U.S.Open.org Women's Final Picks.
(2) Angelique Kerber vs. (10) Karolina Pliskova
Mark Preston: Pliskova came away with the win in their last meeting, in the Cincinnati final, but Kerber holds a slim 4-3 edge in their career head-to-heads, and it would seem that the game’s new No. 1 will come out wanting to show that she belongs at the top. Give Pliskova a set, but give Kerber the win. In three, Kerber is the 2016 women’s champion.
Neil Schlecht: Pliskova is on fire. In one month, she has beaten five Top 10 players. She not only looks like she belongs; she acts as though she has been here before. It is tough to bet against someone on that kind of streak, but the feisty and fit Kerber will blunt the Czech's power, dig in and battle to her second major title in three tough, entertaining sets.
Richard Osborn: When you become the first German in nearly two decades to ascend to No. 1, aligning yourself with the likes of countrywoman and 22-time Slam champ Steffi Graf, you make the most of the opportunity. Sure, Karolina got the best of Angie in their last outing (Cincinnati final), but Kerber will prove too tough a task in claiming her second major. Kerber in three.
E.J. Crawford: Pliskova has earned her place in this title tilt, delivering steady, fearless performances in ousting both Serena and Venus to reach this stage. But Kerber is playing the best ball of any player at this year’s Open, advancing to the final without surrendering a set. She continues that run Saturday. Call if for Kerber in a tough two.
Sally Milano: Pliskova was on fire coming into the Open and has continued her remarkable run here, beating both Venus and Serena Williams en route to her first major final. The Czech has a tough task ahead of her against newly crowned No. 1 Kerber, who has played brilliantly over the last two weeks, losing only 30 games total in six matches. It will be an entertaining battle for the women's trophy, but Kerber will come through in three sets to win her second Grand Slam title of the year.
Ashley Marshall: Kerber is the easy choice on both ranking and reputation, but this has all the makings for an upset. Pliskova is serving beautifully and firing well from both wings, and nobody is getting into return games the way she has over the past 12 days. With the hottest hand on tour, Pliskova rolls to a maiden Slam victory in an unexpectedly smooth 6-4, 6-3 win.
McCarton Ackerman: Angelique Kerber is the more in-form player, but Pliskova has nothing to lose, having never reached the second week of a Grand Slam prior to this fortnight. Kerber will struggle as the favorite for the first time in a major final. Pliskova to complete her dream run with a straight-sets win.
Richard Finn: After beating Venus and Serena Williams, you would hope to have won the tournament. But that is not the case for Pliskova, who must now come back and beat the new No. 1 player to hoist the champion's trophy. Hall of Famer Mats Wilander doesn't think Pliskova will have a mental letdown, but Kerber is too solid. I go with Mats here. Kerber in two.
Andrew Eichenholz: What a difference a shot could make. Misaki Doi held a match point against Kerber in the first round of the Australian Open and now the German is looking for her second Slam title of 2016. Pliskova is a deserving finalist, becoming one of only three players (Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, the others) to beat both Williams sisters at the same US Open. But expect the German to be too solid all-around, winning her second Slam in straights. Kerber in two.
Arthur Kapetankis: Kerber's recent 6-3, 6-1 defeat against Pliskova in Cincinnati raises some concerns, but the German was running on fumes after her run to the Olympic final, playing her 11th match in 16 days. Pliskova's aggressive game plays into the new No. 1's counter-punching style. Kerber in two.
(2) Angelique Kerber vs. (10) Karolina Pliskova
Mark Preston: Pliskova came away with the win in their last meeting, in the Cincinnati final, but Kerber holds a slim 4-3 edge in their career head-to-heads, and it would seem that the game’s new No. 1 will come out wanting to show that she belongs at the top. Give Pliskova a set, but give Kerber the win. In three, Kerber is the 2016 women’s champion.
Neil Schlecht: Pliskova is on fire. In one month, she has beaten five Top 10 players. She not only looks like she belongs; she acts as though she has been here before. It is tough to bet against someone on that kind of streak, but the feisty and fit Kerber will blunt the Czech's power, dig in and battle to her second major title in three tough, entertaining sets.
Richard Osborn: When you become the first German in nearly two decades to ascend to No. 1, aligning yourself with the likes of countrywoman and 22-time Slam champ Steffi Graf, you make the most of the opportunity. Sure, Karolina got the best of Angie in their last outing (Cincinnati final), but Kerber will prove too tough a task in claiming her second major. Kerber in three.
E.J. Crawford: Pliskova has earned her place in this title tilt, delivering steady, fearless performances in ousting both Serena and Venus to reach this stage. But Kerber is playing the best ball of any player at this year’s Open, advancing to the final without surrendering a set. She continues that run Saturday. Call if for Kerber in a tough two.
Sally Milano: Pliskova was on fire coming into the Open and has continued her remarkable run here, beating both Venus and Serena Williams en route to her first major final. The Czech has a tough task ahead of her against newly crowned No. 1 Kerber, who has played brilliantly over the last two weeks, losing only 30 games total in six matches. It will be an entertaining battle for the women's trophy, but Kerber will come through in three sets to win her second Grand Slam title of the year.
Ashley Marshall: Kerber is the easy choice on both ranking and reputation, but this has all the makings for an upset. Pliskova is serving beautifully and firing well from both wings, and nobody is getting into return games the way she has over the past 12 days. With the hottest hand on tour, Pliskova rolls to a maiden Slam victory in an unexpectedly smooth 6-4, 6-3 win.
McCarton Ackerman: Angelique Kerber is the more in-form player, but Pliskova has nothing to lose, having never reached the second week of a Grand Slam prior to this fortnight. Kerber will struggle as the favorite for the first time in a major final. Pliskova to complete her dream run with a straight-sets win.
Richard Finn: After beating Venus and Serena Williams, you would hope to have won the tournament. But that is not the case for Pliskova, who must now come back and beat the new No. 1 player to hoist the champion's trophy. Hall of Famer Mats Wilander doesn't think Pliskova will have a mental letdown, but Kerber is too solid. I go with Mats here. Kerber in two.
Andrew Eichenholz: What a difference a shot could make. Misaki Doi held a match point against Kerber in the first round of the Australian Open and now the German is looking for her second Slam title of 2016. Pliskova is a deserving finalist, becoming one of only three players (Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, the others) to beat both Williams sisters at the same US Open. But expect the German to be too solid all-around, winning her second Slam in straights. Kerber in two.
Arthur Kapetankis: Kerber's recent 6-3, 6-1 defeat against Pliskova in Cincinnati raises some concerns, but the German was running on fumes after her run to the Olympic final, playing her 11th match in 16 days. Pliskova's aggressive game plays into the new No. 1's counter-punching style. Kerber in two.
Fighter jet flyover takes military precision.
There’s a reason the phrase ‘military precision’ is synonymous with perfection.
Tennis fans will be treated to a special flyover Saturday afternoon immediately prior to the women’s final between Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova, and the operation is finely timed to the second.
The jets won’t just soar above Arthur Ashe Stadium ‘at the start’ of the pre-match ceremony, and the itinerary isn’t as vague as saying they’ll pass over the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center ‘some time’ during the singing of "America the Beautiful."
No. The four F-15E Strike Eagles from the 334th Fighter Squadron will fly over from 4:05:40 p.m. to 4:05:45 p.m., a five-second window exactly five minutes, 45 seconds from when they started their approach northwest of the tennis center over Long Island.
The squadron from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina is led by Captain Theo “Cinc” and Major Aaron “Finch” Dove. Captain Ryan Strand and Major Sriram Krishnan are in the second plane; Captain Tyler Blasdel and Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Althoff are in the No. 3 aircraft and Major Pascual Zamudio and Major Mike Fitzsimmons are in the fourth jet. Each Strike Eagle contains a pilot and a weapons systems officer. A fifth jet, a combat camera plane, is flown by Captain Scott Harbison and carries Staff Sergeant Corey Hook, who will capture photos and video from the air.
Lieutenant Colonel Trent Tripple, who has been taking part in the military flyover since 2008, will be at ground level inside the stadium coordinating logistical support, and Major Tim Morris will be on the roof or catwalk to provide another set of eyes on the planes’ approach.
In total, more than 50 members of the Air Force will have a hand in the flyover, which begins at Newark airport in New Jersey. Coordinating military jets among commercial air traffic in a metropolitan area as big as New York and New Jersey is no easy task.
“There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes,” Lt Col. Tripple said. “The ESPN shot with four aircraft flying over at the end of the song with the flag unfurled on the court is what everyone sees. What they don’t see is the exact timing and coordination. With the short window that we have to work in, everything has to fall into place for it to happen perfectly.”
The jets will fly to Long Island Saturday afternoon and circle in a holding pattern above Little Neck Bay and Throgs Neck Bridge until the signal is sent to begin the flyover. It’s what they call their ‘stake in the ground’ moment.
From that point, the planes, holding nine miles away from the stadium, are five minutes, 45 seconds away. The lead pilot arranges for the planes to get in a fingertip formation – imagine holding your hand flat with the four fingers extended – and the planes get up to speed.
At the same time, ESPN’s show comes on the air and begins its broadcast. After three minutes, the anchors throw it over to Andy Taylor inside the stadium, who introduces Tony-Award winning Renée Elise Goldsberry of “Hamilton,” who will enter from the northwest corner and come onto the red carpet. That takes another 30 seconds.
Now the planes are two minutes, 15 seconds away from Flushing.
At 4:03:30 p.m. Goldsberry begins "America the Beautiful." The performance is sung over a backing track and will last exactly two minutes, 15 seconds. Rehearsals on Friday evening confirmed the timings, and unlike acapella performances, there is little chance of variation, During the performance, Marines will unfurl the American flag over the court from east to west.
As Goldsberry hits the final line, "From sea to shining sea," the jets, traveling at 300 miles an hour and just six feet apart from each other, will soar over Arthur Ashe Stadium, approaching over Louis Armstrong Stadium heading toward Manhattan.
In previous years, the jets would fly at 500 feet. But with the new roof partially limiting the view of fans looking directly up to the sky, the planes will pass much higher above the court to give spectators a longer glimpse. Had they stayed at 500 feet, they would be over the opening of the roof for only 1.3 seconds.
Once the flyover is complete, the planes will fly to the Statue of Liberty, head north past One World Trade Center and up the Hudson River before looping back down the river and into Newark.
“A lot of these guys have hundreds of hours of combat time, and they’re deployed a lot of the time,” Lt Col. Tripple said. “For them to get a chance to come up to New York and participate in this world-class event is huge for them. They see folks that appreciate them and love what they do, and it’s a big morale builder for them.
“Most of the guys doing this flyby, their entire active duty careers since they have been in the military, has been defined by Sept. 11. To fly up the Hudson River and see One World Trade Center and see the Statue of Liberty, that is something that will be very memorable for them because that’s what they have been fighting for for the past 15 years.”
For Maj. Krishnan, 33, the flyover represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and will be one of the proudest moments of his active duty career.
“My family comes to the US Open every year, and I grew up playing tennis in college,” said Maj. Krishnan, nicknamed “Fuse,” whose wife Aparna and 18-month-old daughter Kerrthi will be in the stands Saturday.
“It’s a real privilege to take part in this event. Flying this Strike Eagle, going to combat and supporting my country is an honor for me. To fly an F-15E over New York airspace over the Sept. 11 weekend is a privilege. To be able to see the New York skyline from a Strike Eagle is something I’ll never ever forget and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
There’s a reason the phrase ‘military precision’ is synonymous with perfection.
Tennis fans will be treated to a special flyover Saturday afternoon immediately prior to the women’s final between Angelique Kerber and Karolina Pliskova, and the operation is finely timed to the second.
The jets won’t just soar above Arthur Ashe Stadium ‘at the start’ of the pre-match ceremony, and the itinerary isn’t as vague as saying they’ll pass over the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center ‘some time’ during the singing of "America the Beautiful."
No. The four F-15E Strike Eagles from the 334th Fighter Squadron will fly over from 4:05:40 p.m. to 4:05:45 p.m., a five-second window exactly five minutes, 45 seconds from when they started their approach northwest of the tennis center over Long Island.
The squadron from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina is led by Captain Theo “Cinc” and Major Aaron “Finch” Dove. Captain Ryan Strand and Major Sriram Krishnan are in the second plane; Captain Tyler Blasdel and Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Althoff are in the No. 3 aircraft and Major Pascual Zamudio and Major Mike Fitzsimmons are in the fourth jet. Each Strike Eagle contains a pilot and a weapons systems officer. A fifth jet, a combat camera plane, is flown by Captain Scott Harbison and carries Staff Sergeant Corey Hook, who will capture photos and video from the air.
Lieutenant Colonel Trent Tripple, who has been taking part in the military flyover since 2008, will be at ground level inside the stadium coordinating logistical support, and Major Tim Morris will be on the roof or catwalk to provide another set of eyes on the planes’ approach.
In total, more than 50 members of the Air Force will have a hand in the flyover, which begins at Newark airport in New Jersey. Coordinating military jets among commercial air traffic in a metropolitan area as big as New York and New Jersey is no easy task.
“There’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes,” Lt Col. Tripple said. “The ESPN shot with four aircraft flying over at the end of the song with the flag unfurled on the court is what everyone sees. What they don’t see is the exact timing and coordination. With the short window that we have to work in, everything has to fall into place for it to happen perfectly.”
The jets will fly to Long Island Saturday afternoon and circle in a holding pattern above Little Neck Bay and Throgs Neck Bridge until the signal is sent to begin the flyover. It’s what they call their ‘stake in the ground’ moment.
From that point, the planes, holding nine miles away from the stadium, are five minutes, 45 seconds away. The lead pilot arranges for the planes to get in a fingertip formation – imagine holding your hand flat with the four fingers extended – and the planes get up to speed.
At the same time, ESPN’s show comes on the air and begins its broadcast. After three minutes, the anchors throw it over to Andy Taylor inside the stadium, who introduces Tony-Award winning Renée Elise Goldsberry of “Hamilton,” who will enter from the northwest corner and come onto the red carpet. That takes another 30 seconds.
Now the planes are two minutes, 15 seconds away from Flushing.
At 4:03:30 p.m. Goldsberry begins "America the Beautiful." The performance is sung over a backing track and will last exactly two minutes, 15 seconds. Rehearsals on Friday evening confirmed the timings, and unlike acapella performances, there is little chance of variation, During the performance, Marines will unfurl the American flag over the court from east to west.
As Goldsberry hits the final line, "From sea to shining sea," the jets, traveling at 300 miles an hour and just six feet apart from each other, will soar over Arthur Ashe Stadium, approaching over Louis Armstrong Stadium heading toward Manhattan.
In previous years, the jets would fly at 500 feet. But with the new roof partially limiting the view of fans looking directly up to the sky, the planes will pass much higher above the court to give spectators a longer glimpse. Had they stayed at 500 feet, they would be over the opening of the roof for only 1.3 seconds.
Once the flyover is complete, the planes will fly to the Statue of Liberty, head north past One World Trade Center and up the Hudson River before looping back down the river and into Newark.
“A lot of these guys have hundreds of hours of combat time, and they’re deployed a lot of the time,” Lt Col. Tripple said. “For them to get a chance to come up to New York and participate in this world-class event is huge for them. They see folks that appreciate them and love what they do, and it’s a big morale builder for them.
“Most of the guys doing this flyby, their entire active duty careers since they have been in the military, has been defined by Sept. 11. To fly up the Hudson River and see One World Trade Center and see the Statue of Liberty, that is something that will be very memorable for them because that’s what they have been fighting for for the past 15 years.”
For Maj. Krishnan, 33, the flyover represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and will be one of the proudest moments of his active duty career.
“My family comes to the US Open every year, and I grew up playing tennis in college,” said Maj. Krishnan, nicknamed “Fuse,” whose wife Aparna and 18-month-old daughter Kerrthi will be in the stands Saturday.
“It’s a real privilege to take part in this event. Flying this Strike Eagle, going to combat and supporting my country is an honor for me. To fly an F-15E over New York airspace over the Sept. 11 weekend is a privilege. To be able to see the New York skyline from a Strike Eagle is something I’ll never ever forget and something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Whose picture will be here next year?
Angelique plays like the #1 player in the world and wins the 2016 U.S. Open.....Congrats!.....6-3...4-6...6-4
Good luck to the Joker and Stan tomorrow!
Stan is the last man standing.....He takes out the #1 player in the world.....6-7...6-4...7-5...6-3
Congrats to Angelique and Stan......Great job!
