[Stonerpova]

Originally Posted by blistering

Am I missing something? Is the Australian Open played indoors? I'm looking at the posters who mentioned Maria's win over Henin in 2008 :dunno: Anywho, for Sharapova

Outdoor hard
2008 AO QF: flawless performance, probably the best match of her career. Perfect serving and brutal groundstrokes, especially the backhand; there was no answer to what she was producing point after point. Not only was this the de facto final, it avenged her previous year embarrassment in the final and put an end to Henin's domination.


Indoor Hard
2007 YEC F: even though she lost it against Henin at the peak of her powers, it displayed how destructive her game could still be on a fast surface. Her serve was finally back and it sent a message going into 2008, especially given how easily Henin had dismissed everyone else that week.

Clay
2012 Stuttgart F: she overcame her demons regarding finals and her current nemesis Azarenka in the perfect display of power tennis on a slow surface. It showed how devastating her game had become on clay, from the kick serves, to the defensive slides on her backhand side, to how brutal her forehand comes if she just has that extra time to load up on it, and, in all honesty, I knew she was gonna go all the way at the French, Serena or not.
(Honorable mention to the RG SF against Kvitova. The way she routined Petra with an immaculate gameplan mixing offense and defense in THOSE conditions was a joy to watch)

Grass
2004 Wimbledon F: it was her 'star is born' moment. She shut down the 2 time defending champion at 17 years of age, leaving her with no answer whatsoever. Watching those 100% flat strokes skid on grass and flying past Williams gives me tennisgasms.

The roof is sometimes closed on Rod Laver, and it was for the 2008 AO QF and SF that year.

[Craig.]

Originally Posted by Griffin.

The roof is sometimes closed on Rod Laver, and it was for the 2008 AO QF and SF that year.

No wonder Maria played like ass in the final

[FakeMashabator]

Originally Posted by Joe.

Indoor hard- AO '08 Quarter Final vs Henin

Originally Posted by Griffin.

Indoor hard:
1. 2008 Australian Open QF, def. Henin 64 60 aka the best match she's ever played

Originally Posted by Break My Rapture

Indoor hard
1. AO '08 QF vs Henin (her best match)

Originally Posted by Lachy

I think the roof was closed on RLA

Originally Posted by Griffin.

The roof is sometimes closed on Rod Laver, and it was for the 2008 AO QF and SF that year.

what kind of "hardcore" Matha stans you guys are? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tze2w-NFKq4&t=9m55s

I didn't know Rod Laver Arena's roof itself had the ability to produce sunlight while being closed

[dsanders06]

Originally Posted by sickfalsetto

what kind of "hardcore" Matha stans you guys are? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tze2w-NFKq4&t=9m55s

I didn't know Rod Laver Arena's roof itself had the ability to produce sunlight while being closed

Thankyou! I was close to pulling my hair out

The QF was a night match, which might explain why people are confused (on TV, the lighting in night matches does look similar as to when the roof is closed). But the roof was open. It was closed for the SF though.

[dsanders06]

Maria. Only including wins over elite players (I stuttered on whether to include Wozniacki as an elite player, eventually decided to make her the minimum standard for an elite player).

OUTDOOR HARD

01 Australian Open QF 2008: def. Henin 6-4 6-0
02 Australian Open 4R 2008: def. Dementieva 6-2 6-0
03 US Open F 2006: def. Henin 6-4 6-4
04 San Diego F 2006: def. Clijsters 7-5 7-5
05 Beijing QF 2012: def. Kerber 6-0 3-0 ret.


GRASS

01 Wimbledon F 2004: def. Serena 6-1 6-4
02 Wimbledon SF 2004: def. Davenport 2-6 7-6 6-1
03 Wimbledon SF 2005: l. to Venus 7-6 6-1
04 Wimbledon QF 2006: def. Dementieva 6-1 6-4
05 Olympics QF 2012: def. Clijsters 6-2 7-5 (this wasn't anything *that* special, but Maria's had very few great grasscourt matches since '06)


CLAY

01 Stuttgart F 2012: def. Azarenka 6-1 6-4
02 Roland Garros SF 2012: def. Kvitova 6-3 6-3
03 Roland Garros F 2012: def. Errani 6-2 6-3
04 Rome SF 2012: def. Kerber 6-3 6-4 (this one is VERY underrated imo....she was sloppy for most of Rome this year, but in this match she played great)
05 Rome SF 2011: def. Wozniacki 7-5 6-3


INDOOR HARDCOURTS

01 YEC 2007 F: l. to Henin 5-7 7-5 6-3
02 YEC 2004 F: def. Serena 4-6 6-2 6-4
03 YEC 2012 SF: def. Azarenka 6-4 6-2
04 YEC 2007 RR: def. Ivanovic 6-1 6-2
05 YEC 2006 RR: def. Clijsters 6-4 6-4

[Ferg]

No particular order for Marion

Grass
Henin, Wimbledon 07 SF
Serena, Wimbledon 11 R4
Kvitova, Eastbourne 11 F

Hard
Wozniacki, Cinci 2010(I think...)
Jankovic, Melbourne 09 QF
Kvitova, NY 12 R4

Clay
Kuznetsova, 11 Roland Garros
Goerges, 11 Roland Garros
Dementieva, 09/08 Stuttgart (she lost it but I remember it being a great match)

[Stonerpova]

Originally Posted by dsanders06

Thankyou! I was close to pulling my hair out

The QF was a night match, which might explain why people are confused (on TV, the lighting in night matches does look similar as to when the roof is closed). But the roof was open. It was closed for the SF though.

Coulda sworn it was closed for the QF too

My bad.

[Maddy-88]

Venus

Outdoor Hard
2003 Australian Open SF def. Henin
2010 Dubai Final def. Azarenka

Indoor Hard
1999 Zurich Open Final def. Hingis
2008 Zurich SF def. Ivanovic

Clay
1999 Hamburg Final def. Pierce
2004 Warsaw Final def. Kuznetsova
2004 Roland Garros 3rd Rd def. Pierce
2009 Rome QF def. Radwanska
2010 Madrid QF def. Stosur

Grass
2000 Wimbledon QF def. Hingis
2003 Wimbledon QF def. Davenport
2005 Wimbledon QF def. Pierce
2005 Wimbledon SF def. Sharapova
2007 Wimbledon 4th Rd def. Sharapova
2008 Wimbledon Final def. Serena
2009 Wimbledon SF def. Safina

[frenchie]

Myskina

Grass
Lost to Henin, Eastbourne 2006 Final
Def Jankovic, Wimbledon 2005 3rd round 60 57 97 (played perfect tennis until 60 53)
Def Hantuchova, Eastbourne 2002 SF 63 61
Def Kuznetsova, Eastbourne 2006 SF
Def Jankovic, Wimbledon 2006 4th round

Clay
Def Venus, RG 2004 QF 63 64 (such a clever match that day)
Def Ivanovic, RG 2006 3rd round 62 63 (amazing game plan, great match)
Def Capriati, RG 2004 SF 62 62
Def Venus, Fed Cup 2005
Def Dementieva, RG 2004 Final 62 61

Indoors
Def Henin, Leipzig 2003 Final 36 63 63 (the last 2 sets were the best I've seen Nastya play, she was outhitting that bitch)
Def Davenport, YEC RR 76 64
Def Dementieva, Moscow 2004 Final 75 60 (from 35 down)
Def Davenport, Moscow 2004 SF
Def Mauresmo, Moscow 2003 Final (her only win against Momo)

Hard
Def Capriati, Doha 2004 SF 62 62
Def Sharapova, San Diego 2004 QF 75 62
Def Rubin, AO 4th round 2004 67 62 62 (one of those great but forgotten match)
Def Hingis, New Haven 2002 QF 67 64 60 (from 76 40 down)
Def Zvonareva, San Diego 2004 SF 62 67 76 saving 9 MPs

[blistering]

Originally Posted by sickfalsetto

what kind of "hardcore" Matha stans you guys are? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tze2w-NFKq4&t=9m55s

I didn't know Rod Laver Arena's roof itself had the ability to produce sunlight while being closed

Right? I've watched that match a gazillion times there was actually a mild breeze that evening.

Anyways, Maria's top choices on each surface seem very obvious, I think we can all agree. Her YEC semi this year against Azarenka would be the obvious choice out of her matches won indoors. That or the 2005 Tokyo final against Davenport.

[dsanders06]

Clijsters:

OUTDOOR HARD COURTS

01 US Open SF 2009: def. Serena Williams 6-4 7-5
02 US Open QF 2005: def. Venus Williams 4-6 7-5 6-1
03 US Open SF 2005: def. Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-7 6-3
04 US Open F 2010: def. Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 (very underrated)
05 US Open SF 2010: def. Venus Williams 4-6 7-6 6-4


CLAY

Trying to find 5 great claycourt matches that Kim played just illustrates the point I always make that it was her worst surface The only one that I think even approaches great (for a player of Kim's calibre) is her loss to Henin in the German Open final in '03 imo.


GRASS

01 Wimbledon 4R 2005: l. to Davenport 6-3 6-7 6-3
02 Wimbledon SF 2006: l. to Henin 6-4 7-6
03 Eastbourne SF 2005: def. Kuznetsova 6-4 3-6 6-4 (I have a hazy memory of this being a really good match)

[blistering]

Originally Posted by dsanders06

Clijsters:

OUTDOOR HARD COURTS

01 US Open SF 2009: def. Serena Williams 6-4 7-5
02 US Open QF 2005: def. Venus Williams 4-6 7-5 6-1
03 US Open SF 2005: def. Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-7 6-3
04 US Open F 2010: def. Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 (very underrated)
05 US Open SF 2010: def. Venus Williams 4-6 7-6 6-4


CLAY

Trying to find 5 great claycourt matches that Kim played just illustrates the point I always make that it was her worst surface The only one that I think even approaches great (for a player of Kim's calibre) is her loss to Henin in the German Open final in '03 imo.


GRASS

01 Wimbledon 4R 2005: l. to Davenport 6-3 6-7 6-3
02 Wimbledon SF 2006: l. to Henin 6-4 7-6
03 Eastbourne SF 2005: def. Kuznetsova 6-4 3-6 6-4 (I have a hazy memory of this being a really good match)

What about indoors? Clijsters was a beast on that surface in her prime years.

[Geisha]

So many matches where Serena just slaughtered her opponents...

6-1 6-1 vs. Sharapova '07 Miami
6-3 6-2 vs. Safina '08 NYC
6-2 6-0 vs. Henin '08 Miami
6-1 6-2 vs. Davenport '01 Indian Wells
6-2 6-2 vs. Venus '02 Miami

6-1 6-2 vs. Mauresmo '03 Paris
6-1 6-3 vs. Sharapova '12 Madrid
6-1 6-3 vs. Azarenka '12 Madrid
6-1 6-1 vs. Stosur '12 Charleston
6-1 6-1 vs. Pierce '02 Paris

6-3 6-2 vs. Henin '03 Wimbledon
6-3 6-2 vs. Mauresmo '02 Wimbledon
6-1 6-1 vs. Capriati '04 Wimbledon
6-0 6-1 vs. Sharapova '12 OG
6-1 6-2 vs. Azarenka '12 OG

6-0 6-3 vs. Safina '09 Melbourne
6-1 6-2 vs. Sharapova '07 Melbourne
6-4 6-3 vs. Sharapova '12 Istanbul

[MashaAzarenka]

Outdoor Hard
2008 Australian Open QF: Maria Sharapova def. Justine Henin 6-4, 6-0

Indoor Hard
2012 YEC RR: Maria Sharapova def. Agnieszka Radwanska 5-7, 7-5, 7-5

Clay
2012 Stuttgart QF: Maria Sharapova def. Sam Stosur 6-7(7), 7-6(5), 7-5

Grass
2004 Wimbledon F: Maria Sharapova def. Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4

[MashaAzarenka]

Outdoor Hard
2012 Australian Open SF: Victoria Azarenka def. Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3

Indoor Hard
2012 YEC RR: Victoria Azarenka def. Angelique Kerber 6-7(13), 7-6(2), 6-4

Clay
2009 French Open 4R: Victoria Azarenka def. Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-3

Grass
2012 Wimbledon 4R: Victoria Azarenka def. Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-0