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(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)

 
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#33 ·
I'd love to see match against Azarenka...I hope she'll beat Barthel. Tough draw.
 
#35 ·
I'dont think that Ana will be too much interested for this tournament, especially after emotional emptiness during this week (whatever happens tomorrow), and compared to all others red clay events in such short period - FED CUP SF, Madrid PM, Rome P5 and Paris GS - this have MM status, so I'm not sure will she give her best even at opening match. I wish Ana to draws here some much more attractive opponent in 1st round (Azarenka, Sharapova, Radwanska, Kvitova...), but with Barthel I think this is maybe worst possible scenario (motivation zero and good in-form opponent). But I really don't care about Stuttgart anyway (compared to others clay event).

Its so sad that Ana not won todays close match vs Sveta (FED CUP final is great achievement and experience for every player), and if we lose tomorrow (Russia is now bold favorite) its big question will Serbia ever been in future so close like today.
 
#36 ·
I'm not giving up on Fed Cup/Stuttgart just yet. Kuzzie played so well to win, and Ana showed some fight. I'm still hoping she can win todays singles match and then beat Barthel to shut those idiots in GM up.
 
#39 ·
I hope she'll do well tomorrow, I won't be able to watch it, because I'm in school so Good Luck!!
 
#42 ·
CLAY 2012 said:
FC Moscow: to reach final
MM Stuttgart: warm-up event
PM Madrid: to reach at least SF
P5 Rome: warm-up event
GS Paris: to reach at least SF
So far everything was as planned, but upcoming PM Madrid will be the biggest test, no doubt.
 
#48 · (Edited)
CLAY 2012
FC Moscow: to reach final
MM Stuttgart: warm-up event
PM Madrid: to reach at least SF
P5 Rome: warm-up event
GS Paris: to reach at least SF
So far everything was as planned, but upcoming PM Madrid will be the biggest test, no doubt.
So, warm-up is the new code word for 1R exit? :secret:
Okey-dokey. :hi5:

Posted by spiritedenergy
sad to say but my prediction of Ana's clay season is coming true... let's see what she can do, but i don't hold big hopes...
You predicted she would spend it warming up? ;):sobbing:

No, seriously, I honestly don't know which is worse: the thought that she was actually trying to win the match but lost or the thought that this was somehow a planned outcome. :help:
As if Ana can deliver good performance at will. She can't even control the ball toss let alone the entire tournament performance.

If somehow this match is the result of "not caring" then seriously I don't know what to say :help::help::help:
Instead of taking any chance she can get and thus creating a safety net and reducing pressure on herself to do well, she doubles the pressure by setting up the situation to only play top players in the later stages of bigger tournaments. No wonder she breaks down each time.
 
#45 ·
Vidim da si skroz novi clan ovog foruma (od ovoga meseca), pa uz dobrodoslicu zelim i da ti pomognem da se sto pre priviknes i adaptiras na ovdasnje obicaje. Kao sto i sam znas, ovo je forum o tenisu, i to zenskom, a ne o sumo rvanju, pa ako zelis da komuniciras na nacin koji je prikladniji sumo rvanju - uclani se na neki forum koji pokriva sumo rvanje - ili salji svoje poruke i svoja (pre)glasna razmisljanja ovde na tennnisforum-u, ali na podforumu koji se zove "General Messages" koji je upravo i poznat po neukusu i nedostatku ikakve mere. Igracki podforumi su sasvim druga prica, i tu se od svakoga ocekuje makar minimalno uvazavanje razlike u navijanju prikladnijem tenisu u odnosu na pojedine timske sportove ili vec pomenuto sumo rvanje.
 
#50 ·
Ana is a different player now. Since '08 she lost 6-8kg, her FH is 15km slower than 4 years ago,the average service speed is...i don't know, maybe 166-188km/h? She didn't prepare well (at all) for clay season...She was training a bit in Belgrade, had a cold, problems with insomnia, Nigel wasn't with her. They were talking on the phone about tactics against Kuzzy and Pavs... that's not enough.

Some things haven't changed...She can't "read" the serve, she just can't see where is her opponent standing, can't take opporunities, to convert BP, lobs and drop-shots are isolated incidents. Ball toss all over the place, her shots are harmless, FH isn't as fast and "heavy" as it used to be. Sad, but former RG champ doesn't know how to play on clay anymore. I guess such a slow surface as clay gives you more time to think - what to do, how to play, what shot to choose.... Ana will begin her preps for clay court season now, when season already started. There is still a time to do something significant, but to expect things to change all of a sudden, after practicing 3 weeks in Mallorca...i don't know.
 
#52 ·
Ana is a different player now. Since '08 she lost 6-8kg, her FH is 15km slower than 4 years ago,the average service speed is...i don't know, maybe 166-188km/h? She didn't prepare well (at all) for clay season...She was training a bit in Belgrade, had a cold, problems with insomnia, Nigel wasn't with her. They were talking on the phone about tactics against Kuzzy and Pavs... that's not enough.

Some things haven't changed...She can't "read" the serve, she just can't see where is her opponent standing, can't take opporunities, to convert BP, lobs and drop-shots are isolated incidents. Ball toss all over the place, her shots are harmless, FH isn't as fast and "heavy" as it used to be. Sad, but former RG champ doesn't know how to play on clay anymore. I guess such a slow surface as clay gives you more time to think - what to do, how to play, what shot to choose.... Ana will begin her preps for clay court season now, when season already started. There is still a time to do something significant, but to expect things to change all of a sudden, after practicing 3 weeks in Mallorca...i don't know.
Yes, but why? We all notice this, and people usually attribute it to the weightloss. And yet...Mona seems to have such a tiny frame, and her average serve speed was apparently in the 180's. One of Ana's second serve yesterday was around 130 km/h. What gives?
Can someone explain that? Howard?

Without power, there's no power game. I actually had an impression yesterday that JJ was hitting harder. Is it just me or...? I mean, if you have no power you better have other things to compensate for it.
 
#59 ·
The Madrid draw comes out Friday so I'm sure this forum will be busier then.
Maria had an amazing week. Of course her sub-forum is going to be popping right now, :lol:
If Ana has half as good a week in Madrid, this forum will be busy too. I'm just hoping for a good draw right now!
 
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