2013 women's tennis thread....

[shivfan]

First topic message reminder :

Just to offer a little variety, on a forum where the focus seems to be primarily on men's tennis....

Who do you think will be the main contenders for the first Slam of the year? Serena Williams? Vika Azarenka? Maria Sharapova?

[kingraf]

Maria needs to go to a shaman/sangoma/witchdoctor/gypsy lady and map out a way to beat Serena, because tennis brains arent doing her any good right now. Maybe she needs to start hitting with Grigor to get used to the power game? Maybe she needs to visualise herself beating Serena? Maybe she needs Serena to retire...

[shivfan]

That ones going to get Shivfan's post count up. He hates Laura with a passion and the Williams are his two favourites.

Hating a tennis player? Robson can probably take out Venus, if not Serena.

dj needs to grow up....

I'm quite looking forward to Venus vs Robson.

[laverfan]

Maria needs to go to a shaman/sangoma/witchdoctor/gypsy lady and map out a way to beat Serena, because tennis brains arent doing her any good right now. Maybe she needs to start hitting with Grigor to get used to the power game? Maybe she needs to visualise herself beating Serena? Maybe she needs Serena to retire...

Perhaps Dimi can dress up as Masha (he probably already does privately ) and play Serena - his ex.

[shivfan]

I think Sharapova's game is just a little too one-sided....

In comparison, Azarenka has more of an allround game. Sharapova needs to improve her speed around the court, her movement, and try coming to the net more, just so that she can develop a B game when the A game lets her down.

Very windy conditions today...Lisicki won, and the 141-ranked Natassja Burnett put out a self-destructing Cornet...some things never change.

Venus struggling with her toss, but so is Robson, and it's 1-1 in the first set....

Make that 2-1 - Robson breaks, and is looking the more dangerous of the two. Robson is also coping with the windy conditions better...they jsut had to weather a sand storm on court!

[Mad for Chelsea]

Robson playing much the better tennis at the moment, and as shivfan says coping with conditions much better too, Williams's unforced error count racing up at the moment, Robson all over the Williams serve too. and there's the double break, courtesy of another Williams DF, she leads 4-1.

[shivfan]

At the break, Robson needed treatment for sand in the eye....thankfully, that was only a small break. But it might explain why we're not exactly seeing quality tennis right now. It is interesting that the less-experienced Robson is handling the wind better than the vastly-experienced Venus....

More double-faults, but Robson holds to go 5-1 up....

[Mad for Chelsea]

eventually Williams takes her 11th BP to get one back and trail 3-5. Conditions really playing havoc with both players games so far. Williams surprisingly passive with her serve so far but her groundstrokes are just starting to warm up.

[Mad for Chelsea]

more good returning from Robson and she has two set pints. She only needs one though to take the set 6-3. Dealing with the conditions better and has played the BPs much better too (coming up with plenty of big serves when she needed them).

[shivfan]

It's 1-1 in the second set, but once again, Robson looks the more dangerous of the two....

[Mad for Chelsea]

just get the feeling Williams is steadily upping her game a little, but a poor forehand at deuce lets her down and Robson seals the hold with a cracking forehand down the line. 2-1 with serve in the second.

[shivfan]

Another break, and Robson goes 4-1 up....

I'm surprised Venus hasn't tried to change tactics, and attack the net a bit more.

[Mad for Chelsea]

you have to hand it to Robson, she's playing a very good match out there. The clay seems to just give her an extra little time to adjust her shots, while she's still very much capable of hitting through the court, so I wonder if she could become a real force on the surface.

There's the double break as she takes her fifth BP from 6 attempts, and she will serve for the match at 5-1!

[shivfan]

Finally, Venus at the net....

A bit too late though....

Venus gets a break, and it's 5-2, but there's an air of inevitability about this match.

[shivfan]

Robson wins at three and two....

Granted, Venus is a shadow of her old self, Sjogren's Syndrome and all, but it is an important scalp to get, after Radwanska last week. This should do wonders for Robson's confidence, and I'm sure she'll build on this.

I think that before the year is out, she will be among the seeds at a Grand Slam....

[Mad for Chelsea]

yup, Robson duly takes her third match point on the Williams serve with a cracking inside-out FH. Excellent win for Robson and a very commanding performance, 6-3 6-2 against a player of Williams's caliber is not to be sniffed at.

Next up, sister Serena.

[shivfan]

Venus has always been my favourite player, but it pains me to see her playing like this....

She has had an outstanding career, with seven Grand Slam singles titles to her name, but it's clear that with the Sjogren's Syndrome, she will not add to those. I really hope this is her last year of playing singles. That said, clay is her least favourite surface - maybe I should reserve judgment until I see her playing on grass this summer, since that's her favourite surface. We'll see....

That said, I would prefer her to focus on playing doubles next year. She has 11 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles, and I'm sure she'll add to those, especially if she continues to play with Serena.

[dummy_half]

Certainly looks like another good scalp on Robson's CV, although Venus is not the player of a few years ago. Next match against Serena likely to be far too tough, although if Laura can at least push her to two competetive sets it woud be as good a performance as anyone else in the WTA is managing at the moment.

Hopefully the recent performance improvements (including the tough loss to Ivanovic last week) are rebuilding some of the self-belief that must have been eroded with the 6 consecutive 1st round defeats. Will be a player that the seeds will want to avoid in the first couple of rounds at RG. A good run there and there's an outside chance of being at the bottom end of the seedings for Wimbledon (only 75 points behind 32nd as things stand - I don't know enough about the WTA points distribution to know what she'll need to do to make up that gap, but presumably R4 at RG would be plenty).

[The Special Juan]

Something to tell the grandchildren... "I have a winning record against Venus Williams". Ignoring the opponent, it's another win for Laura against a player ranked higher than her, and a good one at that. Best of luck against Serena, better you than me

[Mad for Chelsea]

well Laura really doesn't have anything to lose against S. Williams. We know Williams likes to "bully" her opponents on court, so important Robson stays as far up the court as possible and looks to move Williams around as much as she can.

Here's hoping she can at least put in a credible performance...

[The Special Juan]

She needs to serve well otherwise we'll be looking at bagels. If she does serve well then she's in with a chance, albeit a small one. If she can put up a good fight and give a good account of herself against near enough the toughest test in women's tennis (toughest is Serena on grass), then she'll have done well.

[Cogen]

Robson on court against Serena right now.

Robson started off well by breaking Serena, but Serena has just broken straight back. Expecting Serena to just roll through her in this match really. I'd be very impressed with something like a 6-4 6-4 loss for Robson.

[The Special Juan]

Winning a service game would be a nice start

[The Special Juan]

Yeah, suck on that Serena!!

[shivfan]

Serena in command of this set now....leads 5-2.

[The Special Juan]

Too many DFs! Sort your serve out woman!

[The Special Juan]

Major OMG, a female tennis player sliced the ball!

[shivfan]

Too many DFs! Sort your serve out woman!

That second serve needs work too....

Second set 1-1.

[The Special Juan]

She doesn't look out of her depth in the rallies at all but her serve is getting punished badly and that's probably what will cost her the match in the end.

[The Special Juan]

Hev's back next week apparently.

[shivfan]

Serena had to work hard for that game....no breaks in the second set yet.

[The Special Juan]

Ah it's looking like 6-2 6-2/3 for Serena. I'm not going to say any of that "it was closer than the scoreline suggested" rubbish. There are encouraging signs there for Robbo but the serve is still a massive weakness.

[shivfan]

Just one break thanks to double faults and serena leads 5-2....

[The Special Juan]

In typical Robbo fashion. Serena, go on and win it now.

[shivfan]

Serena had some nice words of encouragement and applause for robson at the end...

[ryan86]

Something to tell the grandchildren... "I have a winning record against Venus Williams". Ignoring the opponent, it's another win for Laura against a player ranked higher than her, and a good one at that. Best of luck against Serena, better you than me

This got me thinking, how many female tennis players have grandchildren? Many will give up their most fertile years running after a little yellow ball.

[The Special Juan]

Something to tell the grandchildren... "I have a winning record against Venus Williams". Ignoring the opponent, it's another win for Laura against a player ranked higher than her, and a good one at that. Best of luck against Serena, better you than me

This got me thinking, how many female tennis players have grandchildren? Many will give up their most fertile years running after a little yellow ball.

Martina? Oh....

That's quite interesting, I can only think of two player right off the top of my head who have had children: Kim Clijsters and Evonne Goolagong. It's too early in the morning.

[Born Slippy]

The average age for retirement is probably 28, so I wouldn't have thought too many female players are prevented from having children by their careers. High profile ex-players I can think of with children are Henin, sanchez-v, Graf, Davenport and Evert. We just don't generally hear that much about them after they retire.

[shivfan]

Serena beats Azarenka at one and three to win another title....

[The Special Juan]

It's amazing. Funnily enough, despite her domination, I don't think she'll win the FO (prove me wrong Serena!) because she's only ever won it once. Look at the mess she constantly makes of the second and third best players in the world. It's outrageous.

[barrystar]

The average age for retirement is probably 28, so I wouldn't have thought too many female players are prevented from having children by their careers. High profile ex-players I can think of with children are Henin, sanchez-v, Graf, Davenport and Evert. We just don't generally hear that much about them after they retire.

Loads of female players have children and every opportunity to start a family after a long and successful career (Steffi Graf anyone?) - if there is a relatively high number of players without children it may well be down to the fact that there is for whatever reason a relatively high quotient of lesbians who succeed on the WTA tour compared to what is found in society at large.

[dummy_half]

It's amazing. Funnily enough, despite her domination, I don't think she'll win the FO (prove me wrong Serena!) because she's only ever won it once. Look at the mess she constantly makes of the second and third best players in the world. It's outrageous.

At the moment Serena has such a psychological hold over the rest of the field that you can't back against her winning RG - looks like all she'll have to do is stay fit and focussed and no-one else can touch her. Hell, Robson's 6-2 6-2 defeat is about as close as any match she's had for a couple of months.

[banbrotam]

Good chance of Laura getting seeded at the French, now that she's No. 35

[banbrotam]

It's amazing. Funnily enough, despite her domination, I don't think she'll win the FO (prove me wrong Serena!) because she's only ever won it once. Look at the mess she constantly makes of the second and third best players in the world. It's outrageous.

At the moment Serena has such a psychological hold over the rest of the field that you can't back against her winning RG - looks like all she'll have to do is stay fit and focussed and no-one else can touch her. Hell, Robson's 6-2 6-2 defeat is about as close as any match she's had for a couple of months.

IMHO. I think this year will show that she's the best ever, other than Steffi

[shivfan]

Watching a sick and unfit Heather Watson playing is as frustrating as watching a sick and unfit Venus Williams playing....

[The Special Juan]

I thought Hev gave a good account of herself today, especially after being out for ages. It was a shame she wasn't 100% because I think she would have beaten Vogele.

[The Special Juan]

Laura's looking to appoint Miles Maclagan as her coach on an initially temporary but hopefully permanent basis. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on because Miles did a great job with Murray but couldn't quite take him to the top.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/22776562

[The Special Juan]

Laura's just away to start on BBC 2 against someone with the word "Beygel" in their name. Ominous?

[The Special Juan]

DF 1

[The Special Juan]

DF 2

[The Special Juan]

DF 3 (yes I am going to keep doing this)

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