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For the last eight days, we were just chatting; today, we’re talking, and we begin with an absolute jazzer of a debate.
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Paula Badosa has had so much aggro with her back and mental health that she thought seriously about giving up the game. Which sounds unfortunate when you type it, but when you really think about it – a potentially brilliant athlete, in her prime, having sacrificed her youth for her art, feeling unable to go on – you feel a small piece of the anguish that must’ve enveloped her. But she found a way and, over the course of 2024, the former world no 2 has gradually rediscovered the joyous power and aggression that makes her special. She’s earned this, and she’s a danger.
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But so has and is Emma Navarro. At 23, she’s worked out her game and what it takes to be a top pro, a far fitter and tougher proposition than before. To get to this point, she’s beaten both Marta Kostyuk and Coco Gauff in three tough sets, and though she got tight the first time she looked set to eliminate the champ, she learnt from it and when the chance presented itself again, she devoured it with extreme prejudice. After beating Gauff to make the Wimbledon quarters, she was subsequently battered by Jasmine Paolini; she’ll be desperate to show her home crowd she’s learnt from that too.
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Following them on Ashe is a weapons-grade battle of the highest degree. No one without a grand slam title has come closer to winning won than Alexander Zverev, taking Carlos Alcaraz the distance in the French Open final, having lost a two-set lead to Dominic Thiem in this competition’s 2020 final. Now, with Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic gone, he’ll once again be feeling this is his time – more acutely than ever – and given a serve and backhand that are two of the finest shots in the game, that’s with good reason.
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However there’s always a however – in this case, Taylor Fritz, on the surge and conqueror of the German at Wimbledon. His serve and forehand have always been nasty and still are, but what’s changed in recent times is the belief that he can beat the best on the biggest occasions. He’s got the game to give Zverev plenty.
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If that was all, it’d be enough, but there’s also a history of needle. Though the two players get on well, at Wimbledon, Zverev took issue with some of the support Fritz was getting from his box, while Instagram posts made by Fritz’s girlfriend, Morgan Riddle – later deleted – seemed to reference allegations of domestic abuse made against Zverev by two former partners – which Riddle later said was not the case.
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We’ll see if any animus surfaces but either way, we’re set for what should be a brilliant day of (US Open) tennis. Awesome! Let’s go!
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Play: 12pm local, 5pm BST
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Main Events
Great start from Navarro She played a solid 15-0 point, guiding Badosa up the court and closing it out at love. She was in the match and a successful first return would give her opponent something to work with. think What to think about?
And play, Navarro will serve.
Good news: Marion is in charge of collaborative communications and her mix of enthusiasm and analysis is a lot of fun.
In the studio, they are divided: Henman and Bartoli will pick Navarro and Lopez Badosa. In other words, it's a close race.
…And here they come!
Our players are ready…
Now, going back to today, who will win the first match? Badosa is a better player with a bigger game, and if she plays well, it will be hard for Navarro to beat her. But her style is high-risk, high-reward, and if she gets nervous or plays inaccurate, she'll be facing an opponent who is more than capable of beating her.
So who will win these prizes? On the women's side, no one is better than Aryna Sabalenka. Of course, Iga Swiatek can beat Sabalenka if she's in good form, but she doesn't like this surface and is not as confident as usual. Badosa can win if she's in good form, but I don't think Navarro can.
The men's tournament seems a bit more open, especially since only two players have won majors: Jannik Sinner and Daniil Medvedev. But really, just about anyone can win from here. Personally, I'd like to see Grigor Dimitrov win. It'll just depend on who can find what they need when they need it.
preamble
Welcome everyone to Day 9 of the US Open 2024!
For the past eight days, we were just chatting, but today talkand we start off with a really interesting discussion.
Paula Badosa received so much criticism for her back and mental health that she seriously considered quitting the sport. It sounds sad to write it like that, but on reflection, you can feel some of the anguish that must have enveloped her, given that a talented athlete in her prime sacrificed her youth for her art and felt unable to continue. But she found a way, and over the course of 2024, the former world number two gradually regained the joyous power and aggression that makes her so special. She's earned it, and she's dangerous.
But so was Emma Navarro, and so is she now. At 23, she has honed her game, learned what it takes to be a top pro, and is much fitter and a tougher opponent than she was before. To get to this point, she beat both Marta Kostyuk and Coco Gauff in three tough sets. She was nervous the first time she nearly beat the champion, but she learned from it, and when the opportunity arose again, she took it boldly. After beating Gauff to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals, she was beaten by Jasmine Paolini, and she will be desperate to show her home crowd that she learned from that too.
The Ashe that follows will be a battle of the highest calibre. No player without a Grand Slam title has come closer to victory than Alexander Zverev. He dominated Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final and lost a two-set lead to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 final. With Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic gone, he will once again find his time here. Stronger than ever. And with good reason, as he possesses two of the best shots in the game: the serve and the backhand.
But there's always a but. In this case, it's Taylor Fritz, who thumped the German at Wimbledon and got the momentum going. His serve and forehand have always been nasty, and still are, but what's changed recently is the belief that he can beat the best players in the biggest situations. He has the game to compete with Zverev.
That would be bad enough, but there's also a history of criticism: The two players get along well, but at Wimbledon, Zverev took issue with some of the support Fritz was receiving from the box, and an Instagram post (since deleted) from Fritz's girlfriend, Morgan Liddle, seemed to refer to allegations of domestic violence against Zverev by both their ex-partners, which Liddle later said were untrue.
“I don't know if any hostility will surface, but either way, it should be a great day of (U.S. Open) tennis. Great! Let's get started!”
Play time: 12pm local time, 5pm BST
