Sets in the City - Tennis 2012 III

[AragornElessar]

I totally get the crowd reaction to Vika, but it's still a shame and a half that after she wins and defends, the crowd can't at least give her some respect for that.

And Li...Just...Wow!!!

[Lorac]

So Viki won - but she is not a very popular winner. Oh well - congrats to her and hopefully she can get past the awful press she has been receiving. I just wish she would stop grunting!!!

[judgejudy27]

This has to go down as the most undeserving slam title and tennis history, and the most unpopular one as well. I cant in all my years following tennis recall a player, no matter how unpopular, booed throughout an entire slam final, cheered at their double faults and errors, and booed after winning (if one can even use that word) the match and championship, LOL! I wonder if she will even be booed at the trophy presentation which would be another tennis first. I was fairly netural to Azarenka before this event, but now she is definitely one of my least favorite player. I hope a healthy Serena pounds the daylights out of her throughout the remainder of 2013.

[justAfsfan]

The crowd is disgusting, this is bullying! They act like Vika twist Na ankle!

Na play better but I'm still glad that Vika pull through the hate she receive from crowd and western media!

[rayhaneh]

This has to go down as the most undeserving slam title and tennis history, and the most unpopular one as well. I cant in all my years following tennis recall a player, no matter how unpopular, booed throughout an entire slam final, cheered at their double faults and errors, and booed after winning (if one can even use that word) the match and championship, LOL! I wonder if she will even be booed at the trophy presentation which would be another tennis first. I was fairly netural to Azarenka before this event, but now she is definitely one of my least favorite player. I hope a healthy Serena pounds the daylights out of her throughout the remainder of 2013.

The most undeserving slam title in tennis history? Why not the most undeserved title in the history of sport?

Seriously, I have no great love for Vika but to say that she doesn't deserve that title is hugely insulting to an athlete who, as far as I know, works every bit as hard as anyone else to get where she is. I don't care how much the public doesn't like her - this is sport, not a popularity contest. If it were, Federer would be winning his 26th Grand Slam tomorrow

And I remember a time not so long ago when everyone and their uncle was lamenting the fact that we had number ones who were unable to win a slam, and now that we have one, people call her "undeserving"....

[oleada]

No kidding! Congrats to Vika. It's not her fault Na twisted her ankle, and by all accounts she's an incredibly hard worker. I don't mind the grunting and I personally find her intensity to be a relatable quality.

Congrats to her

[misskarne]

The crowd is disgusting, this is bullying! They act like Vika twist Na ankle!

It's not bullying. If she can't take it she shouldn't dish it out. Between the grunting and the fake sickie the other day, she hasn't exactly done anything to earn the respect of the crowd.

I suppose you thought that the crowd mimicking Sharapova's squeals was bullying too...

[Alex Forrest]

This has to go down as the most undeserving slam title and tennis history, and the most unpopular one as well. I cant in all my years following tennis recall a player, no matter how unpopular, booed throughout an entire slam final, cheered at their double faults and errors, and booed after winning (if one can even use that word) the match and championship, LOL! I wonder if she will even be booed at the trophy presentation which would be another tennis first. I was fairly netural to Azarenka before this event, but now she is definitely one of my least favorite player. I hope a healthy Serena pounds the daylights out of her throughout the remainder of 2013.

A focking men. Please Serena come back and destroy this lying cheating butch.

[jenny12]

Li Na. I thought she had it for a while, but too bad. I don't always like Azarenka's antics on court but she was a deserving winner.

[justAfsfan]

It's not bullying. If she can't take it she shouldn't dish it out. Between the grunting and the fake sickie the other day, she hasn't exactly done anything to earn the respect of the crowd.

I suppose you thought that the crowd mimicking Sharapova's squeals was bullying too...

I'm not even cheer for Vika myself, I want Li to to win. But the crowd clap when she double fault!! On stand there is a sign cheaterenka! And there are no real evidences to prove that she really cheat in sf. When she say different thing at two interview, it might be because she don't get the question. Grunting might be annoying but it doesn't justify the action she receive today at all.

I didn't watch Sharapova match and only discuss about Vika here

[topaz]

This has to go down as the most undeserving slam title and tennis history, and the most unpopular one as well. I cant in all my years following tennis recall a player, no matter how unpopular, booed throughout an entire slam final, cheered at their double faults and errors, and booed after winning (if one can even use that word) the match and championship, LOL! I wonder if she will even be booed at the trophy presentation which would be another tennis first. I was fairly netural to Azarenka before this event, but now she is definitely one of my least favorite player. I hope a healthy Serena pounds the daylights out of her throughout the remainder of 2013.

So do you recall Serena's antics in 08, 09, 2010 or did you just forget/forgive her because she had a toe injury and an almost fatal illness? So you don't have an issue with Serena cursing out a lines person, insinuating to another player on the court that will kick her ass after the match and acting like a complete ass at 2010 and 2008 USO?

[topaz]

It's not bullying. If she can't take it she shouldn't dish it out. Between the grunting and the fake sickie the other day, she hasn't exactly done anything to earn the respect of the crowd.

I suppose you thought that the crowd mimicking Sharapova's squeals was bullying too...

Show me the Aussie crowd micmicking Maria? The aussie crowd started this behavior with Vika last year. I've never, never seen a crowd in the last 5 years mock Maria. Maria is supported and held up as an example for the sport by the tennis media.

The aussie media consistently mentioned Vika's grunts last year. Yet they didn't ask questions about Maria's grunting in 2005, 2008, 2010.

[topaz]

Oleada, you and I agree on Vika. She's a fighter. She is well liked in the lockeroom and friends with many of the players.

Was the only one who read the doctor's statement that she had an injury. The doctor confirmed it.

Vika has not displayed a pattern of abuse of the injury time out or bathroom breaks. She is no Justine Henin or Jennifer Capriati.

[Rottie]

What a strange women's final. Poor Li had so much trouble with her footing, and then the fireworks are fun but they always result in a weird break in the flow of the match. When Azarenka broke down in sobs at the end of the final, you could see just how much it meant to her and how stressed out she'd been. Her treatment timeout in the semi may have been gamesmanship -- her "injury" might really have been panic/desperation -- but it was within the rules. Perhaps the rules should be changed. At least the first time Li fell, she was asking, "Are you okay?" She didn't need to do that.

It was a toe-to-toe match because both women's styles are so similar, relying mostly on hitting with power from the baseline, and both had been playing pretty well. The men's match tonight may be a real barn burner for the same reason -- both guys have very similar games and have been playing really well! Hopefully no one will fall down. Will be rooting for Murray.

[Maofan7]

Murray leads Djokovic 7-6, 2-1



Andy's on course for his 2nd successive slam, but there is a long way to go in this match

[Lorac]

Murray leads Djokovic 7-6, 2-1



Andy's on course for his 2nd successive slam, but there is a long way to go in this match

There is and Djokovic is now 2 sets to 1 up. Andy had an amazing chance at the start of the 2nd set to break Novak and maybe take the match by the scruff of its neck and couldn't do it and now Novak seems to be getting the upper hand. Let's see if Andy can dig deep and push this to 5.

ETA: Novak just broke Andy in the 4th set - and he is looking remarkably fresh whereas Andy looks a little deflated!!

ETA2: That's is - Novak wins his 3rd straight Aussie Open title -congrats to him

[oleada]

Wheeee!
Novak wins his 3rd straight Aussie Open and 4th overall. I can't believe he has not lost his serve since the quarterfinal match That's really impressive. I'm glad he won - it would have fetl wrong if he wasn't holding a Slam!

His ability to get himself out of holes is unparalleled, IMO.

[OnyxRose81]

Congrats to Nole for the win and making history!

[Maofan7]

Wheeee!
Novak wins his 3rd straight Aussie Open and 4th overall. I can't believe he has not lost his serve since the quarterfinal match That's really impressive. I'm glad he won - it would have fetl wrong if he wasn't holding a Slam!

His ability to get himself out of holes is unparalleled, IMO.

Yes, Andy blew it - he would have won had he kept his level up from the 1st set and previous matches in the tournament. Congrats to Djokovic - he fights to the very end and that never say die attitude is what won it for him ultimately

[oleada]

Yes, Andy blew it - he would have won had he kept his level up from the 1st set and previous matches in the tournament. Congrats to Djokovic - he fights to the very end and that never say die attitude is what won it for him ultimately

Djoko wasn't playing well at all in the beginning. If he had been playing well, Andy wouldn't have even won a set. In the third and fourth set he found his range and was hitting a lot more winners and playing much more confidently.