ILE rolling non-slam Tennis thread

Haha, never thought I'd see Maria so exultant about beating someone who's never won a Slam.

Here endeth my brief support of Sharapova, though tbh Stosur is gross as well, so...just as well I'm missing the final tomorrow.

There's really no reason why Sharapova shouldn't smash Sam to pieces tomorrow.

I also don't think it's silly to say that clay has now been Maria's best surface since '08.

Stosur's serve and FH? I mean I hate her but they're pretty massive weapons, unlike anything Woz possesses. And both seemed to be actually working against Li.

Well there IS a reason, or question mark, since they've never played on Sam's best surface! Hopefully Masha can keep her confidence.

Oh and yeah, we can all unite against Woz, at the very least.

Sam sucks against tall big hitters where her service weapon is nullified a bit. Venus smashed her in Madrid last year. Maria should do the same!

Also every time Azarenka's retired this year, her opponent's gone on to win the tournament. Can't argue with that

Ooh, these "strong is beautiful" pictures are a bit of a mixed bag aren't they:
http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=434565

Best ones are Zvonareva, Li, Kvitova, Radwanska, Kuznetsova. Worst one is obviously Stosur or Bartoli.

Oh wait, the Safarova, Pennetta and Dulko ones are pretty fierce too.

2 double faults whilst serving for the match. Nice, Murray.

:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B83C_STLZPs

Best ones are Zvonareva, Li, Kvitova, Radwanska, Kuznetsova. Worst one is obviously Stosur or Bartoli.

Rezai is the best I think. She has an amazing face <3

Azarenka and Petkovic didn't really come out of it well either - wtf is with the make-up? - but the most baffling ones are the ones like Lisicki where half their face is hidden. Overall a bit of a damp squib despite the decent concept. I don't think the WTA's marketing has ever been even decent though, always so cheesecake.

I'd like a Vujacic close-up during that stumble.

^ Same dude who did those slo-mo videos for New York Times. At least we've seen worse from the WTA.

hate rain

lol at Stosur, she really cannot ever hope to beat Sharapova surely even on clay.

12 points to 1 already. Can't see why this won't be about 6-1 6-1.

Do you have a stable stream or are you watching on tv? All of them seem choppy.

Choppy stream :(

Stosur on the scoreboard.

One break back. Not quite time to pull out our thread's catchphrase YET BUT MAYBE.

WTF did not realise this was on. Got here in time for the set point. What was the set like??

"not the most naturally talented.. or even natural athleticism.. but her will to win" <- ES commentators speaking about Sharapova.

Time to retire this particular line? She's not hitting those long and hard shots off her fighting spirit. I mean, it once had some basis of truth, with her movement and whatnot, but it's become the biggest cliche at this point. You don't win matches just because you want to, and besides, she's lost several matches she should've won because of confidence issues.

Sharapova stormed into the lead. Stosur got ONE point in the first three GAMES. But then things calmed down, Stosur even broke Masha once and got a few points in a row. Then the set was over.

Stosur's weapons just don't work here. Her kick serve that would flummox someone her own height just seems to end up right in Sharapova's hitting zone, and coming straight back to her backhand which isn't any good. If anything, Stosur is better positioned off the Sharapova serve than off her own. She must have been so upset she wasn't facing Wozniacki.

Don't get too bullish on Sharapova winning RG on the score.

Oh actually the idea of Sharapova winning RG is best kept as far off my mind as possible, lest I get illusions that lead to inevitable crushing disappointment. Anyway, Clijsters is looking at coming back there and will probably slime herself to another trophy.

Gotta love Stosur's BH

Sharapova does!

These linespeople fucking suck

Great game to get through! C'mon Maria I'm supposed to be going out at 6

Seems really unnecessary to let Stosur win any of her serve games.

Thankfully Stosur's being nice and giving us some of her trademark shank shots 20 metres out.

YES YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES

That's the bloody way to do it! 2nd set more spotty than it needed to be, you could see the nerves - this is the first tier 1 tournament victory for her in 20 months. Almost doesn't feel real tbh.

Beating Wozniacki and Stosur back to back with forehand winners <3 More than anything she seems much more mentally strong than a few months ago

http://i939.photobucket.com/albums/ad234/abcfsk/this-is-my-home-gif.gif

http://i56.tinypic.com/2dhch3m.gif

That image doesn't work.

smh I remember when no one on ilx tennis threads was a Sharapova fan.

in Nadal/Djokovic news, BLOODY LIVE STREAMS what is wrong with them

dark ages

This stream works smoothly atm http://www.fromsportcom.com/v-2/4/188/v-258956.html

Why do their points always have to be so long.

of course a Sharapova fan wouldn't be able to appreciate long, compelling rallies, ie the essence of the sport

(and thanks)

Started chopping as soon as I said that.

Well I do! but they could agree on skipping the introductory ten 'five meters above the net' top spin exchanges before getting to it. Starting to get good now, though.

it's classic clay tennis, I love seeing the ebb and flow of rallies around a neutral position

Alos, Petra Kvitova lost in her hometown Challenger that she played instead of Rome - to the renowned claycourter RYBARIKOVA wtffffffff

Sure, but I guess I don't think some of these guys' long long long clay court matches have been among the best. But then I really disliked Nadal before he started adding weapons to his game, and generally like him now.

(Ah, Kvitova. Now she and Wozniacki will inexplicably play in Brussels the week before RG)

I've always liked long-rallying counterpunchers and finesse players rather than caveman hit-winner-now big servers and bashers. Says a lot about Woz that even she is beyond the pale (though I always hated the pure retrievers like Coetzer and Smashnova too). Zvereva, Myskina, Henin are pretty much my ideal female players.

fucking hell some of Djokovic's shots...that volley...the ANGLE of that fh!!!

I don't like pure bashers, believe it or not, and I'm only happy with Marias play when she doesn't hit at random. She hasn't this week, except when the nerves have gone to her head - she's been patient, created opportunities for the pure winners. There's a beauty in finding the angles, the lines, the surgically precise depth, and the game would be so boring if the counterpunchers didn't have heavy hitters whose balls they could impressively run down.

I mean, Sharapova - Henin was a great match-up. Clean, ruthless attacks vs the slices, the speedy backhand. That three-setter in the year-end chship which Henin ended up winning was a classic. And Henin's most entertaining match was against power-Capriati, US Open '03.

The only type of players I'll always hate are the Isners and the pushers.

Nadal needs to just go for it without being down a break.

I think I could like Maria's game - I love Kvitova - but the corporate hype immediately after she won Wimbledon + the shrieking = no no no no.

Amazing x-court BH winner and Nole takes the set despite failing to serve out. Astonishingly high quality.

It really is amazing how quickly he's gained dominance over Nadal.

Oh hey Nadal did a cow on ice.