Tennis Forum banner

Miki's 2016 Summer Hardcourt Swing

6K views 116 replies 10 participants last post by  SERVivor 
#1 ·
No good news to open the thread, it's been posted yesterday that Mirjana pulled out of Washington, which was supposed to be her first USO series event this year, due to a lower back injury.

Alexandra Wozniak will be replacing her.

Get well soon MLB :wavey:
 
#6 ·
I really felt for Konjuh.

She almost had Radwanska.

She did choke a bit, but Randwanska also got lucky on a netchord on one of the mps

Cilic has choked his share of matches.

Miki.....well we won't go there. There have been too many,

I don't remember Goran being a huge choker and that 2001 Wimbledon victory was special. I was really happy for him that day.
 
#5 ·
Too bad about D.C. but I expect she's physically and mentally a bit exhausted. Her European stretch seemed an especially long one this year; certainly to be away from home.

And I would have to expect she's still disgusted from that horrid Wimbledon draw. (She beat one of this year's QFInalists --Shedova-- in R1 last year; a player she totally owns --Vesnina-- got to the semifinals; an older player she most recently defeated --Venus-- is also in the semifnals. etc.) The way it played out must be both inspring at her age ... and galling due to her Cibulkova draw.

Wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to even set foot on a court for a few weeks.

A fresh mind and heart for the US Open and the Autumn stretch will be just the thing.

Hope she can crack that Top 50 again, maybe pick up a title somewhere before year's end. Her game is certainly strong enough to conquer an entire field somewhere, especially indoors. she same so close in Strasbourg. It was still a big success.

Who knows? Some well-deserved time with her loved ones will do her a world of good. See ya when we see ya, Miki and Miki Watchers.

Side Note: Heartbroken for Konjuh ... her chance will come again.
 
#10 ·
I know, right? Forget the fact that Miki was a genuine prodigy who had won the first WTA event in which she ever played, won it again the next year, had already won a Grand Slam doubles title in Australia at age 16, fled an oppressive father in a drama worthy of a Jason Bourne movie, and actually came close to beating Graf in that Wimby encounter.

Nah. She didn't deserve any coverage in that documentary --not when when there was a REAL superstar on the rise: ALEXANDRA STEVENSON. ?????
 
#11 ·
^^ One important factor in that situation was probably that one of them was from USA and the other from a teeny-tiny Croatia. The difference in potential market value is massive, and since neither of them was a real established singles superstar at the time (as in, top of the game regular), I guess the WTA and some other important people in the business, focused solely on the piggy bank potential.

Doesn't make it fair, but I think it boils down to that.
 
#12 ·
Nicole Vaidisova announced her final farewell to tennis today.

It's interesting to mention here, because it puts everything Miki achieved since her comeback into perspective.

Yes, it must also be mentioned that Nicole said that injuries and various physical issues forced her to make this decission to retire from the game, but even that is relevant, as it reminds us how, despite her share of injuries, Mirjana has actually been blessed to even still be competing these days. After all, Vaidisova is 7 years Miki's junior.

After some wonderful achievements, which inclueded a place in the top 10 in the world's rankings, she hasn't been able to scratch significantly into top 200 since her comeback, while Miki is still almost a top 50 player. Really says a lot about what Mirjana has done over the years, something that we tend to even take for granted these days.

I'll try to remind myself of these things next time when Miki gets in trouble...or loses some random match to a junior for no apparent reason :lol:
 
#13 ·
Nicole Vaidisova announced her final farewell to tennis today.

It's interesting to mention here, because it puts everything Miki achieved since her comeback into perspective.

Yes, it must also be mentioned that Nicole said that injuries and various physical issues forced her to make this decission to retire from the game, but even that is relevant, as it reminds us how, despite her share of injuries, Mirjana has actually been blessed to even still be competing these days. After all, Vaidisova is 7 years Miki's junior.

After some wonderful achievements, which inclueded a place in the top 10 in the world's rankings, she hasn't been able to scratch significantly into top 200 since her comeback, while Miki is still almost a top 50 player. Really says a lot about what Mirjana has done over the years, something that we tend to even take for granted these days.

I'll try to remind myself of these things next time when Miki gets in trouble...or loses some random match to a junior for no apparent reason :lol:



Great point.

I have thought about that when she has choked some match. I think back to where she was when I first started really following her comeback in 2010 and compare it to where she is now.

It really is remarkable she is close to top 50 at 34 yrs. old.

I often look back to that 2014 US Open qualifying match that I attended - only because I thought it might be Miki's last match. She was on that big losing streak and had lost to a doubles specialist at Stanford.

I thought she was done.

Then...............

On another note, I think she is first or second alt. to get in to the MD at Montreal. There have been several withdrawals and she has moved up the alt. list.
 
#22 ·
Rain in Montreal right from the get go, QR1 started some 3 hours ago and they're already waiting for the rain to stop for over an hour.

Hopefully it's not a sign of the week ahead.

Especially since they're talking about live tv coverage from 5 courts.
 
#23 ·
Having grown up literally on the border of Quebec (US side), I can tell you that this time of year can be rather thunderous and always dreadfully humid. Even swampier than Flushing Meadows, under the right atmospheric conditions.

I'm just hoping Miki draws anyone but Lepchenko or McHale out of the possible qualifiers.

This is the time of year wherein she always seems to run into Varvara, somehow.

Meanwhile, I can't help but think she would've stood a nice shot at going deep in either D.C. or Stanford. Hope the break has recharged her batteries.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Why there are no Montreal matches listed on sites like batmanstream?

They did say they'll be covering a lot of courts, just didn't say from which day...maybe the coverage starts with the semifinals :lol:

Hibino won't be an easy task I sense, especially if the weather will be such as mikireturns has indicated that it can be in the region this time of year. Miki needs time to get the engines running after a break like this, and is considerably older, which might play a role in such conditions.

Her opponent today knows how to handle big hitters, and does possess quite a bit of variety. Plays smart, has good forehand, court coverage, anticipation, varies the pace, waits for her chances. She started last year outside of top 200 and was already close to top 50 by the time this season started. It'll be a real test.

Hope we get to see the match at least.

Good luck Miki!


EDIT: matches are listed now, and Miki's match is among them :)
 
#27 ·
Normally I would be very confident she would win this.

Hibino is over ranked. She did well on the ITF circuit last summer and fall.

I've seen her play.

She has no power and a very weak serve.

Miki should be able to break her many times.

That said, Hibino has had 2 matches to get in form, and of course, Miki's own serve may be an issue, as it often is, especially when rusty.
 
#28 ·
^ Yeah, I caught some quick YouTube footage of her against Muguruza and Sharapova last night.

I think she's got the kind of strokes that would normally play right into Miki's wheelhouse, without being a junkballer. Very easily overpowered by a focused big hitter.

Let's hope Miki is focused and fresh.
 
#34 ·
Ugh, she's that low in the race? I feel like her results have been better than past years, although she hasn't don't well in the slams. At least she has nothing to defend until Quebec, so maybe a good chance to be seeded at some of the fall events. Hopefully her Us Open draw is not a disaster this year, she deserves a gimme after Wimbledon
 
#35 ·
She's played very conservatively so far this year, in terms of the number of events. And bad results at 4 out of the 5 BIGGEST events (Australia, Indian Wells, Miami, Wimbledon) so far this season has definitely hurt her.

But ... I also feel her game has been generally more solid than in the past --like she's still playing the kind of smart ball she was playing at the end of last season indoors.

I get the sense she is pacing herself with some different scheduling, and it is actually paying-off, even if the numbers don't exactly show it, yet.

She is very close once again to the Top 50.

One run. She's due for another one. Where will it be?
 
#36 ·
Actually thought she's around 50s in the live ranking race too.

Guess it's THAT important to do well at the big events.

I like her chance against Angie for some reason, either way, hoping for a good match.
 
#38 ·
I know Kerber has crushed her in the past, but if Mirjana is ever going to upset her, this could be the perfect time.

Mirjana has nothing to lose and should be sharp from having a match yesterday that allowed her to sharpen up, without being too demanding.

Conversely, Kerber has little to gain and may still be a bit hung over emotionally from reaching, but losing the Wimbledon final.

iHopefully, Mirjana plays her best against Kerber.
 
#39 ·
Really hope Miki's been practicing with a solid lefty hitting partner. This is obviously a very important match. Anytime she gets to face a Top Five player is important, much less the No. 2 player in the world.

These are the encounters she hopes and lives for. There's not a shred of doubt she will be motivated to show off her tennis, and will hopefully have fun out there, too. Crossing fingers, here!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top