Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy - WTA 1000

[Moxie]

I got up in end of the first to see the early break and a few games, and decided it was too sad to watch. Happy for Swiatek's run, but Sabalenka, she's a head-scratcher.

 

[kskate2]

Controlling her aggressive shots would be one way to stop those UFE for starters, though Iga is too good for Sabalenka in every way.

You're basically asking her to become someone she is not, nor does it appear she has the desire to become. This isn't her first rodeo.

She has built her entire game around ripping the cover off the ball w/ no margin whatsoever. She doesn't even have an inkling to temper her shots. As a coach, I don't know how you fix that. She has to want to win a different way and then will execute accordingly.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

You're basically asking her to become someone she is not, nor does it appear she has the desire to become. This isn't her first rodeo.

She has built her entire game around ripping the cover off the ball w/ no margin whatsoever. She doesn't even have an inkling to temper her shots. As a coach, I don't know how you fix that. She has to want to win a different way and then will execute accordingly.

Apparently her coach cannot change the way she plays,she will continue to be a UFE machine and a player that commits too many DFs ,also at crucial times in matches.Quite frankly I cannot watch anymore of her matches,unless she plays against one of my favorite players.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Broken to love by Swiatek with 3 UFE in her first service game from Sabalenka .........Oh dear!
BTW there is no need for Sabalenka to have such a 'high ball toss' for starters no wonder she DFs

Maybe she is thinking she is going to touch the top of the roof but there's no roofing for outdoors courts, jajaja

 

[the AntiPusher]

Apparently her coach cannot change the way she plays,she will continue to be a UFE machine and a player that commits too many DFs ,also at crucial times in matches.Quite frankly I cannot watch anymore of her matches,unless she plays against one of my favorite players.

This is why my only hope for Maddie is to reach a GS final with Saba across the net. I know that's a real "pipes" dream.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I can only say from what I saw - Sabalenka was desperate to do something that could desturb Iga's game, and then you make mistakes . Iga is too good right now.

It's amazing that Saba is ranked so high. All you have to do is keep the ball in play and try to extend her service games. Saba will eventually implode.

 

[Hoergren]

Ons survives in a great match - great play from both ladies - although Ons looked very tired in the midle of third set.

 

[Moxie]

Hurray, Ons! Some final set. Gotta go protest some stupidity, so hold down the fort on the men's SF, kids.

 

[Jelenafan]

Sure seems to be that Iga has that “swagger” that so many champs possess, playing within her game.

Of course a 27 match win streak helps with that .

 

[kskate2]

Ons survives in a great match - great play from both ladies - although Ons looked very tired in the midle of third set.
View attachment 6522

I'm sure she's exhausted making 2 finals in consecutive weeks. My only hope is that she doesn't turn up lame tomorrow.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I knew that Kasatkina would be no walk over for Ons, she has had a solid tournament making the s/final of a WTA 1000
Point being, I like Kskate hope Ons has something left in the tank for the final.
I love watching Iga, though these days they are just one sided matches.

 

[tossip]

whoever wins Rome will not win RG22

 

[Moxie]

whoever wins Rome will not win RG22

Unless it's Swiatek, I guess.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

whoever wins Rome will not win RG22

Hey Tossip may I ask why do you think that, Iga's favorite surface is clay, already won 1 GS title at RG, she had a well earned rest not competing in Madrid, at present I cannot see anyone that can defeat her on clay

 

[the AntiPusher]

Hey Tossip may I ask why do you think that, Iga's favorite surface is clay, already won 1 GS title at RG, she had a well earned rest not competing in Madrid, at present I cannot see anyone that can defeat her on clay

Unless Ash comes back, I don't know if anyone besides Ons is even close..

Question, what happened to Ostapenko clay court tennis game or the chick that won it last year?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Unless Ash comes back, I don't know if anyone besides Ons is even close..

Question, what happened to Ostapenko clay court tennis game or the chick that won it last year?

I cannot see Ash coming back, at the moment she is writing children's books and is doing a golf exhibition in the USA in the middle of the year.
Barbora Krejcikova has been out with a elbow injury, though she is due to play a smaller clay tournament before RG,though I cannot see her defending her RG GS title
Ostapenko is not consistent enough to win RG this year.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I cannot see Ash coming back, at the moment she is writing children's books and is doing a golf exhibition in the USA in the middle of the year.
Barbora Krejcikova has been out with a elbow injury, though she is due to play a smaller clay tournament before RG,though I cannot see her defending her RG GS title
Ostapenko is not consistent enough to win RG this year.

Thanks for the update

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Ladies Singles Final, Sunday 15th May,
1.00pm local time,

I.Swiatek (1) vs Ons Jabeur (9) H2H Jabeur 2-1
This is their first meeting on a clay court.

One player in this final will lose their match winning streak with the outcome of this final.

Iga is on a 27 straight match winning streak and this is her 5th final in a row.Iga has not lost a set en route to the final.

Ons is on a 11 straight match winning streak ( recently won Madrid WTA 1000). If Ons wins Rome tournament, she would be the first woman to win back to back Madrid and Rome titles since Serena Williams in 2013.

Hoping this is a competitive final and good luck to Iga and Ons!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jabeur had love 30 on Swiatek's serve, though could not convert her chances, her use of the drop shot so far is not very effective as Swiatek reading it well and getting to the shot with ease

Swiatek 5-2 1st set

Swiatek with her 2nd SP again Jabeur's drop shot was met with ease by Swiatek

Swiatek 1st set 62

 

[Moxie]

Hey, Margaret,

Just caught the tail end of the set. Swiatek looked imposing at the least anyway.