posted Sep 8, 2008

thanks Blueliner, for your warm support -- I did the best I could to keep Williams-haters (I am surprised there are quite a few of them)from ruining the thread where positive discussions, and NOT insults towards posters/players should take place.

Drivevolley9,

Thanks for the stats -- I watched it live at 3:00 in the morning. I think, as I said, that Jankovic played her normal defensive game, which is shown in your stats (only 15 winners). But Serena was impatient from time to time -- going for outright winners from tough positions which produced very high number of UEs(39 in your stats).

It is obvious that the majority of Jankovic´s points came from Serena´s UEs (39), since she ONLY made 15 winner´s(including service winners, I suppose). It is comparable to the Dementieva Match where 42 of JJ´s 66 points came elena´s UEs. Serena won because she made even more winners(44)than UEs(39). It is IMO Serena´s high UEs which made the match close -- just imagine, if Serena had cut 1/3 of her UEs, which were absolutely unnecessary, she would have won in no time.

Agree -- despite very high UEs number, it was a very tense and "dramatic" match(breaks of serves, wasted chances, tension, nerves...)match, possibly one of the closest in the last decade.

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posted Sep 8, 2008

really a waste of time to follow women's tennis nowadays after Henin's retirement. back to late 90s power tennis with serena sisters. soon the sisters will resume the battle for top 2 slots. the recent #1s underscore the fragility of the women's tennis. doesn't bode well for the future.

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posted Sep 8, 2008

In my eyes Serena Willams at the top of her game is unbeatable.

If she stays focused she'll remain number one for quite sometime.

For me the only suprise is that she hasn't won many more grand slams so far

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posted Sep 8, 2008

Well done Serena, I was so chuffed. If serena were to play that type of tennis at the french open maybe with a few less errors she would probably win it. I also feel sorry for venus when she has started to play well she has come across tough opponents who were on fire i.e. pennetta, li na and serena. Also with the injury she has been unable to climb up the rankings

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posted Sep 8, 2008

'Thanks for the stats -- I watched it live at 3:00 in the morning.'

Same here, now I'm trying to recover some serious sleep! Today could have killed me!

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posted Sep 8, 2008

the william sisters are bad 4 womens tennis , they are hit and hopers thye have no skill , i hope dementieva takes alot from getting to the semis and progrseses from here shes could win it next year

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posted Sep 9, 2008

quadruple, I'm afraid you don't know what you're talking about....

If you'd watched the Wimbledon final, you would've seen what voters on the WTA website has called the best Grand Slam final this year!

It had power, aces, service returns, skill at the net, athleticism around the court....

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posted Sep 9, 2008

I think it is obvious to anyone that watches and plays tennis that both Williams sisters are very talented players, with a -lot- of skill. It they simply had 'power' they would be mediocre players - but they are, along with Henin, he greatest champions of the last decade. Serena uses all sorts of angles (particularly off her forehand) that most power players simply lack don't have the feel for. She also understands very clearly how to open up the court for her winners.


Henin indicated that the only players that she was wary of/feared were the Williams sisters (Serena, in particular) as they were 'both so impressive'.

This what Martina Hingis had to say about both women:


[Sunday, August 20, 2006]

"I think a lot of people underestimate the Williams sisters. They've got power but also skills. I once practiced with Serena in Rome and I'll never forget it; we only used three balls for an hour. It was incredible. Both sisters can hold the ball in the court if they want to".

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(from NYT Play Magazine, Sept. 2006, p. 22)

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posted Sep 9, 2008

It's good point - and though i cannot relate to Jankovic's style at all (i am an aggressive baseliner/all-court player myself), there is a lot of skill in Jankovic's game, too. In more precise terms she is a counter puncher, with excellent anticipation, especially good (dynamic) balance and superior court coverage + athleticism. Jankovic's movemnet is especially fluid, less effortful than her peers.


There are times (against opponents with a significantly greater weight of shot) where Jankovic can get pulled into an overtly defensive style and it is on these occasions that her game can seem one-dimensional, and unthreatening. However, against most opponents, Jankovic has a good deal of tactical options.


She doesn't hit many outright winners against more/(the most) powerful (+ aggressive) players on the Tour but she does play forcing shots that produce errors - through depth and change of pace etc.

Often Jankovic will take pace off (typically with her forehand) and then suddenly inject pace (normally on her backhand), which can take her opponents by surprise. Her down-the-line backhand winners/winning shots often come as a result of this set-up play. Rather like Hingis, in this regard.


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comment by fantasticbingting (U11188452)

posted 11 Hours Ago

Drivevolley9,

Thanks for the stats -- I watched it live at 3:00 in the morning. I think, as I said, that Jankovic played her normal defensive game, which is shown in your stats (only 15 winners). But Serena was impatient from time to time -- going for outright winners from tough positions which produced very high number of UEs(39 in your stats).

It is obvious that the majority of Jankovic´s points came from Serena´s UEs (39), since she ONLY made 15 winner´s(including service winners, I suppose). It is comparable to the Dementieva Match where 42 of JJ´s 66 points came elena´s UEs. Serena won because she made even more winners(44)than UEs(39). It is IMO Serena´s high UEs which made the match close -- just imagine, if Serena had cut 1/3 of her UEs, which were absolutely unnecessary, she would have won in no time.

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posted Sep 10, 2008

Congrats Serena. But I agree after Henin's retirement there not much competition left in women's tennis.

http://www.ekhichdi.com/gallery/tom-cruise-and-katie-holmes-cute-daugther-pics

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