Connect with us

Published

4 years ago

on

4:00 PM ET

  • D’Arcy MaineESPN.com

NEW YORK — The 2021 US Open is officially in the books, and it ended with titles for Emma Raducanu and Daniil Medvedev. Just as we all predicted, right?

Needless to say, it was one of the most unexpected and surprising tournaments in memory and provided unforgettable introductions to the next generation of tennis superstars.

Here’s what we learned from the year’s final major — and what we can expect from the rest of the 2021 season and beyond.

New era is upon us

Serena Williams wasn’t at the tournament this year. Nor was her sister Venus, or Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal. But while the US Open was lacking in star power to start, by the end there were plenty of new faces who seem poised to ascend the tennis hierarchy in the next few years.

Sure, Novak Djokovic and his quest for the calendar slam and his 21st major title received nonstop headlines, but it was the rise of a group of talented teenagers that captivated the world.

In addition to eventual surprise champion Raducanu, who was ranked No. 150 in the world and had to come through qualifying to make just the second Grand Slam main draw of her career, 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez was the ultimate giant slayer throughout the fortnight, defeating Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina and Aryna Sabalenka en route to the final. And 17-year-old Carlos Alcaraz recorded one of the biggest upsets of the tournament with a five-set victory over No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Coco Gauff, 17, and Caty McNally, 19, the longtime fan favorite duo known collectively as #McCoco, reached their first major final. They eventually lost to Sam Stosur and Zhang Shuai in three sets but furthered cemented their status as one of the top teams to watch — and their friendship and confidence was still on full display despite the disappointing outcome.

“There’s no other person or player that I would rather do this with,” Gauff said. “I know that we’ll be Grand Slam champions eventually.”

Not to mention, the ever-so-slightly-older members of Gen Z represented well for the group, too: Felix Auger-Aliassime, 21, reached his first major semifinals; Jenson Brooksby, 20, gave Djokovic one of his toughest battles of the tournament in the fourth round; and 20-year-old Iga Swiatek became the only woman to reach the Round of 16 at every major this year.

There has been a lot of talk about the future of the sport as its biggest superstars all near the end of their illustrious careers, but it seems safe to say, tennis looks to be in very good hands — and this just might be the event which we will eventually look back on as the start of its next chapter.

Medvedev is the real deal

Not quite Gen Z but still very much a part of tennis’ future, 25-year-old Medvedev became the first player outside of the “Big Four” to crack the top two in the ATP rankings since 2005 earlier this year and had reached two major finals prior to the 2021 US Open, but his ability to win on the sport’s biggest stage, especially with Djokovic in the mix, was firmly in doubt.

Not anymore.

On Sunday, Medvedev and his can’t-miss serve overpowered Djokovic as he made history of his own. Many have wondered who would eventually replace the Djokovic, Federer and Nadal atop the game, and now it seems Medvedev is the leading contender.

While the crowd was undoubtedly in support of Djokovic during the final, Medvedev won over new fans with his FIFA-themed “dead fish” celebration and his hilarious postmatch interview in which he said the victory would have to serve as his anniversary present to his wife because he hadn’t found time to buy anything else.

So close, yet so far

Djokovic was one match away from joining Rod Laver as the only men in the Open era to achieve the calendar slam and winning his fourth major of the 2021 season. But Medvedev played the ultimate spoiler and dashed Djokovic’s dreams for history with a dominant, straight-set victory in front of a stunned Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd. As a victory would have also given Djokovic his record-setting 21st major title, breaking a tie with Federer and Nadal, there was much discussion about the win cementing Djokovic’s status as the GOAT.

He didn’t get the win or the milestone in New York, but even Medvedev said he was already convinced of Djokovic’s status.

“I never said this to anybody before but I’ll say it now: For me, you are the greatest tennis player in history,” Medvedev said to Djokovic during the on-court trophy presentation.

Of course, Djokovic remains the No. 1-ranked player in the world and will have several more opportunities for his latest Grand Slam trophy during the 2022 season — starting with the Australian Open, where he is a nine-time champion and will likely remain the favorite to defend his title.

Golden Slams

Much was made about Djokovic’s failed attempt for the Golden Slam when he was unable to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, but two athletes did, in fact, record the elusive feat this year.

Diede de Groot and Dylan Alcott both became the first wheelchair athletes in history to win all four majors and Paralympic gold this year. Making it even more impressive, if that’s even possible, there were mere days separating the end of the competition in Tokyo and the beginning of the tournament in New York. Clearly jet lag is nothing for these two.

Alcott, who recorded his 15th career major singles title at the US Open, had an absolutely iconic celebration in front of the crowd on Ashe at the men’s final shortly after his win.

Gordon Reid and Alfie Hewett also pulled off the Golden Slam in men’s wheelchair doubles.

Osaka’s tough exit

Osaka, the defending champion, lost to Fernandez in the third round 7-5, 6-7 (2), 4-6 in front of a shocked crowd on Ashe and she was unable to hide her emotions on court or after the match. She threw her racket in frustration in the second set and later slammed it on the ground. When Fernandez forced a deciding set, Osaka left the court for a bathroom break with her head covered in a towel.

She was tearful after the match and admitted tennis was no longer bringing her joy, saying she was considering taking an indefinite break from competition.

“I feel like I’m kind of at this point where I’m trying to figure out what I want to do, and I honestly don’t know when I’m going to play my next tennis match,” Osaka said. “I think I’m going to take a break from playing for awhile.”

Her news conference abruptly ended. Osaka, 23, has not further clarified her plans for the rest of the season, but remains on the entry list for next month’s pandemic-delayed BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

It has been a challenging few months for Osaka, who opened the 2021 season with a title at the Australian Open. She withdrew from the French Open after her first-round win due to controversy surrounding her decision to opt out of her media obligations and then skipped Wimbledon. She was given the honor of lighting the torch during the opening ceremonies at the Olympics in her native Japan but lost in the third round of the competition.

There has been an outpouring of support for Osaka from the tennis community and beyond, and her peers and fans have encouraged her to take her time to get healthy and happy before she makes her return.

Fan support

When the US Open announced it would be allowing 100% capacity for fans, there was some skepticism as to the feasibility of having such massive numbers during the ongoing pandemic, despite a late vaccination requirement being added — for fans that is; players still have no such thing — just days before the event got underway and there being an indoor mask mandate.

However, not only were there no reports of an outbreak linked to the tournament, but the fans did more than their part in impacting matches and cheering on their favorites to victory.

Many players — perhaps most notably Fernandez, Djokovic, Alcaraz and Shelby Rogers during her upset win over top-ranked Ash Barty — were amazed by the crowd and credited them at varying points for their help in securing victories.

“The crowd is next-level this year,” Rogers said on court after her win over Barty. “You’ve picked who you want to win, so thank you for picking me tonight.”

A year after there were no fans in the stands at the tournament, the US Open became the first major to allow a capacity crowd. According to the USTA, there were 631,134 fans in attendance throughout the tournament. While not quite the record-setting numbers of 2019 (737,919), it was still a pretty impressive turnout amid the circumstances.

While it’s impossible to predict what will happen going forward, it was a welcome dose of normalcy after so many months of uncertainty and uncharacteristic silence.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Sports

2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

Published

9 hours ago

on

July 13, 2025

By

2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

Jul 11, 2025, 08:19 PM ET

The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.

Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.

On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.

With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.

Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more

2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet

Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.

Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.

2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.

Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.

2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet

Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.

Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.

2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet

Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.

Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.

2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet

Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.

Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.

2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet

Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.

Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.

2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.

Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.

2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet

Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.

Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.

Continue Reading

Sports

Red Sox P Dobbins (ACL) out remainder of season

Published

10 hours ago

on

July 12, 2025

By

Red Sox P Dobbins (ACL) out remainder of season

  • Associated Press

Jul 12, 2025, 01:05 PM ET

BOSTON — Red Sox right-hander Hunter Dobbins said on Saturday that he knew his season was probably over when he felt a familiar sensation in his knee.

He was right. Dobbins was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, his second ACL tear in his right knee.

“Yeah. I’ve torn my ACL in this knee before, and it was the same feeling,” he said, standing in the middle of Boston’s clubhouse with a red sleeve on his right leg. “Kind of some denial went into it, tried to go through that warmup pitch, felt the same sensation again, so, at that point, I knew what it was.”

Dobbins tore the same ACL playing high school football.

Covering first base in the second inning of Boston’s 5-4 walk-off win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, 25-year-old Dobbins stepped awkwardly and limped after recording an out by making a catch on a throw from first baseman Abraham Toro.

Dobbins took one warmup toss before manager Alex Cora stopped him from attempting any more.

“Tough,” Cora said before the Red Sox faced the Rays. “He put himself on the map, right, did a good job for us. When it happened, I thought something minor. Talking to him, he felt it right away. He’s been through that before.”

Dobbins said he found out about Boston’s dramatic win while being examined.

“I was actually in the MRI machine and they were giving me score updates in between each one,” he said. “Right after the last one they said, ‘I think you’d like to hear this, you just won by a walk-off.’ That was pretty cool to hear the guys picked me up.”

The Red Sox placed him on the 15-day injured list Saturday and recalled right-hander Richard Fitts.

“In my head I have Opening Day next year kind of circled,” Dobbins said. “Whether or not that’s realistic, I don’t know, but that’s my goal.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Konerko receives autographed jersey from pope

Published

10 hours ago

on

July 12, 2025

By

Konerko receives autographed jersey from pope

  • Associated Press

Jul 12, 2025, 06:08 PM ET

CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox great Paul Konerko got a present from one No. 14 to another in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship run: a jersey signed by noted Chicago fan Pope Leo XIV.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, presented Konerko a jersey with the new pontiff’s signature on the back during a ceremony prior to the game against the Cleveland Guardians. It had the six-time All-Star’s last name and “Pope Leo” above the No. 14.

Robert Prevost became the first pope from the U.S. in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected on May 8. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan.

Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago. He watched from Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 as the White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on the way to a four-game sweep and their first title since 1917.

In May, the team unveiled a graphic installation near the seat paying tribute to Pope Leo and that moment. The pillar artwork features a waving Pope Leo XIV, along with a picture from the TV broadcast of the future pope sitting with good friend Ed Schmit and his grandson, Eddie.

Members of the 2005 team are in Chicago this weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the championship run. The White Sox debuted uniform patches honoring late closer Bobby Jenks, who died last week in Portugal, where he was being treated for stomach cancer. On Friday, the team unveiled a statue of former ace Mark Buehrle.

Continue Reading

Trending