There is no doubt that Maria's been having a depression these months, especially as she commented March was a horrible month for her. Although it seemed that she did well in the Roland Garros, reaching the semi-final however losing to Ivanovic with an humiliating result (just like the one in Australian Open), it clearly wasn't her best. I can hardly see her consistentsy this year. Once again she lost to Venus with a quite embarassing result 1-6,3-6. I doubt it should be a performance by a world no.2? It should have been closer. Although I'm a great fan of her, I don't wanna take the shoulder injury as an excuse to explain her defeat, even it might be true to a certain extent. I somehow think that she should change her coach right now. Of course, her father can still stay with her, but hopefully not being the coach? Michael should be changed as well. He's not a great ATP player indeed. A brand new chemistry must be created. Of course, an enormous investment of time should be made. I know she's very keen on defending her World No. 2 status, but clearly it shows that she's not really for doing so. Take Roddick, he's spent a year changing his techniques. I think Maria should do the same as well. Don't care about the rank at the moment, it doesn't matter whether being able to join the YEC or not. She should find the best for her.
She's fine. If she has terrible results all year, then I will worry. At this time last year she only had one title and it turned out to be her best year yet.
But last year this time, she was healthy. She had great performance in the first half of last year - Australian + Wimbledon semis, Dubai and Miami Finals + Indian Wells champion. But this year? I can only count her stunning two Grand Slams.
She's one-dimensional, and now that the novelty of her presence and power on court has worn off, she's stagnating. Didn't anyone else see this coming? Yeah it's a crucial time - a crucial time for her to hire a real coach or to actually learn how to add more variety to her lacking game.
You hit the nail right on the head. There is nothing wrong with Maria. She was always overrated and they did that when the sisters and the Belgiums where injured. The Russians faded, now it's the Serbs.
Maria had an easy route at the FO and she had an easy route at Wimbeldon. She just faced a ready Venus who had gotten her serve clicking, and she whipped her butt ole fashion style.
Like Patrick MacEnroe said, she took Maria to the shed. Meaning she took her to the shed and whipped her azz.
The only thing that is hurt on Maria is her pride. She loves being in the lime light and getting all of the acolades from the commentators. Venus just made her look like the tier II player that she really is.
Maria was manhandling all of her opponents and hitting winners everywhere on the courts. Venus just beat Maria with the power game and big serve that Venus ushered in to the womens game in 2000 and beyond.
Maria has always been overrated. This is the second time that Venus came into Wimbledon off of injury and lack of match play and whip Maria's azz like she stole something.
She's just a ball bashing screaming player with no finese and net game. It's just not Venus and SErena who's gonna beat her.
For one thing, the Russians haven't faded, other Russians just have taken their place in the top 10. :lol:
Maria still holds in her possession one of the slams.
You don't win two slams and an YEC as an overrated player, obviously you're missing that point.
Maybe one slam but two puts you in big girl territory.
Depression?
Tennis is not that serious for any of these players once they leave the practice courts.
As Justine said before this tournament, winning Wimbledon will not make her a better person.
I'm sure the same can be said for Maria and winning any tournament.
Sharapova hasn't lost before the round of 16 for three years. That's consistency for you.
She's ranked number two in the world for a reason.
Again there's no reason to question a player if they're holding one of the four slams in their possession.
im sure henin shed a few tears after her loss to bartoli and im sure her life the last 3 weeks has been totaly geared to winning wimbledon! as for sharapova not losing before the round of 16 in most tournaments she is ranked 2 in the world so in most tournaments she gets a bye into the round of 16! and the tournaments she has lost in the round of 16 (french open, wimbledon, miami) are all huge tournaments where she has to earn her place in the round of 16 by winning 2 or 3 matches where she is not aided by a bye to the 16's and is therefore vunarable! maria is in trouble if venus serena and henin commit to 2 tourns each on the american hardcourts plus the us open then she will probably go into the indoor season titleless! (though she will pick up a title of 2 in the indoor season as venus serena heni wont play many if any tournaments!)
Not really. Justine and Kim were still making their way up the ranks. Davenport took almost the whole summer off to heal her back and lost a TON of points. And V&S were playing their usual "I only play the slams" schedule. Somebody had to be #1 and Maria got it.
Mauresmo was also #1 for a brief period in 2004 but was clearly not the best player in the world at that time.
In the old days #1 meant you were the best player in the world, nowadays it doesn't mean shit sometimes.
Maria will be fine. She's going to win at least once during the Cali hardcourt season and will be considered more than a strong contender to defend her USO title. Mark my words.
Again, despite 2 Grand Slams (current holder of 1) and reaching the number 1, being relatively consistent in tournaments and slams, people seem to forget she's only turned 20. :zzz:
I know some of you have had to deal with her for years (much to your dismay), but Maria is that young. Sorry, but she has time.
So many threads like this and others that have come up similar to this this year, but we basically got the same threads before she won the USO last year. At that time, she had seriously bad records against Kim, Justine & Amelie -- had never beaten Amelie & Kim, Justine just once. People were saying the same negative things about her. But she eventually got the job done, beating two of them in winning her second slam and going on to dominate the indoor season. She'll have her time again soon once she gets her shoulder, serve and confidence sorted out. She's young, works hard, and has tons of perspective. It's impossible to expect her to have all ups and not downs when almost everyone has had both. She's still the best of her generation. Until somebody steps up and wins a GS, that shouldn't be put into question. She'll be fine.
Do you think she should gain weight so that she can add more power to her serve to something like 117 - 120 miles? It seems her fastest is only 115, which is quite slow for a 6"2. Also, weighing only 59kg is rather too light for her height! See Ivanovic, she's 2 inches shorter, but 30 pounds heavier, so her serve is powerful.
i think this terrible year could be the best thing to happen to maria... this year iv felt that maria has just been abit complacent with her tennis, only ultilising her natural abilities, not really becoming the best physical athlete that she can be... i think she needs to do a navratilova and transform herself into a great athlete... get stronger, get fitter, get faster! all this will just help her become a better player, with a stronger physical body she'll be less injury prone..
her natural abilities are clear when she gets her racket on the ball, but she's not shown that she's a natural athlete since she grew those 2 extra inches over 2005... unlike serena, who i think could have picked up any sport, she doesnt have that sort of natural athletic ability. and she shoudl really work on that.. when she does she'll win more and more slams, she'll be world number one again and really live up to her potential...
i think she is going to work on it over the summer, in her press conference after wimbledon i got the impression that she knows she needs to do more physically...
its exciting to think of her in a couple years time, or even just a years time, if she puts in the work she could be great!
Her performances at the majors are regressing too. Won '06 u.s.open, runner up '07 oz open, SF '07 RG, fourth round Wimby ( earliest exit in years at Wimby on her best surface!)...there's a trend here.
The same old people keep bringing the same old trash out to air...
What was Venus's record before she sneaked in three good matches to win at Wimbledon?
Somehow Maria's the only player not allowed to lose a match without the WTA-world vultures closing in on her.
Reality CHECK:
Maria is Current US Open Champion Currently World No 2. World No 1 this year. Finalist at Australian Open, despite a shoulder injury. Semi-Finalist on her worst surface in Paris RG, despite a poorly recovered shoulder. When she gets knocked out of a slam it's usually by the eventual winner.
So if she's a poor one-dimensional player, everyone else must be poor half-dimensional players.
I think the crucial time for Maria will come in the summer hardcourt season. If she doesn't get her act together and start winning some tournaments, she can say "bye-bye" to the Top 5 soon
On the subject of Maria - it's interesting this thread because this subject was actually discussed on BBC during Wimbledon. The general concensus was that Maria would benefit from dumping her father as a coach - particularly since she has such a one-dimensional game under her father.
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