2013 US Open SF: Serena vs. Li Na

[kskate2]

great 1st serve and it wins her the match. Congrats Serena

 

[Moxie]

Serena just let Li shake the chairs hand first....isnt that rare?

 

[Moxie]

Nice touch.

 

[kskate2]

Final thread is already up. Everyone please vote and enjoy the discussion

 

[kskate2]

shes been doing it all tournament Mox

 

[Moxie]

Thanks, K! Off to write it all up. Thanks for the chat all!!

 

[Moxie]

K: I thought that was never her thing? And as I was writing, Carillo noticed, too.

 

[kskate2]

It was her thing in the past, but this whole tournament she has let the opponent shake hands first. Beats anybody why she chng

 

[golds girl]

Good chat K! Time to go do some work now. Cheers everyone!

 

[Moxie]

Well, I think its elegant. Im glad shes doing it.

 

[kskate2]

Yeah GG. Im off work now. But have fun and see you Sun.

 

[kskate2]

Alright gang. Great chatting w/ everyone today. For further commentary, please visit the SF & final threads

 

[britbox]

The live chat has now been merged into this thread.

 

[RJD11]

"I should not be nervous because it's not my first time to play the semifinals," Li said. "But when I walked on court, I was feeling the court was so big. It felt like a football [field]. To Serena, it was table tennis. I could not focus."


Here’s the first set stat line. Blink and you missed it. All of it.

Serena: 1 ace, 3 double faults, winning 85 percent first serves, 4 winners, 9 unforced errors, 3-for-3 on break points, 3-for-4 at the net.

Li: 0 aces, 3 double faults, winning 43 percent first serves, just 25 percent on second serves, 1 winner, 12 unforced errors, 0-for-3 at the net.

 

[tented]

"I should not be nervous because it's not my first time to play the semifinals," Li said. "But when I walked on court, I was feeling the court was so big. It felt like a football [field]. To Serena, it was table tennis. I could not focus."


Here’s the first set stat line. Blink and you missed it. All of it.

Serena: 1 ace, 3 double faults, winning 85 percent first serves, 4 winners, 9 unforced errors, 3-for-3 on break points, 3-for-4 at the net.

Li: 0 aces, 3 double faults, winning 43 percent first serves, just 25 percent on second serves, 1 winner, 12 unforced errors, 0-for-3 at the net.

Thanks for the stats, RJD11.

I knew Li Na's numbers would be bad, but they're even worse than I suspected.

Ironically, what stands out the most (to me) is Serena hitting only one ace. It seemed like she was serving better than that. But 85% first serve points won? Incredible number.

 

[RJD11]

"I should not be nervous because it's not my first time to play the semifinals," Li said. "But when I walked on court, I was feeling the court was so big. It felt like a football [field]. To Serena, it was table tennis. I could not focus."


Here’s the first set stat line. Blink and you missed it. All of it.

Serena: 1 ace, 3 double faults, winning 85 percent first serves, 4 winners, 9 unforced errors, 3-for-3 on break points, 3-for-4 at the net.

Li: 0 aces, 3 double faults, winning 43 percent first serves, just 25 percent on second serves, 1 winner, 12 unforced errors, 0-for-3 at the net.

Thanks for the stats, RJD11.

I knew Li Na's numbers would be bad, but they're even worse than I suspected.

Ironically, what stands out the most (to me) is Serena hitting only one ace. It seemed like she was serving better than that. But 85% first serve points won? Incredible number.

With Serena's serve its not so much the aces as it is the

free and easy points the serve gets her. So many of her

serves the opponent gets a racquet on it but knocks it

out of play or ducks it up and she hits an easy volley or

winner. Its hard to hit an effective return on her serves.

They mostly just have time to block it back.

 

[RJD11]

"I should not be nervous because it's not my first time to play the semifinals," Li said. "But when I walked on court, I was feeling the court was so big. It felt like a football [field]. To Serena, it was table tennis. I could not focus."


Here’s the first set stat line. Blink and you missed it. All of it.

Serena: 1 ace, 3 double faults, winning 85 percent first serves, 4 winners, 9 unforced errors, 3-for-3 on break points, 3-for-4 at the net.

Li: 0 aces, 3 double faults, winning 43 percent first serves, just 25 percent on second serves, 1 winner, 12 unforced errors, 0-for-3 at the net.

Thanks for the stats, RJD11.

I knew Li Na's numbers would be bad, but they're even worse than I suspected.

Ironically, what stands out the most (to me) is Serena hitting only one ace. It seemed like she was serving better than that. But 85% first serve points won? Incredible number.

There is another stat that is interesting. She was 3/4 at the net.

I have heard so called " experts " say opponents should bring

Serena to the net. Well after seeing that I started watching for

for that and in every match Serena wins more of those points

than she loses. ARad has tried it and was effective the first

couple of times and then Serena started watching for it and

that was that. And then Serena started doing it to her and

was even more effective. In their last match Serena closed out

a game with a beautiful dropshot that Aga just stood there

and didn't even go after it. Serena can even lob with best of them.