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Was gabby a choker???<br />I've heard that she was very talented but was she a choker???
Biggest leads lost
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In 1990, Gaby won the US open. In her team at that time, I believe there was a sports psychologist helping her with her game.
I don't think a psychologist was part of her team on a regular basis though which is a shame.
IMHO the mental side of her game was all that separated her from reaching no.1 and winning Wimbledon 1991 as well as countless other big matches.
On a side point, everyone talks about her match against Mary Joe in 1993, but they also met again at the US open QF in 1995.
In that match, Gaby led 6-1, 5-1 again and then started to inexplicably make a series of errors on numerous match points.
Mary Joe hit back to 5-3 and Gaby looked seriously stressed out (as stressed out as I was feeling !).
This time however she held it together and won before pushing Steffi in a very tight match in the semis, a match that she could have won.
I hoped that would put her back on track, but instead she got injured early in 1996 and retired <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> so I guess that shows how little I know.
I don't think a psychologist was part of her team on a regular basis though which is a shame.
IMHO the mental side of her game was all that separated her from reaching no.1 and winning Wimbledon 1991 as well as countless other big matches.
On a side point, everyone talks about her match against Mary Joe in 1993, but they also met again at the US open QF in 1995.
In that match, Gaby led 6-1, 5-1 again and then started to inexplicably make a series of errors on numerous match points.
Mary Joe hit back to 5-3 and Gaby looked seriously stressed out (as stressed out as I was feeling !).
This time however she held it together and won before pushing Steffi in a very tight match in the semis, a match that she could have won.
I hoped that would put her back on track, but instead she got injured early in 1996 and retired <img src="frown.gif" border="0"> so I guess that shows how little I know.
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Gaby got to like what 18 semifinals in grand slams, but won only 1 grand slam.....so you can say she definitely didn't have the mental part of the game.
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I love Mary Joe and loved to watch her make one of her famous comebacks- the one against Sabatini is well known, but she had several great come from behind wins in her career. One that I remember was at the US Open '95 where she was losing 6-1, 4-1 to Aranxta and won the match, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. That was awesome. She had nerves of steel and was incredibly focused. She was one of those players who played match point down the same as any other point. Her incredible baseline consistency and intelligent play helped her get out of many tricky situations. She never gave up until the last shot!!! Love you MJ!!!! I'm still anxious to find out if she had her baby yet too!!!
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Gaby was mentally not strong and still Steffi lost 4 close matches in a row and she also lost 8:6 in a grand slam to Novotna in 91 and in all matches she had big chances, lucky in the most important match in wimbledon she got it together again well she still choked but Sabatini did even bigger.
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Jason if you did not saw a match don't talk about it. Steffi was not up 6/1 5/0 against Arantxa in Usopen final 94, she was up 6/1 3/2 up a break, Arantxa broke back inmediately and at 1/6 5/6 Arantxa serving Steffi was deuce on that game, Arantxa pulled throught that tiebreak ended winning a very close final.<br />As for Steffi she is just a great champion she won a lot finals coming from behind ex.<br />88 wimbledon 5/7 0/2 down<br />91 Wimbledon we know sabatini served for it twice<br />93 Wimbledon the same but JAna here<br />95 Wimbledon from down a set to Arantxa and 4/5 in the third.<br />96 FO down 5/3 final set to Arantxa. (after having 4-1 in the second set tiebreak, she reagrouped to break Arantxa who served for it twice in the final set )<br />99 FO Graf down set and break to hingis 4/6 1/3, also Hingis served for it at 5/4. Graf mentally too strong, and in big situations she played her best when it counted.
Kournikova led 5-1 in the 3rd against Tauziat in the Eastbourne SF in '99, and lost 8-6 (one of her biggest chances of winning a tournament, having to play Zvereva in the final).
Serena once led Testud 5-1 in the 3rd and lost 7-5 (in '99, after the US'Open?).
Gaby's losses were the most painful ones, after that I got nervous every time she wasted a match point!!!
Serena once led Testud 5-1 in the 3rd and lost 7-5 (in '99, after the US'Open?).
Gaby's losses were the most painful ones, after that I got nervous every time she wasted a match point!!!
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Anyone forgetting 4th Round of 2000 French Open, Arantxa vs. Barbara Schett? Babsi led 6-0, 4-1 only to lose 0-6, 6-4, 6-2. but like Arantxa this is her tournament to produce yet another miracle. <img src="smile.gif" border="0">
Not to mention her comeback against Serena in 98.
Not to mention her comeback against Serena in 98.
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I never saw this match but I read about and it might have had big influence on Sabatini`s mental state for the rest of her career. In april 86 when she was 15 she played Steffi(16 then) in the Indianpolis final and she lead 6:2 5:2 and I think also 40:15 in the next game and she went on to lose the match 2:6 7:6 6:4.
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I was reading an article on Gaby in Ace and it said that after Wimbledon she was never the same!!!
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Here's another one about Gaby:
Gaby led Arantxa head-to-head 7-0, including the only double bagel loss Arantxa ever had in her career! Also including a 6-1, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-0 loss Arantxa suffered. But by the SF of the Canadian Open in 1989 Gaby led Arantxa 6-3, 5-2 only to lose 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and Arantxa collected her 1st win over Gabriela. Since their encounter in 89, their head to head went 10-4 in favor of Arantxa. Although Gaby ended up leading the series 12-11, I really think that match gave Arantxa the confidence to play against Gaby and the loss really gave Gaby the fear of losing to Arantxa again. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
Gaby led Arantxa head-to-head 7-0, including the only double bagel loss Arantxa ever had in her career! Also including a 6-1, 6-1 and 6-2, 6-0 loss Arantxa suffered. But by the SF of the Canadian Open in 1989 Gaby led Arantxa 6-3, 5-2 only to lose 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and Arantxa collected her 1st win over Gabriela. Since their encounter in 89, their head to head went 10-4 in favor of Arantxa. Although Gaby ended up leading the series 12-11, I really think that match gave Arantxa the confidence to play against Gaby and the loss really gave Gaby the fear of losing to Arantxa again. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">
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I've just realised that this has come a convo about Gabby!!!!<br />Ahh well she rock's!!!!!<br />GO GABBY!!!! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <br />Also do you think that Kournikova is going to be the next Sabatini and Novotna!??!!
I wouldn't make Gaby the queen of chokers by a long shot. My poor fav Jana wins that title hands down <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> Most of the wasted match points in Sabtini's career came near the end, when she was just burnt out IMO and didn't know any other life outside tennis. Jana was a gagger from start to finish.
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