Each day during the U.S. Open, Peter Bodo will recap the previous day's events and look ahead to the upcoming day's play. We encourage you to discuss the action from Flushing Meadows in the comments section below.
NEW YORK—The funny thing about clichés is that every one I can think of grows out of some undeniable truth. Every player worth their name wants to give “110 percent”—it’s the epitome of professionalism. Great players really do take it “one match at a time”—although I admired Roger Federer’s honesty the other night when he said that he is fully aware of the draw and just where and how everyone is positioned; that’s the difference between a CEO and an outside consultant.
It’s true that no match can be taken for granted and, of immediate import to us, that a Grand Slam really does consist of two different tournaments divided by the middle Sunday. Or, if you prefer, separated by the end of the third round. In fact, the bracketology in which so many of us engaged with such relish last Friday now seems an exercise in target practice in the dead of night.
Now that we’re into the second week, the draw doesn’t bear very much resemblance to the original. To wit, who would have thought daybreak on Monday would leave us pondering the ongoing chances of Camila Giorgi or Alison Riske, Marcel Granollers or Denis Istomin, or even Lleyton Hewitt?
So let’s change this format of this daily exercise a bit, and take a quick look at some of the usual—and unusual—suspects and evaluate their chances as we move into the second week. We can’t cover everyone; if I neglect your favorite player, it’s less because he or she doesn’t merit consideration than because I have nothing much to say about him or her—for now.
Rafael Nadal: It may sound unfair to this great champion, but in a way Nadal had something to prove this summer. Everyone conceded that he would be a major factor during the clay season, but the big question was how he—and his knees—would fare over the summer. Would he even make a serious effort to contend, given his recent history?
We have our answer. He’s the odds-on favorite to win, and if he gets out of his quarter, watch out. Suddenly, this U.S. Open is looking a lot like a career watershed moment for Nadal and a potential Waterloo for his longstanding rival, Roger Federer. You can bet that a Nadal triumph reboots the Greatest-of-All-Time debate.
Carla Suarez Navarro: She’s had a great run, topped yesterday by her win over No. 8 Angelique Kerber. But she has top-seeded Serena Williams next. You may want to avert your eyes.
Lleyton Hewitt: He’s emerged as the sentimental darling and star of the first week, what with his rousing upset win of No. 6 seed Juan Martin del Potro. He also made one of the most poignant remarks of the tournament yesterday when he was asked if he was glad to know he’s playing a familiar, veteran face in the next round (Mikhail Youzhny): “At least I know who I’m playing. Half the draw I don’t know anymore.”
Simona Halep: After she struggled through a three-setter in the first round, Halep caught fire and crushed her next two opponents, most recently Maria Kirilenko, 6-1, 6-0. Given that Kirilenko, the No. 14 seed, gets a lot of balls back, that beatdown was a stunner. This 21-year-old, dogged Romanian is as tough as old leather and is a reasonable pick for the semis; the biggest obstacle in her way appears to be No. 10 seed Roberta Vinci.
Roger Federer: Given how he had been playing, it’s a victory albeit not a surprise that he’s in the second week. He has No. 19 seed Tommy Robredo in his way before that projected “dream quarterfinal” with Nadal (who must get by Philipp Kohlschreiber) takes place, but can you think of a better time and place for Federer to strike a much-needed blow in defense of his reputation than here and now—“now” being Wednesday night?
