[kinglear]

If I could have it my way, the 2004 French Open Ladies singles final would go a little something like this:

Lena would break Myskina to start the match. With Lena seizing to serve double faults, it allows Lena to take advantage of her own momentum. Lena is using her forehand of death to maximum use. Lena's dropshots are also working well; for Lena to attempt so many dropshots, this means that she's feeling loose and confident. She's also sliding very well, especially on her running forehands. :worship: Lena wins the first set 6-4. It's a much harder for Lena in the first set, she goes down 5-1 and ends up losing the 2nd set 6-2. In the 3rd set, she regains her focus and remembers that she is a the Queen of 3-set matches. In the 3rd set, she doesn't hit any dropshots. She stays mainly on the baseline pushing Myskina back with Lena's ocean-deep groundstrokes. She loses focus at 3-3, and Myskina ends up going up 4-3. Lena levels the match at 4-4, and the match stays on serve all the way up to a tiebreak. Times are easier for Lena now when she manages the win the tiebreak 7-3, and the match with a final scoreline of 6-4, 2-6, 7-6.
Lena is finally over her childhood complex about Myskina always beating her. :bounce: and everything in the world is right. :angel: haha

 

[miffedmax]

If I could rewrite one, I rewrite the US Open in '04.

I love Lena, but the stinkup job she did at RG was pretty much beyond redemption. In NYC, she was so close to taking that second set. If she had, I know she would have won the 3rd.

 

[kinglear]

If I could rewrite one, I rewrite the US Open in '04.

I love Lena, but the stinkup job she did at RG was pretty much beyond redemption. In NYC, she was so close to taking that second set. If she had, I know she would have won the 3rd.

Mmm... that's true. It was like 5-7, right? If only it had to gone to a 3rd set. :sad: The future is still so bright for Lena. That's how I look at it. Maybe she needs Morozova. So tell me this Max, do you think that the reason for Lena's spectacular 2004 season was because of Olga Morozova's coaching or more Elena's will?

 

[miffedmax]

I think Morozava had a lot to do with it.

But Lena also benefited from some weaker fields (as did Nastya and Kuzzy).

Having said that, I'm not sure that Morozava was (or is) the one who can help her win a slam.