Maria Bueno at the US Open (photo Tenlink)
It seems to all be happening in New York. Maria Bueno gives a US Open update on it all.
“Apart from the shock of losing Rafa [Nadal] last week, the top men were coming through the draw until Andy Murray, who is seeded three, lost to Kevin Anderson on Monday in the fourth round,” she said.
“It was a very long match for four sets and Anderson played unbelievably well, hardly making any mistakes.
“Andy lost his cool and I gather he dislikes playing on [Louis] Armstrong Stadium because it is the smallest of the show courts in terms of the surround and plays quicker than Ashe.
“Now, of course, Ashe is even more different with the roof structure in place so Armstrong feels very open and windy. It was also a very hot day, which takes its toll over four hours or so.
Andy Murray of Britain (L) shakes hands after losing to Kevin Anderson
“He has also lost several matches there, which probably didn’t help, but he went out in the fourth round, his worst Grand Slam result for many years.
“All credit to Anderson, though, who deserved to win.”
All the other major seeds, apart from Tomas Berdych, came through to their appointed spots.
“Roger [Federer] has not dropped a set but had a fight on his hands when he faced John with to get into the quarters” Maria continued.
“He came through because he is serving so well himself and took the two first sets on the tiebreak before finally breaking him in the third.
“Berdych lost to Richard Gasquet in four sets in a sort of mini upset.
“Of them all in this half of the draw, Stan Wawrinka has had to work the hardest, making several tiebreaks and losing a set to Donald Young.
“Federer and Gasquet, and Wawrinka and Anderson play their quarters today [Wednesday].
“Rather surprisingly, Novak Djokovic started out cruising through the early part of the draw and then dropped sets to Roberto Bautista Agut in the fourth round and Feliciano Lopez in the quarters.
“Perhaps defending champion Marin Cilic is lucky to be in the semis because he has played some very tight sets, surviving a tough five-setter against [Mikhail] Kukshkin and dropping a set to [Jo-Wilfried] Tsonga, but he is now very much in contention again and plays Djokovic on Friday.”
Serena and Venus Williams
As for the women, the draw continues to be one-horse race.
“To me there is very little doubt that Serena [Wlliams] will come through to achieve her Grand Slam,” Maria said.
“Even with all the hype over the quarter final battle between her and Serena, we all knew that somehow Venus wouldn’t stand in her way to make history.
“They made a good show of it, though, and played some great tennis that had the capacity crowd thrilled last night, but the result was never in any real doubt.
“The real threat to Serena was on Sunday when Bethanie Mattek-Sands took the opening set against her and forced her into a second set tiebreak.
“To have two veteran Italians come through to the quarters is amazing, and they both play what I call classic tennis – flat forehands and sliced backhands – just the way I like it.
“They are a bit of a throw back but both are great doubles players and know how to volley and mix up the ball so they have a lot of weapons against the modern topspinners that play from the baseline.
“The bottom half of the draw has Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova and Simona Halep left and the two quarter-final matches today [Wednesday] will narrow it down as to who will meet Serena in the final.”
Off court, Maria has been back to Town Tennis, hobnobbing with the pros and celebrities that visit there during the tournament.
Maria Bueno with Jimmy Connors at Town Tennis Club, New York
“I bumped into Jimmy [Connors] the other day there and we had a long chat,” said Maria. “I’ve known him for many years so we did a bit of reminiscing over past times.
“He was having a hit with Dante after me and looks very fit and well, which is great.”
And how is the Wilson racket play-testing going?
“Well, I’m not really playing, just trying out the new frame and strings a bit,” Maria confessed with a smile.
“I’m being very careful because of my [broken] finger, but Wilson has re-strung the frames a couple of times to adjust the stringing and it is playing a lot better now.
“It is very different technology to what I am used to and I discovered the other day that the frames are ready for a gizmo to record how I play, which downloads to an App on my phone or iPad… amazing!”