NEW YORK – Five quick thoughts from Day 11 at the 2017 U.S. Open.
• Tennis fans make plans; the tennis gods laugh. On Wednesday night, Juan Martin del Potro continued his lighting-bolt-hurling and beat Roger Federer, depriving New York fans of the first Federer-Nadal encounter at the U.S. Open. On Thursday night, the fates were at it again. For the first time all tournament, Venus Williams looked her age and, despite a partisan crowd backing a 37-year-old champion, fell to Sloane Stephens in as bizarre and uncomfortable—and yet nonetheless entertaining—a match as you’ll ever see.
For the first 30 minutes, a child coloring outside the lines, Venus could scarcely find the court, losing the first 1-6 and facing a break point to start the second.