AO 2015: WTA Early Poll

[Sundaymorningguy]

I wonder if she just kind of doesn't want to be there. Serena really doesn't NEED a warmup. The first few rounds of a slam are often enough of a warmup for her. I hope its not something more serious.

That was kind of telling in her arrival. She didn't get there until Sat night when everyone else had already been there several days.

This is where age is not her friend, and she/her team should know better. You can't just show up to a tournament the day before and expect the energy to be there. She could maybe get away with it and did like 5-10 years ago.

Things I noticed she needs to put more effort into: movement, serve and aggression (this is where I feel Patrick has let her down the most). She isn't going to win these matches trying to rally with players especially when they are trying to be aggressive against her because they know they have to be aggressive against her.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

^ The most concerning factor to me was Serena,'s footwork,Serena's trademark has always been her footwork and positioning,Serena always had time on the ball,giving her time to set up her shots.Very lazy footwork indeed.

 

[tented]

This is where age is not her friend, and she/her team should know better. You can't just show up to a tournament the day before and expect the energy to be there. She could maybe get away with it and did like 5-10 years ago.

Remember this?

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3418

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

This is where age is not her friend, and she/her team should know better. You can't just show up to a tournament the day before and expect the energy to be there. She could maybe get away with it and did like 5-10 years ago.

Remember this?

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3418

I do remember that, and I am not saying this Australian Open isn't hers to take. I am hoping she is motivated to show she is better than what she displayed at Hopman's. Serena was also 7 years younger there and again could get away with a lot more than she can now. Age is a betch, and it can rear its ugly head any minute it likes with her.

 

[sk310]

I wonder if she just kind of doesn't want to be there. Serena really doesn't NEED a warmup. The first few rounds of a slam are often enough of a warmup for her. I hope its not something more serious.

That was kind of telling in her arrival. She didn't get there until Sat night when everyone else had already been there several days.

Ah that may explain a lot. Her excuse was that she felt incredibly exhausted all week. To me it sounds like she didn't properly get used to the time change and then spent the week exacerbating it by playing. Still I don't think she wanted to be there. Its a long time to be play just for an exo tournament.

 

[tented]

This is where age is not her friend, and she/her team should know better. You can't just show up to a tournament the day before and expect the energy to be there. She could maybe get away with it and did like 5-10 years ago.

Remember this?

http://www.tennisfrontier.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=3418

I do remember that, and I am not saying this Australian Open isn't hers to take. I am hoping she is motivated to show she is better than what she displayed at Hopman's. Serena was also 7 years younger there and again could get away with a lot more than she can now. Age is a betch, and it can rear its ugly head any minute it likes with her.

I agree. It's not the kind of thing she could do anymore, but I thought it was fun to remind everyone of the incredible run she had in '07.

 

[colleen66]

What do we take away, if anything, from Serena's performance at Hopman Cup? Is there more going on than jet-lagged, which she briefly complained of during her loss to Bouchard? I am now having some doubts about her reaching the later rounds of the AO much less taking the title. I know that Hopman Cup does not count for points is is just above an exhibition tournament, but she played some really poor tennis!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

What do we take away, if anything, from Serena's performance at Hopman Cup? Is there more going on than jet-lagged, which she briefly complained of during her loss to Bouchard? I am now having some doubts about her reaching the later rounds of the AO much less taking the title. I know that Hopman Cup does not count for points is is just above an exhibition tournament, but she played some really poor tennis!

I did read in her press conferences she felt like she had no energy,the temps in Perth were very hot,she also said she felt like her body could not move.Well that was apparent.Her footwork was lazy,that was a telling factor for me,if your feet arent in the correct position for a shot,there is no way it will connect.Serena's footwork has always been a stand out feature of her over all game to me.
Knowing Serena,the poor tennis she displayed at the Hopman Cup,will no doubt spring her into action with hard training sessions.The beauty of playing the Hopman Cup or Brisbane International is players to have a week of training before the Australia Open starts.

 

[sk310]

What do we take away, if anything, from Serena's performance at Hopman Cup? Is there more going on than jet-lagged, which she briefly complained of during her loss to Bouchard? I am now having some doubts about her reaching the later rounds of the AO much less taking the title. I know that Hopman Cup does not count for points is is just above an exhibition tournament, but she played some really poor tennis!

I did read in her press conferences she felt like she had no energy,the temps in Perth were very hot,she also said she felt like her body could not move.Well that was apparent.Her footwork was lazy,that was a telling factor for me,if your feet arent in the correct position for a shot,there is no way it will connect.Serena's footwork has always been a stand out feature of her over all game to me.
Knowing Serena,the poor tennis she displayed at the Hopman Cup,will no doubt spring her into action with hard training sessions.The beauty of playing the Hopman Cup or Brisbane International is players to have a week of training before the Australia Open starts.

Yeah I agree. I think its a little odd to see so many top players in Sydney. I can't imagine that training wouldn't pay off more than a week of match play. I don't think Serena minds lowered expectations. She often likes having to prove people wrong. I think its often a hard decision how to prepare for the AO. The first week of tournaments come SO quickly after the holiday that to really be ready means you have to essentially spend New Years in Oz. Then the second week means you could have to play 3 weeks straight. It's a Sophie's Choice.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well when her sister is looking like more of a contender than she is, that should tell her she has some homework to do.

 

[colleen66]

Well when her sister is looking like more of a contender than she is, that should tell her she has some homework to do.

It does seem as if they are rarely on the same page these days when it comes to the quality of play!

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

I guess the next big thing would be the draw.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

It will be interesting to see where everyone falls. Hopefully Ana and Caro will catch a break and not fall on the Serena Williams side of things.

 

[kskate2]

^ Meaning, they would fall on Maria's side? I don't know how much better that is for them. For Caro, I could see her being confident in having a chance, but after a couple of victories last year, Ana has fallen back into the non-belief category of winning against Sharapova.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

^ Meaning, they would fall on Maria's side? I don't know how much better that is for them. For Caro, I could see her being confident in having a chance, but after a couple of victories last year, Ana has fallen back into the non-belief category of winning against Sharapova.

Well Serena has beaten her like she has kept rent from her since that Australian Open win, so I like Ana's chances against Maria more than I do Serena.

 

[10isfan]

Is Ana injured? She took a MTO in the Brisbane final. If healthy, I am picking Ana to win AO.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Is Ana injured? She took a MTO in the Brisbane final. If healthy, I am picking Ana to win AO.

When I was doing the match call between Maria and Ana,then Ana went off court for her MTO,one of the commentator's said she had been complaining in her previous match of 'being sore'? though they werent very specific about it,watching Ana after she came back on court,to me she looked okay and still competed well in the match

 

[rugged]

I think Serena gets number 19 at AO. As unimpressive as her Hopman Cup play was, it gave her an idea of how 3 (two top 10 players) decent players were performing. And allowed her to hit against some guys. For other players that may not be enough, but Serena can get by. If she gets 19 here she will be strongly motivate for everything else. And if she doesn't wins the AO she will also be motivate to win everything else.

 

[tossip]

where is her hitting partner Sacha...did they have a falling out.He is not in Australia and is tweeting some things that make me think that they split up..

 

[10isfan]

I would love to see Serena win number 19, but I don't think it will happen. She is out of sorts, possibly due to a split with her hitter. That bodes badly for her.