|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:01:08 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 3, 2012 14:01:08 GMT -5
Stosur is not OK with me, specifically the prospect of Stosur as a two-time Slam champ...which, oh god, if she gets to face her bitch Li in the final. Almost as bad as Sharapova completing the Career Slam, maybe even worse. I like Cibulkova best, of everyone left in the top half, but Stosur will probably just bounce topspin over her head
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:06:45 GMT -5
Post by Old Hag on Jun 3, 2012 14:06:45 GMT -5
A Stosur-Errani SF would be so bad. So, I'm pulling for it.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:07:08 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Jun 3, 2012 14:07:08 GMT -5
Stosur is not OK with me, specifically the prospect of Stosur as a two-time Slam champ...which, oh god, if she gets to face her bitch Li in the final. Almost as bad as Sharapova completing the Career Slam, maybe even worse. I like Cibulkova best, of everyone left in the top half, but Stosur will probably just bounce topspin over her head Hey, yeah. That could happen. But I'm starting to believe the Pocket Rocket can do all things. Perhaps the finalist will be pint-sized? Hey, this French Open has been bat-shit crazy so far. I think it will continue to be. Maria's not winning this shit. Errani is.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:07:17 GMT -5
Post by janie on Jun 3, 2012 14:07:17 GMT -5
I guess it doesn't matter who makes it, because who on the top half can dismiss Maria? Not Care Bear, we know that. Not anyone, really.
But hey, I lived through Hewitt winning Wimbledon, I can live through Sharapova owning a career Slam.
I think Stan appeals to me because his pockmarked face together with his black outfit make him look vaguely dangerous. :lovelovelove: However, he's in trouble here ...
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:08:39 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Jun 3, 2012 14:08:39 GMT -5
Janie, no. Career Slam will not happen. Jesus does not love Maria enough.
I've heard a lot of ALLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ!!!!! out of Stan but that was the loudest.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:09:32 GMT -5
Post by Old Hag on Jun 3, 2012 14:09:32 GMT -5
The only hope is that Leena or Kvitty have a good day against her. Which is very unlikely.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:12:51 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 3, 2012 14:12:51 GMT -5
Care Bear beat Maria a few months ago in Paris!
Word is that Care Bear is playing badly and looking fatigued, I haven't seen her play enough to work out whether that's just TF doom-mongering or for real.
Kvitova or Li will probably be Sharapova's biggest obstacle.
Tsonga/Stan is equal parts amazing and awful.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:13:52 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 3, 2012 14:13:52 GMT -5
I'm surprised that Sharapova and Kanepi have never played each other. Kaia has the game for that upset...the head, I'm not sure.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:17:31 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 3, 2012 14:17:31 GMT -5
Tsonga's dropshots in this match, I just can't
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 14:39:03 GMT -5
Post by janie on Jun 3, 2012 14:39:03 GMT -5
Fun tennis in the end there; glad to see Tsonga fighting back. Umpire made the "stopping for darkness" announcement in English, which was odd.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 15:19:38 GMT -5
Post by Old Hag on Jun 3, 2012 15:19:38 GMT -5
Kerber was playing really defensive in the last 2 matches I watched. She doesn't look in form. Plus, I'd figure clay isn't her surface, her serve is a big reason for her success.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 19:52:36 GMT -5
Post by janie on Jun 3, 2012 19:52:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 20:02:03 GMT -5
Post by DBBN on Jun 3, 2012 20:02:03 GMT -5
Two losses to Rosol in the last month
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 3, 2012 23:21:52 GMT -5
Post by Traveling Man on Jun 3, 2012 23:21:52 GMT -5
With Sharapova, it's one match at a time.
Having said that, if she wins here and has 4 Slams (one of each) where does she stand amongst the greats? Obviously she'll skyrocket past Davenport, Clijsters, ASV and Hingis. Is she on par with Venus and Justine or slightly lower? Or does it put her on par with Seles/Connolly if we really want to stretch it?
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 6:40:47 GMT -5
Post by Iorix on Jun 4, 2012 6:40:47 GMT -5
Word is that Care Bear is playing badly and looking fatigued, I haven't seen her play enough to work out whether that's just TF doom-mongering or for real. I remember Kerbie's 1R match vs Anastasia Rodionova in Rome and Kerbie looked like she wanted to be anywhere but on a tennis court. That hi-NRG game she plays must be taking a heavy toll.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 7:13:06 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 4, 2012 7:13:06 GMT -5
The match she won, in the tournament she went on to make the SF in? If that's the kind of result she gets when fatigued and unmotivated I'd say that bodes well here.
Ali's post re: Sharapova's position among the greats sent a shiver down my spine. Not that I think she'd be on a par with Justine or Venus even if she did get the Full House - 4 is still a lot less than 7 - but ugh, this just cannot happen.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 12:08:35 GMT -5
Post by DBBN on Jun 4, 2012 12:08:35 GMT -5
Ali's post re: Sharapova's position among the greats sent a shiver down my spine. Not that I think she'd be on a par with Justine or Venus even if she did get the Full House - 4 is still a lot less than 7 - but ugh, this just cannot happen. This. It would be impressive, but 4 <<<<<<<< 7. It just is.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 12:30:37 GMT -5
Post by Old Hag on Jun 4, 2012 12:30:37 GMT -5
I think there's a way to go before she passes Hingis. Even if Maria hits 5-6 slams.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 12:55:45 GMT -5
Post by Traveling Man on Jun 4, 2012 12:55:45 GMT -5
Even if she wins the Career Slam?
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 14:07:44 GMT -5
Post by DBBN on Jun 4, 2012 14:07:44 GMT -5
Hingis vs. Sharapova would be a close call. But still 5>4 and the Agassi Career Slam is...something, but not really a lot of something, is it? 1 of each?
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 14:31:42 GMT -5
Post by Wagasi on Jun 4, 2012 14:31:42 GMT -5
To be honest, I can't appraise Sharapova's career fairly because I dislike her so much.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 17:20:19 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Jun 4, 2012 17:20:19 GMT -5
I think it's different on the women's side. Career Slam just means less. More players have done it and it is sort of something you have to do to be considered the best of the best (sorry Justine). It's more a gateway to the elite than anything else. If she wins it here, it'll just mean she's better than Capriati and Arantxa, IMO. If she bags another, I'd have to say she's done more than Hingis. Two or three more and objectively you would have to say she's exceeded Venus. She gets eight, it's probably sufficient to outweigh everything Justine did in such a short time.
But let's just see if she can get #4 here. Today was a true struggle of the type I do expect her to have. This is not open-and-shut for her. I would lay the odds on Maria at less than 50% at this point. Kanepi is dangerous, Kvitova really fucking can beat her, Stosur hates playing her but Kerber? Maybe.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 18:02:30 GMT -5
Post by Edna Krabappel on Jun 4, 2012 18:02:30 GMT -5
I think it's different on the women's side. Career Slam just means less. More players have done it and it is sort of something you have to do to be considered the best of the best (sorry Justine). It's more a gateway to the elite than anything else. I'm not sure about that. Who has done it on women's side? In the last 20 years it's been only Steffi and Serena and they're truly The Best. In fact, it really stands out how many great players have missed out on it. Really, when you look at the careers of Seles, Henin and Hingis, you can't help but feel there's something missing there. I do think that Career Slam is pretty big. If Maria wins here, IMO she will have surpassed Hingis, especially because 3 of her Slams came at AO, and I still consider it as, like, 85% of a Slam. But yeah, her winning this is still far from a given.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 19:08:55 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Jun 4, 2012 19:08:55 GMT -5
Court, King, Evert, Navratilova, Steffi, Serena, Connelly, other people?
So that's seven. I'm not saying it isn't a special achievement, just saying it's a bit more regular on the ladies' side. I think it still is the golden ticket to that exalted pantheon of greats.
It really is a shame that Seles and Henin aren't there.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 19:40:07 GMT -5
Post by Old Hag on Jun 4, 2012 19:40:07 GMT -5
Even if she wins the Career Slam? It doesn't mean much on the women's side, especially with the neutralizing of the surfaces in the past decade. Not only would Hingis have the overall slam advantage, she was also at the very top of the game for 5 years, winning big titles and reaching slam finals consistently. Maria hasn't come close to a dominant calendar year like that ever. Hingis just lacks the longevity.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 19:42:01 GMT -5
Post by lexpretend on Jun 4, 2012 19:42:01 GMT -5
The fact that we've had so many greats on the men's side who weren't even in contention for the Full House just shows some of them up as surface specialists, to an extent. At least Henin/Hingis/Seles/even Venus were in the conversation when it came to the Slams they couldn't win.
You probably have to take into account different eras, and in Sharapova's case the total lack of a proper clay-courter among the elite.
Even Stosur can beat Maria IMO, Stüttgart went to three TBs and that was where Maria has played best this clay-court season.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 4, 2012 23:51:34 GMT -5
Post by Grarliner on Jun 4, 2012 23:51:34 GMT -5
Stosur has a much better chance on this surface than anything else, that's for sure.
You know, most of the all-time great male players never won the career Slam. But I do think a lot of them were very, very close. McEnroe needed one out of three sets one year and failed to do so. Lendl was one set away from winning Wimbledon in 1987, I think. Even Edberg came just one set short! Borg, of course, had four US Open finals and came within one set as well. If only he hadn't retired at 26, he may have gotten it in a similar manner to how Roger bagged his lone RG title.
I think you could even make an argument that players like Connors, Sampras and Becker were at least "in the conversation" for the majors they failed to win. Of the guys who won three and not four ... maybe only Wilander never really had a chance at the one he didn't win.
|
|
|
Day 8.
Jun 5, 2012 0:23:54 GMT -5
Post by Traveling Man on Jun 5, 2012 0:23:54 GMT -5
Even if she wins the Career Slam? It doesn't mean much on the women's side, especially with the neutralizing of the surfaces in the past decade. Not only would Hingis have the overall slam advantage, she was also at the very top of the game for 5 years, winning big titles and reaching slam finals consistently. Maria hasn't come close to a dominant calendar year like that ever. Hingis just lacks the longevity. One could argue Maria's Slam wins were over the very best (Serena, Henin X2) versus Martina's catwalk wins in '97 - ofcourse no one can hold a candle to 1999 AO (the whole fucking world and their grandmother was in that draw and Tina still cruised to the title). But yes, I agree that Hingis will always have 1997 which frankly, no one besides Serena (2002) or Justine (2007) have come close to matching although even those two years weren't as impressive.
|
|