Good morning, Court Theorists! ☕️☀️🗽
Today’s tennis mood: Bracing for the media vs. influencers war, but ready for women’s doubles.
Let’s tennis!
-Allen
🎾 On tap: Today, second-round matches should conclude (hear me, weather gods?), and that’s not exactly good news for several players who are back on the schedule after just playing their first-round matches yesterday (sorry Michael Zheng, Zizou Bergs, et al.). Let’s hope that supercharged recovery room is as good as promised. Women’s doubles kicks off today, and I know what you’re thinking. No, Venus and Serena aren’t on the schedule for today. But Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova and a bunch of other fan favorites are.
🎾 Drop shots: Diane Parry calls out Alycia Parks…Court Theory reader Jerry Balsam caught my Francisco vs. Francisco error yesterday (it should have been Comesana, not Cerundolo)…influencers at the U.S. Open are kicking off quite a discourse.
🎾 One to watch: Learner Tien vs. Gael Monfils (2nd round - U.S. Open): Watch this one because it’s the last run for Monfils at a major. It’s also a rematch of their highly entertaining battle in Montreal a few weeks ago that ended in one of the most endearing tennis moments of the year.
The record: Learner Tien leads the head-to-head record over Gael Monfils 1-0.
On the line: For Monfils, this is the last big show. He’s won a round, but he never wants it to end. Meanwhile, Tien wants to make good on his favorite surface and finish the summer strong after some spotty performances.
🎾 🏆 🎤 YOUR CALL
(Yesterday’s poll results: 70% of you called for Marta Kostyuk to defeat Sloane Stephens. Kostyuk won 6-1, 7-5.)
And that’s game.
