We wondered what kind of craziness might ensue when Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka all dropped out of the Open. Now we have our answer. OK, Anderson vs. Carreño Busta hardly qualifies as “crazy”—these are two of the game’s straightest faces and least colorful characters—but Grand Slam semifinals don’t come any more surprising. Anderson, after being injured for much of 2016, is ranked 32nd. Carreño Busta is 19th, and neither has been this far at a major before. Both have obviously benefited from a bottom half that included precious few highly-ranked players. While Carreño Busta has played his usual solid game at the Open, Anderson, who is already 2-0 against the Spaniard, has raised his. He has been playing like a man on a mission, and that mission likely doesn’t include losing to PCB for the first time.
Winner: Anderson