New Haven Intrigue

Probably I should be looking at the US Open draws and making my predictions and stuff - it's about that time of pre-tournament fervour - but I have to say that I'm just the tiniest bit intrigued by New Haven this week. It's been throwing up some results which are not... not unusual, but interesting.

Sam Querrey is in the final. We all know how I've ranted and raved about Querrey winning the US Open series, and I still think it's a bit strange that he managed to win it, but still - his achievements this summer have been some of the best of his career. Two finals - possibly two titles - and all with a game that I personally don't think is the best game EVAH, on account of it seeming a little one-dimensional. But Querrey's been making the best of what he's got, and it's been working for him. Good on him.

And then the other finalist is Fernando Verdasco, of whom we all expected such massive things after that spectacular run he had at the Australian Open, and who didn't not deliver, but who didn't exactly deliver either. He had a few injury woes, I understand, but people (including me) kept picking him to pull upsets, and he didn't really... well, do that.

It's not that he's been playing badly - it's just we haven't seen that fire that got him through Davis Cup and the Aussie Open. He hasn't been burning up the court - and I, for one, would like to see him back ablaze, because he really is something special when he's on. His Davis Cup and Australian Open results would suggest that hard courts are his best surface - I would like to see that hold true in New York and see him make another good run. Maybe not all the way to the semis like last time, but a good, solid deep run.

These two are names that have to be considered going into the US Open - I wouldn't call them real title chances, but these are the guys that can go deep and upset some of the big names if given half a chance. I'll be interested to see how New Haven pans out - because going into the US Open with a win under your belt has to be a pretty sweet feeling!


Today's Results

Pilot Pen Tennis (New Haven)

Men's Draw

Fernando Verdasco def. Igor Andreev, 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5)
Sam Querrey def. Jose Acasuso, 6-3 6-4


Women's Draw

Caroline Wozniacki def. Elena Vesnina, 6-2 6-4