Singapore Day 5: Sharapova/Radwanska, Kvitova/Wozniacki, Halep/Ivanovic

[Correspondent Kiu]

Center Court — 1:30 P.M.
Maria Sharapova (2) (RUS) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (6) (POL)
Petra Kvitova (3) (CZE) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (8) (DEN)
Not Before 7:30 P.M.
Simona Halep (4) (ROU) vs. Ana Ivanovic (7) (SRB)
Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (1) vs. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik

Picks!

Masha in straights(I have not been right at all --> I am 0-2 with Masha picks!)
Caro in 3(I have been 1-1 with Caro)
Ana in close straights( I have been 2-0 with Ana )
Italians in straights.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

We'll I am inclined to think Simona will do her best as she can gain the number two ranking if she does well here or put herself in the position to get the number 2 seed for Australia.

Are you kidding? Wrong thinking (perhaps wishful) on your part. Sure, Simona would want to do well in WTF so that she can gain no. 2 seed. But, her best chances for that is to actually win the event. The best chance for that is to eliminate Serena right now when she can, instead of taking a chance by giving another life to Serena.

The RR match loss gives her 70 points and RR win gives her 230 points. So, the net reduction she takes by tanking is just 160 points. That is peanuts compared to the 450 she can possibly gain in the finals, if she strangles Serena right now.

If at all Simona does not tank, it will be due to principle (or fear of being chastised) and not due to strategy.

WTA could have avoided all these by scheduling Halep vs. Ana match first. :idea:

Simona isn't invincible. Everyone of the ladies that is here is fully capable of taking her out. Also, she has a shot at going undefeated in the RR and potentially the tournament that is great cred and confidence to take from her tournament debut.

 

[sk310]

I find the suggestion that Halep would tank? quite offensive.

Halep has everything to play for at Singapore,we are talking about the Top 8 Elite current players in the world? these players have worked hard all year to qualify for this tournament,their reward was to be one of the Elite Top 8 in the world.

I am 100% with you on this. I find it really offensive and ludicrous to claim she would even think of doing that. Nothing in her character has suggested that or quite frankly ANY of these women. They are elite athletes who step on court every day to win.

Even if she does lose NOBODY should accuse her of tanking. It's that kind of conspiracy theory crap that pollutes this and other sports boards.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

We'll I am inclined to think Simona will do her best as she can gain the number two ranking if she does well here or put herself in the position to get the number 2 seed for Australia.

Are you kidding? Wrong thinking (perhaps wishful) on your part. Sure, Simona would want to do well in WTF so that she can gain no. 2 seed. But, her best chances for that is to actually win the event. The best chance for that is to eliminate Serena right now when she can, instead of taking a chance by giving another life to Serena.

The RR match loss gives her 70 points and RR win gives her 230 points. So, the net reduction she takes by tanking is just 160 points. That is peanuts compared to the 450 she can possibly gain in the finals, if she strangles Serena right now.

If at all Simona does not tank, it will be due to principle (or fear of being chastised) and not due to strategy.

WTA could have avoided all these by scheduling Halep vs. Ana match first. :idea:

Simona isn't invincible. Everyone of the ladies that is here is fully capable of taking her out. Also, she has a shot at going undefeated in the RR and potentially the tournament that is great cred and confidence to take from her tournament debut.

Simona may not be invincible, I agree. However, she does not have control over what
happens in white group. Whereas, she has control over getting rid of Serena right now.
Wise people worry about things over which they have control.

Also, when you tank and lose a match, that cannot affect your confidence as you
voluntarily lost it and so, I don't buy the confidence argument.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

We'll I am inclined to think Simona will do her best as she can gain the number two ranking if she does well here or put herself in the position to get the number 2 seed for Australia.

Are you kidding? Wrong thinking (perhaps wishful) on your part. Sure, Simona would want to do well in WTF so that she can gain no. 2 seed. But, her best chances for that is to actually win the event. The best chance for that is to eliminate Serena right now when she can, instead of taking a chance by giving another life to Serena.

The RR match loss gives her 70 points and RR win gives her 230 points. So, the net reduction she takes by tanking is just 160 points. That is peanuts compared to the 450 she can possibly gain in the finals, if she strangles Serena right now.

If at all Simona does not tank, it will be due to principle (or fear of being chastised) and not due to strategy.

WTA could have avoided all these by scheduling Halep vs. Ana match first. :idea:

Simona isn't invincible. Everyone of the ladies that is here is fully capable of taking her out. Also, she has a shot at going undefeated in the RR and potentially the tournament that is great cred and confidence to take from her tournament debut.

Simona may not be invincible, I agree. However, she does not have control over what
happens in white group. Whereas, she has control over getting rid of Serena right now.
Wise people worry about things over which they have control.

Also, when you tank and lose a match, that cannot affect your confidence as you
voluntarily lost it and so, I don't buy the confidence argument.

When you are building momentum, you want to keep it. I don't think Halep will tank the match. Honestly the only thing I really care about is Sharapova not making the semis. Serena then gets to keep number 1. Fortunately for Serena, the match seemingly hangs in the balance of what happens in the Woz's match. Good things they are best friends .

 

[tossip]

Center Court — 1:30 P.M.
Maria Sharapova (2) (RUS) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (6) (POL)
Petra Kvitova (3) (CZE) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (8) (DEN)
Not Before 7:30 P.M.
Simona Halep (4) (ROU) vs. Ana Ivanovic (7) (SRB)
Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (1) vs. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik

Picks!

Masha in straights(I have not been right at all --> I am 0-2 with Masha picks!)
Caro in 3(I have been 1-1 with Caro)
Ana in close straights( I have been 2-0 with Ana )
Italians in straights.

Kvitova in straights
Aga in three
Ivanovic in three
:lolz:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Honestly the only thing I really care about is Sharapova not making the semis. Serena then gets to keep number 1. Fortunately for Serena, the match seemingly hangs in the balance of what happens in the Woz's match. Good things they are best friends .

1. As long as Maria does not reach SF, Serena will be YE #1 even if she herself does not reach SF.

2. If Serena's BFF Wozniacki can be kind enough to give a set to Kvitova, that will immediately
eliminate Maria out of the equation independent of all other things. Wozniacki can win it
in 3 and protect her interests of finishing first in the white group and there is no conflict
of interests here. Having said that the match between Kvitova and Wozniacki will be a
very competitive match and so neither of them would be interested in playing "games"
in that match.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Center Court — 1:30 P.M.
Maria Sharapova (2) (RUS) vs. Agnieszka Radwanska (6) (POL)
Petra Kvitova (3) (CZE) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (8) (DEN)
Not Before 7:30 P.M.
Simona Halep (4) (ROU) vs. Ana Ivanovic (7) (SRB)
Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (1) vs. Kveta Peschke/Katarina Srebotnik

Picks!

1. Aga in three.
2. Caro in three.

3a. If tanking, Ana in two,
3b. If not tanking, Simona in three.

4. Italians in super TB

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Basically, here are the chances for different players making it to SF in the white group.

1. Wozniacki ----- 93.75%
2. Radwanska --- 56.25%
3. Kvitova -------- 43.75%
4. Sharapova ------ 6.25%

It'll be a huge upset for Caro if she doesn't make the semis. I hope she does.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

There is a small typo in those percentages. Kvitova has 43.75% chance and not 63.75% chance.
It is fixed in the OP, but not before it got quoted.

 

[lomaha]

And Sharapova has taken the 1. set - so Caro is in the semis...

 

[tossip]

Kvitova better take a set against Caro...

 

[HawkEye]

Masha lost the second set (she had 3 MPs) and the third one will be her last on this tournament.

 

[HawkEye]

Now Aga is trying to increase her hopes. If she wins she will have to pray for Petra not winning in straights with Caro.

 

[kskate2]

This board shows pretty good what happens if - it's from Sports Illustrated:

So according to Hoergren's chart Maria is eliminated by dropping the 2nd set breaker. By the way, Maria was up 4-1 (2 breaks) in the 2nd set w/ 3 MP's

 

[10isfan]

Can't believe this match. I thought Aga was headed to a bagel, but instead sends the screamer out of the tournament. What a fighter.

 

[tossip]

gone girl...the fans are gutted by this loss,their blonde idol is gone.Nigel Sears and Keothavong are gutted beyond belief..Kim Sears should talk to her father because his obsession with pova is unhealthy.Keothavong is another under achiever who questioned Serena s injury....

 

[tented]

Can't believe this match. I thought Aga was headed to a bagel, but instead sends the screamer out of the tournament. What a fighter.

Yeah, what a crazy momentum swing. When Sharapova was up 5-1, I thought it was all over, and now we're in a third set.

Go Aga! :clap

 

[10isfan]

Tented, glad to see a fellow Aga fan. Her tennis IQ and variety are amazing. To have her results despite the lack of power is a testament of her supreme talent.

 

[HawkEye]

Aga lost. Now Petra needs to win with Caro to go to the semis. If she does, she willl be the winner of the group and play Serena or Ana next.