re: The Unofficial 2018 US Open Thread

so it looks like i may get to see Nadal but not Fed based on the leaked schedule of play.

Think i might buy a night session ticket for saturday and hopefully get to see fed.

I dont know if i should buy armstrong or ash tickets for saturday night

I saw that. I am sure they will try to rotate them in there at some point. I just think something like Fed/Nick is too big for Armstrong.

screw it. just bought Ash tickets for saturday. you only live once. My wife is going to get sick of watching tennis in new york all week.

Sounds like Alex has brought on Lendl officially.

Super brief draw analysis:

Quarter #1:
Rafa is the heavy favorite to make it out of this quarter.
- First round -- easy breezy.
- Second round -- easy breezy.
- Third round -- probably Karen K, the all-time swaggiest Russian dude ever* -- who will push him and make him raise his level up a bit, and maybe even take a set off him, but won't be able to sustain his level long enough to beat TGGRN.
- Fourth Round -- probably a slumping Kyle Edmund. Easy breezy.
Quarters -- the bottom of Quarter #1 is tougher than the top half, and so it's tricker to predict who he'll see in the quarters. The odds-on favorite is definitely Kevin Anderson, but I could see Shapo or Rublev (probably less likely on current form) or Steve-O (coming in hot) or even elder Zverev. Can any of these guys take Nadal? maybe an absolutely-in-form Shapo, but probably not.

MV Pick: TGGRN

Quarter #2:
This is the most complete quarter in my opinion. You've got a ton of guys in this one with a working tennis pulse. Obviously Delpo, but also Murray, the teetsy fly, our favorite yankee servebot, our favorite canuck servebot, Stanimal, Baby Smug, and even Kudla and Daniil Medvedev can put up a good fight against most. Seriously stacked.

But Delpo is definitely the favorite. He'll take out [Qualifier X] in round 1. I like Kudla's form, but beating the Tower of Tandil at the Open is a different matter. He'll get Murray in the third, and Murray clearly still isn't ready. The fourth round is tricker. He'll probably get Coric or teetsy. I'd say smart money has to be on the Greek Fly, whose spirit (and poise) I really like, but who probably lacks the service game at present to win that one (though I hope so for my fantasy team)

I honestly don't see a clear-cut favorite in the bottom of that draw. The Stanimal would be fun, but it's probably more likely to be one of the servebots.

MV Pick: Delpo. Not going out on any limbs here.

Quarter #3:
#summerofalex

MV Pick: Alex


Quarter #4:
I suppose it's fair to say that Fed got screwed by drawing Djoker in his quarter -- and I can't necessarily disagree with that -- but other than that, this is a weak quadrant. Chunk is not in-form and Honey Nut is an established headcase at this point who will never win a major unless he gets some kind of electro-shock therapy or some shite and he ceases being a headcase.

It's almost certainly gonna be Smug v. Djoke in the quarters. Djoke will almost certainly win that match.

MV Pick: Djoker...against not going out on a limb

Rafa v. Delpo -- Rafa
Djoke v. Alex -- Alex

Rafa v. Alex -- Alex

#summerofalex**


________________
*seriously, I love the little pimp-hitch in his giddyup. Mad swag.
**I'm not sure whether I believe this or not.

Biggie ups to Donald Young -- 14 straight main draw US Open's.

Wow. Yup, sure is.

Does anyone else hate the timing of the US Open? Tennis is my second favorite sport to watch, but for me the US Open gets a bit lost with the beginning of college football. I guess they get it in before NFL which is the most important thing to avoid in most of the US.