By Dick Stockton | Tuesday, September 4, 2018
No. 9-seeded Dominic Thiem, who faces Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals, is the youngest man still standing in the US Open singles field.
Photo credit: US Open Facebook
Former world No. 8 and Garden City, New York native Dick Stockton has played or watched every one of the 50 US Opens.
A two-time US Open quarterfinalist, Stockton defeated world No. 1 Bjorn Borg en route to the 1977 US Open quarterfinals at Forest Hills the year before the tournament moved to its present Flushing Meadows home.
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Dick Stockton shares his views on the 2018 US Open with Tennis Now here.
I haven’t been in New York for any of the US Open this year, but, as always, I have been following it closely via television (usually muted!), newspapers and online.
As we head down the home stretch of this year’s last major championship, here are some of my observations:
1. The facility is simply amazing. It’s hard to believe that the present-day complex sits on the same site as the one of the very first US Open staged at Flushing Meadows 40 years ago.
The USTA should be complimented for what it has created and for its continued effort to always be looking for ways to improve the experience for both players and fans. The new Louis Armstrong Stadium appears to be something very special, and the crowds have been unbelievable throughout the first week.
2. It was great to see the Big Four in the same tournament again, the first time we have seen them all in the same draw since Wimbledon in 2017. Unfortunately, Roger Federer fell in four sweaty sets to gritty Aussie John Millman. And Andy Murray was eliminated early, but, most importantly, it appears that he is holding up physically. Sometimes, we all need a moral victory or two.
3. Novak Djokovic looked like he was going to die during his first-round win. Somehow, he was able to hang around long enough to get through it. It’s amazing how often a top player escapes an early round match that he probably should have lost only to go on and reach the final rounds of the tournament. Once you sneak through a match in which things looked dire, it’s like you are then playing with house money. So, I say this: watch out for Mr. Djokovic!
4. Except for Dominic Thiem, the young guns have failed again. What is the story with Sascha Zverev at major championships? He has only reached one quarterfinal to date, at this year’s French Open. The kid looks like he is destined for greatness, but he is going to have to realize that true greatness is measured by results in the majors. The young Americans didn’t fare any better.
Will somebody please tell Jack Sock to stop trying to run around every backhand in order to hit big forehands? Yes, he owns a massive forehand, but this isn’t junior tennis, Jack. The guys on the tour are too good for this strategy, and, by the way, it’s not working. Come out of your coma and realize that your backhand ain’t that bad!
5. What’s the deal with chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani coming out of his chair in an effort to try to get Nick Kyrgios to calm down? Is this guy for real?
I have never been impressed with him because he gives off vibes that he is the center of attention, not the players. He wants to be friends with all the players. That isn’t his job. I was surprised that he was still working at the Open, even if it was a junior match on Court 96!
6. Again, most of the women’s seeded players are getting a week of vacation. Prior to Tuesday night's quarterfinal, Karolina Pliskova was the only Top 10 seed still standing in the ladies' draw.
The same thing happened at Wimbledon. Go figure! I still think the odds are against Serena Williams because she hasn’t played enough matches this summer to be at a peak both mentally and physically, something that is needed to win a tournament like this. However, given the fact defending champion Sloane Stephens lost to Anastasija Sevastova, Serena is the lone Grand Slam singles champion still standing in the women's field and clearly a huge favorite if she gets past Pliskova, the last woman to defeat her in New York.
7. Has John Isner ever won a five-set match without even one set going to five-all, let alone to a tiebreaker? He did it in his victory over Milos Raonic, something I certainly never thought I would see.
It’s going to be an interesting second week, to say the least.
Aside from the US Open, I was terribly disappointed to hear about the changes being made in the Davis Cup.
It’s true that some minor adjustments in the format were probably called for, but it seems to me that the ITF has gone way too far. They have basically wiped the Davis Cup off the tennis map for good.
This is one of the oldest international competitions in the world of sports. The uniqueness of the competition is what has set it apart for most of the last hundred years.
Dick Stockton
A few questions: why were the players not involved in the decision-making process?
Why is there no collective bargaining agreement in pro tennis?
The ATP World Tour is run by a board that represents all the entities in the game. Why is the ITF not constructed similarly?
I can’t believe that the players, men and women alike, don’t fight for a right to sit at the table.
If they have to boycott a major or two in order to have their voices heard, they should do so.
It worked once before; it could do so a second time.
Until the next time…