Some days, it pays to arrive
early. Such was the case at today's
Citi Open, where
Kei Nishikori and
Marin Čilić wrapped up play before 6:00 PM. Ditto for all four women's singles quarterfinals (including top-seeded
Ekaterina Makarova.) That's a lot of primo tennis to miss out on... unless you have the
Tennis Channel (and the opportunity to watch it, of course.) Undaunted, I slipped into a crowded Stadium Court to watch
John Isner serve his way around, over and through (20 aces) a determined
Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Meanwhile on Grandstand 1, the
Bryan Brothers advanced to the Men's Doubles semifinals with a hard-fought win over
Treat Huey and
Scott Lipsky 6-3, 3-6, 10-6.
Except for the last Men's Singles quarterfinal (where
Steve Johnson ended
Jack Sock's impressive run with a 7-6 (5), 6-1 victory) that was all she wrote. Three total matches before two very full houses. Let's just say:
Next year, I'm taking off work on Friday.
Luckily, tomorrow is packed with plenty of tennis across two sessions (day
and night.) The highlight has to be a rematch of the 2014 US Open finals between Nishikori and Čilić (on Stadium Court, not before 2:30 PM.) Isner and Johnson will battle in the other (all-American) semifinal tomorrow night at 7.
Women's Singles should be terrific as well, with Makarova and
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova duking it out on Stadium Court in the late afternoon... followed by a late night showdown between #2
Samantha Stosur and crowd favorite
Sloane Stephens on Grandstand 1 (not before 9 PM.)
Men's Doubles features the top four seeded pairs, including Bob & Mike Bryan back on Grandstand 1 around 4:30 PM (possible court change.) The Bryans will lock horns with #3 seeds
Rohan Bopanna and
Florin Mergea. Can the Bryans
finally win a fourth DC title, after winning three-in-a-row between 2005-07? I say it's their's to lose.
Last but not least, the Women's Doubles finals gets underway at 1 PM, as #3 seeds
Lara Arruabarrena and
Andreja Klepač face #4
Kristina Mladenović &
Belinda Bencic on Grandstand 1.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1KKYV0ZoCpwxTQlCOBsKSCdH9osgSkCkz7DyAWuXCK5rJIx-qGrfb1BIZgKqkckGtTCFPZbJNtgLLXI4s6Hk9rsPssZm5vGD_Hb9fUzwrL3MR0gg_AjFoXaLyJLEHxPCVuIgy1TNcKOJ/s320/IMG_4593.jpg) |
Scott Lipsky |
Tickets are still available for tomorrow's sessions.
Click here to purchase tickets online; or visit the Citi Open Box Office outside the main entrance.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyiA97Ry-xiAYwVuR99wbJVX1sgC-p4wKrfZ2iKjjbjlP1KadJexBxNwQ8PG0BJzgImmpEshAZ31MX-brMyA7ONKFT3oTCjMC4y8DoFVctQt3wdNie1O3UAU9-4a1zNeVzwjShQp2uIfK/s320/IMG_4463.jpg) |
Coin toss |
Click here for today's results.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3PkIAboag6FB1tDM5sLjnmuqSXy0Exj7GDYT1wXTWHRsPTK2JncPpjY_ZswURHhzlt3ad-tXpBAZ1GF2okOc2lO1f4H-m7fdCWSJptOxMxTWSDuHvndgxV01R5ktfid1OVxyeMOQ6CunE/s320/IMG_4444.jpg) |
Some guys have all the luck... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoCzAxckw0MOkOK446raIJ9A7hsDnhGCY-a-d9I98EDygl_2b6nMaq2BdHGXZsYkoThcl7mRr1Yg0aYayT97-6ykT-ynqz1Nqj-pJlfIycuesqzqghvbc2tHR9gYjil-bhjzyKSLKJWUS/s320/IMG_4404.jpg) |
John Isner |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZjU0Jydw_QqttYveHMNMXjdxCEwLSEc3LL64Y5Feknfi_u1sEmLaXr_W_R9ZKBidn3wPGfMgzpLKjD0aa-i3YpVs_gTJEjQ_LutwmFnQgIwRJypREFGKjWZHUprc0TjRB1F_NvJgbTjCz/s320/IMG_4439.jpg) |
Ricardas Berankis |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHRm8hY_Onz3OcfOfi0asDOGk_1r28_QTa4Z8HOw8GTp0FFlxFug6MxFEnLA3X81IVr-SwrynYRxJ8kipTNfTS45Rc_JzUTrcpSPlIlJkuxGmHWE13o0J9EFp7mo_Wsx7SZ0f42rg0NnF/s320/IMG_4578.jpg) |
Treat Huey |