2019 Miami - WTA Premier Mandatory - General Discussion

Who will gains the title?


  • Total voters
    35
  • Poll closed .

TagUrIt

Hall of Fame
@TagUrIt @nounforcederrors @emilyhex


Wow, what happened? I thought that it was well after 10:30pm (Miami time) when I discovered that play had been suspended (after the 1st 6 games). Did it really end after 1am in the friggin' morning?

And what happened to Simona? Heard that they exchanged breaks in the 1st 6 games but, from the stats I posted earlier, it appeared that Simona was outplaying Karolina for the most part.


Yup what Spystud said. I thought they wouldn’t resume play until the next day, but some how they managed to continue the match. The momentum was all in favor in Pliskova. I’m sure she was glad to be able to finish it.
 

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
Let's admit it, WTA matches are really unwatchable,, really boring. if it wasn't for the hot babes like Konteveit, I wouldn't bother with it
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
@spystud
Yup what Spystud said. I thought they wouldn’t resume play until the next day, but some how they managed to continue the match. The momentum was all in favor in Pliskova. I’m sure she was glad to be able to finish it.

Did Simona ever regain the mv (momentum) she appeared to have before the 1st suspension of play (in the 1st 6 games)? Or did the mv shift happen much later in the 1st set? Seems that the 1st delay allowed KP to reset and perhaps stalled the mv of SH. Subsequent delay appeared to work in KP's favor even more.

Don't know how the WTA & ATP players do this week after week... often radically changing time zones every week or two? Don't think that I could play my best tennis under such conditions. On top of that it look like the Halep-Plisk match might have resumed close to 11pm (after the 1st play suspension) and the match didn't finish up til after 1am. Can't be easy for all the players on the tour to keep up their circadian rhythms/cycles under such conditions. Constantly having to change when you peak for intermittent matches.
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ALEXT

Semi-Pro
@spystud


Did Simona ever regain the mv (momentum) she appeared to have before the 1st suspension of play (in the 1st 6 games)? Or did the mv shift happen much later in the 1st set? Seems that the 1st delay allowed KP to reset and perhaps stalled the mv of SH. Subsequent delay appeared to work in KP's favor even more.

Don't know how the WTA & ATP players do this week after week... often radically changing time zones every week or two? Don't think that I could play my best tennis under such conditions. On top of that it look like the Halep-Plisk match might have resumed close to 11pm (after the 1st play suspension) and the match didn't finish up til after 1am. Can't be easy for all the players on the tour to keep up their circadian rhythms/cycles under such conditions. Constantly having to change when you peak for intermittent matches.
.

I think the shift happened at 5-4 when she could not close the set. Pliskova won the next 3 games really quick to close the set and then she was up 5-0 in the second set in no time.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
I think the shift happened at 5-4 when she could not close the set. Pliskova won the next 3 games really quick to close the set and then she was up 5-0 in the second set in no time.

Thanks for the feedback.

Was KP also playing better when they resumed after the 1st delay? In the 1st 6 games, the stats indicated that she was only winning 50% of her 1st serve points compared to 57% for Simona (who also put a higher % of 1st serves into play). KP was winning only 38% of 2nd serves compared to 57% for SH. Overall, Karolina was only winning 43% of total points prior to the 1st suspension of play.
 

tennis4me

Hall of Fame
Very interesting (or rather, staggering) 2nd set stats:

1st serve %: 70%(KP) 94%(SH)
1st serve points won: 93%(KP) 47%(SH)
1st return points won: 53%(KP) 7%(SH)

For the most part, despite Simona's high 1st serve percentage, her serves didn't really hurt KP. KP was dominating most of the rallies after the returns, pushing Simona deep into the corners and closing in to the net quickly to finish the point. Simona's typically strong defense was ineffective against KP since KP closes in quickly as soon as she had the opportunity.

KP's serves was also a notch above Simona's. She consistently seemed to serve above 100mph, and forcing Halep to make many weak returns.

IMO, KP's defense/movement last night was also better than what I usually see from her. Many attacks from Simona that would've normally be a winner was returned by KP - thanks to her height/reach.

In the 2nd set, Simona's average serves speed seemed to have also dropped (tired?). No actual stats, but it appeared to hover around 80s to low 90s mph, while KP was consistently serving above 100mph.

Just stellar performance from KP last night. Not even sure if a top-form Halep can win last night against a top-form KP since everything else being equal, KP still has the height advantage. Interestingly Simona had a 6-2 H2H lead against KP before this match.

Edit:
Apparently, according to KP press conference below, she was not particularly working on improving her defense during practice, but she just tried to "run more" instead of "just looking at the ball". :) Her improved defense definitely showed last night.
 
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ALEXT

Semi-Pro
Watching the match as we speak - pretty typical match between these two up to 5-4 Halep. Nothing outstanding but nothing fundamentally wrong on either side up to that point. However, bad game from Halep on the 10th game, quickly lost at love with UEs and DF. From there, another quick game lost at love on Pliskova serve; a lot of frustration build up I guess after losing 10 quick points in a row. In the 12th game, up 40-15 serving and she lost it - Pliskova had a few good points without doing much (just returned well and moved Halep) but Halep ended up making few UEs in a row to quickly lose the advantage, the game and the set.

In the second set everything went Pliskova's way.
 
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Fintft

G.O.A.T.
Very interesting (or rather, staggering) 2nd set stats:

1st serve %: 70%(KP) 94%(SH)
1st serve points won: 93%(KP) 47%(SH)
1st return points won: 53%(KP) 7%(SH)

For the most part, despite Simona's high 1st serve percentage, her serves didn't really hurt KP. KP was dominating most of the rallies after the returns, pushing Simona deep into the corners and closing in to the net quickly to finish the point. Simona's typically strong defense was ineffective against KP since KP closes in quickly as soon as she had the opportunity.

KP's serves was also a notch above Simona's. She consistently seemed to serve above 100mph, and forcing Halep to make many weak returns.

IMO, KP's defense/movement last night was also better than what I usually see from her. Many attacks from Simona that would've normally be a winner was returned by KP - thanks to her height/reach.

In the 2nd set, Simona's average serves speed seemed to have also dropped (tired?). No actual stats, but it appeared to hover around 80s to low 90s mph, while KP was consistently serving above 100mph.

Just stellar performance from KP last night. Not even sure if a top-form Halep can win last night against a top-form KP since everything else being equal, KP still has the height advantage. Interestingly Simona had a 6-2 H2H lead against KP before this match.

Edit:
Apparently, according to KP press conference below, she was not particularly working on improving her defense during practice, but she just tried to "run more" instead of "just looking at the ball". :) Her improved defense definitely showed last night.

Well, maybe she took something off her serve, after 4-5 DFs in the first set alone. If you add the fact that Pliskova had about 6 winning drop shots, we don't even have to mention all the easy misses Simona had since 5-4 in the first set...
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
Meanwhile Bianca Andreescu is recovering and resting on the beach in Miami, awaiting to play Cehia in FedCup, April 20-21:

980089-bianca-andreescu-12.jpg


https://www.gsp.ro/sporturi/tenis/g...instagram-noua-senzatie-din-tenis-563495.html
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Very interesting (or rather, staggering) 2nd set stats:

1st serve %: 70%(KP) 94%(SH)
1st serve points won: 93%(KP) 47%(SH)
1st return points won: 53%(KP) 7%(SH)

For the most part, despite Simona's high 1st serve percentage, her serves didn't really hurt KP... KP's serves was also a notch above Simona's...

In the 2nd set, Simona's average serves speed seemed to have also dropped (tired?).

Just stellar performance from KP last night. Not even sure if a top-form Halep can win last night against a top-form KP since everything else being equal, KP still has the height advantage. Interestingly Simona had a 6-2 H2H lead against KP before this match...

Obrigado for this detailed analysis.

Wow, 94% of 1st serve into play for SH, winning only 47% of those! Sounds suspiciously like 2nd serves rather than the 1st serve she was hitting in the 1st set. First half of the 1st set she seemed to be outplaying KP. Simona was getting 2/3 of first serves into play for that -- and winning 57% on both 1st serves and 2nd serves. Karo's stats were quite a bit lower.

Seems that the 1st rain suspension stunted Simona's momentum (mv) and allowed Karo to reset her own game once they resumed. Would have been a very different match if Simona's mv had never been interrupted (and Karo might have taken a lot longer to find that top form you mentioned). Seems that SH was seriously out of sorts -- the multiple rain delays had undoubtedly taken their toll on her. Perhaps Karo is much more of a "night owl" than Simona.

I'm pretty certain that I'd do a lot better after 11pm or midnight than most ppl that I've played with. I've been a "swing shift" person for the past 45 years. Got off work for years at 1am and not get to bed til 4am or 5am. On the other hand I've never fared well with 8am classes after that shift in my circadian rhythms. Tried to play 8am badminton and tennis matches in the 80s and 90s and never did well at all in those.
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
Obrigado for this detailed analysis.

Wow, 94% of 1st serve into play for SH, winning only 47% of those! Sounds suspiciously like 2nd serves rather than the 1st serve she was hitting in the 1st set. First half of the 1st set she seemed to be outplaying KP. Simona was getting 2/3 of first serves into play for that -- and winning 57% on both 1st serves and 2nd serves. Karo's stats were quite a bit lower.

Seems that the 1st rain suspension stunted Simona's momentum (mv) and allowed Karo to reset her own game once they resumed. Would have been a very different match if Simona's mv had never been interrupted (and Karo might have taken a lot longer to find that top form you mentioned). Seems that SH was seriously out of sorts -- the multiple rain delays had undoubtedly taken their toll on her. Perhaps Karo is much more of a "night owl" than Simona.

I'm pretty certain that I'd do a lot better after 11pm or midnight than most ppl that I've played with. I've been a "swing shift" person for the past 45 years. Got off work for years at 1am and not get to bed til 4am or 5am. On the other hand I've never fared well with 8am classes after that shift in my circadian rhythms. Tried to play 8am badminton and tennis matches in the 80s and 90s and never did well at all in those.

Yeah, besides the interruptions, we already talked as to how:

1. Simona was probably afraid not to DF again, like she did 4-5 times in the first set.
2. Pliskova drop shotting her and winning all of those points (I think).
3. Simona missing into the net a lot.
4. The coach telling Simona to push more on her legs on the serve (so he noticed the same thing as amateur players like me did).
5. Simona not hitting those crazy winners anymore, like the BH DTL when pulled wide.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
Yeah, besides the interruptions, we already talked as to how:

1. Simona was probably afraid not to DF again, like she did 4-5 times in the first set.
2. Pliskova drop shotting her and winning all of those points (I think).
3. Simona missing into the net a lot.
4. The coach telling Simona to push more on her legs on the serve (so he noticed the same thing as amateur players like me did).
5. Simona not hitting those crazy winners anymore, like the BH DTL when pulled wide.

Yeah, it sounds like once they took an extended break, SH may have gone into her normal nocturnal mode -- ok for watching a bit of mindless late-night TV but not conducive for high-level competition.
.
 

tennis4me

Hall of Fame
Yeah, it sounds like once they took an extended break, SH may have gone into her normal nocturnal mode -- ok for watching a bit of mindless late-night TV but not conducive for high-level competition.
.
Maybe there should be some rule about not playing after midnight. Some of these players could be an early riser and might have been up since who knows 6am or earlier. I suppose the adrenalin takes over during match time to overcome the sleepiness until they crash in their hotel and need to repeat the next day. Hopefully a late morning or afternoon match.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
@tennis4me
Well, maybe she took something off her serve, after 4-5 DFs in the first set alone. If you add the fact that Pliskova had about 6 winning drop shots, we don't even have to mention all the easy misses Simona had since 5-4 in the first set...

I just got around to watching the Halep-Pliskova part of their match up to the 1st suspension of play. Looked like Simona was rather dominant, especially from the 4th game onward. She broke Karo, at Love, in the 5th game. But then missed a few 1st serves and lost a close battle in the 6th game. Karo was down, 15-40, in the 7th game. Simona appeared to be poised to break Karo a 2nd time and then the downpour hit.

Have not watched what happened after resumption of play but, from what I've read in this thread, it sounds like Simona lost the mv that she had prior to the downpour and Karo was able to reset her so-so play of the 1st (almost) 7 games.

While watching the first part of that match, the announcers had mentioned that Simona and Karo had done some practicing together. (Earlier in the week, I assume). Simona crushed Karo, 6-0, in a practice set. When asked about it, I believe that Karo had indicated that she couldn't do any worse in their upcoming match.
.
 

Fintft

G.O.A.T.
@tennis4me


I just got around to watching the Halep-Pliskova part of their match up to the 1st suspension of play. Looked like Simona was rather dominant, especially from the 4th game onward. She broke Karo, at Love, in the 5th game. But then missed a few 1st serves and lost a close battle in the 6th game. Karo was down, 15-40, in the 7th game. Simona appeared to be poised to break Karo a 2nd time and then the downpour hit.

Have not watched what happened after resumption of play but, from what I've read in this thread, it sounds like Simona lost the mv that she had prior to the downpour and Karo was able to reset her so-so play of the 1st (almost) 7 games.

While watching the first part of that match, the announcers had mentioned that Simona and Karo had done some practicing together. (Earlier in the week, I assume). Simona crushed Karo, 6-0, in a practice set. When asked about it, I believe that Karo had indicated that she couldn't do any worse in their upcoming match.
.

All true.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Big congrats to Ash Barty on her first Premier Mandatory tournament. What a week for the Aussie.

Secured her debut in the top 10 earlier in the week and goes on to win the title with three big top 10 wins.
 

SystemicAnomaly

Bionic Poster
In losing to Pliskova, Halep fails to regain the world #1 ranking from Osaka.

Simona H does move up to #2 on Monday with Petra Kv taking her place at #3. Because she got all the way to the final, Karo Pliskova does move up 3 spots to #4. (But, if she had won, she would have picked up another 350 pts, I think, to leapfrog her past Simona & Petra to snag the #2 spot).
 
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