[DownInAHole]

Originally Posted by Protoss

Yah, the younger players' showing is dissapointing. Serena's atp counterpart, Fed, has faced a lot more of a challenge from younger players over the past few years.

Serena's serve isn't quite as dominant outside of grass.

Serena looked pretty unbeatable this year on clay until the French Open so maybe there is some hope that she won't win the U.S. Open.

[Achernar]

Congratulations to those who watched the whole match Personally, I left at 3-0, first set, when it was clear that it would be a beat down. I don't like Azarenka enough to watch her receiving a beating

I must say that regardless of the actual difference in talent between the two players, Azarenka seems clearly to have a mental block against the American. She should be able to offer a better resistance than that.

[Protoss]

I found it pretty ridiculous that Serena was once again claiming that she had nothing to lose and that she wasn't the favorite.

Will she do that against Sharapova as well?

[Jimmie48]

I think the young players should stop worshipping Serena that much, it makes them unable to play her properly.

Just look at Caro, she has an almost unhealthy amount of respect for her, you sometimes feel she's happy just to be on the same court as her. That isn't helpful, it's no coincidence that most of these girls fail to reach anywhere close to their full potential when playing her.

[Protoss]

Hopefully the Wta Olympics singles final will at least have a somewhat competitive scorelines. All these huge beatdowns particularly of high ranked players probably isn't good for the game.

[TennisFan66]

Originally Posted by DownInAHole

Well, from the looks of it TennisFan66 can look forward to seeing Maria slaughtered in the final.

Ha! .. Didn't watch the match, but appears Azarenka wasn't even close.

[marineblue]

I watched and,yes,it was a beatdown. Come to think of it, Caro doesn't have to feel so bad about her loss now, she won exactly the same number of games as wta's no.1,take from that what you will.

[Protoss]

Originally Posted by DownInAHole

Serena looked pretty unbeatable this year on clay until the French Open so maybe there is some hope that she won't win the U.S. Open.

I kind of chalk that up to nerves and Serena wanting it too much.

Anyway, I don't think scores quite so lopsided as she's won by the Olympics are that sustainable. Looking at the scorelines for some of Serena's slam victories she typically faces somewhat tougher opposition.

[Protoss]

Vika has only one 40-40 game (I think) on Serena's serve (when Serena served for the match at 5-2 2nd set and was up 40-0 on her serve) and had no break points.

If you look at the Atp, great servers frequently face a lot more pressure than that.

[Chrissie-fan]

Originally Posted by Jimmie48

I think the young players should stop worshipping Serena that much, it makes them unable to play her properly.

Just look at Caro, she has an almost unhealthy amount of respect for her, you sometimes feel she's happy just to be on the same court as her. That isn't helpful, it's no coincidence that most of these girls fail to reach anywhere close to their full potential when playing her.

Well, say about Sharapova what you will, but I expect her to put up a fight tomorrow.

[DownInAHole]

Originally Posted by Chrissie-fan

Well, say about Sharapova what you will, but I expect her to put up a fight tomorrow.

Maria did eventually get some wins over Azarenka so I guess it is possible that she can beat Serena too. On paper you would think that Maria would be less vulnerable to Serena's serve than the rest of the tour but in practise that hasn't been the case.

[marineblue]

Originally Posted by Chrissie-fan

Well, say about Sharapova what you will, but I expect her to put up a fight tomorrow.

I hope so. I'd like to see some drama in the Olympic final not another one-sided match.

[sweetadri06]

Originally Posted by Jimmie48

I think the young players should stop worshipping Serena that much, it makes them unable to play her properly.

Just look at Caro, she has an almost unhealthy amount of respect for her, you sometimes feel she's happy just to be on the same court as her. That isn't helpful, it's no coincidence that most of these girls fail to reach anywhere close to their full potential when playing her.

Sometimes you have to respect the player and say well done. I mean do you really expect Caroline to be giving a challenge to Serena on grass considering her year? I know she beat her in Miami but she hasn't done a thing since then. If it's any consolation Caroline give more trouble to Serena than Maria or Vika does. They don't move as well as caroline does, which is the first step in getting Serena off her game. All of us fans know that.

[Chrissie-fan]

Originally Posted by sweetadri06

Sometimes you have to respect the player and say well done. I mean do you really expect Caroline to be giving a challenge to Serena on grass considering her year? I know she beat her in Miami but she hasn't done a thing since then. If it's any consolation Caroline give more trouble to Serena than Maria or Vika does. They don't move as well as caroline does, which is the first step in getting Serena off her game. All of us fans know that.

Well, I guess the truth is that especially on grass Serena is in a different league from everyone else and some step onto the court afraid that the're going to be humiliated. Serena's serve is such a formidable weapon that as a result it also puts more pressure on their own service games because they know that one service game lost means bye bye to the set. Caro - at her best she can give Serena a good match, but not on a grasscourt. Vika was disappointing though, I must say. I didn't expect her to win it, but I thought she would at least have made a match out of it. I expect Maria to do better. I don't expect her to beat Serena, but she's playing very well and she has guts, which is something you definitely need against Serena.

[DownInAHole]

So we are all hoping for a Kirilenko win, right?