Halep fell away totally in the second set again and unlike Sharapova, Radwanska didn't let her back in to make the score respectable.
Radwanska pushing Sharapova to the limit then losing to Pennetta then straight-setting Halep is...not that logical.
Funny, Sharapova is now guaranteed to be in the SF, but Radwanska is only through if Sharapova wins in straight sets. Pennetta needs only one set to progress.
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 09:03 (eight years ago) link
In general I am coming down harder on the side of "Halep will never win a Slam"...she has had several opportunities for a real statement win now and flopped every time. The AO QF, whatever happened in her clay and grass seasons, the USO SF and now what should have been an open YEC with Serena out and Maria rusty.
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 09:09 (eight years ago) link
She's shown disappointing limpness in important matches, with no explanation, but I still feel pretty confident in a slam win in the coming years.
― abcfsk, Thursday, 29 October 2015 09:19 (eight years ago) link
in general I feel like she's much less confident in her game than a year ago; she's actually better at winning ugly over lesser opposition, which is how she's maintained her position, but a lot worse at imposing her game on good opponents (which was always a knife-edge anyway, with her one-dimensional counterpunching style) - and especially at big moments. I can see her with a Wozniackan/Radwanskan slamless career, now
lol @ Sharapova fighting to snatch that set from Pennetta (aided by a bit of a gag) even though she's already qualified - vaguely wondered whether her dislike of Radwanska would tempt her to tank and save energy while kicking Aga out at the same time, but I fully believe Sharapova would rather keep Aga in just so she gets the chance to beat her again
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 12:42 (eight years ago) link
And that's farewell to Flavia forever.
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 13:12 (eight years ago) link
Some tight stuff in the 2nd set. Obviously isn't as worn out as the others. Still going to set me up for a '16 season disappointment.
― abcfsk, Thursday, 29 October 2015 13:12 (eight years ago) link
Sharapova vs Kerber/Muguruza in the SF/F would be a pretty tantalising match
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 13:16 (eight years ago) link
https://twitter.com/TennisTV/status/659794761340100609
― lex pretend, Thursday, 29 October 2015 19:26 (eight years ago) link
Muguruza has been intent on storming the net all autumn, which I admire and bodes well for the future, bc lord knows she needs a few extra dimensions to her game, but ever since I tuned into this match her lack of natural touch has been really costing her. Should've broken Kvitova at 4-4 in the second but fucked up two swing volleys, and the volley she played on BP just now was embarrassing
― lex pretend, Friday, 30 October 2015 08:00 (eight years ago) link
Muguruza wins it with a BH volley though! That was a good match, esp towards the end
― lex pretend, Friday, 30 October 2015 08:46 (eight years ago) link
Fun 3rd set. I hate my useless faves so much tho.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Friday, 30 October 2015 08:51 (eight years ago) link
She did a lot better than I expected given that she was bending double after every point in the Safarova match
Kerber needs to win one set to go through, I can't see that not happening
― lex pretend, Friday, 30 October 2015 08:55 (eight years ago) link
It...didn't happen. Kerber was very underwhelming, Kvitova gets lucky and goes through.
― lex pretend, Friday, 30 October 2015 10:39 (eight years ago) link
Peakwanska on her own set point, as usual.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 09:00 (eight years ago) link
Muguruza really does have to be the worst volleyer in the top ten though. I've never watched her play doubles, but is she any better there? I mean, Sharapova is terrible too but she restricts herself to swing volleys and doesn't try to hit traditional ones...
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 09:05 (eight years ago) link
Hate Muguruza's errors, but love her regal comportment on court. 10 in 3 games!
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 09:15 (eight years ago) link
Halep and Kerber are pretty poor at net too, they just don't try it as much as Muguruza does
Tuned in with Muguruza 1-4 down, that was unexpected. Good match since though...
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 09:38 (eight years ago) link
Aga winning a close high-stakes match? Well I never.
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 09:54 (eight years ago) link
If she'd served as well as she did v Halep it perhaps wouldn't have been a close match, but, hey ho.
Now let's have a repeat of last year's Petra/Maria to add to this mess.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 10:03 (eight years ago) link
Kvitova so much more solid. She's not even peaking but Sharapova's BH is a mess
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 11:25 (eight years ago) link
it's gone very bad now -_-
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 11:46 (eight years ago) link
Some of Petra's returns now :D :D :D
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:14 (eight years ago) link
And then very good from 1-5 down! PETRAAAAAAA
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:15 (eight years ago) link
Petra will now lose this set 5-7.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:15 (eight years ago) link
Also, MARION BARTOLI.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:16 (eight years ago) link
Petra winning points with anticipation and defence!
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:29 (eight years ago) link
thanks for reminding me why you're my favourite, Petra, after this not very good year
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:31 (eight years ago) link
THAT FUCKING SECOND SERVE OMG OMG OMG
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:32 (eight years ago) link
AFter all that, my two useless slumping underachieving failures of favourites are in the finals and.. whuh? how?
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:33 (eight years ago) link
PETRA
KVITOVA
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:34 (eight years ago) link
Both finalists had a 1-2 RR record! Amazing.
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:35 (eight years ago) link
On top of that, Hingis/Mirza are in the finals of the dubs too!
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Saturday, 31 October 2015 12:38 (eight years ago) link
some real entertaining pts in gasquet/rafa but gasquets hitting too many errors
― johnny crunch, Saturday, 31 October 2015 14:35 (eight years ago) link
that was a brilliant point for Gasquet to break on
even in Rafa's state this feels like the ultimate NID result, some very pretty points tho yeah
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 14:52 (eight years ago) link
as I was saying...
Gasquet served for the set, DFed twice, left a ball that landed in, was broken to 15
NID NID NID
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 15:28 (eight years ago) link
lol
Gasquet had two SPs in the TB and led by a break in both sets
but loses his 14th straight match and 20th straight set to Rafa anyway
― lex pretend, Saturday, 31 October 2015 15:51 (eight years ago) link
Shitra has turned up to the final so far, it seems.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:02 (eight years ago) link
god, Petra is flopping so badly at the net and missing so many kill shots
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:05 (eight years ago) link
100% of her smashes so far have been comedy
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:11 (eight years ago) link
Beautiful dropshot from Aga
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:19 (eight years ago) link
UEs so far:
Radwanska 1Kvitova 25
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:39 (eight years ago) link
Adequatra turns up for two games! Whee.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:55 (eight years ago) link
It lasted to the end of the set!
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 11:59 (eight years ago) link
Petra still better at hitting ridiculous shots from neutral or worse positions than finishing off a won point
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:13 (eight years ago) link
Radwanska belatedly raising her level in response...
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:20 (eight years ago) link
lol dead net cord puts Kvitova down 0-30 serving to stay in it
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:46 (eight years ago) link
AGA!
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:48 (eight years ago) link
She should have beaten Sharapova, but taking out Halep, Muguruza and Kvitova in a row, which is probably more top 10 wins than she's had all year is damned good.
― oh, boy, .GIF! That's where I'm a Viking! (edwardo), Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:50 (eight years ago) link
Who would've thought her nightmare season would end in her biggest title yet? Petra actually made her work for it in the end, and historically Aga's tended not to have the answers in those situations.
May she follow in the footsteps of Novotna and Mauresmo and ride a YEC victory to a Slam title the following year...
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 12:54 (eight years ago) link
Fedal XXXIV!...Federer just consolidated an early break despite some v ill-advised net rushes
― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 November 2015 14:15 (eight years ago) link