Day 6 at the Open

Written by: Staff on 29th August 2011

Day 6 at the Open |

TENNIS TO BEGIN MONDAY: Here’s your latest update from USOpen.org: “The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center came through Hurricane Irene with minimal damage. We are currently preparing the venue for the gates to open at 10 a.m. ET as scheduled. Play around the grounds will commence as close to 11 a.m. as possible with the first match on Arthur Ashe Stadium starting at 1 p.m.

“The restoration of service on the subway system will begin at 6:00 a.m. Eastern and is part of an MTA service plan that will restore some service to the subways, including local service on the 7 train to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Check the MTA Website for more information.”

THE ROGER WATCH BEGINS: If Roger Federer fails to win the US Open this year he will see his streak of winning at least one Grand Slam a year since 2003 end. That’s right, Federer is Slam-less is 2011 and it’s just something we’re not used to seeing.

He turned 30 years old recently but doesn’t seemed fazed by it at all, telling the media in his interview session on Saturday that it’s just a number. “Hasn’t changed anything,” he said. “I’m still as professional. I’m still as hungry. Everything’s still completely normal. It’s just a number that’s changed. I’m ready to go.”

A win by Federer on Monday against 54th-ranked Santiago Giraldo of Colombia will tie R-Fed with Andre Agassi for second-most victories at majors during the Open era with 224. Jimmy Connors isn’t far behind at 233. With just 33 loss, Federer has amassed an amazing .871 winning percentage.

And there’s still people who question he’s the best of all-time?

A quarterfinal matchup with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga looms and we know all about Federer-Tsonga matchups this summer. Many tennis fans feel like the kid in the backseat of the car on a long two-hour ride to the beach: “Are we there yet?”

SERENA TALK HAS BEEN KEPT TO A MINIMUM: With all the hype and intrigued surrounding the men’s event, little has been said about the return of Serena Williams to the Open. The last we saw of Williams at the Open was two years ago when she was yanked off the court for threatening a lines judge in her semifinal match against Kim Clijsters.

Williams, 29, has won 13 Grand Slams in her career and has gone 16-2 this summer with her only losses to Marion Bartoli at Wimbledon and a withdrawal in the second round at Mason, Ohio, before a match with Samantha Stosur.

Williams opens play against Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia in the first round on Tuesday. We think she’ll coming out guns ablazin’ and do everything in her power to keep her name in the news for what she does during the points, and not between them.

DON’T MISS ALL ACTION STARTING MONDAY: The Tennis Channel will air coverage of the Open beginning Monday beginning at 11 a.m. ET to 7 p.m. (live) and from 11 p.m. to midnight (highlights). ESPN2 will air matches live from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

BAY AREA COLLEGIATE STARS WIN US OPEN NATIONAL MIXED DOUBLES PLAYOFF: A pair of former Bay Area collegiate stars are the first winners of the USTA US Open National Playoff Mixed Doubles title. Tulsa’s David Martin, 30, and Plymouth, Calif., native Christina Fusano, 30, received a main draw wild card spot defeating Yasmin Schnack and Eric Roberson, both of Sacramento 2-6, 6-1, (10-5).

The mixed doubles event starts Aug. 31 in New York City.

Martin was a five-time All-American at Stanford (1999-2003) and has become best known for his doubles play as a professional. He owns 20 USTA Pro Circuit doubles titles and cracked the Top 40 of the world doubles rankings in 2008. He has competed in men’s doubles at all Grand Slam events, including the US Open, but never in mixed doubles. Fusano played at the University of California and has won 11 doubles titles on the USTA Pro Circuit. She played twice in the US Open women’s doubles (2003, 2008) and peaked at No. 84 in the doubles rankings in 2008.

This was the first year that the USTA held the US Open National Playoffs – Mixed Doubles Championship. This tournament was open to anyone and everyone who wanted to earn their way into the US Open with nearly 200 teams competing this year.