ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
Gutted I'm not going to see Swiatek / Sabalenka. It's already 11.30pm in the UK.
2023 WTA Finals - General Discussion
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Dominic & Andrey
Legend
This freaking tournament... Not sure whether or not the other SF will get played.
coolcamden
Hall of Fame
Welcome back.
coolcamden
Hall of Fame
I checked the weather report for Cancun. Rain all the way til 3AM.
robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
It was super windy at some points, and you could see that they were literally just trying to keep the ball in play. On those occasions, you can't completely fault them.
That said, the overall level was still really poor, even during the periods where the wind wasn't a factor. And yes, Swiatek and Sabalenka have clearly been the best two players this year, but that's not saying much. I mean, do we remember the US Open final? If that is the best women's tennis player in the world, the standard has fallen to an incredibly low level.
What's currently happened is that there is no more Serena, and the likes of Graf, Seles, Navratilova, Evert... are long gone. There is nobody currently in the women's game that can elevate the WTA to interest levels even approaching the ATP. And I'm not just talking about skill. Even if the current #1 and #2 where even half as good as the greats (which they are not even close to half), they would still be from Belarus and Poland.
So yeah, the WTA is in a bad spot right now. It might as well not exist for the casual fan, but somehow the players don't seem to understand this. They are friends with Nadal and Djokovic on social media, plus the likes of Messi, Mbappe and Verstappen... and they think those people are their peers. But they are not. They have a few things in common, but when it comes to generating attention and revenue, they are worlds apart.
Wait, what? How old is she? Oh well, she will be divorced by her early 30's...
Mr.Lob
G.O.A.T.
Pegula steady in windy conditions. Coco a lot of errors. Frustrated. Body language not great.
Winners or Errors
Legend
Pegula is better at adjusting to balls that don't bounce ideally. That's why she is now 4-0. We'll see if the advantage holds up in the final. Makes me wish for some more inconsistent court surfaces, though. Bringing back the old grass at Wimbledon would be a start. And carpet always had some dead spots, so that'd help, too. Love that many of the WTA prima donnas can't handle the wind or court conditions in this tournament. Looking forward to the final.
SeeingDusk
Hall of Fame
This has to be the most disastrous tennis tournament I’ve ever seen. Play a few points and then rain comes. Dry the court. Play a few points. Rain comes again. Rinse and repeat. Not to mention, the wind is horrific.
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
I'm still awake but don't know why I'm bothering. It's a pretty awful spectacle. Easily the worst tournament I've seen this year (and I've seen some ITFs).
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
Guess you didn't watch much Wimbledon in the 80s/90s, that was the norm a lot of the time. Play a few points or games, then rain etc. I remember Graf's 62, 61 beatdown over Seles in '92 had playing time of 1 hour, but it was played over 8 hours. In 1997 they were still playing first round matches on Saturday. Complete disaster.
And some USO's were like that as well(2003 with it's "misting" rain for like 5 straight days. Stop, start etc)
SeeingDusk
Hall of Fame
Thanks for informing me. Crazy that there were more disastrous tournaments in history
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
So tomorrow they still need to finish the RR match of Gauff/Pegula v Siegemund/Zvonareva to finalise who qualifies for the SF.
They then need to play the SF between Melichah-Martinez/Perez v Dabrowski/Routliffe and then the second semifinal between Hunter/Mertens and the winner of said earlier match. And then the final as well?
And then also finish the singles between Swiatek and Sabalenka and then also the final between Pegula and the winner of the other SF?
Gee, Cancun is so fun.
They then need to play the SF between Melichah-Martinez/Perez v Dabrowski/Routliffe and then the second semifinal between Hunter/Mertens and the winner of said earlier match. And then the final as well?
And then also finish the singles between Swiatek and Sabalenka and then also the final between Pegula and the winner of the other SF?
Gee, Cancun is so fun.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
It’s lucky they correctly put Gauff v Pegula on first cause otherwise one of them could have been facing the prospect of playing up to 5 matches tomorrow lol.
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
The singles and doubles finals have been re-scheduled for Monday
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Well that’s something at least, let’s see if it happens but!
zvelf
Hall of Fame
That's a necessity. If Swiatek and Sabalenka basically had to play a full match against each other and then face Pegula a couple of hours later, whoever won that semi would almost certainly lose to a fresh Pegula.
NaomiKonjuhPotapova
G.O.A.T.
women can play 5 sets!
But agree in fairness it is correct choice to suspend on Monday.
Anyway, they should rethink to only play on indoor now. I think the decision in Cancun is because of how successful Guadalajara was.
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
That 97 Wimbledon was bonkers. No play Monday, no play Tuesday, an hour or two of play on Wednesday. One Argentine player just flew home because he couldn't be bothered waiting anymore.Thanks for informing me. Crazy that there were more disastrous tournaments in history
By Saturday there was still at least one Rd 1 match left, which just happened to be debuting teenager Venus Williams. She then got beaten in front of a scarce crowd which included a 15 year old Serena (who seemed to be reading a book instead of actually watching).
I'm not sure if that was the year Cliff Richard stood up and sang to a bored centre court crowd, but it ought to have been.
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
Was it?
Most of the top 10 couldn't be bothered with it. I seem to remember Swiatek and Sabalenka skipped it last year as well.
I'll die on the inside if that tourny is back next year. I feel pretty safe that Cancun isn't returning.
Mexico is good for a 250 in March but beyond that...I'm not sold. I know the players aren't sold. I'm sure the beach resorts are nice but in terms of playing tennis, nobody wants to go. Even Katie Boulter skipped Guadalajara.
RafanadalGoat
New User
Jessie Pagula should win this final and will go on a roll. and she will win a grand slam next year, she's too good not to
I have memories of Becker vs Lendl matches played over many days.
coolcamden
Hall of Fame
TC now showing pickle ball. Doubles are playing.
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
crowds were fantastic in Guadalajara this year, and every year it's been played. I mean everyone likes to mock attendance at WTA events, so I think its pretty notable that something like a Dolehide-Trevisan QF is played in front of a packed house. There would be like no one in the stands for that match at the majority of the tour stops. It would even be pretty empty if it was a French Open QF. Sabalenka did play it last year BTW. I think using top players not playing a masters as a way to say it's a failure is a mistake, there have been many Paris Masters with very few top 10 players in the past, you can never guarantee player commitments at any event through a long year. The date on the calendar was obviously a factor with withdrawals this year, it was held too soon after the USO. But yet fans still showed up to watch lesser names. Impressive.
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
Apparently Storm Hunter will end the year as the #1 doubles player(after todays results)
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Yep, called that one during the RR stage which really surprised me
Number 1 in the world with just 2 active titles to her name (Rome and Guadalajara). No slams and just one slam runner up. Not great.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Both teams that go 3-0 in the RR stage in doubles lose in the SF's. Oh that's funny.
Melichar-Martinez/Perez v Siegemund/Zvonareva for the Year End Championships
Neither team won a slam or a Masters at all this year but vying for the top prize to finish the year...
Melichar-Martinez/Perez v Siegemund/Zvonareva for the Year End Championships
Neither team won a slam or a Masters at all this year but vying for the top prize to finish the year...
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Iga finally gets the break in a very long 3rd game.
Now up 6-3 2-1 serving for 3-1.
Now up 6-3 2-1 serving for 3-1.
zvelf
Hall of Fame
Yes, women can definitely play 5 sets. I think slam finals and the WTA Finals final should all be best-of-5. I really enjoyed the 1990 WTA Championships final where Monica Seles beat Gabriela Sabatini in 5 sets. That said, my point wasn't that Swiatek and Sabalenka couldn't play 2 matches in the same day but rather it would be unfair to them to do so.
Meanwhile, Swiatek looks more focused tonight and is keeping the ball in play. Any long rally seems to lead to a Sabalenka miss. And Swiatek now has the first set along with a double break in the second.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Unforced error from Sabalenka and Swiatek takes it in straight sets 6-3 6-2.
She's into her first WTA Finals final.
She's into her first WTA Finals final.
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
Swiatek is the best player in the world. No doubt about it.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Swiatek v Pegula for the 2023 Year End championships.
Number 1 ranking in play, if Swiatek wins, she regains #1. She loses to Pegula, then #1 remains as Sabalenka.
Number 1 ranking in play, if Swiatek wins, she regains #1. She loses to Pegula, then #1 remains as Sabalenka.
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
Brilliant performance by Swiatek. This crap tournament could have a good ending now because Pegula is looking great at this event. She's already beaten Swiatek twice on hard courts year (?). Should be a great final really.
I wonder if Sabalenka is regretting not playing Guadalajara. It shouldn't have come to this.
I wonder if Sabalenka is regretting not playing Guadalajara. It shouldn't have come to this.
coolcamden
Hall of Fame
Sabalenka is now just a UE machine. She laid a 67% UE error rate at the USO now doting out another ungodly numbers of poop. Almost unwatchable.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Pegula can accomplish a very rare feat by defeating the #1, #2 and #3 players in the world in the same tournament if she beats Swiatek in the final.
She already knocked off Sabalenka in the RR and Gauff in the SF.
It's only been done 5 times in history. Last person to do it was Krejcikova earlier this year in Dubai. Sabalenka did it at the WTA Finals last year, before then it wasn't since Venus in 2008 at the WTA Finals.
She already knocked off Sabalenka in the RR and Gauff in the SF.
It's only been done 5 times in history. Last person to do it was Krejcikova earlier this year in Dubai. Sabalenka did it at the WTA Finals last year, before then it wasn't since Venus in 2008 at the WTA Finals.
Connor35
Semi-Pro
Pegula can accomplish a very rare feat by defeating the #1, #2 and #3 players in the world in the same tournament if she beats Swiatek in the final.
She already knocked off Sabalenka in the RR and Gauff in the SF.
It's only been done 5 times in history. Last person to do it was Krejcikova earlier this year in Dubai. Sabalenka did it at the WTA Finals last year, before then it wasn't since Venus in 2008 at the WTA Finals.
She also beat #4 Rybakina.
She actually the first player since the rankings became in the 70s to play #1, #2, #3 and #4 in the same event.
She could become the first player ever to beat #1, #2, #3 and #4 in the same event.
Connor35
Semi-Pro
I essentially watch every Iga match.
This was peak -- just a dominating, smothering, relentless performance against the World #1.
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