Talk Tennis - View Single Post - Li Na Too inconsistent to be a multiple slam champion

bluetrain4 · 01-26-2013, 05:11 PM

I agree and I don't agree.

First, I generally agree because, you're right, she's too streaky - from match to match, game to game, point to point. she had more than a few chances yesterday, but really sprayed a LOT of balls in the second half of the second set and the third. That's always been Li. In fact, I'd call her an overachiever. That she's won a Slam and been in two other finals is pretty amazing. I can understand the little forehand tweaks getting lost as the pressure grew and she sort of reverted to her old forehand and predictably missed a lot. But, her wins over Radwanska and Sharapova showed me that she can play multiple, smart, decent matches, and she kept it together emotionally more than previously.

I disagree, because, simply, she has the game - the weapons, the movement, the experience, and there is always a chance that her more "off" days come against players where she can still pull out a win, and her "on" days come during an important match - like the Sharapova match. If she says healthy, while I don't expect to her to win another Slam, I would be totally unsurprised if she did. She's no different than Kuznetsova who is just as wildly inconsistent and who managed to win multiple Slams.

I never thought we'd see her in a final again after the 2011 AO final. Then she wins the French in 2011, and then proceeds to go into a year and a half Slam tailspin. At that point I never thought we'd see her in a final again, yet here she is, and she had a legit chance to win.

Ugh, I can't stand Azarenka and her shrieking and gamesmanship, but kudos to her. She deserved it and played better down the stretch. Chris Evert called her a "street fighter" and I thought the description was apt. While I generally cringe at Azarenka, I can't help but respect her "I don't give a f**k what anyone says or anyone thinks" attitude. Helps her ignore the media blasting of her after he match against Stephens, and helps her tune out the crowd being against her.

01-26-2013, 05:11 PM	#4
bluetrain4 Legend Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 7,275	I agree and I don't agree. First, I generally agree because, you're right, she's too streaky - from match to match, game to game, point to point. she had more than a few chances yesterday, but really sprayed a LOT of balls in the second half of the second set and the third. That's always been Li. In fact, I'd call her an overachiever. That she's won a Slam and been in two other finals is pretty amazing. I can understand the little forehand tweaks getting lost as the pressure grew and she sort of reverted to her old forehand and predictably missed a lot. But, her wins over Radwanska and Sharapova showed me that she can play multiple, smart, decent matches, and she kept it together emotionally more than previously. I disagree, because, simply, she has the game - the weapons, the movement, the experience, and there is always a chance that her more "off" days come against players where she can still pull out a win, and her "on" days come during an important match - like the Sharapova match. If she says healthy, while I don't expect to her to win another Slam, I would be totally unsurprised if she did. She's no different than Kuznetsova who is just as wildly inconsistent and who managed to win multiple Slams. I never thought we'd see her in a final again after the 2011 AO final. Then she wins the French in 2011, and then proceeds to go into a year and a half Slam tailspin. At that point I never thought we'd see her in a final again, yet here she is, and she had a legit chance to win. Ugh, I can't stand Azarenka and her shrieking and gamesmanship, but kudos to her. She deserved it and played better down the stretch. Chris Evert called her a "street fighter" and I thought the description was apt. While I generally cringe at Azarenka, I can't help but respect her "I don't give a f**k what anyone says or anyone thinks" attitude. Helps her ignore the media blasting of her after he match against Stephens, and helps her tune out the crowd being against her.