FIRST SET:
DJOKO!

People were talking about who would be a good doubles partner for Hingis. I would choose Huber.

G = Gael Monfils
N = Novak Djokovic

Novak serving to begin TB

N 1-0 Effective FH by Novak
N 2-0 Gael BH long as Novak drives FH to that side
N 3-0 Gael nets BH
Novak 9-8 Gael 11-11 in TBs
N 3-1 Novak nets FH
Novak FH wide called by Carlos Ramos but Carlos is wrong as Novak challenges successfully as ball landed on line
N 4-1 Gael FH long
N 5-1 Novak volley winner as he came forward behind FH
N 6-1 Gael FH passing shot long as Novak came forward behind FH
N 6-2 Gael BH return winner
Novak takes the set as Gael FH return sails long

Grant: Monfils has a lot of talent, he just has the wrong tactics most of the time. If he could get that together, he will be a really good player.

Bravo! First set in the bag. Napred!

Which one, Grant?
The one on Nole's mom or dad?:)

Jeez, are there any matches that don't go to a first set tiebreak these days? It's almost a foregone conclusion.

Good job, Novak!

time to head home. Novak, I better find you took the second set when I get home. Ajde!

Catch you all later.

Brace yourselves everybody, Hannah Storm is coming up after the break.

jewell - Make tea, not war, source please. I checked US open's official tweet page and there was no mention of such thing. Rafa really need to play as early as possible tomorrow!!! Preferably the last day session match!

first visit from the trainer...

Weird first set but glad Novak won it! Heading home and I'm going to miss the rest of it. Kristy, have a great time tonight! :)

"Monfils has a lot of talent, he just has the wrong tactics most of the time. If he could get that together, he will be a really good player."

A ton of talent. Maybe the most talent. But he does the wrong thing at every opportunity, it's amazing to watch.

"The one on Nole's mom or dad?:)"

Dad. Just wow.

Thanks Heather! I can't wait!!!

Jewell -

I think it's cute when some TW posters are discussing the recent Fedal Wars, and say "I'm trying to be more like Jewell".

You've become the gold-standard of niceness.:)

esha - Who called the trainer?

It's only one set Monfils, forget about it and get to work! :)

Hang on - I just realized from the title of Pete's post that *this* is the "Lull Before the Storm"?

Zvonareva is so gorgeous. Would be happy with her winning if it can't be Vee.

ESPN this update and preview could wait until after the match.

So according to Hannah Storm, Wozniacki won the hearts and minds of NY-ers when she tripped and fell on her butt during the Sharapova match. Mmm-kay.

It strikes me at times that Gael doesn't play to win. He just doesn't have the burning hunger to win a GS. I do think he's talented and will mature as a player, make better choices and all that, but I don't know if you can acquire that desire that gets you over the finish line if it's not there.

Honey catching more flies than vinegar?

Good to see Vera come through. But did Kanepi really make 60 errors? In only 21 games? Ouch.

OMG. Gael has gone Ivanovic on his serve.

Strange energy to this match - wind, kvetching, brain farts, etc.

So Gael Force Monfils could not keep up his momentum I see. When I last watched he was up a break ... Next a meltdown? Was it Nole raising his level or Gael choking?

£££ - Neil Harman said it - it must be true. ;-)

what happened to all that "I showed that I was the man, the leader" talk he brought up after Gasquet match? Can he only do that against fellow french players?

AB- That's exactly what I'm afraid of but it's up to him. I can't want it more than he does.;)

BG thinks that Bambi is physically tired. After 72 minutes. This is feeling a bit like Bambi's match against Rafa last year.

So, Djoker not following good lobs by venturing to the net.

Gun shy about getting tweenered?

It will be interesting to see how Robin adjusts to this wind with that super high ball toss.

8-11 Gael 15-18 Novak W/UFEs in set 1

Sherlock: the wind kept KK's tactic to - bash rally ball up the middle, then let one rip (often up the middle) and it would spray long. Her out balls were not even close.

Nice exchange at net ends with Nole botching a volley and smashing his racquet in frustration. WTH is going on with these guys? So bizarre.

I think Gael is too busy having fun to seriously hunger for a GS.

I watched his warmup for practice in Indian Wells: playing footie and throwing his body across the court to kick the ball, landing on one of his knees, blood dribbling down his leg for the rest of his practice...

Risking injury in that willy-nilly kind of way, not to mention the way he'll dive on the court for balls that are completely out of reach, show that he's not serious enough to focus on Grand Slam winning.

Jewell, Neil Harman who? I don't trust him whoever he is... I hope he's wrong and Rafa can get at least 1st night match and definitely not 2nd after some meaningless exo oldie match, for sure!

Thanks, AB. Sounds...interesting. :)

Well, Neveah, if Gael never gets it together you won't have to be torn between 2 lovers.

Not sure Storm really knows anything about tennis. Agree Vera is very pretty, beautiful eyes, more important than looks, right now, she is clearly the best of the Russian players and Russia's no 1. I still feel she has some difficulty keeping her emotions under control and is called the "crybaby" at Russian sites.

Monfils was actually hitting the ball first 6 games of the match. Playing aggressively and working the bh dthl shot. Has points to go up 5-2 in the first and completely goes defensive. Do any of these players watch Rafa, Venus, Roger or Kim. They actually get more aggressive and get into the net.

Plus, Jackie saw him breakdancing (???) in the hotel lobby at Cincy in the wee hours of the morning.
WTF? This is a professional athlete?

"Gael, how did you get that career-ending knee injury?"
"Ahm...breakdancing..?"

Neil Harman from the London Times, £££.

The wind is awful - why is it Open???? It shouldn't be.

I think he's being a kid, having fun and that's what I love about him. It's a game to him which I have no problem with. If he's ok not winning a slam and just enjoying his career so am I.

And a break!!

I'm thinking this will be a straight set win. Monfils seems to be tiring and getting frustrated even more than Djoko.

It's as windy in this match as it's been all week, I think. Both guys are so frustrated.

nole expending a lot of energy pouting especially since Monfils can't string together two decent points.

And that hold right there, shows the difference between why Nole is where he is and Monfils is where he is. But if he's happy then ok.

Neveah, he is adorable in his frustrating craziness.
I love his new Nike commercial.
"Welcome to my very own game of fetch"

He is the very embodiment of joie de vivre.

Nole breaks at love. Bambi looks SO over this. Disappointing stuff from him - apparently physically spent after a set and can't deal at all with the wind.

Gael Monfils has left the building.

Storm's back? Oh, man. They must've sent Tirico packing and not her. Ugh.

Caro is fast becoming the it girl of tennis, combining glamour with great results and I LOVE to see her getting the attention she deserves. I surf all the tennis site and everywhere people are talking about this beautiful and talented Scandinavian girl. She is so GREAT for the game.

Drat that wind. On weather.com, they predict it'll drop a little tonight.

Why everyone in every occasion write off a tennis player so soon and so easy...

"..this beautiful and talented Scandinavian girl" - surely you meant Polish?

I mean sort of. Obliquely.

Too bad Gael doesn't have it today. ):

Fuzzy I cant watch Gael for too long

He spins my head around

I take your points though.

Vetmama - I replay that commercial maybe a few times a day, I love it too! ;)

I'll spank him for this match later;) *Giggles*

By the way who slices like that into the windy conditions

Monfils thats who????

Another volley FAIL from Nole. Wow.

Nole you need Mark Woodforde back in your camp

You have no real technique on your volley and have no idea at times when to play a volley

This match is rigged. Gael is just returning sitter´s to Djoko and staying back 10 ft behind base line. Yeah its a Quaterfinal!

justice - there is no roof at this Slam. But for Novak's sake, it's better they both deal with the bad wind than blazing 40+ heat on the court. p.s. I'll have to email you later :))

Please stop, I've been having Caro nightmares! HELP! I need therapy and a drink!=P hehe

Amit, Caro: "I'm proud to be the best Scandinavian player." Caro also paints her nails with the Danish flag and talks about her love for growing up in Denmark the country of her birth. She's a Dane!!

the crowd should really boo Monfils right now. That would make this match interesting. Surely not the shot selection of either player.

"This match is rigged. Gael is just returning sitter´s to Djoko and staying back 10 ft behind base line."

Not rigged just Monfils.

Another missed volley from Nole. Anyone keeping track?

Nole Brain Dead

What was that??

Execution for starters

Go hang around with Roger and see what he does for goodness sakes

Nole is sucking at the net...gives a break back

Aaaaand another botched volley. Brad Gilbert is actually speechless.

Bambi breaks back.

Well maybe Monfils will mentally check back in now seeing he broke back

Nole quit with the Insane Volleys

You arent capable of them at the moment

You should not have lost that game

I thought Caro attended some Polish gathering or party recently? Must be pining for the homeland.

Nole's volleys are starting to give me the same sinking feeling as Roddick's net approaches. :/

Sherlock: it was probably nail Polish.

"Caro also paints her nails with the Danish flag..."

Perhaps she is trying very hard to blend in. Most Danes I know don't have flags painted on their nails. They know what the flag looks like.

Yessss ChocoBlisssss! :)

and he does all of that, to go right back to pushing. should have won the point and hit it right back to Nole. The shot selection is shocking.

Aaaaaaand Nole breaks. Of course. Does this match officially qualify as a trainwreck yet?

Of course Nole breaks back

Nole Dont Attempt Any Volleys ok

"I thought Caro attended some Polish gathering or party recently?"

Sherlock,
Caroline did along with Sabine Lisicki and Aleksandra Wozniak who was born in Germany and Canada respectively.

sblily: big difference, same result - Roddick doesn't know when to approach, Nole correctly follows the ball in then whiffs the put-away.

tina (in the "Đ-block") 09/08/2010 at 05:22 PM

"justice - there is no roof at this Slam. But for Novak's sake, it's better they both deal with the bad wind than blazing 40+ heat on the court. p.s. I'll have to email you later :))"

Why there can't be perfect conditions :))) Though it looks like Nole is doing good on the wind lol

P.S. Nole always has an outfit suiting my taste - I adore dragons!!!! So cool!!!!
P.P.S. I'm looking forward to your email and I'm glad you didn't forget me :)

Darn it!!!!!!!!!! Rafa-Verdasco match scheduled not before 8pm tomorrow after some bogus exo double match involving a bunch of old people. I get so mad!!!! Now, US open organization'd better give Rafa 1st SF match at noon!!!

Why do I torture myself like this? I must be a glutton for punishment..*Shaking my head*

You know I am really getting sick and tired of listening to the commentators asking the same questions all the time of the players:

Kim - her daughter and how she is coping
Venus - age and how she is coping
Vera - emotions and how she is coping

And the list goes on and on. Give it a rest and find something new to talk about. Phewt

£££: Schedule of Play for Ashe. Rafa-Verdasco not before 8.00 pm

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/schedule/schedule17.html

Sorry, but painting your nail with the flag of your birth country say it all. Kom sa Caro, Scandinavia's no 1, World no 2, conquerer of former world's no 1 Maria and winner of more titles in 2010 then any other player. She had an amazing year.

Why must a CC match-calling thread become yet ANOTHER discussion of this girl. samantha, you've always played this sympathy card - Nobody on the internet respects her. Now you've let us know the entire world in fact loves her.

Thing is, she is NOT ON COURT NOW

tomorrow's schedule...

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/schedule/schedule17.html

I guess I'd have to miss the first set or two since I will be out until 10 tomorrow. darn it. Rafa, you'd better destroy Verdasco without my watch!

People laugh and have a go at the women in the WTA not able to hold there serves

Well have a look at this mens match ok

I'm afraid Gael wastes his talent. He will never win anything unless he bucks his ideas up. It's all very well having fun but that won't win him any tournaments.

wilson75, you beat me on posting the link... just for that, old man Fed gets 2nd SF on saturday against DJoker! haha

"Thing is, she is NOT ON COURT NOW" - that's simply your visceral hatred of all things Wozniacki speaking.

£££: You beat me to it. I have to agree with you the schedule for Rafa's match is ridiculous.

Tina, not all the talk is positive, just go over to Steve's blog, "Sharapova was beat by a retriever." And at other sites, there is all this talk that she is a "pusher and has an ugly game. So yeah, even when she wins there are people who still put her down.

Why is Gael smiling? I wouldn't be smiling with this result - it doesn't even seem like a nervous laugh... I don't understand that man.

Roger Rasheed just sits there and shakes his head

I wonder why?

JK: don't you know that the only way americans can feel good these days is if they're "winning" against adversity? You're just being subjected to the national projection past-time to think everyone else must be some kind of valiant fighter against the world, or their own emotions, or their wardrobe malfunctions or their fill-in-the-blank.

Woooohhhhhhhhoooooooooooo - Noleee Noleeeeeeeeeee!!!!!