[gc-spurs]

Originally Posted by VirginMary

It is not the brains that matter most, but that which guides them -- the character, the heart, generous qualities, progressive ideas

Stop it. I'll tear up.

[Jacey]

Originally Posted by MaitaBaby

If her 2011 is going to be a train wreck, this might come sooner than 2016.

I somehow find this hard to believe...my guess would be she would wait until 2012 to retire. Remember one of her goals is to play in the Olympics. Unless she has another injury that would take her out of tennis completely. But....if her year starts off bad and by that I mean the 1st 3-4months then I don't think she'll hang around.

But what the hell do we all know.

[nelsondan]

Originally Posted by VirginMary

^^The problem is not her heart, but her brain, imo.

So when the score is 40-0----she lacks the math skills to know that it is important to win one of the next three points? Or when she has just broken an opponent for the lead, she is not bright enough to remember to not let up---to keep the pressure and concentration intense when she serves?

[gc-spurs]

Originally Posted by nelsondan

So when the score is 40-0----she lacks the math skills to know that it is important to win one of the next three points? Or when she has just broken an opponent for the lead, she is not bright enough to remember to not let up---to keep the pressure and concentration intense when she serves?

Yes that's exactly what Maja meant, well done.

But no. It means when (and this is my own perception) theres a really important point e.g. Sunshine BP, and she obviously wants to win but lets the pressure get to her and DFs. Or when she’s up 15-40 and she needs the break and keeps trying to hit a flat fast winner on the return even though they keep going long. Or lack of being able to switch up the game plan from ‘hit a winner’ even when its not time for a winner.

[JamieOwen3]

hail mother of mercy and of love, OHHHH MAAAARIIIIIA

[denny5576]

BEIJING 2ND ROUND

Q. It's turning out to be a bad end of the season for you, isn't it?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, I'm definitely not as good as I wanted to be. But, you know, I didn't really have a great preparation coming into these last couple tournaments. You know, after the Open I wasn't really able to -- I didn't train as much as I wanted to, and I feel like the last couple of weeks I have just been trying to play catchup.
Going on the court hasn't -- my rhythm hasn't been where it should be. So obviously it's disappointing, but I've lost and won many matches in my career. You know, you just have to regroup and find a way to, you know, to improve things and get better and look forward to a new season.

Q. What is your schedule for the rest of the season?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm not sure, actually. I think I'm scheduled to play Moscow, but I don't know. We'll see.

Q. (Through translation.) This should be your first completed season after the injury. Before the start of the season, have you had any plan about the ranking position or any special goal?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I'm not really at a point in my career where I focus so much about numbers, and I actually never really have been throughout even the juniors and working my way up to a professional level. I just -- my goal was always just to try to beat my next opponent, whoever that was.
The more wins you have, obviously the better your ranking is going to be. I mean, there's no secret to that. That's always my goal.

Q. Is there one thing you can pinpoint about today's match? Watching you, it just looked like you were constantly a little bit behind her and had to keep catching up. Was there one thing that let you down, or was it just -- you said your preparation was a little bit lacking. Is it an overall thing?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I have to give a lot of credit to my opponent, because I think she played extremely well, the best that she's played against me.
She was really aggressive, she hit the ball really deep today and really consistently, as well. That kind of kept me on the defense, and I was never really able to step in and do things that I do well and never really was able to cut off the angles.
She served extremely well and really had me off-balance and took advantage of the first balls, you know, and it was definitely her day.

Q. I noticed you struggled with your serve a little bit, dropping a couple of critical double faults. I was wondering if that was a lack of opportunity to train, or was something else playing into that?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, a little bit, and I think it was just errors just all around the game and it just kind of added up. You know, I was giving her way too many looks on second serves, and, you know, she was hitting away.
That put a little bit more thought into my mind that I had to go for a little bit more than I actually had to, and that creates errors. Yeah, so it was just a combination of, you know, errors all around the game.

[gc-spurs]

Originally Posted by gc-spurs

Yes that's exactly what Maja meant, well done.

But no. It means when (and this is my own perception) theres a really important point e.g. Sunshine BP, and she obviously wants to win but lets the pressure get to her and DFs. Or when she’s up 15-40 and she needs the break and keeps trying to hit a flat fast winner on the return even though they keep going long. Or lack of being able to switch up the game plan from ‘hit a winner’ even when its not time for a winner.

MARIA SHARAPOVA: Yeah, a little bit, and I think it was just errors just all around the game and it just kind of added up. You know, I was giving her way too many looks on second serves, and, you know, she was hitting away.
That put a little bit more thought into my mind that I had to go for a little bit more than I actually had to, and that creates errors. Yeah, so it was just a combination of, you know, errors all around the game.

Ok Maria said it better than me.

[nelsondan]

Originally Posted by gc-spurs

Ok Maria said it better than me.

That is extremely well laid out, very clear in meaning. Still, I am not sure it is an adequate explanation for all of these failures in key moments these last few months. Maybe there is no consistent explanation. But the underlying point is still there---her game is not that bad----it has been incompletely executed.

[Vartan]

I think her movement is horrible, worse than ever.

[Vodkapova]

Grandmaria.

[domon17th]

Originally Posted by Vartan

I think her movement is horrible, worse than ever.

Agree completely. She just looked flat-footed for the most part against Vesnina. I know movement has always been an issue for Maria but it's not even so much abt that, it's your footwork Maria. Gosh this is getting exhuasting. Prob a good choice to end the season for us fans as well.

[JamieOwen3]

i have no favourites playing it's just a complete shit hole in the WTA at the moment for me, apart from Ivanovic who im becoming a bigger fan of every match.

[slamchamp]

Originally Posted by denny5576

BEIJING 2ND ROUND

I think she played extremely well, the best that she's played against me.

I think I heard that a lot It's not your oponents playing amazing is you sucking maria!
Vesnina didn't play bad in their last meeting and lost 3 and 0..enoough said

[Break My Rapture]

Originally Posted by Teerin

Grandmaria.

I am so changing my name to that soon.

[Doc]

I'm sure Maria must see now that there are big problems with her preparation. I'm not sure if she's trying to blind herself to this or not - but after these meltdowns a new approach is needed.