2015 French Open SF: S. Williams vs. Bacsinzsky

[kskate2]

Serena leads the series 2-0

http://www.wtatennis.com/head2head/player1/9044/player2/10874

They've only met once on clay so we can throw that one out from 2010. They met earlier this year in the QF of IW. It was a contested and tight match Serena won 7-5, 6-3. Can Timea shake Serena loose from her #20 aspirations?

Who ya got?
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/assets/uploads/articles/serena-williams-french-open-reuters-

310515.jpg
vs.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/other-

sports/svo0kw/picture22598487/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/541118759

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I will go with Serena in straights. Serena has been to this stage before, and it is a hard task to ask a newb at this stage to sneak past Serena. Serena is this close to hardware. She rarely loses it at this stage.

 

[tossip]

Serena in two sets ...Timea very rarely makes mistakes so Serena has to be super efficient..

 

[tented]

I will go with Serena in straights. Serena has been to this stage before, and it is a hard task to ask a newb at this stage to sneak past Serena. Serena is this close to hardware. She rarely loses it at this stage.

Yep, Serena in straights.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

And if she does lose it, this will be the one that I would put an asterisk next to as her most attainable slam ever.

 

[sk310]

I think it should be fairly smooth sailing from here. If Serena loses either of her next two matches the only person who will have beaten her is Serena Williams. None of these 3 players should be able to beat her on paper.

 

[tented]

I think it should be fairly smooth sailing from here. If Serena loses either of her next two matches the only person who will have beaten her is Serena Williams. None of these 3 players should be able to beat her on paper.

I think that's completely fair and accurate. Congrats to the others for getting this far, but this is ultimately all about Serena from here to the trophy presentation.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So, finally Serena gets to play 3rd round.

I say 6-4, 6-3.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I expect a bunch of nerves from any of her opponents from this point on for obvious reasons. Ana is the only person left in the draw who has been in slam finals, but that was so long ago that it will be like starting again.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I expect a bunch of nerves from any of her opponents from this point on for obvious reasons. Ana is the only person left in the draw who has been in slam finals, but that was so long ago that it will be like starting again.

Ana has also beaten Serena recently in slam, though not in the finals.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Yeah this is true, but the SF against Lucie will give us a preview as to nerves from Ana. If Ana can manage to get past Lucie without blinking then maybe. However, if she wins and has big nerves, then I still think Serena takes it. However, Serena still has to make it to the final too.

 

[Calvy]

I think it should be fairly smooth sailing from here. If Serena loses either of her next two matches the only person who will have beaten her is Serena Williams. None of these 3 players should be able to beat her on paper.

I think that's completely fair and accurate. Congrats to the others for getting this far, but this is ultimately all about Serena from here to the trophy presentation.

Let's take it point by point, game by game. US Open finals 2011 is still fresh in my mind.

 

[tented]

I think it should be fairly smooth sailing from here. If Serena loses either of her next two matches the only person who will have beaten her is Serena Williams. None of these 3 players should be able to beat her on paper.

I think that's completely fair and accurate. Congrats to the others for getting this far, but this is ultimately all about Serena from here to the trophy presentation.

Let's taking point by point, game by game. US Open finals 2011 is still fresh in my mind.

OK, fair enough.

 

[sk310]

I think it should be fairly smooth sailing from here. If Serena loses either of her next two matches the only person who will have beaten her is Serena Williams. None of these 3 players should be able to beat her on paper.

I think that's completely fair and accurate. Congrats to the others for getting this far, but this is ultimately all about Serena from here to the trophy presentation.

Let's taking point by point, game by game. US Open finals 2011 is still fresh in my mind.

True. I don't know if any of these players is a Sam Stosur. Perhaps Ana at her 2008 peak. What I mean by that is that Sam was like a Petra. She had huge weapons and major power. It wasn't often that it all clicked over the course or two weeks. We all thought she was going to take her RG final against Franny. Still Sam clicked that day and that drama helped her just a bit... Still that win was all Sam clicking. Perhaps Lucie? I just don't see any of these players with that same kind of story or game.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

A step at a time. However, I can't see Serena not giving everything she has to get this title given the fact that these opportunities will be few and far between the older she gets especially her opportunities here. She couldn't have asked for a better path to another slam win here for her SF and F potentially. She hasn't wasted an opportunity since 2011, so I am hoping she continues that trend.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Also, the good news for Serena is the pop and consistency is returning in her serving which is not good news for her other opponents. She was hitting 121 and 123mph serves. The same happened in Australia where the serve was kind of meh then came on strong the last few matches in Australia. The key for Serena is strong ROS to pressure her opponents. I don't worry about serve so much as she can usually defend it.

 

[tented]

She couldn't have asked for a better path to another slam win here for her SF and F potentially.

Exactly.

She's 18-1 against the three remaining players:

8-0 vs. Safarova

http://www.wtatennis.com/head2head/player1/9044/player2/9869

2-0 vs. Bacsinszky

http://www.wtatennis.com/head2head/player1/9044/player2/10874

8-1 vs. Ivanovic

http://www.wtatennis.com/head2head/player1/9044/player2/10999

Anything is possible, as the 2011 USO final demonstrated, but this would be an epic fail if Serena doesn't win #20.

She hasn't wasted an opportunity since 2011, so I am hoping she continues that trend.

Absolutely.

 

[sk310]

I kind of think 2011 just made it more difficult to beat Serena at this late round of a slam. One of the biggest changes in Serena since her second emergence is that she really seems to learn from every mistake.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well and there is a sense of urgency that she wants to make the most of every opportunity. She has won half of her titles it seems almost since returning in 2011. It is why she was disappointed in 2014 because she didn't make the most of it. She knows.

 

[tossip]

every season fans always say she too old to be doing this or that but she always wins and since she turned 30ys she is more dominant than ever .I am amused that Azarenka said that she only cares about her and pova when she owns almost everybody...zenka is placing too much importance on herself just because she has Sascha.
I bet you Serena will not lose to Azarenka ...she has placed her on the pova list.