I find the posts in this thread interesting because so many people have different opinions about the match, yet everyone who attended the match seems to agree on a couple of things:
1. Jennifer played badly. Indeed, Jennifer really seems to have problems playing against Kournikova. I remember in January this year in an exho in Hong Kong, Capriati is up 6-3, 5-3 and loses the next 10 games because she lost her mental concentration. For some reason, Anna's fame seems to intimate her quite a bit.
2. Anna's incredibly beautiful. As if we didn't know that already! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
3. Anna played fairly well. I agree with those that say Anna plays well in exho's because there is no real pressure on her to win. However, if that is the case, why did she lose she badly to Seles a few weeks ago? I saw that match on tv and Anna didn't even try to make it competitive. True, Anna hasn't beaten Seles in years, but at least their matches have been competitive. In Denver, Anna didn't even try, which is not like her at all. Something had to be going on there.
4. Are exhos a real measure of how well a player is going to do in a real tennis tournament? I really have to wonder that since exhos are primarily played for charity, money or in some cases, players use them for extra match practice to try things they normally wouldn't in a WTA match. Remember last year, Capriati lost to Kournikova in Hong Kong and then a couple of weeks later took the Austrailan crown. Similarly, Anna played an excellent exho match against Davenport in Dec. 99 and beat Lindsay 6-1 in the third. Even Lindsay was impressed. However, when the two met up @ the Oz a couple of weeks later, Linsday won in straights. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't feel that exhos are a good indication of how well a player will play in a real tennis match.
Anyway, I'm glad those who got to go seemed to have a good time. For Jen fans, don't take this loss so hard. It's only an exho and Jen has some problems with Kournikova anyway (I think the fame thing is really intimidating to Jenn). For Anna fans, this is a good win for her, even if the match was not quite up to professional standards, especially when you consider the whitewash she got from Seles a couple of weeks ago.
BTW, Anna probably wanted to get out of there because she is playing Coetzer tomorrow in Detroit.
1. Jennifer played badly. Indeed, Jennifer really seems to have problems playing against Kournikova. I remember in January this year in an exho in Hong Kong, Capriati is up 6-3, 5-3 and loses the next 10 games because she lost her mental concentration. For some reason, Anna's fame seems to intimate her quite a bit.
2. Anna's incredibly beautiful. As if we didn't know that already! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
3. Anna played fairly well. I agree with those that say Anna plays well in exho's because there is no real pressure on her to win. However, if that is the case, why did she lose she badly to Seles a few weeks ago? I saw that match on tv and Anna didn't even try to make it competitive. True, Anna hasn't beaten Seles in years, but at least their matches have been competitive. In Denver, Anna didn't even try, which is not like her at all. Something had to be going on there.
4. Are exhos a real measure of how well a player is going to do in a real tennis tournament? I really have to wonder that since exhos are primarily played for charity, money or in some cases, players use them for extra match practice to try things they normally wouldn't in a WTA match. Remember last year, Capriati lost to Kournikova in Hong Kong and then a couple of weeks later took the Austrailan crown. Similarly, Anna played an excellent exho match against Davenport in Dec. 99 and beat Lindsay 6-1 in the third. Even Lindsay was impressed. However, when the two met up @ the Oz a couple of weeks later, Linsday won in straights. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't feel that exhos are a good indication of how well a player will play in a real tennis match.
Anyway, I'm glad those who got to go seemed to have a good time. For Jen fans, don't take this loss so hard. It's only an exho and Jen has some problems with Kournikova anyway (I think the fame thing is really intimidating to Jenn). For Anna fans, this is a good win for her, even if the match was not quite up to professional standards, especially when you consider the whitewash she got from Seles a couple of weeks ago.
BTW, Anna probably wanted to get out of there because she is playing Coetzer tomorrow in Detroit.
