The Official 2014 WTA French Open Thread -- For General Discussion

[Down_the_line]

After 3 double faults in the last game alone, Halep finishes off Kuznetsova 6-2 6-2.

The women's semis are set:

[7] Maria Sharapova vs [18] Eugenie Bouchard

[4] Simona Halep vs [28] Andrea Petkovic

 

[Steve0904]

It's because of the rain. The bounce isn't as high which heavily favoured Petkovic. Take Errrani's high bounce FH out of the game and she's toast.

In these conditions I'd easily take Djokovic over Nadal. Remember the part of the 2012 final where it started raining. I think he won 8 games in a row at that point.

I know that, but it's not Petkovic's fault that it rained either. Either way I didn't consider Errani a heavy favourite before the match no matter what the conditions were. Errani's game is simply not conducive to being the heavy favourite.

 

[Down_the_line]

I wish Halep had a bigger serve. She would be deadly!

She's one of my new favourites! She's who I want to win the title if Bouchard doesn't.

 

[heftylefty]

Please bring back the Petko dance!

 

[Down_the_line]

I know that, but it's not Petkovic's fault that it rained either. Either way I didn't consider Errani a heavy favourite before the match no matter what the conditions were. Errani's game is simply not conducive to being the heavy favourite.

Tell me, in what way was Petkovic not the heavy underdog. This is insane. We're talking about a former top 5 player, now 11th in the world, who made the final and semifinals in the last two French Open tournaments and is one of the best clay court players on the women's tour. You can micro analyze it all you want but all things considered, Eranni should have won that match.

Remember, she just came off a solid victory over Jankovic. It wasn't like Errani was out of her element either.

 

[ruerooo]

Please bring back the Petko dance!

I didn't see the match - was there no dance?

 

[Steve0904]

Tell me, in what way was Petkovic not the heavy underdog. This is insane. We're talking about a former top 5 player, now 11th in the world, who made the final and semifinals in the last two French Open tournaments and is one of the best clay court players on the women's tour. You can micro analyze it all you want but all things considered, Eranni should have won that match.

Remember, she just came off a solid victory over Jankovic. It wasn't like Errani was out of her element either.

Why is it insane? Petkovic was a former top player herself before injuries (I believe she was as high as #9) She's clearly playing well this season, and on clay having won Charleston. Plus, as I said, Errani's game is not conducive to being a heavy favourite in any match against a big hitter like Petkovic, slight perhaps, but not heavy. As great as Errani's results have been, there is just too much of a chance that on any given day someone like Petkovic can blow her off the court. Errani is not some all time great that you can bank on to win the large majority of the matches she's favoured to win either.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I expect the same result at Roland Garros 2014:

2013
NÜRNBERG, GERMANY
F CLAY
Halep - Petkovic
6-3 6-3

 

[Nostradamus]

I wish Halep had a bigger serve. She would be deadly!

she is only like 5 foot 6 inches. if she can at least serve like Kuzzie, but then she is not built like kuzzie and that is why she moves better than Kuzzie

 

[InvisibleSoul]

Why is it insane? Petkovic was a former top player herself before injuries (I believe she was as high as #9) She's clearly playing well this season, and on clay having won Charleston. Plus, as I said, Errani's game is not conducive to being a heavy favourite in any match against a big hitter like Petkovic, slight perhaps, but not heavy. As great as Errani's results have been, there is just too much of a chance that on any given day someone like Petkovic can blow her off the court. Errani is not some all time great that you can bank on to win the large majority of the matches she's favoured to win either.

As it turns out, Petkovic actually was a fairly heavy underdog going in to the match. $100 on Petkovic would have paid $350.

 

[heftylefty]

I didn't see the match - was there no dance?

I didn't see the match either, but she stopped doing the dance after Surgapova made a snide remake about it.

 

[Fed881981]

Errani has no power and she couldn't handle the power of Petkovic today. Rain or not, losing 2 &2 on clay is embarrassing for her.

Edit: I didn't see a dance either.

 

[romeo8880]

I didn't see the match either, but she stopped doing the dance after Surgapova made a snide remake about it.

What did she say???

 

[jm1980]

Schedule of play for Thursday, 5 June is out:

Not before 3:00pm
Sharapova vs Bouchard
Halep vs Petkovic

 

[heninfan99]

Soderling needs to come out of retirement and blast these guys.

 

[Warmaster]

A Sharapova-Halep final is looking likely at the moment.

How I wish Genie could prove me wrong!

 

[Down_the_line]

Why is it insane? Petkovic was a former top player herself before injuries (I believe she was as high as #9) She's clearly playing well this season, and on clay having won Charleston. Plus, as I said, Errani's game is not conducive to being a heavy favourite in any match against a big hitter like Petkovic, slight perhaps, but not heavy. As great as Errani's results have been, there is just too much of a chance that on any given day someone like Petkovic can blow her off the court. Errani is not some all time great that you can bank on to win the large majority of the matches she's favoured to win either.

Yeah, I guess I see what you're saying. I suppose I just feel that when you're #11 in the world and a former #5, you should find a way to get it done, especially on your favourite surface and regardless of the matchup of styles of play. That's just me though. I could be heavily underrating Petkovic as well since I haven't watched a lot of her.

Plus, I still have the Errani-Jankovic match fresh in my head, a match in which Errani played at a high level. In a nutshell, my expectations of Errani were high.

 

[cc0509]

Yeah, I guess I see what you're saying. I suppose I just feel that when you're #11 in the world and a former #5, you should find a way to get it done, especially on your favourite surface and regardless of the matchup of styles of play. That's just me though. I could be heavily underrating Petkovic as well since I haven't watched a lot of her.

Plus, I still have the Errani-Jankovic match fresh in my head, a match in which Errani played at a high level. In a nutshell, my expectations of Errani were high.

You are underrating Petkovic. She was on a hot streak going deep in many tournaments before she was injured. Petkovic is a better player than Errani. Her win over Errani is not surprising at all imo.

 

[Vanhool]

Petko did what everyone should do: crowd in on errani's first and second serve. It's got nothing to hurt you. It's like she's handing out free bonbons for them to snack on. Why won't they take this gift? It made me very happy to see it (brought back fond memories of Bartoli but with out the sweating and hopping around).

 

[Vanhool]

I didn't see the match either, but she stopped doing the dance after Surgapova made a snide remake about it.

She can be such a ***** sometimes! But still I prefer *****y Maria to robotic Maria. Dance, petkorazzi! Don't let old sourpuss steal your joy!

 

[snowwhite]

I have a feeling that the winner is gonna be from the bottom half, specially Petkovic

 

[Tcbtennis]

Go, go, go Simona! I think that she will handle Petkovic without too much trouble and will get to the finals. I'm so impressed with her game. She still needs to improve her serve though it's not that bad. And her net game can be sketchy at times. But the way she constructs her points she has an open court to hit the ball into and doesn't necessarily need to get to the net.

Any idea as to what her ranking will be if she wins the French Open?

 

[snowwhite]

If Maria wins the title beating Petkovic, she will be the third woman in the open era, after Bartoli (2013 Wim) & Li (2014 Aus),to win a major without facing a top 10 player

 

[Fed881981]

Any idea as to what her ranking will be if she wins the French Open?

3rd.

She's only 75 points behind Aga at the moment. A win tomorrow will give her the 3rd regardless of the final outcome. Winning the title will bring her very close to the second; 315 points behind Li to be precise.

 

[heftylefty]

What did she say???

Marsha was not amused by Petkovic. I guess Surgapova didn't take too kindly getting beat by Andrea in a Slam back in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k11x978Voug

This can at the 2011 Sony/Ericson

When told Petkovic thought she would be tired in the third set after her long match the previous day, Sharapova responded, via Yahoo! Sports, "Because I didn't do the dance after. I wasn't tired."

And when told Petkovic admired her, Sharapova still didn't hold back, talking about how she put the fleet-footed German away:

"More than anything, I sensed that she was tired-probably a lot of the dancing that she's been doing- and I took advantage of it."

 

[Chanwan]

Petko did what everyone should do: crowd in on errani's first and second serve. It's got nothing to hurt you. It's like she's handing out free bonbons for them to snack on. Why won't they take this gift? It made me very happy to see it (brought back fond memories of Bartoli but with out the sweating and hopping around).

She did exactly that! Standing 1-2 meters inside the court to return every serve must frighten a server like Errani

 

[Fifth Set]

Babefest 2014 - when was the last time the final four at a major were this attractive?!

 

[snowwhite]

Halep is attractive??!!!

 

[Fifth Set]

Halep is attractive??!!!

Compared to your girlfriend, absolutely.

 

[snowwhite]

I'm a woman by the way

 

[cc0509]

Compared to your girlfriend, absolutely.

Who is snowhite's girlfriend? Bouchard? If so Halep is not better looking than Bouchard. Halep is the least attractive out of the four semi-finalists.

 

[veroniquem]

Why do they start with the blockbuster semi? Does that mean they'll start with Nadal/Murray on Friday

 

[Brian11785]

Halep is attractive??!!!

Easily the most attractive game of the four.

One thing you can say about these four: they all look like professional athletes. There are some players that just look like the picture on the Wheaties box. Dementieva (the example that comes to mind first), Georges, Vika, Venus. And these four. It's not necessarily a matter of fitness or general attractiveness/marketability, though they might be components of what I'm talking about. It's more a general competitive aura about them--the way they carry themselves. Anyone know what I mean (tell me I'm not crazy....)??

 

[Vanhool]

I'm a woman by the way

Then why are you denigrating a female player based on her appearance? This always baffles me. I remember a couple years ago there was a poster (now banned, can't remember the name) who was always saying really, really mean rude stuff about wta players' looks. Was so shocked to find out it was a woman! I know your comment was pretty mild, but I still feel

 

[snowwhite]

But he was not talking about their games

 

[Fifth Set]

I'm a woman by the way

lol, good to see we have at least two (you and Cindy) gals here. Ok, so assuming you're straight, Halep is a better looking woman than your boyfriend in drag. Are we finally in agreement?! Friends?

 

[Brian11785]

But he was not talking about their games

I think she is cute. Not everyone has to be a model.

 

[snowwhite]

Then why are you denigrating a female player based on her appearance? This always baffles me. I remember a couple years ago there was a poster (now banned, can't remember the name) who was always saying really, really mean rude stuff about wta players' looks. Was so shocked to find out it was a woman! I know your comment was pretty mild, but I still feel

It's not denigrating or anything, but I can understand men would think Maria attractive, maybe Bouchard too, but Halep

 

[cc0509]

It's not denigrating or anything, but I can understand men would think Maria attractive, maybe Bouchard too, but Halep

Nope. I don't think she is attractive at all. The three other SF's, Sharapova, Petkovic and Bouchard are all more attractive imo.

 

[Vanhool]

Easily the most attractive game of the four.

One thing you can say about these four: they all look like professional athletes. There are some players that just look like the picture on the Wheaties box. Dementieva (the example that comes to mind first), Georges, Vika, Venus. And these four. It's not necessarily a matter of fitness or general attractiveness/marketability, though they might be components of what I'm talking about. It's more a general competitive aura about them. Anyone know what I mean (tell me I'm not crazy....)??

I see it. I was just saying today how athletic Simona looks when I was watching the match.

 

[snowwhite]

Not everyone has to be a model.

That's right, tennis is all about a beautiful game I suppose

 

[Brian11785]

It's not denigrating or anything, but I can understand men would think Maria attractive, maybe Bouchard too, but Halep

Not everyone has to conform to society's narrow standard of beauty. The "Mean Girl" attitude is the reason teenage girls develop eating disorders and kill themselves.

 

[Vanhool]

It's not denigrating or anything, but I can understand men would think Maria attractive, maybe Bouchard too, but Halep

I just always feel kind of happy when I see guys expressing some love for the women that don't fit the stereotypical model look.

 

[Fifth Set]

It's not denigrating or anything, but I can understand men would think Maria attractive, maybe Bouchard too, but Halep

I would genuinely be interested in your honest reaction to the best legs thread in odds and ends. From where I sit, it seems like there is a "type" for every guy. Some love Errani, halep and Serena but many do not. There's even a couple guys who keep whining about Bouchard being overrated in the looks department.

Personally I think there is beauty in every fit woman who is that good at my favorite sport! And personality helps alot the perception of beauty, which is why spunky petko and sweet hlavackova are my two favorite hotties!!

 

[Brian11785]

I just always feel kind of happy when I see guys expressing some love for the women that don't fit the stereotypical model look.

RomeoXX88, who typically plays the role of the Negative Nancy in a lot of threads and to whom I am usually replying snarkily, has in the past let known how attractive he finds Angelique Kerber. This admission has all but totally redeemed him in my eyes.

 

[snowwhite]

I would genuinely be interested in your honest reaction to the best legs thread in odds and ends!

Best legs!!
That' only what you can see in tennis
By the way my two favourite players are Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, I'm not sure if this answer helps

 

[Down_the_line]

I think she is cute. Not everyone has to be a model.

Exactly. I have no problems with Simona whatsoever. Then again, I just have a thing for athletic women in general. They don't have to be stunningly beautiful.

If anything, it's Sharapova who isn't really anything special in my eyes.

 

[Team10]

Halep is cute. I get the impression that she's one of those chicks that you're friends with for a while and it doesn't really go anywhere for a while until you start thinking of her like that.

Plus, she is 5'6, 22 years old, has blue eyes, what's not to like? That's right in my wheel house lol.

 

[swordtennis]

I love Halep. Huge fan. She is too short but she will be better than Henin. She has that drive. Plus a 2 hand BH. I loath the WTA as well. Halep is good. Hope she wipes out the rest especially petkovic.

 

[Brian11785]

I love Halep. Huge fan. She is too short but she will be better than Henin. She has that drive. Plus a 2 hand BH. I loath the WTA as well. Halep is good. Hope she wipes out the rest especially petkovic.

Bold prediction. We shall see.