ScentOfDefeat
G.O.A.T.
Sky Sport commentators are insanely anti-Danilina, lol.
What is their problem.
They just keep dissing her.
What is their problem.
They just keep dissing her.
2026 Australian Open - Women's Discussion
- Thread starter Mark-Touch
- Start date
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
Tennis Channel is not broadcasting this match
ScentOfDefeat
G.O.A.T.
I know, I corrected it.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Some tiebreaker by Mertens/Zhang. 6 set points for the mini bagel
Subway Tennis
G.O.A.T.
It's my belief that Sabalenka has never really been truthful with herself or the fans about how much pressure she feels during the times where she has been the defacto No. 1. She hasn't often enough confronted how much it has affected her level in big moments. It's genuinely shocking how many trophies she has left on the table.
If Sabs were to lose the final again, it adds to the complexity and intrigue of a sport like tennis, where it is about so much more than just backhands and forehands, and it also means a lot to her personal legacy.
If things had gone differently, Sabalenka would be in a position to be considered one of the Australian Open Co-GOATs imo. Last year mattered, and this year matters even more. It's fascinating to see how much that pressure is going to come to bear again, and how willing she is going to be to talk more about that in the future.
If Sabs were to lose the final again, it adds to the complexity and intrigue of a sport like tennis, where it is about so much more than just backhands and forehands, and it also means a lot to her personal legacy.
If things had gone differently, Sabalenka would be in a position to be considered one of the Australian Open Co-GOATs imo. Last year mattered, and this year matters even more. It's fascinating to see how much that pressure is going to come to bear again, and how willing she is going to be to talk more about that in the future.
ScentOfDefeat
G.O.A.T.
Zhang killing it with those backhands.
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Wonderful speech from Zhang Shuai here.
Beautiful words to Mertens, to Stosur and to Zheng Jie
Beautiful words to Mertens, to Stosur and to Zheng Jie
marc45
G.O.A.T.
noticed that too...no clue
you can tell she's still very sensitive about much of her life...I do hope she's stable
Aussie Darcy
Bionic Poster
Elena Rybakina is our 2026 champ.
Beats #1 Sabalenka to take the title along with taking out #2 Swiatek and #6 Pegula in the QF’s and SF’s respectively.
Impressive.
Beats #1 Sabalenka to take the title along with taking out #2 Swiatek and #6 Pegula in the QF’s and SF’s respectively.
Impressive.
Mark-Touch
G.O.A.T.
I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been a peep about Rybakina's victory today!
Pages and pages, threads and more threads have been written about Sabalenka, but virtually
nothing about Ryba. Why is that?
Anyway. I just got caught up on her victory and wanted to say congrats!
This has really made my day already.
Ryba set the tone for the match right out of the starting gates with a 1-0 break
using power and precision service returns.
This was Big babe ball-bashing tennis at its best.
Nothing quite like it.
Did you see Ryba right after the win?
She raised her fist for the last time and smiled broadly for the first time.
That was it. No theatrics. She didn't fall to the ground on her back. She didn't rip off her kit. Nothing else.
Was that Caprioti who handed out the trophies? There must be a lot of dye in her hair?
Pages and pages, threads and more threads have been written about Sabalenka, but virtually
nothing about Ryba. Why is that?
Anyway. I just got caught up on her victory and wanted to say congrats!
This has really made my day already.
Ryba set the tone for the match right out of the starting gates with a 1-0 break
using power and precision service returns.
This was Big babe ball-bashing tennis at its best.
Nothing quite like it.
Did you see Ryba right after the win?
She raised her fist for the last time and smiled broadly for the first time.
That was it. No theatrics. She didn't fall to the ground on her back. She didn't rip off her kit. Nothing else.
Was that Caprioti who handed out the trophies? There must be a lot of dye in her hair?
Moose Malloy
G.O.A.T.
There is a match thread on the women's final, there were many comments, its 11 pages long. Maybe you need to unblock certain posters in order to see it.I'm a bit surprised there hasn't been a peep about Rybakina's victory today!
Pages and pages, threads and more threads have been written about Sabalenka, but virtually
nothing about Ryba. Why is that?
Anyway. I just got caught up on her victory and wanted to say congrats!
This has really made my day already.
Ryba set the tone for the match right out of the starting gates with a 1-0 break
using power and precision service returns.
This was Big babe ball-bashing tennis at its best.
Nothing quite like it.
Did you see Ryba right after the win?
She raised her fist for the last time and smiled broadly for the first time.
That was it. No theatrics. She didn't fall to the ground on her back. She didn't rip off her kit. Nothing else.
Was that Caprioti who handed out the trophies? There must be a lot of dye in her hair?
Let’s do this thing, this is what we wanted. We ride.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
And Rybakina beats Sabalenka.
Bartelby
Bionic Poster
KevinThiem
New User
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
TC running Petko:
AM75
Hall of Fame
Yup, 5 sets, each set to 4 games, no let, no ad. Just like juniors under 12.
robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
I always get a kick out of seeing that! She is loyal!
ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
Not a chance the women will play any 5 set matches. There would be open revolt. The tour is already like the backstage of a Russian ballet come the fall schedule.
robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
I agree. I don't see it happening... and for a variety of reasons.
bluetrain4
G.O.A.T.
They can't play best of 5 the entire tournament without changing the entire tournament length and structure. But, I still think "from the quarterfinals on" is weird, even if there's room in the schedule. If there must a best of five component in the women's tournament (there doesn't IMO), either have them play best of 5 the entire tournament or just in the final. Those are the models that have historically been used - for a long time some men's non-Slams used to play just the final BO5 an the women's YEC had a period of BO5 finals.
robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
Yeah, it's very strange.
And look, the way most of the women currently play, I don't really want to see best of 5. The final, for example, was a compelling match because of the stakes, and because the momentum shifted dramatically in the middle, but the tennis itself wasn't great.
All the 'who can hit bigger' stuff gets old.
And look, the way most of the women currently play, I don't really want to see best of 5. The final, for example, was a compelling match because of the stakes, and because the momentum shifted dramatically in the middle, but the tennis itself wasn't great.
All the 'who can hit bigger' stuff gets old.
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ScentOfDefeat
G.O.A.T.
I would accept this change if it was also applied to the men and we could finally have the same system across the men's and women's game.
This would also solve the scheduling problem.
Besides, the US Open used to do this on the men's side until 1970, if I'm not mistaken.
It's the one change in tennis I wouldn't mind seeing implemented, and I'm usually on the conservative side in these matters.
But realistically I only imagine the format becoming increasingly condensed in favour of extra-tennis exhibitionism and social media clickbait.
This would also solve the scheduling problem.
Besides, the US Open used to do this on the men's side until 1970, if I'm not mistaken.
It's the one change in tennis I wouldn't mind seeing implemented, and I'm usually on the conservative side in these matters.
But realistically I only imagine the format becoming increasingly condensed in favour of extra-tennis exhibitionism and social media clickbait.
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ScottleeSV
Hall of Fame
Umintended consequences..
The first time a woman pulls a groin whilst leading 2 sets to 1 in a huge match (and it will happen), the change to 5 sets is going to look ridiculous.
Imagine if Haddad-Maia gets to the quarters of a slam, btw. Nobody wants to watch her play for 7 hours on one day.
Once a b05 slam is over, the top women will be taking more time off to recover. Next week's Doha for instance, a W1000; probably absent some names.
Big names will retire earlier. Someone like Azerenka, who has battled away to 35 and beyond; if she feels - in an alternative timelime - her body isn't capable of playing b05 matches, maybe she's packing up at 31 or 32. Expect fewer elite players going past 30 in general.
Fall schedule will be like a ghost town. The 2025 Fall schedule was the worst I can remember for dropouts and injuries.
Grand slam specialists will emerge, players who aren't necessarily regarded as the best in the world, but are blessed physically, and happy to risk a 5 hour grind because it plays into their hands. Expect pundit comments like "Well, Rybakina's the favourite in my eyes, but if she makes the quarters, I'm switching to Gauff".
The first time a woman pulls a groin whilst leading 2 sets to 1 in a huge match (and it will happen), the change to 5 sets is going to look ridiculous.
Imagine if Haddad-Maia gets to the quarters of a slam, btw. Nobody wants to watch her play for 7 hours on one day.
Once a b05 slam is over, the top women will be taking more time off to recover. Next week's Doha for instance, a W1000; probably absent some names.
Big names will retire earlier. Someone like Azerenka, who has battled away to 35 and beyond; if she feels - in an alternative timelime - her body isn't capable of playing b05 matches, maybe she's packing up at 31 or 32. Expect fewer elite players going past 30 in general.
Fall schedule will be like a ghost town. The 2025 Fall schedule was the worst I can remember for dropouts and injuries.
Grand slam specialists will emerge, players who aren't necessarily regarded as the best in the world, but are blessed physically, and happy to risk a 5 hour grind because it plays into their hands. Expect pundit comments like "Well, Rybakina's the favourite in my eyes, but if she makes the quarters, I'm switching to Gauff".
robyrolfo
Hall of Fame
In theory it doesn't sound bad, but what would the actual matches be like?
As many can probably tell from my posting in here, I enjoy and watch a lot of WTA tennis, and even as a fan I'm not sure that BO5 fits with the women's game right now.
Lol at Haddad-Maia playing a 7 hour match (or Sarrebes Tormo), but it could actually happen. And that was my point above, a lot of matches would become some sort of strange spectacle.
And I agree that it would basically be a huge gift to Gauff (who always likes to say, "I don't get tired," which her opponents annoying take at face value when she clearly does get tired at times).
Perhaps it would help bring some different players into the top 100 though, as opposed to just the usual ball bashers? That wouldn't be a bad thing...
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