[Bijoux0021]

Originally Posted by Sir Stefwhit

I couldn't dare break routine so I had to stay out of "Serena Slam" till the conclusion of the final. I just went back and read the live comments from the final in this thread- hilarious! Some serious doubters...lol (as was I). But big ups to Black Mamba- never waivered once and kept the faith!

I believe the doubts were not so much about Serena's ability to come back in big matches, but more about the horrible experiences she had gone trough over the years at the US Open. If last night's final was at the Australian Open or Wimbledon, there wouldn't be that many doubters, imo.

Call me cynical, but I was not happy seeing Capriati do the coin toss at a Serena's match at the US Open. And on top of that, a foot fault was called on Serena. Those two things brought so many bad memories for me, so I can only imagine what Serena must have been thinking.

Given how advanced technology has become, I don't understand why they still don't have cameras on the serving lines in order to show and challenge foot fault calls. It's not right that lines-persons can call foot faults and players are not able to contest them.

[Barktra]

It's official

http://www.wtatennis.com/news/201209...256076_2914805

[PatrickRyan]

I'm so happy Serena has 6 titles this year!!! and more still to come....

[Pump-it-UP]

Originally Posted by Pump-it-UP

Oh it's on Youtube now.

Already removed. Someone link me if the full match and/or 3rd set and/or good highlights get reuploaded.

[JamieOwen3]

Russian though.

[Pump-it-UP]

Originally Posted by JamieOwen3

Russian though.

Yay!

Isha at 2:26:06

[Galsen]

I love Vika and I dont want to be rude but I knew that if the final went in the third, people would start the hype. The only reason she existed is because Serena stopped moving after the 1st set. At 5-3 in the 3rd Serena started to play at an average level and it was N.I.D. Vika is a great player but their last meetings in HC were pretty clear to me : 6-3 6-3 and 6-1 7-6 with Serena up 5-3. Anyway I can't wait for their next match with Serena not tired with her serve in Australia hopefully.

[Olórin]

Originally Posted by Galsen

I love Vika and I dont want to be rude but I knew that if the final went in the third, people would start the hype. The only reason she existed is because Serena stopped moving after the 1st set. At 5-3 in the 3rd Serena started to play at an average level and it was N.I.D. Vika is a great player but their last meetings in HC were pretty clear to me : 6-3 6-3 and 6-1 7-6 with Serena up 5-3. Anyway I can't wait for their next match with Serena not tired with her serve in Australia hopefully.

Have you rewatched the match, because that's how I felt at first but I recorded it onto DVD and rewatching the match you can see that Vika raised her level in the second (after Serena allowed her to by getting broken and giving her confidence); Vika held onto the break in the 2nd with some fantastic shots and getting in a few clutch first serves. Serena wasn't playing awfully on return it was her first serve that was missing. Also, Serena was trying to break back desperately to 4-4 and hit some amazing shots in the third but Vika denied her with some timely winners, took it to 5-3 - she definitely played her part in making it a thrilling match.

I do think this match could change the rivalry so that the days of Vika getting bagelled and breadsticked are over. Vika should be hungrier than ever and have a bit more confidence now. Serena should still win straights but we can't guarantee it. I would like to see Serena be completely dominant in Australia, she's always coming back from the brink of defeat there. It's time for a really dominant HC run, improving on the USO.

[Galsen]

Originally Posted by Olórin

Have you rewatched the match, because that's how I felt at first but I recorded it onto DVD and rewatching the match you can see that Vika raised her level in the second (after Serena allowed her to by getting broken and giving her confidence); Vika held onto the break in the 2nd with some fantastic shots and getting in a few clutch first serves. Serena wasn't playing awfully on return it was her first serve that was missing. Also, Serena was trying to break back desperately to 4-4 and hit some amazing shots in the third but Vika denied her with some timely winners, took it to 5-3 - she definitely played her part in making it a thrilling match.

I do think this match could change the rivalry so that the days of Vika getting bagelled and breadsticked are over. Vika should be hungrier than ever and have a bit more confidence now. Serena should still win straights but we can't guarantee it. I would like to see Serena be completely dominant in Australia, she's always coming back from the brink of defeat there. It's time for a really dominant HC run, improving on the USO.

I didn't watch it live. I rewatch it after and I stil think Serena's serve was not good and she was not moving well. Her returns weren't great. And 45 UEs... I mean..
Of course Vika raised her level just like USO last year but Serena didn't drop too badly last year and won the TB. This year, she loses 6-2 and is down 3-5 against her. Patrick also said she was very tired.
I disagree about Serena's returns and the rivality though.
Usually, she deals with Vika's serve pretty well but the 2nd set..
And about the rivality, The AO match should have changed the rivality and after that, Serena won something like 13 sets in a row against her so I think Serena won't let that mistake happen again.
Vika did play amazing though.

[Olórin]

Originally Posted by Galsen

I didn't watch it live. I rewatch it after and I stil think Serena's serve was not good and she was not moving well. Her returns weren't great. And 45 UEs... I mean..
Of course Vika raised her level just like USO last year but Serena didn't drop too badly last year and won the TB. This year, she loses 6-2 and is down 3-5 against her. Patrick also said she was very tired.
I disagree about Serena's returns and the rivality though.
Usually, she deals with Vika's serve pretty well but the 2nd set..
And about the rivality, The AO match should have changed the rivality and after that, Serena won something like 13 sets in a row against her so I think Serena won't let that mistake happen again.

In all honesty though Serena has had lots of patches of dubious footwork this Open, it was just that Vika exposed it by getting a racquet on most of Serena's second serves - and that surely played a part in Serena's errors. Yeah she was obviously tired and it took a top 5 player to show it. And we will see about the rivalry, just speculating. Most things depend on Serena. There is no doubt this match was so close because Serena's serve wasn't "ON".

[Galsen]

Originally Posted by Olórin

In all honesty though Serena has had lots of patches of dubious footwork this Open, it was just that Vika exposed it by getting a racquet on most of Serena's second serves - and that surely played a part in Serena's errors. Yeah she was obviously tired and it took a top 5 player to show it. And we will see about the rivalry, just speculating. Most things depend on Serena. There is no doubt this match was so close because Serena's serve wasn't "ON".

I guess you're right because I just watched the final.

[SerenaMJ]

In my opinion Serena was just awful in the 2nd set, come on, Vika had only 3 winners! 3!!! and she still won 6-2! That speaks for itself. Serena was not able to hit the ball without throwing it out or at the net. I still think she got tight and just the terrible history she had with the US Open made it even harder, she lost concentration and stopped moving her feet. Thank God she played a little better in the 3rd!

[Olórin]

Originally Posted by SerenaMJ

In my opinion Serena was just awful in the 2nd set, come on, Vika had only 3 winners! 3!!! and she still won 6-2! That speaks for itself. Serena was not able to hit the ball without throwing it out or at the net. I still think she got tight and just the terrible history she had with the US Open made it even harder, she lost concentration and stopped moving her feet. Thank God she played a little better in the 3rd!

I agree Serena was bad in that 2nd set, I mean getting broken to love and making clumbsy errors are unacceptable standards for anyone in major final, especially Serena Williams. But Vika is a counterpuncher and just looking at her winners is never going to give you a good analysis of how it went. As a counterpuncher part of her job is to make Serena hit the extra shot as much as finish of the shot on her own racquet. She did that well in the second set.

[Bijoux0021]

Anyone heard Martina Navratilova and Rennae Stubbs commentary regarding the crowd's support or lack thereof for Serena while watching the women's final replay on The Tennis Channel? I meant to say something on here about it, but I forgot until I saw HippityHop's post in GM.
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Originally Posted by HippityHop

Speaking of supportive. I just watched the women's final on the Tennis Channel. I like to watch matches with different commentators. And what was most striking about Martina Nav and Rennae Stubbs commentary is that fact that they told the truth about how little support Serena was getting from the US Open crowd.

Stubbs said that you'd never see that at any other major. But for some reason (I wonder what it could be) Venus and Serena never have had real crowd support at the open. And no 2001 doesn't count.

Stubbs also said that when Serena was down in the last set the crowd should have been at least 80/20 for Serena. They certainly would not have treated Aggasi or Roddick like that.

Of course when she won everybody pretended that they were in her corner.

When she retires, that's it for American tennis for a long time.

Originally Posted by Bijoux0021

Stubbs was spot on. It was refreshing hearing her said it on The Tennis Channel instead of Serena's fans on here who are always under attack for speaking the truth about the US Open crowds supporting foreign players over Americans, Venus and Serena Williams.

[Alarmed]

The crowd was awful. They were 100% rooting against Serena the whole match. Fucking disgusting.

Can't wait for Australia. They love the Lord there.