Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
Ana's problem is that she never brings her peak against players that are capable of beating her at that level. Whenever she's played her best, she's won because it's been against players like Jankovic or Kuznetsova who can't outplay her or she just matches up well with. Obviously if she'd have managed to play at her peak against one of or all of Serena (USO '12, USO '11, Dubai '09), Justine (RG '07), Venus (Wimbledon '09), Kim (), Maria (AO '08) etc. then we would have a few examples for her too. These were all matches where she'd probably still have lost even if she played her best. Her best ever loss imo was to Venus in Zurich 2004 but we can hardly call that her peak
EDIT:
Just to clarify, I don't think that Ana is incapable of beating those players at her best, but in the matches I listed they were all playing well enough to beat her at her best imo. A couple of them are arguable I guess, especially if you're an Ana fan
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I think everyone in sport can be inspired by what Venus has done and how she's come back and winning championships and just doing so well. So I have been utterly completely inspired by that. I just have no words for it. There is no greater champion in my eyes.
Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
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Originally Posted by RVD
This has been the case since Serena turned pro.
And the proof is in the epic battles spread throughout Youtube.com of these matches.
Really? I love Meghann's game and I've never seen any of those in youtube, I just remember a short clip of her beating Venus in Miami and I think it's gone.
Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
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Originally Posted by Cajka
Zheng this year against Serena. I'm not sure I've ever seen her playing better than that.
I thought both were terrible in that match. Zheng played much better against Serena in their match in Canada in 2011 imo.
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Originally Posted by Brad[le]y.
I always though the AO '93 match was better, but that's just me.
Agreed.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsanders06
If Azarenka wins the AO, I will finally concede defeat and refer to Azarenka only as "Princessrenka" or "Heiressrenka" until the end of March.
Quote:
Golovin: "Serena, Maria, Victoria are like the men's Big 3."
Other commentator: "So is Radwanska the Andy Murray then?"
Golovin: "Well, I wouldn't say that......I like Andy Murray"
Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
Zvonareva in the US Open 2010 final. There were a lot more quality and well-contested rallies than the scoreline indicates, but Vera was unlucky to have across the net someone who in peak form does everything that she does only significantly better.
Serena was at her post-2003 best in the US Open '09 semifinals. Played better that match than she did in any match in 2009 except maybe the AO final (and I'm not even trolling).
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dsanders06
If Azarenka wins the AO, I will finally concede defeat and refer to Azarenka only as "Princessrenka" or "Heiressrenka" until the end of March.
Quote:
Golovin: "Serena, Maria, Victoria are like the men's Big 3."
Other commentator: "So is Radwanska the Andy Murray then?"
Golovin: "Well, I wouldn't say that......I like Andy Murray"
Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
Serena vs. Clijsters US09. 3-slams-holder, World's number two Serena went nuts when realized despite playing her best mommy Kim was outplaying her in every way.
Re: Players playing at their peak and still losing the match
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsanders06
Zvonareva in the US Open 2010 final. There were a lot more quality and well-contested rallies than the scoreline indicates, but Vera was unlucky to have across the net someone who in peak form does everything that she does only significantly better.
Serena was at her post-2003 best in the US Open '09 semifinals. Played better that match than she did in any match in 2009 except maybe the AO final (and I'm not even trolling).
Serena's woodshedding of Azarenka in the Wimbledon quarters also stands out as one of her best of 09. Scary good.