Tennis: US Open 2024

[SPV]

Sabalenka’s power is unfair in the women’s game, at times. I don’t mean to open up the biological differences discussion, but at times it feels like an actual women (not alleging anything crazy) with man physical power to her shots playing against women who get overwhelmed by how hard the ball is coming back at them.

She’s a freak athlete. Really impressive to watch, especially now that she’s gotten her shots under a little better control

I think you really gotta work angles and drop shots against her. I actually wonder if Muchova would have had better luck with her spin shots

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think you really gotta work angles and drop shots against her. I actually wonder if Muchova would have had better luck with her spin shots

Theoretically, I agree. I think that’s how you would ideally like to try to play tactically. But it’s so much easier said than done. Especially on Sabalenka’s serve most of your shots back are going to be defensive in nature.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Captain obvious but this first set is going to be MASSIVE

 

[TCTC]

Sabalenka seems to be from the Sharapova school of loud noises. Annoys the hell out of me.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sabalenka is starting to lose her composure. She’s at 6-5, so she’s still in good shape, but she needs to be careful because she’s starting to use a lot of emotional energy outside of actually playing the points.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Beyond insane first set, Sabalenka needs to play freer like @Pavel Buchnevich. You can see she's trying to bomb Pegula off the court with some insane shots, just play your game

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sabalenka breaks at 6-5 for the set. It was obviously close and Pegula isn’t playing bad, but Sabalenka is playing well and it’s so hard to win sets against Sabalenka when she’s hitting winners instead of unforced errors. Pegula will probably lament a few missed chances at 6-5 down serving that she should’ve made, but to me it looks more like she’s just getting overwhelmed with power consistently and it’s pretty hard to be much more perfect defending against that.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Let's see if Sabalenka learned from last year

 

[kihei]

Kind of a messy set. I was rooting for a breaker because I didn't think either had earned it yet, but Sabalenka settled that thought in the last game.

 

[kihei]

4 of 18 points on second serve is brutal. Can't survive Sabalenka playing like that.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Sabalenka's FH is going awry here

 

[kihei]

An opportunity for Pegula to regain composure and take control of the set. Not a beauty so far.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Another match where Pegula was at 30-40 and facing being down 2 breaks and she's clawed back tremendously

 

[kihei]

Man, I did not see a four game turnaround coming from Pegula. Suddenly we have a viable match again,

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

30-0 and you lose your serve, mental game not the greatest for Sabalenka

 

[VaporTrail]

And she just broke Sabalenka....Here we go...

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Sabalenka looks gassed similar to Tiafoe last night

 

[kihei]

Back even 5-all. A tennis set that is the equivalent of watching a cat chase its own tail. But entertaining.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

That game was so massive, continuing the 2nd set where Sabalenka could end it if she wins the set or Pegula forcing a third. Think it means way more for Sabalenka at this point of the match

 

[kihei]

And after all the roundabout kerfuffle, suddenly here we are only a service break away from Sabalenka winning the match.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Well deserved winner

 

[Tuggy]

She was a huge favorite coming into the tournament and she delivered. Well deserved.

 

[SPV]

She was just too much. Well deserved. I thought Jessica played pretty well, kept it interesting.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Gonna start penciling Sabalenka for minus odds if your sportsbooks at next year's AO/US Open. And if Sinner wins on the men side tomorrow.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Fell asleep for a nap, so I don’t know what occurred the second set. Sounds chaotic. Anyway, the expected winner.

I find Sabalenka very likable. The most so of the top female players. I don’t like the groan, but really that’s it. Seems like a great personality and she’s an impressive athlete. She wallops the ball and that’s most of why she’s so great, but still her consistency in using her power has gotten better and I think she moves well for how tall she is. I didn’t really realize until recently how tall she was. I thought she might be like 5’7 or 5’8. Nope, she’s 6’0, 4-5 inches taller than I thought, She is imposing. One of the tallest female players and in incredible physical shape too. Maybe a credit to her movement that I didn’t realize until now how tall she is.

Pegula seemingly played okay today. Definitely an improvement in the slams that she made a final and came to play. You don’t win them all. Maybe next year she’ll get to a final and get a more winnable match. I wouldn’t rule out that one of these years she’ll finally win a slam. This US Open was a big step towards eventually getting there.