Paris - Kim Clijsters needed to make it to the semi to be number one, and she did but, she didn’t win the championship: an impressive Petra Kvitova stopped her. Compare to other contestants, Kvitova kept her focus, didn’t become nervous and did stick to her match’s plan.
Well, I associated this to the fact that the girl didn’t seem to realize the moment: interviewed, she didn’t know what to say. My first explanation went to her possible lack of English but still, the lack of expression just tell me that she won’t ever be my favorite player. Come Girl, show some emotions, you just beat Kim Clijster, the number one in the world to top it all!
On the good performances to mention: 2 nice wins of Dokic (against Safarova and Petrova) who kinda seft-destroyed against Kim. Kaia Kanepi who is going to be really dangerous for the top seeds this season, and, the colorful Mattek-Sands seized her chance when Maria Sharapova had to withdraw and recorded yet another good result with a semi, after a final in Hobart earlier this season. For the record, I don’t like her, but well, she did good, so worth mentioning.
Pattaya City – Vera Zvonerava was there to defend her title, and couldn’t: she lost in semi to the eventual champion Hantuchova, who suddenly remembered, once again, how to play tennis: Hang on guys, she will forget it again soon enough. In final, She crushed the little Sara Errani, who still can be proud of her result.
Shuai Peng made it to the quart and Roberta Vinci managed well a semi as she defeated Ivanovic on her way there. But nowadays, there is nothing surprising about it.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Fed Cup
World Group I
The defending champions had a lot to do on this first round as they were going against Australia led by Samantha Stotur and Jarmilia Growth. The latest, gave a little scare to the Italians by beaten Francesca Schiavone in the first match but after that, no one could compete with them, Flavia Pennetta being a fierce competitor, she is twice more efficient when she plays for her country.
Belgium also won 4-1 against poor USA but when you got Clijsters and Wickmayer in your team, there is a pretty good chance that you are going to be badly defeated.
France took an impressive 2-0 early lead over Russia but it quickly vanished as the Russians came back to win 3-2, thanks to the great job of Pavlyuchenkova and Kuznetsova.
Czech Republic quickly settled things winning the 3 first match, Kvitova hammering and Hantuchova and Cibulkova. Safarova had given the momentum winning her match.
World Group II
It might have been a great chance for Canada to advance further since Ivanovic and Jankovic weren’t playing but Jovanovski took care of thing for the Serbian team as she is responsible of the 3 wins recorded on 5 matches. Katherina Bonderenko is also a hero as she is also responsible for the 3 victories of Ukraine over Sweden. Spain is also a tough country as all the players are very fierce when playing in the FedCup, wining 4-1 against Estona and Germany also had the best 4-1 against Slovenia.
The defending champions had a lot to do on this first round as they were going against Australia led by Samantha Stotur and Jarmilia Growth. The latest, gave a little scare to the Italians by beaten Francesca Schiavone in the first match but after that, no one could compete with them, Flavia Pennetta being a fierce competitor, she is twice more efficient when she plays for her country.
Belgium also won 4-1 against poor USA but when you got Clijsters and Wickmayer in your team, there is a pretty good chance that you are going to be badly defeated.
France took an impressive 2-0 early lead over Russia but it quickly vanished as the Russians came back to win 3-2, thanks to the great job of Pavlyuchenkova and Kuznetsova.
Czech Republic quickly settled things winning the 3 first match, Kvitova hammering and Hantuchova and Cibulkova. Safarova had given the momentum winning her match.
World Group II
It might have been a great chance for Canada to advance further since Ivanovic and Jankovic weren’t playing but Jovanovski took care of thing for the Serbian team as she is responsible of the 3 wins recorded on 5 matches. Katherina Bonderenko is also a hero as she is also responsible for the 3 victories of Ukraine over Sweden. Spain is also a tough country as all the players are very fierce when playing in the FedCup, wining 4-1 against Estona and Germany also had the best 4-1 against Slovenia.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Australian Open
Oh.My.God. Who cares about tennis when Cheryl Bernard is playing? Well, I don’t but it did help me in the second weeks as the provincials weren’t on tv, all we have was the livescore so, long live to tennis who help me control my nerves. But have you watch the skins? Men, you should have, the girls gave the boys a scare.
By the way, my girls lost in Semi in the Provincials, gee, I wanted them so much to win. Everything happens for a reason, it sucks big time because of what was at stake, but I believe Cheryl will come around, like she always has. GO team Bernard GO. Visit my Cheryl Bernard page if you want more details.
Ok, right, tennis *focus val*: I won’t remember the final much between Clijsters and Li, but I will always remember the third set of THE fourth round match between Francesca Shiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova, in which the Italian prevailed 6-4, 1-6, 16-14. The longest match of the women tennis history, four hours forty four minutes and there was no small rallies, there were long and tough points. The 2 women left their heart and soul on the court that day, and I didn’t wanted any of them to lose. :(
I just hope now, that Svetlana will pull herself together, because she had played great tennis on that tournament, beating Justine Henin in 2 sets. That is surely disappointing to lose a match like that but she is so close to be the champion she could be. She is probably one of the most talented girl out there, she just need to believe.
So yeah, in Sydney, Kim was worried about her first round match so much that she had to prove that she worked on it: she didn’t leave any game to Safina, 6-0, 6-0 and she didn’t loss any set during the tournament until the final, despite the fact that she lost her focus more then once, just to tell you that the girl has something more than there other.
For those who hope for a return of Ivanovic, you’ll have to hope longer: she lost in the first round. Sharapova played with fire until she burned herself, as she went on losing to Petkovic, the green dancer. Still, no surprise there. It’s not like we didn’t know that she was outdated.
Remember Jovanovski? Well, she made a 6-2 to Zvonerava, and then, she lost the court and the match. Since we are talking about the Russian, well, there is not much to say after that, she did her little things and managed to make it to the semi, but then she was no match for a Kim without mercy.
Samantha Stosur: please carry your brain on the court with you, you could be number one in the world if you knew all the things you could do. Well, she lost the scary Kvitova, it’s not like she lost to a school kid, but still, that was disappointing not just for me, but for all the Aussie who was hoping, with reasons, for a title. Oh Sam! Next year, perhaps?
And Kvitova was hard on my favorites has she defeated Flavia Pennetta. Not that I believe that Flavia could win the tournament, but she had a chance for a semi here. Well, the beautiful Italian and her double partner, Gisela Dulko won the double, so, that was comforting at the end.
Radwanska was surprising, she made a quart. All sort of thing happen to her this week: everybody who followed the tournament saw that time when her racket head went flying around, but what you may not know is that she was injured and hadn’t play for a long while. They were only 1% of chance that she could play this tournament so, congrats for this quart Aga.
Did a forget someone? Oh yeah, the Dane with many teeth. I swear, if Shiavone wouldn’t have been so tired of all those hours of tennis, she would have beat Wozniacki: her game is more elaborate and if she had her usual rhythm, that wouldn’t even have last 3 sets.
Anyone else? Oh, right, Jankovic *roll eyes* Dear Jelena, I know what is wrong with you, your coach knows it too, most of your fans knows what is wrong with you, if you’d just bother to ask, we’ll tell you. Oh right, they’ve told you, you just didn’t listen to. Your bad, you have so much talent. I believe in time, you will find it again, I just hope you won’t run out of it.
A word on the runner-up: I never really like the Chinese because she always beat the player I like, but that tells you one thing: she is one great player and has a very nice personality. 2 thumbs up for the Li Na: she knows that life offers opportunities and we have to seize them.
I was kinda of hoping that she will be able to pull the same trick she had in Sydney against Kim, and I thought she would for a moment: Kim seems flat and not that confidante but at the end of the second set, I don’t know, something happened, and Kim suddenly became the Champion and even thought Li’s fuel tank seem empty, I am not sure she could have done something to stop Kim to win this: they were no bunnies left in the hat.
Ok, make no mistake, the Australian open got a very nice Champion.
By the way, my girls lost in Semi in the Provincials, gee, I wanted them so much to win. Everything happens for a reason, it sucks big time because of what was at stake, but I believe Cheryl will come around, like she always has. GO team Bernard GO. Visit my Cheryl Bernard page if you want more details.
Ok, right, tennis *focus val*: I won’t remember the final much between Clijsters and Li, but I will always remember the third set of THE fourth round match between Francesca Shiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova, in which the Italian prevailed 6-4, 1-6, 16-14. The longest match of the women tennis history, four hours forty four minutes and there was no small rallies, there were long and tough points. The 2 women left their heart and soul on the court that day, and I didn’t wanted any of them to lose. :(
I just hope now, that Svetlana will pull herself together, because she had played great tennis on that tournament, beating Justine Henin in 2 sets. That is surely disappointing to lose a match like that but she is so close to be the champion she could be. She is probably one of the most talented girl out there, she just need to believe.
So yeah, in Sydney, Kim was worried about her first round match so much that she had to prove that she worked on it: she didn’t leave any game to Safina, 6-0, 6-0 and she didn’t loss any set during the tournament until the final, despite the fact that she lost her focus more then once, just to tell you that the girl has something more than there other.
For those who hope for a return of Ivanovic, you’ll have to hope longer: she lost in the first round. Sharapova played with fire until she burned herself, as she went on losing to Petkovic, the green dancer. Still, no surprise there. It’s not like we didn’t know that she was outdated.
Remember Jovanovski? Well, she made a 6-2 to Zvonerava, and then, she lost the court and the match. Since we are talking about the Russian, well, there is not much to say after that, she did her little things and managed to make it to the semi, but then she was no match for a Kim without mercy.
Samantha Stosur: please carry your brain on the court with you, you could be number one in the world if you knew all the things you could do. Well, she lost the scary Kvitova, it’s not like she lost to a school kid, but still, that was disappointing not just for me, but for all the Aussie who was hoping, with reasons, for a title. Oh Sam! Next year, perhaps?
And Kvitova was hard on my favorites has she defeated Flavia Pennetta. Not that I believe that Flavia could win the tournament, but she had a chance for a semi here. Well, the beautiful Italian and her double partner, Gisela Dulko won the double, so, that was comforting at the end.
Radwanska was surprising, she made a quart. All sort of thing happen to her this week: everybody who followed the tournament saw that time when her racket head went flying around, but what you may not know is that she was injured and hadn’t play for a long while. They were only 1% of chance that she could play this tournament so, congrats for this quart Aga.
Did a forget someone? Oh yeah, the Dane with many teeth. I swear, if Shiavone wouldn’t have been so tired of all those hours of tennis, she would have beat Wozniacki: her game is more elaborate and if she had her usual rhythm, that wouldn’t even have last 3 sets.
Anyone else? Oh, right, Jankovic *roll eyes* Dear Jelena, I know what is wrong with you, your coach knows it too, most of your fans knows what is wrong with you, if you’d just bother to ask, we’ll tell you. Oh right, they’ve told you, you just didn’t listen to. Your bad, you have so much talent. I believe in time, you will find it again, I just hope you won’t run out of it.
A word on the runner-up: I never really like the Chinese because she always beat the player I like, but that tells you one thing: she is one great player and has a very nice personality. 2 thumbs up for the Li Na: she knows that life offers opportunities and we have to seize them.
I was kinda of hoping that she will be able to pull the same trick she had in Sydney against Kim, and I thought she would for a moment: Kim seems flat and not that confidante but at the end of the second set, I don’t know, something happened, and Kim suddenly became the Champion and even thought Li’s fuel tank seem empty, I am not sure she could have done something to stop Kim to win this: they were no bunnies left in the hat.
Ok, make no mistake, the Australian open got a very nice Champion.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sydney & Hobart
Sydney : some surprising results during this tournament. The Serbian Jovanovski ousted Kanepi (6-4, 6-4) and Rezai (7-6, 7-6) AND Pennetta (6-4, 6-1 O_O). I’d say those are pretty good results for the young player. Rezai had defeated Jankovic in 3 sets in the first round and Pennetta had sent to the locker Room the second player in the world Zvonareva in earlier round.
For those who wonder what happened to the Wozniacki, the girl with many teeth lost to Cibulkova, 2 thumbs up to the Slovakian. If only you could do that in the slam.
Kuznetsova had a few good wins including one against my favorite of the tournament Samantha Stosur, but the Russian couldn’t resist the eventual Champion Li Na.
Kim Clijsters had a scare in semi against the tank girl Alisa Kleybanova, but had some sort of a break down in the first set of her final, leading 5-0, the Chinese came back to win this tournament 7-6, 6-3. We have to ask ourself: what happen down there? Kim said she was already thinking of her first match round at the AO against Safina: Honey, why worry? The girl is a mess!!!
Hobart: Yes, the girl Is a mess, of course, starting a tournament to Bartoli, doesn’t give any chance to Safina to recover mentally as the French woman is like a bit pull out there (6-0, 6-1) but Klara Zakapalova seems to have find the key as she defeated Bartoli in to set only then to lose to the “keep on eye” girl Jarmila Groth, the Champion in Hobart. She defeated in final the always colorful Bethanie Mattek-Sands who won her first round match against Pavlyuchenkova, the poor girl had to retire. Congrat to the American who seized her chance to have a good result!
For those who wonder what happened to the Wozniacki, the girl with many teeth lost to Cibulkova, 2 thumbs up to the Slovakian. If only you could do that in the slam.
Kuznetsova had a few good wins including one against my favorite of the tournament Samantha Stosur, but the Russian couldn’t resist the eventual Champion Li Na.
Kim Clijsters had a scare in semi against the tank girl Alisa Kleybanova, but had some sort of a break down in the first set of her final, leading 5-0, the Chinese came back to win this tournament 7-6, 6-3. We have to ask ourself: what happen down there? Kim said she was already thinking of her first match round at the AO against Safina: Honey, why worry? The girl is a mess!!!
Hobart: Yes, the girl Is a mess, of course, starting a tournament to Bartoli, doesn’t give any chance to Safina to recover mentally as the French woman is like a bit pull out there (6-0, 6-1) but Klara Zakapalova seems to have find the key as she defeated Bartoli in to set only then to lose to the “keep on eye” girl Jarmila Groth, the Champion in Hobart. She defeated in final the always colorful Bethanie Mattek-Sands who won her first round match against Pavlyuchenkova, the poor girl had to retire. Congrat to the American who seized her chance to have a good result!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Brisbane & Auckland
Does a first tournament set a pace for the season? I hope not! In Brisbane, Samantha Stosur was sent to the locker room on her first match of the season against a player we probably won’t see again leaving the way free for Petkovic who made it all the way to the final. Petkovic had some nice victories along the way beating Growth, who might cause a few surprise this season and Bartoli: The French woman is never easy to beat.
Kvitova the surprising quarter finalist in Wimbledon last year, won that first title in 2 easy set 6-1, 6-3. She ousted Cibulkova and Pavlyuchekova on her way there.
Main while in Auckland, Maria Sharapova just proves me right by losing to Greta Arn, a veteran Hungarian player who best ranking was 91 in the world in 2002. At least, this mostly unknown player made it all the way to the final beating there Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3. Maybe tennis is not just a 20 years old thing anymore, and I won’t complain.
Let’s mention the defeat of Kuznetsova against Peng who also give a lot of trouble to wickmayer but couldn’t capitalize on the big point.
So if you ask me, 2011 will be a roller coaster ride!
Kvitova the surprising quarter finalist in Wimbledon last year, won that first title in 2 easy set 6-1, 6-3. She ousted Cibulkova and Pavlyuchekova on her way there.
Main while in Auckland, Maria Sharapova just proves me right by losing to Greta Arn, a veteran Hungarian player who best ranking was 91 in the world in 2002. At least, this mostly unknown player made it all the way to the final beating there Wickmayer 6-3, 6-3. Maybe tennis is not just a 20 years old thing anymore, and I won’t complain.
Let’s mention the defeat of Kuznetsova against Peng who also give a lot of trouble to wickmayer but couldn’t capitalize on the big point.
So if you ask me, 2011 will be a roller coaster ride!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Some thoughts before the new season begins
If Caroline Wozniacki finished at the number one position in the world last year, I am afraid that she still has to prove something. Not because she has yet to win a grand slam, but because she hadn’t beat anyone big to make it here. What makes the difference is her consistency, I’ll give her that.
The WTA championship was won by Kim Clijsters and if the Belgian would be able to be consistent a whole match, no one could really stand on her way in 2011, but with the level of competition today, against the best, the cost might be the victory.
The sudden retirement of Elena Dementieva was a surprise to a lot of tennis fans, but I guess, no to her fans. It let a big whole on the tour, but there are a lot of great players out there that will surely make sure to offer a high level of game, just like Elena did. What I will miss the most about her is her consistency. She never gives up even if she lost some matches she should have won.
What 2011 looks like? Frankly, I have no clue. Wozniacki should stayed in the top 3, Vera Zvonerava put up a great show last year but as many, she always fall short in the great moments. Clijsters won’t play enough, but the little she played last year, she always make it far in a tournament.
I’d say the best of the Williams Sisters are behind them. They probably will win some events like they always did and they will be threatening opponents. Serena might pull up a good win or 2 but this strange injury that lasted forever probably hides something bigger.
Stosur would be a sure value if she could only be stronger mentally. She got a great game, she got a great serve, if only she could believe! Schiavone played the best tennis of her whole life last year, she will fall off the top 10 because I don’t see her winner the French open again this year but if she keep this state of mind, she could do really good.
Jankovic got a new coach, it would be good for her if she could actually listen to him and stop acting like she knows it all, because she doesn’t. Jankovic’s best was at the end of 2008: then she was really playing like a #1. She blamed her descent all on her strong off court work out, which was partly true. There is a word called moderation that should have been used in her case. Now, her training took a totally opposite side and that is not going to bring her any where.
Azarenka has the power to stay among the best, but lack a little of a physical strength to win on rough conditions. She’ll be in the top 10 for sure. Radwanska is brain player, she will always find a way to be in the top 20, but she lack of power to do damages.
Justine Henin won’t win Wimbledon. If it was the reason if her return, she should pick another one. She will do damage like she always did, but she will be stopped somewhere for some reasons.
What made Maria Sharapova special once, was her powerful flat shot. Now, she is out of fashion, too many young players play like her and she is highly disadvantaged by her lack of speed and movement on court.
Flavia Pennetta lost a little of her great consistency last year, but I wouldn’t give up just yet on the beautiful Italian, I am sure she got the game to come back into the top 15.
Poor Safina has yet to recover of the mental destruction her ex-coach implemented on her. When Ivanovic started to grumble, I never thought we’d see again a former number one in the world going so low in the ranking, if she doesn’t pull herself together, that might happen again.
Kuznetsova is such a talented player, who doesn’t always show up on the court. A week, she’d loss when she should have won and then she wins when she isn’t supposed to… Go figure!
There are many great players out there, I could go on and one, but let the games begins.
The WTA championship was won by Kim Clijsters and if the Belgian would be able to be consistent a whole match, no one could really stand on her way in 2011, but with the level of competition today, against the best, the cost might be the victory.
The sudden retirement of Elena Dementieva was a surprise to a lot of tennis fans, but I guess, no to her fans. It let a big whole on the tour, but there are a lot of great players out there that will surely make sure to offer a high level of game, just like Elena did. What I will miss the most about her is her consistency. She never gives up even if she lost some matches she should have won.
What 2011 looks like? Frankly, I have no clue. Wozniacki should stayed in the top 3, Vera Zvonerava put up a great show last year but as many, she always fall short in the great moments. Clijsters won’t play enough, but the little she played last year, she always make it far in a tournament.
I’d say the best of the Williams Sisters are behind them. They probably will win some events like they always did and they will be threatening opponents. Serena might pull up a good win or 2 but this strange injury that lasted forever probably hides something bigger.
Stosur would be a sure value if she could only be stronger mentally. She got a great game, she got a great serve, if only she could believe! Schiavone played the best tennis of her whole life last year, she will fall off the top 10 because I don’t see her winner the French open again this year but if she keep this state of mind, she could do really good.
Jankovic got a new coach, it would be good for her if she could actually listen to him and stop acting like she knows it all, because she doesn’t. Jankovic’s best was at the end of 2008: then she was really playing like a #1. She blamed her descent all on her strong off court work out, which was partly true. There is a word called moderation that should have been used in her case. Now, her training took a totally opposite side and that is not going to bring her any where.
Azarenka has the power to stay among the best, but lack a little of a physical strength to win on rough conditions. She’ll be in the top 10 for sure. Radwanska is brain player, she will always find a way to be in the top 20, but she lack of power to do damages.
Justine Henin won’t win Wimbledon. If it was the reason if her return, she should pick another one. She will do damage like she always did, but she will be stopped somewhere for some reasons.
What made Maria Sharapova special once, was her powerful flat shot. Now, she is out of fashion, too many young players play like her and she is highly disadvantaged by her lack of speed and movement on court.
Flavia Pennetta lost a little of her great consistency last year, but I wouldn’t give up just yet on the beautiful Italian, I am sure she got the game to come back into the top 15.
Poor Safina has yet to recover of the mental destruction her ex-coach implemented on her. When Ivanovic started to grumble, I never thought we’d see again a former number one in the world going so low in the ranking, if she doesn’t pull herself together, that might happen again.
Kuznetsova is such a talented player, who doesn’t always show up on the court. A week, she’d loss when she should have won and then she wins when she isn’t supposed to… Go figure!
There are many great players out there, I could go on and one, but let the games begins.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Kim Clijsters US open Champion
She was the favorite, and she won, against Vera Zvonareva! But the final didn’t reflect well how high the level of competition was during those 2 weeks. The road there wasn’t that easy for Kim, but she proved to be the most consistent of them all.
It was at first very hot, and then, very windy, and it is not to play in those condition. Azarenka gave everybody a scare when she collapsed on the court on her second match against Gisela Dulko. She had to retire, but we quickly know that it was not only the heat that was responsible, but the Belarusian fell in the morning and got a concussion.
Stosur did very well and it was a tough lost against Clijsters in quart, she could have won the match, and if you asked me, she should have won the tournament. Next year, maybe?
It was at first very hot, and then, very windy, and it is not to play in those condition. Azarenka gave everybody a scare when she collapsed on the court on her second match against Gisela Dulko. She had to retire, but we quickly know that it was not only the heat that was responsible, but the Belarusian fell in the morning and got a concussion.
Stosur did very well and it was a tough lost against Clijsters in quart, she could have won the match, and if you asked me, she should have won the tournament. Next year, maybe?
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