Wednesday 6 September 2017

Kevin and Pablo in 1st GS Semi

Quarter finals began on Day Nine of the 2017 US Open, and both American women won their high quality matches.  The remaining men's competitor was outgunned, upsetting most predictions, and especially the home nation commentators hopelessly biased output.


In a thrilling three set battle, Anastasija Sevastova (16) broke the serve of Sloane Stephens in the opening game, only to see the unseeded American take the next four games with delight, the Latvian's forehand failing badly.


The two service breaks gathered by Stephens were more than enough to grant her the lead 6-3, but not security. Sevastova created the only break point of the second set with a backhand winner, and a backhand error from Stephens converted the break.

A terrific set of tennis from both players was captured by Sevastova who didn't face a break point and we were gifted a decider.


The final set made up for the lack of second set service breaks.  Sevastova appeared to have the match in her grasp when she broke to lead 2-1 and held that for 3-2.

However Stephens fired back with a break of her own for 3-3, and the two exchanged service drops till at 4-4 the match was on edge.


In the eventual tie break Sevastova delivered a poor forehand at 4 points to 5 and a backhand winner on the first match point gave a free semi final entry to Sloane Stephens 6-3 3-6 7-6 (4).


The score line was identical in the second quarter final between Venus Williams (9) and Petra Kvitova (13) but the match was a much harder hitting affair.


Venus took out the first set 6-3, winning the last five games after being down an early break.  Petra's 16 unforced errors didn't help her.

The Czech champ fought back in set two, the winning score line assisted by 16 winners and excellent work at the net.


The decider had Kvitova leading 3-2 with a break and 15-15.  A series of unforced errors followed by a double fault handed a break back to Williams and from there a tie break decided the result.

Venus glided through, assisted by four Czech forehand mistakes and a Petra double fault.


Now a semi final between Williams and Stephens.  There will be at least one American in the final.


Pablo Carreno Busta (12) was too strong for Diego Schwartzman, winning in straight sets.

Schwartzman was his own worst enemy, converting only two of ten break chances (Pablo took six of his eight), and winning just 9 points on his 27 second serves.

The 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory puts Pablo into just his first Grand Slam semi final.  Until this years Roland Garros quarter final, he had never been past the third round in a Grand Slam tournament.

He has certainly stepped up in 2017.


To make the final he will have to defeat Kevin Anderson (28), who broke American hearts late at night by saying farewell to Sam Querrey (17).

As expected with two big servers three of the four sets were decided by tie breaks, and after Sam won the second set, home hopes were high that the momentum would carry him through.

But Anderson savaged Querrey's second serve in set three, winning ten of fifteen points off it.  He managed to break the American serve in the sixth game helped by two double faults from Sam and that was sufficient to take a two sets to one lead.


Anderson won the fourth set tie break and the match, and is in his first ever Grand Slam semi final.  He had previously made just one quarter final at this level - here in 2015.


Tomorrow we have the remaining quarter finals - if Coco Vandeweghe (20) defeats Karolina Pliskova (1), Garbine Muguruza becomes world number one after the tournament finishes.

If Pliskova makes the final she will retain the top ranking.

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