Tennis Forum banner

(red hot) Ana on red clay 2012 season

20K views 167 replies 32 participants last post by  gaviotabr 
#1 ·
Whatever we personaly thinking about Ana's 2012 first quarter results - fact is that she finished just for the 2nd or 3rd time ever this part of the season into TOP10 in YEC race, thanks to more than solid AO-R16, IW-SF, MIA-R16, Dubai-QF results. 5 out of 7 loses which she have this season so far coming from opponents which is former WTA#1 and/or GS champions (Clijsters, Kvitova, Wozniacki, Sharapova, Venus), where she is forced once to retire due injury and twice won set against players vs worst career h2h (Clijsters and Venus). Also she collect couple notable straight sets wins (Wozniacki, Schiavone, Bartoli), and except in two cases at "tier-2" level events (Safarova and Cetkovska loses) Ana won all matches which she is supposed to win losing just one single set.

This start of the season is of course not even close to 2008 peak-Ana when she played AO final and won IW, but for sure is much better than in previous two seasons, and not worse than in 2006, 2007 or 2009. Which is more important, it coming after also very solid 2nd half of previous season. And we know how surface factor works for Ana: around TOP10 level on hardcourts means around TOP5 level on red clay - if she just keep the same level which she displayed in last about 8 months (and of course stays healthy and injury free)!

Like never before, Ana have full red clay schedule this season, but she and hers fitness ATM arguable have not ability to play permanently on high level on day-to-day events. IW and Miami is by type of schedule more close to slams than to others tournaments, but when Ana must to play vs Sharapova next day after beating Bartoli, or vs V.Williams already next day after she beat Hantuchova - she already retire vs Maria early in 2nd set, and after 7-6 2-2 start vs Venus in rest of this match won only 2 games out of last 12. So couple of disappointed loses or w/o before RG will not be end of the world and for me red clay TOP5 level performance which I really hope for Ana's this season at slowest surface means:

- to be important/crucial part of Serbian FED CUP historic SF win in Moscow. (equally acceptable scenario: to won both singles matches despite teams lose)
- to reach SF (at least) in Rome OR in Madrid. (equally acceptable scenario: to reach QF at both, or to reach Stuttgart final)
- to reach SF (at least) at French Open. (equally acceptable scenario: to lose before SF aggainst eventual RG2012 champion)

 
See less See more
1
  • Like
Reactions: HowardH
#4 ·
Open the thread, lol. ;)

I see you don't know Cp6uja is our local jinxer. When he opens the thread, you can count on Ana's sucking in the ensuing tournament.
Though, to be fair, she's been sucking in most other tournaments as well, but we like to pin it on Cp6uja. :p :lol:
 
#5 ·
I see people like to pick on him, but I'm not exactly sure why. Ok, he sometimes makes not so relevant statistics, but most of the time I like reading how Ana did something extraordinary. He's always positive, which makes him a pleasant exception on this (sub)forum.
And the only scientifically proven jinxer was Izzy. j/k :)
 
#11 ·
I agree. I like his posts, too. And I don't think his stats are anything out of the ordinary, at least not more extraordinary than various negatively biased Ana stats; many fans post similar threads on GM and I don't see similar reaction. But anything Ana related is overblown out of proportion, because she's got a lot of bad press on TF, so he is singled out too. I see a lot of stats threads that make as much sense or less than his.

Though, I think he also didn't help his case with that infamous VIP thread which instantly catapulted him to TF stardom :music:

But he IS notorious for jinxing, so even if one doesn't believe in the power of jinxing, it's better that we stay on the safe side and somehow stop Cp6uja from opening any threads about forthcoming season/tournaments just in case ;):angel:
 
#7 ·
Oh, the clay season is near, I can't believe. Spring is coming to Europe and clays starts to be popular. Ana is reaching this part of the season with a lot more self-confidence and with a big motivation. This is a big task for her, she must take it seriously. We can first start with that historic Fed Cup semifinal for our country. I hope she shows that she really cares about our national squad and tennis. Go!
 
#8 ·
does Ana has to defend anything on clay? I remember she had a poor clay season last year but this year we can see a different Ana... I am so much looking forward to the clay part of the season it would be nice to get players back on clay and see how they deal with this surface... one is starting to be a bit tired of that hard court tournament :D Spring welcome back to Europe!
 
#10 ·
Ana's 2012 clay seasson schedule:

Fed Cup (-)
Stuttgart (no pts to defend)
Madrid (5 pts to defend)
Rome (70 pts to defend)
RG (5 pts to defend)

Only 80 points to defend and much more to take!
Good luck Ana! :)
 
#14 · (Edited)
If Ana plays anywhere near her best during the clay season she should be back in the top 10 by the time Paris is over. Her horrendous results on clay these past few years are inexcusable considering how well her game adapts to the surface. Now that she's built some momentum in Indian Wells & Miami and has avoided significant injury things should really start to come together for her.

Onwards and upwards Ana! :cheer:
 
#23 ·
2007: amelia island sf, charleston r16, berlin w, RG F
2008: berlin sf, rome r32, rg w
2009: rome r16, rg r16
2010: stuttgart r32, rome sf, madrid r32, rg r64
2011: madrid r64, rome r32, rg r128

2007 and 2008 were great years for Ana, after that it was average and last year she reached a new low.
She should earn a lot of points this year if she plays well.
Ajde!
 
#25 ·
Big influence on Ana's 2011 red clay disaster have FED CUP injury vs Slovakia which ruined hers preparations and confidence. Hers only 2012 Red Clay good moment is FC victory vs Hantuchova, but when she been injured next day vs Cibulkova she simple mentaly colapse and not recovered in next about 100 days till August (new coach Nigel Sears was very helpful for comeback).

I already give some picks about my expectations, so I will repeat my predictions about Ana's red clay 2012 performances if she stay healthy next 2 months:

Moscow FED CUP: Both wins in singles, despite first matches on new surface after 9 months of playing hardcourts is always tricky.
Stuttgart: w/o or early round tank job - not real tank, but there is too many decent players around able to beat "Ana-60%".
Madrid: At least SF or lose vs eventual finalist in some of earlier rounds.
Rome: w/o or early round tank job - not real tank, but there is too many decent players around able to beat "Ana-60%".
Paeis: At least SF or lose vs eventual finalist in some of earlier rounds.

My point is simple: Ana level of game around TOP10 on hardcourts is equal TOP5 level on red clay, surface which much more suits to her game. Also, unfortunately, we have many proofs of Ana inability to play constantly on high level in tournaments with day-by-day schedule, especially when she playing without week pause - and obviously she also knows that and simple not trying enough except in cases when 1st or 2nd round opponent is some player which can very motivate her (in 3rd match in the row she is useless anyway). So my expectations about Rome or Porsche Open is really very low, and instead TOP5 level I'm not sure will she shows even TOP50 level there. But on other hand I have big expectations from Ana in FED CUP and Madrid, despite stats and numbers are against me. Madrid is by far worst big WTA event if we look Ana careers results: she still don't have any single win so far there (2009-w/o, 2010 and 2011 lose opening match), and Ana not won any set in Belgrade vs Russians in 2010 and also on home court Russians is almost unbeaten in FED CUP (theirs lose in FC final last season vs CZE ended 11 FC ties winning strike for Russia on home court, and also RUS never in history lose tie in Russia on clay surface).
 
#27 ·
Ana today announced the remainder of her 2012 schedule: :bounce:


* Fed Cup Semi-finals: Russia-Serbia, Moscow, Russia, April 21-22
* Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany, April 23-29
* Mutua Madrid Open, Spain, May 5-13
* Internazionali BNL d'Italia, Rome, Italy, May 14-20
* Roland Garros, Paris, France, May 26-June 9
* AEGON International, Eastbourne, United Kingdom, June 18-23
* The Championships, Wimbledon, United Kingdom, June 25-July 7
* Olympic Tennis Event, London, United Kingdom, July 28-August 5
* Rogers Cup, Montreal, Canada, August 7-13
* Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, USA, August 13-19
* US Open, New York, USA, August 27-September 9
* Toray Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo, Japan, August 23-29
* China Open, Beijing, China, September 29-October 7


Provided Ana is free of injury, the above list can be considered as her minimum schedule of events: she may decide to enter a European event after the China Open, while she may qualify for the Fed Cup final, the WTA Championships (Istanbul) or the Tournament of Champions (Sofia).


Source: Official website of Ana Ivanovic
 
#29 ·
This is a typical and good schedule for her, I don't think she has to change a thing. She should only enter a late European indoor swing tourney if she fails to qualify for the Final Championships. Overall, this is a right schedule.
This!
But I hope she will qualify somehow!
 
#31 ·
1)Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v BYE
(wc)Kristina Barrois (GER) v Andrea Petkovic (GER)
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) v (wc)Mona Barthel (GER)
Q v (7)Marion Bartoli (FRA)

(4)Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) v BYE
Q v Q
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) v Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
Lucie Safarova (CZE) v (8)Na Li (CHN)

(6)Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) v Jelena Jankovic (SRB)
Angelique Kerber (GER) v Roberta Vinci (ITA)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) v Monica Niculescu (ROU)
(3)Petra Kvitova (CZE) v BYE

(5)Samantha Stosur (AUS) v Shuai Peng (CHN)
Julia Goerges (GER) v Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
Q v Flavia Pennetta (ITA)
(2)Maria Sharapova (RUS) v BYE


:facepalm: Barthel...
 
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