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C. W. Fields · Jan 23rd, 2013, 05:08 AM

I made this some time ago. I wasn't wrong, apparently.

Protoss · Jan 23rd, 2013, 05:27 AM

Even before her injury Serena was playing a fairly mediocre match, her C game I suppose. The match was pretty boring up til the middle of the 2nd set.

Serena had won 23 sets in a row going back to the 3rd set of the US Open final prior to losing the 2nd set today.

Serena's longest winning streak of her career remains at 21 matches: from the 2nd round (1st round bye) of Rome in 2002 til the quarters of Los Angeles where she lost 7-5 in the 3rd set to Rubin.

This is the 2nd time Serena has lost to a player born after 1987 in the slams, the 1st was Makarova last year. Nobody born after 1987 has beaten Serena twice (slams and non-slams) though.

marineblue · Jan 23rd, 2013, 06:16 AM

So, there's a big chance of a repeat of a last year's final. I'd prefer if it was Li Na vs Azarenka as that produces less noise

. Or does anyone think Stephens has what it takes to take out Azarenka?

JadeFox · Jan 23rd, 2013, 06:29 AM

Nice win for Sloane and once again goes to show how tennis can be unpredictable. People were ready to hand Serena the trophy.

DownInAHole · Jan 23rd, 2013, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protoss

Even before her injury Serena was playing a fairly mediocre match, her C game I suppose. The match was pretty boring up til the middle of the 2nd set.

Serena had won 23 sets in a row going back to the 3rd set of the US Open final prior to losing the 2nd set today.

Serena's longest winning streak of her career remains at 21 matches: from the 2nd round (1st round bye) of Rome in 2002 til the quarters of Los Angeles where she lost 7-5 in the 3rd set to Rubin.

This is the 2nd time Serena has lost to a player born after 1987, the 1st was Makarova last year. Nobody born after 1987 has beaten Serena twice though.

Is there a qualifier in this sentence that you forgot to include? Obviously Caroline defeated Serena (Miami, 2012) and she was born after 1987. Azarenka (also born after 1987) has also defeated her.

DownInAHole · Jan 23rd, 2013, 07:17 AM

I'm so happy that this is not going to be another slam where Serena just destroys the competition. I'm not happy that she was unable to compete at her best but she is fairly old (for a tennis player) and these kinds of injury problems are only going to become more common. It's easy to just assume that she is going to win everything but I think this loss really underscores how phenomenal she was last summer/fall. Winning Wimbledon, Olympic Gold, the U.S. Open and the YEC? That is an incredibly impressive run and most players would be thrilled to end their careers having won any one of those tournaments.

As far as who is left, well, any one of them could win. Sloane is obviously the least likely and I'm not sure how she would handle being in a slam final. For that reason I hope that she doesn't make it. We have seen quite a few Vika/Maria matches over the last two years so I guess I am hoping for Vika/Na. I don'rt recall seeing them play each other before and as far as slam finals go they are kind of similar in terms of experience. Not having a dog in the fight the thing that I am most hopeful for is a competitive three set match. I definitely do not want a repeat of the 2012 final!

Protoss · Jan 23rd, 2013, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownInAHole

Is there a qualifier in this sentence that you forgot to include? Obviously Caroline defeated Serena (Miami, 2012) and she was born after 1987. Azarenka (also born after 1987) has also defeated her.

Yah, thanks for pointing that out.

I meant in the slams.

Vika has came the closest to beating Serena for a 2nd time when she was up 5-3 3rd set in the US Open final.

TennisFan66 · Jan 23rd, 2013, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeFox

Nice win for Sloane and once again goes to show how tennis can be unpredictable. People were ready to hand Serena the trophy.

Yep. Some bookies had her odds ON to win the tournament. Before even a single ball had been played. Best odds I saw, was 2.02 on the fair exchange

I cannot say, I am shocked. At age 31, it's easier to pick up an injury and as I've argued for before, it's the short muscle fibered 'power players', who are the most prone to injuries (not the long muscle fibered retrievers, pushers if you prefer).

Burisleif · Jan 23rd, 2013, 02:35 PM

It's time to move the AO back to it's old slot... This early in the season it's too much of a lottery with players still building form and fitness.

Protoss · Jan 24th, 2013, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burisleif

It's time to move the AO back to it's old slot... This early in the season it's too much of a lottery with players still building form and fitness.

I don't like how early the OZ Open comes in the season either. It's a bit odd to have a major only two weeks into a season.

As in move it back to December? I don't like that idea as players don't get an offseason that way.

Protoss · Jan 24th, 2013, 02:34 AM

Wow. Li held for 6-2 1st set.

Burisleif · Jan 24th, 2013, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Protoss

I don't like how early the OZ Open comes in the season either. It's a bit odd to have a major only two weeks into a season.

As in move it back to December? I don't like that idea as players don't get an offseason that way.

As a season ender, the culmination of the far east swing, just before the YEC, late October early November.

Protoss · Jan 24th, 2013, 03:17 AM

Wow. Li holds for 6-2 2nd set at Ad Li from 30-15 to 30-30 to 40-30 to 40-40. The match was a lot closer than the score indicates though.

I can't believe how many opportunities the normally mentally tough Sharapova failed to take advantage of.

backhandsmash · Jan 24th, 2013, 03:28 AM

Would be funny if it was Aga that had beat her instead. But GO LI!

Protoss · Jan 24th, 2013, 04:17 AM

Vika breaks for 6-1 1st set.