2018 WTA Premier Sydney & International Hobart

[WYK]

Not that I think she will, but if CG wants to beat Kerber and is finally serious with a new coach; run better, shoot better.

I reckon the new coach will disappear after Sydney. Probably a temporary gig.

Shoot better, yes. But as far as movement, she is one of the best on tour, and one of the fittest.

 

[speedysteve]

Loving Camilla V2.0. long may it last.
Camilla's serve has improved dramatically during the off season. Lots of work done, new coach I guess.
I thought Rads might unravel her but she could do nothing against the pace coming at her. Well done Cami coming through a wobble 2nd set too

 

[Tcbtennis]

I don't dare predict Giorgi. She so frequently has looked like she's turned her career around and then serves 15 double faults in a match and goes on a losing streak. I'll just leave it up to her to let her tennis do the talking. Her father looks incredibly creepy by the way..

The person the camera kept showing cheering on Giorgi was not her father. It was the father of the young American ATP player Stefan Kozlov. I think his name is Andre Kozlov. If Kozlov is her coach (I hope so.), this can only mean really good things for her game. She is so talented and her father wasn't able to bring forth what she is capable of on a consistent basis.

 

[speedysteve]

The commentators kept referring to him as her coach.
She also said after the Rads match that she'd had 3 months off and that had helped.

 

[I Am Finnish]

@Aussie Darcy for who will the crowd gonna support more? Gavrilova or Barty

 

[Ronaldo]

Folks in Sydney get paid to stay home?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

@Aussie Darcy for who will the crowd gonna support more? Gavrilova or Barty

Sorry, been out all day. Glad to see Barty win and make another Premier final! Barty v Kerber would be juicy!

 

[PDJ]

@Aussie Darcy for who will the crowd gonna support more? Gavrilova or Barty

What crowd?
I would imagine it's easier to warm to Barty.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

What crowd?
I would imagine it's easier to warm to Barty.

The Aussie crowd as it was an all Aussie match up.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Some seriously stunning stuff from Kerber. Up a double break on Giorgi and serving for the first set.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kerber just blowing Giorgi off the court, outplaying her.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kerber wins the first set 6-2 over Giorgi.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Well well well. Giorgi stepping it up big time. Triple break points.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kerber saves two but a Giorgi works her magic in a rally and breaks her serve for the first time all match. Up 2-0 in the 2nd.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Defending champ Elise Mertens into the Hobart final once more with a 3 set win over Watson..

Buzarnescu up a set on Tsurenko and looking to make her first WTA final.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Giorgi goes up 3-1 but Kerber plays so good, wins the next 5 games and is now up 6-2 5-3.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Angelique Kerber continues her amazing 2018.

Defeats Giorgi 6-2 6-3 and is into the Sydney final!

Won all 8 matches she's played (4 WTA and 4 Hopman Cup).

 

[MLRoy]

Sloane was moving as well as my Pet Rock.

She needs to lose the weights, and find a track. She'd mop-up in MMA now.

 

[MLRoy]

Difference in effort between an International and Premier perhaps? She did make the Auckland QF with good 3 set wins over Errani and Larsson but yeah, lost to Hsieh in 3 despite serving a first set bagel..

Everything's got to be working for her to win. I love her game but she has to work twice as hard than a CooCoo or Keys. Speaking of every things got to be working to win, Bacsinszky's been out since the FO. She had hand surgery, I guess. She's playing the tourney after the AO. Love her.

 

[PDJ]

The Aussie crowd as it was an all Aussie match up.

I meant as in so few spectators for a match featuring home interest.

 

[Pagoo]

Dunno how Kerber found her form, but she's looking good. She's my favorite (not my preference) for the AO title.

 

[Ronaldo]

She needs to lose the weights, and find a track. She'd mop-up in MMA now.

Must be a reason she does not lose that excess flab. My bad, she has a wait problem.

 

[sportmac]

What is it with posters and the crowd size? It was mighty thin for Fognini as well. Why? It's during the day. A work day. The night crowds are always better attended. I go to the DC tournament every year during the week and no matter who is playing it's lightly attended during day matches. Night matches? Yeah, not so much.

 

[Racqueteer]

What is it with posters and the crowd size? It was mighty thin for Fognini as well. Why? It's during the day. A work day. The night crowds are always better attended. I go to the DC tournament every year during the week and no matter who is playing it's lightly attended during day matches. Night matches? Yeah, not so much.

I think that's why Brisbane tends to have stronger day crowds - a lot of people are still on holidays that first week of the year. By the second week, people are heading back to work.

 

[Ronaldo]

What is it with posters and the crowd size? It was mighty thin for Fognini as well. Why? It's during the day. A work day. The night crowds are always better attended. I go to the DC tournament every year during the week and no matter who is playing it's lightly attended during day matches. Night matches? Yeah, not so much.

Lightly attended? https://www.dowtennisclassic.com/ Possible 8+ inches of snow Monday.

 

[sportmac]

Lightly attended? https://www.dowtennisclassic.com/ Possible 8+ inches of snow Monday.

8+ inches of snow will do it every time.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Rain the whole day in Hobart as in Melbourne:

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/au/hourly-weather-forecast/tasmania/hobart

 

[Ronaldo]

8+ inches of snow will do it every time.

Waited a year to hear the sounds of snowmobiles zipping thru my yard at 2 am. Plows all night long

 

[sportmac]

Waited a year to hear the sounds of snowmobiles zipping thru my yard at 2 am. Plows all night long

Used to live in Michigan where they'd run all the damn time! We get usually a couple of inches all winter here in D.C.

 

[Ronaldo]

Used to live in Michigan where they'd run all the damn time! We get usually a couple of inches all winter here in D.C.

Guess you are not exactly missing them, eh?

 

[sportmac]

Guess you are not exactly missing them, eh?

Nope.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

In Hobart, they may have a window:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/au/hobart/15390/hourly-weather-forecast/15390

 

[Racqueteer]

Sydney WTA final about to begin

 

[spystud]

Finish it, Angie.

 

[spystud]

Angie takes the first @ 4.

 

[Racqueteer]

That first set felt very quick. I picked Kerber in the poll but I'd like to be wrong on this occasion! It's looking like it's her match so far though

 

[Aussie Darcy]

How's Kerber and Barty going? Missed the first set but tuning in now.

 

[Racqueteer]

Double post

 

[Racqueteer]

How's Kerber and Barty going? Missed the first set but tuning in now.

I'd say Kerber's level was a bit higher than Barty's in the first set but not significantly so.

 

[bezs]

Angi's on a roll.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kerber continues her incredible 2018 and wins the Sydney title defeating Barty 6-4 6-4.

Incredible wins over Safarova, Venus, Cibulkova, Giorgi and now Barty. On top of the 4 Hopman Cup wins she had as well. Yet to lose a match this year.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Crazy but that's her first title since winning the 2016 US Open.

Didn't win a single title in 2017.

What a start to the year.

 

[spystud]

That a girl, Angie!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Recent champions in Sydney usually don't have a winning time in Melbourne.

Last years champ Konta lost in the QF.
2016 champ Kuznetsova lost 2R.
2015 champ Kvitova lost 3R.
2014 champ Pironkova lost 2R.
2013 champ Radwanska lost in the QF.
But, 2012 champ Azarenka backed up her Sydney win by winning the Australian Open. Kerber will hoping to emulate that.

 

[spystud]

Buzarnescu just forced a decider in Hobart.

 

[cc0509]

Recent champions in Sydney usually don't have a winning time in Melbourne.

Last years champ Konta lost in the QF.
2016 champ Kuznetsova lost 2R.
2015 champ Kvitova lost 3R.
2014 champ Pironkova lost 2R.
2013 champ Radwanska lost in the QF.
But, 2012 champ Azarenka backed up her Sydney win by winning the Australian Open. Kerber will hoping to emulate that.

But none of those players I bolded have won the AO before and Angie has. Big difference.

 

[Racqueteer]

Congrats to Ange. It looks like this will be a 2016 year for her and not a 2017 year. Well done also to Barty, who made the final after losing early in Brisbane.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Kerber will repeat 2016

 

[andrus_k]

 

[andrus_k]

del

 

[MLRoy]

Must be a reason she does not lose that excess flab. My bad, she has a wait problem.

I don't think she's flabby, though her legs look thicker than in the past. But her shoulders and arms are huge/muscular. I got a new TV, and thought the ratio was off. But then I saw her on YT looking huge, too. How can you run weighed-down w/ so much muscle?

 

[Ronaldo]

I don't think she's flabby, though her legs look thicker than in the past. But her shoulders and arms are huge/muscular. I got a new TV, and thought the ratio was off. But then I saw her on YT looking huge, too. How can you run weighed-down w/ so much muscle?

Her dad did it daily,