[AnnieIWillKnow]

Originally Posted by MariaManiac

I feel you!

I'm expecting a double EVERY time she has to play a second serve.

It's when she catches the toss of a second serve that I worry...

[MariaManiac]

Originally Posted by AnnieIWillKnow

It's when she catches the toss of a second serve that I worry...

Totally!

Then im thinking she lost her rhythm and it's gonna be down hill from there, but she seems so comfortable with the second serve now, maybe the anxiety will wear off eventually

[doomsday]

Originally Posted by MariaManiac

Totally!

Then im thinking she lost her rhythm and it's gonna be down hill from there, but she seems so comfortable with the second serve now, maybe the anxiety will wear off eventually

She feels comfortable about her serve at the moment, Kirilenko and Woz couldn't break her at all and she had plenty of love games.
When Maria feels her serve, even her second one can be amazing, a lil bit like last year during Stuttgart but its good to see that even on outdoor conditions her serve hold up pretty damn well.
Shoulder must feel great there is no doubt about it, hopefully she will keep up.


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[Chrissie-fan]

Originally Posted by doomsday

She feels comfortable about her serve at the moment, Kirilenko and Woz couldn't break her at all and she had plenty of love games.
When Maria feels her serve, even her second one can be amazing, a lil bit like last year during Stuttgart but its good to see that even on outdoor conditions her serve hold up pretty damn well.
Shoulder must feel great there is no doubt about it, hopefully she will keep up.

Wen she's on she's got one of the better second serves on the tour really. There's not that huge a difference between her first and second delivery. Almost like two first serves.

[madmax]

Originally Posted by Chrissie-fan

Wen she's on she's got one of the better second serves on the tour really. There's not that huge a difference between her first and second delivery. Almost like two first serves.

yup...and I noticed her getting better and better at this "two first serves" tactic, which she was employing for quite some time now. I feel like this high risk/high reward tactic will determine her career from now on - if she manages to control her serve for prolonged periods of time, plenty of slams on all surfaces will follow too. Because Maria NEEDS to be confident on serve for her game to flourish in all it's blazing glory. Serve is the well from which she's seeping her powers afterall

[Asherahpova]

Yeah, that's why I never really use her first serve % as an indicator of how she's serving, so long as that second serve lands in it makes little difference.

[domon17th]

Now I get reminded of her glorious serving period from USO 06 all the way during those fall tournaments that year. There was even a GM topic that says Maria has the best serve on tour currently then. Oh my how things have changed. But certainly very promising signs from this tournament and actually the whole 2013 already!

[WarrenK]

Wasn't here for IW so congrats, Maria! A PM HC title after 18 months and in such style. The play in the final

[MashaFan01]

I dunno if anyone has posted this before:

Masha has now won at least one WTA title for 11 consecutive seasons. She is one of six players with at least that many:
Navratilova: 21 straight years (1974-1994)
Evert: 18 straight years (1971-1988)
Graf: 14 straight years (1986-1999)
Wade: 11 straight years (1968-1978)
Goolagong: 11 straight years (1970-1980)
Sharapova: 11 straight years (2003-2013)

Masha is the seventh Indian Wells champion not to lose a set en route to the title and the first who's done it twice:
1991: Navratilova
1992: Seles
1994: Graf
1998: Hingis
2004: Henin
2006: Sharapova
2009: Zvonareva
2013: Sharapova

Besides Masha (2006 and 2013) only 7 women have won the IW title twice since 1989
Kim Clijsters (2003 and 2005)
Daniela Hantuchova (2002 and 2007)
Serena Williams (1999 and 2001)
Lindsay Davenport (1997 and 2000)
Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996)
Mary Joe Fernandez (1993 and 1995)
Martina Navratilova (1990 and 1991)

[Asherahpova]

Knew the first, didn't know the other two. Thanks

[AnnieIWillKnow]

Virginia Wade never gets as much credit as she should.