Love, Balls and Courting: Tennis V

Thrilled for Bianca!!! :cheer2: 🇨🇦

One moment that stuck out for me in the first set was when she was up a break and had 5 chances to break Serena a second time, but couldn’t capitalize and then was down 0-30 IIRC on her next serve. The match could have turned so easily had she allowed Serena to equalize, but she steadied and held serve.

It wasn’t easy in the second set but she crossed the finish line and that’s huge for a first final. Fingers crossed for the rest of her career! And I do hope Serena gets #24 next year.

I hope Serena is gifted with a total mug opponent in the finals of a slam next year. Not a slam winner, future slam winner, former #1, she isn't beating any of those. That is the only way she is going to get #24.
 
Andreescu can get down on herself and still fight back dripping wet and exhausted. Then she can face down a legend who is back in good form. She’s got the makings of a great champion! Looks like she’s mentally tough.
 
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Bianca's mom had their dog either at her feet or on her lap during the semis. Not sure if the dog was there during the final, but I would imagine having one's pet at one's daughter's match is a very human thing to do, if not endearing. Wait, maybe Bianca patted the dog after greeting her parents?
 
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Get out of the bitter barn vanillashake and play in the hay!

As a Canadian you should be thrilled,

Serena is an extraordinary player regardless of whether she wins another slam or not.

I think she can and will.

Clearly Bianca had a great event here but in this match I’d say Serena lost it and Bianca won it. Obvious comment maybe. But Serena was clearly not at her very best. And Bianca took advantage.
 
It's frustrating to see that elusive 24th Grand Slam for Serena, still making finals but the mental block and self pressure are making her lose (her serve today) and her oponents of course take advantage of any weakness, it's sad to see her implode but hey she is a legend already no matter what and no matther if that 24 never happens though I am confident it will come true next year, she deserves it!

Congratulations to Andreescu, she showed guts, composure and all the qualities of a champion. I am waiting for that player that can take the batton and emerges as a new star and not a fluke one slam/one season wonder. Hope she can be that
 
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Get out of the bitter barn vanillashake and play in the hay!

As a Canadian you should be thrilled,

Serena is an extraordinary player regardless of whether she wins another slam or not.

I think she can and will.

Clearly Bianca had a great event here but in this match I’d say Serena lost it and Bianca won it. Obvious comment maybe. But Serena was clearly not at her very best. And Bianca took advantage.
I sort of disagree. To me, it was vintage Serena. As usual, she had more winners, aces, returned winners, etc. She was just outplayed by Bianca. With the current state of women's tennis, vintage Serena is no longer a guarantee when she plays the likes of Bianca. As in many sports, she may still win some, lose some.
 
I sort of disagree. To me, it was vintage Serena. As usual, she had more winners, aces, returned winners, etc. She was just outplayed by Bianca. With the current state of women's tennis, vintage Serena is no longer a guarantee when she plays the likes of Bianca. As in many sports, she may still win some, lose some.
Serena ‘s first serve was a massive issue for the match. It’s usually not. I’m not taking anything away from Bianca. Bianca’s play though could have unsettled Serena as she does have a different game.
But it’s a sport and on that day Bianca was better. Probably her best. But Bianca had a few three setters against players not as good as Serena. And she took out Serena in two .
Hence my point.
 
Serena ‘s first serve was a massive issue for the match. It’s usually not. I’m not taking anything away from Bianca. Bianca’s play though could have unsettled Serena as she does have a different game.
But it’s a sport and on that day Bianca was better. Probably her best. But Bianca had a few three setters against players not as good as Serena. And she took out Serena in two .
Hence my point.
One reason Serena's serve was an issue was that Bianca had a lot of success when Serena started the point from a 2nd serve. Up until 5-1 in the second set, as soon as there was a rally, Bianca's chances to grab the point were much higher than Serena's. At one point in the match, Serena had won only 37% of her 2nd serve points (for some reason, I can't find the stats after the match, so I don't know how it ended). With so little success, Serena felt a lot more pressure to hit her first serve, which in turn made it unstable. In other words, Bianca's performance triggered doubts in Serena's serve. There was more to it than Serena's serve not being on yesterday without any particular reason.

And of course, if you are winning so few points on your second serve, then you start going for bigger second serves, which then makes you at risk of double faults.

Edit: and even at times Bianca did well dealing with Serena's first serve, better than others had against her.
 
Serena ‘s first serve was a massive issue for the match. It’s usually not. I’m not taking anything away from Bianca. Bianca’s play though could have unsettled Serena as she does have a different game.
But it’s a sport and on that day Bianca was better. Probably her best. But Bianca had a few three setters against players not as good as Serena. And she took out Serena in two .
Hence my point.
I agree with everything except about Serena's first serve. Yes, her first serve percentage was unusually low, but even when they were in, Bianca was able to return them deep, except on the ad side during the 2nd set, causing Serena to be behind the ball on many occasions. I thought both players played well yesterday, and Bianca came on top. The notion that Bianca won cuz Serena played poorly is way too simplistic. I had to chuckle when Serena said, "I don't think Serena showed up.":D
 
One reason Serena's serve was an issue was that Bianca had a lot of success when Serena started the point from a 2nd serve. Up until 5-1 in the second set, as soon as there was a rally, Bianca's chances to grab the point were much higher than Serena's. At one point in the match, Serena had won only 37% of her 2nd serve points (for some reason, I can't find the stats after the match, so I don't know how it ended). With so little success, Serena felt a lot more pressure to hit her first serve, which in turn made it unstable. In other words, Bianca's performance triggered doubts in Serena's serve. There was more to it than Serena's serve not being on yesterday without any particular reason.

And of course, if you are winning so few points on your second serve, then you start going for bigger second serves, which then makes you at risk of double faults.

Edit: and even at times Bianca did well dealing with Serena's first serve, better than others had against her.
Well said!!!
 
Well said!!!
Thanks.

Patrick Mouratoglou, in the pre-match show prior to the men's final, was just asked if he'd ever seen anyone return Serena's serve like Bianca and he said he hadn't. He reminded Serena had served well the whole tournament and said there was nothing before the match that could have led him to think the serve could be an issue. He basically gave full credit Bianca for serving well (he said she had something like 84% of first serves in the first set) and returning well.
 
Thrilled for Camila Osorio Serrano :cheer: She's the first Colombian Junior to win a grand slam and she did it in dominating fashion. TBH, I don't think she's top 10 talent but should have a solid top 50 career. Though I hope I'm proven wrong.
 
Thrilled for Camila Osorio Serrano :cheer: She's the first Colombian Junior to win a grand slam and she did it in dominating fashion. TBH, I don't think she's top 10 talent but should have a solid top 50 career. Though I hope I'm proven wrong.
Great tournament for Colombian tennis!! :cheer2: 🇨🇴
 
My issue with Nadal and the slam record is how many of his wins are the French, which is known to be a slower game.

He’s won more the half his slams in the French. And Federer has won more hard and grass courts then him so far.

That counts for more if a player can vary their surface success.

JMO
 

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