2019 Australian Open - WTA Thread

[Vanhool]

Nice example of an extended "one-off" typo. Happens to all oeiole

I do it all on my phone in a highly distracted state, so there’s oleinty more where that came from!

 

[bluetrain4]

How come you didn't hear about her before today? She made a lot of noice with her deep run at the Miami open last year.

Either I missed or didn't remember. Odd that I'm saying "who is this?" I usually have some familiarity.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

A lot of people have a problem with ambitious, determined, and confident women. Some people don’t even like it in men! I think it’s great that she is owning her achievements (with credit to her coaches) and thinking positive about her future. All she said was that she would win more slam matches in the future. It ain’t bragging if it’s true. Hard to imagine a scenario where she never ever makes it through the early rounds of a slam again (and if that can happen, then there’s always a chance for more).

Okay agree there. When women speaks up, we tend to get labelled as bossy and when men speaks up they get labelled as assertive or leaders.
She's pretty sour in lost to Hsieh tho, but that's about that. Not exactly I'm rooting for but with that perspective not necessarily player to hate for.
Reminds me of Capriati game hopefully she's not doing cocaine.

 

[Enceladus]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1086855203125645312

 

[Nostradamus]

OMG OMG,,,,,,,,, What happened to sloan stevens ??? after 1st set, she was in complete control so I went to Sleep. then I woke up and saw she lost............. What is up with that ???????????

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Even when there is less surprise in this GS, we are again will have new SF-ist now that Collins will face Pavs in QF.

 

[Nostradamus]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1086855203125645312

She did this in the face of Kerber..... so sad

 

[Aussie Darcy]

So one of:
Kvitova
Barty
Pavlyuchenkova
Collins

Will be in the Australian Open final. Insane.

Imagine if Barty upsets Petra too? Barty had never made a slam QF, Pavs had lost like a million slam QF’s previously and Collins had never won a main draw match at a slam!

Kvitová looking so good here though. I keep waiting for her to drop off like she usually does but hopefully this is Madrid 2015 all over again!

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

That is more brutal than Kerber's defeat.

Pissy attitude from Sharapova the whole press

Typical of Sharapova--especially since she was exposed in her PED scandal.

The winner of Barty-Kvitova will reach the final

What makes you believe that? Just curious.

Friends I'm here to help. Danielle Collins is someone you want to root for. Here's why. Grew up playing public courts in Florida. Dad your basic gardener type. Mom a teacher. Rougher 'round the edges than almost all the other tour players. She's got some Tonya Harding in her.

That's not good. Like "CoCo" Vandeweghe, no one finds an *******-ish American girl with no reason to be so "on"/full of herself a pleasant thing to watch.

 

[Nostradamus]

So one of:
Kvitova
Barty
Pavlyuchenkova
Collins

Will be in the Australian Open final. Insane.

Imagine if Barty upsets Petra too? Barty had never made a slam QF, Pavs had lost like a million slam QF’s previously and Collins had never won a main draw match at a slam!

Kvitová looking so good here though. I keep waiting for her to drop off like she usually does but hopefully this is Madrid 2015 all over again!

why is Kvitova being in the final so amazing ? she is multiple slam champion, albeit it was before the hand surgery

 

[Harry_Wild]

Stephen just to up and down! Has the mental laps back again! LOL!

 

[AM75]

Stephen just to up and down! Has the mental laps back again! LOL!

Pavlyuchenkova was quite impressive actually. And it's interesting that she's only 2 years older than Stephens, it feels like she is on tour for ages already.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

why is Kvitova being in the final so amazing ? she is multiple slam champion, albeit it was before the hand surgery

She hasn't made a slam SF since she won Wimbledon in 2014 (which was well before the stabbing). She's never made a slam final outside of Wimbledon as well and hadn't made an Australian Open SF since 2012(!).

 

[I Am Finnish]

What makes you believe that? Just curious.

They are in a great form especially Kvitova look at her results

 

[Aussie Darcy]

They are in a great form especially Kvitova look at her results

Petra must've had an incredible off season cause her back half of 2018 wasn't great.

2018:
1R loss at Wimbledon with a bagel
3R loss in Canada (1 win)
SF in Cincy (this was a great run with a win over Serena) (3 wins all up)
QF in Connecticut (2 wins)
3R USO with a breadstick (2 wins)
3R Wuhan (1 win)
2R Beijing (no wins, thrashed by Gavrilova)
Lost all 3 matches at the WTA Finals.

2019:
2R loss in Brisbane to Kontaveit but she did beat Collins in the 1R who could be her SF opponent (How crazy is that? 1R in Brisbane, SF at the Australian Open).
Champion in Sydney
QF* at the Aus Open

 

[skyline]

She hasn't made a slam SF since she won Wimbledon in 2014 (which was well before the stabbing). She's never made a slam final outside of Wimbledon as well and hadn't made an Australian Open SF since 2012(!).

Yup, I think it's kind of crazy she's come this far, despite her obvious talent. Barty really could advance to F, if she lays an egg in this coming round; either of Collins/Pavs is quite beatable in the semis.

It's crazy how opened-up that part of the draw is.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Yup, I think it's kind of crazy she's come this far, despite her obvious talent. Barty really could advance to F, if she lays an egg in this coming round; either of Collins/Pavs is quite beatable in the semis.

It's crazy how opened-up that part of the draw is.

The top half is loaded

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Yup, I think it's kind of crazy she's come this far, despite her obvious talent. Barty really could advance to F, if she lays an egg in this coming round; either of Collins/Pavs is quite beatable in the semis.

It's crazy how opened-up that part of the draw is.

Collins played lights out against Kerber but I can see her easily being like Anismova and getting destroyed in the next match, especially if it’s Petra.

 

[bluetrain4]

While i'm very disappointed to see Kerber defeated, its not like a top, majors-winning player has not suffered early exits before. This is far frm defining for Kerber, who has much more to win going forward.

She's never been that consistent of a champion. It's sort of her MO, though last year was fairly consistent in the Slams. She can go from this to winning another major back to this and back to winning. In fact, there's really no consistent champions anymore. Serena is the last of that ilk. I watched Collins yesterday and she looked like a world beater - people saying that she may have multiple Slams in her. We've said that about a LOT of players during their hot streak(s) in the last five years, but it's never panned out for any of them. There's no new plainly "elite" players who are consistently a level above everyone else.

 

[donquijote]

P
E
T
R
A

 

[Turbo-87]

Friends I'm here to help. Danielle Collins is someone you want to root for. Here's why. Grew up playing public courts in Florida. Dad your basic gardener type. Mom a teacher. Rougher 'round the edges than almost all the other tour players. She's got some Tonya Harding in her. The first time I saw her was last year Indian Wells. At first, I was, like, whoa. But, give it time. She'll grow on you in a good way. Someone mentioned Coco. Coco raised in the snootiest of families. And she couldn't (despite having one of the best ever female serves) be more unlikable. Embrace the new Tonya. Breath of fresh air in what is always an interesting WTA.

I don't really like the comparison to Tonya Harding, who was all around unlikeable and never grew on anyone. Similar backgrounds and desire to win, but I did see a likable person in Danielle when they had a "ride the shuttle with the player" interview with her last night. She seemed pretty cool and fun off the court. Harding was never like that.

I am really looking forward to watching Halep versus Serena. Halep has been my tour favorite for a while now. There's just something appealing about the Halpena.

 

[spystud]

Why can't Garbine/Karolina be on Laver instead of a freaking Legends Doubles match?

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Pavlyuchenkova was quite impressive actually. And it's interesting that she's only 2 years older than Stephens, it feels like she is on tour for ages already.

She's more mental case I think. She's promising junior to be Vika's main competitor and yet to make a semis.

 

[AM75]

She seemed pretty cool and fun off the court.

Quite an opposite of cool and fun (it's fun only if you like to observe hysterics).

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Listening to the tennis channel advertise the Bahamas as a training/living destination is driving me crazy. The main reason they go is the tax laws. Pathetic.

 

[muddlehead]

I don't really like the comparison to Tonya Harding, who was all around unlikeable and never grew on anyone. Similar backgrounds and desire to win, but I did see a likable person in Danielle when they had a "ride the shuttle with the player" interview with her last night. She seemed pretty cool and fun off the court. Harding was never like that.
I am really looking forward to watching Halep versus Serena. Halep has been my tour favorite for a while now. There's just something appealing about the Halpena.

The Tonya comparison comes from: 1. Similar, sort of, backgrounds into a hoity toity livelihood. 2. A little in jest. Tonya made a great heel (villain from pro wrestling). Her celebrity boxing match with Paula Jones was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. And, I liked her for it. So, the Tonya comparison refers to a female athlete "badass" - especially in a sport like skating or tennis. Take no prisoners in a sports sense.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Svitolina/Keys walk on court.

 

[TagUrIt]

Looking forward to the battle between two 6 footers Pliskova and Muguruza! Of course Williams and Halep will be epic too.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Another Kerber/Collins like score coming.

Svitolina races to a 3-0 lead on Keys, Keys spraying errors while Svitolina is staying calm.

 

[Deleted member 293577]

Keys in a little bit of trouble early on, can't find her rhythm.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Stunning shot from Elina! Keys just looks lost.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Keys gets on the board

 

[NuBas]

2 easy

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Svitolina serving for the first up 5-2.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Long MTO for Svitolina just for some blisters

 

[flyingboris]

A pedicure during the match, lucky girl

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Svitolina takes the first 6-2. Looks comfortable out there.

 

[spystud]

Gael ain't gonna want to mess with them piglets.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Keys now firing and she breaks for 2-0.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Let's go Keys!

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Long MTO for Svitolina just for some blisters

Is it the same MTO vs Zhang?

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Keys seems to have lost whatever potential she displayed a couple of years ago. She's just in one zone, and i'm guessing that comes from the influence of her coaches, who still believe her type of game is the way to counter the "power" myth they're still buying into.

 

[fundrazer]

WTA is weird sometimes.

 

[spystud]

Zhang was neck/shoulder.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Now Keys is playing her dominant hitting game and is coming for a second set bagel.

 

[Ruark]

Ya' think Svito's blisters are checking in, or is it Keys just getting it together?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Perhaps Madison had some notes to read during Svitolina’s MTO and it said ‘don’t let her into the rallies’. Cause she’s waiting and hitting her winners unlike the first set.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ya' think Svito's blisters are checking in, or is it Keys just getting it together?

Keys getting it together

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Svitolina gets on the board in the second but Keys has triple set point.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Keys serves a breadstick on Svitolina and we’re going 3.

Interesting difference in sets.