That is all I was asking for - for the Red Sox to win one lousy game in New York. Apparently the task was too difficult. Every time they have an opportunity to put the bums from the Bronx away they blow it.
So 28 games left. Sox up by 5. The Yank’s are one game up on Seattle in the Wild Card race. Sox are back home to play Baltimore. The Tampa Bay moves in to play the Yank’s.
It’s probably going down to the wire much to the shagrin of Red Sox Nation.
American fans are gearing up for big-serving rookie sensation John Isner against world No. 1 Roger Federer on Saturday at the US Open. Turns out a good number of players are also looking forward to seeing how the almost-untouchable Isner serve stacks up against the almost-untouchable all-around game of the Swiss.
Andy Roddick offered up his scouting report on the match.
“Isner’s going to be very tall and Roger’s going to be very good,” Roddick summed up. “You know, it’s going to be interesting. I think if John can get — try to get to some breakers, you know, at least hold his serve, then who knows. John probably has a game that can make Roger a little bit more uncomfortable than most people just because — you can go game sometimes without hitting a ball. That being said, Roger’s done well against big servers, myself included. It will be interesting to watch. I think Roger’s going to definitely try to get that early break in the first set, just kind of get out in front. I think that’s going to be a key.”
Roddick also talked about celebrating his birthday Thursday at the US Open.
“I don’t really have birthday parties here because I always have to play,” Roddick said. “Yeah, I mean, I actually spent a couple of — two years of my birthdays up here with my mom. She brought me up here for my birthday to this tournament. One year was the year Jimmy [Connors] made his run to the semis. I’d get here for the first match and I wouldn’t leave ’till it was over. Those are probably my fondest memories, just sneaking into the nosebleed sections. I actually snuck into the players lounge one time and stole a cheesecake.”
American fans are gearing up for big-serving rookie sensation John Isner against world No. 1 Roger Federer on Saturday at the US Open. Turns out a good number of players are also looking forward to seeing how the almost-untouchable Isner serve stacks up against the almost-untouchable all-around game of the Swiss.
Does Britain’s Andy Murray think the match deserves the hype?
“Definitely, yes,” Murray said. “I think it’s going to be a great match. The guy — him and Karlovic definitely have the best two serves in the game. I’d probably say Isner is better from the baseline, returns better than Karlovic. Federer’s played Karlovic three times and only broken him once. If Isner returns better and Federer isn’t on his game, then, yeah, it will definitely be an interesting match. Definitely Federer is clearly the favorite, but you never know. In Slams, if maybe Federer gets nervous, I don’t know. He hasn’t in the past. But it’s a tough match against an American. You never know. If he plays like he has been the last few months, then I’d probably say Federer will come through.”
Answering US Open questions from the message boards and e-mail:
Q: Why are there no “US Open notes” about Roger’s shorts — huh Richard Vach?? We’ve had two postings on Maria’s red dress — why not have some discussion about Roger’s little black tuxedo shorts? There wouldn’t be a double standard here, would there?
– jane
Apologies jane, slacking on the fashion beat. Roger Federer’s “tuxedo shorts” were…heinous? Actually they grew on you as the match went on, and by the end of the match they were fun. Initially they reminded me of a few years ago when black socks and shoes were all the rage in the U.S., but instead of all-black, players were mixing them with colored shorts and shirts, so from the knees down they looked like your grandpa when he goes out in shorts with his dress shoes and socks. But the all-black worked, and afterwards in his press conference Federer acknowledged he did it for fun, which was refreshing.
Fans (and journalists) have been hammering the hubub over Maria’s dress, Bethanie Mattek’s wacky outfits, the “Maria Clones” running around the site, Hawkeye, basically anything outside of forehands and backhands, but hardcore fans who say “let’s keep it about tennis” need to realize that for years it has only been about tennis in the U.S. — and that’s why tennis is the 17th most popular sport (or whatever) on TV. If fashion brings more fans into tennis, bring on the fashion, bring on the stunts — Federer walks on court at Wimbledon in a blazer and the world sports media takes notice — even if it’s only to say “Ha! Only Roger Federer could get away with that!”
Tennis needs media attention outside of tennis to bring in casual tennis fans and new fans. At the 2008 Australian Open Federer needs to walk on court in a full spacesuit with helmet, tennis bag over his shoulder, then walk up to the chair umpire mike, take off the helmet and announce “I am miles above the Earth from anyone else in tennis!” Talk about an ESPN SportsCenter moment.
Q: Everyone is talking about what Roger Federer said about Althea Gibson, but how did he say it? What was his demeanor in the press conference?
– dv
Good question, because while it may have seemed like Federer blew off the question, there were extenuating circumstances. A journalist asked Federer what he knew about Gibson, as many journalists were asking the same question to many different players for their previews of the Gibson opening-night tribute. The problem was that Federer wasn’t familiar with Gibson so he reacted defensively, replying “You’re putting me on the spot,” perhaps thinking he was trying to be made to look foolish. Some journalists do attempt to put players on the spot if they suspect they don’t know something about a subject they should (remember back in the day with Jennifer Capriati not knowing anything about Title IX and the hammering she took?), but that wasn’t the case here.
So because of this Federer ended up making an honest, if a little chilly and clipped, response that he didn’t know anything about Gibson and the press conference moved on. Then, as you’re probably well aware, came the internet blog-o-storm from tennis fans about how Federer should be aware of such a ground-breaking piece of American civil rights tennis history — history that the majority of Americans are not aware of themselves. Hence the Althea Gibson tribute at the Open, and hence Serena William’s reply that this is why such events are important — albeit in my opinion in a better-late-than-never way, let’s not strain a muscle patting ourselves on the back. I say once we’ve found something important enough to educate more than half of our own population about, then we can expect foreigners to maybe know at least a little something. If there’s anyone to be angry with it’s ourselves as Americans, especially when you see how Gibson spent her last years.
A little luck never hurts as Donald Young found out Thursday morning when his opponent, No. 13 seed Richard Gasquet, announced he was withdrawing from the US Open, citing a fever and sore throat.
“I tried to practice, but I couldn’t play,” an exasperated Gasquet addressed the media after a morning practice effort. “I get fever yesterday night. I had a big problem, I get fever. I can’t play in three sets in my match today. It’s impossible for me. I am really, really disappointed because it’s an important tournament for me. I can’t. It’s impossible. I did my best. I practice this morning, but…I did my best. Nothing is possible for me.”
Gasquet said the illness came on suddenly, and the news was a shock to Young who said he would rather advance with a win, but, he would take what he could get.
“I was really surprised because I saw him in the locker room,” Young said. “A couple people saw him hitting today. I saw him hitting yesterday and the day before. I thought he was okay.”
Young will next play the winner of the match between Spaniard Feliciano “F-Lo” Lopez and Russian Igor Andreev, with a victory there likely lining him up against world No. 1 Roger Federer in the fourth round.
American Association of Independent Baseball - August 27 - September 8, if necessary. Championship Series starts September 3.
Competing for the North Division championship are:
Competing for the South Division Championship are:
See:
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) - September 18-25.
See:
Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball (CANAM) - September 5 - 15.
See:
Frontier League - September 4 - 17
See:
Golden Baseball League (GBL) - August 28 -= September 5. Competing for the GBL Championship are the Chico Outlaws and the Long Beach Armada
See:
Northern League - September 4 - 16.
See:
United League Baseball (ULB) - Won by the Alexandria Aces.
See:
At the pro level, where players have spent the majority of their lives hitting backhands and forehands, the game is mostly mental. Sometimes players really believe the things they say. Sometimes they don’t really believe, but say they do, hoping it will become a self-fulfilling prophesy.
James Blake says the first time he played Roger Federer, and every time since, he was playing to win and thought he would win. Novak Djokovic admits that the first few times he played Federer he was playing to simply try and put up a good score, keep up with the Swiss, give him a good match and come off looking respectable. In Montreal a few weeks ago, when the Serb faced Federer, he told himself it was finally time to play to win, and logged his first victory over Federer.
On Saturday the American rookie sensation John Isner will go up against Federer, but until then, words will have to substitute for actions, and you’ll have to judge belief for yourself.
“If I go in that match not believing I’m gonna win, just happy to be out there, you know, he’s going to smell that, he’s going to smell that blood and just attack,” Isner said Wednesday night after advancing to the Federer meeting. “But I’m going to go out there and just play my game. Most importantly, have a lot of fun. I’m gonna believe. I’m not saying I’m gonna win, but I’m gonna believe. That’s what I have to do.”
Nervous double faults and slews of unforced errors usually mark rookie matches versus top players on show courts, but not so much for Isner, who has shown impressive nerve in tiebreaks through his run to the final at Washington (five consecutive third-set breaker wins) and his first two rounds at the US Open. If tiebreaks are the measure of a player’s nerve, then Isner has nerves of steel. And if Isner is going to take sets off Federer, they will more than likely be in tiebreaks.
Before his breakout run at Washington, Isner said he didn’t really watch pro tennis — except when Roger Federer was on TV. Even then he hadn’t dreamed of facing Federer one day. Now we’ll see what Isner picked up from those college days sitting in front of the tube with his Georgia tennis teammates, taking in the brilliance of the Swiss.
Once when Federer was asked how he would beat himself, he said he would do what few other players could, or were willing, to do against him — attack the net. Isner says he realizes his ground game isn’t in the same area code as Federer’s, so get ready on Saturday for an old-fashioned turn-back-the-clock net-crashing party.
“I’m gonna have to attack, try to get into the net, make the points shorter,” Isner said. “I’m not gonna — I know I can’t hang with him from the baseline. Hopefully hit my groundstrokes well and find the opportunities to get into the net, try to finish off points is what I’m gonna have to do.”
Isner finished his match Wednesday night before Federer, and did his post-match conference before the Swiss. When Federer did his post-match conference, U.S. journalists had very little interest in the match he just played against Chile’s Paul Capdeville. Federer discussed some of his difficulties against tall tour players such as Ivo Karlovic, and mentioned he had briefly seen Isner play — and inferred that tennis is more than a serve.
“It’s going to be interesting to see how good he is from the baseline,” Federer said. “I thought he hit the ball pretty well, but you never know until you face him.”
Federer faces Isner on Saturday, giving the USTA and host broadcasters more than two days to promote this thing like a heavyweight boxing match, the hottest American kid with the biggest serve in tennis against the No. 1 player and likely the greatest player ever. Promote this circus freak show on all U.S. networks — the 6-foot-8-1/2 kid against the Swiss army knife of tennis brilliance. Goliath against, uh, goliath.
Until (or if) Andy Roddick makes his quarterfinal date with Federer, this is the US Open’s big event on the men’s side. Tennis and non-tennis fans alike can be roped in to see just how far a seemingly-fearless kid who months ago was playing college tennis can go with an (on a good day) almost-unbreakable serve against the world’s best.
Bring the hype. Win or lose, American men’s tennis needs a kick in the ass, and this is it.
OPEN ERA v PRE-OPEN ERA — The International Tennis Federation (ITF) runs the media info desk at the Slams, and does an excellent job, but can we dispense with the pretense that modern-day records should be evenly compared to the 1800s when the Slams began, rather than back to 1968, the official onset of the Open Era in tennis?
“Federer is now bidding to become the first man since Bill Tilden in 1923 to collect a fourth successive US Championships title, Tilden going on to win six in a row,” states the ITF media notes. “Only three men have won four successive titles in the history of this event: Richard Sears, William Larned and Tilden.”
The ITF goes on to note that Sears and Larned played during the “Challenge Round” era when as defending champs they only had to win one match to defend their titles.
Federer’s achievements in the super-competitive modern era are incomparable to an age where only certain players were allowed to compete, and there wasn’t such a world-wide influx of players competing at all levels, from tour to challengers, satellites and futures.
Federer winning four US Opens in a row would be a first-time feat — then if you want, throw in some asterisks from some of the years when the event was less of a worldwide phenomenon, go ahead. But let them remain asterisks rather than equals.
NADAL, SPINNY LEFTIES STILL HOLD ADVANTAGE — Left-handers who know how to utilize their spin still hold a huge advantage on tour (up to a free point a game over right-handers as the legend goes?). Ask Roger Federer concerning Rafael Nadal. Ask Sam Querrey, who after losing tbadly to Stefan Koubek in the first round at the US Open threw out the gem that he has yet to beat a lefty at the tour level, and has always had problems with them. Maria Sharapova doesn’t like playing lefties, but her experience should be required reading for Querrey. “Yeah, it’s very tricky,” Sharapova said of facing the southpaws. “When I was younger especially I had a lot trouble, like an opponent today [Roberta Vinci] that comes in and chips and volleys, when I was younger I had a lot of trouble with those. Those are tougher opponents for me than big hitters or big servers because when I was younger I tried to go for the bigger shot so much faster than I do now and as I’ve grown as a player, I’m more patient, more consistent and I try to find the opening when it’s there.” Nadal’s game has been under Federer’s skin ever since the young Spaniard beat the Swiss in their first meeting, then went up two sets to love in the 2005 Masters Series-Miami final on hardcourts before eventually falling to Federer in five sets. “I was very worried today. Especially the first set, I don’t lose sets very often 6-2, so this really shows you that I was struggling,” Federer said after toughing out the Miami five-set win. “But I think it’s got a lot to do with his game. He’s left-handed, I had to get used to, and couldn’t quite do that.” The Swiss has yet to fully figure it out, judging by the career head-to-head with Nadal, trailing 8-5 (2-2 in 2007). While an Andy Roddick or James Blake would obviously be a boost for American tennis in the US Open final, a Federer-Nadal final would see the Swiss and Spaniard meeting in three of the four Slam finals this year, which would be a first in the Open Era. Back in the days before tennis became a sport open to all, Rod Laver and Neale Fraser met in three Slam finals in 1960, Laver and Roy Emerson met in three Slam finals in 1962, and Emerson and “Fiery” Fred Stolle met in three Slam finals in 1964.
LITTLE RED DRESS — Maria Sharapova didn’t hide her excitement about debuting her new red Nike dress Tuesday at the US Open: “I was trying to get through my warm-up as fast as I could so I could put the dress on actually. Not a joke,” Sharapova said. “Was pretty excited about putting it on. So I told my coach, I was like, ‘Last return and I’m out of here. I’m going in the locker room.’…When you feel good about what you’re wearing and you feel good about putting it on, yeah, you know what it’s like. Put on a nice outfit and some makeup and you’re the bomb.” And on the little black overcoat: “It’s very couture. It’s actually, the material comes — okay, if I say I think it’s Italian or either from Paris or Milan and they’re going to kill me if I got this wrong. But I think it’s from Milan. I only have two because they didn’t have enough material. But that’s really useless information in here,” said Sharapova, who enjoys talking fashion and then telling the mostly-older-male media that they don’t care. “But, yeah, it was — the idea of couture from the French couture shows.”