Stuttgart 2013

[Sundaymorningguy]

If there was ever a time for Ivanovic to get a big win, today would be the day against Maria. I wonder what posting a win against a top 5 player would do for her confidence?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Kerbie got into semis in straight set fashion.

Ana is giving Masha the fits, Masha has been playing catch-up this whole first set. Now all even 5-5
Lets see who cracks first.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Masha's second three setter. Will she survive this tournament?

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Masha was pulling away in the decider, up 4-1 and serving, Ana broke Masha to get a break back for 4-2.
Ana Serves and holds for 4-3 and then breaks Masha at love to reach 4-4

Ready to fall over, Masha breaks back! Now 5-4 and Masha to serve for the match
Serves are jittery, ladies nervous, what a match!!

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Masha wins, but I don't think she is going to win this tournament. Her serve is starting to show yips again.

 

[MashaFan]

I'm happy that Masha survived to play another match but she doesn't come up to her normal standard :huh: - Another 3 setter - DFs and UEs - Her timing is off and her footwork isn't that great so far - She looks vulnerable - Oh well - we'll see if she can step it up and do better in the semis vs Angelique Kerber - 2 matches to win left - GO Masha - GO!!!!!

For now - another little fist pump and a pale smile for Masha's victory today

 

[10isfan]

Ugly tennis again from Pova. Her balance is the worst on tour, but her mental toughness is the best. Ana has such beautiful movement and variety. It is a shame she does not have the confidence to match. I am torn about Li vs Petra. I love both players. Slight edge to Li on this surface. I hope she will win the title.

 

[Calvy]

Ugly tennis again from Pova. Her balance is the worst on tour, but her mental toughness is the best.

Second best....

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

BMS is into the semis, beat Sabine in straights 4 and 2
WOW!! Who would have thought that? Bethanie came up the quallifying ladder, she has already played and won 6 matches. This will do wonders for her ranking.

Li and Petra are playing, Li won the first set 6-3

 

[Hoergren]

Schedule for Saturday 27 April - semi finals day

Centre court 14.00
Maria Sharapova vs Angelique Kerber - match of the day it was 63 26 75
Not before 18.30
Bethanie Mattek-Sands vs Na Li - 46 36

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Ummmm... so I looked at the schedule yesterday but not the results. Then today I see that Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat Sabine Lisicki. Not only did she beat her. She beat her easily. BUT that was not my original surprise. I just saw her name in a match being played today and was astonished that she beat Errani. So I go look at the result and she crushed her in the first and third sets. I'm not surprised that she went away for a set. But, does someone want to explain to me how Sara Errani, who we only know because she went all the way to the French final got blown out by Bethanie. Mattek. Sands. I mean, seriously? Like, I know Bethanie got up into the top 30 or whatever before her injury or whatever it was that caused her to fall back outside the top 100. AND I don't really care for Errani and I don't think she has any business in the top 10 and I don't think she will be after the French. BUT, on clay I still think she's pretty darn good. I'm not angry about this result. Don't think that. Don't misunderstand me. I'm astonished. I mean, maybe not astonished. It's not like earth shattering. It's not Bethanie beating Serena at Wimbledon or anything. Buuuuttt... it's pretty surprising. I mean, I don't have a problem with Bethanie. But I'm not like a huge fan of hers or anything. I look at her as a journeywoman who has after years on tour gotten enough experience to know her game well enough and make it work to beat others to get herself into the top 30. But I pretty much think that the top 30, maybe the top 20 is where she tops out.

That's because so many women on the tour are so inconsistent. If the best of the best were consistent, she wouldn't get into the top 30. Maybe top 40. But I can easily think of 10 to 15 players who teeter on the brink of the top 20 and 30 who should be staples in the top 20 and 30 because when they play their best game their better than everyone else. OR they just have more power than everyone else. Like Makarova. She's top 25 right now. But it's taken a while for her to get there. And it shouldn't have. The way I watched her run through the draw in Eastbourne in 2009 or something like that was down right great. Mona Barthel has shown promise but has yet to produce. Shvedova infuriates me. BUT, as I've now just said that the top 20 and 30 doesn't have who it should, I take a look at it and it looks about right. But that's for now.

I've started rambling. Which you all know is what I always do. It's all just connected in my head so I just barf it out onto the page. Sorry. The main point here is that I'm really surprised at Bethanie. Job well done lady! She's into the semis.

---

Kvitova is infuriating. She should be #5 in the world at worst. And #5 is if Li Na is playing up to her best level at every event. I think Kvitova and Li are pretty close and should be vying for the 4th spot week in and week out, essentially. Yeah, it's just 3 spots. But we all know in the top 10 that's a big difference. If Kvitova was any sort of consistent on court, from match to match, she'd be going to more finals than she is and she be winning more titles. She to me is the one with the shear power ability, and the advantage of being left handed, that should be able to hang with Serena. And she has hung with Serena in a match or maybe two. But, while I love Vika and Maria, more than I like Petra, I think that with her power and left-handedness, she should be beating them on a regular basis. I think they could still beat her. But she should be getting to them is the point. She's not getting to them. She's losing in the quarters and the round right before the quarters (depending on what event you're at that could be the second, third, or fourth round). She's too good for that.

With all that said, I can see her losing to Li here. One because Li is a top 5 player. By which I mean, in ability she is top 5, with Kvitova, and then the big 3. (If you can't tell yet, that leaves out Radwanska, who I think has no business in the top 5. She's crafty. Really, really, amazingly crafty. She is good. And really consistent. She fights in every point. But the power players on tour should always wipe the floor with her in my opinion. Anyways, moving on.) But, secondly I can see her losing to Li here, because this is clay. Her game is not going to be as imposing on clay. Though I think she could make it imposing. Lefties have that luxury of being able to make angular shots that right handers aren't used to or can't produce simply because their coming from a different side of the court. I'm not saying right-handers can't make amazing angles. I'm saying that amazing angles usually come off the forehand side and so for right handers that is from the right to left. Lefties can do it from left to right. Which isn't much different from crazy back-hand angles, for those players with great backhands. But, with Kvitova's power, her forehand angles on clay, or any court, could be fearsome. Anyways, off track here. I can see Kvitova lose on clay. I'm not infuriated by today. It's the rest of the time that infuriates me. BUT, that's the nature of big hitters. Because they have the power, so often they don't learn the consistency, because mild consistency is enough to give them a shot that they can bash that can't be reached or returned. But Kvitova's consistency in many matches, in the matches she loses to people she shouldn't lose to, her consistency isn't even mild. She just throws them out all over the place. Just long. Just wide. Way long. Way wide. It just glides right on out so often. It doesn't really make sense. She needs to get it under control.

 

[Calvy]

Ummmm... so I looked at the schedule yesterday but not the results. Then today I see that Bethanie Mattek-Sands beat Sabine Lisicki. Not only did she beat her. She beat her easily. BUT that was not my original surprise. I just saw her name in a match being played today and was astonished that she beat Errani. So I go look at the result and she crushed her in the first and third sets. I'm not surprised that she went away for a set. But, does someone want to explain to me how Sara Errani, who we only know because she went all the way to the French final got blown out by Bethanie. Mattek. Sands. I mean, seriously? Like, I know Bethanie got up into the top 30 or whatever before her injury or whatever it was that caused her to fall back outside the top 100. AND I don't really care for Errani and I don't think she has any business in the top 10 and I don't think she will be after the French. BUT, on clay I still think she's pretty darn good. I'm not angry about this result. Don't think that. Don't misunderstand me. I'm astonished. I mean, maybe not astonished. It's not like earth shattering. It's not Bethanie beating Serena at Wimbledon or anything. Buuuuttt... it's pretty surprising. I mean, I don't have a problem with Bethanie. But I'm not like a huge fan of hers or anything. I look at her as a journeywoman who has after years on tour gotten enough experience to know her game well enough and make it work to beat others to get herself into the top 30. But I pretty much think that the top 30, maybe the top 20 is where she tops out.

That's because so many women on the tour are so inconsistent. If the best of the best were consistent, she wouldn't get into the top 30. Maybe top 40. But I can easily think of 10 to 15 players who teeter on the brink of the top 20 and 30 who should be staples in the top 20 and 30 because when they play their best game their better than everyone else. OR they just have more power than everyone else. Like Makarova. She's top 25 right now. But it's taken a while for her to get there. And it shouldn't have. The way I watched her run through the draw in Eastbourne in 2009 or something like that was down right great. Mona Barthel has shown promise but has yet to produce. Shvedova infuriates me. BUT, as I've now just said that the top 20 and 30 doesn't have who it should, I take a look at it and it looks about right. But that's for now.

I've started rambling. Which you all know is what I always do. It's all just connected in my head so I just barf it out onto the page. Sorry. The main point here is that I'm really surprised at Bethanie. Job well done lady! She's into the semis.

---

Kvitova is infuriating. She should be #5 in the world at worst. And #5 is if Li Na is playing up to her best level at every event. I think Kvitova and Li are pretty close and should be vying for the 4th spot week in and week out, essentially. Yeah, it's just 3 spots. But we all know in the top 10 that's a big difference. If Kvitova was any sort of consistent on court, from match to match, she'd be going to more finals than she is and she be winning more titles. She to me is the one with the shear power ability, and the advantage of being left handed, that should be able to hang with Serena. And she has hung with Serena in a match or maybe two. But, while I love Vika and Maria, more than I like Petra, I think that with her power and left-handedness, she should be beating them on a regular basis. I think they could still beat her. But she should be getting to them is the point. She's not getting to them. She's losing in the quarters and the round right before the quarters (depending on what event you're at that could be the second, third, or fourth round). She's too good for that.

With all that said, I can see her losing to Li here. One because Li is a top 5 player. By which I mean, in ability she is top 5, with Kvitova, and then the big 3. (If you can't tell yet, that leaves out Radwanska, who I think has no business in the top 5. She's crafty. Really, really, amazingly crafty. She is good. And really consistent. She fights in every point. But the power players on tour should always wipe the floor with her in my opinion. Anyways, moving on.) But, secondly I can see her losing to Li here, because this is clay. Her game is not going to be as imposing on clay. Though I think she could make it imposing. Lefties have that luxury of being able to make angular shots that right handers aren't used to or can't produce simply because their coming from a different side of the court. I'm not saying right-handers can't make amazing angles. I'm saying that amazing angles usually come off the forehand side and so for right handers that is from the right to left. Lefties can do it from left to right. Which isn't much different from crazy back-hand angles, for those players with great backhands. But, with Kvitova's power, her forehand angles on clay, or any court, could be fearsome. Anyways, off track here. I can see Kvitova lose on clay. I'm not infuriated by today. It's the rest of the time that infuriates me. BUT, that's the nature of big hitters. Because they have the power, so often they don't learn the consistency, because mild consistency is enough to give them a shot that they can bash that can't be reached or returned. But Kvitova's consistency in many matches, in the matches she loses to people she shouldn't lose to, her consistency isn't even mild. She just throws them out all over the place. Just long. Just wide. Way long. Way wide. It just glides right on out so often. It doesn't really make sense. She needs to get it under control.

---

HUH????

 

[10isfan]

As I predicted, Li gets to the semis. A Pova vs Li final seems right. I am crossing my fingers Li has gained the ability to play through entire matches without choking. It would be a travesty if Pova, with her power but subpar movement, defended on clay.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Ummmm......
I've started rambling. Which you all know is what I always do. It's all just connected in my head so I just barf it out onto the page. Sorry. ......

You my friend are welcome to come here and ramble all you want.

---

Pova better recover fast, playing two 3 setters in a row will take it's toll.

 

[secrettennisjunkie]

But, does someone want to explain to me how Sara Errani, who we only know because she went all the way to the French final got blown out by Bethanie. Mattek. Sands. I mean, seriously? Like, I know Bethanie got up into the top 30 or whatever before her injury or whatever it was that caused her to fall back outside the top 100. AND I don't really care for Errani and I don't think she has any business in the top 10 and I don't think she will be after the French. BUT, on clay I still think she's pretty darn good.

First off, I want to say I agree with you that this is a shocking upset, especially because it occurred on clay, and BMS has been off the radar for a couple years. But I want to disagree with you that Errani is not great of a player, and this a similar perception to how people viewed Schiavone after her French Open championship. They both came from off the radar to make memories in Paris, but both turned out to have very nice years after that. Schiavone reached like 4 of 6 major quarters during that time, and look at Errani's record for this year. She reached the quarters at Doha, Indian Wells, and Miami, and was the runner up at the Paris Indoors and Dubai. She reached the quarters of Aussie Open prior to her French final last year and then made the semis of the US Open too. With her record she belongs in the top 10 and more consistent than many of the women there like Kvitova, Li, and Stosur. Her main problem is she can't really beat the top tier of women but most of the time (l. to BMS and 1st round loss at this year's Aussie excepted) she takes care of the players ranked below. IMHO she will be in the top 10/15 for the next couple years.

 

[MashaFan]

*Yet another little fist pump and a discrete yay!!!*
Masha wins the QF and in spite of her not coming up in her usual standards - Another dreadful match from her which went all the way filled with DF and UE - My theory is that Masha has her period (hence the unusual and lengthy break) and that is therefor that she is so out of balance - I hope that the worse is over for her and that she can do better today against A. Kerber

GO Masha GO!!!

Kudos to Ana though who played very well but she maybe was a little intimidated by the #2 and defending champion who also is the reigning French Open champion - You never can tell how these things
unconsciously can effect an opponent - BTW someone criticized Kvitova's outfit somewhere - Well - my opinion is that Bethanie Mattek-Sands tops the league of players wearing terrible outfits

 

[jhar26]

*Yet another little fist pump and a discrete yay!!!*
Masha wins the QF and in spite of her not coming up in her usual standards - Another dreadful match from her which went all the way filled with DF and UE - My theory is that Masha has her period (hence the unusual and lengthy break) and that is therefor that she is so out of balance - I hope that the worse is over for her and that she can do better today against A. Kerber

GO Masha GO!!!

Kudos to Ana though who played very well but she maybe was a little intimidated by the #2 and defending champion who also is the reigning French Open champion - You never can tell how these things
unconsciously can effect an opponent - BTW someone criticized Kvitova's outfit somewhere - Well - my opinion is that Bethanie Mattek-Sands tops the league of players wearing terrible outfits

While Maria didn't play her best, I think she was a bit better than in the Safarova match. Ana was just a better opponent. She has improved her fighting spirit, I must say. After Maria won the first set I thought, "ok, match over. Maria will win the second set 6-1 or something like that." But Ana kept trying and in the third set she played some lights out tennis to come back from 4-1 to 4-4. She choked a bit at the end, but overall I think she played a good match.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Masha's 3rd 3 setter in a row. Yikes better get that game in order!

 

[Hoergren]

Congrats to Masha for her win in this great match - cheer for both players.

 

[MashaFan]

I'm so happy that Masha has managed to reach the final in spite of her lousy tennis through the whole tournament - It takes a lot of mental toughness not to break apart when the usual game isn't there and you feel that your timing and your hitting is way off

I don't think mental toughness is enough to defeat Na Li IF she also reaches the final though - Masha needs to raise her level with at least 50% to have a chance - so I'm not holding my breath but I'm of course hoping for the best - I'm however mighty proud of my one and only favorite's accomplishments in this tournament so far - Reaching the final here when not playing well at all is a miracle

Good luck tomorrow Masha!! - May the force be with you!!