Love, Balls and Courting: Tennis V

[Maofan7]

Roberta Vinci defeats Sterena Williams



Three cheers for the Italian over 30's who will now contest the final!

 

[OnyxRose81]

Congrats to either Vinci or Pennetta.

I feel bad for Serena but I don't. I think she underestimated Vinci and couldn't course correct.

I just feel like this is the Women's final we were destined for. No really big names.

 

[allezfred]

Come again?

One upset does not change anything. Most probably Vinci will fold a cheap deck of cards in the final.

 

[elka_sk8]

Wow! Just checked the scores for both matches and did not see that coming at all. Serena always seems more susceptible to the lower ranked players for some reason.

 

[ioana]

All the Serena fans who thought this would be over in under one hour, never saw this. She's struggled when she had to generate her own power in the past, especially off well done slices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7_yeLwi0wM.

Vinci is awesome -loved her in New Haven and very glad to see her playing this well

 

[oleada]

Vinci was very charming in her interview.

 

[topaz]

I have not felt this bad since Rafa's French Open match.

Serena's nerves got to her. Vinci kept the ball in play and Serena continued to make errors.

 

[allezfred]

Graf still the greatest of all time till at least 2016. Maybe Serena should aim for the Golden Grand Slam in tribute?

 

[liv]

Wow. And that is why you play the game.

I'm so excited for Vinci. It would take someone with an unusual game to frustrate Serena, someone who didn't rely on power, and Vinci did it and held off for the win. I held out a tiny hope for Vinci because she has that non power/crafty game to make Serena run (Serena usually likes short points) but I didn't expect it would work out. Well, still a fantastic year for Williams. 3 slams in a year is still amazing.

Two Italians. Wow. That is an unexpected twist of fate and my faith in women\'s tennis is somewhat renewed.

 

[topaz]

I feel bad for Serena but I don't. I think she underestimated Vinci and couldn't course correct.

I don't understand who you can feel bad for a person but don't. That's an oxymoron statement in my opinion. I don't think Serena underestimated her at all. She has said after the Razzano match a few years she does not do that.

The 3 days off had to effect Serena slightly.

Vinci played well, kept the ball in the court but Serena's nerves were the difference in the match in my opinion. I watch a lot of tennis during the year(most televised tourneys are on the Tennis Channel). When she plays nervous, her footwork suffers. I think the combo of nerves, tension, stress and the 3 days off had a lot more to do with Serena's play than Vinci's game.

Vinci has never taken a set from Serena before this match, so let's put this in perceptive.

 

[topaz]

Graf still the greatest of all time till at least 2016. Maybe Serena should aim for the Golden Grand Slam in tribute?

Nah, Graf has 22 grand slams because Monica was stabbed out of the game for 2 years. Otherwise, Graf would have finished with around 18 slams.

Serena will still pass Graf's *22* slams.

 

[manhn]

I just read the news. I'm surprised how badly I feel for Serena.

 

[allezfred]

Nah, Graf has 22 grand slams because Monica was stabbed out of the game for 2 years. Otherwise, Graf would have finished with around 18 slams.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. You can only beat who is in front of you.

Serena will still pass Graf's *22* slams.

She probably will, but until then.....

 

[liv]

Yes, Monica was stabbed, but Steffi already wrote her legendary chapter by winning the golden grand slam in 1988, way before Monica arrived, defeating legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in finals that year, dropping only 2 sets... Can't blame that on Monica's stabber.

I"m sure Serena will pass Graf's total, her longevity and lack of competition will ensure that.

 

[ioana]

Vinci played well, kept the ball in the court but Serena's nerves were the difference in the match in my opinion. I watch a lot of tennis during the year(most televised tourneys are on the Tennis Channel). When she plays nervous, her footwork suffers. I think the combo of nerves, tension, stress and the 3 days off had a lot more to do with Serena's play than Vinci's game.

She did quite a few other things well in the last two sets, including her awesome net play that she took full advantage of. Sure, a less nervous Serena would have handled things differently, but I'm glad things turned out this way. Once Serena started to try and trade slice backhands towards the end of the match, you knew there would be no epic comeback this time around. Roby was written off as the ultimate scrub one too many times before this match. She had the game and experience to cause Serena problems. Not sure 'just' 3 sets would have driven that point home.

 

[oleada]

I'm not at all surprised it's someone like Roberta who ended Serena's streak. She has a very unique game that is very different and not your average ball basher. She gives people fits; and on an off day, Serena was going to have trouble.

 

[topaz]

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. You can only beat who is in front of you.

LOL. Well even Steffi has acknowledged that without Seles in the game when was able to win more Grand Slams.

 

[topaz]

She did quite a few other things well in the last two sets, including her awesome net play that she took full advantage of. Sure, a less nervous Serena would have handled things differently, but I'm glad things turned out this way. Once Serena started to try and trade slice backhands towards the end of the match, you knew there would be no epic comeback this time around. Roby was written off as the ultimate scrub one too many times before this match. She had the game and experience to cause Serena problems. Not sure 'just' 3 sets would have driven that point home.

Dude, they have played 5 times and Vinci had not won a set in this matchup until today. Also, Roberta didn't give herself a chance of winning today either. She stated this.

 

[ioana]

Dude, they have played 5 times and Vinci had not won a set in this matchup until today. Also, Roberta didn't give herself a chance of winning today either. She stated this.

Dudette and expecting Vinci to lose in the end was one thing. The way she was talked about and not even given a chance to make this competitive was ridiculous.

 

[allezfred]

LOL. Well even Steffi has acknowledged that without Seles in the game when was able to win more Grand Slams.

Sure she did.

 

[Lorac]

Well the number 1 and 2 seeds in the ladies were beaten in the semis - could the same happen in the men's draw!?

 

[topaz]

Yes, Monica was stabbed, but Steffi already wrote her legendary chapter by winning the golden grand slam in 1988, way before Monica arrived, defeating legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova in finals that year, dropping only 2 sets... Can't blame that on Monica's stabber.

I"m sure Serena will pass Graf's total, her longevity and lack of competition will ensure that.

Steffi may be a legend but my point is the 22 slams has an asterisk next to it. I never implied Steffi was not a great champion, I just implied she's not the greatest of all time.

Serena will pass 22 grand slams for the reasons you mentioned but also because she's one of the greatest competitor ever in the game of tennis which the greats like BJ King, Chris Evert and Martina has said on many occassions.

I want to point out that the lack of competition is not so much to do with the remaining women players. The talent level is probably the best I've seen in 20 to 25 years. However, Serena is one of the greatest "athletes" the game has every seen. Steffi and Serena's athletic ablity is just far superior to everyone else's. Steffi and Serena are the only tennis players who would have been successful in just about any other sport they would have chosen.

 

[topaz]

Sure she did.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-09-12/sports/1993255003_1_graf-steffi-seles

"I just want to say that there's one player who hasn't been around the last few Grand Slams, and that's Monica," Graf told the crowd.

 

[topaz]

Well the number 1 and 2 seeds in the ladies were beaten in the semis - could the same happen in the men's draw!?

It happened last year.

 

[allezfred]

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1993-09-12/sports/1993255003_1_graf-steffi-seles

That's not quite what you said in fairness though.

 

[topaz]

ESPN and USTA can't be happy with this outcome. The women's final is sold out. I wonder if people sell the tickets or just not show up.

 

[topaz]

That's not quite what you said in fairness though.

That's the only time Steffi spoke about it. She's not known of speaking her feelings in public so her admitting that "ONE" player has been missing is very telling.

 

[Jimena]

I cannot believe people are still having this discussion about Graf's slams.

 

[Lorac]

It happened last year.

In the men's draw yes but not the men's AND the women's draws. ☺

 

[topaz]

Dudette and expecting Vinci to lose in the end was one thing. The way she was talked about and not even given a chance to make this competitive was ridiculous.

You never heard anyone from Serena's camp say this. Odds were that a player who hasn't won a set from Serena ever to win a match were not good. For those of us to actively watch tennis alot, we know anything can happen.

Chris Evert(love her commentating sometimes) admitted to not giving either Roberta nor Flavia a chance.