2018 WTA Italian Open
- Thread starter Aussie Darcy
- Start date
TheAssassin
G.O.A.T.
I thought it would go to distance like last year but Halep was a real mess today. Svitolina is clearly mastering tennis outside Majors. 
Good to see Sharapova make a deep run and beat some good players along the way.
Good to see Sharapova make a deep run and beat some good players along the way.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
this was really boring final. so does this mean Svitolina will win French open ?
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Did not knew the final was at 12pm
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Will she finally reach the sf of a slam?
Last year she was close
?Last year she was close
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Yes, had to check the WTA website for the time before the men's final.Did not knew the final was at 12pm
Probably not she seems ideally suited to backing up day after day in one week events. In the 2 week events the mental challenge more than the physical suits other more. When Svitolina is on top she looks as good as anyone, her serve however can break down under pressure in tight matches and the second says hit me. Even after today I think Halep is more likely in Paris, although my money will be on Petra, now she looks really lean she probably is the best player on tour now Williams is done. Maria is a good outside punt though.
ScentOfDefeat
G.O.A.T.
The only positive I can see for Halep is that she's not the favourite to win RG anymore.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
Second fiddle to the Main Event. 1 pm for the Ladies final, 4 pm for the Men. Bit surprised
Agree. Can take some pressure off her now, and really perform good in Paris
D
Deleted member 293577
Guest
Until she gets to the finalAgree. Can take some pressure off her now, and really perform good in Paris
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
She's an incredibly annoying #1 but as much as it pains me to say, she's still consistent. She's better than Kerber was at #1, same for Garbie. She can makes QF's and SF's but just can't win a title. What's annoying is the amount of bagels and breadsticks she's received. I think I she's received about 12 in the last 12 months which is just awful.
(This was before the final so Halep is now actually 26-8 which puts her at 74%).
NaomiKonjuhPotapova
G.O.A.T.
Until she gets to the final
Yeah, she's the best #2 since she loves losing in final so much. I mean she's 16-14 at finals! (And from that 7-2 is International event which makes her sitting at 11-12 at finals premier and above)
EDIT: Kerber actually 11-16 at finals wow. Even Kerber 2016 onward is 4-6.
Last edited:
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Multiple singles titles in 2018:
Kvitova 4 (1 Premier Mandatory, 1 Premier 5, 1 Premier and 1 International).
Svitolina 3 (1 Premier 5, 2 Premier).
Mertens 3 (3 Internationals).
Top 20 players without a singles title this year:
Ostapenko
Garcia
Venus
Keys
Kasatkina
Vandeweghe
Barty
Rybarikova
Sevastova
Kvitova 4 (1 Premier Mandatory, 1 Premier 5, 1 Premier and 1 International).
Svitolina 3 (1 Premier 5, 2 Premier).
Mertens 3 (3 Internationals).
Top 20 players without a singles title this year:
Ostapenko
Garcia
Venus
Keys
Kasatkina
Vandeweghe
Barty
Rybarikova
Sevastova
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
Yes, but she majors in minors, or at least she has so far.
When you look at the WTA top ten, literally any one of those players could win the FO and probably about 10 more from the lower half of the top 20. And throw in Azarenka, Sharapova, and Serena(as they have proven they have what it takes to win slams no matter where they are in the rankings at the present time.) No joke. A bunch of uninspiring chokers with zero star quality in the top 20, IMO.
I would say 8 of the top 10 have a chance, I discount Wozniacki and Williams in the top 10, add Bertens and Sharapova to that from outside the top 10 as outside bets. The WTA is beginning to take proper shape the best players are now in that top 10 the order will change as to who performs in the slams coming up. Discount Azarenka and Williams they have no prayer in France.
As for Svitolina she has only really emerged as a top player in the last 15 months, in the slams since she has played since she lost 2 bad ones she should have won against Halep and Keys last year maybe inexperience at that level, in Australia she suffered badly with the heat but she is only 23 and a better, faster, leaner player than last year, with a bigger first serve and forehand. She still has that weak second serve, which she will probably need another off season to sort. So I think next year onwards will be more likely to be her time, if she can get a second serve I expect her to become the undisputed no1 in the WTA.
What I will say is far better for the WTA that there are 10 realistic potential winners than the men's game where you know who will win before the event even hits off.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Your lack of knowledge of the WTA tour continues to show in your posts.
Wozniacki, Kerber and Sloane are pretty terrible on clay and at the French Open. None have made a SF and Sloane hasn't made a QF and I can't see them doing it this year, let alone winning.
Venus hasn't made the QF at the French since 2006, hasn't made a clay final since 2010 and her form is crap. She's not winning.
Azarenka will be unseeded and isn't in great form so to me, she has no chance to win.
Halep, Muguruza, Svitolina, Ostapenko, Pliskova and Kvitova are all chances at winning for me. Garcia possibly but not sure if she's there yet.
To me, that is FAR more exciting then Nadal being the $1.10 favorite or whatever his odds are to win RG.
As for your general insults for the WTA ladies, pretty **** poor I must say.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
I agree re star quality: the only real stars have been around for ever. Those that should shine brightly only shine intermittently thus hard for the general public to get behind the player.
And a #1 that can perform reasonably consistently (good thing) but can get absolutely blitzed, again consistently (bad thing).
There is a reason that the women are playing to sparse crowds and even the Rome final was timed as a starter to the main course of the men's event.
Sad.
The womens game has been in decline compared to the men's for a long time. However in the last year signs the ship is turning around. In Paris the women's event if the French girls go well will hold more interest generating the higher crowds and viewing figures. Wimbledon and the US Open are consistently unimaginative in their show court scheduling, they will put the Williams sisters who most in GB can't stand at Wimbledon, rather than emerging talent. Last year Ostapenko v Svitolina for example was dumped on an outside court, utterly short-sighted and stupid.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
Absolutely.
But, unless they win enough to glean headlines the public/media remain uninterested and court scheduling will reflect this.
I imagine most of the British public still think Serena Williams is no.1 in the world whether they like her or not. Although for most of the British tabloid reading public, tennis begins and ends with Wimbledon the event, and Murray the player.
What the women's game needs are players the public warm too, which hasn't been there for 20 years and more. Steffi Graf was admired, Monica Seles, Evert v Navratilova, in those days the women's game got just as much audience as the men's. Now Murray is done the opportunity is there to project more of these young women onto the main stage, more Williams sisters and people turn off. No chance of turning the women's game around at the biggest event without imagination because attention will just go Murray to Federer and the women's game will carry on largely getting ignored.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
Dude, put the names of the top 20 plus Azarenka, Serena, Sharapova in a hat. Shake it up and randomly, pick out a name and you have a good shot at picking the FO 2018 winner. The top WTA players outside of Serena have no consistency. You don't know from one week to the next if they will win a title or choke. Obviously, Halep and Svitolina are the better clay court WTA players but we've seen what Halep does at the FO. I thought for sure she would win it last year with her easy draw and look what happened. Svitolina, who should be making the SF or F of the FO has been subpar at slams.
I don't care if you don't like my general insults about the current top WTA players. You know what I'm saying about their marketability is right on the money. A friend of mine is in the sports media end. The company he works for is a big agency which works with many big pro athletes. He tells me the top people at the WTA are tearing their hair out over this unmarketable and inconsistent crop of players. All you have to do is look at the empty stands. Just because you like to watch this unremarkable WTA group, doesn't mean the reality has changed and doesn't mean you should speak for the corporate side.
I Am Finnish
Bionic Poster
Thought it is her best surface
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Again, you continue to show how little you know about the WTA if you think that Rybarikova, Venus, Kerber or some other lesser top 20 player can win the French Open
As for consistency, each woman in the last 12 months that's won one of the big titles has gone on to win another. The only two to not to do that was Ostapenko (who has done well and has gone on to make the Wimbledon QF, Wuhan and Beijing SF and Miami final) and Osaka (who only just won Indian Wells so lets give her time).
As for the others:
Muguruza: Wimbledon and Cincy
Sloane: US Open and Miami
Kvitova: Birmingham, St Petersburg, Doha and Madrid
Pliskova: Eastbourne, Stuttgart
Wozniacki: Tokyo, WTA Finals and Australian Open
Goerges: Moscow & Elite Trophy
Garcia: Wuhan and Beijing
Svitolina: Toronto, Brisbane, Dubai and Rome
Are they as consistent as Nadal and Federer? Of course not, but they're doing better then any of the youngsters on the ATP tour. Zverev can't make a slam QF, Dimitrov has done **** all since winning the WTF meanwhile Wozniacki followed up her YEC title by winning the Australian Open. The WTA are setting themselves up well with young stars winning titles. Sure, it may not be rating as high as Djokovic v Nadal at the moment, but in a few years that matchup won't exist. And instead it'll be Zverev v Chung slam finals or something not many people will give a **** about because most casual tennis fans won't know about them. At least the WTA is introducing the rest of the world to these ladies who are winning slams whilst the ATP slams are being managed by a 37 year old and 30 year old who were on tour back in 2005. I'm far more concerned with the ATP's marketability in a few years when Fedalovic are gone than I am post Serena. The WTA has already shown what other talent it has out there with Muguruza and Kvitova and Wozniacki and more yet the ATP's but hope is Zverev I think? Who's never gone past a slam 4R? Going to be hard to pull big audiences when the fans who only watch slams have no idea who the top seeds are post Fedalovic.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Clay:Thought it is her best surface
1 title - Charleston
Never made the QF of the French Open
Never made the QF in Madrid or Rome
1 top 10 win
Hard court:
5 titles - Washington, Auckland, Acapulco, US Open and Miami
Won a slam and has also made a SF at the Aus Open on hard court
Won PM Miami and made the Canada and Cincy SF all on hard
10 top 10 wins
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
Aussie Darcy, post: 12294675, member: 736164Again, you continue to show how little you know about the WTA if you think that Rybarikova, Venus, Kerber or some other lesser top 20 player can win the French Open
My point was that any number of top women can win the FO. I know Venus, Kerber, Azarenka, etc. are weak on clay! Halep should have been dominating the FO for a few years now. She's the best of a bad lot on clay probably. Let's see if she'll choke it away again this year!
And who besides you and a handful of others know their names? I think Osaka could be a star if she could become consistent. Ostapenko may not have the appeal(personality, looks) to be super popular.
Muguruza is a temperamental headcase of the highest order. Talented but shows up when she damn well feels like it. When she won her first slam, I thought she would go on and be consistent but she's got a few screws loose. I'm not a big fan.
Sloane--another one who shows up when she pleases, mostly at slams. I personally can't stand her.
I like Kvitova's tennis and disposition. But she is also hit and miss. She has her pet events where she has a good chance of winning and you can pretty much forget about the rest.
Pliskova is a brainless ball basher. Terrible in the mental dept. I'm not a fan.
Wozniacki--well thank goodness she finally won a slam and she's a workhorse and tries hard everywhere but her tennis is usually snooze-worthy.
Goerges--who cares?
Garcia--yuck. No appeal at all.
Svitolina. Good player but majors in minors.
Exactly and that's why I'm out. I don't care about these no-names.
True, but he will, don't worry.
I agree. Dimitrov is a good example of how the entire top players of the WTA are, i.e. can win a big title one week but most weeks fall flat.
.
No, they aren't! I just told you what an industry insider said about the WTA players and the WTA top brass. The top brass is crying over this group of WTA players. They're not happy. It's difficult to market most of those players because of their inconsistency and lack of appeal.
Let's just see what happens with Zverev, Shapovalov, etc. Right now, I agree that when Fed, Nadal, Djoke retire, it will be sad for the corporate side as well as fans. Zverev will have to have rivals though right? The others are just slower to progress.
Again, I agree about the ATP's marketability after Fed/Nadal/Djokovic are done. But Zverev will have rivals.
Muguruza and Kvitova are not globally appealing for various reasons and I like Kvitova. Muguruza is a real sourpuss. I truly think she may have some kind of personality disorder.
Again, I'm not saying the ATP doesn't have its own challenges with Fedalovic getting older. It's a problem for them too. But the current WTA players are marketing nightmares. There are only a handful of men's match-ups I'm ever interested in watching and only at big events but my interest level in the WTA players is practically non-existent. I was more interested a couple of years ago when Serena, Kvitova, Sharapova, Li Na, Azarenka, etc. were competing at a high level well week after week. It's really taken a dive since then. That's the truth from an economic/business standpoint.
I can't agree to be honest the current group have the potential to take the women's game a lot further than that era most people can't stand Williams or Sharapova, a big problem when Williams was so dominant with the pumped up power lifter physique a lot of the girls got lazy and came into events overweight, Kvitova and Azarenka were two of those the whole appeal and competition went to the dogs. Now the top players look like female athletes the competition is up and the potential is there. Now what is needed is 3 or 4 to keep improving and go up another level and then even in America these players can become the next Graf or Evert. I don't agree with you on Garcia or Mugu either in Europe they have the potential to be real stars.
NaomiKonjuhPotapova
G.O.A.T.
Jeez guys, The Ws getting some consistencies now compare to 2017.
I mean sure we're not yet Federer, Nadal, Zverev winning again and again (Which I personally love rather than have the same player again and again) but so far no Jack Sock vs Krajinovic.
Garcia proved to be a consistent top player unlike Jack
I mean sure we're not yet Federer, Nadal, Zverev winning again and again (Which I personally love rather than have the same player again and again) but so far no Jack Sock vs Krajinovic.
Garcia proved to be a consistent top player unlike Jack
helixx
Hall of Fame
but what year?
her fh is pretty weak and mentally not the strongest one
Ronaldo
Bionic Poster
2018but what year?
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
Muguruza isn't especially popular in Spain!
Whilst I personally find her game boring she does have the looks to encourage more to the game, but still Sharapova remains the global superstar.
Garcia seems ok, but the French press and public are fickle! Also, doesn't have much recognition outside those of us that follow tennis.
Sharapova is very much damaged goods now, possibly even more so than Williams. More of a turn off than on rightly or wrongly. Mugu and Garcia among others have the potential to get the results to promote them to higher status and all of them can be more Graf and Seles than Williams and Sharapova with their somewhat tainted careers. That is what the women's game needs to get back to where it used to be.
D
Deleted member 293577
Guest
The women's game is doing just fine, it is the way it is. Why do people keep wishing it was something that it isn't?
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
You're happy with the way it is.
Some just think it's great.
Some think its woeful .
Some of us just wish for better.
Which ever point of view you subscribe to, at least it fosters debate rather than being practically ignored in the mainstream media.
And, lets face it, Serena Williams attending the Royal Wedding, received far more press than the WTA Rome tournament throughout .
D
Deleted member 293577
Guest
I never ascribed an emotion to it, I said it is the way it is. I don't wish it to be any different. I don't wish for any player to change their personality or playing style to my liking. If someone finds it woeful or wish it was better, that's their problem.
Serena attending the royal wedding is celebrity gossip, not tennis news, imo.
PDJ
G.O.A.T.
That's great for you. And I'm very pleased for you. You don't expect any more or less than how it is. Therefore, will never be disappointed.
I'm envious. I expect more, and therefore watch less and less. As I say, I'm envious of your attitude/approach to the wta.
However, I also respect other opinions.
70後
Hall of Fame
I don't agree with this industry insider or "top brass" whomever they may be. They sound like a bunch of middle aged and ageing _____ males who as usual just keep wanting the blonde, the young and the "legs" in women's tennis. No comment on that sort except that if the WTA is sensible, they should not promote their product as the wrong thing to the wrong kind of fan. As I've said in the previous thread, their product is tennis, they should be promoting diversity of styles and depth of competition, which WTA has in abundance. Not looks or appeal. The only thing that looks appealing to me when I'm watching tennis is a well played game of tennis.
imo, ATP/WTA should be going for "genetic heterogeneity" in growing their tennis fan bases, and think in generational and intergenerational scales, not for quick and mass cultivation of the sort of fan/non fan who will "only watch tennis for Federer" and his sponsorship image. That is a great mistake.
Just bear in mind, every action in the eco system is bound to have consequences.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
No offense to you because you seem like a nice poster, but do shut up! You have absolutely no idea about global marketing and if you were at the helm of any marketing business it would go under in a matter of months with your ignorant ideas.
What's the wrong type of fan? I didn't say that marketers are waiting for a tall blonde who can also win tournaments(although that's always the dream player for marketers despite your denials.) I said they're waiting for a player who can win consistently and who has charisma and global appeal. A person who can be an ambassador for the sport. They don't have to look like actress Margot Robbie. Li Na was hugely marketable( mostly in Asia but she was liked everywhere due to her bubbly personality, sense of humor, etc.)
You may be sitting in Asia somewhere and be under the misguided view that a professional sport doesn't heavily engage in branding to market the sport and you may watch tennis only for the quality of the matches and that's great for you, but if you try and run the WTA with those senseless ideas, you'd be in big trouble. That's where the WTA is today. They have no standout players(outside of Serena and Sharapova) who can really bring in interest in the sport. They need to find some suitable players for that task quickly to help sell the women's game.
Osaka looks like a good marketable player but will SHE have the consistency in the near future? They need some young, appealing and capable players. That's the way it has always been and that's the way it will always be. It's a business for goodness sake! The ATP is going through the same thing but they still have Fedalovic and they're milking that for all its worth. That's why a place like Vienna is paying through the teeth to get Nadal to appear. Without a player like him, the seats will be empty. That's how it works!
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