If Novak doesn’t defend his 2018 title, who is going to win this final major of 2019?

Seriously. Who you got?

Nadal or Federer?

😀 😀 😀

You don’t think someone not part of the Big 3 can win this biggest of the brightest lights late night major tennis tournament parties going down in NYC, do you?

Who can possibly upset Novak (and/or Fedal)?

You think our serious-as-an-old-Soviet-Union-history-lesson, fresh off his Cincinnati title, Daniil Medvedev can conquer the American concrete jungle?

Zverev, who’s looked awful lately and historically in B05?

Thiem, who has all kinds of disadvantage and poor play to make-up?

Tsitsipas?

For real?

Del Potro, to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of his first and only major? He was a finalist last year, as well, don’t forget. 😀

Who can pull this rabbit out of his odds-stacked-against-his-ass hat?

Who, other than a member of this Big 3 oligarchy, can overthrow said tyrannical treasure trove of major titles? The last eleven majors, actually, for some recent in-your-face history. And, if my history is accurate, 54 of the last 65 Grand Slam tournaments played. All won by a member of the Big 3.

Barf.

No need to get into draws at this point. Same old. Nadal gets a pass.

The fall semester starts tomorrow, folks, so I have work to do . . . so here’s some cliff notes of my 2019 USO brain:

Novak, despite a tough draw, will do fine (what’s not to like about his chances in Bo5, on hard courts, with the biological clock ticking on him, unless you see him playing, like his mentorer 🙂 another seven years).

You think Stan can complicate matters in his early draw? Four other Serbs in his draw?

I don’t see it.

His QF has a possible date with Medvedev, but if the Russian loses early, which is a possibility of course, look at the rest of that draw. Granted, could be a tough QF, but I could see Djokovic playing . . . Fognini in that match (I can’t even say that with a straight face — beyond Medvedev, Novak’s QF opponent looks like a plant-based snack. Sorry, guys).

Federer either goes meekly into the night, early, per my most recent prophecy, or brilliantly books another date with Novak, or comes close?

Yikes.

I think Federer will have to work quite hard to get to a distant and scary SF with Djokovic. Even getting there would be quite an accomplishment. Remember 2017 when he found some early five-setters (I want to say Youzhny and Tiafoe) that finished him and his ailing back.

NYC is a gruel. It’s hot, it’s hard courts, it’s best of five.

No one since Federer in 2008 has defended a U.S. Open title.

It’s a jungle.

My image of Federer possibly rising from the ashes revolves around beating Djokovic. In a paragraph above I said even getting to the SF to face the Djoker would be HUGE. And that’s correct. But to really save face, to return the universe to some kind of balance for the one-handed ballerina, he needs to A) get to Novak and B) (really) beat him.

The irony: Federer beats Novak, but loses to Nadal in the final!

I don’t trust tennis anymore. It’s like the stock market, or the U.S. Presidency.

There’s my corny Big 3 crystal ball, tennis friends.

Federer beats Djokovic (the miracle!) and then loses to Rafa.

😀

Rafa’s half is perfect.

Possible threats Rublev and Tsitsipas are in his half, but play each other in the first round! Ha ha ha.

Kyrgios is in his half. But plays either Stefanos or Andrey in the third round. Lol.

See how that magic works?

There are some big boys in his quarter, for sure. I’d love to see Kokkinakis (R2) give him a test; he’s been playing Challengers of late, but has a “potentially” big game (this word goes well with ANY non-Big 3 player). A Khachanov/Zverev (QF) might have a chance (can’t say Zverev with a straight face, sorry). Karen’s game needs a deep run here. But this is probably too much to ask.

All we have, for the sake of ANY semblance of parity, is a Russian usurpation. Speaking of, did you see Shapovalov (Russian by blood) is now under the guise of (speaking of) Youzhny? And the big lefty one-hander made some progress in Winston-Salem last week.

I’m looking, folks. You can’t blame me for not trying!

Anyways.

Federer says he feels great and more history suggests that when he has gone out early in Cincy he wins the USO. 😀

Which brings us back to Novak.

And Rafa.

I actually have a bad feeling about this year’s Open.

Someone (Dear Reader, Tennis, the 2019 U.S. Open), tell me I’m wrong.