Italian Stallion
Rookie
A gifted and successful junior but a late developer (and late developers have won slams-Schiavone, Penetta etc.) because there's a lot to her game. If Hicham Arazi was the male magician of Africa, Ons is the female equivalent; already the greatest female Arab player and the greatest Africa-born female player in singles (unless I'm forgetting someone?).
She reminds me of a female Nalbandian, not just the physique. The forehand cross-court from just inside the deuce court, the forehand drop-shots, the way she closes in at the net to finish well-constructed points with angled touch. Add a sprinkle of Rios (jumping backhand) and Murray (cross-court forehand passes on the stretch, inside out forehand from just inside the court, nice court coverage for a big girl, a slightly similar stride). One of the most naturally talented female players on tour; drop shots, slices, volleys, variation...a tweener lob, which you can just about spot in this video:
Barring injuries and misfortune, she will reach a slam final someday, possibly the upcoming US Open. Bank on it. I don't know if she'll ever win one, but I hope she does. She's a credit to women's tennis in an era of ball bashers. Give her and Serena wooden rackets and she might still get beaten by the serve and power of the great, but she would bamboozle the American in the process.
No one is talking about her but, with her 26th birthday a few days away, she is entering her prime and will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. So for Ons the maestro, if you're reading, the Italian Stallion appreciates your magic!
Here is a slightly related article about African tennis from N.Y. Times which you may find of interest.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/29/...tennis-talent-though-obscure-is-apparent.html
I have spoken.
She reminds me of a female Nalbandian, not just the physique. The forehand cross-court from just inside the deuce court, the forehand drop-shots, the way she closes in at the net to finish well-constructed points with angled touch. Add a sprinkle of Rios (jumping backhand) and Murray (cross-court forehand passes on the stretch, inside out forehand from just inside the court, nice court coverage for a big girl, a slightly similar stride). One of the most naturally talented female players on tour; drop shots, slices, volleys, variation...a tweener lob, which you can just about spot in this video:
Barring injuries and misfortune, she will reach a slam final someday, possibly the upcoming US Open. Bank on it. I don't know if she'll ever win one, but I hope she does. She's a credit to women's tennis in an era of ball bashers. Give her and Serena wooden rackets and she might still get beaten by the serve and power of the great, but she would bamboozle the American in the process.
No one is talking about her but, with her 26th birthday a few days away, she is entering her prime and will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come. So for Ons the maestro, if you're reading, the Italian Stallion appreciates your magic!
Here is a slightly related article about African tennis from N.Y. Times which you may find of interest.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/29/...tennis-talent-though-obscure-is-apparent.html
I have spoken.