and Laura winning the 2nd meeting at Roehampton 3rd round and losing the final to another player in Melanie Oudin who starred briefly. It also illustrated that Jo had to wait another 4 years before she was able to have the benefit of LTA wild cards etc. The time involved would be enough to put people off choosing British citizenship.