US Open 2013 Women's SF: Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs. Na Li (CHN) [5]

[ScentOfDefeat]

You play against the field in tennis. As humorous as I found your comment about turning the WTA into a "challenge Serena" system, even Serena is not invulnerable. She did lose fair and square at Wimbledon this year.

Yes, well I'm aware of that. In boxing the champions are also vulnerable, as they eventually lose (except for a few exceptional ones). The only reason why I think boxing doesn't work as a tournament sport is that each fight is very taxing for the boxer and they could become permanently injured if they had to win 7 fights in a row to lift a trophy. Tennis fans are eager to watch tennis week-in-week-out, even if it means watching very poor matches up until the final.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

Horrific overhead miss.

 

[granddog29]

Does Na Li know how to play tennis? Every time I watch her she buries one rally ball after the next into the net. What is she attempting?

LOL so true. She looks like a beginner being taught how to keep basic balls in court most times I have seen her, and after years of basic lessons still not learning how. She must be by far the worst player to win a slam and reach 3 slam finals. Everytime I watch her play I am amazed how she ever managed such feats.

 

[Vanhool]

Have you ever seen a discussion about Seles and Graf? Complete warzones.

Threads debating whether Serena is the GOAT or not should also be avoided.

LOF'in'L! I literally use those threads to combat insomnia! It works every time.

 

[Shangri La]

Terrible overhead miss.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Think about it. Do you really think Boxer's could stand a "tournament structure" on a regular basis?

They are quite literally beating each other up.

How long do you think the average boxer's career would be if they had to fight 7 fights or so in a row to win a title?

Yup. I finally came round to it. It only required a few minutes.

 

[Lukhas]

From the periodic table of elements.

Na= Sodium

Li= Lithium

Okay thanks.

 

[pug]

Li self destructing, just get the ball in the court!

 

[veroniquem]

If Serena bagels Azarenka in the final they should just cancel the WTA. Or maybe change it to a combat sport structure where you have the champion and the challenger.

There are only 2 players in WTA right now. The others are dispensable extras with marshmallow mental. They could have cancelled every round and just played the final. Such a shame to think this will be the only match worth watching. I've done nothing but wait for it for 2 weeks.

 

[dafinch]

Li self destructing, just get the ball in the court!

Putting aside the fact that that is easier said then done, then what?

 

[rainingaces]

LOL so true. She looks like a beginner being taught how to keep basic balls in court most times I have seen her, and after years of basic lessons still not learning how. She must be by far the worst player to win a slam and reach 3 slam finals. Everytime I watch her play I am amazed how she ever managed such feats.

She hits attacking shots from defensive positions way too often brings unforced, she needs to use a defensive slice more often.

 

[Dharmaboy]

Yup.....its over now. what a disappointment.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Na gets a reprieve from some rare errors from Serena and makes 3 unforced errors herself from 40-0 up on her own serve. Pretty pathetic. On a bad day she is the epitome of a braindead ball basher of the worst kind.

She's no different from every other top player except Azarenka and Williams. It's almost a trend. I've watched it since the beginning of the US Open. They seem fearful of winning their service games. And the fear, the utter terror of losing a service game, is never as paralyzing as when they're 30-0 or 40-0 up. It's a bit of a paradox.

 

[Vanhool]

Serena is probably so angry with herself for losing 2 games

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

There are only 2 players in WTA right now. The others are dispensable extras with marshmallow mental. They could have cancelled every round and just played the final. Such a shame to think this will be the only match worth watching. I've done nothing but wait for it for 2 weeks.

So do you agree with the champion/challenger system? It would be hilarious.

 

[pug]

Putting aside the fact that that is easier said then done, then what?

Slice backhand, drop shot, come to the net, mix up pace and spin, not just mindless hitting especially when it is not working!

 

[Down_the_line]

5-2 Williams. What more is there to say? I expected more from Li.

 

[veroniquem]

What a non-match! Hopefully the men's semis will be more exciting. Both WTA semis were awful. WTA touching the bottom right now. That's the only positive I see. Surely it can't get worse, which means it can only get better, right?

 

[rainingaces]

Azarenka is twice as good as na anyway.

 

[FuriousYellow]

Li self destructing, just get the ball in the court!

She's trying. You can tell her tactic is get the ball deep with spin, but Serena is just handling those high-bouncing shots beautifully.

Edit: Wow. As if Serena needed extra luck.

 

[Lukhas]

There are only 2 players in WTA right now. The others are dispensable extras with marshmallow mental. They could have cancelled every round and just played the final. Such a shame to think this will be the only match worth watching. I've done nothing but wait for it for 2 weeks.

Don't be like this, you'll probably have the Spanish bull lifting the trophy in his sweet white dotted pink jersey on Monday. Should be worth the wait.

 

[6-1 6-3 6-0]

[delete post]

 

[Vanhool]

Slice backhand, drop shot, come to the net, mix up pace and spin, not just mindless hitting especially when it is not working!

Ask Carla how that worked for her!

 

[veroniquem]

Azarenka is twice as good as na anyway.

Na is a flake. Azarenka has mental strength which is currently an endangered species in WTA.

 

[rainingaces]

Ask Carla how that worked for her!

Mid-court spinny stuff in to the Williams wheel house is no good.

 

[rainingaces]

Na is a flake. Azarenka has mental strength which is currently an endangered species in WTA.

She lacked mental strength in the final last year.

She defends better then anyone other then Arad, she has no weakness and she hits the ball harder then most.

 

[Down_the_line]

Now Li shows some courage when she's down match point.

 

[Leelord337]

serena should've challenged that call

 

[Leelord337]

these linespeople at the US open are good this year

 

[Shangri La]

A great point followed by a DF...

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Li self destructing, just get the ball in the court!

Not self destruction...she's having her butt handed to her by a superior player.

 

[Leelord337]

oh wait, in womens tennis they don't hit lines, lol

 

[rainingaces]

Mp Serena 5/5 on bps.

 

[Leelord337]

pennetta's backhand was better than li na's

 

[veroniquem]

Don't be like this, you'll probably have the Spanish bull lifting the trophy in his sweet white dotted pink jersey on Monday. Should be worth the wait.

Haha yeah, that's why I focus mainly on the men's tour. It's painful to witness the WTA's slow meltdown.

 

[Down_the_line]

Serena can't seem to win this game (and the match), yet Li can't seem to hold either. She's hanging on by a thread here.

 

[counterloop]

Hey, we got some exciting tennis after all.

 

[Shangri La]

What a point!

 

[Down_the_line]

Despite the fact she might lose this match badly, Li is sure impressing me in this game alone. Playing her best tennis when she's on the verge of elimination. The question is, where was this all match?

 

[Vanhool]

Come on Serena stop this nonsense and win already

 

[Leelord337]

Don't be like this, you'll probably have the Spanish bull lifting the trophy in his sweet white dotted pink jersey on Monday. Should be worth the wait.

when i first saw nadal play an atp match, circa 2002, he was like 16 or 17, i thought mannnn this guy Sucks! he was getting beat bad too in a claycourt tournament, don't remember who it was but nadal played different than everybody else and that was For Sure. he had nothing on his serve at all, (I was new to tennis at that time and thought man this guys serve is SLOW and he's awful) and such loopy shots off the forehand and backhand, but boy was I wrong. It all changed for me after the french open where he beat Puerta in 2004. I realized nadal had grown to be a great player.

 

[Down_the_line]

Gutsy hold for Li and Serena will serve for it.

 

[newpball]

Nice game!

 

[powerangle]

That was an entertaining service game from Li. If only all games were like that one.

 

[Josh Lyman]

I seriously cannot get over how bad the ball kids are.

 

[MichaelNadal]

Serena is so mad!

 

[Dharmaboy]

God Sarena is a manwarpig.

her yelling

"Cah maaaaaann!!!!!"

 

[Shangri La]

Great tennis in the past 20 min.

 

[dafinch]

I'm tired of Serena complaining about the line calls, if you think it's out, stop play and challenge it-and it wasn't out, anyway. But it's finally over. Nitpicking, but 6 match points, or was it 7?

 

[veroniquem]

Serena has bulldozed her way to the final this year: 5 bagels and 3 breadsticks. The opposition looks clueless.