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Hi, Our Names Are: U-S-A?
There was a long period of time when the top of the tennis world was rather static. The best players were legendary, yes, but one downside was that the names winning major tournaments repeated over and over and over again.
That era is largely over, never more evident than at this year’s U.S. Open, where upsets have become the norm and the semifinal rounds have been crashed by a surprising crew: a group of Americans largely unfamiliar with this territory.
- Since Serena Williams’ run, only two American women — Sloane Stephens (2017) and Coco Gauff (last year) — have won on the home court.
- This time, Gauff lost early, but two new faces filled in: Jessica Pegula, who stunned No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek yesterday, and Emma Navarro, who beat Gauff in the round of 16. Pegula, 30, and Navarro, 23, play in opposite semifinals today
- The men’s side had been seeing dramatically less success by Americans. None have made the men’s final since 2006, Andy Roddick’s last appearance. He was also the last to win a U.S. Open (2003). The drought is real. Metaphorical crops are dying
- Enter Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, two passionate players who have shown flashes of extreme talent. The 26-year-olds play each other in a semifinal tomorrow, with the winner to face top seed Jannik Sinner or No. 25 seed Jack Draper in the final
This is the first U.S. Open with two American men and two American women in the semis. A new era? Maybe not yet. But at this tournament, things feel very fresh. That’s a good thing.
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Fitnessnacks – #Open #live #updates #Womens #semifinals #USAs #Navarro #Pegula #action
Courtesy : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/us-open-2024-tennis-live-updates-schedule-results-semifinals/HzCMGKVpI69y/