US Open: Historic debacle for the hosts
The quarter-finals of the US Open 2021 will take place without US participation. This has never happened since the beginning of the Open Era.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Sep 07, 2021, 06:56 pm
By Jens Huiber from New York City
Now nobody expected that Jenson Brooksby would inall seriousness be able to stop Novak Djokovic's run in the direction of the Calendar Grand Slam on Monday evening at Arthur Ashe Stadium. In fact, Brooksby was the hosts' last hope of averting historic bankruptcy. Because after the four-sentence defeat of the local hero against the world number one, it is now official: For the first time since the beginning of the Open Era, the USA is not represented in the quarter-finals in either the women or the men. Public waves of outrage are not to be expected: The National Football League will start its new season on Thursday, which is much closer to the hearts of sports fans in this country.
James Blake then sat somewhat perplexed in the studio of the broadcasting TV station ESPN. The Miami tournament director, who used to be a brief member of the top ten himself, tried to find a few silver linings on the horizon. Brooksby's achievements were certainly one of them. Even if Blake suggested to the young Californian to take up an offer from Andy Roddick. He had invited Brooksby to go to the big whipping school with him.
A lot of pressure on Cori Gauff
Roddick is known to be the last man who could get a major for the USA, 2003 it was in New York City. Since then, the situation has generally been a little friendlier for women, thanks in particular to Serena Williams. Sloane Stephens won the last title so far in 2017, when the USA had all other places in the semifinals with Madison Keys, Venus Williams and Coco Vandeweghe.
In the current situation analysis, one must not forget that Sofia Kenin and Jennifer Brady, the two best-placed Americans, could not start in Flushing Meadows. The last hope in the tournament was Shelby Rogers, who was rudely sent off by Emma Raducanu on Labor Day.
The greatest hopes rest on Cori Gauff , as James Blake has noted several times. How far Gauff is from the absolute top of the world was shown by the lesson in round two, which she received free of charge from Sloane Stephens. Stephens, on the other hand, is simply not fit enough to win a big tournament. The athletic deficits could not be overlooked against a well-trained Angelique Kerber from the middle of the second set.
Korda and Opelka as the greatest hopes
For men, Blake has, in addition to Brooksby, Sebastian Korda in particular on his bill. However, the 20-year-old had to give up in round one due to food poisoning. Frances Tiafoe shone against Andrey Rublev, then ran out of breath against Félix Auger-Aliassime. That leaves Reilly Opelka. He had shown no nakedness until the round of 16, even winning the first set against Lloyd Harris. After that, however, the South African Opelka was always one step ahead.
Who will the fans, hailed by many experts as the real winners of the tournament, now embrace? The northern neighbors from Canada would be the first choice. Leylah Fernandez and Félix Auger-Aliassime today have the chance to move into the semifinals of a major for the first time. For Bianca Andreescu the end came on Tuesday night.
Here is the men's single tableau
Here the single tableau of women
nycmap