[Protoss]

Despite Caro's overall return to a more defensive style of play, I hope she still plays on grass like she did with Johansson (allbeit without a first round loss at Wimbledon). She played arguably her best match on grass ever last year and her overall level of play on grass was pretty good.

[Protoss]

Originally Posted by C. W. Fields

As you can tell from Friday's schedule, there isn't room on the three major courts for all 16 singles matches, some of them (4) are relegated to outer courts. It makes me wonder where Caro will be playing Saturday? In the first two rounds she was guaranteed a spot on a major court because of her relatively high ranking coupled with interesting opponents: Lisicki was considered the toughest of the non-seeds and Vekic is a star of tomorrow. But from a spectator point of view, Tsurenko isn't a very interesting opponent.

So, what matches are probably guarenteed a center spot?
Azarenka - Hampton, because Vika is the defending champion and the top seed
Serena - Morita, because she's Serena
Robson - Stephens, an interesting teen clash and Robson is the closest thing to an Aussie woman left
Krumm - Jovanovski, because Kimiko is a sensation
Kuznetsova - Navarro, because Sveta is a double GS winner and comeback players are always popular
Federer - Tomic, because you know why!
Murray - Berankis, because Murray won the Olympics and USO
Del Potro - Chardy, because Del Potro is a former GS winner
Tsonga - Kavcic, because Tsonga is a popular player and a strong outsider
Simon - Monfils, because Monfils is this year's comeback man and a very entertaining player

These 10 matches are guaranteed a center spot in my opinion, as well as any doubles matches involving Aussies.
The remaining matches are: Cilic - Seppi, Gasquet - Dodig, Raonic - Kohlschreiber, Kirilenko - Wickmayer, Vinci - Vesnina and Wozniacki - Tsurenko. If Saturday is similar to Friday, four of these six matches will be on outer courts. Is Caro's match more interesting than four of these other matches from a spectator/organizer point of view?

I think Kuznetsova's, Date Krumm's, and Monfil's matches may end up on an outside court.

I think Caro will end up playing on Margaret Court Arena and not an outside court due to her popularity, her looks, her former #1 status, and her current top 10 ranking.

[bruce goose]

It might not be glamorous,but it was a nice flashback of sorts to read the WTA page commenting on Caro's low UE total again

[goldenlox]

Originally Posted by Protoss

Despite Caro's overall return to a more defensive style of play, I hope she still plays on grass like she did with Sanchez (allbeit without a first round loss at Wimbledon). She played arguably her best match on grass ever last year and her overall level of play on grass was pretty good.

You mean with TJ? I think she has great defensive skills, and she has to use them. But when she is in a crosscourt backhand rally, and gets a short ball with her opponent in that corner, the down the line backhand is her best shot to win a point. But she has to wait for the right moments, because you dont want to give the point away, trying to end the points too quickly.
Thats what Sabine & Vekic did against Caroline, they tried to end points too quickly. Caroline spent a year and a half doing that also.
Use her defensive skills, go for winners when they are there.
I still say she was fine after the loss to Cibulkova at Wimbledon. She should have been having her normal practices, but working more with her serve.
If she can get back to that level, she is going to be fine.
Since this is a major, round by round it will get tougher, so we will see where her game is at right now

[rucolo]

Caroline into AO R3 !

wow She won 2 matches at a Grand Slam. Watched the match until 6-1 4-1. Knew Vekic would be dangerous. She hits the ball so hard. Happy with the way Caro played. Solid performance. Amazing backhand Winners. Vekic is talented, future Top 20 player IMO. Another hardhitter next with Tsurenko. Hope Caro stays focused, fights hard and places the balls deep.

[Martn7]

Good win for Caro

She played well especially in the 1st set. It's good to see her hitting few UE, she also hit some nice winners. I hope she'll beat Tsurenko, they have never played each other before

[bruce goose]

Am not too worried over Caro's next match but,as we've seen in their recent encounter,the potential matchup with the 2-time Slam winner might be a whole different story

[marineblue]

Originally Posted by Protoss

Despite Caro's overall return to a more defensive style of play, I hope she still plays on grass like she did with Johansson (allbeit without a first round loss at Wimbledon). She played arguably her best match on grass ever last year and her overall level of play on grass was pretty good.

Arguably the best match? Considering the fact that she was playing so 'amazingly' well that she couldn't get through the first hurdle I think she'd better stay away from TJ's suggestions.

[marineblue]

Originally Posted by bruce goose

Am not too worried over Caro's next match but,as we've seen in their recent encounter,the potential matchup with the 2-time Slam winner might be a whole different story

Yes, Kuznetsova will be a first stern test for Caro. She's started to play well again lately so it could go both ways. Their matches were always thrillers so I'm really looking 4ward to this one.

[TennisFan66]

Fun facts for you : It took 'ineffective' and 'weaponless' Caroline Wozniacki 72 minutes to win her R2 match. Serena Williams took 75 minutes to win her last match (2 and 0). Aga spent 84 minutes on court to dispose of Watson.

[goldenlox]

Originally Posted by marineblue

Arguably the best match? Considering the fact that she was playing so 'amazingly' well that she couldn't get through the first hurdle I think she'd better stay away from TJ's suggestions.

I think Caroline's best tennis of 2012 was in Miami, where she beat an off her best form Serena and lost 46 in set 3 to Maria (Maria was in finals of AO, FO, IW, Miami, Beijing, YEC). Paszek loss was okay for a grass match against the current Eastbourne champion.
Caroline was capable of good tennis last year. It just came in short spurts, then she would have weak runs of tennis.
So we still dont know what 2013 will bring, but its good to have those spurts of quality tennis at hardcourt majors like the AO

[bruce goose]

Originally Posted by marineblue

Yes, Kuznetsova will be a first stern test for Caro. She's started to play well again lately so it could go both ways. Their matches were always thrillers so I'm really looking 4ward to this one.

It's sort of cyclical that Caro has another shot at a big 4th-round win against the same player whom she beat,in that same round,for her watershed victory back at USO 2009

[rucolo]

https://twitter.com/NickBollettieri/...73749649559552

Wish all young players moved for the ball like @CaroWozniacki

[Protoss]

Originally Posted by marineblue

Arguably the best match? Considering the fact that she was playing so 'amazingly' well that she couldn't get through the first hurdle I think she'd better stay away from TJ's suggestions.

Yes, as far as Caro's play on grass goes.

Lots of people regard that match as one of the best matches of last year on the Wta.

Caro was unlucky in her draw at Wimbledon last year and drew someone in the 1st round who's better than her on grass.

[Protoss]

Originally Posted by goldenlox

You mean with TJ? I think she has great defensive skills, and she has to use them. But when she is in a crosscourt backhand rally, and gets a short ball with her opponent in that corner, the down the line backhand is her best shot to win a point. But she has to wait for the right moments, because you dont want to give the point away, trying to end the points too quickly.
Thats what Sabine & Vekic did against Caroline, they tried to end points too quickly. Caroline spent a year and a half doing that also.
Use her defensive skills, go for winners when they are there.
I still say she was fine after the loss to Cibulkova at Wimbledon. She should have been having her normal practices, but working more with her serve.
If she can get back to that level, she is going to be fine.
Since this is a major, round by round it will get tougher, so we will see where her game is at right now

Yah, I meant Johansson. Thanks for the correction.

Caro's regular game hasn't been good enough to get past the 4th round of Wimbledon. So I think something different needs to be done whether it's along the lines of what Johansson had her doing or something else.