Roland Garros - Day 9, Monday June 1 - Order of Play

[Federberg]

Although I dislike Errani, so I will be miffed if someone with her serve were to ever win a slam.

I can't stand players like Errani. I really wish we could have another few Justines. I want some really good consistent clay courters who we know are going to do well once this time of year rolls around and consistently makes SFs or Finals of clay court events and slams. I don't think thats Errani.

I couldn't stand Henin. Ugh...
My abiding memory of her was her continuously panicked looks towards her box when Bartoli thrashed her at Wimbledon. A 7 time slam champion unable to work it out for herself :nono
And don't get me started on the cheating incident against Serena at RG :cover

 

[sk310]

Although I dislike Errani, so I will be miffed if someone with her serve were to ever win a slam.

I can't stand players like Errani. I really wish we could have another few Justines. I want some really good consistent clay courters who we know are going to do well once this time of year rolls around and consistently makes SFs or Finals of clay court events and slams. I don't think thats Errani.

Oh, I agree, but I can't pretend I don't have a sneaking suspicion that even Errani knows that if she can find a way past Serena she stands a good shot. I don't anticipate too much of an issue for Serena. She just has to serve well and land her return well which with 80mph serves coming at her she better be clocking the fuzz off those balls.

Yeah. I agree. I really don't know if Serena is going to kick it into second gear now that it's the QF. Any other surface I would say at this point she's definitely going to win. It's clay and we don't have as much of a history of hers to judge. I mean she came past Azarenka who was really motivated and playing really well and Sloane who was playing her best tennis and really likes clay. Errani is a natural clay courter although I don't think she's played her best tennis this year. I still think it's kind of a wild card about what will happen to Serena. I would say either Errani or Serena will be the finalist on top and win.

I really hope Ana or Mugu takes advantage of the situation on the bottom as I'd be happy to see either of them in the finals. It would be shock of shocks to see Ana in another slam final.

 

[sk310]

Although I dislike Errani, so I will be miffed if someone with her serve were to ever win a slam.

I can't stand players like Errani. I really wish we could have another few Justines. I want some really good consistent clay courters who we know are going to do well once this time of year rolls around and consistently makes SFs or Finals of clay court events and slams. I don't think thats Errani.

I couldn't stand Henin. Ugh...
My abiding memory of her was her continuously panicked looks towards her box when Bartoli thrashed her at Wimbledon. A 7 time slam champion unable to work it out for herself :nono
And don't get me started on the cheating incident against Serena at RG :cover

I never liked Henin much either. I was more saying RG has been a weird carousel of characters as finalists or winners since Henin retired. I would like to see at least a few consistent natural clay courters come in like Henin was.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I love Henin's singlehanded backhand. It is a thing of beauty and is very rare to see such a thing.

Yes, I am against her cheating stuff.

But, the Wimbledon loss happened because she was thinking more about her next match instead of focusing on the current match, although she won't go public on it.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I think Petra should have the #2 seed on lock for Wimbledon, so hopefully she and Serena can meet in a Wimbledon final. I don't think Halep or Sharapova could play enough tournaments between now and Wimbledon to take over the #2 seeding. That is a bright spot for sure !

 

[sk310]

I think Petra should have the #2 seed on lock for Wimbledon, so hopefully she and Serena can meet in a Wimbledon final. I don't think Halep or Sharapova could play enough tournaments between now and Wimbledon to take over the #2 seeding. That is a bright spot for sure !

Yeah but whens the last time Petra actually took advantage of a good opportunity? She prefers to only do well when she's made everyone's expectations go down to 0 and has to play a super tough draw. THEN she wins.

 

[Kirijax]

So I wake up to see that Petra did a reverse-Serena and went flying out of the tournament. :cover When she is on, she is so fun to watch. When's she's not...

Oh well, Serena is into the QF which no one thought she would do after that first set yesterday. But why do I feel that someone is going to surprise her this week?

And my feelings are usually wrong so No. 20 coming up! :snicker

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Well, there shouldn't be anymore surprises. Serena would be a fool to pass up an opportunity to land a third French Open and #20. It is like the tennis gods said and for your trials you have suffered so far this tournament we are giving you this opening, so do with it what you will.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Serena may reach Steffi by the end of this year at this rate. lot

 

[tossip]

Serena has never lost to Errani...enough said.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

We will see. I take it a match at a time. Serena seems to have some of the strangest matches here.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

We will see. I take it a match at a time. Serena seems to have some of the strangest matches here.

I think Serna played her R2, QF, F and SF matches She has 3rdround 1st round and 4th round matches remaining. :laydownlaughing

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Svitolina, Bacsinszky are in the top 20 with their wins with chances to move up. Muguruza is knocking on the top 20 door if she can move forward at RG too which will be good and help balance draws more, but what really needs to happen is Vika getting her ranking up. It would be nice if she got a decent draw at Wimbledon so she has a shot at a run since Vika seems content to only play the big events and run into say Serena or Sharapova early and go out.

 

[10isfan]

Patrick is listed as her boyfriend and coach. For a while, that title did not appear next to his name.

Petra's biggest weakness is her mentality. I thought her sports psychologist had helped her, but apparently not. We fans have to accept her the way she is, warts and all.

Hoping Safarova goes much further. She has such a great game. Can she hold herself together for another few rounds?

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

We will see. I take it a match at a time. Serena seems to have some of the strangest matches here.

I think Serna played her R2, QF, F and SF matches She has 3rdround 1st round and 4th round matches remaining. :laydownlaughing

I don't like to get ahead of myself and a match isn't won until it is won. After all it isn't top 10 players that usually take Serena out.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

We will see. I take it a match at a time. Serena seems to have some of the strangest matches here.

I think Serna played her R2, QF, F and SF matches She has 3rdround 1st round and 4th round matches remaining. :laydownlaughing

I don't like to get ahead of myself and a match isn't won until it is won. After all it isn't top 10 players that usually take Serena out.

That is right, but when in a non-top 10 player takes out Serena it is usually in the first week.

 

[sk310]

Patrick is listed as her boyfriend and coach. For a while, that title did not appear next to his name.

Petra's biggest weakness is her mentality. I thought her sports psychologist had helped her, but apparently not. We fans have to accept her the way she is, warts and all.

Hoping Safarova goes much further. She has such a great game. Can she hold herself together for another few rounds?

I think Petra's problem is unique. It's not just her mentality. Her game is so high risk that when something is just a bit off the entire match goes off the rails. It's not like we see her mental process slowly break down. The way she plays is high risk high reward. But that risk is BIG and there is no plan B to get through a match.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Patrick is listed as her boyfriend and coach. For a while, that title did not appear next to his name.

Petra's biggest weakness is her mentality. I thought her sports psychologist had helped her, but apparently not. We fans have to accept her the way she is, warts and all.

Hoping Safarova goes much further. She has such a great game. Can she hold herself together for another few rounds?

I think Petra's problem is unique. It's not just her mentality. Her game is so high risk that when something is just a bit off the entire match goes off the rails. It's not like we see her mental process slowly break down. The way she plays is high risk high reward. But that risk is BIG and there is no plan B to get through a match.

This is true. I don't even think Petra knows how to rope it in. The same could be said of Lisicki. These girls could have beautiful careers if they just focused on the task at hand and developed game plans. Remember back when Serena started her career everyone was like if Serena could find a way to channel and control her aggression she would go far. Well, she has learned how to do that very well. The only thing that stops Serena at times is lazy footwork. Having said that after handling your opponent very well during the first set your game shouldn't go that erratic that you eat a bagel the next set.

 

[sk310]

Patrick is listed as her boyfriend and coach. For a while, that title did not appear next to his name.

Petra's biggest weakness is her mentality. I thought her sports psychologist had helped her, but apparently not. We fans have to accept her the way she is, warts and all.

Hoping Safarova goes much further. She has such a great game. Can she hold herself together for another few rounds?

I think Petra's problem is unique. It's not just her mentality. Her game is so high risk that when something is just a bit off the entire match goes off the rails. It's not like we see her mental process slowly break down. The way she plays is high risk high reward. But that risk is BIG and there is no plan B to get through a match.

This is true. I don't even think Petra knows how to rope it in. The same could be said of Lisicki. These girls could have beautiful careers if they just focused on the task at hand and developed game plans. Remember back when Serena started her career everyone was like if Serena could find a way to channel and control her aggression she would go far. Well, she has learned how to do that very well. The only thing that stops Serena at times is lazy footwork. Having said that after handling your opponent very well during the first set your game shouldn't go that erratic that you eat a bagel the next set.

Im like a broken record on this but I still think it's because of the age rule change... Serena had those times to work out those kinks when she was a teenager playing against the best. The motivation is so different when you're 15 or 16 and playing Steffi Graf than when you're 15 and 16 and playing...other 15 and 16 year olds. Petra is SO talented and I can't help but wonder if she had been under the old age rules we'd see a different player today.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Does anyone know when was the last time Serena lost at QF or later stages in a grandslam event to a player who is not in top 10? I think the answer should be either never or more than ten years ago.