posted Dec 14, 2007

"But how do think about Sharapova winning the Olympic Gold for USA -- she will probably get an American citizenship before that. What a revenge for the short-sighted Russian boss who sidelined her!!! "

A good point could be very interesting, however thing dad may have a say in that.

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posted Dec 14, 2007

AO - Nalbandian/Vaidisova
FO - Nadal/Henin
W - Federer/Sharapova
US - Roddick/Ivanovic

Think we'll see some suprises this year

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posted Dec 14, 2007

I'm quite surprised that Sharapova has maintained Russian citizenship for so long....

Is there any reason to suggest that she is considering a change to US ??

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posted Dec 14, 2007

No, she has denied that all the time. Practically there is no need for her to do that -- only if she wants to get even with the Fed Cup boss, and with those who no longer accepted her as Russian.

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posted Dec 14, 2007

I,m just intrigued as she has lived most of her life in the US , since about 7 according to Wiki.

Cant see her being allowed to play for Russia now. Was that the cause of rift with Fed cup - I dont folloow such things much.

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posted Dec 14, 2007

Conosu,

I donīt think that my audacious second set of prediction (for women) is so far-fetched.

First of all, 07 was a year where the old guards maintained (Henin, the Sisters)their dominance, although the young guns(Janko, Iva, Chak, Vaidi. etc.)established themselves solidly in the top 20. And the change of guards could well take place in 08.

I predicted that Szavay, Vaidi and Golovin will win a slam before Janko,Iva and Chak. If you look back you will find some facts which support that:

Agassi was ranked 3 in 1988, and made FO semis in 88 , USO semis in 88 and 89, FO final in 90, USO final in 90 (a bit like Iva, Janko, and Chak has done this year in the slams). So it was logical back then to see him as THE one to break the monopoly of Lendl, Wilander, Becker and Edberg in the GSs. would be irrational to think otherwise. And what happened?

Chang won FO 89
Sampras USO 90
Courier FO 91,92, AO 92

All those happened before Agassi won his first major, Wimbledon 92. So very often things donīt go according to plan.

The other interesting observation: All those three (Chang, Pete, Courier) won in their very first GS final. Agassi was 0-3 in finals prior to Wimby92. So the more finals you lose, the more difficult for you to win it the next time.

therefore the chances for the fresher teens (Radwanska, Vaidi, Szavay, golovin)are higher than for the already established Janko, Iva. etc..

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posted Dec 14, 2007

"I'm not so crazy about Jankovic..."
Bingting

Among other things you state in your Navratilova thread that Jelena Jankovic,Ana Ivanovic and Anna Chakvetadze have not beaten Justine Henin and as a consequence have less chance of winning a major.

I believe that once these players have beaten Justine,which will be shortly, their confidence will get the boost that is needed to go that extra furlong.A little like Justine herself and her early days against Venus and Serena Williams.

I also believe it ill-considered to downplay their(and incidentally Nikolay Davydenko's)tenaciously obtained very hard earned top ten positions.

I accept it does not naturally follow that a top ten position=grand slam winner however as far as the four players I have mentioned are cocerned I believe all are future major winners as will be proved in part by one of the Serbians in 2008.

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posted Dec 14, 2007

Regarding these young girls winning grand slam titles there seems to have been a swapping of dominance between the mens and womens game i.e. for Navratilova/Evert or Graf/Seles read Federer/Nadal.

The number of possible winners in the ladies per grand slam event is possibly at an all time high adding to the interest levels.

In the mens it is rather stating the obvious to say so but it's seemingly always down to the "two likely lads".

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posted Dec 14, 2007

Duggietoo, it is all about stupid jealousy -- she was the first russian woman to win Wimby(04), which is regarded higher than FO which was won by Myskina ( the first russian woman to win a GS). So Myskina was jealous of her because she felt her position was being challenged. She refused to play the Fed cup alongside Maria, and put her down that she spoke russian with an American accent, etc..a few other players may have felt the same way: Maria speaks better english than Russian and she was trained in America... and there war also tension btw. her father and the russian bosses... Oh well!

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posted Dec 14, 2007

Thanks for the info, bingting.

I'm just surprised she hasn't taken US citizenship by now.

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