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

JJGUY

Hall of Fame
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.

Stosur and Kuzzy never reached No. 1 but they are slam winners (Kuzzy even had 2). I would put Caro in the same league as JJ. former No. 1 but no slam.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Stosur and Kuzzy never reached No. 1 but they are slam winners (Kuzzy even had 2). I would put Caro in the same league as JJ. former No. 1 but no slam.
I don't disagree with this, but any achievement is an achievement. Reaching No.1 is an incredible feat. As is winning a major. Hence, I personally, believe this is to be respected.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
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.
Hey don't get me wrong, I still respect Woz for everything she's done. She's one of my faves. Just love that a number one doesn't have a win over a number one ;) Oh and Stosur and Kuzy have wins over a number one player ;) :p
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Conveniently, Maria will return at Stuttgart two days after the tourney starts. That will be some creative scheduling. Good ol' Porsche pulling some strings...
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Conveniently, Maria will return at Stuttgart two days after the tourney starts. That will be some creative scheduling. Good ol' Porsche pulling some strings...
And who can blame them- the publicity will be HUGE! There's no denying Sharapova is a massive brand. Probably the biggest in women's tennis.
 

skyline

Legend
Caro is not wrong in describing Poots's style. Nothing wrong with it tho. Poots is a short lady. Gotta win however she can.
 

skyline

Legend
Hey don't get me wrong, I still respect Woz for everything she's done. She's one of my faves. Just love that a number one doesn't have a win over a number one ;) Oh and Stosur and Kuzy have wins over a number one player ;) :p

TBF, Woz wasn't exactly lucky as far as who she faced in her two slam finals. I won't defend her Slam record overall, but it's not as though she tanked against Kim or Serena. They're a class above her as players and they simply didn't play badly enough to let her win. She is a consistent player when in form but she doesn't have that next level she can go to and play out of her skin a la Sam Stosur (whose performance against Serena in 2011 is one of the best I've seen from anyone but whose lack of consistency overall makes me want to shed tears).

Woz would've grabbed something by now had she faced off with Safina, or Jankovic or Ivanovic or Myskina.

I definitely favor those who peak in time to produce amazing tennis and grab that GS, even if it never happens again (Sammy, Iva Majoli) over consistent but slamless no. 1s (sorry Dinara!), but Caro certainly had luck against her when she did find herself at the finishing line.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
TBF, Woz wasn't exactly lucky as far as who she faced in her two slam finals. I won't defend her Slam record overall, but it's not as though she tanked against Kim or Serena. They're a class above her as players and they simply didn't play badly enough to let her win. She is a consistent player when in form but she doesn't have that next level she can go to and play out of her skin a la Sam Stosur (whose performance against Serena in 2011 is one of the best I've seen from anyone but whose lack of consistency overall makes me want to shed tears).

Woz would've grabbed something by now had she faced off with Safina, or Jankovic or Ivanovic or Myskina.

I definitely favor those who peak in time to produce amazing tennis and grab that GS, even if it never happens again (Sammy, Iva Majoli) over consistent but slamless no. 1s (sorry Dinara!), but Caro certainly had luck against her when she did find herself at the finishing line.
I love, love, LOVE that Stosur won. And Bartoli. And Penetta. And Sciavonne (sp?). And Sabatini. And some others that won just the one major (although Sabatini was probably the unluckiest not to have won more than one, and has a pedigree a cut above the others I mentioned) but, for me, it's not all about winning major titles. Therefore, I respect other accomplishments.
 

skyline

Legend
Yeah Bouchard apparently has Domi's number. I wonder what it is that gives Dominika trouble against her. It's not as though Bouchard is doing exceptionally well all around.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Strycova takes the first over Caro @ 5.


Also, the WTA/ATP Live Scores App finally has the Slams this year.
 

skyline

Legend
Looks like Strycova is about to serve for it. Damn, I kinda favored Woz a little in this one.

Rad ought to be able to sleepwalk her way into the finals here.
 

70後

Hall of Fame
one mp saved.

Woz was up a break and serving 2-1 in the third.

Strycova makes no mistake with the fh on the second mp.

3 hours 20 minutes!
 

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. Out of 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.
And another bites the dust. Wozniacki out.
 

fundrazer

G.O.A.T.
Genie won the first @ 2.


And Konta won the first over Kasatkina @ 3.
Yeah it's funny how things go sometimes. Pretty sure it was at 2-all...Pavs failed to convert a break chance or two. Then I went to browsing other stuff only to come back and see Bouchard dominated the rest of the set.
 

Gytha

Legend
Yesss Jo. Climbs to no 9! Bouchard will be tough if she's on form, but who knows which version of Genie will show up.

Time for Wimbledon revenge!
 
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Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Aussie Jarmila Wolfe (formerly Gajdosova) has announced her immediate retirement due to injury.

She won 2 tour titles, reached the 2010 French Open & Wimbledon 4R and reached a career high #25.
She won the 2013 Aus Open mixed doubles title with Matt Ebden.

She was in her peak in 2010 and 2011 before getting numerous injuries including mono in the second half of 2013. Her form returned in 2014 and at the start of 2015 she reached the Premier Sydney QF with wins over then #13 Petkovic and #11 Cibulkova before losing to #4 Kvitova where she pinched a set off of her. A month later she defeated then #10 Kerber in the Fed Cup in a thriller. Her form dropped off and got various injures and thus has retired aged 29.
 

JJGUY

Hall of Fame
Duanvenport broke Aga to start, but I expect the deft Aga to win this match quite easily, she will be overpowered throught the match tho
 

JJGUY

Hall of Fame
Aga takes the first @ 3.

the 1st set actually is much tighter than the scoreboard shows. Duan possesses some raw sheer power, put Aga under the constant pressure, but too bad Duan's other aspects of game just too coarse, nothing to talk about.
 

PDJ

G.O.A.T.
Over, Genie v. Jo & Aga v. Strycova in the semis. Ain't mad at it.
That's not too bad a line up.
Both matches have potential. Also doesn't hurt that Bouchard may be ( just may be) on her way back. The game needs marquee names for the general public that might only have a passing interest in tennis.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Whoa, this needs to be addressed.

In some sports, tapping out early is a sign of weakness. In tennis, it can be good strategy … as long as not everyone’s trying it.

Sachia Vickery of the United States and Elise Mertens of Belgium were exactly one game into a WTA event in Hobart, Australia. During the changeover between games, both called for a trainer—the customary first move when there’s a possibility of injury. It’s rare to call a trainer after just one game, and even more rare for bothplayers to do so.

But with all due respect to the WTA Hobart event, it’s not the Australian Open, which is ramping up right now. Both Vickery and Mertens wanted to compete in a qualifying event with the hopes of playing their way into the Grand Slam tournament. And thus, the less time on the court at Hobart, the better.

Both players had a bit of a trainer standoff, with Vickery opting to retire first. Easy enough, right? Retiring is a low-risk, high-potential-reward approach that can give a player extra time to rest and recover while avoiding the possibility for significant injury.

Vickery currently ranks 135th Last year she was bounced in the qualifying round of 32, and has never advanced farther than the round of 128. Mertens, meanwhile, ranks eight slots ahead of Vickery, and lost in the qualifying round of 64 last year, her first appearance in the Australian Open.

Video in link
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
^ Mertens at least won again, so she's getting more ranking points & $. Fett did also.


Aga breadstick'd Strycova in the first.
 

spystud

Talk Tennis Guru
Strycova is probably about to get bageled here, but at least she's professional enough not to retire even after her 3:20 match yesterday. More players should take note.
 
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