RG - Day #12.

[Traveling Man]

grarline said:

However, is Jelena ever going to get wise to JH's drop shot responding to a drop shot routine?

Nope. She'll smile and do her make-up at the changeover.

[Grarliner]

Well, Justine showed Jelena today that RG is her yard, just as she showed Serena last round and Kim last year in this same round, and Maria and Mary in '05. She is the best player on clay, and I think you can chalk up #4 for her.

Jelena didn't play terribly. She was overwhelmed by that Belgian dervish. I am impressed with her though. She deserves her top five standing and she will be a Slam champ one day, I think.

[janie]

JJ's only mistake was playing JH so tough in the past, especially in Berlin. So JH considers JJ a real threat, and that always makes JH concentrate and play better.

Still a very enjoyable match, entertaining, a huge, huge quality improvement over the first SF. Well done, ladies.

[sasha]

Wow, that Ana-Maria SF was the quintessential example of the problems with the women's game today...

It would take a miracle for Justine to lose the final. And that's saying a lot with how Ana has won her last 4 sets.

[janie]

Everyone who hates JH at wtaworld is saying what a terrible match this SF was. LOL! I saw some fabulous tennis out there; I don't know what they were watching.

[Calico]

grarline said:

Jelena, it's bit early to be screaming at one's self.

I'm hoping for an epic three-setter.

You didn't get what you had hoped for.

Congrats to Justine Henin on making another French Open final. But this is Ana's time to shine and I think Ivanovic and her fine serve will upset Henin 6-4 7-6(5) to win her first grand slam singles title.

[Wagasi]

Jelena finally woke up near the end there and there were some very nice points from both. Really deep, heavy hitting. Crappy serving by both though

[Calico]

grarline said:

I haven't seen much of Ivanovic either, but there's not much to see. Whack, bang, whack, bang. In, out. In, out.

There is more to Ana than just power. She uses placement and regularly uses slice backhands and even occasionally slice forehands to get her opponets off balance. This is a good change of pace strategy from her power game.

NBC television has to be crushed Maria isn't in the final. But I think the viewers who aren't familar with Ana will warm to the very likable Ana very quickly.

[janie]

So both Bolletieri pupils lost today. So now will Nick hold a press conference and accept all the blame?

[Brinyi]

All the blame for the decline and fall of tennis, I assume you mean!

[Calico]

janie said:

So both Bolletieri pupils lost today. So now will Nick hold a press conference and accept all the blame?

No. And he shouldn't. From what I know Nick has little to do with Maria and Jelena in 2007 other than they train part of the year at his tennis academy in Florida. Maria and Jelena have their own traveliing teams with them. But Bollettieri was vital in their developmental stages as tennis players.

[janie]

Congrats to Dechy and Ram! So it's true what Tennis Jesus said: The meek shall inherit the Mixed.

[corswandt]

janie said:

Well I'm enjoying watching Ana.

You take your hatred for Maria to the extent that it closes your eyes to how similar their games are.

But it's OK, I'm not exactly consistent with my pet hates/preferences either.

janie said:

thecat said:

I thought Ana would drill Maria and she did 6-2 6-1.

You could have made a decent pile of cash if you had bet on this outcome. Oddsmakers favored Maria by a decent margin.

I put all my WTAW vCash on Ivanovic - that was how sure I was that it would turn out this way. But I'm still not confident enough to wager real money on this kind of thing.

[corswandt]

grarline said:

I finally see what makes JH so tough. She can go either way with equal authority off each wing and she seems to know intuitively which shot to hit when.

Exactly. IMO that's JH greatest strength - her flawless shot selection. All the more impressive considering the endless arsenal of shots she has to choose from.

[janie]

corswandt said:

janie said:

Well I'm enjoying watching Ana.

You take your hatred for Maria to the extent that it closes your eyes to how similar their games are.

You misunderstood my post. It's my fault; I left the end off: I was enjoying watching Ana crush Screaming Maria like a bug.

[corswandt]

thecat said:

Congrats to Justine Henin on making another French Open final. But this is Ana's time to shine and I think Ivanovic and her fine serve will upset Henin 6-4 7-6(5) to win her first grand slam singles title.

JH will have to be very, very tight to lose this final. She absorbs big serves and power like no other player even on faster surfaces, let alone on clay.

But Ivanovic has a shot because she won't be tight - as I said before she's immune to nerves because she doesn't think (check her face on photos, offcourt, during matches - total blank). Plus she has the luck Jankovic lacks.

[corswandt]

janie said:

corswandt said:

You take your hatred for Maria to the extent that it closes your eyes to how similar their games are.

You misunderstood my post. It's my fault; I left the end off: I was enjoying watching Ana crush Screaming Maria like a bug.

All means being legit to achieve said purpose, brainless ball bashing included.

These must be desperate times for the tennis snobs. ;D

[janie]

Not really. Here we are with Justine in another Slam final, her 10th. Times are good indeed.
And yes, any way Maria can be demolished like that, I say it's good!

[Calico]

janie said:

Not really. Here we are with Justine in another Slam final, her 10th. Times are good indeed.
And yes, any way Maria can be demolished like that, I say it's good!

But then you'll watch Maria's commericals and tell us how much you enjoy them.

Juju's level of tennis is very high after routing Serena and Jankovic back to back like that. But she's due for an off day and Ana will capitalize on that in the final.

[janie]

Yes, I do like Maria's latest Canon commercial, cat. I still smile every time I see it. I like doggies, even that spoiled-looking fancypants one that Maria owns.

And she doesn't shriek in her ad.

[Calico]

You do have a soft side Janie and that's nice. Now please wish Anna Kournikova a happy 26th birthday today June 7, 2007. Thanks in advance as Becca would say.

[janie]

Now you're going too far, cat. I don't care what sort of birthday your AK has. I have enough to worry about with my own AK fave, Anne Kremer.

But I'll throw you a bone -- how about another compliment for your Maria? She's good in her press conferences after a big loss like this. And I respect that. Sure she's had all kinds of media training, etc, but still, the way she handles the situation is impressive for a kid her age.

[Grarliner]

There's no way Justine will lose the final. She hasn't had an off-day in Paris for four years. It's not coming in the title match. She'd have to get struck by lightning to lose.

[janie]

grarline said:

There's no way Justine will lose the final. She hasn't had an off-day in Paris for four years. It's not coming in the title match. She'd have to get struck by lightning to lose.

I hope you're right, but I'm not able to be objective when it comes to my faves. I always thought Pete would lose his matches, too. (I still remember you, BERNDT KARBACHER! )

I'll be nervous till the last point.

But luckily, I like Ana. If she can manage to take out Justine, the way JH has been playing this week, she'll have my heartiest congratulations, my deepest bows, and my happy respect.

[Grarliner]

janie said:

grarline said:

There's no way Justine will lose the final. She hasn't had an off-day in Paris for four years. It's not coming in the title match. She'd have to get struck by lightning to lose.

I hope you're right, but I'm not able to be objective when it comes to my faves. I always thought Pete would lose his matches, too. (I still remember you, BERNDT KARBACHER! )

I'll be nervous till the last point.

But luckily, I like Ana. If she can manage to take out Justine, the way JH has been playing this week, she'll have my heartiest congratulations, my deepest bows, and my happy respect.

It's pretty hard to see Ivanovic doing it, even just comparing their respective forms today.

Justine is on the verge of some serious milestones:

The first woman to win three consecutive French Opens since Seles 1990-1992.

The first woman to win the same Slam three years in a row since Hingis 1997-1999 at the Australian.

Surpassing recent luminaries Seles and Sanchez-Vicario in total French Open titles. All this can be hers with a win in the final on Saturday. ;D

Surpassing Martina Hingis and Venus Williams for second on the active Slam titles list with six.

And she's only just turned 25. Justine doesn't seem to be blessed with good health or long-term endurance, but given how far ahead of the field she is on clay, making a run at Evert and Graf is possible for her at RG.

[Brinyi]

[sasha]

BERND KARBACHER MENTION!

Also, I'm assuming few of us have seen Andy Ram play. He's so much fun to watch. Him and Erlich are the bestest doubles team. They're both fast little crazy guys, but Andy is especially. And they make the most of their talent.

[Traveling Man]

janie said:

grarline said:

There's no way Justine will lose the final. She hasn't had an off-day in Paris for four years. It's not coming in the title match. She'd have to get struck by lightning to lose.

I hope you're right, but I'm not able to be objective when it comes to my faves. I always thought Pete would lose his matches, too. (I still remember you, BERNDT KARBACHER! )

I'll be nervous till the last point.

But luckily, I like Ana. If she can manage to take out Justine, the way JH has been playing this week, she'll have my heartiest congratulations, my deepest bows, and my happy respect.

I remember Karbacher! Does that make me a geezer?

Speaking of weird Pete losses, do you guys remember Bohdan Ulirach? I was stunned to see his name in the draw at RG. I thought he'd retired or something, since he'd all but disappeared for the longest time. Seeing his name was a pleasant surprise.

[Calico]

janie said:

Now you're going too far, cat. I don't care what sort of birthday your AK has. I have enough to worry about with my own AK fave, Anne Kremer.

But I'll throw you a bone -- how about another compliment for your Maria? She's good in her press conferences after a big loss like this. And I respect that. Sure she's had all kinds of media training, etc, but still, the way she handles the situation is impressive for a kid her age.

Yes Janie Maria handles herself well after big losses unlike some other top players. She's realistic and isn't opposed to giving her opponent some credit.

[sasha]

Maria has never said a word in public that she wasn't told to say.