US Open SF: Fernandez vs Sabalenka

[Atherton2003]

Is Sakkari the one with the scary eyebrows?

 

[Lleytonstation]

Sabalenka hasn't won a slam either and is relatively unlikely to do so tbh. After watching what we just did I doubt she ever does it. I don't see why cheering for the younger player with much more promise is surprising.

LAF has what many of these WTA players don't have. The mind.

 

[Oval_Solid]

she will have a slump because her game will be analyzed for weakness exploited more now thats shes on the map
right now shes a bit of a mystery to the other players and how best to play against her

 

[Aussie Darcy]

She just turned 19 and with the improved power as she matures will be there. No injury issues either that I have heard of.

The mind is there and her serve will only improve making her less acceptable to flashes.

I remember the same thing about a then 19 year old Ostapenko when she won RG...

 

[Fed881981]

Sabalenka hasn't won a slam either and is relatively unlikely to do so tbh. After watching what we just did I doubt she ever does it. I don't see why cheering for the younger player with much more promise is surprising.

Her chances to win a slam are not good. Osaka, Halep and others will be back at some point.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Huh? "So far beyond"? Sabalenka isn't even the best player in the WTA and took Fernandez to the limit while hitting 8 double faults. Fernandez just squeaked by Osaka and Svitolina so didn't look "so far beyond" them either. Fernandez is great, but she doesn't put everyone else to shame. Let's see how she does in the final.

That is what happens when you have the right attitude and composure.

Many of these women would have slams if they had LAF mind.

 

[Lleytonstation]

I remember the same thing about a then 19 year old Ostapenko when she won RG...

She never had the right attitude. Ever. Plus that was clay.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Choked what? A 4-0 lead in the 3rd set? 5 match points? She was behind the entire 3rd set. Was down 4-2, but managed to get to 4-4. But she played a better player in my view.

Choking for me is when you lose from a winning position. She was never in a winning position. Never.

"for me"
That's all you needed to say. Defining words to your liking is free and gratis.

 

[sredna42]

It's both. It's a fluke, but Fernandez is still a very good player. Those aren't mutually exclusive concepts.

To win these tournaments, you need to be a good player and you need to have some level of luck. But players who play like Fernandez give themselves a lot of opportunity for luck. Listen, if Caroline Wozniacki can make it to number one and stay there for weeks... Fernandez can win the US Open.

Only thing I'd quibble with is the bolded, she does the opposite, Fernandez doesn't play the high % grinding game to maximize her chances/luck. She is ripping the ball on the rise like peak agassi, and changing direction at the same time. You have to be elite to be able to do that, I can't think of another wta player like her, I don't think the competition will know how to cope with it since 99% of them are bashers/grinders.

Her ability to lift/find a way under pressure is really encouraging & probably her biggest weapon of all.

 

[Jokervich]

People ask why I was cheering for Sabalenka, it's comments like these.

Fernandez coming out of nowhere and winning a slam is on brand for the WTA and then not backing it up. I hope she becomes an ATG and wins more but who knows. This feels Ostapenko-esque.

They win 1 big tournament, collect their big paycheck and then live an easy life off the fame and sponsorships it gets them. There's no incentive for any of them to become an all time great and we can clearly see that by all the different winners and different names in the latter stages of every slam.

 

[romeo8880]

Leylah is soooo good. And NO nerves. Unlike Sabalenka

 

[Kralingen]

She never had the right attitude. Ever. Plus that was clay.

That was a mug draw as well. Halep the only good player she faced at that point iirc.

Not so with Leylah.

 

[MadariKatu]

Is Sakkari the one with the scary eyebrows?

only when she's in competition mode.

when she's relaxed, she doesn't look scary at all:

 

[Lleytonstation]

They win 1 big tournament, collect their big paycheck and then live an easy life off the fame and sponsorships it gets them. There's no incentive for any of them to become an all time great and we can clearly see that by all the different winners and different names in the latter stages of every slam.

That is the point. LAF doesn't have that mentality or seem like she will. But time will tell.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

And in men, just 4 guys won Grand Slams. WTA looks healthier in that sense.

My hope for the next ten years for men is that there will be many different Grand Slam winners - the big 3 era is winding down and I want one of those Grand Slam winners to be my new favorite player Carlos Alcaraz!!!!

 

[MadariKatu]

I remember the same thing about a then 19 year old Ostapenko when she won RG...

Ostapenko was redlining in every match. Leylah is playing smart. Hits lines as well, but they are like night and day

 

[Lleytonstation]

Ostapenko was redlining in every match. Leylah is playing smart. Hits lines as well, but they are like night and day

Osta was also a mental mess.

 

[Atherton2003]

Now Layla can get a good sponsor and nicer skirt....she is a small girl with a skirt big enough for a 250 pound woman

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

That is what happens when you have the right attitude and composure.

Many of these women would have slams if they had LAF mind.

Can we wait and see if she actually wins the final? (;

 

[gogo]

Prior to the match I didn't expect Leylah to win, but I found myself always believing in her ability to fight back during the course of the match. Leylah was clearly more tired than in her previous matches, and had a few more wild shots than normal, but she persevered. Damn! What a performance yet again. Nerves of steel.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Now Layla can get a good sponsor and nicer skirt....she is a small girl with a skirt big enough for a 250 pound woman

Looks adorable.

 

[stringertom]

That is quite possibly the biggest choke I've ever seen. Maybe Coria rivals it but man.... that was bad.

No; Novotna was much worse. From 4-1 40-30 third set she DFed to deuce to begin the crumble to a 4-6 loss to Graf. Thanks to her grittiness, she did wind up a Wimby champion five years later and partially erased that fail from our minds.

Sabalenka was ahead in this match only in the first set. Big difference.

 

[Atherton2003]

I wonder if Layla could have beaten Serena?

 

[Nostradamus]

WTF!
She won the Monterrey Open earlier this year!

She did ?? do you have proof ?

 

[Lleytonstation]

Can we wait and see if she actually wins the final? (;

Doesn't matter if she does otter doesn't. She has proved she has the game and mind at 18.

 

[Fed881981]

"for me"
That's all you needed to say. Defining words to your liking is free and gratis.

Take it easy, my friend. I’m just expressing an opinion. And mine is different than yours.

Since the first set became tied at 3-3, Sabalenka was not leading. She lost the first set, took advantage of a bad service game of Fernandez at 4-4 in the second, and in the third was down 4-2. Bad games happen, just like the 4-4 by Fernandez in the second. That’s not a choke.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

Doesn't matter if she does otter doesn't. She has proved she has the game and mind at 18.

I meant that people were posting as if she already has a Grand Slam title. She just turned 19 on Monday.

 

[Nostradamus]

So here's the deal, she has ton of family to support. from what i am reading her family is poor. She needs to sign some Multi Million dollar contracts soon so that she can support her family, it is her turn now

 

[Nostradamus]

Sabalenka hasn't won a slam either and is relatively unlikely to do so tbh. After watching what we just did I doubt she ever does it. I don't see why cheering for the younger player with much more promise is surprising.

her mental weakness is her undoing. She should have won 2-3 majors by now with all the talent she has

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Take it easy, my friend. I’m just expressing an opinion. And mine is different than yours.

Since the first set became tied at 3-3, Sabalenka was not leading. She lost the first set, took advantage of a bad service game of Fernandez at 4-4 in the second, and in the third was down 4-2. Bad games happen, just like 4-4 by Fernandez in the second. That’s not a choke.

I'm not pissed, just never saw while choking should only apply to missing leads - as if mental weakness doesn't strike in even battle as well, in fact just as often.

 

[Vamos Rafa Nadal]

I felt that Sabalenka was pressing too hard, especially when she would make a mistake. She needed to learn how to hit the reset button.

Leylah played a gutsy match. I feel Aryna lost the match more than Leylah won it.

 

[gogo]

Huh? "So far beyond"? Sabalenka isn't even the best player in the WTA and took Fernandez to the limit while hitting 8 double faults. Fernandez just squeaked by Osaka and Svitolina so didn't look "so far beyond" them either. Fernandez is great, but she doesn't put everyone else to shame. Let's see how she does in the final.

Agree. But there are many here who are simply saying she is playing beyond expectations. I think she deserves respect.

 

[mightyrick]

Only thing I'd quibble with is the bolded, she does the opposite, Fernandez doesn't play the high % grinding game to maximize her chances/luck. She is ripping the ball on the rise like peak agassi, and changing direction at the same time. You have to be elite to be able to do that, I can't think of another wta player like her, I don't think the competition will know how to cope with it since 99% of them are bashers/grinders.

Her ability to lift/find a way under pressure is really encouraging & probably her biggest weapon of all.

Actually, MANY players take the ball early. That is nothing new. For the men or the women. If you haven't seen players like Fernandez, then you don't watch Halep and Kerber. Because taking the ball early (staying on the baseline) and redirecting pace is exactly what they do. Halep and Kerber have been frustrating the big hitters and big servers in the WTA for years now. And both of them have slam titles.

If you don't think Fernandez plays a high-percentage grinding game, then you didn't watch the Kerber match. Do you think that was just Kerber running around? That was a marathon between two players who are almost exactly of the same mold.

 

[Jack the Hack]

nice story i guess but can she win it ?? this girl has done nothing so far in her career,,,, could be flash in the pan... That's what i am afraid of........

Very strange comment considering LAF turned pro right before the pandemic and only turned 19 last week.

When she was 16, LAF made the finals of the junior Australian Open and won the French. She turned pro at the end of the summer in 2019 and made the semis of her first pro ITF event. We all know how 2020 went, but LAF did make the 3rd round of the French at the end of last year, then won her first WTA level tournament earlier this year to bump up into the top 75 as an 18 year old. The run to the US Open final is surprising, but not shocking considering she was one of the best juniors in the world and has such a tight game.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Agree. But there are many here who are simply saying she is playing beyond expectations. I think she deserves respect.

She probably did a bit, but she will only improve and become more consistent.

 

[GhostDog]

Nothing about this run by Fernandez seems like a flash in the pan. We shall see.

 

[Tennisfan339]

Congrats to Fernandez!!! She is amazing. Mental made of steel.
4th consecutive win in 3rd sets against the world number #2, #3, #5 and former number #1 and 3 slams champion. Not a coincidence.
Her game impresses me even more than Raducanu's.

So happy Sabalenka is out, lol

 

[Mark-Touch]

So here's the deal, she has ton of family to support. from what i am reading her family is poor. She needs to sign some Multi Million dollar contracts soon so that she can support her family, it is her turn now

She's guaranteed $1 million just to make the final.
And then there will be endorsements for a lot more money.
She won't be poor anymore.
And don't ask me for proof again!

 

[James P]

Nothing about this run by Fernandez seems like a flash in the pan. We shall see.

Very true. I didn't rate her high prior to this tournament, but these results are hard to ignore.

 

[Fedeonic]

My hope for the next ten years for men is that there will be many different Grand Slam winners - the big 3 era is winding down and I want one of those Grand Slam winners to be my new favorite player Carlos Alcaraz!!!!

With Juanqui Ferrero on board, Carlitos is in really great hands. We'll finally have that upgraded Ferrero we were robbed in 2004.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Almost forgot there’s another possible epic after this. What a night

No weak era for her.

Not a single easy match for Ley en route, a pretty unique occasion. In every match she depended on winning close sets and managed a 7-1 record in 7-6/7-5 set affairs.

 

[Fed881981]

I'm not pissed, just never saw while choking should only apply to missing leads - as if mental weakness doesn't strike in even battle as well, in fact just as often.

I can also say that Fernandez choked the second set, or the 4-2 lead in the third.

The mental part is important, but Sabalenka’s loss today wasn’t solely due to mental weakness. She lacks the game to make her a great player. She also played a good player who is having an amazing run. As I said nearly two hours ago, Fernandez has say about the outcome of this match, not just Sabalenka. Why? Because she is really good.

 

[Jack the Hack]

I remember the same thing about a then 19 year old Ostapenko when she won RG...

I get that. Nobody should get over their skis too much with the hype because you never know what can happen when someone has success so early.

That said, Ostapenko is a notorious headcase that plays a high risk game, so she's capable of blowing anyone off the court, or losing badly in the first round. Plus, she's got a horrible attitude. LAF seems more mentally tough and stable, and has a more reliable game it seems. But at 5'6", she will have to fight for everything and won't have easy matches, while some of the other girls are bigger hitters and could have more upside long term.

 

[InvisibleSoul]

Choked what? A 4-0 lead in the 3rd set? 5 match points? She was behind the entire 3rd set. Was down 4-2, but managed to get to 4-4. But she played a better player in my view.

Choking for me is when you lose from a winning position. She was never in a winning position. Never.

You don't have to be in a winning position to choke. You can be on even terms and then completely underperform in a crucial situation and that's still considered choking to me.

 

[Fed881981]

You don't have to be in a winning position to choke. You can be on even terms and then completely underperform in a crucial situation and that's still considered choking to me.

So, did Fernandez choke the 2nd set?

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

I can also say that Fernandez choked the second set, or the 4-2 lead in the third.

The mental part is important, but Sabalenka’s loss today wasn’t solely due to mental weakness. She lacks the game to make her a great player. She also played a good player who is having an amazing run. As I said nearly two hours ago, Fernandez has say about the outcome of this match, not just Sabalenka. Why? Because she is really good.

Match was essentially decided by mental strength/weakness as it often happens. Fernandez was dominated at the start of the match, came back, saved a set point on serve and induced Aree to crumble in the tiebreak. The other two sets also ended up being decided by who crumbles first. It's not like Sobol was just a loose cannon, Fernandez had to fight hard to induce the drop and that's what happened.

 

[Harry_Wild]

Back again for Emma and Mari!

 

[Kralingen]

Not a single easy match for Ley en route, a pretty unique occasion. In every match she depended on winning close sets and managed a 7-1 record in 7-6/7-5 set affairs.

I can’t remember the last time we saw something like this. Iirc all 3 of the TBs vs Osaka, Kerber, and Svitolina were win or go home, I know Osaka-Kerber she dropped the first set.

I wonder if she’s just so inexperienced that there’s no mental blocks up yet? But her poise seems genuine to me.

 

[Nostradamus]

Very strange comment considering LAF turned pro right before the pandemic and only turned 19 last week.

When she was 16, LAF made the finals of the junior Australian Open and won the French. She turned pro at the end of the summer in 2019 and made the semis of her first pro ITF event. We all know how 2020 went, but LAF did make the 3rd round of the French at the end of last year, then won her first WTA level tournament earlier this year to bump up into the top 75 as an 18 year old. The run to the US Open final is surprising, but not shocking considering she was one of the best juniors in the world and has such a tight game.

so you saying she will be dominant #1 in very near future ??

 

[Nostradamus]

She's guaranteed $1 million just to make the final.
And then there will be endorsements for a lot more money.
She won't be poor anymore.
And don't ask me for proof again!

1 million doesn't get very far with such large family.... and is it cause you don't have the proof ???