My dear, so nice of you to comment on such an old post...but Gulbis is indeed from Latvia.
Gulbis
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Whoops!
Ok, so the whole 'resurrect the blog' idea hasn't exactly taken flight. Not that anyone is reading right? *eyebrow* Anyhoo...I'm thinking that this may be a summer break blog only. Unless, of course, I get a new job, one that doesn't give me summers off, but does give me adequate time to go to the bathroom and eat lunch every day. That would be nice.
Dinara Safina needs at least a quick mention though, for her fabulous play of the week, upsetting Justine Henin AND Serena Williams ON CLAY, and then taking the title in Berlin. She showed some great mental strength in some tough matches...maybe she should give big bro a lesson?
This was also a bad week in the ATP, as a clay court title was won by someone NOT Federer or Nadal. Nadal fell victim to the nastiest blister ever in existence on someone's foot, and Fed was fallen by the 'worm' Radek Stepanek in two tiebreak sets. Nicole Vaidisova was in his player's box, giving more life to the rumor of their relationship, but she didn't look all that enthralled to be there. I don't know, if I'm rooting on my sweetie, or even just a friend, I usually show a bit of emotion. Though, seeing Mirka do a pretty good ice queen imitation this week as well...maybe that is what they do?
The title was taken by Djokovic, who battled the *other* Swiss (Stan the Man!) in the final. He was pushed to three sets, but again, he capitalizes where others have fallen. He's also gaining on Nadal and, given Nadal's usual let-down in the latter part of the season, looks a good bet to overtake him by year's end.
Unless, of course, Nadal has moved to #1 by then.
Either way, the next two slams should be very interesting. There is no denying that Fed is in slump, whether caused by mono or not makes no difference. And Nadal is vulnerable on hardcourts, though he also doesn't have much to defend either. If he's in good shape, he could move up.
Ok, so, just a few quick thoughts.
*************
As for my own game, we are just getting into the swing of the USTA season. I'm on 3 teams, and also eyeing more tournaments this summer. It is 'go' time! :)
Dinara Safina needs at least a quick mention though, for her fabulous play of the week, upsetting Justine Henin AND Serena Williams ON CLAY, and then taking the title in Berlin. She showed some great mental strength in some tough matches...maybe she should give big bro a lesson?
This was also a bad week in the ATP, as a clay court title was won by someone NOT Federer or Nadal. Nadal fell victim to the nastiest blister ever in existence on someone's foot, and Fed was fallen by the 'worm' Radek Stepanek in two tiebreak sets. Nicole Vaidisova was in his player's box, giving more life to the rumor of their relationship, but she didn't look all that enthralled to be there. I don't know, if I'm rooting on my sweetie, or even just a friend, I usually show a bit of emotion. Though, seeing Mirka do a pretty good ice queen imitation this week as well...maybe that is what they do?
The title was taken by Djokovic, who battled the *other* Swiss (Stan the Man!) in the final. He was pushed to three sets, but again, he capitalizes where others have fallen. He's also gaining on Nadal and, given Nadal's usual let-down in the latter part of the season, looks a good bet to overtake him by year's end.
Unless, of course, Nadal has moved to #1 by then.
Either way, the next two slams should be very interesting. There is no denying that Fed is in slump, whether caused by mono or not makes no difference. And Nadal is vulnerable on hardcourts, though he also doesn't have much to defend either. If he's in good shape, he could move up.
Ok, so, just a few quick thoughts.
*************
As for my own game, we are just getting into the swing of the USTA season. I'm on 3 teams, and also eyeing more tournaments this summer. It is 'go' time! :)
Monday, April 14, 2008
Coming out of hibernation.
At least, I hope to. Life gets in the way sometimes. However, with the USTA season just about upon me, I'm thinking my musings about my own game will go here, with the occasional blog from a tournament.
Speaking of which, I have many tasty pictures and videos from three days spent at the Sony Ericsson tournament a few weeks ago. If I get my act together, I will post them.
If.
That may be a big 'if'!
Speaking of which, I have many tasty pictures and videos from three days spent at the Sony Ericsson tournament a few weeks ago. If I get my act together, I will post them.
If.
That may be a big 'if'!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A weekend to remember!
And it isn't even over! Or, is it? Wait, add four hours, change pm/am...ok, yes, at least in Australia, the weekend is over.
And for once, we are thankful for the rain and smart Aussie planning. The first grand slam to have not just one, but two covered stadium courts, a rainy day in Oz means we still get tennis. And this time, we got LOTS of tennis. Enough that you were afraid to go to sleep, because you may miss something. You will be able to tell a die hard tennis fan by the circles under their eyes but the smile on their face.
Now that I'm caught up on my sleep, I thought I'd catch up on my thoughts here.
The upset bug started with Australia's own Casey Dellacqua. Once highly criticized for her lack of fitness, she broke through upsetting 2006 champ Amelie Mauresmo. It isn't so much a surprise that Mauresmo went down, but who it was that took her out. The shots of Dellacqua's family in the stands, crying, is heartbreaking. Momo's certain decline, at least to me, is also heartbreaking. Her best tennis is behind her.
ESPN took no prisoners in their coverage of some of the American brats...uh, uh, I mean men. Highlights of Mardy Fish acting like a crybaby, and Andy Roddick arguing with the chair ump (saying something along the lines of 'stay in school kids, you don't want to end up a chair ump') and making himself look like a total heel. Way to go boys. They both lost, Roddick going down to German Philip Kohlschreiber. Really, Andy has two things, his serve and his forehand, and the thing is...everyone else that and *more* these days. It isn't enough. He will continue to decline. Plus, his personality loses him fans every time he opens his mouth. I was disgusted by the on court antics of both Fish, but especially Roddick.
So, some minor ripplings started things off. I say minor, because really, I wasn't too surprised to see Roddick go out. Anybody with a good ground game is going to trouble him, and Kohly has more than just a 'good' ground game. Fish's tournament, even with a first week loss, was not bad for him.
The ripples soon became waves.
Another American, a less bratty and more honorable version, James Blake, found himself in a lot of trouble real fast. Down two sets to Grosjean and down breaks in the third, it seemed as if we were witnessing another Blake meltdown where he goes quietly into the night. But suddenly, as if someone literally put a sparkler in his arse, Blake came alive, and once again defeated the five set monkey on his back. Good going James! He remains as the last American man in the draw, though props to Spadea for lasting as long as he did, going out in the third round to Ferrer.
The waves continued to rise.
It is safe to say that it is becoming just as hard to be a Gonzo fan as it is a Safin fan. After his utterly spectacular display in Oz last year, it is has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. The hungry up and comers don't care who you are or where you've been. They just want to win, and Gonzo became victim to the young Marin Cilic. Last year's finalist, gone before the second week!
But what of the other finalist from last year? Well, before we check in on him, the women were having a rocky time of their own.
ARad caused a storm of her own in last year's USOpen when she dispatched defending champion Maria Sharapova. I guess she was eager to prove it wasn't a fluke, as she took out #2 seed Sveta Kuznetsova!!!! Holy crap! Not to be outdone, perennial 'pretty girl but not a big game' Maria Kirilenko decided to cause some waves that didn't revolve around her face, clothes, or body when she took out Anna Chakvetadze, the #5 seed.
And then started what everyone thought was going to be a mundane match for #1 seed Roger Federer against the forgotten Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who is sometimes better known for his tattoos, piercings, and being one of the few players to wear glasses as they play. He quietly goes about his matches, and cuts a dark, serious, and intelligent figure on court.
He was ready for the storm. He had a plan. He was not afraid. The waves reach their peak!
Tipsy stretched Fed to 10-8 in the fifth, the longest Fed has ever been taking in five sets, and the earliest he has been in trouble in a major EVER. He did by never backing down and not being intimidated. He had the belief. He troubled Fed with hard, flat serves, and a blazing inside out FH. Fed allowed him in by not being quite on with his timing, especially in the beginning of the match, and also by not taking advantage of BP. It seemed as if Fed got a little lazy, thinking that every match, unless it is against Nadal, would be a walk in the park. Tipsy took him by surprise, and nearly took him out IN THE FIRST WEEK. Oh what a match! One of those that you were happy to be watching, when you hear the amazement even in the voice of the announcers...if only there wasn't that darn time difference.
I watched up until the third, but have the whole thing on DVR, and I've watched the replay. And, as much as I love Fed, oh how I wish Tipsy had come through. I hope he takes a lot from this and starts becoming a threat on the tour.
And if you thought it was over, you were sorely mistaken.
Meanwhile, a few people were actually making their way quietly through the draw. AnaIvo, Djoko, Serena, Venus, Masha, Petrova, and Henin all were through, and Caroline Wozniaki and Marta Domachowska took advantage of their opportunities to advance as well. Nice to see some new names in the second week.
The night session in Oz was supposed to start at 7:30 (their time). But, because of the Fed/Tipsy match, it started late. Venus took out Sania Mirza pretty routinely, and then, just before midnight, Marcos Baghdatis and Aussie Lleyton Hewitt took to the court. And you knew that sleep was not going to be yours quite just yet.
I had a few hours, between 3am and 7am, before I got up to go to my tennis lesson. Baggy/Hewitt were just getting started!! I went to my lesson, caught some of the match at the club, then came home, caught a bit more, fell asleep for a few games at in the beginning of the fifth, and then woke up for the end. And I'm *so* glad I saw it. The emotions and fight these guys displayed was just unbelievable. When Hewitt finally came through in the end, and he dropped to the court...oh my. These two players shared a warm embrace afterward, so nice to see, especially after the bratty antics of the Americans, and both left the court in tears. It was heart wrenching to see, and still gets me on the numerous replays.
A few hours later, play was to start again! Yes! A tennis fans' best day, by far!
A few more men went down, with Kohlschrieber's run being ended by the Fin, Jarkko Neiminen, but the bigger news was JWTsonga, who after taking out another brat, Brit/Scot Andy Murray, in the first round continued to take out seeds by defeating his doubles partner, good friend, and French hopeful Reeeechard Gasquet. Tsonga may have taken time to develop his game, but it seems to be in fine form now!
Nalbandian seems to have spent his off season...sleeping? He went down without a whimper to JCFerrero, who is always a threat on hard courts. And so, Fed breathed another sign of relief.
Hey, remember that Nadal guy? Yeah, he is still in the tourny, and got handed an easy last match when PHMathieu retired with an injury.
Also, in the time I started writing this and the tennis has come full circle, local gal (if you can call New South Wales local) Casey Dellacqua has been ousted by Jelena Jankovic, but takes a success slam experience with her.
Some women's quarters are lining up nicely...Henin/Sharapova (rematch time!) and Jankovic/S. Williams are making me salivate. I hope we see good tennis prevail!
And, in the match that makes tongue twisters giddy with glee, Ferrero will meet Ferrer.
Whew! All for now!
And for once, we are thankful for the rain and smart Aussie planning. The first grand slam to have not just one, but two covered stadium courts, a rainy day in Oz means we still get tennis. And this time, we got LOTS of tennis. Enough that you were afraid to go to sleep, because you may miss something. You will be able to tell a die hard tennis fan by the circles under their eyes but the smile on their face.
Now that I'm caught up on my sleep, I thought I'd catch up on my thoughts here.
The upset bug started with Australia's own Casey Dellacqua. Once highly criticized for her lack of fitness, she broke through upsetting 2006 champ Amelie Mauresmo. It isn't so much a surprise that Mauresmo went down, but who it was that took her out. The shots of Dellacqua's family in the stands, crying, is heartbreaking. Momo's certain decline, at least to me, is also heartbreaking. Her best tennis is behind her.
ESPN took no prisoners in their coverage of some of the American brats...uh, uh, I mean men. Highlights of Mardy Fish acting like a crybaby, and Andy Roddick arguing with the chair ump (saying something along the lines of 'stay in school kids, you don't want to end up a chair ump') and making himself look like a total heel. Way to go boys. They both lost, Roddick going down to German Philip Kohlschreiber. Really, Andy has two things, his serve and his forehand, and the thing is...everyone else that and *more* these days. It isn't enough. He will continue to decline. Plus, his personality loses him fans every time he opens his mouth. I was disgusted by the on court antics of both Fish, but especially Roddick.
So, some minor ripplings started things off. I say minor, because really, I wasn't too surprised to see Roddick go out. Anybody with a good ground game is going to trouble him, and Kohly has more than just a 'good' ground game. Fish's tournament, even with a first week loss, was not bad for him.
The ripples soon became waves.
Another American, a less bratty and more honorable version, James Blake, found himself in a lot of trouble real fast. Down two sets to Grosjean and down breaks in the third, it seemed as if we were witnessing another Blake meltdown where he goes quietly into the night. But suddenly, as if someone literally put a sparkler in his arse, Blake came alive, and once again defeated the five set monkey on his back. Good going James! He remains as the last American man in the draw, though props to Spadea for lasting as long as he did, going out in the third round to Ferrer.
The waves continued to rise.
It is safe to say that it is becoming just as hard to be a Gonzo fan as it is a Safin fan. After his utterly spectacular display in Oz last year, it is has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. The hungry up and comers don't care who you are or where you've been. They just want to win, and Gonzo became victim to the young Marin Cilic. Last year's finalist, gone before the second week!
But what of the other finalist from last year? Well, before we check in on him, the women were having a rocky time of their own.
ARad caused a storm of her own in last year's USOpen when she dispatched defending champion Maria Sharapova. I guess she was eager to prove it wasn't a fluke, as she took out #2 seed Sveta Kuznetsova!!!! Holy crap! Not to be outdone, perennial 'pretty girl but not a big game' Maria Kirilenko decided to cause some waves that didn't revolve around her face, clothes, or body when she took out Anna Chakvetadze, the #5 seed.
And then started what everyone thought was going to be a mundane match for #1 seed Roger Federer against the forgotten Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who is sometimes better known for his tattoos, piercings, and being one of the few players to wear glasses as they play. He quietly goes about his matches, and cuts a dark, serious, and intelligent figure on court.
He was ready for the storm. He had a plan. He was not afraid. The waves reach their peak!
Tipsy stretched Fed to 10-8 in the fifth, the longest Fed has ever been taking in five sets, and the earliest he has been in trouble in a major EVER. He did by never backing down and not being intimidated. He had the belief. He troubled Fed with hard, flat serves, and a blazing inside out FH. Fed allowed him in by not being quite on with his timing, especially in the beginning of the match, and also by not taking advantage of BP. It seemed as if Fed got a little lazy, thinking that every match, unless it is against Nadal, would be a walk in the park. Tipsy took him by surprise, and nearly took him out IN THE FIRST WEEK. Oh what a match! One of those that you were happy to be watching, when you hear the amazement even in the voice of the announcers...if only there wasn't that darn time difference.
I watched up until the third, but have the whole thing on DVR, and I've watched the replay. And, as much as I love Fed, oh how I wish Tipsy had come through. I hope he takes a lot from this and starts becoming a threat on the tour.
And if you thought it was over, you were sorely mistaken.
Meanwhile, a few people were actually making their way quietly through the draw. AnaIvo, Djoko, Serena, Venus, Masha, Petrova, and Henin all were through, and Caroline Wozniaki and Marta Domachowska took advantage of their opportunities to advance as well. Nice to see some new names in the second week.
The night session in Oz was supposed to start at 7:30 (their time). But, because of the Fed/Tipsy match, it started late. Venus took out Sania Mirza pretty routinely, and then, just before midnight, Marcos Baghdatis and Aussie Lleyton Hewitt took to the court. And you knew that sleep was not going to be yours quite just yet.
I had a few hours, between 3am and 7am, before I got up to go to my tennis lesson. Baggy/Hewitt were just getting started!! I went to my lesson, caught some of the match at the club, then came home, caught a bit more, fell asleep for a few games at in the beginning of the fifth, and then woke up for the end. And I'm *so* glad I saw it. The emotions and fight these guys displayed was just unbelievable. When Hewitt finally came through in the end, and he dropped to the court...oh my. These two players shared a warm embrace afterward, so nice to see, especially after the bratty antics of the Americans, and both left the court in tears. It was heart wrenching to see, and still gets me on the numerous replays.
A few hours later, play was to start again! Yes! A tennis fans' best day, by far!
A few more men went down, with Kohlschrieber's run being ended by the Fin, Jarkko Neiminen, but the bigger news was JWTsonga, who after taking out another brat, Brit/Scot Andy Murray, in the first round continued to take out seeds by defeating his doubles partner, good friend, and French hopeful Reeeechard Gasquet. Tsonga may have taken time to develop his game, but it seems to be in fine form now!
Nalbandian seems to have spent his off season...sleeping? He went down without a whimper to JCFerrero, who is always a threat on hard courts. And so, Fed breathed another sign of relief.
Hey, remember that Nadal guy? Yeah, he is still in the tourny, and got handed an easy last match when PHMathieu retired with an injury.
Also, in the time I started writing this and the tennis has come full circle, local gal (if you can call New South Wales local) Casey Dellacqua has been ousted by Jelena Jankovic, but takes a success slam experience with her.
Some women's quarters are lining up nicely...Henin/Sharapova (rematch time!) and Jankovic/S. Williams are making me salivate. I hope we see good tennis prevail!
And, in the match that makes tongue twisters giddy with glee, Ferrero will meet Ferrer.
Whew! All for now!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Teasers...
The prodigal daughter returneth. Or something like that.
My excitement over the start of a new tennis season and our first calendar grand slam has brought me back...like a phoenix rising from the ashes! Or something like that.
My initial thoughts...
*Lindsay! So great to have her back, and seemingly enjoying the game of tennis more than she did pre-Jagger. Looks like he is already pretty comfortable with the hardware, too.
Lindsay will more than likely meet Sharapova in the 2nd round of Oz. *sigh* Not ideal. It all depends on whether or not Maria has taken her strong YEC showing and built upon it, or reverted back to the shaky play she exhibited during most of the '07 season. My heart says Lindsay, my head says Sharapova. I hope my head is wrong.
*Some great tennis has already taken place in the first few weeks of the new year. Justine and Sveta have already thrown down in Sydney, with Justine coming out on top in three. Sveta has beaten Justine on clay, and I think she could threaten her from time to time...she is certainly closer to it than anyone else.
*Vaidisova has come out strong, with what looks like better movement and fitness than she's ever had. Hopefully her mental game has also strengthened, and there will no more losing matches that she she had won until her head got in the way. And yeah, I know she is supposedly engaged to Radek. I don't really have anything to say about that. *shrug*
*In addition to retiring, Hingis has now been banned for two years. I remain skeptical. Why? Because her hair test completely exonerated her! Because the tests traveled overseas before being in a lab. And, because I simply don't want to believe it either.
*Nadal is coming in to the new season with injuries already, as is the Djoker. How can anyone possible bet against Fed? Maybe just because it has to end sometime, right? Right?
*Maybe Nalby will help keep things interesting on the men's side.
I won't go into the draw and seeds for Oz, because quite frankly, it has already been done, and nobody does it better, in my opinion, than Wertheim.
Here is his men's seed report: The Mighty Men.
And his women's seed report: The Wonder Women.
My excitement over the start of a new tennis season and our first calendar grand slam has brought me back...like a phoenix rising from the ashes! Or something like that.
My initial thoughts...
*Lindsay! So great to have her back, and seemingly enjoying the game of tennis more than she did pre-Jagger. Looks like he is already pretty comfortable with the hardware, too.
Lindsay will more than likely meet Sharapova in the 2nd round of Oz. *sigh* Not ideal. It all depends on whether or not Maria has taken her strong YEC showing and built upon it, or reverted back to the shaky play she exhibited during most of the '07 season. My heart says Lindsay, my head says Sharapova. I hope my head is wrong.
*Some great tennis has already taken place in the first few weeks of the new year. Justine and Sveta have already thrown down in Sydney, with Justine coming out on top in three. Sveta has beaten Justine on clay, and I think she could threaten her from time to time...she is certainly closer to it than anyone else.
*Vaidisova has come out strong, with what looks like better movement and fitness than she's ever had. Hopefully her mental game has also strengthened, and there will no more losing matches that she she had won until her head got in the way. And yeah, I know she is supposedly engaged to Radek. I don't really have anything to say about that. *shrug*
*In addition to retiring, Hingis has now been banned for two years. I remain skeptical. Why? Because her hair test completely exonerated her! Because the tests traveled overseas before being in a lab. And, because I simply don't want to believe it either.
*Nadal is coming in to the new season with injuries already, as is the Djoker. How can anyone possible bet against Fed? Maybe just because it has to end sometime, right? Right?
*Maybe Nalby will help keep things interesting on the men's side.
I won't go into the draw and seeds for Oz, because quite frankly, it has already been done, and nobody does it better, in my opinion, than Wertheim.
Here is his men's seed report: The Mighty Men.
And his women's seed report: The Wonder Women.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Saving the best for last.
Wow, just wow. I know I'm not a huge Sharapova fan, but after that final...she gets props. Major props. Both players put everything out there on the court, and both showed moments of brilliance as well as nervous humanity.
In the end, the #1 came through, with Justine winning 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the longest three set YEC final ever.
While the rest that Sharapova took before this tournament allowed her to come in fresh and play at her best, it also seemed to be her undoing as far as match fitness for the final. At 3-all in the third, Maria's fatigue was visible, and the doubles faults, while not a huge problem, starting to creep in at really bad times - such as break point. But, she is to be commended...I mean, seriously, I don't think there are many players who, match fit or not, wouldn't have gotten tired during that battle. In the end, Justine just had a bit more in the tank, and more control on her strokes.
I am so happy to see the women's season end this way, especially with the criticism that it sometimes very richly deserves. These two women were both winners today!
**************
The men have gotten underway, but because they are in Shanghai, and VS is not covering this event, I have trouble even keeping up with the scores. So far, Nadal has beaten Gasquet (not a surprise), and Ferrer defeated Djoko (this IS a surprise, at least to me).
TTC is at least showing us the doubles, which, unlike the women's double YEC, follows the same round robin format. I knew that Knowles/Nestor were breaking up, but Mark Knowles revealed even more break-ups during his commentary. Among the carnage is Bjorkman/Mirnyi, Hanley/Ullyett, Vizner/Dlouhy, Paes/Damm...hmm, I think that is all of them. Basically, the only ones staying together are the Bryan Brothers, the Israelis, and Aspelin/Knowle. The Bryans must love seeing all the shake-up...it gives them even more of an advantage over the other teams!
**************
My own tennis is going well. I may be looking at a racquet change. Whether or not this is done in time for Florida remains a financial issue, and honestly, I'm a little wary at changing my stick less than a month before the tourny. Even if it isn't the best for me, it is what I've been using for over a year now.
In the end, the #1 came through, with Justine winning 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in the longest three set YEC final ever.
While the rest that Sharapova took before this tournament allowed her to come in fresh and play at her best, it also seemed to be her undoing as far as match fitness for the final. At 3-all in the third, Maria's fatigue was visible, and the doubles faults, while not a huge problem, starting to creep in at really bad times - such as break point. But, she is to be commended...I mean, seriously, I don't think there are many players who, match fit or not, wouldn't have gotten tired during that battle. In the end, Justine just had a bit more in the tank, and more control on her strokes.
I am so happy to see the women's season end this way, especially with the criticism that it sometimes very richly deserves. These two women were both winners today!
**************
The men have gotten underway, but because they are in Shanghai, and VS is not covering this event, I have trouble even keeping up with the scores. So far, Nadal has beaten Gasquet (not a surprise), and Ferrer defeated Djoko (this IS a surprise, at least to me).
TTC is at least showing us the doubles, which, unlike the women's double YEC, follows the same round robin format. I knew that Knowles/Nestor were breaking up, but Mark Knowles revealed even more break-ups during his commentary. Among the carnage is Bjorkman/Mirnyi, Hanley/Ullyett, Vizner/Dlouhy, Paes/Damm...hmm, I think that is all of them. Basically, the only ones staying together are the Bryan Brothers, the Israelis, and Aspelin/Knowle. The Bryans must love seeing all the shake-up...it gives them even more of an advantage over the other teams!
**************
My own tennis is going well. I may be looking at a racquet change. Whether or not this is done in time for Florida remains a financial issue, and honestly, I'm a little wary at changing my stick less than a month before the tourny. Even if it isn't the best for me, it is what I've been using for over a year now.
The Final.
As expected, it will come down to Henin vs. Sharapova.
I actually got a chance to watch some of the semis from yesterday. My thoughts:
Henin vs. AnaIvo - As expected, Henin won, but this time, AnaIvo made her work a bit harder for it. This was a far cry from the beatdown Justine put on Ana in the French final. The marathon game in the first set when Ana had five break point opportunities, yet Henin still came through spoke volumes. Justine finds a way. However, she needs to also find her first serve, or Maria will feed off of it just like Ana did. On a hard court, I think it may only be a matter of time before AnaIvo starts to dominate...though I felt she had a few too many UE yesterday, but at least she was going for her shots and not holding back. A great effort from the youngster, and not a bad way to end the year.
Chakie vs. Sharapova - This was almost embarrassing. Well, for Chakie, it *was* embarrassing. She had never beaten Masha going into this, so I guess we shouldn't have expected anything different yesterday. Masha smacked her down pretty hard. During the match, the commentators mentioned that Maria hadn't started serving again until a week before the tournament. Maybe that is all she needed...a good long rest to heal the shoulder, as well as the mind.
This, of course, gives us the expected final (well, not expected at the beginning, but expected once everyone saw how well Maria was playing) of Henin vs. Sharapova. Will Justine once again find a way? Or will Maria's serve, return, and firepower be too much for the smaller (but not weaker) Belgium?
******************
The doubles final was decided today, with #1 seeds Black/Huber taking on the team of Ai Sugiyama and Katerina Srebotnik. Black/Huber had to take out Pestchke/Stubbs to get this far, and that was quite the match. As to be expected, it featured a long argument by Rennae Stubbs with the chair, who finally put Stubbsy in her place. That semi, as well as today's final, was decided by the 10 point super tiebreak, and Black/Huber showed why they have been one of the dominate teams this year...in a tiebreak, every point counts, and they stayed steady to win both and take home the title. It was especially sweet for Cara Black, who had many times been a runner-up at YEC, but never won until today.
Samantha Stosur is recovering from Lyme disease, so that is why we were missing Raymond/Stosur. Here's to hoping she makes a full recovery and is back in the *swing* of things in time for the events in her home country!
I actually got a chance to watch some of the semis from yesterday. My thoughts:
Henin vs. AnaIvo - As expected, Henin won, but this time, AnaIvo made her work a bit harder for it. This was a far cry from the beatdown Justine put on Ana in the French final. The marathon game in the first set when Ana had five break point opportunities, yet Henin still came through spoke volumes. Justine finds a way. However, she needs to also find her first serve, or Maria will feed off of it just like Ana did. On a hard court, I think it may only be a matter of time before AnaIvo starts to dominate...though I felt she had a few too many UE yesterday, but at least she was going for her shots and not holding back. A great effort from the youngster, and not a bad way to end the year.
Chakie vs. Sharapova - This was almost embarrassing. Well, for Chakie, it *was* embarrassing. She had never beaten Masha going into this, so I guess we shouldn't have expected anything different yesterday. Masha smacked her down pretty hard. During the match, the commentators mentioned that Maria hadn't started serving again until a week before the tournament. Maybe that is all she needed...a good long rest to heal the shoulder, as well as the mind.
This, of course, gives us the expected final (well, not expected at the beginning, but expected once everyone saw how well Maria was playing) of Henin vs. Sharapova. Will Justine once again find a way? Or will Maria's serve, return, and firepower be too much for the smaller (but not weaker) Belgium?
******************
The doubles final was decided today, with #1 seeds Black/Huber taking on the team of Ai Sugiyama and Katerina Srebotnik. Black/Huber had to take out Pestchke/Stubbs to get this far, and that was quite the match. As to be expected, it featured a long argument by Rennae Stubbs with the chair, who finally put Stubbsy in her place. That semi, as well as today's final, was decided by the 10 point super tiebreak, and Black/Huber showed why they have been one of the dominate teams this year...in a tiebreak, every point counts, and they stayed steady to win both and take home the title. It was especially sweet for Cara Black, who had many times been a runner-up at YEC, but never won until today.
Samantha Stosur is recovering from Lyme disease, so that is why we were missing Raymond/Stosur. Here's to hoping she makes a full recovery and is back in the *swing* of things in time for the events in her home country!
Friday, November 9, 2007
The final four!
Hmmm. So, Sharapova demolished AnaIvo today. That didn't make me happy. They were both already into the semis, but this determined who they would play.
So, tomorrow, the semis are:
Henin vs. AnaIvo - Ummm, I love AnaIvo, but Justine will win. The only question will be by how much.
Shriekapova vs. Chakie - If Sharapova continues the form she has had in this tournament, which has been surprising to say the least, she will win. You can never count Chakie completely out though.
But the bets are that our final will be Henin vs. Sharapova. And Henin will win.
So, tomorrow, the semis are:
Henin vs. AnaIvo - Ummm, I love AnaIvo, but Justine will win. The only question will be by how much.
Shriekapova vs. Chakie - If Sharapova continues the form she has had in this tournament, which has been surprising to say the least, she will win. You can never count Chakie completely out though.
But the bets are that our final will be Henin vs. Sharapova. And Henin will win.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Enough!
Enough! I've had enough! No more! No more having to listen to Serena Williams TRASH TALK her opponents, declare herself fit and ready and the winner, and then watch her pathetically limp through a set to retire because of HER KNEES!! That's right, her perfectly fit and ready KNEES were taped up like a mummy! Ridiculous. How can she even dare utter the words she did leading up to this tournament?!? What kind of delusional world is she living in? She is becoming a laughing stock and a joke of women's tennis.
Enough. I'm done with her. I don't care if she wins every major from here until the end of time. She had me, then she lost me, then she slowly won me back, and now I'm done.
*deep breath*
So, let's recap some other news from today, shall we?
Well, the matchup between Jelena and Justine didn't live up to most of their previous matches. Henin goes through 6-2, 6-2. Honestly, there is nobody who is going to threaten this woman. When Serena retired, Justine qualified for the semis.
Next up was Chakie and Serena. I had actually picked Serena. Chakie took the first set 6-4, then Serena retired. She will be replaced in the draw by Marion Bartoli, who unfortunately has to assume Serena's record.
AnaIvo and Dani battled it out next. After rolling through the first set, AnaIvo took the second in a thrilling tiebreak (11-9 I think?). Dani has lost two matches now, and will not advance. Still, she played well, and hopefully will take some momentum into next year.
****************
Tomorrow's matchups:
The Kuz vs. Masha - I pick the Kuz. 'Nuff said.
Henin vs. Maid Marion - Haha! Justine is *totally* going to be after revenge for Wimby. Lookout Marion!
Jankovic vs. Chakie - Hmmmm. Gut instinct says to pick Jankovic. However, will another loss to Henin take the wind out of her sails? Or, will she look at it as 'Ok, I got that out of the way, now it is time to steamroll?' Should be interesting!
Enough. I'm done with her. I don't care if she wins every major from here until the end of time. She had me, then she lost me, then she slowly won me back, and now I'm done.
*deep breath*
So, let's recap some other news from today, shall we?
Well, the matchup between Jelena and Justine didn't live up to most of their previous matches. Henin goes through 6-2, 6-2. Honestly, there is nobody who is going to threaten this woman. When Serena retired, Justine qualified for the semis.
Next up was Chakie and Serena. I had actually picked Serena. Chakie took the first set 6-4, then Serena retired. She will be replaced in the draw by Marion Bartoli, who unfortunately has to assume Serena's record.
AnaIvo and Dani battled it out next. After rolling through the first set, AnaIvo took the second in a thrilling tiebreak (11-9 I think?). Dani has lost two matches now, and will not advance. Still, she played well, and hopefully will take some momentum into next year.
****************
Tomorrow's matchups:
The Kuz vs. Masha - I pick the Kuz. 'Nuff said.
Henin vs. Maid Marion - Haha! Justine is *totally* going to be after revenge for Wimby. Lookout Marion!
Jankovic vs. Chakie - Hmmmm. Gut instinct says to pick Jankovic. However, will another loss to Henin take the wind out of her sails? Or, will she look at it as 'Ok, I got that out of the way, now it is time to steamroll?' Should be interesting!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
2 out of 3 isn't bad!
I got two of the my three picks for today correct.
The first one was the easiest:
Henin blasted through Chakie in the first set, and though the Chakster gave a mighty effort in the second, Henin won in a second set tiebreak.
For me, the next result was actually a surprise, as I didn't see Masha match-fit enough to come through:
Sharapova came through two tight sets over Hanuchova. And, by her outfit, planned to celebrate with an afternoon of either golf or sailing...I'm not sure which.
Beame me up! AnaIvo won a tightly contested match with the Kuz (*just* like I had predicted!) 7-5 in the third set. She is sporting the new Star Trek line from Adidas:
Seriously, what are they thinking over there?!? I know they can't use the three strips thing all down the side anymore, but this is getting ridiculous!
Oh, and happy birthday to AnaIvo! She celebrated her 20th on court after her win!
****************
Next up tomorrow:
Henin vs. Jankovic - Oh dear. Of course, it promises to be a great match, but this is starting to look like Fed vs. Roddick. I see Henin pulling through with a very tight score.
Serena vs. Chakie - Hmm. This is a toughie. I fear that Serena's power may be just too much for the Chakster, and I'm not sure how she will react after losing that tiebreak with Henin today. I hate to say it, but I see Serena winning here (and if I'm wrong, I'll be happy!).
Ivanovic vs. Hantuchova - AnaIvo will win.
***************
The word on the street is that Nalby will NOT go to Shanghai just to sit around as the alternate. So, he is staying put, and moles say that Robredo is on the plane heading to the far east. Too bad.
The first one was the easiest:
Henin blasted through Chakie in the first set, and though the Chakster gave a mighty effort in the second, Henin won in a second set tiebreak.
For me, the next result was actually a surprise, as I didn't see Masha match-fit enough to come through:
Sharapova came through two tight sets over Hanuchova. And, by her outfit, planned to celebrate with an afternoon of either golf or sailing...I'm not sure which.
Beame me up! AnaIvo won a tightly contested match with the Kuz (*just* like I had predicted!) 7-5 in the third set. She is sporting the new Star Trek line from Adidas:
Seriously, what are they thinking over there?!? I know they can't use the three strips thing all down the side anymore, but this is getting ridiculous!
Oh, and happy birthday to AnaIvo! She celebrated her 20th on court after her win!
****************
Next up tomorrow:
Henin vs. Jankovic - Oh dear. Of course, it promises to be a great match, but this is starting to look like Fed vs. Roddick. I see Henin pulling through with a very tight score.
Serena vs. Chakie - Hmm. This is a toughie. I fear that Serena's power may be just too much for the Chakster, and I'm not sure how she will react after losing that tiebreak with Henin today. I hate to say it, but I see Serena winning here (and if I'm wrong, I'll be happy!).
Ivanovic vs. Hantuchova - AnaIvo will win.
***************
The word on the street is that Nalby will NOT go to Shanghai just to sit around as the alternate. So, he is staying put, and moles say that Robredo is on the plane heading to the far east. Too bad.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Oh! And...
Lindsay won another tournament this weekend, the Bell Challenge in Quebec City. A tier III I believe, but still...it would be great to have her permanently back in the mix!
I'm Baaaaack! (WTA YEC)
Hey, everyone needs a hiatus sometime, right?
I knew this may happen, school plus tennis plus a new-found addiction (I'm in therapy, it's ok!) to msn chat have resulted in my poor tennis blog being left behind. But with the YEC right around the corner, I thought this would be as good a time as any to pop back on the scene.
This week kicks off the WTA's YEC in Madrid (ahhh, Madrid!). The eight qualifiers are (not in order, by the way):
Justine Henin - duh
Svetlana Kuznetsova - strong season, but still lacking that breakout win
Jelena Jankovic - great season, but Henin owns her
Ana Ivanovic - another great season, Henin owns her as well
Serena Williams - pretty shaky going into this YEC, but is already trash talking. Oh, and Henin owns her, too!
Maria Sharapova - even more shaky going into YEC than Williams. I'm wondering why she is even bothering to show up. Ivanovic, Williams, Henin all own her. Maria only got in when Venus withdrew, so she needs to send the sister a thank card, in my opinion.
Anna Chakvetadze - if she can control her emotions on court, she just may pull of a surprise or two.
Daniela Hanutchova - Dani played some of her best tennis to squeeze into the 8th spot, and if she can keep that going, she's got a shot. An outside one, but still...it is there.
They are divided into the following groups:
Yellow Group
Henin
Jankovic
Williams
Chakvetadze
Red Group
Kuznetsova
Ivanovic
Sharapova
Hantuchova
Horrendously lopsided. The yellow group is screwed, really. The only question that remains to be answered is who will advance other than Henin. I'm hoping Jelena. The red group would favor Sharapova, if she had actually played a match sometime in the recent past. I'm picking Kuz and Ivanovic, but I would love to see Dani come out of there, too. Really, I'm ok with anyone either than Serena or Maria going through to the semis. For some reason, I've had it with both of them.
Play kicks off tomorrow with the yellow group:
Henin vs. Chakie (Henin)
Sharapova vs. Hantuchova (go Dani!)
Kuz vs. Ivanovic (hmmm, I see AnaIvo coming through this one, but I think it will be the most tightly contested of the three matches).
*****************
The men's YEC had a lot of last minute drama, with the final spot being decided in the later rounds of Paris.
The eight:
Roger Federer - duh
Rafael Nadal - duh, but he fell off during the end of the season again. If he ever wants to overtake Roger than he needs to figure out a way to have a consistently strong season.
Novak Djokovic - the Djoker will make things interesting and fun!
Nikolay Davydenko - certainly not in form, mentally or physically. First, the gambling speculations, and now he has been fined *twice* for not trying? This will be a tough tournament for him.
Andy Roddick - Didn't show up for the last two Masters Series, and qualified while sitting at home. We all know all that Andy really cares about is Davis Cup right now, so why not withdrawal so that someone else (NALBANDIAN!!) can have the spot? Some speculate that he doesn't deserve the spot, and while my knee-jerk reaction is to agree, you can't argue with the race. Nalby didn't show up until a bit too late, and Andy had consistent results. Still, if his heart isn't in it, then I hope he does withdrawal.
David Ferrer - depending on which group he is in, Ferrer can definitely cause some damage.
Fernando Gonzalez - oh Gonzo. Still searching for that form that saw him threw to the Aussie final. I love him, but I don't see him getting out of his group.
Richard Gasquet - Reeeechard squeaked in at the last minute in Paris when Baggy lost. Such a beautiful game, I would love to him put together some wins.
Missing, of course, is last year's finalist James Blake. Unfortunately, we may have already seen the best he has to offer...and I do say this with regret.
************
Doubles will come later. Suffice to say, Sam Stosur is sick, so the current champs will not be able to defend their title.
I knew this may happen, school plus tennis plus a new-found addiction (I'm in therapy, it's ok!) to msn chat have resulted in my poor tennis blog being left behind. But with the YEC right around the corner, I thought this would be as good a time as any to pop back on the scene.
This week kicks off the WTA's YEC in Madrid (ahhh, Madrid!). The eight qualifiers are (not in order, by the way):
Justine Henin - duh
Svetlana Kuznetsova - strong season, but still lacking that breakout win
Jelena Jankovic - great season, but Henin owns her
Ana Ivanovic - another great season, Henin owns her as well
Serena Williams - pretty shaky going into this YEC, but is already trash talking. Oh, and Henin owns her, too!
Maria Sharapova - even more shaky going into YEC than Williams. I'm wondering why she is even bothering to show up. Ivanovic, Williams, Henin all own her. Maria only got in when Venus withdrew, so she needs to send the sister a thank card, in my opinion.
Anna Chakvetadze - if she can control her emotions on court, she just may pull of a surprise or two.
Daniela Hanutchova - Dani played some of her best tennis to squeeze into the 8th spot, and if she can keep that going, she's got a shot. An outside one, but still...it is there.
They are divided into the following groups:
Yellow Group
Henin
Jankovic
Williams
Chakvetadze
Red Group
Kuznetsova
Ivanovic
Sharapova
Hantuchova
Horrendously lopsided. The yellow group is screwed, really. The only question that remains to be answered is who will advance other than Henin. I'm hoping Jelena. The red group would favor Sharapova, if she had actually played a match sometime in the recent past. I'm picking Kuz and Ivanovic, but I would love to see Dani come out of there, too. Really, I'm ok with anyone either than Serena or Maria going through to the semis. For some reason, I've had it with both of them.
Play kicks off tomorrow with the yellow group:
Henin vs. Chakie (Henin)
Sharapova vs. Hantuchova (go Dani!)
Kuz vs. Ivanovic (hmmm, I see AnaIvo coming through this one, but I think it will be the most tightly contested of the three matches).
*****************
The men's YEC had a lot of last minute drama, with the final spot being decided in the later rounds of Paris.
The eight:
Roger Federer - duh
Rafael Nadal - duh, but he fell off during the end of the season again. If he ever wants to overtake Roger than he needs to figure out a way to have a consistently strong season.
Novak Djokovic - the Djoker will make things interesting and fun!
Nikolay Davydenko - certainly not in form, mentally or physically. First, the gambling speculations, and now he has been fined *twice* for not trying? This will be a tough tournament for him.
Andy Roddick - Didn't show up for the last two Masters Series, and qualified while sitting at home. We all know all that Andy really cares about is Davis Cup right now, so why not withdrawal so that someone else (NALBANDIAN!!) can have the spot? Some speculate that he doesn't deserve the spot, and while my knee-jerk reaction is to agree, you can't argue with the race. Nalby didn't show up until a bit too late, and Andy had consistent results. Still, if his heart isn't in it, then I hope he does withdrawal.
David Ferrer - depending on which group he is in, Ferrer can definitely cause some damage.
Fernando Gonzalez - oh Gonzo. Still searching for that form that saw him threw to the Aussie final. I love him, but I don't see him getting out of his group.
Richard Gasquet - Reeeechard squeaked in at the last minute in Paris when Baggy lost. Such a beautiful game, I would love to him put together some wins.
Missing, of course, is last year's finalist James Blake. Unfortunately, we may have already seen the best he has to offer...and I do say this with regret.
************
Doubles will come later. Suffice to say, Sam Stosur is sick, so the current champs will not be able to defend their title.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
First 4.0 match
Only it wasn't. Haha. Everyone plays up in fall/winter league, and while it may say 4.0, most of the players are 3.5s. Except for me, I'm a 3.0.
I started the night off by going to what I thought was my clinic. Turned out two people didn't show, so I had to play some singles with Diana. I knew she'd be looking for revenge after I finally beat her on my third try, but it wasn't going to happen tonight. Only one set, but I took it 7-5...same score as last time.
Then I high-tailed it up to Herndon for Under the Radar's first match. Robin and I were teamed up again, on court #3. Our opponents were both 3.5s, and they blew us away the first set, 6-0. Robin and I were a bit shocked and confused, but upped our net game, and I served out the second set at love for 6-3. In lieu of a third set tiebreak, we play a 10 point super tiebreaker. Robin and I came out strong, but had some kind of let down, and ended up losing the tiebreak and the match 10-5. It was almost like we had to remember how this whole doubles thing goes again...it has been awhile!
Funny...Robin was telling me about a tournament in Reston that she won a few weeks back...and how she got a silver plate and will have her name inscribed on a silver bowl. Yup, turns out she won the women's doubles Simon Cup. Evidently, one of our opponents tonight is also a RA member. Jeesh, they're everywhere!!!
I started the night off by going to what I thought was my clinic. Turned out two people didn't show, so I had to play some singles with Diana. I knew she'd be looking for revenge after I finally beat her on my third try, but it wasn't going to happen tonight. Only one set, but I took it 7-5...same score as last time.
Then I high-tailed it up to Herndon for Under the Radar's first match. Robin and I were teamed up again, on court #3. Our opponents were both 3.5s, and they blew us away the first set, 6-0. Robin and I were a bit shocked and confused, but upped our net game, and I served out the second set at love for 6-3. In lieu of a third set tiebreak, we play a 10 point super tiebreaker. Robin and I came out strong, but had some kind of let down, and ended up losing the tiebreak and the match 10-5. It was almost like we had to remember how this whole doubles thing goes again...it has been awhile!
Funny...Robin was telling me about a tournament in Reston that she won a few weeks back...and how she got a silver plate and will have her name inscribed on a silver bowl. Yup, turns out she won the women's doubles Simon Cup. Evidently, one of our opponents tonight is also a RA member. Jeesh, they're everywhere!!!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Just because you couldn't see it...
Doesn't mean it didn't happen.
There was actually a lot of tennis action this week, though you only got to see a sliver of it, and that was only if you are one of the lucky ones with TTC.
First up, the ladies.
Maria Kirilenko followed up last week's title run with another final appearance, and kudos to her for testing Venus and taking her to three sets, but in the end Venus prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. According to media reports, it was an ugly match with a lot of double faults. Oh, and this was in Korea...the Korean Open, where if you win, they like to dress you up.
I just have...no words.
In China, the Guangzhou International Women's final pitted Tzipi Obziler (the 'old' Israeli) against Virginie Razzano. Razzano took this easily, 6-0, 6-3. Too bad...I kind of wanted to see Tzipi win it. I'll never forget watching some of her matches at Legg Mason a few years ago...she was fun to watch, especially when she got mad!
Zipping over to the Fortis Championships gave us a final that featured some more well known ladies. #2 seed Ana Ivanovic took on #4 seed Daniela Hantuchova. I got to see a bit of Hantu's semi against Marion Bartoli...she was very dominant. At least, that's what I could see when I wasn't cringing away from the screen because I can NOT stand watching Bartoli serve. It would have been nice to see Dani win something other than Indian Wells, but not today. AnaIvo captured the title 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. I have this recorded, but haven't watched it yet. But here are some fun pics:
AnaIvo's magic!
Ana with the trophy...which is interesting, to say the least.
Ana also sewed up a trip to Madrid for the year end championships when she advanced to the semis here...this puts her in with Justine, Jankovic, and Kuznetsova. Four more spots are still up for grabs.
The boys played, too!
Richie (Reeeeechard!) Gasquet was able to hold off any mental breakdowns long enough to capture the Kingfisher Airlines Open (whaaaa?) over Ollie Rochus, 6-3, 6-4.
Over in Thailand (aka the tournament where nobody showed up...proving that the boys are just as capable of ruining a tournament as the women are) Dmitry Tursunov easily defeated Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-1.
This is important...because this was a hard court. With a Russian. A Russian who took the US out of the Davis Cup last year, and a Russian that will be on the team traveling to the US this year for the final. Look for Tursunov to play a pivotal part in this final.
Dima:
By the way, I will take a moment to exhibit my profound disappointment that the final will be Portland. PORTLAND??? I could have *driven* to Winston-Salem, but I guess now I can just save my tennis monies for something else...like maybe the Open next year!
HMPH!!!
Oh, and looks like Sunday will be update here on the good old blog. Extra posts may pop in if need be, but I will always try to update on Sundays.
**********************
Not much going on with my own game right now...it was a quiet week. I didn't have a lesson because my court time was given away to a HS. I'm a bit perturbed by that. Carol wants to move me to Wednesday nights, but that is the *only* night I'm not already playing at Skyline...I want a night off to run, especially with some races coming up. I'd honestly rather double tennis on some other night, doing a lesson and then clinic. My singles flight starts this week as well, so it will be good to get some regular singles practice going.
There was actually a lot of tennis action this week, though you only got to see a sliver of it, and that was only if you are one of the lucky ones with TTC.
First up, the ladies.
Maria Kirilenko followed up last week's title run with another final appearance, and kudos to her for testing Venus and taking her to three sets, but in the end Venus prevailed 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. According to media reports, it was an ugly match with a lot of double faults. Oh, and this was in Korea...the Korean Open, where if you win, they like to dress you up.
I just have...no words.
In China, the Guangzhou International Women's final pitted Tzipi Obziler (the 'old' Israeli) against Virginie Razzano. Razzano took this easily, 6-0, 6-3. Too bad...I kind of wanted to see Tzipi win it. I'll never forget watching some of her matches at Legg Mason a few years ago...she was fun to watch, especially when she got mad!
Zipping over to the Fortis Championships gave us a final that featured some more well known ladies. #2 seed Ana Ivanovic took on #4 seed Daniela Hantuchova. I got to see a bit of Hantu's semi against Marion Bartoli...she was very dominant. At least, that's what I could see when I wasn't cringing away from the screen because I can NOT stand watching Bartoli serve. It would have been nice to see Dani win something other than Indian Wells, but not today. AnaIvo captured the title 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. I have this recorded, but haven't watched it yet. But here are some fun pics:
AnaIvo's magic!
Ana with the trophy...which is interesting, to say the least.
Ana also sewed up a trip to Madrid for the year end championships when she advanced to the semis here...this puts her in with Justine, Jankovic, and Kuznetsova. Four more spots are still up for grabs.
The boys played, too!
Richie (Reeeeechard!) Gasquet was able to hold off any mental breakdowns long enough to capture the Kingfisher Airlines Open (whaaaa?) over Ollie Rochus, 6-3, 6-4.
Over in Thailand (aka the tournament where nobody showed up...proving that the boys are just as capable of ruining a tournament as the women are) Dmitry Tursunov easily defeated Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-1.
This is important...because this was a hard court. With a Russian. A Russian who took the US out of the Davis Cup last year, and a Russian that will be on the team traveling to the US this year for the final. Look for Tursunov to play a pivotal part in this final.
Dima:
By the way, I will take a moment to exhibit my profound disappointment that the final will be Portland. PORTLAND??? I could have *driven* to Winston-Salem, but I guess now I can just save my tennis monies for something else...like maybe the Open next year!
HMPH!!!
Oh, and looks like Sunday will be update here on the good old blog. Extra posts may pop in if need be, but I will always try to update on Sundays.
**********************
Not much going on with my own game right now...it was a quiet week. I didn't have a lesson because my court time was given away to a HS. I'm a bit perturbed by that. Carol wants to move me to Wednesday nights, but that is the *only* night I'm not already playing at Skyline...I want a night off to run, especially with some races coming up. I'd honestly rather double tennis on some other night, doing a lesson and then clinic. My singles flight starts this week as well, so it will be good to get some regular singles practice going.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
WTA: Off in Asia...
The women were in action again, too, with comeback mum Lindsay Davenport leading the way. This week she wasn't destined for the final, but made a deep run at the China Open before falling to Jelena Jankovic in the semis. Jelena got a bit of revenge for Bali, but needs to learn not to hit balls at her opponents between points, or Lindsay just might take her down out in the parking lot after the match!
Jelena followed that win up by choking the final away against....Agnes Szavay! She hasn't gone away! Jelena won the first set, and was up 5-1 in the second, which she eventually lost 7-5, and then went on to lose the final set. Hey, at least I feel better about my game when I see the pros do this.
Szavay was once again well dressed in that halter top that I love:
I tried like mad to make an avatar out of this, but just couldn't get the size right, and ended up making a nice one of Momo holding the Venus Rosewater dish. By the way, Momo played this week in China as well...but was defeated by Peng Shuai if I remember correctly (too lazy to go back and check now).
Also winning this week was Maria Kirilenko in India:
She had the easiest time this weekend, winning 6-0, 6-2. Nice to see her playing well finally! The doubles winners in India were Vania King and Alla Kudrysomethingorother (aka the girl who almost beat Venus in the first round of Wimby). Nice result for Vania, and that will help with Fed Cup doubles duty.
Tatiana Golovin also won this week, defeating Srebotnik in three sets in the Slovenia Open.
Jelena followed that win up by choking the final away against....Agnes Szavay! She hasn't gone away! Jelena won the first set, and was up 5-1 in the second, which she eventually lost 7-5, and then went on to lose the final set. Hey, at least I feel better about my game when I see the pros do this.
Szavay was once again well dressed in that halter top that I love:
I tried like mad to make an avatar out of this, but just couldn't get the size right, and ended up making a nice one of Momo holding the Venus Rosewater dish. By the way, Momo played this week in China as well...but was defeated by Peng Shuai if I remember correctly (too lazy to go back and check now).
Also winning this week was Maria Kirilenko in India:
She had the easiest time this weekend, winning 6-0, 6-2. Nice to see her playing well finally! The doubles winners in India were Vania King and Alla Kudrysomethingorother (aka the girl who almost beat Venus in the first round of Wimby). Nice result for Vania, and that will help with Fed Cup doubles duty.
Tatiana Golovin also won this week, defeating Srebotnik in three sets in the Slovenia Open.
Davis Cup semis
The blazing Roddick serve carried US hopes this weekend, as the US beat Sweden 4-1 in the Davis Cup semi. Predictably, Roddick opened during the first rubber and won, surviving three tight sets against Joachim Johannsen. Thomas Johannson was up next, against perennial Davis Cup choker, James Blake. I love James, but not in Davis Cup. Blake went down in four sets. This pattern has repeated itself just too many times, and with a bench made up of talent such as Querry and Isner, if I were Pmac, I'd start thinking real hard about some substitutions.
Luckily, it didn't come down to that as the Bryan Bros. played an outstanding doubles match to win the second point for the US. They faced Jonas (Jonas!!!) and Simon Aspelin, who was part of the team that took out the Bryans in the US Open this year. This could have been trouble for the US, but the Bryans exhibited some just unbelievable tennis. Jonas and Simon didn't play badly at all...but they were just no match for the twins.
So, again, everything going according to script. US up 2-1 heading into the final day, and Roddick is once again in the position of 'closer'. The tie was on his racquet, and even a Swedish substitution couldn't throw him off. Jonas again put up a good fight, and I think it was a good choice to put him in instead of TJ (who got throttled by ARod at the Open...not a good matchup for TJ). Jonas is one of the best returners in tennis...but after three sets, it was the US team that was celebrating.
Finally! A Davis Cup final IN THE UNITED STATES!!! Russia helped us out here by winning 3-2 over Germany. I was *sorely* disappointed by Germany's decision to not play Haas in the fourth rubber after the Germans pulled off a stunning doubles victory to pull ahead 2-1. With Andreev on clay lurking in the fifth rubber, that was a *bad* decision. And it cost them. Youhzny and Andreev pulled through...especially Andreev, who won both of his singles rubbers this weekend.
The site for the final will be announced later this week, with Winston-Salem and Portland supposedly the two citites left in the running. There are some rumors that San Diego is still being considered as well, but some places are reporting that SD is out. If WS is chosen, I'm going to try my damnest to go...not too far away!!! And seriously, when would I get another chance to go to a DC final?!?
It won't be easy, even though it is going to be in the US. Roddick is not sure bet to win, depending on who he faces...though I like his chances against most Russians, but Tursunov, Youhzny, even Andreev could sneak by him. And Blake...oh, we can't count on Blake against ANYONE!!! I wish we could, but he just isn't a DC player...he gets way too nervous, and nothing he has tried is working. Depending on who Russia brings, I think Querry could do some damage, especially on a fast surface. So, Blake is not favored, Andy is pretty well favored, and the Bryans heavily favored...unfortunately, the doubles only counts for one point.
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Other notable news in DC...
*Even the mighty Fed could not save the Swiss, as they fell 2-3 to Radek Stepanek and the Czechs. Unfortunately, Stan was *not* the man this weekend...he lost both of his singles rubbers, and Fed and his buddy Yves lost in doubles.
*Serbia advanced to the World Group with a win over Australia. Serbia has a deep team, led by Nole, filled out by Janko, and includes a doubles specialist in Nenad. Look for them to make a run next year!
*Tim Henman played his final match on the grass as he helped Britain defeat Croatia (who was without Luby). Good-bye Tim, we'll miss you!
Henman and daughter Rosie:
*Israel, led by Dudi Sela and Erlich and Ram, are back into the World Group as well, with a stunning victory over Chile. Gonzo and Massu must be crushed!
*Hyung-Taik Lee led Korea back into the World Group...yay!
*Other victories included Romania over Japan, Peru over Belarus (and the Beast), and Austria over Brazil (and Guga).
So, I wonder how much tickets are going to be? *smile* That's what they made credit cards for, right?!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Big Fat Update...
Not quite yet! I'm working on it! Too much going on right now...more Lindsay news, and Davis Cup galore.
But this post shall be about me. *smile*
I just had a kickass lesson. One of those lessons where you feel yourself make a breakthrough, the lightbulb goes off, and you think to yourself...oh yes, I can go far with this, yes I can.
Unfortunately, my tournament schedule got shot to pieces. I *thought* I was playing a mixed tourny this weekend, and a women's tourny (doubles and singles) in two weeks. The club tournament got nixed because of a conflict with Nationals, and the Reston Association won't let me play in their little tourny because they are incapable of proofreading and may just be a bit snobby.
But there will be other tournaments.
The most exciting point of my lesson, though, probably came when Carol mentioned to me that she wants to teach me to teach...tennis!!! Could Topaz the tennis blogger someday become Topaz the Tennis Pro?! Who knows? We shall see how serious she is about this, and whether I can swing whatever she has in mind. It would be, of course, to work with beginners and kids, but still...I think it would be pretty neat!
So, let's see what all I've got going on here...my new 3.0 team, Barracudas, is not playing fall league, but I will continue to clinic with them on Saturdays once and a while. I will be playing fall league with Spinmasters, who are playing up at 4.0. It sounds like a big leap, but it really isn't, since they will be considered a 3.5 team once they get back from Nationals. In fall league, everyone plays up anyway, so all the other 3.5 teams will be up at 4.0 as well. The 4.0 teams...play 4.5. Yes, it is whacked, but the coordinator never seems to care. I told my old indoor team, Breakpoint, that I would sub for them at 3.0, but I'm not committed to that team. I have clinic for my outdoor team, still subbing in a 3.0/3.5 clinic, and private lessons with Carol...*whew*!!! I'm tired just typing all of this! I also keep going back and forth on whether or not to play mixed, but since I WILL NOT play 6.0 mixed, and I haven't really tried too hard to find a 7.0 team...I may just pass until January.
But this post shall be about me. *smile*
I just had a kickass lesson. One of those lessons where you feel yourself make a breakthrough, the lightbulb goes off, and you think to yourself...oh yes, I can go far with this, yes I can.
Unfortunately, my tournament schedule got shot to pieces. I *thought* I was playing a mixed tourny this weekend, and a women's tourny (doubles and singles) in two weeks. The club tournament got nixed because of a conflict with Nationals, and the Reston Association won't let me play in their little tourny because they are incapable of proofreading and may just be a bit snobby.
But there will be other tournaments.
The most exciting point of my lesson, though, probably came when Carol mentioned to me that she wants to teach me to teach...tennis!!! Could Topaz the tennis blogger someday become Topaz the Tennis Pro?! Who knows? We shall see how serious she is about this, and whether I can swing whatever she has in mind. It would be, of course, to work with beginners and kids, but still...I think it would be pretty neat!
So, let's see what all I've got going on here...my new 3.0 team, Barracudas, is not playing fall league, but I will continue to clinic with them on Saturdays once and a while. I will be playing fall league with Spinmasters, who are playing up at 4.0. It sounds like a big leap, but it really isn't, since they will be considered a 3.5 team once they get back from Nationals. In fall league, everyone plays up anyway, so all the other 3.5 teams will be up at 4.0 as well. The 4.0 teams...play 4.5. Yes, it is whacked, but the coordinator never seems to care. I told my old indoor team, Breakpoint, that I would sub for them at 3.0, but I'm not committed to that team. I have clinic for my outdoor team, still subbing in a 3.0/3.5 clinic, and private lessons with Carol...*whew*!!! I'm tired just typing all of this! I also keep going back and forth on whether or not to play mixed, but since I WILL NOT play 6.0 mixed, and I haven't really tried too hard to find a 7.0 team...I may just pass until January.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Lindsay wins! What does it mean?
It took three sets, and it wasn't the best tennis in the world, but Lindsay dominated the third set to claim the title in Bali (her second) in her first singles tournament on the tour since leaving to have little Jagger.
Now, the question is...what does this mean for the WTA tour?
This is my speculation. Lindsay beat two strong and active players in Jankovic and Hantuchova. I believe that she will be a factor in anything that she enters, but I remain skeptical that she will be able to hang with the top group.
But then again, what is the top group?
The rankings here are misleading, in my opinion. Henin is in a tier all by herself right now. #2 is Sveta. Huge difference there...one that was obvious for the whole world to see in the US Open final. I do not believe Sveta is the second best player in the world.
My top group would be Henin, Venus, and *maybe* Jankovic. I see Jelena as more of the top of the second tier, but she has had great, competitive matches with Venus and Justine this year. She needs a break through, though, much like her compatriot AnaIvo.
Second tier would be occupied by Sharapova (until she fixes that shoulder and serve, she will not be top tier...period), Serena, AnaIvo, Sveta.
I think Lindsay can hang with that second tier. I do not think she will threaten the top. But I do sincerely hope that she is enjoying herself and tennis again. She just didn't look happy that last year, and it was painful to watch.
Lindsay will be playing the China Open this week, and has a nice draw. She will face a qualifier in the first round. Another player making her return this week in China is Amelie Mauresmo. Yay! We need her back...nerves and all. Again...it will remain to be seen if she returns to the top tier, or hangs out in the second tier...my guess is second tier. But to me, she has nothing left to prove.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Quick Bali update...
Lindsay and Daniela both won their semis, and will meet in the final.
FedCup update...Franny and AnnaWiththeBraid are duking it out in a third set. Franny is dangerous in Fed Cup.
FedCup update...Franny and AnnaWiththeBraid are duking it out in a third set. Franny is dangerous in Fed Cup.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Lindsay marches on...
Unbelievably, Lindsay advanced to a meet-up with Jelena Jankovic in Bali...and won. It took three sets, but she just defeated the number 3 player in the world.
She had some help. Evidently, Jankovic came unglued in the third set. She was quite upset at the chair umpire, and it once again affected her game. She *must* find a way to stop letting this happen. You're the number one seed, at a tier III in Bali (dodging earthquakes and tsunami)...you need to find a way to keep it together.
Credit to Lindsay for not letting her opponent's self destruction derail her...she stayed cool, played high percentage tennis, and got the job done. I'm not ready to say 'She's back' just quite yet. When Hingis came back she enjoyed a lot of wins over top players...mostly because they hadn't seen her before and didn't know her game. Now they pretty much own her. It won't be the same pattern for Lindsay, but while I'm very happy with this result, I'm just being cautious. I'd love to see her have some good success on the tour, though.
Her next opponent is Sara Errani. On the other side lurks Hantuchova, with whom she has a good H2H record. Similar games, with Davenport with the technique edge, and Hantuchova with the movement edge.
They withdrew from the doubles draw, however. Too bad, I think it would have been neat to see them meet each other in the final, and also be in the final as a team in doubles.
**************
This weekend also features the Fed Cup final between Russia and Italy in Moscow. The Italians are huge underdogs, but don't underestimate them! They were huge underdogs last year to Belgium, and came through...albeit with a bit of help from Justine. The Italians will fight, and they have heart and passion. Francesca Schiavone leads the way as the highest ranked Italian, backed up by Mara Santangelo and Flavia Pennetta. If they were on clay, I'd think they would have a better chance with both Pennetta and Schiavone on their team, but the tie will take place on an indoor hard court. The Russians are leading with Kuznetsova, Chakie, and Petrova. One of their practice partners - Maria Sharapova. I *love* the fact that Tarpishev is making her earn her spot...especially after she's let them down so many times before. Furthermore, I think she is about as Russian as my pinkie. But if Tursunov can play, I guess she can, too.
**************
I had a good playing week...beating someone in singles on Thursday night that I had never defeated before...with a very painful foot to boot. I thought I had two tournies coming up, but I'm now down to one, as the club director turned the women's tournament into a men's tournament. Which really sucks. They have men's tournament all through the summer...I think it is the gals' turn!
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