Qatar Total Open 2015

[Fiero425]

Azarenka will attempt for the 2nd time to serve for the match and a place in the final against Safarova leading 5-4

I'll never understand these players that have such a difficult time closing out the Williams! No lead is safe with the likes of Azarenka, Sharapova, Radwanska, Wozniaki serving for it! It's just unfathomable!

Bascially in the womens game,women are better returners than servers,unless your name is Serena Williams.... I also include a few others,Venus,Petra when she has her head on,just a few off the top of my head.

But the thing is, it has nothing to do with their serving or inability to handle returns! It's a mental deficiency I've seen going back decades! I still have nightmares of Gabriella Sabatini serving for Wimbledon over Graf twice and unable to do it! She had genuine problems with her service motion; today's players are just handicapped in other ways! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Final stats for the match won by Azarenka 26 62 64

Vika 36/27 BPs 4/7 Net Points 23/29

Venus 43/20 BPs 3/13 Net Points 9/17

 

[Hoergren]

Order of play Saturday 28.2.2015 - the FINALS

CENTRE COURT Starting at: 3:30 pm
DOUBLES FINAL
Su-Wei HSIEH (TPE)/Sania MIRZA (IND) [1] or
Hao-Ching CHAN (TPE)/Casey DELLACQUA (AUS) vs Raquel KOPS-JONES (USA)/Abigail SPEARS (USA) [4]
Not Before 6:00 pm
SINGLES FINAL
Lucie SAFAROVA (CZE) vs [WC] Victoria AZARENKA (BLR)

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Final stats for the match won by Azarenka 26 62 64

Vika 36/27 BPs 4/7 Net Points 23/29

Venus 43/20 BPs 3/13 Net Points 9/17

Wow, both players had positive differentials (W - UFE)? When was the last time it happened
in a WTA match? uzzled

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I'll never understand these players that have such a difficult time closing out the Williams! No lead is safe with the likes of Azarenka, Sharapova, Radwanska, Wozniaki serving for it! It's just unfathomable!

Bascially in the womens game,women are better returners than servers,unless your name is Serena Williams.... I also include a few others,Venus,Petra when she has her head on,just a few off the top of my head.

But the thing is, it has nothing to do with their serving or inability to handle returns! It's a mental deficiency I've seen going back decades! I still have nightmares of Gabriella serving for Wimbledon over Graf twice and unable to do it! She had genuine problems with her service motion; today's players are just handicapped in other ways! :angel: :dodgy:

Yep players do get tight at times serving out matches agree,that has never changed.Serve is the most single important point in our game.

 

[kskate2]

Final stats for the match won by Azarenka 26 62 64

Vika 36/27 BPs 4/7 Net Points 23/29

Venus 43/20 BPs 3/13 Net Points 9/17

Wow, both players had positive differentials (W - UFE)? When was the last time it happened
in a WTA match? uzzled

It happens alot. Most notably in the AO final between Serena/Maria.

 

[sk310]

Bascially in the womens game,women are better returners than servers,unless your name is Serena Williams.... I also include a few others,Venus,Petra when she has her head on,just a few off the top of my head.

But the thing is, it has nothing to do with their serving or inability to handle returns! It's a mental deficiency I've seen going back decades! I still have nightmares of Gabriella serving for Wimbledon over Graf twice and unable to do it! She had genuine problems with her service motion; today's players are just handicapped in other ways! :angel: :dodgy:

Yep players do get tight at times serving out matches agree,that has never changed.Serve is the most single important point in our game.

I'm like a broken record with this but I think everything changed (at least in the top 5) after the age rules changed. Before the age rules changed players that were young (Seles, Hingis, Williams') were able to hone their skills against top quality players at a very young age. Playing those matches at a young age I think builds mental strength in those key moments. If you're 15 or 16 and you're playing Steffi Graf at Wimbledon you don't necessarily understand the magnitude of it the way you would at 20. So before that kind of reality creeps in with age they're able to develop more mental strength and thus, 20 years ago the top 5 players were a lot stronger in crucial moments than now.

 

[sk310]

Im so happy Vika is in the final here. I'm thinking we're about to see the second Azarenka Renaissance. Now if she could just figure out clay we'd stop seeing her take a walkabout around April.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

But the thing is, it has nothing to do with their serving or inability to handle returns! It's a mental deficiency I've seen going back decades! I still have nightmares of Gabriella serving for Wimbledon over Graf twice and unable to do it! She had genuine problems with her service motion; today's players are just handicapped in other ways! :angel: :dodgy:

Yep players do get tight at times serving out matches agree,that has never changed.Serve is the most single important point in our game.

I'm like a broken record with this but I think everything changed (at least in the top 5) after the age rules changed. Before the age rules changed players that were young (Seles, Hingis, Williams') were able to hone their skills against top quality players at a very young age. Playing those matches at a young age I think builds mental strength in those key moments. If you're 15 or 16 and you're playing Steffi Graf at Wimbledon you don't necessarily understand the magnitude of it the way you would at 20. So before that kind of reality creeps in with age they're able to develop more mental strength and thus, 20 years ago the top 5 players were a lot stronger in crucial moments than now.

Well I dont like to compare era's in tennis,changes in racquets,technology etc.For example those players you mentioned Hingis,Seles,Williams were quite outstanding younger players.,in saying that when a younger player is serving for a match,of course nerves kick in,that is normal,that also happens to more experienced players,in all era's by the way.The way to get more mental strength in my opinion is to be at a point in a match when you are under pressure,either on your serve or return of serve,winning close matches in my mind is a excellent way of building mental strength in any era of tennis.I must say I agree with the WTA rule of limiting younger players,we have seen it does create burn out in players.

 

[tossip]

6-1 must feel good for Vika....Venus was tired

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Some points to Vika for the clay season

Learn to slide laterally for starters....footwork on clay is most important,if Sharapova can slide on clay,anyone can,though her fhand slide isnt as good as her bhand slide

Another thing....Patience on clay is vital

Rallies are long,focus must be 100%

It is a shame many players are not brought up on clay,it teaches you how to construct a point,your footwork can be translated to other surfaces,it also strengthens your mental ability,due to the fact the rallies are long.BTW when I mean clay,I mean the real red dirt....

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Azarenka leads Safarova h2h 6-0

To me Safarova is probably playing the best tennis I have seen her play,especially at Doha.Maybe her GS Doubles title win at the AO has something to do with it.When Safarova is confident,she can be a dangerous player.

Azarenka scored her first ever win over Venus.Though her serve to me,still needs to be addressed,especially her 2nd serve,she did double fault at crucial times in the match.To her credit,her sheer grit and determination shone through at times in this match.Venus looked tired to me in the final set,though she did try and make a comeback late.Azarenka held strong and won.

Actually I would love for Lucie to win,maybe it is my heart talking.

I feel Azarenka will have the edge....though it would not surprise me at all if Lucie won.

 

[sk310]

Yep players do get tight at times serving out matches agree,that has never changed.Serve is the most single important point in our game.

I'm like a broken record with this but I think everything changed (at least in the top 5) after the age rules changed. Before the age rules changed players that were young (Seles, Hingis, Williams') were able to hone their skills against top quality players at a very young age. Playing those matches at a young age I think builds mental strength in those key moments. If you're 15 or 16 and you're playing Steffi Graf at Wimbledon you don't necessarily understand the magnitude of it the way you would at 20. So before that kind of reality creeps in with age they're able to develop more mental strength and thus, 20 years ago the top 5 players were a lot stronger in crucial moments than now.

Well I dont like to compare era's in tennis,changes in racquets,technology etc.For example those players you mentioned Hingis,Seles,Williams were quite outstanding younger players.,in saying that when a younger player is serving for a match,of course nerves kick in,that is normal,that also happens to more experienced players,in all era's by the way.The way to get more mental strength in my opinion is to be at a point in a match when you are under pressure,either on your serve or return of serve,winning close matches in my mind is a excellent way of building mental strength in any era of tennis.I must say I agree with the WTA rule of limiting younger players,we have seen it does create burn out in players.

Obviously this isn't the place to get into that. I don't agree with the rules considering three of today's active players with the most slams (Serena, Venus, and Maria) all came of age under the old age rules and all played tour level matches in their mid teens. Sure a few burnouts here and there. We also have Chrissy, Steffi (who won he first slam at 19), Serena, Venus, Martina Hingis, Maria, Monica...
Sure we were all sad when Capriati got arrested...she still had a decent career later on.
I just think it's hard to deny that the players today have less mental strength when we haven't had almost any players who came of age after the age rules changed string together more than 3 slams.

 

[sk310]

6-1 must feel good for Vika....Venus was tired

Oh seriously get off your high horse with that. Venus wasn't the better player today. She lost in a fair match up of really good players.

 

[tossip]

6-1 must feel good for Vika....Venus was tired

Oh seriously get off your high horse with that. Venus wasn't the better player today. She lost in a fair match up of really good players.

she was tired thats all..:eyepop...Vika was the fresher of the two..I like Vika but she has restarted that nasty unlikeable behavior she used to display years ago.Yesterday she manhandled Caro at the net:laydownlaughingWozniacki didnt want to be kissed but Vika forced that kiss on her:cryit was very funny to be honest

 

[rubydo]

Busy working at our newspaper so did not see the Vika vs Venus match. Sounds like Vika had a little too much for a tired out Venus. Vika when fit can be very dominating when she gets all facets of her game going. Her temperament can be overwhelming at times, and even slightly distasteful, but that does not take away from her skill level. As for comparing who was more skilled 20 years ago, at a certain age, than compared today, is really quite irrelevant. Lifestyles are not the same, pressures are not the same, even my daily job as an advertising consultant today is so different from 20 years ago, light years different, and 20 years from now who knows what changes will occur.

 

[Hoergren]

If you didn't se Venus against Victoria then you should because it was a magnificent fight:

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaGprL6atok[/video]

 

[sk310]

Busy working at our newspaper so did not see the Vika vs Venus match. Sounds like Vika had a little too much for a tired out Venus. Vika when fit can be very dominating when she gets all facets of her game going. Her temperament can be overwhelming at times, and even slightly distasteful, but that does not take away from her skill level. As for comparing who was more skilled 20 years ago, at a certain age, than compared today, is really quite irrelevant. Lifestyles are not the same, pressures are not the same, even my daily job as an advertising consultant today is so different from 20 years ago, light years different, and 20 years from now who knows what changes will occur.

I wasn't comparing players of 20 years ago to now. I was comparing the tour as a whole directly before the age change rules and directly after. I don't think that's crazy to do considering it was recent enough that Venus, Serena, Maria, and Martina Hingis were all under the old age rules and are still playing.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just tuning in as I have had computer troubles.....

Fixed now thank goodness

Lucie has a break in the 2nd set,won the first 64.I am not surprised at all.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I think that Azarenka seems to be struggling physically,noticed yesterday in the 1st set against Venus she was stretching her leg.