Venus is done!

[Ballmachine]

At least for today. She turned an ankle or a knee. I doubt she will be able to complete this match. She was just starting to make a comeback against Dementiava too.

 

[Ballmachine]

She took a long injury break, and now she is going to try to play. She just won the second set! This should be interesting because even though she is playing, she seems to be in a lot of pain. She is grimacing quite a bit.

 

[@wright]

Dementieva deserves this win, I've never seen her hit groundies that well.

 

[Ballmachine]

Venus is smoking right now! She hasn't dropped a game since the injury, and before that she won three games in a row to take the second set. Looks like Dementiava missed her chance when she served for the match up 5-4 in the second. Anything can happen, but it looks bad for Elena right now.

 

[Ballmachine]

Just like that, Elena has won two games in a row and they are back on serve at 3-2. The roller coaster ride continues.

 

[Ballmachine]

Flip a coin now. It's 3-3 in the third and anybody's game.

 

[Ballmachine]

Venus is up 5-3 now, and she is serving for the match.

 

[Ballmachine]

Venus served an ace at 15-15 all, then hit 3 double faults in a row to lose the game. Unreal.

 

[Ballmachine]

5-5 now in the third. This match has had so many momentum swings it is very difficult to predict who will actually win the last point.

 

[@wright]

Thanks so much for the ongoing commentary ballmachine, I'm at work and it's killing me that I can't watch it, I love matches like this.

 

[Ballmachine]

Venus is up 6-5 now. Elena will serve to stay in the match. Elena got hooked on the last deuce point. She hit a forehand winner that was called out. Video replay and shot-spot show that the ball was good.

 

[Ballmachine]

She has to put that behind her now and try to get to the tiebreak.

 

[Peter Samprer]

looks like she pull out a "henin-hardenne" in this match. will she use it against her sister? hmmm...

 

[Ballmachine]

Good first serve, forehand winner. 15-0 Elena.

Oh no. Double fault. 15-15

 

[Ballmachine]

Another double. 15-30. Getting sad now.

 

[Ballmachine]

Weak second serve barely goes in. Long rally. Forehand error by Venus. 30-30.

 

[Ballmachine]

Nervous backhand into the middle of the net. Match point Venus. Second serve coming.

 

[Ballmachine]

Error by Venus. Deuce.

Long point. Back and forth. Error by Venus at net. Good passing shot by Elena though.

Game Elena! Tiebreak to decide match now!

 

[Ballmachine]

Venus serves first in breaker. Long first point. Won by Elena.

1-0 Dementieva

 

[Ballmachine]

Weak second serve by Elena. Venus attacks, comes to net, drop volley winner! Unbelievable!

1-1

Forehand error by Venus.

2-1 Elena

 

[Ballmachine]

Another long point. Elena hits a half volley in no-man's land and wins the point!

3-1 Elena

 

[Ballmachine]

Elena goes for the winner on Venus' second serve. Forehand error.

3-2 Elena

 

[edge]

They are both tight and prone to choking with weak 2nd serves. Well, that's WTA tennis.

 

[Ballmachine]

Elena hits a first serve in. Venus misses the return.

4-2 Elena

Both women trying very hard to win the match. High drama going on right now.

 

[Ballmachine]

Backhand error by Venus.

5-2 Elena

 

[Ballmachine]

Backhand error by Elena.

5-3 Elena.

 

[Ballmachine]

Big forehand by Elena.

6-3 Elena

Match point!

 

[@wright]

crap

 

[Ballmachine]

Elena serves a meatball second serve at about 40mph, and Venus hits a forehand into the net.

Game, Set, Match - Elena Dementieva!

 

[Rabbit]

The suspense is killing me! I saw the match at lunch through the latter parts of the 2nd set......

:roll:

 

[Ballmachine]

Poor quality, but high drama made this match exciting to watch. I had no idea who would win in the end. It went back and forth so many times that I got dizzy! Elena is in the semifinals now. Who knows if she will make it to the finals? If she does, it will be nice to see her play Serena.

 

[Ballmachine]

Cliff Drysdale just asked Elena about her serve, and Elena said she doesn't like the question. She said that the serve doesn't matter to her, and it showed today. She can stay with all of the top women shot for shot off the ground. If she ever develops a reliable serve, she could do damage at a major. Her attitude about the serve will prevent that from ever happening.

 

[Phil]

I don't believe it, Ballmachine-you were just keeping poor Al on a string-the actual match score was 6-0, 6-1 Venus, as usual, right?

 

[Ombelibable]

Still hasn't retired.