tennis, life and a few things in between

Two semis of men’s doubles at Louis Armstrong stadium:

American Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury defeat Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (10-6). It was a great match. The skeleton of fans were heavily Hispanics and they cheered wildly for the Colombian pair, but unfortunately they lost in the third set tiebreak (10-6). Ram and Salisbury won the final the following day at Ashe in two sets, two years in a row.

Jenifer Zhang umpired the Ram/Salisbury match. Are they the sharpshooters?

$24 salad – looking good. We got our food from Rongwang, decent but a little over priced.

We didn’t stay for the second match, Skupski and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof defeat Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-4 and 7-5.

We visited Amex Lounge / fan experience hub which is pleasant, as usual. Suntan lotion, nails, etc.

Day 8 at the US Open. Ladies’ round of 16. Zhang Shuai (1989-; 5’10”, 2003; $8.9m) is playing Coco Gauff (2004-; 5’9″; 2018; $4.8m) on the center court, the Ashe Stadium. So far it is a good match. Coco was born a year after Zhang turned pro.

Zhang’s career isn’t as promising as Coco’s. In 2016, she even thinking of retiring due to 14 failed attempts in the main draw. She took her mother to Australian Open … however, she beat Simone Halep in the first round and advanced to the quarter. The good result encouraged her to remain in the game, and won a couple of slam doubles (2019 Aussie and 2021 US) with Stosur.

Zhang vs Gauff (r of 16) is pretty good. Both plays well. Coco was born a year after Zhang turned pro. Zhang’s career isn’t as promising as Coco’s and she almost retired in 2016 due to poor results… Now, two slam’s doubles titles and, a very confident player. I watched Coco here in 2019 when she reached the 3rd round. It was a night game and we went nuts for her. She was little (only 15 at the time), reminded me of Degas’ Little Dancer. I didn’t realize that Zhang grunts too, till now.

Delta flight DL1695 took off on time, on 7:10pm, just as the women’s doubles first round began. The Williams sisters play Linda Nosková (2004, 2019; $165,486) and Lucie Hradecká (1985, 2004; $5,989k), both are Czech.

What are treat! Delta streaming espn live.

However, Venus isn’t up to the task and is making unforced errors left and right. She isn’t moving at all, like a tree, as if to stand her ground; often caught unprepared.

Serena played on the Day 1 evening session, beating Montenegrin Danka Kovinić (1994; 2010, $2.6m) 6:3, 6:3. Her fans packed her practice session too. Her blue skirt is pretty.

A Facebook post: top 10 best paid tennis players in the past 12 month; when Serena plays, the Who’s who / stars coming out to watch; Spike Lee is at the coin toss ceremony.

6-3, 6-3, not too much work for Serena.

This year’s Open is from Aug 29 to Sept 11, has $60,102,000 prize purse, with $2.6m to the two winners in singles. Last year was $57m/$2.5m, and 2020 was $53m/$3m.

• Day 1 Serena def Danka Kovinić 6-3, 6-3
• Day 2,
• Day 8, Gauff defeat Zhang Shuai
• Day 11, men’s doubles semi

^{Getting ready for the opening day, driving in the last nail}

The biggest news is that Serena is retiring after this tourney. So, this is the last. Where she won her first in 1999, as a 17 years old girl – two weeks shy of her 18th birthday.

Perks from the sponsors

• Chase Lounge is booked out solid: two days after they opened up for reservation. I thought I’m early.
• Amex Lounge

A part sunshine, part cloud and part of rain. Declines figs freshly off the tree. We also got wontons & beancurd from Flushing.

We stayed in the Louis Armstrong, watching the pros practicing, also wait out the occasion rains.

A view of NY Mets‘ Citifield from Armstrong Stadium. A nice tattoo on the coach’s arm.

The exit to parking lot, flowers and the benches by the City park courts that now used as the practice court for the tourney.

I started to play tennis since 1986. And don’t buy many gears. Cleaning today, found some of my past rackets.

My first one was the most expensive one: a pearl white Prince that cost over $200 in 1986 and it was heavy. The only thing made me buy it was the look. My next one was a radish Thunderbolt that I lost in the park.

Got new grips and re-strung the handles. The red Babolat on the left was purchased in 2011, right after Li Na won her first grand slam in Paris. It’s weak and soft, that I use it when I play with girls. The blue on the right was a hand me down, with adequate power and is my main toy.

The ball holders are my favorite – made in West Germany. They’re solid and looking pretty.

The final is on the 2nd Saturday is pretty good: 17 seed Elena Rybakina (1999; 2016;) of Kazakhstan (originally from Moscow) beat 3 seed Ons Jabeur (1994-;2010;) of Tunisia 6-7, 6-4, 6-1.

Catherine Middleton (1982-;), the waity Katie Princess of Wales in a bright yellow dress came out to present the trumperies, in high heels. What the heel … she won’t wear the flat bottom wedges on grass?