It looked as if Marin Čilić’s New York stay was going to end before it even began. In the 1st round of the US Open Tuesday afternoon, the #31 ranked Čilić dropped the first two sets to American Denis Kudla and looked dead in the water. But the 2014 US Open champion rallied to take the next three sets 7-5, 7-5, 6-3 to keep his tournament alive.
Čilić can hang with the best but has been a shell of himself for the past two years. He has already won the US Open and made the finals of Wimbledon and the Australian Open in an era of the impenetrable BIG 4: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. Not to mention, Čilić helped Croatia pick up a Davis Cup championship as well. Can he make a run at another semifinal appearance? Sure. But not if it’s taking him five sets to win in the first round. He needs to keep is court time down at the ripe age of 31. Čilić will play Slovak Norbert Gombos in the next round.
In other news, #27 Borna Ćorić made quick work of Pablo Andujar in the first round, winning in straight sets. Ćorić will play Juan Ignacio Landero next. The ‘ace master’ Ivo Karlović faces off against Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the first round Tuesday night. #8 Petra Martić beat Tereza Martincova in three sets during their first round match and #18 Donna Vekić will face off against Kristyna Pliskova Tuesday night.
There’s a commercial being run during the US Open promoting “diversity and New York”. The NBA reporter Frank Isola said “diversity is what makes Toronto great”; he has the mind of a toddler; never mind that white people built that city from the ground up and all that goes into building such a city, in his mind, the fact that it’s NOW “diverse” IS the reason in his sick little mind why it’s great. If it was still all white, it wouldn’t be great in his sick little antiWhite traitor brain. It would just be like a city in Zimbabwe, not great, not any place anyone would want to live.
Something about tennis I’ve never heard anyone point out is that unlike most other sports, there’s no luck involved in the outcome of the match.
And the referees have no influence on the outcome of the match – since instant replay which in tennis is black and white whereby in the other sports the replay ref is often making his own judgement call and many calls are not reviewable.
And there’s no freak injuries, either the player took a bad step or the player’s body didn’t hold up due to genetics and/or less than optimal training regiment.
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/5999700/rangers-reject-8m-leeds-united-barisic/
So many nogometaši have stepped up that we forget that LB was a major weakness for us.
It seems we have all types of upgrades all over the pitch.
A dominate world class keeper is my next wish.
Someone who dominates in the air and can save a goal or two when needed.
We have so many creative players that we do not need him to great with his feet.
That would be a bonus.
T-2 days to see those brand new black away jerseys.
Coric win in 5 this morning so neither guy seems to be playing particualrly awesome.
We never really played Portugal, other than the extra time loss at Euro 2016.
Euro 96 was just our bench (since we had already clinched the quarters) and all other meetings were friendlies.
Are we due to finally beat Portugal?
It is time they play against a young and hungry Vatreni.
I hope Rakitic and Sevilla best farca like a drum.
I’m so happy to have many of the regulars sitting for these nations league games… we know who they are and we know their hearts wouldn’t Be in it… excited to see the new class get tested and see what they can do
AC Milan substituted two players at the 21st minute and two (including Ibrahimovic) in the 41st. Just a friendly, nothing to read into it – planned exchanges.
Halilovic gets to play with his idol (Ibrahimovic), so maybe that’s something that can make him motivated to play better.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/02/ivan-rakitic-move-brings-revelry-at-sevilla-and-relief-in-barcelona
Great piece by the guardian on Rakitic …my computer skills are lacking, was wondering if someone could post it here ?
i saw some tweets that said Halilovic was one of the stand out performers
@ Slavonac
What??
I was hoping for Halilovic to have good preseason.
@ Maminjo
Mandzukic can start and give 60 minutes or come on and give 30.
With our make up right all we need is an imposing finisher.
I say let him showcase his game this September.
He has earned it.
did I read this right? Alen Halilovic played a friendly for AC Milan today vs Novara. he started the game and got subbed out in the 21st minute?
Mandžo?
Nah. Only as a sub for 15 minutes off the bench (and only if we need some defensive pressure to maintain a lead and close out the game).
@ suba
As I’ve previously posted, i peg mandzo return as 50/50… i think is the guy is back to playing high league football, he might get the itch for some of these tournies… and at this point in his career, he doesn’t have the ego that coming off the bench would be fine by him
Good move for raketa
There was a photo of Mandzo attending the training session of the repka
A possible return on the cards
That would create headlines
Watch this space
I wonder if Rakitic will get his alpha mojo back at Sevilla?
Let all these young kids run for him.
Ran for Messi for 6 years.
Now he can enjoy his football in his Sevilla home.
Sevilla have a good team that play hard and quick.
Rakitic may kill it this year nice and rested.
Farca has been a drain for years.
Rakitic to Seville. Modric and Rakitic will not play for HNS this month.