Azarenka deserves respect for defending her title

[NadalAgassi]

I am not a big Azarenka fan and was rooting for Na Li to beat her last night. However she deserves more respect than she seems to be getting. She defended her title, something that seems rare these days in womens tennis. The last 2 slam finals she was in where both thrilling encounters, the U.S Open final narrow loss to Serena, and last nights narrow win over Na Li, which both Serena and Na contributed to as well of course. She is also the first #1 since Henin and Serena some years back to both play consistently enough on the regular tour to be ranked #1, and to have the capacity to regularly contend and win some of the big titles to justify that ranking. Yes she took a questionable MTO, but this is the WTA, who doesnt do that in the last 15 years.

 

[OrangePower]

Ok, she deserves respect for her game, which is good.

But I can't respect her gamemanship. Not the MTO (although that was suspect also), but the horrible wailing, which is clearly not necessary and is a constant hindrance to her opponent, not to mention an assault on the ears of the hapless spectators.

 

[mariecon]

Ok, she deserves respect for her game, which is good.

But I can't respect her gamemanship. Not the MTO (although that was suspect also), but the horrible wailing, which is clearly not necessary and is a constant hindrance to her opponent, not to mention an assault on the ears of the hapless spectators.

couldn't agree more with this.

 

[Clarky21]

Maybe she should dish out some respect before thinking she's entitled to it. Anyone who is nasty to the ball kids is instantly blacklisted for me. And that's not the only thing I dislike about her, either.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

Maybe she should dish out some respect before thinking she's entitled to it. Anyone who is nasty to the ball kids is instantly blacklisted for me. And that's not the only thing I dislike about her, either.

What did she do?

 

[Amelie Mauresmo]

I agree with the OP with the terrible slamless number one players like Caroline Wozniacki women's tennis finally has a young player who is a multiple slam champion. Maybe Victoria's success is going to inspire the other women. Women's tennis needs more mentally tough players like Azarenka who can come through a slam and win titles. I wasn't sure about Azarenka before the Australian Open if she's the real deal but she proved it by defending her title.

 

[Clarky21]

What did she do?

http://www.onthebaseline.com/2010/07/30/its-official-ball-kids-love-stosur-azarenka-not-so-much/

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=411692

 

[Crisstti]

I was very disappointed Na Li lost :???:

She was playing so good until Azarenka broke her in the first set... who apparently had just 2 winners up until then.

Disappointed Li couldn't keep her game together.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Li did not deserve to win, and was not as "impressive" as some tried to sell her. When facing a real opponent in Azarenka, the Li wheels fell off, and she had no answers. Then again, her coach may have much to do with that, as one of his former clients also reached a point where she had no answers for real opponents.

Azarenka fully earner her second major, and as far as the new guard is concerned, she's in a top class above the rest.

 

[Ico]

Azarenka was very fortunate that Hampton, Serena, and Li all had (actual) health concerns. But you can only play the cards you're dealt so good for Azarenka to make the best of her situation.

 

[mellowyellow]

Kills me how because she grunts or whatever, their is so much hate to the point of supporting a female LA in the sport of tennis. I think the ESPN commentating said it all, she is better mover at 31? 32? than Vica, and than she ever was, and funny she don't look as fit as Nav did in her early 30's (she about wrote the book on it) and she clearly was showing signs of slowing down at that point in age. Hmmm makes you wonder doesn't it, not just about Li, but about anyone that would support her, throw in her slip comment about her Russian or was it a German "Nutritionist".

To the origianal point, yes she does deserve all the credit, she even payed for the possible exaggerated MTO dealing with 2 and the 10 min fireworks on her serve in the 3rd...

 

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Azarenka was very fortunate that Hampton, Serena, and Li all had (actual) health concerns. But you can only play the cards you're dealt so good for Azarenka to make the best of her situation.

They felt like Azarenka needed a lesson on what qualifies as a medical timeout.

 

[Tafmatch]

Li was the same trainwreck she was in the final against Clijsters. Winning the first set but in such a negative, angry, stressed-out state of mind that her opponent only had to keep the ball in play to win the match.

If anyone deserved to win it was Azarenka. Terrible, ugly match.

 

[ctoth666]

Azarenka deserves respect for being sexy, not for defending any titles. I could care less about majors. She has a rockin' body, and I don't care how many MTO's she takes or when she takes them.

 

[smoledman]

Azarenka is fit as a fiddle and will now go on to have a great 2013.

 

[Kirijax]

Maybe it's her character, but Azarenka is one of the ugliest out there to me. I have no idea how anyone can call her "sexy". She may play pretty good tennis, but she is mentally weak and flat out classless. Not a good role model to be standing on top of women's tennis. And I haven't even mentioned that awful, deliberate hooting grunt she does.

 

[veroniquem]

Li was the same trainwreck she was in the final against Clijsters. Winning the first set but in such a negative, angry, stressed-out state of mind that her opponent only had to keep the ball in play to win the match.

.

I agree. Li Na was an UE machine. Mentally all over the place. A real gift to get that poor woman in a final. Rodriguez may have helped her game but he sure hasn't cracked the mental issues.

 

[ctoth666]

Maybe it's her character, but Azarenka is one of the ugliest out there to me. I have no idea how anyone can call her "sexy". She may play pretty good tennis, but she is mentally weak and flat out classless. Not a good role model to be standing on top of women's tennis. And I haven't even mentioned that awful, deliberate hooting grunt she does.

I'm a young male. I'm very visual. I like the way she's put together. I wasn't commenting on her character. I was keeping it strictly in the physical realm.

 

[DMan]

I am not a big Azarenka fan and was rooting for Na Li to beat her last night. However she deserves more respect than she seems to be getting. She defended her title, something that seems rare these days in womens tennis. The last 2 slam finals she was in where both thrilling encounters, the U.S Open final narrow loss to Serena, and last nights narrow win over Na Li, which both Serena and Na contributed to as well of course. She is also the first #1 since Henin and Serena some years back to both play consistently enough on the regular tour to be ranked #1, and to have the capacity to regularly contend and win some of the big titles to justify that ranking. Yes she took a questionable MTO, but this is the WTA, who doesnt do that in the last 15 years.

Typical, my darling, for you to defend Azarenka.

Disgusting
Despicable
Reprehensible

which describes Azarenka and anyone who defends her!

Don't recall Steffi Graf ever taking a questionable, off court MTO!

 

[DMan]

Li did not deserve to win, and was not as "impressive" as some tried to sell her. When facing a real opponent in Azarenka, the Li wheels fell off, and she had no answers. Then again, her coach may have much to do with that, as one of his former clients also reached a point where she had no answers for real opponents.

Azarenka fully earner her second major, and as far as the new guard is concerned, she's in a top class above the rest.

The only legitimate part of that statement is that Azarenka is in a top class above the rest

when it comes to CHEATING!

 

[DMan]

I agree with the OP with the terrible slamless number one players like Caroline Wozniacki women's tennis finally has a young player who is a multiple slam champion. Maybe Victoria's success is going to inspire the other women. Women's tennis needs more mentally tough players like Azarenka who can come through a slam and win titles. I wasn't sure about Azarenka before the Australian Open if she's the real deal but she proved it by defending her title.

Where was Azarenka's mental toughness when she couldn't close out Sloane Stephens? Oh that's right, she was running off court, with a bogus injury. Instead, she got a lovely 10 minute break to compose herself. How mentally tough of her!

She may have won one tennis match. But she lost FOREVER the respect of so many people. But then why you are a CHEATER, that's to be expected!

 

[jokinla]

When you blatantly cheat and admit it the way she did, you deserve NO RESPECT!

 

[Tennis_Hands]

When you cheat, you deserve NO RESPECT!

Fixed and subscribed.

 

[Kalin]

Wow, guys, don't give yourselves heart attacks now.....

Azarenka deserves respect for showing up and playing all the way to defending her title an No. 1ranking, questionable MTO or not. Blame the tour for making the rules so easily taken advantage of.

Compare this to the multitude of whining, self-loathing headcases that comprise the WTA with Masha being the banner-carrier.

There should be more players like Azarenka on the WTA and then people might start viewing it as a legitimate sports tour rather than the soap-opera it usually is.

 

[Phoenix1983]

I am not a big Azarenka fan and was rooting for Na Li to beat her last night. However she deserves more respect than she seems to be getting. She defended her title, something that seems rare these days in womens tennis. The last 2 slam finals she was in where both thrilling encounters, the U.S Open final narrow loss to Serena, and last nights narrow win over Na Li, which both Serena and Na contributed to as well of course. She is also the first #1 since Henin and Serena some years back to both play consistently enough on the regular tour to be ranked #1, and to have the capacity to regularly contend and win some of the big titles to justify that ranking. Yes she took a questionable MTO, but this is the WTA, who doesnt do that in the last 15 years.

I largely agree - at least she is a credible No 1 who can win and defend slams, unlike many of the joke No 1's we have had on the WTA in the last few years. She showed admirable character to win the title under these circumstances (crowd against her etc.)

 

[mellowyellow]

Sorry, the WTA with its heat index rule and the excessive time taken by players over the last few years have made it part of the SHOW, the reality is that the sports integrity has taken a back seat to putting on a SHOW. THIS IS PART OF TENNIS NOW DEAL WITH IT. Azarenka dealt with the fireworks at a key point in the match and the second MTO from Li. More than redeemed herself on this ocassion as no one on these boards truly knows the extent of her MTO.

 

[SLD76]

Ok, she deserves respect for her game, which is good.

But I can't respect her gamemanship. Not the MTO (although that was suspect also), but the horrible wailing, which is clearly not necessary and is a constant hindrance to her opponent, not to mention an assault on the ears of the hapless spectators.

this

/thread

 

[DMan]

Wow, guys, don't give yourselves heart attacks now.....

Azarenka deserves respect for showing up and playing all the way to defending her title an No. 1ranking, questionable MTO or not. Blame the tour for making the rules so easily taken advantage of.

Compare this to the multitude of whining, self-loathing headcases that comprise the WTA with Masha being the banner-carrier.

There should be more players like Azarenka on the WTA and then people might start viewing it as a legitimate sports tour rather than the soap-opera it usually is.

WTA is already a soap opera. They should only televise it on Lifetime. It ain't a sport anyway.

And more Azarenkas. Then only watch it with the sound muted.

And, if you are having trouble breathing, how is it that you screech at the top of your lungs with every stroke.

Azarenka, the CHEATER, deserves all the blame. Well, leave some for Stacy Allaster too.

And the tour should be blamed for the players who abuse the rules.! ? !

No, it's the CHEATER's FAULT!

That means Azarenka, in case you weren't sure!

 

[mellowyellow]

Yes, dont make rules you can't or refuse to police, kind of like the 20/25 second rule, and whatabout "TV" changeovers???

 

[v-verb]

Wow, guys, don't give yourselves heart attacks now.....

Azarenka deserves respect for showing up and playing all the way to defending her title an No. 1ranking, questionable MTO or not. Blame the tour for making the rules so easily taken advantage of.

Compare this to the multitude of whining, self-loathing headcases that comprise the WTA with Masha being the banner-carrier.

There should be more players like Azarenka on the WTA and then people might start viewing it as a legitimate sports tour rather than the soap-opera it usually is.

if there were more players like Azarenka, I would predict fewer viewers. I started watching with no bias, but she really lost me.

 

[BlewByU]

Azarenka's "smoking gun" !

Now that AO2013 is over..
and we all seem to have regained our calm & cool..
i just thought its time we set the record straight.

i'm talking about "smoking gun" in Azarenka saga!

Please watch the following short youtube video clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqXx0ATB72w

The video starts with Azarenka's usual loud screaming and ends with her usual loud screaming.

There is "NO" stoppage of her loud screaming at any point during the match.

At about 2:50 of the video, we hear the same loud screaming every point.
At about 3:40 of the video, we are only moments from Azarenka's MTO's.
We still hear the same loud screaming every point.

Now, moments later, the score changes to 6-1 5-4.
And suddenly Azarenka complains of extreme breathing difficulty and takes 2 MTO's.

Do you see the problem here???

It is medically impossible to go thru such extreme breathing difficulty and yet still be able to scream your lungs out every point!
Just not possible. No way!

She said her breathing difficulty was such extreme that she was scared that it might lead to "heart attack"!!!

--------------------------------

There it is.
The "smoking gun" that Azarenka and her defenders can't deny.
The indisputable proof that Azarenka is a "liar" and a "cheat" !!!

. . . . .

 

[Kalin]

You boys are a riot... Has anyone bothered to check what Azarenka was doing on 9/11? She must have been involved!

Anyway, better get used to the wailing and the MTO's raining like it's springtime. This is the 21-st century WTA for you.

 

[Duncan Bell]

Vika is eternal. She floats around the court with grace and elegance.
Every harpy-like cry she makes is actually part of a complex mating ritual with RedFoo. And we need to respect that. She is warning other Harpies away from her mate. Miss Sugarpova is the main threat to her nest.

Her MTO was a requirement, it was time for her to spawn an egg, and to ask for atonement for what she was about to do - slay the Untouchable American Child.

We disciples of Vichka know to expect adversity, abuse and persecution. But we firmly line up behind her No.1 ranking and her pastel coloured trousers, and we shreik with her.

 

[BlewByU]

Vika is eternal. She floats around the court with grace and elegance.
Every harpy-like cry she makes is actually part of a complex mating ritual with RedFoo. And we need to respect that. She is warning other Harpies away from her mate. Miss Sugarpova is the main threat to her nest.

Her MTO was a requirement, it was time for her to spawn an egg, and to ask for atonement for what she was about to do - slay the Untouchable American Child.

We disciples of Vichka know to expect adversity, abuse and persecution. But we firmly line up behind her No.1 ranking and her pastel coloured trousers, and we shreik with her.

(i normally don't do this kind of reply, but..)

this was a very good effort from you!!! seriously.

enjoyed it.
thank you

. . . . .

 

[SQA333]

Two words: Sloane Stephens.

 

[DeShaun]

I agree with the OP with the terrible slamless number one players like Caroline Wozniacki women's tennis finally has a young player who is a multiple slam champion. Maybe Victoria's success is going to inspire the other women. Women's tennis needs more mentally tough players like Azarenka who can come through a slam and win titles. I wasn't sure about Azarenka before the Australian Open if she's the real deal but she proved it by defending her title.

After Kvitova won Wimby she was widely proclaimed to be the next big thing. Her ball striking was sweet but she never had enough fire in her eyes to take over and retain number 1. Enter Vika...while playing Serena in the USO in 2011 I believe, Vika caught my eye. She was the only girl since Henin to actually stand up to Serena on that feral level on which Serena likes to intimidate opponents. Justine in her own way used to stare back at Serena on this same animalistic level, but there were no other women with balls enough to even try UNTIL Vika showed up. I did not know then (2011) whether Vika had the game to overtake Woz but I knew she had the fire to stand up to Serena.

 

[Steve0904]

After Kvitova won Wimby she was widely proclaimed to be the next big thing. Her ball striking was sweet but she never had enough fire in her eyes to take over and retain number 1. Enter Vika...while playing Serena in the USO in 2011 I believe, Vika caught my eye. She was the only girl since Henin to actually stand up to Serena on that feral level on which Serena likes to intimidate opponents. Justine in her own way used to stare back at Serena on this same animalistic level, but there were no other women with balls enough to even try UNTIL Vika showed up. I did not know then (2011) whether Vika had the game to overtake Woz but I knew she had the fire to stand up to Serena.

Yes right. Just like she stood up to her in the USO final last year right? Gimme a break. Azarenka is just as intimidated by Serena as the rest of them are. She just masks it with her wailing and fist pumping like Sharapova does.

 

[DeShaun]

Yes right. Just like she stood up to her in the USO final last year right? Gimme a break. Azarenka is just as intimidated by Serena as the rest of them are. She just masks it with her wailing and fist pumping like Sharapova does.

No. Not what I saw. Vika was the first girl since Justine not to flinch before Serena's bullying. You can say your truth based on what you have experienced, and my memory may not be perfect, but I am quite certain that during that one match I speak of between those two in Flushing in, I believe it was, 2011, Vika held her ground on some primal level unlike any woman had against Serena for a long time. Vika reminds me of a tomboy/female jock/very tough Belarusian country girl with high testosterone levels for a woman, and I do not believe that she fears Serena in the way that I suspect Serena tries to make opponents fearful of her.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

The only legitimate part of that statement is that Azarenka is in a top class above the rest

when it comes to CHEATING!

Bolded, colored words in a larger font size will not make your post true. It simply means you are pissed off that the superior player won the AO title. No official has even hinted that Azarenka was cheating...because she did not, and there is no evidence of this alleged cheating.

Blame Stephens and Li Na for not having enough game to stop her.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

The "smoking gun" that Azarenka and her defenders can't deny.
The indisputable proof that Azarenka is a "liar" and a "cheat" !!!

. . . . .

Tennis officials--you know, the people who would act if any "cheating" occured (but did not for clear-as-day reasons) sent a message to you: get over it.

Moving on...

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

You boys are a riot... Has anyone bothered to check what Azarenka was doing on 9/11? She must have been involved!

No, but the TW whiner squad blames Azarenka for rigging the court during Serena's match where she rolled her ankle, knowing that by the time SW reached the QFs, she would suffer more injuries to the ankle (and back). This would allow poor, overwhelmed Stephens to skate by to the semis, where she would be set up like a clay pigeon for the plotting Victoria!

(Add evil laugh)

How's that for a conspiracy!

 

[Steve0904]

No. Not what I saw. Vika was the first girl since Justine not to flinch before Serena's bullying. You can say your truth based on what you have experienced, and my memory may not be perfect, but I am quite certain that during that one match I speak of between those two in Flushing in, I believe it was, 2011, Vika held her ground on some primal level unlike any woman had against Serena for a long time. Vika reminds me of a tomboy/female jock/very tough Belarusian country girl with high testosterone levels for a woman, and I do not believe that she fears Serena in the way that I suspect Serena tries to make opponents fearful of her.

Well to each his/her own. But nothing masks the fact that even if she isn't intimidated by Serena she still has a terrible record against her.

 

[DeShaun]

Well to each his/her own. But nothing masks the fact that even if she isn't intimidated by Serena she still has a terrible record against her.

Almost everyone has a terrible record against Serena, an all time great with a serve like a man who is clutch, she is far and away the best of her generation.

 

[Vanhool]

Vika is eternal. She floats around the court with grace and elegance.
Every harpy-like cry she makes is actually part of a complex mating ritual with RedFoo. And we need to respect that. She is warning other Harpies away from her mate. Miss Sugarpova is the main threat to her nest.

Her MTO was a requirement, it was time for her to spawn an egg, and to ask for atonement for what she was about to do - slay the Untouchable American Child.

We disciples of Vichka know to expect adversity, abuse and persecution. But we firmly line up behind her No.1 ranking and her pastel coloured trousers, and we shreik with her.

This is awesome. You should make this into its own thread like the roger golden eagle thread.

 

[jones101]

Vika deserves respect for putting up with him.

[/IMG]

GET YOUR GRUNT ON!

 

[Duncan Bell]

Oh man. Vika & RedFoo are too much. The most noble of all flightless birds.

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

Mother Marjorie, is that you???

Oh man. Vika & RedFoo are too much. The most noble of all flightless birds.

Funny, but I was always taught that "zero-talents" who try TOO HARD to draw attention to themselves are tools.

In this case...well, I mean who in Australia would know this flop from a hole in the wall had he not worn his "LOOK AT ME!!" getups throughout the fortnight?