2017 WTA week of 1/8; Sydney (Premier) & Hobart

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Despite saving 4 MP in the one game, Petko loses her match on the 5th MP. Cepede wins. This is a terrible lineup for Hobart.
 

skyline

Legend
Petkovic has totally fallen apart. Gone are the days she was a T20 player for sure.

I wish I had a stream for the Bouchard-Domi match. I didn't dare predict anything there because I know Bouchard can trouble Domi.
 

Devil_dog

Hall of Fame
Good win by Genie. BTW, why won't Babolat give her a Pure Drive racquet bag to go with those Pure Drive sticks?
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Seriously, this is just erratic. She's going to get breadsticked if she doesn't retire. She doesn't look injured but she does look off.
 

skyline

Legend
Angie's just tanking to preserve herself for AO. :) She'll peak when the time comes.

Besides, she's only a break down unless the live score is telling tales. PLENTY of time to come back.
 

skyline

Legend
Could get the break back here. Kasatkina's gotta hold or all's wide open again.

If she can get herself on track, I'm sure she'll storm through the second set.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Nup this blows. Kerber won't make it past the Aus Open QF. Calling it now, i'll eat crow if she does but this is just stupid.

She's not Kuznetsova, she doesn't need this title or tournament. Number 1 in the world wasting so much energy on a (no offense) worthless tournament less then a week from a slam is absolutely stupid. Pliskova, Cornet, Siniakova and so many more knew to skip the tournaments this week but Kerber doesn't? Bloody hell woman. Stop giving people #1 wins. It's meant to be a big deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PDJ

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
I love that she doesn't pull a Serena and just use and abuse tournaments for money and then withdraw but she won't be number one long if she keeps doing this. Week 1 in Brisbane made sense as it's the first week, but playing Sydney a few days out from the first grand slam where she's defending champion? No! Say this goes 3 sets over 2.5 hours, and she wins and has a big QF and maybe a big SF, you think she'll back it up at the Aus Open? Cause I really don't. She's not in peak form.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PDJ

skyline

Legend
Nup this blows. Kerber won't make it past the Aus Open QF. Calling it now, i'll eat crow if she does but this is just stupid.

She's not Kuznetsova, she doesn't need this title or tournament. Number 1 in the world wasting so much energy on a (no offense) worthless tournament less then a week from a slam is absolutely stupid. Pliskova, Cornet, Siniakova and so many more knew to skip the tournaments this week but Kerber doesn't? Bloody hell woman. Stop giving people #1 wins. It's meant to be a big deal.

Pliskova, Cornet and Siniakova all made finals of their respective tournaments immediately preceding Sydney. And I wouldn't be too hasty to credit her over Serena for not pulling out and abusing tournaments (especially considering Serena lasted over 2 hours against Brengle in Auckland; there were shorter and easier ways of abusing her entry, if that was what she was going for). Last year, she did withdraw here in the QF after making finals of Brisbane IIRC, and I can't imagine her sticking it out till finals this year either, one way or another. Either she'll fall to someone in straight sets or she'll withdraw like she did 12 months ago. I'm sure she just wants more court time.

Kerber will never be a dominant no. 1. She knows that too, and it's fine; with 2GSs in hand, there's truly nothing for her to be ashamed about. I think she'll be good for AO though I doubt she'll defend the title. But few do, as I've said, and there is no shame in falling in QF. Serena's certainly done it plenty, and she's one of the best of all time.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Yeah, there is some ridiculous overreaction to her schedule. It's January 10, & this is her third match of the season. She's in ridiculous shape, she'll be fine. This is much ado about nothing.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Kasatkina wins the set with another terrible error by Kerber.
Can't believe Kasatkina is gonna have a win over a world number 1 player before Caroline Wozniacki does. HA.
 

skyline

Legend
I mean, I do generally think Angie should streamline her schedule to no more than 17-18 tourneys in a year. She is soon to be 29 and she relies heavily on her off the charts fitness and ability to cover the court. But right now I just think she is playing because she is uncomfortable going into AO with only two matches under her belt. Some people prefer tourneys by way of practicing. Jankovic certainly did.

She is gonna be fine imo.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
I mean, I do generally think Angie should streamline her schedule to no more than 17-18 tourneys in a year. She is soon to be 29 and she relies heavily on her off the charts fitness and ability to cover the court. But right now I just think she is playing because she is uncomfortable going into AO with only two matches under her belt. Some people prefer tourneys by way of practicing. Jankovic certainly did.

She is gonna be fine imo.
Yeah fair call. Agree with the first part of the post, disagree with the "she is gonna be fine at the AO" part. This serve is absolutely appalling and it was bad in Brisbane too. Fair enough she needs match time and its true she's only played 3 matches but I can't see her going deep with this awful serve. Needs to work on it ASAP.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Kerber loses in straight sets. Kasatkina now has a win over a world number 1. Sigh.
The world number 1 goes into the 2017 Australian Open as the defending champ winning just 1 match and losing 2. That one match win came over a player ranked outside the top 200 and even then she still managed to drop a set.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Now all we need is for Radwanska to lose to McHale and the WTA will be in complete shambles. The past week and a bit have been embarassing and highlighted how weak the top 10 is.

Coming into the first slam of the year we have the following:

Kerber: 1 win, 2 losses. Already lost this week
Serena: 1 win, 1 loss
Radwanska: 2 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Halep: 1 win, 1 loss
Pliskova: 5 wins, 0 losses
Cibulkova: 2 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Muguruza: 3 wins, 1 loss (retirement)
Keys: Absent
Kuznetsova: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Konta: 4 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Kvitova: Absent
Suarez Navarro: Absent
Svitolina: 3 wins, 1 loss
Azarenka: Absent
Bacszinsky: Absent
Venus: 1 win, then withdrew
Vesnina: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Vinci: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Strycova: 4 wins, 1 loss. Still in Sydney.
Wozniacki, 4 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Stosur: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.

Top form ladies.
5 of our top 21 players are injured/new mothers, 2 more remain winless for the season, 4 more have just one win (including three of the top 4 players) and 2 more have just 2 wins. And this is the top 20.

Currently, 4 out of the 5 QFists in Sydney are all unseeded. At least one more will join them (Coco or qualifier Duan). Don't even start me on Hobart where a lucky loser and qualifier are in the QF and we can't blame it on a weak draw because one of them defeated Petkovic and the other knocked out Mladenovic.

More depth at the bottom of the tour then at the top.
 
Last edited:

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Now all we need is for Radwanska to lose to McHale and the WTA will be in complete shambles. The past week and a bit have been embarassing and highlighted how weak the top 10 is.

Coming into the first slam of the year we have the following:

Kerber: 1 win, 2 losses. Already lost this week
Serena: 1 win, 1 loss
Radwanska: 2 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Halep: 1 win, 1 loss
Pliskova: 5 wins, 0 losses
Cibulkova: 2 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Muguruza: 3 wins, 1 loss (retirement)
Keys: Absent
Kuznetsova: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Konta: 4 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Kvitova: Absent
Suarez Navarro: Absent
Svitolina: 3 wins, 1 loss
Azarenka: Absent
Bacszinsky: Absent
Venus: 1 win, then withdrew
Vesnina: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Vinci: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Strycova: 4 wins, 1 loss. Still in Sydney.
Wozniacki, 4 wins, 1 loss. Still in Sydney
Stosur: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.

Top form ladies.
5 of our top 21 players are injured/new mothers, 2 more remain winless for the season, 4 more have just one win (including three of the top 4 players) and 2 more have just 2 wins. And this is the top 20.

Currently, 4 out of the 5 QFists in Sydney are all unseeded. At least one more will join them (Coco or qualifier Duan). Don't even start me on Hobart where a lucky loser and qualifier are in the QF and we can't blame it on a weak draw because one of them defeated Petkovic and the other knocked out Mladenovic.

More depth at the bottom of the tour then at the top.
It's a New World Order
 

skyline

Legend
Kuzzy's losses aren't dishonorable at least. Woz looking fine too. Georges is a perennially awful matchup for her and that's the only match she has lost so far.

Aussie, I don't mean that Angie will be fine at AO playing like this. I think she's gonna look way better next week. You'll see.

Also Dasha K is generally a tough nut to crack. I understand she is not a GS winner but she's far from a ridiculous player to lose to. (Way better than Maddy Brengle at least. Oh, Serena.)
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Can someone ID this player, she is in great shape and really polite + friendly!
IMG_0069-crop.jpg
At first I thought it was Konta, but wrong kit.
Sorry. I'm sure someone else will know.
 

JJGUY

Hall of Fame
I used to pick Li Na and Kvitova on their inconsistency, but compared to this crop of top 10 players, they look solid as a rock.

Now all we need is for Radwanska to lose to McHale and the WTA will be in complete shambles. The past week and a bit have been embarassing and highlighted how weak the top 10 is.

Coming into the first slam of the year we have the following:

Kerber: 1 win, 2 losses. Already lost this week
Serena: 1 win, 1 loss
Radwanska: 2 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Halep: 1 win, 1 loss
Pliskova: 5 wins, 0 losses
Cibulkova: 2 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Muguruza: 3 wins, 1 loss (retirement)
Keys: Absent
Kuznetsova: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Konta: 4 wins, 1 loss, still in Sydney
Kvitova: Absent
Suarez Navarro: Absent
Svitolina: 3 wins, 1 loss
Azarenka: Absent
Bacszinsky: Absent
Venus: 1 win, then withdrew
Vesnina: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Vinci: 3 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.
Strycova: 4 wins, 1 loss. Still in Sydney.
Wozniacki, 4 wins, 1 loss. Still in Sydney
Stosur: 0 wins, 2 losses. Already lost this week.

Top form ladies.
5 of our top 21 players are injured/new mothers, 2 more remain winless for the season, 4 more have just one win (including three of the top 4 players) and 2 more have just 2 wins. And this is the top 20.

Currently, 4 out of the 5 QFists in Sydney are all unseeded. At least one more will join them (Coco or qualifier Duan). Don't even start me on Hobart where a lucky loser and qualifier are in the QF and we can't blame it on a weak draw because one of them defeated Petkovic and the other knocked out Mladenovic.

More depth at the bottom of the tour then at the top.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Kasatkina wins the set with another terrible error by Kerber.
Can't believe Kasatkina is gonna have a win over a world number 1 player before Caroline Wozniacki does. HA.
To be fair to Wozniacki, she was number 1 for most of her peak and it's pretty hard to register wins against yourself. Yes, she under performed at majors, but rarely did elsewhere during her tenure as No.1.
Let it go :)
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Damn, Caro throwing shade.

C1yeaRqUkAArOAc.jpg
That's harsh of her, but actually highlights a deeper problem for tennis: they are so used to playing similar drilling machines that any one a little different is not considered a good tennis player.....
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
To be fair to Wozniacki, she was number 1 for most of her peak and it's pretty hard to register wins against yourself. Yes, she under performed at majors, but rarely did elsewhere during her tenure as No.1.
Let it go :)
She's had her chances in the past 5 years ;) and I'll never let it go, it's a funny stat :p
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
She's had her chances in the past 5 years ;) and I'll never let it go, it's a funny stat :p
But she was still no.1. And still going. And still competing at a high level. And gone further in this tournament than the current no.1.
To me, she's a player that is worthy of respect. I think of her as I do Stosur, Kuznetsova and a few others. They've earnt their dues.
 
Top