FWIW, this will not become a site on which its CCO curates a bunch of social media-style stories, the kind with harrowing news from humanity’s front-lines. However, extinction is fairly serious and time, imho, is becoming more and more a scarce resource (always has been, of course: but I have no problem sounding my own alarm given such specific tales of end times). 😮
Tennis is the cornerstone of Mcshow Blog, but I have other interests that I may indulge, if I feel compelled. Sorry if that ruffles your cute little tennis feathers.
Miami Draw:
This is from the perspective that Federer and Del Potro are at the tops of each half for obvious reasons. Quite frankly, I don’t see much to get too excited about. And if DelPo has a IW hangover, the only sure bet would be Federer. Beyond that, this draw is wide open, which is both a bit disappointing and exciting given the potential race to fill the void. Chung and more recently Coric have added their names to the list led by Sascha Zverev and the injured Kyrgios. Others with some potential run to make this list of hopes include Khachanov, Shapovalov, Medvedev, Edmund, and Rublev. Unfortunate to see Fritz unable to back-up IW, losing to P-H Herbert yesterday in the first round. Booo.
Federer gets:
Kokkinakis R64
Verdasco R32
Carreno Busta/Mannarino R16
Anderson/Khachanov(?)/Berdych QF
Coric(?)/Sock/Kyrgios(?)/Zverev SF
We recall the Federer v Berdych QF classic last year followed-up by the Federer v Kyrgios SF epic. Very good tennis in those rounds at 2017 Miami. With Kyrgios’ health still an issue and Berdych doing his recent impersonation of Berdych, who knows this year. Zverev, we would think, seems primed but he’s looked less than top of the sport. I’m rooting for Coric to back-up IW. A Federer v Coric SF would be unreal and probably a bit too much to ask.
Del Potro gets:
Haase R64 – I like Haase’s style a lot
Nishikori R32
Djokovic R16
Dimitrov/Raonic QF (the Pillsbury Doughboys)
Goffin/Chung/RBA/Cilic SF
Again, we need to see the likes of Chung continue to climb or Rublev or the wc Jarry follow suit. The Nishikori/Dimitrov/Raonic three-ring-circus has all kinds of potential at getting one’s hopes up for no good reason.
Obviously our eyes are on Djokovic. Is it the appearance fee he needs (of course not)? I suppose getting more time on the court in legitimate ATP action is what he’s all about at this point, getting more match fit, as they say, hoping to ready himself for a run on the clay with an ailing Nadal? But given what we saw in IW, how can our expectations veer very far from another early exit. A SF appearance would be more surprising than a R16 loss.
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Yes, we have our eye on Naomi Osaka, this month’s pride of the WTA. What’s more bizarre: that another unseeded player crushed a WTA draw (how about that 3 and 0 on world #1?), or that in Miami this week she got Serena in R1 and (after that win) now she gets #4 in the world, Svitolina? You have a new star on your hands (and you probably want to keep Serena protected some, no?) so you throw her to the wolves?
That tour is a mud puddle compared to the genius women’s tennis we veterans grew-up watching. Enough said.
Next up: More thoughts on IW.
- Federer/Sampras/Laver in the house.
- Chung v Coric v Federer
- The ’16, ’17, ’18 finals – a look at talent and depth.
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