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Post by janie on Jan 15, 2011 9:22:50 GMT -5
While others toil away in AO qualies, Larceny de Screamo played a 25K in Florida this week. She lost 06 46 in the first round to Julia Boserup, WTA #323.
LdB turns 18 later this month. Her ranking has sunk to sub-200 terrain, a full year and a half after she reached her career high of 76. Any ideas what happened to this once-promising "talent"?
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Post by R. Black on Jan 15, 2011 9:50:40 GMT -5
Wimbledon 92 part II? If she doesn't scream as loud, then she lost her main weapon.
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Post by The Chloe on Jan 15, 2011 12:37:32 GMT -5
She was irritating, hopefully she stays down there. Or at least off my television. Either will do.
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Post by janie on Jan 15, 2011 19:31:19 GMT -5
Oh yeah, I agree with that; I have zero interest in ever seeing or hearing from her again.
But I remember that some of the more tennis-knowledgeable posters here were impressed by her game and expected a lot from her. Her extreme slide seems odd, even bearing in mind that Wimbledon 92 final, which broke my heart, btw.
So even if I "hate" MLdB, I'm interested in hearing ideas about what may have caused her sharp decline between ages 16 and 18, and whether it is likely to be reversed or not.
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Post by janie on Jan 15, 2011 19:36:40 GMT -5
By the way when I said "some of the more tennis-knowledgeable posters", I meant more knowledgeable than me, not more knowledgeable than you, Chole. Also I didn't mean to imply that those who saw a relatively bright future for her actually liked her or looked forward to seeing her in the higher echelons of the game. I don't think anyone here wants to see that.
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Post by Wagasi on Jan 15, 2011 19:43:55 GMT -5
Yeah, it's weird. Even considering her crappy serve, how could her groundstrokes have deteriorated enough in the last few years for her to now be trawling the lower 200's? Growth spurt?
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Post by The Chloe on Jan 15, 2011 20:00:58 GMT -5
By the way when I said "some of the more tennis-knowledgeable posters", I meant more knowledgeable than me, not more knowledgeable than you, Chole. No, me too. I know nothing these days ;D
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Post by DBBN on Jan 15, 2011 23:02:32 GMT -5
I don't know what happened to her, but I think everyone started to figure out her bark was way worse than her bite. And maybe all of the press actually did get to her.
I just can't believe she's going to be 18. She was supposed to have 7 Slams by now.
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Post by leelee on Jan 16, 2011 0:14:45 GMT -5
de Screamo's struggles are the most puzzling thing in recent tennis history for me. Her groundies are technically fine. She's wonderful with her footwork and getting into position as a bashing baseliner. Of course, I've only seen her play in WTA level events, mostly after she's won a match. Maybe she's pouty teenager. But, still, even if she doesn't care, she shouldn't be getting crushed by Madison Brengle and Pous-Tio.
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Post by Grarliner on Jan 16, 2011 3:59:40 GMT -5
I have never seen her play.
But hard-to-fathom-results suggests lack of effort. Is it another bad Dad? Does she just not want it anymore? Maybe she never did and is finally asserting her own will?
I don't think your game really regresses between 16-18 unless you have some sort of injury or you don't work at it anymore.
Maybe also players are figuring her out a bit?
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Post by janie on Jan 16, 2011 8:19:46 GMT -5
Ah, maybe this is it. I found this: She was coached by Nick Bollettieri until the end of 2007. Currently she is training full time with her father, António Larcher de Brito.Hey António, wake up. Look at the results of your work. You're not a Toni Nadal; you're an Alex Kodat.
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Post by Grarliner on Jan 16, 2011 20:29:41 GMT -5
Ah, maybe this is it. I found this: She was coached by Nick Bollettieri until the end of 2007. Currently she is training full time with her father, António Larcher de Brito.Hey António, wake up. Look at the results of your work. You're not a Toni Nadal; you're an Alex Kodat. Maybe. I don't think too highly of Bolletieri's coaching, though. But as long as she was with his camp she probably had some pretty competent coaches and hitting partners apart from him.
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Post by lexpretend on Jan 17, 2011 3:04:13 GMT -5
This is still one of the biggest mysteries of recent years for me. She was winning sets off Silliams and Sweta at age 14. Now she barely wins games against Challenger hacks. Lack of serve might have stopped her becoming a top player, but it shouldn't have stopped her at least plateauing in the top 100.
I'm not complaining, though.
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Post by GoDom on Jan 17, 2011 21:59:06 GMT -5
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Post by DBBN on Jan 17, 2011 22:12:45 GMT -5
Huh, it's funny...she qualified for the previous Slam, including a double bagel of The Yak. She's not too far removed from good wins.
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Post by Wagasi on Jan 17, 2011 22:18:39 GMT -5
Didn't Corswandt call this a few years ago? I wonder if that was before any signs of prolonged suckage were evident.
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Post by janie on Jan 18, 2011 7:37:36 GMT -5
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Post by R. Black on Jan 19, 2011 2:29:15 GMT -5
Maybe it's just a case of not being able to handle the pressure. It's one thing to be fearless on the court at 14, it's another one to win when you start to feel the pressure. Also, as far as I remember, she only had one notable win (against A Rad).
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Post by janie on Jan 20, 2011 18:18:09 GMT -5
Lutz 25K, r2:
(Q)Jessica Pegula (USA) d. (1)Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) 46 76(3) 76(3)
It's not fair to leave out her win, though! Ta Da! (1)Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) d. (wc)Allie Will (USA) 75 63
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Post by Grarliner on Feb 10, 2011 3:41:49 GMT -5
Do things seem a bit more optimistic since she won a 25k last week?
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Post by lexpretend on Feb 10, 2011 4:21:16 GMT -5
I know certain former No 1s might see it differently, but I'm not sure I see a three-set win over Julie Coin as a harbinger of anything particularly good. And she won a 25K last week? So did, like, Nina Bratchikova.
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Post by Brinyi on Feb 10, 2011 10:02:54 GMT -5
That was her first pro title, right?
/me seeks reasons to be unimpressed
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Post by DBBN on Feb 10, 2011 10:16:34 GMT -5
I think a 25K title is less impressive than winning rounds (especially consecutive rounds) at Grand Slams. So I think it might still be below Peak MLDB in that sense.
But it's certainly better than she has been lately, and being the last man standing is always beneficial.
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Post by janie on Feb 10, 2011 10:40:56 GMT -5
If she wins Midland I guess I'll be forced to change the name of the thread. But I'll be crying on the inside as I do.
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Post by Grarliner on Feb 10, 2011 13:39:15 GMT -5
I know certain former No 1s might see it differently, but I'm not sure I see a three-set win over Julie Coin as a harbinger of anything particularly good. And she won a 25K last week? So did, like, Nina Bratchikova. Harbinger of good things? I don't know. But at least she stopped the rot. She's also in a good section at Midland. Rolle is next, then she'd play the winner of Pervak-Pivovarova.
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Post by janie on Feb 10, 2011 20:47:43 GMT -5
Ahsha Rolle def. LdB 60 36 63
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Post by Grarliner on Feb 11, 2011 1:23:04 GMT -5
Yeah ... that is a bad loss. Didn't see that coming.
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Post by janie on Apr 20, 2011 14:25:19 GMT -5
Watched a few minutes of LDB today, and it was an awful experience. She's not playing tennis much; it's more like she's standing around waiting for it to end, though she did accidentally win a game just now to prolong the 2nd set. Girl, please don't enter tournaments if you don't give a flying fug. 63 61 to HET.
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Post by janie on Apr 20, 2011 15:12:55 GMT -5
Ha, even the ardent Portuguese posters in GM at TF are turned off after watching this non-performance.
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Post by DBBN on Apr 20, 2011 18:16:25 GMT -5
If she makes the SF of Charlottesville, I will see her.
So...I won't see her.
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