Running tennis thread 2024

Medevedev came into the tournament having not played a competitive match since Nov. 13. Here's where we find out if he's fresh and strong or rusty and out of match shape.

 

So much for the "thriller" part. Medevedev crushed Ruusuvuori 6-0 in the final set. I guess the verdict is "fresh and strong". At least for now.

 

Im pretty sure the clock said 4:40 am when they went to interview Medvedev

 

According to the box score, time of match was 4 hours, 23 minutes.

I think the fifth set might have taken those last 23 minutes.

 

I thought they started a day early in part to prevent matches ending just before dawn local time.

I guess that was 1% of it. The other 99% was an extra day of revenue.

 

You're not wrong. But it didn't help that three of the four matches on that court went the distance -- in the other, Alcaraz won in four, with tiebreaks deciding two of those sets. In the match right before Medvedev's, Blinkova's shocking win over No. 3 Rybakina (who came into the week in very good form) ended with a 22-20 tiebreak.

 

I Blinkovaed and missed it.

 

They still schedule two night session matches starting at 7pm local time each day, just like always. I think night sessions at the majors need to start an hour earlier at 6 p.m. if two matches, only be one match (which they do at the French, and it's almost always men, which is problematic) or be flexible with possibly moving the second match to a different court if the first one is a marathon. But doubt any change happens, especially at the U.S. Open with all those people coming to Queens from their Manhattan work days for their $25 Honey Deuce drinks.

I like that ESPN has everyone on site for the first time since 2020, but find it interesting that some nights they haven't come on air until 2 hours or more into play. It was understandable to reel back things when everyone was calling it sleepy from Bristol, but if you're going to pay for everyone to be there for two weeks, why not use them? Perhaps they're trying to get more ESPN+ sign-ups, but even then can't they still use Fowler and everyone? I'm watching more and more on the world feed. It looks like Anisimova-Badosa is going to be world feed only tonight.

 

No. 2 Sabakenka with the dreaded double bagel — takes a mere 52 minutes to plow through Lesia Tsurenko.

 

I watched the match yesterday (not all of it -- I skipped around). It ended at 3:42 a.m. Melbourne time -- the third-latest finish time ever for a major tournament match.