We have been starved of Grand Slam tennis for four and a half months, the longest drought of major tennis on the calendar.
Every single player has worked and honed their games and every single player expects to play better and achieve better results.
“This major has more upsets than any other because all the players have had two or three months to train,” says Chris Evert.
But only half will improve and the other half will endure declining results. New stars and new heroes will emerge and old faces and popular names will fade.
Which ones will emerge? Will it be Nishioka, Opelka, Thiem, Jarry, Kyrgios, Kokkinakis, Hsieh, Barty, Kenin, Tsitsipas, Zverev?
Will it be deMinaur, Carrena Busta, Raonic, Sabalenka, Bouchard, Dart, McDonald, Fratangelo, Krueger, Eubanks, Shapovalov?
All the answers will begin to form tonight and the next two weeks. The balance of power in professional tennis is on unstable ground now. Everybody has a clear slate and bright hopes. New blood, new faces, new talents, new forces are ready to invade and conquer the elite echelons.
Things change fast in the world of tennis. Just ask Tennys Sandgren.
catherine · January 13, 2019 at 8:51 pm
Not everyone has been training for two or three months Chris 🙂
Vekic bt Kiki.
Wayne Bradford · January 13, 2019 at 9:51 pm
Gorgeous Goerges is out in the first round.
Meanwhile how about Novak defending known dirtbag Justin Gimelstob in his press conference? It is stunning how powerful slime like Gimelstob is and absolutely should sicken anyone who watches the sport.
Dan Markowitz · January 13, 2019 at 10:22 pm
It’s not a total whitewash of situation until Gomel is proven guilty. Djoko said that if he’s proven guilty then they’ll have to reassess Gimel matter. I can’t see how Gimel won’t be proven guilty, but tennis likes to protect its own.
catherine · January 13, 2019 at 11:43 pm
Julia has a bad record in GSs and she is not playing well. Something wrong recently, personal problems ?, so not a surprise.
One of my predictions comes out right 🙂
catherine · January 14, 2019 at 1:33 am
No further upsets on either side as of now – except Penko out to Sakkari although that’s not an upset these days.
I’m amazed all the discussion about Gimelstob. In Britain would be considered prejudicial and not allowed.
catherine · January 14, 2019 at 2:12 am
Opelka bts Isner in 4. So that’s an upset.
Looking at the women’s event Kerber has the easiest time in the world up to qfs. Halep has certainly drawn the short straw this year.
Fashions on show – no spectacular new lines. Angie has a pink visor. Adidas colours match the court almost.
catherine · January 14, 2019 at 5:19 am
Apparently the heat got to Julia, also to Petko who retired after taking 1st set from Begu. Expect to see more heat-related exits.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 7:37 am
Daniell Collins is for real and she proved it again beating Goerges. She fears no one, she works extremely hard, I saw her in late November playing all out 100% vs a male player. In November. No easy work days for Collins even in the off season. She has the belief she can take down the best and she has no hesitation to do it. Like so many other timid girls do.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 7:38 am
Is Gimelstob even down under? If he’s innocent he would be. If he’s guilty he will keep hiding until the storm passes or the payoffs/deals are made.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 7:39 am
Isner has a very bad start for the second year in a row, can’t win matches. He finally got going in Miami last year and won the title. Opelka is for real, he got confidence late last year winning Challengers and now he knows he’s a top 50 player. Fritz too is going up up up. Fritz avenged Norrie.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 7:41 am
Murray wont retire yet and he looked very good vs Bobby BA. No sign of pain but his movement is off. Fed said in the video tribute “I’m your biggest fan.” Rafa caught Ubi Tennis sleeping in press conference. Somebody get Ubi a pillow.
Hartt · January 14, 2019 at 7:49 am
I was pleasantly surprised that Andy got to 5 sets against RBA. For the most part, RBA was his usual steady self, but there were some terrific points in the match where both guys played well. Andy showed his amazing fighting spirit in this match.
In the on-court interview Roberto did not answer a question about his own play, but gave a tribute to Andy instead. Classy.
There was a video of tributes from several players. I imagine Andy will play Wimby, so then we will have the big tribute.
Chazz · January 14, 2019 at 8:30 am
That win by Fritz over Norrie was huge. Norrie has been red hot and now Fritz has an intriguing matchup with Monfils.
Opelka over Isner an indication of a changing of the guard? As I said last week, Izzy might be on his way out. The passion doesn’t seem to be there.
Nishioka just too good for Sandgren. Tiafoe matchup with Anderson in R2 will be a big match that ‘Foe needs to win.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 9:02 am
Murray looked very good but he’s obviously lost a fraction of his movement and defensive skills and that fraction is all that it takes to separate him from the elite echelon. Now he’s a middle of the pack player who will still show flashes of his greatness. The best thing is he showed no pain in this physical five setter. He can keep going, after the big surgery, for years or play doubles. I got the sense Murray is far from finished and he wants to stay a part of the big show. Like Hewitt has not been able to give it up. Murray obviously still loves to compete and fight on court and my prediction is he will find a way to stay around for at least another five years. Federer looks as good as ever in his highlights of beating Istomin. Looking like a serious threat tow in, especially if he plays all night matches, whic we know he can manipulate from his Laver Cup employee Tiley.
Chazz · January 14, 2019 at 9:02 am
Didn’t see it but also was really surprised Murray lasted that long against RBA. Good hear that he got the ovation.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 9:11 am
Nishioka is something else. Maybe Sandgren was fried from his first ATP title and had a letdown but that is a fine win by Nishioka over a red hot player. I see Nishioka going top 20. I think Sandgren can do it too. Opelka is surging and finally he’s put the pieces together after a couple of years of inconsistency. Isner had a bad start last year, he will get it going, he always does. Maybe he needs Harry Cicma in the fifth row exhorting him on with Cmon Bulldog, let’s go Georgia, Cmon Big John, like we did at Miami Open last year in his first round match in the beginning of the third set vs Vesely, when Isner looked flat and listless but the encouragement sparked him and he won that set and then amazingly reached the final and then won the title. I really believe that verbal spark from the crowd helped Isner out of his dreadful slump in the first quarter of 2018. I was there and saw it with my own eyes. Verbal sparks do work. Isner owes us a dinner 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 9:14 am
Tsitsipas had an interesting win vs Berrettini which was a rematch of their US Open qualies match in 2017 which i was at and Tsip barely won that in a third set breaker. Tricky match for Tsip but he found a way. Tiafoe is not beating Anderson but of course I hope he can. Anderson is one of the toughest guys to beat right now, he never plays a bad match and is so close to becoming a major champion. Tiafoe gets up for these big matches and often raises his level but I’d be shocked if he can bother Anderson much. Straight sets for KA.
catherine · January 14, 2019 at 9:40 am
Murray is going to have more ‘farewell performances’ than Nellie Melba.
Congatulations Ubitennis for displaying an appropriate reaction to press conferences 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 9:44 am
Ubi is one of those reporters who is always in the press center, always in the interview rooms and rarely outside watching the action and seeing the live tennis. Most of the tennis media cover the sport this way. We at tennis-prose.com, when we get media credentials and travel, will always be out there seeing the action live and reporting what we see to you. I can promise you that you will never find myself or Dan asleep at a pro tournament nor on day one of a Grand Slam tournament. 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 10:13 am
Good quote I found today: “Tennis is a game of chess, of tactics,” said Philippe Dehaes, Kasatkina’s coach. “You have to vary zones and trajectories and find the answer suited to what your opponent is doing. To have women who play well tactically and who can keep the ball in play, while varying and creating, makes the show much more interesting for people, in my opinion.”
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 10:23 am
“The old generation, the new generation, everybody wants to win,” said Rafa Nadal.
Dan Markowitz · January 14, 2019 at 10:47 am
Good day for young Americans with Opelka, Tiafoe and Fritz all winning along with upset of tourney I think so far with Mac Mac beating Rublev in 4 sets. Once again proves in case of Sandgren and Norrie, probably not so good to do well in minor events the weak before a slam. SteveJo out again early.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 10:50 am
Querrey and Harrison need to keep up with these young Americans. McDonald keeps ascending. Rublev is not in top form but still it’s a big win for Double M as are any wins in a major. Querrey/Harrison, Sandgren/McDonald and Sock/Withrow are some doubles teams. Opelka and Isner must play together some day, just for the heck of it.
Chazz · January 14, 2019 at 11:26 am
Forgot about McDonald, that was a huge win for him. I agree with Scoop that it is unlikely Tiafoe beats Anderson but he needs one of these breakthrough wins at a major tournament at some point. He already has the big wins in minor tournaments (Delray, Estoril), the next step is majors.
Not mentioned but how about 17 year old Anisimova with the straight set win? Sounds like a future star.
Dan Markowitz · January 14, 2019 at 12:20 pm
I don’t know, I was just watching Murray play Agut and I can’t imagine he’s having such excruciating hip pain when he moves as well as he was. I was watching first set so maybe as match progressed, he didn’t move as well, but he was chasing every wide ball, every drop shot, and sometimes scooting to the net from the baseline without hitting an approach shot–harder to do because he just hit a regular rally ball and tried to surprise Agut by rushing anyway.
I know it’s not right to question an athlete’s injury, but Murray looked pretty dang mobile in that match. I don’t know why he’s talking about retiring, especially when he can take a player like Agut to five sets.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 1:11 pm
Right Dan, hes playing super tennis but he’s no longer able to consistently beat these top guys like Agut. He’s physically breaking down but he can still compete. Obviously as he showed last night. I think he should hang around and enjoy life as a top 30-50 player. And doubles specialist. No doubt he wins a major in dubs or mixed. NO DOUBT.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Chazz, Anisimova has been a star since age 12. The insiders were all talking about her five years ago at Eddie Herr, even guys like Daniel Vacek who won majors in doubles knew about her. Good to see she’s fulfilled that potential partially. Eventually she will win majors, she has the game, the power, the efficiency. She could be this year’s Kostyk.
catherine · January 14, 2019 at 2:35 pm
I wonder if Murray knows what he wants. He gives that emotional press conference, gets lots of plaudits and tributes etc and then seemed to change his mind. He’s now talking about having another operation and continuing to play.
He can’t pull that retirement performance twice – next time he should just bow out in a low key way. If he can actually go on playing at a reasonable level after a second operation – which may be doubtful.
Chazz · January 14, 2019 at 3:29 pm
I wonder if pain killers got him through those 5 sets. In which case, is it even worth it anymore?
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 7:29 pm
yes this whole thing is getting weird with Murray. Maybe he misses the attention. Maybe his mind is messed up from all the suffering and doubt about trusting his body to recover. Maybe he feels he still has tons of great tennis left in his heart and soul. Maybe he’s feeling like how can i walk away from this now, I have to keep fighting and trying like Tennys Sandgren and Victor Estrella Burgos and Christian Harrison and Thomas Muster.
Wayne Bradford · January 14, 2019 at 8:50 pm
No doubt Murray is being a drama queen about this. I understand the pain and whatnot but he is definitely going to play tennis again. That video tribute was weird and poorly done as well. Some comments like Sloane Stephens and Wozniacki were cringeworthy.
I finally watched the Fed match and it was quite a smooth performance, don’t think he was threatened on serve at all. Dan Evans next will be tougher.
Lots of ugliness with the ATP tour and this Kermode stuff. The tennis tour lacks real leadership and now guys like Rafa are squawking.
How about Nishikori down 2 sets now. Didn’t see that coming.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 8:54 pm
If Gimelstob is innocent why is he not showing his face at AO? Why is he in hiding like a guilty dirty filthy rat? For the ATP to be defending and protecting this violent criminal, is very very suspect. What does Gimelstob have some major leverage against the ATP that he could spill the beans on? It makes no sense at all when Ray Moore and Doug Adler had their careers destroyed for far less than what Gimelstob did. Again I ask, why is he in hiding if he’s innocent?
Wayne Bradford · January 14, 2019 at 9:07 pm
One note from last night is that Isner had won all nine Slam matches against Americans previously, including a huge win over Roddick nine years ago at the Open. So that one had to hurt.
Scoop Malinowski · January 14, 2019 at 9:29 pm
Wayne that is a good stat, whoever dug that one up deserves some credit.
Hartt · January 14, 2019 at 9:48 pm
Catherine Whitaker interviewed Andy after his match and she said he could hardly get onto the stool. He said he wouldn’t have been able to play another match. Knowing that, he pushed himself to his absolute limit.
catherine · January 15, 2019 at 1:52 am
Hartt – I can’t see any sense in Andy’s behaviour – not unless he wants to be in a wheelchair by the time he’s 50. If he’s in terrible pain, just stop playing until he sorts himself out, but please, no more ‘farewells’ which turn out not to be. And as Wayne says, some were truly cringeworthy.