Day IX

[Grarliner]

Anybody else not very impressed with Wozniacki, though? A lot of her shots were landing really short.

[The Chloe]

Not so much, no. I barely noticed she was there about 90% of the time. Has Kim won this tournament yet?

[Grarliner]

Jan 25, 2011 1:45:34 GMT -5 The Chloe said:

Not so much, no. I barely noticed she was there about 90% of the time. Has Kim won this tournament yet?

Oh, and her second serve seemed really slow and short in the box. I only watched the third set, though.

I think Li Na will be a dangerous match for her.

[Lady]

If Li Na stays calm and remembers how easily she defeated Woz several times last year, when Woz didn't have that #1 next to her name, she'd be more then Ok.
Big If...

Random tweet about the match, but I laughed:

OpenCourt Stephanie Myles
Wozniacki hit seven winners in that set. She had to use up a week's quota, but she had no choice.

And Wozniacki was trying to entertain masses again? Something with kangaroo?

Anyway, haven't seen anything. Woke up, turned TV on, saw Woz 5-2 up in the 3rd, watched 2 points of Wozniacki's moonballing Fran to death and turned it off.

Now waiting for Djoko vs Berdych, hopefully they'll entertain.

[lexpretend]

I assume Fran would have won that if the Sweta match had been an hour shorter

Went to bed after the first all-SUI set, after which it was obvious that NU-MANISLAS could not and would not do anything against Fed.

Lee Na really should win against Woz. Literally the only way she comes out with a loss is if she hits three errors per game. Sadly that is entirely plausible. Then again, she acquitted herself well against Serena in her first Slam SF, so nerves shouldn't be a factor...

[Denise49IQ]

Yeah, I reeeeeally want Ooh Na Na What's Her Name to trash Woz. I hope they put it on at a somewhat convenient time.

[Denise49IQ]

Also, Fran.

[lexpretend]

Hobak takes the first set 6-1. Everything you'd infer from that scoreline is correct. Hobak playing well, and within himself. Berdych is a moron, still.

[Brinyi]

Petkovic jinxes Li Na!

"I think she played really well," the 30th seed said. "I think she's going to win the tournament.

"It's just the feeling, how she is on the court, her confidence and the way she's playing. Sometimes you get the feeling during the match that somebody is really strong and just has that confidence going on, that aura maybe."

[DBBN]

I fell asleep at 6-3 3-5, and woke up unsurprised and disappointed.

Let it be said that Wozniacki has garnered enough points to achieve the #1 ranking, but until 6-3 3-1, she was being absolutely demolished by the World #6. That's just not open for debate. Nerves and fatigue on her opponent's part appear to have combined for her win, and hey, I cannot knock Wozniacki for being superior in physical and mental fitness at the end of the match. Those are perfectly valid ways to win a tennis match; the one rule is to get the ball over the net and inside the lines, and everything else is irrelevant. And if she does go on to win the title, she will have been victorious in tennis matches over seven other women. Sports is (basically) a meritocracy.

And yet...boy, does this result feel WRONG.

[Wagasi]

Jan 25, 2011 12:51:19 GMT -5 DBBN said:

I cannot knock Wozniacki for being superior in physical and mental fitness at the end of the match. Those are perfectly valid ways to win a tennis match; the one rule is to get the ball over the net and inside the lines, and everything else is irrelevant.

This is exactly what is so annoying about WozDen. Her game keeps reminding you that tennis is about little more than keeping a ball inside the court for longer than your opponent. It sucks all the fun out of it.

[DBBN]

Oh, she is definitely boring as all get-out.

The bright side is...we've seen that her style of play cannot dominate, so we won't be subjected to it in Grafian terms, ever.

[Grarliner]

Jan 25, 2011 12:51:19 GMT -5 DBBN said:

I fell asleep at 6-3 3-5, and woke up unsurprised and disappointed.

Let it be said that Wozniacki has garnered enough points to achieve the #1 ranking, but until 6-3 3-1, she was being absolutely demolished by the World #6. That's just not open for debate. Nerves and fatigue on her opponent's part appear to have combined for her win, and hey, I cannot knock Wozniacki for being superior in physical and mental fitness at the end of the match. Those are perfectly valid ways to win a tennis match; the one rule is to get the ball over the net and inside the lines, and everything else is irrelevant. And if she does go on to win the title, she will have been victorious in tennis matches over seven other women. Sports is (basically) a meritocracy.

And yet...boy, does this result feel WRONG.

I guess because it was an unfair fight. And even so Fran did more than anybody could have expected of her. And she did it with impressive, aggressive tennis which takes more skill than retrieving.

But as you noted, tennis does not give points for style. So Wozniacki wins because Fran ran out of winners/energy. Which is how it goes. Tennis is brutal. Often the more spectacular player loses, sometimes because of nerves, sometimes because of fitness, sometimes just bad luck.

[Grarliner]

Jan 25, 2011 13:22:06 GMT -5 DBBN said:

Oh, she is definitely boring as all get-out.

The bright side is...we've seen that her style of play cannot dominate, so we won't be subjected to it in Grafian terms, ever.

I concur. The problem with her style, and anybody who plays it, is they leave the match in the hands of their opponent. If you play great defense it wins a lot of matches but there is usually somebody who can thwart you in the later stages of Grand Slams.

If you look on the men's side, I don't think Rafa would be winning hardcourt championships unless he'd upgraded his offense. No way his 2005 serve would've sufficed.

But all that said, I think WozDen is young enough and athletic enough to improve her offense. If she doesn't, there will probably be a Hingisian decline.

[DBBN]

Sargis Hingisian?