Davenport: what a meltdown (!)

[ferrari_827]

The Aus. Open women's final was the strangest lop-sided match I've ever seen.

First set: Lindsay looks invincible, scorching winners and aces everywhere. Serena looks to be fried. Injury time out (suspicious looking if you ask me).
Lindsay wins the first set.

Second set: Serena improves and escapes a break of serve. Lindsay uncharacteristically loses her serve game up 40-0 with a few errors and missed serves.

Lindsay suddenly loses focus and confidence, forgetting that she thoroughly cooked Serena in the first set. Serena closes out the set.

Third set: Lindsay looks not only to have lost confidence, but seems to have given up and lost all concentration, and her game takes a steep nosedive. Shocking. Serena knows it and closes it out in a hurry.

Sorry, but this is pathetic. For mental toughness, I would rate Lindsay a 2 on a 1 to 10 scale. Graf and Seles I would rate 8/10, Sharapova a 7/10, Serena 5/10, Henin 7.5/10, Venus 3/10, Mauresmo 2/10. That's right, at the bottom with Mauresom.

 

[tennis*bill]

You're right. That was most depressing to watch. Even the announcers were just hoping for Lindsay to turn it around. She shanks one shot and totally loses confidence in her game. Lindsay is a nice person and needs to toughen up mentally. Her efforts in doubles w/ Corina is admirable.

 

[William Bedford]

What a boring womens final. Chcoking like that is usually reserved for rounds 1-2-3

 

[BHud]

Win or lose, she gets my vote for the most boring player to watch...painful really...

 

[Bertchel Banks]

Even the announcers were just hoping for Lindsay to turn it around. She shanks one shot and totally loses confidence in her game.

Ha! Is it any wonder Dubya was re-elected. Some fool on TV spouts out nonsense, the American masses ingest, and regurgitates it as gospel.

The fact is that Lindsay's play in the final was consistent with her form in quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds. In the final, however, she faced a player who has dominated their head to head rivalry, and given her many conprehensive whippings.

One missed shot my foot. This is taking credit away from Serena for her outstanding play. And since when has Serena's forehand been a weakness. Carillo's hatred is blinding her.

 

[dukenotes]

Ha! Is it any wonder Dubya was re-elected. Some fool on TV spouts out nonsense, the American masses ingest, and regurgitates it as gospel.

The "fool on tv" didn't have to tell me anything. I saw it happen with my own two eyes, and it's not the first time.

The fact is that Lindsay's play in the final was consistent with her form in quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds.

Are you being sarcastic? Her play in the final two sets wasn't even consistent with a non-qualifier, much less her own in previous matches.

In the final, however, she faced a player who has dominated their head to head rivalry, and given her many conprehensive whippings.

True, but this time Serena limped out from the start of the match ready to lose. I went from watching one player take a dive to watching the other take a dive. Pretty pitiful actually.

One missed shot my foot. This is taking credit away from Serena for her outstanding play. And since when has Serena's forehand been a weakness. Carillo's hatred is blinding her.

You are the one who is blind my friend. This was poor tennis from both players, one for the first half, one for the second. It's true that Serena's play looked better in the last 9 games but how could it not? She sensed that she could actually win and went for the kill, but it's not like she was playing at her best level. Most points were won in the last 9 games by Davenport sailing balls long. There were very few rallys.

All in all, a poor final from both players. TV commentators have their bad qualities and their good qualities but no matter what else they want, they want to see some good play, if not from both then from at least one of the players. It simply didn't happen in this match.