2018 WTA French Open: Serena Williams v. Maria Sharapova

[MatsPhilander]

Yes, she's is the female GOAT. Her longevity is amazing. She'll win a few more slams and make it impossible to argue that Graf is the GOAT. No, Navratilova isn't better than Serena nor was Seles and I preferred to watch Seles over Serena any day. But the truth is the truth and Serena is still active and will probably get to 25 slams. Nobody will ever beat that record. Let's get serious.

Serena has had little competition or great rivalries. She has taken advantage of an incredibly weak era. That her greatest rivalry is one she leads 19-2 speaks volumes. She has used her freakish physique & awful personality to bully & intimidate the rest of the tour into submission-most of it via hero worshiping her as some unbeatable deity, when the reality is many have beaten her when they don't show fear.

 

[Man of steel]

I think Sharapova is saying she is taller than she looks on television, I often look at Nadal & think he is short as television makes him appear so, yet he is over 6 foot. Five foot nine is pretty tall for females where the average is five foot four or five foot five.

So Sharapova is supposed to stand there in silence at winning because her opponent is hurt? What sort of nonsense argument is that? Like Serena wouldn't be jumping up & down if the tables were turned, or any player for that matter.

You must live in oompa lumpa land or something 5'9" Isn't that tall for an athlete. 6'2" now thats tall. She's tall enough to be Lock in a rugby team ffs. And i've played rugby.

 

[Man of steel]

Serena has had little competition or great rivalries. She has taken advantage of an incredibly weak era. That her greatest rivalry is one she leads 19-2 speaks volumes. She has used her freakish physique & awful personality to bully & intimidate the rest of the tour into submission-most of it via hero worshiping her as some unbeatable deity, when the reality is many have beaten her when they don't show fear.

Who the hell thinks maria is serena's greatest rivalry. No sane person ever thinks that. Only delusional sharapova fans think that maria is some sort of a rival for serena. Stop propping up maria. She may be a rival for other players but not for serena. She's as much a rival is as an ant is to a human.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

Why am i not surprised.

And the way Serena addressed her in her speech was respectable.

Then she got down to business.

 

[MatsPhilander]

Serena has never celebrated when she's won over an injured player. The last thing serena wants is to beat an injured player because she's knows she's the best and the only way you prove it is by beating other players when they are healthy and playing at their best. Plus its a sign of respect. Serena has beaten numerous players who were injured and she or her family have never gloated in the faces of the opponent and she's one of the only few thats actually worried about the welfare of players off the court and on it

Sharapova doesn't have an ounce of it of respect for her opponents.

"Check her blood pressure" moment said all it needed to say.

I am sure she probably has won tournaments where somebody has been injured & celebrated after over 20 years on the tour. Was Stan not allowed to celebrate his maiden slam win because Nadal was injured? Djokovic when Fed couldn't make it to the year end final due to injury?

Well since we are talking about respect & quotes how about somebody doing their job & you telling them that you are going to shove the f'ing ball down their throat? Such respect. Just a bully.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

@Man of steel

“Last but not least is Miss Sharapova for a great match, a great win, a great tournament”

 

[MatsPhilander]

Who the hell thinks maria is serena's greatest rivalry. No sane person ever thinks that. Only delusional sharapova fans think that maria is some sort of a rival for serena. Stop propping up maria. She may be a rival for other players but not for serena. She's as much a rival is as an ant is to a human.

That is the one everybody talks about-more because of the issues between them no doubt &that so many of their meetings have come at the business end of slams. But also because she has so little in the way of other opponents other than Henin.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

I am sure she probably has won tournaments where somebody has been injured & celebrated after over 20 years on the tour. Was Stan not allowed to celebrate his maiden slam win because Nadal was injured? Djokovic when Fed couldn't make it to the year end final due to injury?

Well since we are talking about respect & quotes how about somebody doing their job & you telling them that you are going to shove the f'ing ball down their throat? Such respect. Just a bully.

Skip to 0:45

 

[ScottleeSV]

Graf was the better all round player (in my opinion). I lived through that era and she was an absolute winning machine. Very little weakness.

Williams is all about the first serve and the second serve return; both ridiculous weapons. Beyond that she has a very beatable ground game. Graf would have absolutely owned her from the baseline.

Possibly Williams is 'respected' at Wimbledon (to a point), but I've never thought she was loved there. Any time an upstart gets the drop on her ala Lisicki or Cornet, the place goes bonkers with excitement. Federer and Nadal are far more loved in that respect. I've never met a tennis or a sports fans in the UK who enjoys watching the Williams sisters. Not one in 20 years.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

Graf was the better all round player (in my opinion). I lived through that era and she was an absolute winning machine. Very little weakness.

Williams is all about the first serve and the second serve return; both ridiculous weapons. Beyond that she has a very beatable ground game. Graf would have absolutely owned her from the baseline.

Possibly Williams is 'respected' at Wimbledon (to a point), but I've never thought she was loved there. Any time an upstart gets the drop on her ala Lisicki or Cornet, the place goes bonkers with excitement. Federer and Nadal are far more loved in that respect. I've never met a tennis or a sports fans in the UK who enjoys watching the Williams sisters. Not one in 20 years.

Venus definetely is.

 

[MatsPhilander]

@Man of steel

“Last but not least is Miss Sharapova for a great match, a great win, a great tournament”

If anything her celebration was very muted-it was almost like she was in a daze at winning. Her dad was excited for her but he was hardly over the top & neither of them were in her face-they were on the other side of the court. Amazing the nonsense that Sharapova haters will accuse her of.

 

[Man of steel]

That is the one everybody talks about-more because of the issues between them no doubt &that so many of their meetings have come at the business end of slams. But also because she has so little in the way of other opponents other than Henin.

Its the one people talk about because they keep hoping that maria is going to be some sort of rival for her. Every single match of theirs since 07 has been NID.

She has so little in way of other opponents?
lol

Capriati has a better h2h against serena than henin.

Venus has more wins against serena than any other player.

Hingis has a better h2h against both of the sisters than anyone.

Davenport has a better H2H against serena than maria.

Azarenka has a better h2h against serena than maria.

Clijsters has been in more competitive matches against serena than maria.

Hell even mauresmo and dementieva has a better H2h and more competitive matches against serena than maria.

Maria is the only

 

[ausfrewimuso]

If anything her celebration was very muted-it was almost like she was in a daze at winning. Her dad was excited for her but he was hardly over the top & neither of them were in her face-they were on the other side of the court. Amazing the nonsense that Sharapova haters will accuse her of.

If I was to say that about Serena if she didn’t congratulate Maria, you would call it an excuse, so should I call yours one?

I didn’t mention her dad, just the speech. She was young anyways and nervous, both have changed.

 

[Man of steel]

Graf was the better all round player (in my opinion). I lived through that era and she was an absolute winning machine. Very little weakness.

Williams is all about the first serve and the second serve return; both ridiculous weapons. Beyond that she has a very beatable ground game. Graf would have absolutely owned her from the baseline.

Possibly Williams is 'respected' at Wimbledon (to a point), but I've never thought she was loved there. Any time an upstart gets the drop on her ala Lisicki or Cornet, the place goes bonkers with excitement. Federer and Nadal are far more loved in that respect. I've never met a tennis or a sports fans in the UK who enjoys watching the Williams sisters. Not one in 20 years.

Graf certainly didn't own her in that IW final now did she

Very little weaknesses oh please

If a player like seles with a weaker groundstrokes, slower movement, average at best serve and great returner could be competitive with graf before the stabbing than Graf is certainly not going to own Serena by any stretch of the imagination

 

[mightyrick]

We will see I take it you didn't watch Maria yesterday.

Pliskova was as flat as a pancake yesterday. Low energy level. Faulting her serve all over the place. She wasn't up for the match. Not an excuse... a loss is a loss... but it wasn't because of how great Sharapova was playing as much as it was about Pliskova not remotely having her usual level.

 

[MatsPhilander]

Skip to 0:45

Its the one people talk about because they keep hoping that maria is going to be some sort of rival for her. Every single match of theirs since 07 has been NID.

She has so little in way of other opponents?
lol

Capriati has a better h2h against serena than henin.

Boosted by Serena still being somewhat green & a seasoned veteran taking advantage.

Venus has more wins against serena than any other player.

Ah yes, when their dad was deciding who would win.

Hingis has a better h2h against both of the sisters than anyone.

But again it was a short lived rivalry from 1998-2002 before Serena became the beast.

Davenport has a better H2H against serena than maria.

But at 4-10, still awful.

Azarenka has a better h2h against serena than maria.

And again at 4-17 it isn't up to much.

Clijsters has been in more competitive matches against serena than maria.

2-7 & one of those wins was a default when Serena made threats against an official

Hell even mauresmo and dementieva has a better H2h and more competitive matches against serena than maria.

Yet nobody talks about them.

Maria is the only

 

[MatsPhilander]

Serena will always be jealous of Maria's alluring shoulders & supermodel looks.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

.

Didn’t know you was Richard Williams,

Anyhows, Venus was Serena’s true rival, the matches they produced pre 2010 was amazing

 

[MatsPhilander]

Didn’t know you was Richard Williams,

Anyhows, Venus was Serena’s true rival, the matches they produced pre 2010 was amazing

No thanks, he is to blame for her being the way she is. Thought they were tedious exercises in ball bashing & most of them were fixed.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

No thanks, he is to blame for her being the way she is. Thought they were tedious exercises in ball bashing & most of them were fixed.

Salty that your favourites ball bash but can’t aim?

There’s always something you haters always have lined up.

 

[MatsPhilander]

If I was to say that about Serena if she didn’t congratulate Maria, you would call it an excuse, so should I call yours one?

I didn’t mention her dad, just the speech. She was young anyways and nervous, both have changed.

You didn't, somebody else did.

man of steel

Plus maria was mistaken. It wasn't wimbledon that serena turned sour against the sharapova clan. It was actually the tour final where serena was winning then injured her leg and subsequently lost the match due to the injury. However sharapova and particularly her dad were gloating and being obnoxious infront of serena like it was some sort of great victory beating an injured opponent. Thats what turned serena sour.

 

[MatsPhilander]

Salty that your favourites ball bash but can’t aim?

There’s always something you haters always have lined up.

As I have said the women are mostly mental midgets-which is why she has been able to dominate

 

[ausfrewimuso]

As I have said the women are mostly mental midgets-which is why she has been able to dominate

Not her problem

 

[skyline]

Serena has never celebrated when she's won over an injured player. The last thing serena wants is to beat an injured player because she's knows she's the best and the only way you prove it is by beating other players when they are healthy and playing at their best. Plus its a sign of respect. Serena has beaten numerous players who were injured and she or her family have never gloated in the faces of the opponent and she's one of the only few thats actually worried about the welfare of players off the court and on it

Sharapova doesn't have an ounce of it of respect for her opponents.

"Check her blood pressure" moment said all it needed to say.

The worst thing about the blood pressure comment was that she said it right after she herself served a DF. Like, sure, yes Ivanovic’s pressure is why you DF-ed.

I don’t hate Maria but that was a bad moment for her.

 

[WDC]

Venus definetely is.

Maybe was now she is seen very much as a cheat like her sister.

 

[ausfrewimuso]

Maybe was now she is seen very much as a cheat like her sister.

Nice story

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Okay, which one is better

Sharapova: The Point or Being Serena?

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Without question apart from the world number 1 being stabbed and taken out of the game for 2 and a half years.Graf winning the next 4 slams in a row straight after the incident and 11 more slams in that time period.

Yeah without question

Lol

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Very few wanted Williams to win last year, look at any BBC Tennis post regarding Williams and the narrative is much as mine, so much so they dare not put them up as a whole anymore. Tennis is way down the sporting list here but the general opinion on Williams is she wins through cheating. Wimbledon crowds do not represent the average UK sports enthusiast at all.

Still I live in the UK too (as do others here) and it's not at all as you describe.

Perhaps it's just the company that you keep that dislike the Williams sisters.

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[ausfrewimuso]

Perhaps it's just the company that you keep that dislike the Williams sisters.

Exactly , he's probably a frequent user of Dailymail

 

[WDC]

Still I live in the UK too (as do others here) and it's not at all as you describe.

Perhaps it's just the company that you keep that dislike the Williams sisters.

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Not at all I have never heard of a UK Sports fan who would go out of their way to watch the Williams sisters. That is the reality in UK competitors who are cheats, or perceived to be cheats are seen as the lowest of the low, maybe more than other places. Sporting fair play is held very dear here. Even somebody such as Murray with his demeanor on court very much divides opinion, or a multi champion like Farah with his team that is the way it is.

 

[WDC]

Exactly , he's probably a frequent user of Dailymail

Go away with the crap. For the record I love Sloane the way she plays and her whole package. She could become my favourite player.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

Not at all I have never heard of a UK Sports fan who would go out of their way to watch the Williams sisters. That is the reality in UK competitors who are cheats, or perceived to be cheats are seen as the lowest of the low, maybe more than other places. Sporting fair play is held very dear here. Even somebody such as Murray with his demeanor on court very much divides opinion, or a multi champion like Farah with his team that is the way it is.

Well, I consider myself a UK tennis fan and don't consider her a cheat, nor do those I know. Nothing but respect for her from the TV pundits here either in my experience. So once again, your experience is far from universal for he UK.

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[ausfrewimuso]

Go away with the crap. For the record I love Sloane the way she plays and her whole package. She could become my favourite player.

Of course you like Sloane, you know there is absolutely no way she's going to be as big as Serena, so why not like her.

Not at all I have never heard of a UK Sports fan who would go out of their way to watch the Williams sisters. That is the reality in UK competitors who are cheats, or perceived to be cheats are seen as the lowest of the low, maybe more than other places. Sporting fair play is held very dear here. Even somebody such as Murray with his demeanor on court very much divides opinion, or a multi champion like Farah with his team that is the way it is.

Nobody thinks Serena is a cheater here, stop with the nonsense, you should come out more, or are you from the villages of the West Country....

 

[WDC]

Well, I consider myself a UK tennis fan and don't consider her a cheat, nor do those I know. Nothing but respect for her from the TV pundits here either in my experience. So once again, your experience is far from universal for he UK.

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The TV Pundits are PC automatons who would never talk controversial and risk their comfortable jobs. That is the way not just in Tennis although the Tennis experts are among the most uninspiring, little more than cheerleaders first for the UK players and then the famous ones. For the real Sports fans my comment on the Williams is pretty much universal, for the more casual big event fans it may be more mixed.

 

[WDC]

Of course you like Sloane, you know there is absolutely no way she's going to be as big as Serena, so why not like her.



Nobody thinks Serena is a cheater here, stop with the nonsense, you should come out more, or are you from the villages of the West Country....

I think some do actually, no you are off the mark again. What Sloane wins she will do fairly, so for many it will count for more. She doesn't like Williams either does she?

 

[ausfrewimuso]

I think some do actually, no you are off the mark again. What Sloane wins she will do fairly, so for many it will count for more. She doesn't like Williams either does she?

Nope, you are off the mark. And lol keep dreaming.

 

[Ruark]

All right. Let Sharapova give birth via c-section with her core nerves cut and abdominal muscles pulled apart to deliver, take a year off and play Serena (who had been playing in that year) in like her 5th or 6th match, and lets see how that one goes.

Point made, but it's kinda unfortunate, in a way. I'm not a hater by any means, but still, it looks to me like if Serena beats Sharapova, she'll get big congrats for "coming back," being a top player, etc. and if she loses, of course she'll have a perfect excuse; it won't be a "real" victory for Sharapova. Basically a win-win for Serena.

 

[mightyjeditribble]

The TV Pundits are PC automatons who would never talk controversial and risk their comfortable jobs. That is the way not just in Tennis although the Tennis experts are among the most uninspiring, little more than cheerleaders first for the UK players and then the famous ones. For the real Sports fans my comment on the Williams is pretty much universal, for the more casual big event fans it may be more mixed.

Ah so I'm not a "real" fan because I don't dislike Serena?

Haha got it

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[duaneeo]

Serena has had little competition or great rivalries. She has taken advantage of an incredibly weak era.

Over her long career, Serena has faced many great competitors at their peaks, with some great rivalries among them. My favorite is Serena/Capriati.

 

[Krish872007]

We don't all think the same way in the UK, there are plenty of people I know who enjoy watching Serena play at Wimbledon - she is, after all, one of the biggest draws in the sport. And these guys know their tennis.

 

[icedevil0289]

hopefully serena

 

[speedysteve]

As Eurosports self appointed commissioner of tennis (Mac) just put it about tomorrow's big match..

"The cat suited Super Hero Vs the convicted felon from siberia"

LOL!

 

[Sysyphus]

I give Masha a very fair shot in this one, but perhaps I'm underestimating the effects of 100 (14) years of servitude.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Serena has had little competition or great rivalries. She has taken advantage of an incredibly weak era.

Posted like someone who never watched tennis over the past 20 years, or is still in Hooded Hate mode. Probably both.

 

[vicnan]

“Serena Williams has marked the heights and the limits of my career — our stories are intertwined,” Sharapova writes.

Serena has an inextricable part in Sharapova's tennis story. Not the other way around. When was the last good match between them? Less drama and better tennis this time around, I hope.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

A higher total number of Slams doesn't trump, in my view, a considerable amount of Slams won plus the greatest achievement in tennis which is the Grand Slam (and a golden Slam at that). It's more likely that someone will tie or overtake Serena than score 20+ Slams while also achieving a golden Slam.

 

[FakeEmpire]

Just as a reminder, this match is the fourth one at Philippe Chatrier tomorrow: https://www.rolandgarros.com/en-us/article/roland-garros-2018-order-of-play-monday-june-4.
Fingers crossed I can watch, at least, some of it...

 

[murphywmm]

Screamapova will be lucky to win five games. Serena is her lord and master, regardless of what shape she's in. Serena also said she has "nothing to lose" which is always the kiss of death from her.

 

[TenS_Ace]

I am sure she probably has won tournaments where somebody has been injured & celebrated after over 20 years on the tour. Was Stan not allowed to celebrate his maiden slam win because Nadal was injured? Djokovic when Fed couldn't make it to the year end final due to injury?

Well since we are talking about respect & quotes how about somebody doing their job & you telling them that you are going to shove the f'ing ball down their throat? Such respect. Just a bully.

Pffft...Shapovalov hit an umpire in the freeking eye, shattering his orbital bone.. Serena just TALKED about shoving a ball down that bea-at-chez's throat..BIG difference