WTA Rome Final: Azarenka vs Serena
- Thread starter romeo8880
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D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
She wins! 2nd Rome title.
N
NadalAgassi
Guest
2nd big red clay of the year for Serena having won none since 2002. The clear and undisputed favorite for RG.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
I love how Serena twirles when she wins lol
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
good, at least vika has a shoulder to cry on.
hmm, I wonder
was serena's coach/bf there as well?
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
well hopefully this year she wont crap the bed like she did last year at the french.
i think this year she will be on a mission, especially after she had to watch sharapova of all players win it last year.
she'll relish destroying sharapova for the title, lmao.
Im gon' go ahead and say it. I think she wants the FO more than wimbledon this year.
i think this year she will be on a mission, especially after she had to watch sharapova of all players win it last year.
she'll relish destroying sharapova for the title, lmao.
Im gon' go ahead and say it. I think she wants the FO more than wimbledon this year.
Duncan Bell
Hall of Fame
Congrats to Serena Williams and her fans, clearly the better player today. Can't see anyone else winning the French.
Venus does better pirouettes but Serena's are nice too.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
Is this Serena's real prime?
Yep PM was also there.
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
no it just looks this way because these girls now cant hold the sports bras of the golden era generation.
GhostDog
Hall of Fame
With the form Serena is currently in, barring so some sort of act of God, she should would this year's FO. It's like watching a pro dominate amateurs out there. 
How did she loose to the 1st round again last year?
I know RG is her weakest tournament, but no doubt she'll win her first title since 2002. Simply based on the fact that she's won the last two premier events on clay (in dominating fashion), I'll truly be stunned if she doesn't win this year.
How did she loose to the 1st round again last year?
I know RG is her weakest tournament, but no doubt she'll win her first title since 2002. Simply based on the fact that she's won the last two premier events on clay (in dominating fashion), I'll truly be stunned if she doesn't win this year.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
That was some impressive Italian from the Queen. Serena is starting to make me like her more than Venus and I didn't think that was possible.
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
looking at pictures of him...she is better than me
not that he is bad looking but. he looks so much older than her.
I could deal with a guy being older than me so long as he didnt look old, lol
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
You just speed-dialed NadalAgassi.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
If Serena picks up the FO, she's going to ride that momentum into W and USO. Very likely she will equal Martina's haul of 18 this year, if she crosses the finish line Paris in three weeks time.
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NadalAgassi
Guest
It is one of her primes. Serena's primes will go down as 99-2003, 2008-2010 and the Germand restaurant, and 2012-2016 or so. Her peak tennis will probably always be 2002-2003, but 2012-2014 could end up going very close.
I think she may very well be playing the best tennis of her career right now.
She very well could get to 18 slams this year.
And if she wins 2 slams a year for the next 2 years, there's 22.
It will be interesting to see what happens.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
It is certainly close to her best.
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
I love when you talk about Serena lol. It's Mozart.
SLD76
G.O.A.T.
agreed. she may not have the pure raw speed of before.
but she still has that power and serve, and she has more skills, finesse and tennis IQ than before.
D
Deleted member 77403
Guest
I think she is a much better player now. Much more rounded in her abilities. I prefer her play now to before.
N
NadalAgassi
Guest
Serena now compared to 2002-2003, well it is an interesting comparision. She definitely isnt as fast, although still incredibly fast and one of the fastest on tour. I think her groundstrokes were a bit more punishing then too, even though they are still probably the biggest on tour. She might have come to net a bit more then too. However her serve is even better than ever, she is a smarter player, and she is more patient. So a close call. Either Serena does pretty much everything better than everyone else.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
Serena in intimidating form just before RG. It seems she will tear through any draw.
Love Game
Talk Tennis Guru
omg that would be a v-e-r-y bad omen
---------------
anybody notice S's behavior during the playing of her national anthem? ..... i'm guessing rafa won't be doing the same thing during the playing of his national anthem ... we shall see . . .
= = = = = =
edit: Yes, I was right in my prediction about the difference in behavior between Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal during their separate trophy ceremonies:
Rafa stood at ease, maintaining an attentive, respectful silence during the playing of the Spanish National Anthem.
Rafa's polar opposite, Serena was ignoring the anthem while talking and laughing with Victoria throughout one-third to one-half of the American National Anthem!
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THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
Serena means business. Of course we know those who hate her are predicting a strong clay season will somehow end in an early FO exit, but it is difficult to bet against her. She's here to make history (as seen in 2012), and is a master-level player.
Sharapova bailing is all so clear, but there will be nowhere to hide from a defeat at the FO.
Azarenka still needs work--she's strong, and a natural, tough fighter, but she could not put it all together when it counts--or perhaps she has few consistent answers for Serena's game. In any case, she's not a coward (Sharapova) afraid to lose, and she will learn from the expeience. I want to see her win many majors in her future.
Sharapova bailing is all so clear, but there will be nowhere to hide from a defeat at the FO.
Azarenka still needs work--she's strong, and a natural, tough fighter, but she could not put it all together when it counts--or perhaps she has few consistent answers for Serena's game. In any case, she's not a coward (Sharapova) afraid to lose, and she will learn from the expeience. I want to see her win many majors in her future.
True. In Sharapova's defense bailing from Rome was the best thing she could do to prepare herself mentally for the FO. When she lost at Rome (when, not if) to either Azarenka or Serena she would make herself irrelevant once Roland Garros started. At least now they can still talk about her having a chance to defend her title. But she won't.
Serena is absolutely amazing! Right now she has it all working. Her serve, her return, her rally shots, her power, her angles, her movement and I could go on and on. I think that her collaboration with Patrick Mouratoglou has really solidify her game. She was great before of course but he has helped her tie up all the loose ends. Even when she is not playing her best her lower level doesn't get too low and she is able to regroup and put it back together.
hugobosstachini
Professional
For Victoria's standards on clay, this is a great tournament. She bailed out of trouble against Stosur when she was truly struggling with her shots and timing, like always, I should say, on clay.
She really has a lot of difficulties to find a strong base on this surface and by consequence doesn't really have the necessary strength to really make her ball go through the court on clay ; especially on the forehand side where she was having lots of trouble today, cross-court or down-the-line which usually she doesn't on hard-courts.
She tried her best to make the match close but she was giving Serena way too much to work with on key points... anyways she was smiling in the ceremony, chatted with Serena a bit, hugged her or whatever ; anyways, she's not too affected by this loss.
I still secretly wish she does something great in Roland Garros but I really doubt. Serena as for her should be the top contender in Roland Garros but this major is unpredictable. I still wouldn't advise a friend to bet 15 000€ and his Ferrari on it.
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All your posts seem to be rooted in some paranoid world where you must save Serena from a cabal of haters (the label given freely to anyone who intimates that Serena might not make the final of a slam where she has not made the final since 2002). Yet all you do in your defense of her is drag down other players — well, one in particular.
You have no idea that Maria was not injured when she pulled out — only in the deluded minds of tennis forum-goers does this rampant tanking and match avoidance actually take place — yet you will continue to spew such nonsense to build up your hero. Why on earth would the world's No. 2 player drop out of a tournament she's won twice (and could defend points with what would have been an easy win over Sara Errani) unless she were worried about a health/injury issue? Hasn't Serena smartly pulled out of many tournaments over the years when she's worried about a health issue, particularly ahead of a slam?
In this bizarre world of conspiracy and paranoia, anyone who drops out of the French Open will surely be a coward who doesn't want to eventually compete against Serena. The world's No. 1 player surely doesn't need this kind of support.
THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
Enough with the butthurt. Facts are facts.
....and you have no idea--no hard evidence that she was injured when she pulled out.
Why are you so quick to defend what many in this and other threads see as a highly questionable exit?
It is all too convenient that she bailed when she was marching toward another match with the woman who beat her recently--repeatedly. As others have noted, she probably bailed to avoid the psychological damage of possibly losing to the same person...again. Further, it is also too convenient that she vanished ahead of the pack--a very old story in tennis history--is not an uncommon practice—to gain the advantage of being fresh/practice for a forthcoming major.
I think you protest too much (to be objective) from just a mere suggestion of Sharapova pulling some less than honorable stunt to avoid another defeat / prep for the FO early in case she runs into SW again. It seems you are so defensive about her, that you cannot stand the natural course of the tide of competition--not wanting even a single observation leading to anything other than praise.
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THUNDERVOLLEY
G.O.A.T.
Perhaps she needs more dedication to the surface; I get the impression she feels her game dooes not need to be tweaked--even slightly--for clay...that she can power her way through anything. She's smarter than that, but that's the impression her general style suggests.
Yes, it wouldn't be just any ordinary loss.
If Maria lost again, it would be her 13th loss in a row to Serena and also right before the FO. The press and EVERYONE would be talking about how Maria cannot beat Serena.
Not a good way to go into a grand slam.
Her only options were withdraw from the tournament or win the match...and she has proven that she cannot do the latter.
AngieB
Banned
Serena Williams has placed herself in the best possible scenario approaching the French Open; three clay wins, current winning streak, top seed. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds. She should win it.
I'm reminded of Venus Williams' 2004 clay court season, 19 match winning streak, having won clay court tournaments approaching the French Open. Then came a loss to eventual champion Anastasia Myskina in the French Open quarterfinals. It was Venus' best clay court season for sure.
I think Serena Williams in 2013 will have built-in advantages Venus didn't have in 2004. Serena is quite dominant over the rest of the field right now which should reduce any disadvantage clay tennis affords her game. As long as she mentally prepares herself for a healthy challenge (she won't just pummel the field entirely) and can get through it, she should win.
AngieB
I'm reminded of Venus Williams' 2004 clay court season, 19 match winning streak, having won clay court tournaments approaching the French Open. Then came a loss to eventual champion Anastasia Myskina in the French Open quarterfinals. It was Venus' best clay court season for sure.
I think Serena Williams in 2013 will have built-in advantages Venus didn't have in 2004. Serena is quite dominant over the rest of the field right now which should reduce any disadvantage clay tennis affords her game. As long as she mentally prepares herself for a healthy challenge (she won't just pummel the field entirely) and can get through it, she should win.
AngieB
AngieB
Banned
For the record, I think Maria Sharapova's withdrawl from the Italian Open was the correct thing for her to do strategically approaching for the French Open. Mentally, it would serve her no useful purpose attempting to challenge an in-form Serena in a warm-up tournament the week before a grand slam major.
Maria's best chance at repeating as French Open champion will be to avoid playing Serena Williams, in Italy and in France.
AngieB
Maria's best chance at repeating as French Open champion will be to avoid playing Serena Williams, in Italy and in France.
AngieB
hugobosstachini
Professional
Yes I totally agree... she's developed some kind of stubbornness on this surface but I think it's because she doesn't have enough confidence in another tactic for now to actually do otherwise.
She should be varying her game on clay and we know she can do it... ; even in this match, she tried a little, she aired the ball a bit more at times, attacked the net a bit... but I think the belief is just not there. I really hoped she won this event, just maybe to liberate her a little.
Now this is the fourth she's lost, Madrid 2011 and 2012, Rome 2012, Suttgart 2012... and I really don't know what positive or negative effects it will have on her. I mean, over 50% of her losses in finals in Premier events comes on clay ; she's only lost one on hard-court event final in comparison and that's like 3 years ago (Dubai 2010 against Venus) - that's enough to develop a serious complex if you ask me.
Furthermore, another indication is that her slides are not controlled... at times she doesn't slide at all and then certain times when she's almost desperate or out of a point - anyways not thinking about it she just pulls it out naturally, sometimes combined with a good shot behind... that makes me laugh actually.
Anyways nice effort for Vika.Yes, Maria didn't want to lose to either of those players. Ironically, today Serena showed that her serve wasn't as much of a factor in her beat down of Azarenka.
The-Champ
Legend
Narcissist
Semi-Pro
The fact serena is dominating the clay season shows just how bad a state the WTA is in right now.
Tanya
Hall of Fame
You're forgetting the 2012 US Open Final against none other than Serena Williams
The only not working that well (other than her low 1st serve % in the final) is her drop shot, but she keeps trying it, which is interesting.
Tanya
Hall of Fame
Practice makes perfect.... I think part of her approach to this year's clay season is to vary her game more by using patience, angles and drop shots. Anyone watching her in 2013 vs 2012 can see a clear difference in how she has played. She was not happy about going out 1st round at last year's French and I really think that is her main focus right now.
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