By Erik Gudris | Monday, September 5, 2016
The first week of the US Open provided excitement on Arthur Ashe Stadium that included a debate about its new roof and a five-set thriller.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The first week of this year’s US Open is in the books and thankfully weather delays have not been a big issue. That didn’t stop a whole lot of debate about the new roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium. Meanwhile, several surprise results already having us looking ahead to 2017.
US Open: Pouille Defeats Nadal in Five-Set Thriller
Roof Ruckus
The much-discussed and much-needed roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium was finally unveiled, and closed, during the first week. Rafael Nadal earned the distinction of winning the first point in a match played under the closed roof in his early round match against Andreas Seppi. The closed roof allowed matches on Ashe to carry on during Thursday’s ongoing rain. Yet, it also amplified crowd noise so much that several players complained that they couldn’t hear the ball during points.
Watching frustrated chair umpires try and tell 20,000 plus New Yorkers to be quiet was amusing to watch, for sure. However, Arthur Ashe stadium was designed, in part, to be like a football stadium where fans often talk, move around, etc. during a game. With most of the matches on Ashe in the early rounds ending in either blowouts or with expected outcomes, most fans inside the stadium could be forgiven for being distracted with their seatmates and their smartphones. Only when matches were truly riveting, such as Nadal’s fourth round, five-setter against Lucas Pouille could you almost hear a pin drop inside with fans silently watching each point.
After years of enduring multiple rain delays and washouts, the roof was a necessary addition to the event. Players might complain, but they will take a little extra noise at the expense of being able to get on court, on time during the grueling two weeks in New York.
Nadal Denied
The match of the tournament so far proved to be Sunday’s fourth round in Ashe Stadium between Nadal and France’s Lucas Pouille. The 22-year-old Frenchman stopped Nadal in a five set, four-hour thriller. With the loss, Nadal has now not made a major quarterfinal since Roland Garros in 2014.
Pouille played an incredible match nearly from start to finish and no one should deny him that feat. Yet Nadal’s loss, especially since he led in the final set and missed that big forehand opportunity late in the final tiebreak, has raised more questions about Nadal after a tough injury-filled year.
Nadal’s missed opportunity prompted a flashback to the Wimbledon semifinal earlier this year between Roger Federer and Milos Raonic. Federer, who looked on the verge of forcing a fourth set tiebreak in that one while serving at 40-0 ended up losing that game, the set, and then later the match to the Canadian.
Nadal and Federer, always linked in their careers, now find themselves both with “what might have been moments” at this year’s majors. The easier, quicker take is that both men, now in their 30’s, will get less chances to claim a major title again. But tennis history has shown us that the greats often find a way to take advantage of one more major opportunity when it comes their way. It’s hard not to think both Nadal and Federer won’t each get presented with such a chance next year.
Sunshine Through The Clouds
Did anyone except Caroline Wozniacki expect her to be in the US Open quarterfinals again? When the former No. 1 just scraped past Taylor Townsend in the first round, it seemed that would be her tournament. Yet Wozniacki, currently ranked No. 74, has found her trademark game again just in time.
The two-time finalist defeted two top ten players, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Madison Keys, to reach the last eight again. Wozniacki surprised many by reaching the 2014 US Open final. Many thought that would kickstart the Dane to achieve greater things the next season. It didn’t happen, so it’s hard to say if this event will translate into bigger things next year. But after a dreary season, Wozniacki’s run is an unexpected and welcome relief not only for her, but for her many fans.
Changing of the Guard?
American men always get extra focus during the US Open. Once again, a mixture of tough draws and several U.S. men facing each other in the early rounds led to no U.S. Men in the quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive year.
Longstanding U.S. No. 1 John Isner barely survived his opening round against fellow American Frances Tiafoe. But, Isner eventually bowed out in the third round to Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund. Steve Johnson, who will now rise to the top position again, was handily defeated by Juan Martin Del Potro. Jack Sock, though reaching the fourth round of a major for the second time in his career, was dismissed by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets.
At age 31, Isner seems to have potentially hit the ceiling in terms of his career. Yet, at the same time, it’s still quite unclear how much higher either Johnson or Sock can climb in the rankings unless each enjoys a huge breakthrough result somewhere next season. Ryan Harrison, who pulled off a big upset win by wearing down Milos Raonic to reach the third round, is back in the conversation again. And don’t forget 19-year-old Jared Donaldson, who came from qualifying to reach the third round, showing great potential too. For now at least, the big question might be to ask, who will be U.S. No. 1 when the US Open rolls around next year.