Percy896's Tennis Forum

dav6789

Since the start of the year, the headlines have mostly been about Vanessa Child and Yodavitch, the world's top 2 players. They have shared all of the year's Grand Slam titles so far, with Yodavitch winning the Australian Open at the start of the year, and world number 1 Child winning the French Open and Wimbledon. The pair met in an enthralling French Open final, which went right down to a final set tie-break. Between them, they have won 7 of the 10 Tier 1 events on tour this year. They lead the rankings together by over 500 points, and the year's race rankings by over 1000 points. Their rivarly has continued to dominate tennis right through the hardcourt season, and they both are clear favourites to meet in the up-coming US Open final.

Having lost their meetings at the French Open and Wimbledon, it appeared Yodavitch was loosening his grip on the world number 1. That has all changed this summer though, as the Australian Open champion has shown he might have the edge on his favourite hardcourt. Yodavitch has clearly been the top player of the hardcourt season, even better than Child. He swept all of the Tier 1 hardcourt events this summer, with a key win over Child in the Agassi Open final 7-5 7-6. He has not lost a match since Wimbledon, and will be the slight favourite over Child to win the US Open.

The world number 1 has only played 2 events this summer, perhaps due to the sheer amount of matches she played earlier this year. She still looked to be in her best form. She reached the final of the Agassi Open without the loss of a set, including a 6-2 6-2 demolition of PSALT, who she has had trouble with in the past. She lost to a red-hot Yodavitch in the final, just her second loss of the year. Child reappeared at the Pierce Grand Prix and won the title for the third successive year. Again, her road to the final was easy, before finally putting away PSALT again 6-3 4-6 7-5. With her performance last week in France, she looks ready to defend her US Open title.

British world number 3 NEA has played the tennis of his life this hardcourt season. After a series of disappointments on his favourite clay surface, he has found his best tennis on the blue hardcourts. NEA won the Petrova Cup at the start of the hardcourt season with convincing wins over stevos14, Phobe and a flawless display in the final against x.doublea. Another title for the world number 3 came at the Kuznetsova Classic, where he won a gutsy match against Jennacourt in the final 6-4 3-6 7-5. NEA also reached the final of the Clijsters Classic. In the SF, he beat 3-time defending champion John Edelstein. Only Yodavitch has got in his way this summer.

Those 3 players have performed the best this hardcourt season. PSALT got his season going, reaching the Pierce Grand Prix final, aswell as getting some more matches under his belt. Another player to get a season going was former US Open finalist Stroganoff, who won the Blake Summer Hardcourts and reached the SF of the Kuznetsova Classic. With Yodavitch and Child dominating so much, it was hard for the other top players to shine. Tricatrina and Jennacourt both got to a final, but former world number 1 Bizet was very average. dav6789, usually one of the better performers this time of year, had the lowest point of his career. After reaching the final of the Blake Summer Hardcourts, he failed to win a match and ended up pulling out early to get his tennis back together. In the lower tier events, Tennis Fan reached back-to-back finals at the Baghdatis Challenge and Ginepri Outdoors.

The US Open draw was released yesterday. Although it is hard to look past Child and Yodavitch, there is still plenty of exciting tennis to come. Child has quite a tough test waiting for her in the last 16, either 16th seed leftys_rock or former French Open champion J-man, who is unseeded. Stroganoff or Bizet will likely play her in the QF, and PSALT or Tricatrina in the SF. Child is the firm favourite to get through to the final in her half. The other half is more competitive. Yodavitch and NEA may play yet again this summer, in the SF. Also there are dav6789, x,doublea and Jennacourt. There is an exciting match between former champion John Edelstein and 14th seed Agassi2000.