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Post by Grarliner on Nov 11, 2007 14:09:47 GMT -5
I hate the doubles super tiebreak. You'd think the Championship match would go to regulation best of three sets ... Justine gets through a more than three hour match with Maria. Good for her. Ten titles, wow. If only she'd played Australia.
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Post by sasha on Nov 11, 2007 14:29:40 GMT -5
While I don't like the super tiebreak, it's needed to save doubles. Doubles now makes for a perfect "setup" match for the "main event" in singles.
I do strongly enjoy the no-ad scoring, though. And I wish singles would use it, also.
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Nov 11, 2007 14:32:58 GMT -5
I do strongly enjoy the no-ad scoring, though. And I wish singles would use it, also. Its an abomination.
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Post by Edna Krabappel on Nov 11, 2007 15:51:48 GMT -5
I do strongly enjoy the no-ad scoring, though. And I wish singles would use it, also. Its an abomination. I concur. It's been a nice year for Justine.
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Post by janie on Nov 11, 2007 17:23:07 GMT -5
Maybe if Sharapova would cut out the shrieking and excessive fist-pumping, she'd have some energy left at the end of long match. So therefore, I guess I should hope she keeps using her energy to shriek and pump her fist. And how about if she adds some Petr Korda-like scissors kicks between games!
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Post by Denise49IQ on Nov 11, 2007 17:56:10 GMT -5
Well at least we had a pretty decent final... but I dunno, the great atmosphere our commentators kept talking about wasn't really captured by the sound on TV. It reminded me of LA.
Watching Justine bullshitting through yet another match was also frustrating.
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Post by lexpretend on Nov 11, 2007 18:13:14 GMT -5
Goddamn, I love me some Cake, but that Wimbledon loss...shit. Could have been one of the Best Years Ever in Tennis. Like...Ever. I think the Cake loss, and the Silliams Miami one, were instrumental in motivating Justine...though of course she could have still put together this streak if she'd won those. Terrific final, terrific result.
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Post by janie on Nov 11, 2007 18:13:26 GMT -5
Yeah, what a bullshit BH, bullshit FH, bullshit serve and bullshit ROS that girl has! It's ridiculous the way she's BS'd her way to 10 titles this year, including those 2 BS Slams. What a bullshit sport to let this bullshit happen. She should be shot! Speaking of bullshit, I'm impressed that Shrieker took a medical time out for "fatigue". That's a new one.
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Post by janie on Nov 11, 2007 18:14:09 GMT -5
The above was a reply to T.I.M.'s post, btw. :angel:
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Post by janie on Nov 11, 2007 18:28:18 GMT -5
They're showing this final on Versus now. Between sets, Maria had her coach come down. We heard him tell her, "You're tougher than she is!" I wish Maria had replied, "Based on what evidence do you say that?"
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Post by Denise49IQ on Nov 11, 2007 18:35:25 GMT -5
Yeah, what a bullshit BH, bullshit FH, bullshit serve and bullshit ROS that girl has! It's ridiculous the way she's BS'd her way to 10 titles this year, including those 2 BS Slams. What a bullshit sport to let this bullshit happen. She should be shot! K.
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Post by sasha on Nov 11, 2007 19:00:24 GMT -5
I do strongly enjoy the no-ad scoring, though. And I wish singles would use it, also. Its an abomination. No. It increases excitement and would shorten matches considerably. Both things that tennis badly needs. The Madrid court sounds dead no matter if it's full and everyone is screaming.
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Post by janie on Nov 11, 2007 19:06:10 GMT -5
This is a good match! Great fun to watch. And NOTHING like those sad days in LA.
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Post by sasha on Nov 11, 2007 19:13:16 GMT -5
Goddamn, I love me some Cake, but that Wimbledon loss...shit. Could have been one of the Best Years Ever in Tennis. Like...Ever. Yeah, it would have been comparable to 88 Steffi if she would have won Wimbledon. Unfortunately, she'll have to settle for 95 or 96 Steffi. Or, 92 Seles, since we don't want to piss off the Seles fans.
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Post by Wagasi on Nov 11, 2007 19:42:39 GMT -5
They all won 3 slams in those years though. This is better than 00 Venus but not by that much.
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Post by Calico on Nov 11, 2007 21:20:59 GMT -5
That was an impressive final between Henin and Sharapova. Congrats to Justine on her 10th title of the year. She really wanted to win this final. And Maria played well overall especially when considering this was only her second tournament in nearly 3 months. But Sharapova has never been great at closing big matches out and that hurt her today after being ahead 7-5 4-3. Masha needed to find a win to win at that point but didn't.
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Post by greenhitop on Nov 12, 2007 0:17:03 GMT -5
I still can't believe Justine won that match! The first set was vintage "Deer in the headlights" 2002 Justine Henin. I swear, she looked like one of those victims from Japanese horror film like RING and JU-ON. The second set was ok- but I don't know how she or even when the gears shifted. Maybe it was all those stupid Hawkeye challenges that clicked in her head or something. How much did Yuri pay off Mariana Alvares? This match was torture- really torture. I'm glad won. The bitterness from the fans of other players is hysterical. Too much!!!!!!! LOL
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Post by sasha on Nov 12, 2007 0:28:53 GMT -5
Ack, the end to the doubles' match was sad... Up 8-7, Srebotnik stupidly challenges a 1st serve that landed on the service line (and Ai returned easily). She's wrong, so they lose the point. Then on match point, Huber/Black get a fortunate net cord and eventually win 10-8. It was nice to finally see some women's doubles this weekend... but, they're still so far behind the guys. Case in point: The awesome Ram/Erlich doubles match today. They didn't deserve to win, really... but Ram is so awesome.
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Post by Maeby Fünke on Nov 12, 2007 4:15:58 GMT -5
Womens tennis matches do not need to be shortened. Most of them need to be lengthened, perhaps by having two good players in them.
And long deuce games are the most exciting bits.
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Post by R. Black on Nov 12, 2007 4:36:56 GMT -5
I agree. Especially when it's an important game.
As for double, I think it should be one set of 8 games. Because no one cares anyway. Women's double has become abysmal over the years. I'm nostalgic of the Gigi Fernandez - Zvereva period and when top players used to play double. It went downhill with the dominance of the dreadful Ruano-Suarez duo.
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Post by Traveling Man on Nov 12, 2007 9:16:01 GMT -5
Goddamn, I love me some Cake, but that Wimbledon loss...shit. Could have been one of the Best Years Ever in Tennis. Like...Ever. Yeah, it would have been comparable to 88 Steffi if she would have won Wimbledon. Unfortunately, she'll have to settle for 95 or 96 Steffi. Or, 92 Seles, since we don't want to piss off the Seles fans. Comparing it to Steffi 88 would have been a stretch, even if she had won Wimbledon. A more appropriate comparison, had she won Wimbledon, would have been to Graf in 95 and 96 or Silliams in 02. It would have still fallen short to Graf 93, Seles 92 and Hingis 97. And let's not even go near some of the Evertilova years. The most appropriate comparison, had she won Wimbledon, would have been to Seles 91. Nonetheless, a fantastic year for Justine. She shut everyone up. Slow hardcourts, fast hardcourts, indoors, Williams Sisters and everyone else were dealt with in straight sets.
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Post by Traveling Man on Nov 12, 2007 9:18:11 GMT -5
They all won 3 slams in those years though. This is better than 00 Venus but not by that much. She won more titles than Venus did in 00. She won the YEC, which Venus did not. She won both her Slams (RG and US Open) without dropping a set. Venus played three-setters in her wins at Wimbledon and the US Open. Both were great years, but Justine comes off more dominant. It's better than 00 Venus by a bit and then some.
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Post by lexpretend on Nov 12, 2007 16:35:58 GMT -5
Womens tennis matches do not need to be shortened. Most of them need to be lengthened, perhaps by having two good players in them. And long deuce games are the most exciting bits. I agree with all of this.
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Post by sasha on Nov 12, 2007 19:20:19 GMT -5
Steffi in 88 wasn't as dominant as most think. Yes, she won the Grand Slam and Olympics. And was noted for winning most of her matches in like 20 minutes. But, Gaby gave her heck that year. Beat her twice, I believe, and all of their matches were tight.
Actually, 95 was better for her... but, we won't go there.
Gaby Sabatini is so underrated, btw. I miss the good ol' days.
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Post by DBBN on Nov 12, 2007 23:26:32 GMT -5
Gaby Sabatini is so underrated This. This. THIS is...gah. ONE SLAM. I don't get it. No, I do. It's because she was hot (allegedly). ONE SLAM. She's in the Hall of Fame, which is just... ONE SLAM. Gnh!
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Post by R. Black on Nov 13, 2007 1:57:16 GMT -5
And Steffi in 88 not that dominant?
Let's see:
- Grand Slam + Olympics + Key Biscayne. - 11 titles. - Only 3 losses. - 6 titles without losing a set, 5 titles losing only 1 set. (!)
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Post by Grarliner on Nov 14, 2007 0:22:26 GMT -5
Gaby Sabatini is so underrated This. This. THIS is...gah. ONE SLAM. I don't get it. No, I do. It's because she was hot (allegedly). ONE SLAM. She's in the Hall of Fame, which is just... ONE SLAM. Gnh! I concur with you. Gaby consigned herself to the also-rans of tennis history when she failed to close out Graf at Wimbledon '91. She never mattered much after that match, and apart from USO '90, never mattered much before. Yes, yes, a million Slam SFs and a #3 ranking. Very good. But if anything, she gets credit for being a lot BETTER than she was.
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Post by Grarliner on Nov 14, 2007 0:30:28 GMT -5
And Steffi in 88 not that dominant? Let's see: - Grand Slam + Olympics + Key Biscayne. - 11 titles. - Only 3 losses. - 6 titles without losing a set, 5 titles losing only 1 set. (!) I think you've aptly proven Leena wrong on that point, but let me add one more thing: Yes, Sabatini accounted for two of Graf's three losses that year. But they played five matches in '88 and Gaby somehow managed to lose the only three that mattered (The French Open semis, US Open final, Olympic final). I don't really think Steffi lays awake at night thinking about losing the VS of Florida title or the Amelia Island crown. I think she's just fine with how '88 unfolded for her. Gaby might have some regrets, though. Interesting. Gaby has a decent H2H against Steffi, at least, as far as anybody does (11-29). But her record in Grand Slams against her is just 1-11. Add the Olympics loss, 1-12 in big matches. 10-17 elsewhere. What does that say?
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Post by sasha on Nov 14, 2007 8:25:21 GMT -5
And Steffi in 88 not that dominant? Let's see: - Grand Slam + Olympics + Key Biscayne. - 11 titles. - Only 3 losses. - 6 titles without losing a set, 5 titles losing only 1 set. (!) I mean comparatively to the rest of her career, and the other dominant players in that time period. And the general perception of that magical year. Which was obviously very good since Stefanie won every important title. How many matches did she lose in 95? 2. And those 2 were both 1st round injures/tanks. I'm not bothering to argue the rest with the gays that only accept each other.
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Post by corswandt on Nov 15, 2007 16:50:37 GMT -5
Some match reports would be nice. Swiss Toni? I haven't had the chance to watch any matches this week. I couldn't watch any matches last week, so I taped them all and watched over the past few days. Just finished watching the final. The only good thing about tennis not making it to the mainstream news these days is that it's easy to avoid running into spoilers, even when it takes several days for one to find time to watch major finals. There's no point in reports right now, but Sharapova annih. Ivanovic was a riot. Maria took it as a grudge match for some reason. Henin d. Ivanovic was a total horror show, as were the chunks of Ivanovic d. Kuznetsova that I saw. Sharapova d. Kuznetsova reminded me of the way Maria beat up on Clijsters in their latter matches. Chak d. Jankovic had some superb rallies but also lengthy patches of suckitude from both. The final was a tight, interesting tussle, if a bit messy at times, up until Maria ran out of gas. The return of SuperMasha (for good?) was a very, very pleasant surprise. The Tour needs her much more than you're willing to admit. Other than that, the YEC was of course much worse than last year's. The Tour will also need Jankovic back in some kind of form next year. She did much to prevent this season from becoming an even greater disaster. Yes, she brought it all down on herself, but she's also a very unlucky player. Yeah, what a bullshit BH, bullshit FH, bullshit serve and bullshit ROS that girl has! It's ridiculous the way she's BS'd her way to 10 titles this year, including those 2 BS Slams. What a bullshit sport to let this bullshit happen. She should be shot! Speaking of bullshit, I'm impressed that Shrieker took a medical time out for "fatigue". That's a new one. The above was a reply to T.I.M.'s post, btw. You act as if you're the only one allowed to hate in here. There are fans of other players and haters of Henin in here as well. If that's indeed not allowed, then go ahead and ban.
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