Wimbledon 2008 - Women

Third slam event of the season. My favorite. I'll start paying attention around the 20th or so.

Thought I would get the discussion going.

As far as I can see there are 4 outstanding candidates, split 2-2 for the draw, for the title -
Anna Ivanovic (top half)
Maria Sharapova (bottom half)
Serena Williams (th)
Venus Williams (bh)
Of the 4, if Venus can get into the tournament she has a great chance - Wimbledon not only suits her game but brings out the best in her.
Unless someone does a Safina, the top seeds get injured, or Kuznetsova/Jankovic remember how to defeat the top players/cope with pressure, I just can't see beyond this quartet.

Navratilova was interviewed on BBC - she thinks Sharapova will win it.

They asked her about the demise of the serve-volley and she stated that you can't really play that type of game anymore due to the racquets producing so much power and spin, i.e., it is so much easier to keep the ball low. She made a valid point about the manufacturers now essentially deciding how tennis is played. I've always wondered why the tennis authorities don't step in, like the golf authorities, and state what is, and isn't, allowed.

Ha! She thought Kuznetsova would win the French. I love Martina's commentary, so we'll just have to see.

I don't favor any of the top four you've mentioned, but I don't see anyone else stepping up. I don't think Jankovic has enough guts to overcome how she reacts to pressure. Plus she may be/get injured since that seems to be her modus operandi recently. Did you notice that Mauresmo is seeded something like 29th? Amazing.

As far as talent, I think Sharapova and Venus have the best chance of winning it.

But the fun thing is, you never know.

That's interesting about the demise of the serve-and-volley game. It makes sense. I find it unfortunate. I guess now we have to be satisfied with interesting angles and the occasional drop shot. Every once in a while someone uses coming to net as a tactic and it works, but not as their basic playing style. All this slamming and grunting and shrieking from the baseline is rather boring, to tell the truth.

Onward to Monday! Unfortunately it will have to be evening reviews for me, although I'll keep track at work.

If you are allowed to access the web at work - BBC radio does coverage from Wimbledon.

In baseball, the mlb uses hardwood bats precisely because it's too easy to hit home runs with aluminum. I don't see why the tennis authorities couldn't have kept tabs on the technology to keep their sport interesting. They're so concerned with steroids, but the racquets have changed the game in much more profound ways. And to its detriment, imho.

I don't know who will win, but I'm rooting for Venus.

Hey jargoneer - I'd love to listen at work, but it's so deadly quiet in my area (accounting and IT!) that it would be a dead give away. I could wear headphones, but that would be pretty much a give away too. Especially since I sit 15 feet from my boss's door and as soon as he comes out he can see my back. Headphones, or Wimbledon logo. Not good. Sigh.

Ivanovic had a tough match against Dechy today. I couldn't watch it, but it went 3 sets 10-8 in the third! I'm not especially a fan of Ivanovic's but she had to work hard and I respect that.

>7 karenmarie: - working in IT as well, in my last job I used to disappear to the comms/build room during major sporting events and watch or listen to them. I was just luck enough to be in charge of the servers/comms...

Ivanovic was lucky lucky lucky - she was match point down and was saved by a net cord.

I know! I saw it last night. After the match, she went up to the exact place on the net where it hit and nudged over and kissed it! Beyond lucky. She had two match points against her. Dechy played beautifully.

When I have files to restore or a particularly long backup tape cycle to go through in the server room I take a book.

Mostly I sit at my desk and solve user problems all the way from a password they can't remember to VPN connections on their laptop, new programs to creating Excel spreadsheets of Fixed Assets data. Of course now that the Internet is available at work (has been for years, actually), I can check tennis and LT and my favorite political websites.

I saw an interview with Kuznetsova last night too. She's very sweet and was so happy to be sitting with Martina Navratilova. I didn't realize they'd been doubles partners.

Ah, another day of tennis! Hooray!

Shriekapova is out! Woo hoo!

I love Kuznetsova.

"Shriekapova": I love it! Quite the lingerie she was wearing today too.

Lingerie is a good word. I didn't like her outfit. Too busy. She looks good in elegant flowing tennis dresses that don't emphasize her hips. But that's a story for the Fashion Thread!

I watched most of the match on Wimbledon Primetime on the Tennis Channel last night. She played very poorly. What? 22 unforced errors, 8 double faults? If Maria can't serve and be aggressive, she doesn't know what to do. Very one dimensional, really. (This, according to Martina Navratilova).

I am surprised that she's out so early though.

Some of the commentators here were speculating that she is having problems with her shoulder again - she produced a very similar error strewn performance at the French.

Very one dimensional - you could say that about a lot of the women: if plan A fails, plan B is plan A hit harder.

Ivanovic is out! And Serena beat Mauresmo, wow.

All Williams final?

Could be but as Tracy Austin said on the BBC - "no-one is playing well in the women's draw". Ivanovic was poor today, spraying the ball about; Williams didn't have to do anything to beat Mauresmo, she has just gone. The main rivals to the Williams are now Kuznetsova and Jankovic but if the level of play remains low that brings the possibility of a real surprise a lot closer.

I'm going to try to catch Janovic today. I didn't like her at the French because she was so prima donna-ish, thinking she could stop play on her opponent's serve to blow her nose and generally acting like she was a goddess. She didn't play particularly well either, although she does have injuries, I guess.

Haven't seen much of the Williams playing. If they're playing consistently, they'll probably make it. That's all it seems to take right now.

An all-Williams final would be a disaster (for viewers) - the matches between them tend to be appalling. I get the impression that they don't enjoy playing each other and it affects their performance.

Jankovic would probably be the popular choice in the UK: winning the Mixed with Jamie Murray last year produced a lot of goodwill.

I had to leave the Janovic match to get my hair cut (poor timing, made the appointment 'way before considering that it was Wimbledon time).

My husband said she got hurt - hyperextended her left knee or something. I hope she can continue playing.

I don't like watching all-Williams' matches either, jargoneer. You're right. They play differently. Didn't one or the other of them withdraw during some slam events so they wouldn't have to play each other earlier in their careers when Dad was more in control? I haven't seen much of Serena, but have watched some Venus. She's looking good. I like her outfit, too.

I'm glad to see that the woman who beat Shriekapova won the next match. Most times a spoiler loses her next match.

I'm sorry to see Safina out.

I'm beginning to wonder about Jankovic - it seems every time she is struggling she suffers an injury. It could be due to her overtrying but equally it could be psychological or gamesmanship. What isn't in doubt is that after her injury break she usually manages to pull the match back.

I seem to remember one or other of the sisters pulling out of tournaments to avoid playing each other. I would favour Venus as long as she doesn't have to play her sister; in a head-to-head Serena has the edge.

Full last 16 -
Zheng Chn v Szavay Hun 15
Vaidisova Cze 18 v Chakvetadze Rus 8
Kuznetsova Rus 4 v A Radwanska Pol 14
Mattek US v S Williams US 6
Dementieva Rus 5 v Peer Isr 24
Petrova Rus 21 v Kudryavtseva Rus
V Williams US 7 v Kleybanova Rus
Tanasugarn Tha v Jankovic Ser 2

Zheng looked good beating Ivanovic but can't see her going to the final. The 4 seeded Russians remaining all have good enough games to win, as does Vaidisova, but they also all seem to suffer from mental issues when they get near the end of big tournaments

I watched Ivanovic/Dechy. Ana was done, her goose was cooked and then an intervention from the tennis gods gave her a second chance. What does she do with it? Aaaargh! I felt soooo bad for Dechy. She had won that match.

I was a little surprised and more than a bit disappointed to see Peer take out Safina. Dementieva v Peer should be very interesting.

I make no secret of the fact that I just lurve the Williams sisters, but I've got to agree with the rest of you that it's pretty much agony for any tennis fan to watch them play each other. I still cringe thinking of that 3rd?/quarterfinal? at the US Open, was it 06?05? when Serena was in such bad shape that Venus had to man up and put her out of her misery.

I'm quite disappointed in Vaidisova. What's the story with her splitting with dad-coach? And Stepanek? (But there's no accounting for taste.) But if she could get her head together she could be a Sharapova with a bit of variety.

Disappointed to see Lindsay have to retire with injury, but she was in really great spirits afterwards. I hope the Olympics works out for her.

And I am so over Jankovic.

In the paper today -

Woman Who Don't Want To Be Number One

Justine Henin
Too easy, someone else can have a go now.
Maria Sharapova
Too hard, but look how pretty my outfit is.
Ana Ivanovic
Everybody's watching me, leave me alone, I don't need this pressure.
Jelena Jankovic
Jamie, is it too late to play in the mixed?
Venus or Serena Williams
Okay, but we're quite busy - do we have to play many tournaments.

The top three women - Williamsx2, Jankovic - were complaining yesterday about not being on the main courts. I don't understand why they are complaining - it is well known that the crowds want to watch men's tennis (hence talk of combing ATP and WTA tour events) and Wimbledon is now the only Slam that gives the women their own QF and SF days.

If Venus or Serena don't win this now, they should retire immediately in disgust.

Ha! That's funny. I still wish Henin was playing. Ivanovic wouldn't be #1 with the French under her belt and we'd be hearing about a Henin Williams final.

Did you hear Jankovic saying that she about needed a helicopter to get to court 18? Wendy Whiner.

I was thinking that The Williams Sisters had something to complain about but then I remembered the seeding. They were seeded lower, so weren't on the top courts. Dementieva and Kuznetsova played ('tho they lost).

Unless something very strange happens, I think it will be a Williamsx2 (as you charmingly put it above) final. And then all the comments about how they play differently when they play each other will come into effect.

AND, if they play each other, I think it's Serena's turn to win.

This is from the BBC live web coverage of Dementieva-Petrova:

Dementieva 5-6 Petrova
Demen is like a boxer who, with her right hand swinging to administer the knockout blow, smacks herself on the nose instead. She loses a fifth straight game and must now hold to stay in the set.

Dementieva 5-5 Petrova
Roll up, roll up - come and see the amazing collapsing Russians. See them effortlessly bash forehands long. Marvel at the way they freeze at the slightest hint of a semi-final. It's got so bad that when Petrova belts a spare ball into the ground it bounces up and knocks her sun-visor off.

Dementieva 5-4 Petrova
The pair of them are now competing in some sort of bizarre collapsathon. Demen is hitting the ball with all the confidence of a parachuteless sky-diver.

Dementieva 5-3 Petrova
Brief hope flowers for Petro as Dementieva wavers with her nose on the finishing line, backhanding netwards and then crashing one wide to give her opponent a shock break point. With her first serve suddenly as useful as a custard racquet, she double-faults woefully to hand Petrova her first break and a shock life-line.

I wish I could be seeing it! Crash and burn. Collapsathon. I love the BBC's acerbic wit.

God, why can't I watch it on BBC instead.

What's wrong with all these women? *sigh*

It gets worse -

Dementieva 4-1 Petrova
At 40-15, Dem is coasting at 40-15, and it's then that the little demons come a'calling. She cracks a backhand into the net, squeals a "whoo-hah!" like Busta Rhymes on helium and then double-faults at break point to invite Petrova back into the match. Shambolic. Why don't they just take it in turns shoving custard pies into their own faces?

Whoo! As of today, Venus is in the semi-finals! =D

I wouldn't have expected this result:

Zheng vs Serena
Dementieva vs Venus

Venus should win easily (see quotes above about how well Demen is playing) but Serena could have a match on her hands - Zheng is playing well. (This is just one of those damn conspiracy theories but have you noticed how Chinese athletes always start to improve dramatically just before an Olympics).

Is is possible to generate much interest in the semis? Does anyone think either of the Williams sisters will lose?

I don't think so, and No.

They are playing so beautifully. Zheng or Dementieva would have to pull a miracle out of their hats to win.

Having just said that, I checked and Venus is up 4-0 in the first set.

I still think it will be a Williamsx2 final.

And, we were all right! I loved being in the chatroom with you, littlegeek and jargoneer, sodapop, JBP, and j_ipsen (did I miss anybody?)

Fun fun fun. And for the record, Venus won.