Love this tournament.

Starts tonight. Haven't looked at the draws yet. Anyone who has been following it closer have any intriguing storylines out there?

As always, go fed!

A. Krajicek on Ct 5 now!

This one is my favorite major. Hard to explain why but it is. For the next two weeks I am going to be essentially worthless at work.

This one is probably Fed's last shot. If the courts are fast and he does not have to grind it out he can make it happen. But if the courts are slow (which they are) then Joker will murder Fed.

Federer has a cake walk to the semis. Berdych is out there in the high grass but if you want to make the semis you have to beat players like Berdych. In the semis he links up with Joker. Joker does have a little harder path but no one other than Stan Wawrinka is going to beat him on this surface at this speed. Joker is just too much for Federer at this stage. The only chance Federer has against Joker is at Wimbledon if the conditions are lightning fast.

Time to say goodbye to Lleyton Hewwitt. I will miss him.

An intriguing story out there is match fixing. Seems people have finally noticed something peculiar.

yeah, and the vague report also said it includes a US Open winner.

Assuming it isn't one of the big 4(because the report would most definitely hint at that), then you're left with Cilic and Del Potro

Del Potro could hide it better (not to say that it is him). He could say his wrist was bothering him and that would be that.

interesting Djoker admits to having been contacted through his group and offered $200k to throw a match earlier in his career.

As good as these guys are and how close some of these matches really are it would be hard as hell to prove match fixing. So you look at a match that went down in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. You get broken in each of your sets. It would be so easy to throw that. You don't have to hit it up in the stands or not run out balls. You just have to be a little off. And by a little you are returning in someone's wheel house and they rifle a 100 mph forehand back at you.

When Nadal was dominating Federer those matches were much closer than people realize. When you take into account unforced errors that is where you can really start throwing things. Federer had a ton of winners but also a ton of unforced errors. You hit the net. You miss it a little wide. You don't get it far enough away to keep the opposing player from unloading on it. These guys have tremendous back hands now. You don't keep it far enough away from them and they can rifle it down your throat.

Now if you are losing against someone that is unranked that is another thing. You see Murray do that. But Murray is way too high strung to do something like that.

Reading some of the articles, the initial investigation years ago(and being brought up again) involves heavy money on guys who are decided underdogs, but most importantly, in-match betting.

Basically, a player would go up a set, and then get a break, and at that point, the in-match odds fluctuate so much and the syndicates would come in and take the guy who's losing and lay a ton of money on him. Then out of nowhere the player would go on a big run and turn the match around and ultimately win.

this nadal/verdasco match has been great to watch

Great match. Tough draw for Rafa and he gone.

I doubt we ever see him at the top again. Good run. King of clay for sure. Maybe he can squeeze one more French out

I doubt Nadal wins another major, including the French. What keeps Federer in it at this point is his serve. On a fast surface he stands a chance. On the slower ones Joker will blow him out of the stadium. As soon as it started raining at the US Open I knew Federer was done for. And he threw everything and the kitchen sink at Joker to no avail.

Nadal is a grinder. Always has been. Now that his body is starting to turn on him he is unable to stay in position to return shots an grind people to dust. Joker will murder him at the French Open. Joker might win all four majors this year. Perhaps the only person that can stop him would be Wawrinka. His backhand is murderous.

The vultures are circling Joker that he threw matches in 2007.

It was clear that it was time (or perhaps past time), but it was still emotional to see Lleyton Hewitt walk away after losing to Ferrer.

His retirement is interesting to me personally for a couple of reasons.

For one, he was really the last guy on tour, for me, that symbolized the pre-Fed era. Few players going now were even active before Fed, and fewer were top-five players during that time the way Lleyton was.

I also just had an interesting relationship with Hewitt as a tennis fan. When I first got into tennis as a pre-teen and in my early-teenage years, Hewitt was number one in the world, and I couldn't stand him. I didn't care for his brash attitude, and as a guy who enjoyed rooting for underdogs (and the American players, of course), I couldn't root for the number one player in the world.

At some point around 2010, though, things changed for me. Hewitt's image softened (at least outwardly) as he became a parent and he became an elder statesman for the sport. His perseverance (some would say stubbornness) through all of those injuries also endeared him to me. At some point, he became the underdog. And over the last couple of years, even though he was essentially living off of wildcards, I found myself rooting for him every time he played.

Great post. I felt the same way about Hewitt you did early on and like you, have come to enjoy watching him and rooting for him.

Hewitt is the U.S. Open champ on the 'suspicious' list: http://showlegend.tumblr.com/post/137644525409/the-buzzfeed-15-exposed

quote:

---

It was clear that it was time (or perhaps past time), but it was still emotional to see Lleyton Hewitt walk away after losing to Ferrer.

His retirement is interesting to me personally for a couple of reasons.

For one, he was really the last guy on tour, for me, that symbolized the pre-Fed era. Few players going now were even active before Fed, and fewer were top-five players during that time the way Lleyton was.

I also just had an interesting relationship with Hewitt as a tennis fan. When I first got into tennis as a pre-teen and in my early-teenage years, Hewitt was number one in the world, and I couldn't stand him. I didn't care for his brash attitude, and as a guy who enjoyed rooting for underdogs (and the American players, of course), I couldn't root for the number one player in the world.

At some point around 2010, though, things changed for me. Hewitt's image softened (at least outwardly) as he became a parent and he became an elder statesman for the sport. His perseverance (some would say stubbornness) through all of those injuries also endeared him to me. At some point, he became the underdog. And over the last couple of years, even though he was essentially living off of wildcards, I found myself rooting for him every time he played.

---

Exactly how his career was viewed as well. Nick K On the same path I hope!

Very strange how Hewitt's 3 kids but not wife came on court to join in after match retirement...she just stood off court and watched.

Djokovic and berdych go 5 sets with Roger still to play. Great action down under tonight

By scratching out a win last night, Novak keeps his QF streak alive at 27.

Roger has the record at 36. So that would mean Novak would have to get through this year, next year, and the aussie + French of 2018 to tie it. Wimbledon to beat. I think he has a chance but that's still a long way to go.

That streak is the true mark of consistency and health. Djokovic is so good right now, it'd be hard for me to see him not make the qf's every grand slam this year and next at least. Just needs to stay healthy

How many players could commit 100 unforced errors over the course of the match and still come out victorious against a solid top-20 player?

It was bad news for Simon that Djokovic was spraying errors basically from the first ball, and he could never get any separation.

Looking forward to seeing Isner's match tonight. Ferrer is the type of guy that can give him fits because he likes to extend rallies and make opponents run, but Isner's been playing well over the last week, so maybe it's his time to finally break through into the quarters Down Under.

Azarenka just asked in her post match interview if Denver won and freaked out when she heard the news.

She also dabbed after winning

It is a shame Joker figured out before playing Federer that the backhand drop shot just is not going to work. Something looked off with Joker during that match. Of course that is what makes these guys great. When they are a little off they still fight though and advance.

huge match between Raonic and Wawrinka, and down goes Stan.

That side of the bracket is weak. Djoker/Fed's side of the quarters is loaded.

Yes, it does appear Murray will waltz into the final.

We are both huge Federer fans so that clouds our judgment but I think Federer has a shot. If they have to close that roof then I think he beats Joker. If not I still think he has a great shot at this. He has not been taxed yet so his tank is pretty full. If he does not have to go deep against Berdych I think he can take Joker.

yeah Djokovic seems a tick off. Wonder if the talk of the match fixing just had his mind a bit unfocused. Forecast calls for a ton of rain on Thursday, which would be the semifinal between the Djoker/Fed side.

Should be interesting. Nishikori is playing very well too. He will be no easy out for Novak.

That would be poetic justice because it was the rain at the US Open that hurt Federer. Up to that point the courts were fast. The rain slowed it down and helped Joker.

Late night tonight with Federer hitting the court around 10 pm out time.

Another thing that has helped Federer has been the weather. It is not as hot this year as it has been in the past. I know he is supremely fit but he is 34 years old.

I think he is fresh now and only has to win three more. Of course that is against the 6, 1 and 2 seeds but if you want to be the man you have to beat the man.

That is a 1st set tiebreak win for Federer that each man broke the other once. Very even but man it feels like Berdych had to work twice as hard in it.

Wouldn't be surprised if he breaks once in the next 2 sets to sweep.

Let's see what Berdych has to offer

Too easy for djokovic. Looks like both he and fed will be healthy and ready for a fantastic semi

Did not stay up to the see the Joker match but whatever problems he was having were absent last night. As far as Federer, played great but I do not like his chances for the following reasons:

1) night match so the courts will be slower
2) Federer wraps around the ball for his forehand and it leaves the entire court open. THE ENTIRE COURT. Joker will murder him on that.

I will watch the match but am not hopeful. However, I do like Joker so what the hey. I can't stand Murray. Anyone but Murray.

Roof will almost certainly be closed. Rain is likely all day thursday and thursday night.

Anything to make the courts faster will benefit Federer. If he gets into long volleys then advantage Joker.