2021 Australian Open - WTA Thread

[GhostOfNKDM]

As a fan of Naomi, I'm not really comfortable with all the grand predictions I've read that she'll win 10 majors, more than that etc. It's incredibly difficult to remain a grand slam title contender let alone winner for a prolonged period of time, trends in sport are of course cyclical, things can change very rapidly etc. Serena's achievements have been superhuman, and I think expecting any other players especially still in the relatively early stages of their careers to come remotely close to that is way over the top.

Who'd have thought at the time after Davenport won her 3rd major within 17 months at the 2000 Australian Open, that she'd never win another one? After Venus defended her US Open in title in 2001 (and won 57 out of 59 matches on outdoor hard courts in 2000-2001), who'd have thought that she'd never win another hard court major?

Admittedly in those days the WTA top 10 was absolutely amazing / stacked, and there was a golden age, but still nothing is set in stone. I was just very keen to see her rack up major titles while the iron's hot and the going's good, which I'm delighted she's done.

Well said.

I do think there might be some good for Naomi and her team to take the Serena comparison as a sign of confidence in her game, and the possibilities therein.

She should totally not accept pressure from journalists in comparisons and unfair expectations though.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Osaka #4 GS and counting.....!

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

In other news, Monfils and Svitolina just broke up.

 

[Mr.Lob]

Congrats to Osaka. Just watched replay on ESPN. she just called Jenny...."Jennifer" in trophy presentation.

Wasn't the greatest match. Brady would have needed her A game to have a chance. Osaka a level better than everyone on hardcourt. Has the look of someone who wants to make a mark on the game. Unlike many of the past slam, here today, gone tomorrow, winners.

Serena probably would have handled Brady had she reached the final. Too bad. Maybe next year.

 

[Harry_Wild]

In other news, Monfils and Svitolina just broke up.

I saw that coming when Monfils was crying during his early round post match lost conference.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

In other news, Monfils and Svitolina just broke up.

I wonder why.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Naomi was beaten by the eventual finalist Venus at Wimbledon in a competitive 2 set match in 2017, and by the eventual champion Kerber in 2018. 2019 when she was suffering a slump in form and lost to Putintseva in the 1st round wasn't good, but I do think that she has the game and ability to become a threat at Wimbledon. And she is very young, especially for modern day tennis standards, and has time on her side to improve.

I agree about Wimbledon--its just that at the time she faced Venus and Kerber--two players who know how to play that event--she was not yet fully comfortable with her game. I do not believe she's a hardcourt specialist, despite her four majors are split between the US and Australian Open. Let's put it this way, if I were the other players, there's no way I would count Osaka out of the running.

Clay has traditionally always been by far the weakest surface in women's tennis in general (there has never been a strong 'clay court culture' in women's tennis like there has been in men's tennis), full of players who play hard court tennis badly on it, and there is not exactly a huge array of amazing female clay court players around.

Well, if Sharapova, a woman no one ever considered a serious contender for the French Open title believably won two in 2012 and 2014, then Osaka--who I believe is an undeniably superior player with more court sense--is certainly capable of winning at the event. How many is the question.