Bastad 2013: Swedish Open

[kskate2]

Just turned it on and after bageling Klara the first set Serena is struggling to hold serve in the 2nd set 5-4. Klara will serve to stay in the match.

 

[kskate2]

She breaks serve and wins the match 6-0 6-4. She'll play the Swede Larsson in the final.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

here we go with the scores:

SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2013

SEMIFINALS
[1] Serena Williams (USA) d [3] Klara Zakopalova (CZE) | 6 - 0 | 6 - 4 |
[8] Johanna Larsson (SWE) d Flavia Pennetta (ITA) | 2 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 6 - 4 |

Flavia for sure is OUT!!
uzzled

Serena has only played Johanna once before and won that encounter earlier this year.

I am sure everyone is taking Serena in straight sets. me included.

 

[kskate2]

It was a Fed Cup match on hards in Delray Beach. I saw some of it. The change in surface will give Larsson more time, but I can't see her even winning a set here.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well the good news is Serena has time to get that serve better before the US Open. These random lapses are a tad confusing to see especially after watching her have strong sets.

 

[Calvy]

I think you're looking to much in to it. Players have off serving tournies, the best tend to turn it up when it matters. Remember, she is human.

 

[drm025]

Anyone watching the final? Has Serena been trying to gift Larsson the first set??

 

[kskate2]

She's looking extremely pedestrian today. Despite a myriad of errors, Serena's books the first set 6-4

 

[drm025]

Yay Serena! 53rd title! She wins 64 61!

 

[kskate2]

She picks up her game a bit and takes the title 6-4 6-1

 

[kskate2]

Congrats to Serena for securing her 53rd career title and 51st win of the year:

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Well she's got the first title of what will hopefully be another long winning streak. I hope to see her actually reach 35 this time. At least. Though I doubt it. Here's to titles in Canada, Cincy, and New York! After that, we'll see what she plays. Hopefully she'll actually play Beijing this year. It's a premier mandatory, and with her already not playing IW (another of the only 4 premier mandatory events) it hurts her not to play it. And if she'll play one other tournament before Beijing and then the YEC, she could actually get to 35 before the year is out. Still, that's no easy feat. I don't want to say that I doubt she'll do that, but I do. I think she can. It's just very difficult, as everyone knows, so I don't know why I'm saying it. If she could win all of those though she'd finish the year with 59 titles. She started the year with 46. Yes, I'm asking her to win 13 titles in a season. Something she has never done and something no one has done since Steffi Graf won 14 in 1989 (Hingis won 12 in 1997).

 

[kskate2]

13 titles is a big ask for 32 yr old. I think it would be good for her just to defend USO and put up some results in Istanbul. Winning Canada and Cinci back-to-back will be difficult in itself.

 

[Calvy]

Ya, 13 is asking a lot for a season. She's won 14 tournaments in the last 17 months though.

 

[colleen66]

Is that trophy showing a mouse holding a piece of cheese? I'm not trying to be funny, just curious.

 

[kskate2]

A mouse w/ wings no less

 

[tented]

I'm not sure what that is. Take this link to a large version of the pic (I can't paste it into here, because it's too big):

http://women.swedishopen.org/~/media/Images/News%20Images/BastadWomen/news/Winner2013.jpg

In that, it looks like a pig. Weird ...

 

[kskate2]

Right T. It definitely has a snout. Maybe it's a mixed breed of pig/mouse. uzzled

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

It's a boar with gold wings holding a golden ball!

That one definitely goes into the back of the closet!

 

[tented]

Well, whatever it is, congratulations to Serena for winning her 53rd singles title. :clap

She's now tied in 5th place for the most titles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WTA_Tour_records#WTA_Singles_Titles_and_Finals

She'll certainly pass Lindsay, but it's a LONG road to Graf.