Thanks to the USTA, Serena is about to win 2018 US Open

T

TMF

Talk Tennis Guru
The USTA were proud to award their countryman Serena a boost in the seeding by placing her at #17, nine spot higher than her actual ranking. With a given favorable draw, Serena was able to reach the US Open final. Would she make the final without the help of the USTA? We don't know, but one thing is for sure is that her path to the final would be a lot tougher had she was actually seeded at #26.

If Serena beat Osaka in the final on Saturday, how would you rate her title win?
 
chicagodude

chicagodude

Hall of Fame
Would it be? Let's assume she would've been 26 and the draw remained the same.

R1: Collins - easy
R2: zvonareva - easy (first major main draw since coming back)
R3: Kvitova - not easy of course but not necessariy tougher than Venus who she had now.
R4: Osaka - hard obviously, but she is playing her in the final now, so we'll see
QF: Tsurenko - easy
SF: Keys - comparable to Pliskova

So, not necessarily much harder, although she would've gotten Osaka earlier.

Yes, I reliae that Osaka would have been #19 and therefore not in the same spot in the draw, but for simplicity I looked at it this way. I see no necessarily easier draw.
WIth any WTA top player able to lose at any moment, it honestly hardly matters whether you're seeded 26 or 17.
 
C

captainbryce

Hall of Fame
TMF said:
The USTA were proud to award their countryman Serena a boost in the seeding by placing her at #17, nine spot higher than her actual ranking. With a given favorable draw, Serena was able to reach the US Open final. Would she make the final without the help of the USTA? We don't know, but one thing is for sure is that her path to the final would be a lot tougher had she was actually seeded at #26.

If Serena beat Osaka in the final on Saturday, how would you rate her title win?
Click to expand...
Really? Because she was drawn in the same quarter as Halep, Venus, Pliskova, and Mugaruza (arguably the four most dangerous players for her path to the final). The fact that she beat two of them and the others lost early doesn’t mean she had an easy draw. I’m curious as to who you think she might have faced that would have been a more difficult draw for her?
 
H

Hamnavoe

Hall of Fame
Even though her seed was bumped up (which I don't think it should have been), she still had a tough draw. Venus in the third round, Halep in the fourth, Pliskova in the quarters, Stephens in the semis and Wozniacki in the final.

Serena has done all that she can so far. She has beaten the six players that she has faced and she deserves to be in the final because of this. I'm hoping for a good match; I'd prefer Osaka to win, but if Serena wins, that'll be because she will have been the better player on the night.
 
Sport

Sport

G.O.A.T.
Yes, because the fact that Serena was seeded #17 authomatically made her reach the final and defeat Osaka. (While I agree that Serena shouldn't have been seeded #17, only the biggest hater in the world would say that her Grand Slam is not legit because of that). God, it is impressive the level of hate for Serena by TTW in general, and @TMF in particular.
 
MLRoy

MLRoy

Hall of Fame
I
TMF said:
The USTA were proud to award their countryman Serena a boost in the seeding by placing her at #17, nine spot higher than her actual ranking. With a given favorable draw, Serena was able to reach the US Open final. Would she make the final without the help of the USTA? We don't know, but one thing is for sure is that her path to the final would be a lot tougher had she was actually seeded at #26.

If Serena beat Osaka in the final on Saturday, how would you rate her title win?
Click to expand...
I'd call it one of her "I GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS" slam. But, she hasn't won it yet.
 
Simon_the_furry

Simon_the_furry

Hall of Fame
Serena should have never been seeded #17. But nevertheless, she's in the final. Whatever happens happens. Go Osaka!!!!
 
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MLRoy

MLRoy

Hall of Fame
Sport said:
Yes, because the fact that Serena was seeded #17 authomatically made her reach the final and defeat Osaka. (While I agree that Serena shouldn't have been seeded #17, only the biggest hater in the world would say that her Grand Slam is not legit because of that). God, it is impressive the level of hate for Serena by TTW in general, and @TMF in particular.
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Every little bit helps, doesn't it? Who else gets the lip-service, or a higher seeding? Maybe "they" don't really think she's the goat. Maybe they think she needs all the help she can get.
 
D

Deleted member 733170

Guest
I would say this win automatically disqualifies her from all slam victories and is akin to square 99 on snakes and ladders that sees the player slither all the way to the start again.

Thank you OP for this original and brilliant analysis.
 
TennisLBC

TennisLBC

Professional
Mr.Lob said:
I'd rate it the same way as her last 10 slams... asterisk due to a weak mug era.
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The only asterisk should be wins against the muggiest of mug, Sharapova, the Washington Generals of Tennis.

Where was all this handwringing when Maria got wildcard after wildcard to artificially inflate her ranking?
 
MatsPhilander

MatsPhilander

Legend
Thank this weak era of silly little girls who hero worship her to where they don't even think they can beat her. One of her opponents was saying what a dream it was to play her. These women should be embarrassed that a woman can come back after a year or so out of the game, grossly out of shape & make two consecutive slam finals.
 
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JoelDali

JoelDali

Talk Tennis Guru
All of the Bouchards and other naked tennis chick Instagram hoars will never win slams.

Instagram selfie production is way more important than stupid tennis matches you silly bunny.
 
Tshooter

Tshooter

G.O.A.T.
That and her tennis game. She should have been seeded no lower than #2.

You’re too young to remember when tournaments such as W seeded subjectively taking into account factors other than blind allegiance to the rankings.

Now please excuse me as I have a long trip up to the top of Ashe to watch people watching tennis and I have to prepare my oxygen tank.
 
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F

fed1

Professional
What has benefited Serena the most is the 5 night matches, especially the 2 during the first week when it was unbelievably hot. That’s the USTA. The defending champion, Sloane Stephens, was absolutely, 100% screwed over by the USTA, all middle of the day matches during the blistering hot days. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that wasn’t a massive benefit to Serena.
 
Tshooter

Tshooter

G.O.A.T.
fed1 said:
What has benefited Serena the most is the 5 night matches, especially the 2 during the first week when it was unbelievably hot. That’s the USTA. The defending champion, Sloane Stephens, was absolutely, 100% screwed over by the USTA, all middle of the day matches during the blistering hot days. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that wasn’t a massive benefit to Serena.
Click to expand...

She got the star treatment. Same as Fed. Same as Borg used to get and he hated playing at night.
 
hipolymer

hipolymer

Hall of Fame
TMF said:
The USTA were proud to award their countryman Serena a boost in the seeding by placing her at #17, nine spot higher than her actual ranking. With a given favorable draw, Serena was able to reach the US Open final. Would she make the final without the help of the USTA? We don't know, but one thing is for sure is that her path to the final would be a lot tougher had she was actually seeded at #26.

If Serena beat Osaka in the final on Saturday, how would you rate her title win?
Click to expand...

I don't get it, isn't 17 in the same seed bracket as 26? What a weird decision.
 
M

Midaso240

Legend
Well I don't know,it's a game of what ifs that you could do with just about any slam win. The reality is,even at age 37,moving as slow as molasses there still isn't that many players who can beat her. She can struggle against defensive players/counterpunchers but they all got knocked before facing her,so the path is clear...
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Ann said:
I'm sure it has nothing to do with her being blond and beautiful.
Click to expand...

She is neither blond, nor beautiful.

You need glasses.

Here is how the "blond and beautiful" actually looks like :

images


:cool:
 
TennisLBC

TennisLBC

Professional
fed1 said:
What has benefited Serena the most is the 5 night matches, especially the 2 during the first week when it was unbelievably hot. That’s the USTA. The defending champion, Sloane Stephens, was absolutely, 100% screwed over by the USTA, all middle of the day matches during the blistering hot days. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that wasn’t a massive benefit to Serena.
Click to expand...
Does the person playing Serena play under the same conditions? And hasn't Serena play day matches?
You guys are acting like Serena is getting the Sharapova treatment.
 
Notirouswithag

Notirouswithag

Professional
WTA weakness is to blame, not USTA.

It's not Serena's fault she cans till come back from giving birth, and winning matches and storming to the draw into the finals.

If anything how does the #1 WTA seed get out in the FIRST round of a major slam? nevermind the "too much tennis" talk
 
Tanya

Tanya

Hall of Fame
fed1 said:
What has benefited Serena the most is the 5 night matches, especially the 2 during the first week when it was unbelievably hot. That’s the USTA. The defending champion, Sloane Stephens, was absolutely, 100% screwed over by the USTA, all middle of the day matches during the blistering hot days. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that wasn’t a massive benefit to Serena.
Click to expand...
Sharapova got all night matches and still lost meekly to Suarez Navarro. Serena is still playing in the exact same conditions as her opponent, and winning. That's what matters. I think if anyone were to deserve night matches from the WTA it would be Serena Williams. Grand Slams are also a business and it's just a fact that Serena will sell more tickets than a Sloane or a Keys. It's really not that hard to grasp.
 
D

Deleted member 688153

Guest
Serena is a great player and it would be great for her personally, but if she had won Wimbledon after coming back from having a baby in the manner she did it would have been an utter indictment of the WTA, and if she wins this tournament it will be too.

The way the entire tour basically just bends over for her the last few years is ridiculous. It's worse than the way the ATP tour does the same thing for the Big Four.
It's all mental. They're just beaten before they even play.

Didn't Serena only drop one game against Venus? wtf
 
B

BorgCash

Legend
Tanya said:
Sharapova got all night matches and still lost meekly to Suarez Navarro. Serena is still playing in the exact same conditions as her opponent, and winning. That's what matters. I think if anyone were to deserve night matches from the WTA it would be Serena Williams. Grand Slams are also a business and it's just a fact that Serena will sell more tickets than a Sloane or a Keys. It's really not that hard to grasp.
Click to expand...
Matters what medicines Serena legally using that others do not.
 
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