mauresmo-ivanovic SPOILER

[Jack Romeo]

finally got to see ana ivanovic in action. she reminds me a bit of jennifer capriati but with a little more variety in her shots. she has quite a good drop shot and even volleyed pretty well today. for someone with a double handed backhand, she has a pretty decent one-handed slice. but her forehand is her big weapon. it's pretty flat but cleanly hit and well-controlled. she was really raining winners especially from that side.

as for mauresmo, i really thought she'd be able to pull it off. she's more experienced and she showed some grit in coming back from a set and a break down to win the second set. then in the third set, she fell behind by an early break but broke back. she showed some feistiness with all the fist-pumping and shouting. she never behaved like that in the last few trips to roland garros. usually when she got in trouble, she kinda looked meek and scared. but not today. i thought we were gonna see a newer, more mentally tough mauresmo.

i guess i was wrong about her. instead, it was ivanovic who showed more mental strength. after ana held for a 5-4 lead in the 3rd, mauresmo played a horrible service game, finishing with a double-fault at match point.

overall, the match quality was pretty high for a 3rd round women's match. there were plenty of winners from both the baseline and the net. there was also a lot of variety.

 

[gugafanatic]

Mauresmo fails to deliver at grand slams. For such a high profile player she just folds under the expectation and pressure. I guess she will be relieved stepping onto the grass as it is far better suited to her game then the dirt.

 

[ragnaROK]

Her ridiculously big cuts on returning serves actually works better on clay than it does on grass. The French are let down yet again.

 

[Dilettante]

Oh la lá, the French... they always knew how to sell their stuff to the rest of the world, even if they're selling nothing.

When they've got a regular player, they sell him/her as a fantastic player.
When they've got a good player, they sell him/her as a God/Goddess.

If Gasquet finally becomes a great player, better for us in the rest of Europe leaving planet Earth.

Anyway, still waiting Mauresmo to take off...someday.
..............................................................

And, for Ana Ivanovic, she's got tennis and seems mentally mature for her age. I think we'll hear a couple of things about her in the future. (If she was French, we'd already heard of her everywhere).

And, for some reason, I like her as a woman, but that's other question.

 

[Grimjack]

I really dig France. Paris was cool, and the countryside wineries were even better.

So I'll be rooting for the Gasquet kid. Some of my all-time faves were French: Leconte, Forget, Noah (French in the way Rusedski is British, but close enough).

If Mauresmo had half the talent everyone gives her credit for, she'd be a threat every slam. Alas, she plays a beautiful game, but one that is ultimately ineffective against real players at big venues. She's not a choker; she's just not a great player. No shame in that.

 

[Grinder]

Grimjack do you play high school tennis?

 

[Deuce]

Mauresmo is to Roland Garros what Henman is to Wimbledon.

 

[Polaris]

Mauresmo-Ivanovic

I feel bad for Mauresmo. I didn't think she would win the FO, but had hoped that she would go further than this.

 

[Pushmaster]

I feel bad for Mauresmo. I didn't think she would win the FO, but had hoped that she would go further than this.

Yeah, I would have thought she could make it to the quarters before she got beat by a better player (as usual). Whoever said womens tennis is too predictable? :roll:

 

[seksii]

Ana is a talented player. we'll see more of her in the future

 

[DashaandSafin]

mmmmmm is ivanovic on TW homepage pictures?

 

[tennisnoob]

mmmmmm is ivanovic on TW homepage pictures?

Yeah she is....