The final tennis Major of the year is upon us. The best in the world head to the Big Apple and compete for the 4th Major of the Year.
What are the Stories?
- 2019 Majors Results
- The Big 3 results in 2019
- Serena Williams 2019
- Americans 2019
- World Rankings
2019 Majors
Australian Open
Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal soundly 6-3, 6-2, 6-3
I have been saying this for some time, but when the Big 3 (Federer, Nadal and Djokavic) are all retired, I believe it will be Djokavic with the most Majors in his career. Novak has a winning record against both Federer and Nadal and this drumming of Nadal was proof again, Djokavic may be the best to ever play the game even if he doesn’t have the rabid fan bases of the other Nadal and Federer.
Naomi Osaka defeated Petra Kvitova 7-6, 5-7, 6-4
Osaka cemented her place as The Next Big Thing in tennis when she followed up her U.S. Open win in the next Major. This was big for Osaka who’s win at the U.S. Open was overshadowed by Serena Williams and New York Fans at their worst. But against a legitimate foe in Kvitova she got her moment to shine like she deserved. Unfortunately, this has been the high point of her year.
The French Open 2019
Rafael Nadal defeated Dominic Theim 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1
This was a rematch from 2018’s French Open, but the same result. Nadal is amazing on clay. Absolutely amazing, there may not be anyone as dominate in sports as Nadal is at the French Open (you can check out where Nadal falls in the most impressive sporting feats here). Theim was able to beat Djokavic in the Semi’s in an epic 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, 5-7, 7-5. The other Semi was Nadal and Federer which, with insane wind conditions, was a one-sided story of the Spaniard, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
Ash Barty defeated Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 6-3
Australian Ash Barty is a feel good story. She quite tennis a few years back in discouragement and picked up field hockey in her home country. She came back to the sport renewed and this was her first Major.
Wimbledon 2019
Novak Djokavic defeated Roger Federer 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12
Ok, this one hurt. Roger Federer wasn’t broken until the Final set, he only lost in tie-breakers (something that was added to the final set this year) and he had 2 Match Points on his serve. It was truly painful to watch one of the greats lose like this. But man, Djokavic is a fighter. It’s hard not to admire him, except for the fact that he’s beating one of the most beloved sports figures of all time.
In the Semi-Finals we were able to see a rematch of Federer and Nadal. Though Nadal soundly defeated Federer at the French, on Centre Court on grass it was Federer with relative ease, 7-6, 1-6, 6-3. 6-4.
Simona Halep defeated Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2
Yes, you read that score line correctly, Simona Halep broke Serena that many times. This was almost perfect tennis by the Romanian. This is also her second Major after last years French in which she finally broke through at the Majors. Williams is still searching for the first Major since having her daughter.
The Big 3
The Big 3 hold the #1, #2 and #3 positions in the World. They have been to the Semi-Final of every Major this year (except when Federer was beaten by Tsitsipas in the 4th Round) and one of them has won all of 2019’s Majors. One day, these three will be beaten, or probably they will just get tired and retire. But the still hold the Majors and the World of Tennis in their combined hands.
Novak Djokavic
- #1 in the World
- 2 Major Wins (Australian and Wimbledon)
- 3 Semi-Final Appearances (French lost to D. Theim)
- 0 other wins on Tour
- 16 Majors
Rafael Nadal
- #2 in the World
- 1 Major Win (French)
- 2 Major Finals (Australian lost to Djokavic)
- 3 Semi-Finals (Wimbledon lost to Federer)
- 2 Tour Wins (Canadian Open, Italian Open)
- 18 Majors
Roger Federer
- #3 in the World
- 0 Major Wins
- 1 Major Final (Wimbledon lost to Djokavic)
- 2 Major Semi-Finals (French lost to Nadal)
- 3 Tour Wins (Halle Open, Miami Open, Dubai Tennis Championship)
- 20 Majors
Serena Williams
Williams is still the story of women’s tennis. This years story, how she keeps coming up short. She hasn’t won a single tournament this year. She made it to the Final at only one Major. It’s not looking promising to Williams whose competition seems to think they can beat her.
2019 Results
Australian Open: defeated in the Quarter-Final by Pliskova
French Open: defeated in the Third Round by Kenin
Wimbledon: defeated in the Final by Halep
She made the Final of the Canadian Open that she retired from in the 4th Game of the first set. Serena is back to being the top American woman in the world with her WTA #8 Ranking.
Americans of 2019
Women
American women have everything to be happy about in their place in professional tennis. With both Serena and Venus Williams at the end of their careers, the future looks bright and the present is still America’s.
Sloane Stephens
In 2018, Stephens was the top ranked American making it all the way to the Top 3. She now rests at 11th and is the 3rd ranked American Woman. She won this tournament in 2017 when it was an all American Final 4 (Stephens, Keyes, Vandeweghe and Venus).
Her 2019 results have not been what most fans hoped for her, but also nothing to be discouraged about. She lost in the 4th Round at the Australian, she made it to the Quarter-Finals at the French where she last to the Brit, Konta and then lost to Konta again at Wimbledon in the Third Round.
When Stephens is playing well she can beat anybody.
Madison Keyes
Madison Keyes is coming into the U.S. Open really well. She won at Cincinnati a week ago on the same hard courts of the Open. It was her second win of the season having also won in Charleston this year. Though she had a disappointing Wimbledon, losing in the 2nd Round. She made the Quarter-Finals at the French Open, losing to eventual Champion Ash Barty. She lost to Svitolina in the Fourth Round at the Australian.
Keyes is currently ranked #9 in the World and has been a Finalist here when she lost to Sloane Stephens in 2017.
Coco Gauff
Gauff was one of the top stories of Wimbledon. A teenager (15), she was given a Wild Card spot into the main draw of Wimbledon. There she made an exciting run to the 4th Round. She defeated Venus Williams in the First Round but eventually lost to Simona Halep.
Gauff is young and the future is what we are excited about.
Danielle Collins
Collins is a blast to watch and made it all the way to the Australian Open Semi-Finals this year. At the French she lost to eventually Champion, Ash Barty in the 2nd Round. She made it to the Third Round of Wimbledon. But her year has been that of Giant Killer. She Anastasija Sevastova who was ranked 12 at Wimbledon. She beat Caroline Wozniacki. And during her run at Melbourne she took out Kerber, Garcia and Gorges.
She is a blast to watch play because she learned to play on the public tennis courts. She talks about how she didn’t go to the elite tennis schools that most American men and women go through. She was taught the game by the “Old Guys” on her local tennis courts. She played collegiate tennis at the University of Virginia and has had a break out year this year.
She is intense and very fun to watch.
Amanda Anisimova
At 17, Anisimova would be the big young thing if not for Coco Gauff’s run at Wimbledon. But Amanda has had a descent year as well. Her highlight was defeating Simona Halep at her favorite and best Major the French Open. She would eventually lose to Ash Barty in the Semi-Finals. But it was a great run for Anisimova. She made it the the Fourth Round at the Australian but an early Second Round exit at Wimbledon. She does have a win on Tour this year, winning at Copa Colsanitas.
Anisimova pulled out of the U.S. Open, which she won as a Junior after her father and coach passed away last week.
Alison Riske
Riske makes this list because she had an amazing run through Wimbledon. She finally lost to Serena in the Quarter-Finals. She took Serena to 3 sets and it was a tight match. She had two First Round exits from the Australian and the French.
Men
We have everything to be worried about. There is not a single American Man in the Top 10.
John Isner
Isner had his best year ever last year with a win at Miami and a Semi-Final appearance at Wimbledon. This year, not so much.
He did make it back to the Miami Final but lost this year to Roger Federer. He won the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. But he went out in the First Round at the Australian Open and the Second Round at Wimbledon. He did not play the French because of a foot injury. He has a current World Ranking of 14.
Taylor Fritz
Fritz has us optimistic. At 28 in the World there’s a long way to go to be competing for a Major. But he made it to the Finals of Los Cabos Open and Atlanta Open and won at Eastbourne International. But is Majors have been disappointing, with two First Round losses and a Second Round loss.
Reilly Opelka
Coming from seemingly know where, Opelka is 42nd in the World and been beating Americans all year. He won the New York Open in February. He defeated Isner in the First Round of the Australian. But he would lose in the Second Round. He lost in the 3rd Round at Wimbledon to Milos Raonic. Don’t get too excited.
Frances Tiafoe
I do not enjoy watching Tiafoe, he has a tendency to quit when it gets hard. But there has been so much made about his talent and ability that it makes it even more frustrating to watch him. He is 45th in the World without a win or Final this year. Australia was his best Major this year making it to the Quarter-Finals where he eventually lost in straight sets to Nadal. Wimbledon and the French he went out in the First Round.
World Rankings
Women
- Naomi Osaka
- Ash Barty
- Karolina Pliskova
- Simona Halep
- Elina Svitolina
- Petra Kvitova
- Kiki Bertens
- Serena Williams
- Madison Keys
- Sloane Stephens
Men
- Novak Djokavic
- Rafael Nadal
- Roger Federer
- Dominic Thiem
- Daniil Medvedev
- Alexander Zverev
- Kei Nishikori
- Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Karen Khachanov
- Roberto Bautista Agut
A Sip of Sports 