[RoS]

I think we can sound the red alarm. Being routined like this by Rybakina is very concerning

What's wrong with 1GA for the moment ?

We can't say that 2022 1GA was a fluke and she avoided hard match-ups, she deserved of all of her titles and her play was often really stellar, but do you think she is finally figured out ? That Rybakina, Krejcikova are exposing the weaknesses than the likes of Gauff, Pegula, Sabalenka and others didn't do or 1GA is just playing worse ? Last year, 1GA still lost to Ostapenko and Barty at the beginning (and didn't face them for the rest of 2022), and Rybakina and Krejcikova are adopting their respective blue-print (Rybakina is a more controlled version of Ostapenko and with a better serve, Krejcikova is a crafty player like Barty with a better BH)

It's maybe both of them. So far, Rybakina and Krejcikova are tougher players this year (they are GS champions after all, unlike Gauff and Jabeur) than all those 1GA defeated last year including Osaka, but 1GA is clearly not playing her usual level. She can't step up for the top players anymore and the most concerning is she is being routined easily, getting worse and worse each time (6-4, 6-4 at the AO, then 6-4,6-2 at Dubai, then 6-2,6-2 here)

Forget about clay, unless she has a weak draw where she draws the likes of Kasatkina, Pegula and Gauff, 1GA won't win anything big even on the red dirt. The kick serve or the slow surface won't help her if she can't trade a rally anymore against big hitters or if she can't deal with variety.I have never seen her play like this as bad since forever.

 

[goldenlox]

Mentally its easier to be the underdog. The only w Lena has was has a huge nobody in a weakened field
I discussed this before this match. That Rybakina didnt play her best last round. She wasnt a big underdog last round
In Paris the pressure on her to repeat will be enormous
I said this so many times. These 1000s are nothing compared to majors. But Iga is in the all time great situation, and its not realistic that she wins 37 straight as favorite again.
Cirstea was in a lot of the points, and these 2 in the final are better than Cirstea
What matters is getting a 4th major, not the stuff Vika won in March, It doesnt count for her when people compare her to Kerber and Azarenka was much better
She doesnt need to repeat here

 

[BLOHM95]

it’s hard to say because Rybakina is insanely streaky so I could see her next year struggling to win a match the first two months and easily as being 2 or 3 in the world

 

[opionic]

rather than being figured out, all this fuss on sports psycho is being figured out indeed. Iga has a toxic ambition to win her matches and when the opponent of her level doesn't care these toxic vibes and remains calmer, she flops and gets schooled.

 

[Patrick345]

Yes, very easy. Just play like Rybakina. Added benefit you´ll win Wimbledon.

 

[opionic]

has iga won a match when she is set down after becoming nr1?

just recalled us open run.

 

[RoS]

has iga won a match when she is set down after becoming nr1?

Against Samsonova at the Stuttgart SF 2022
Against Qinwen at the FO 4R 2022
Against Niemeier at the USO R2 2022
Against Sabalenka at the USO SF 2022
Against Pegula at the San Diego SF 2022

 

[EveLangElCoup]

Edi: I was beaten.

 

[Shvedbarilescu]

Elena Rybakina and Barbora Krejcikova have both emerged in the last 6 months as players who have games that can compete very effectively against Iga. Both these players are very clear threats to beat Iga whenever Iga faces them and Iga is well aware of this. The good thing from Iga's point of view is this. Elena and Barbora are but two players on the tour, and the rest of the tour do still look like pretty easy pickings for her.

 

[Aaron.]

Her form dropped a bit while Sabalenka, Rybakina and Krecjikova are playing better.

 

[Iga Fan]

I mean there is a difference between being figured out and the competition getting stronger. She simply didn't have to deal with the likes of Rybakina, Sabalenka and Babs playing at a high level in the first half of last season.

It's ultimately a combination of both options though. Iga is also not playing at quite the same level, but a few of them have also stepped up their games.

 

[Shvedbarilescu]

Her form dropped a bit while Sabalenka, Rybakina and Krecjikova are playing better.

I'm not sure Iga's form has dropped that much. She is as convincing, if not more so, as last year against the bulk of her opponents. The difference seems to be that this year there are a couple that seem up to the challenge of opposing her. So I'm more inclined to agree with the 2nd part of your post rather than the opening part.

 

[RoS]

I mean there is a difference between being figured out and the competition getting stronger. She simply didn't have to deal with the likes of Rybakina, Sabalenka and Babs playing at a high level in the first half of last season.

It's ultimately a combination of both options though. Iga is also not playing at quite the same level, but a few of them have also stepped up their games.

I mean, 2022 1GA would never (or almost never) make the awful easy UE she made against Rybakina and Krejcikova. Remember the Ostrava match not so long ago. 1GA would have easily routined Barbora and Rybakina with the level she displayed. It was maybe the best match of the year. Rybakina was playing much better at Wimbledon than today. The way she dismantled Halep (even if the Romanian played not a good match to be said) was more impressive. Halep won her last 10 matches at Wimbledon

And yes, Rybakina and Krejcikova are harder opposition than all the top players 1GA faced last year except Barty . And the 2023 Sabalenka is playing much more better than 2022 Sabalenka

We will see how 1GA will adjust. The clay will come, but I think Rome and Roland Garros will be harder for her to win this time. And she can always have a day off like she had against Sakkari at the FO 2021. She still need to play her best level even on clay. It's still Bo3, she doesn't have like Nadal the luxury to outlast her opponents. It's why the Spaniard was so dominant at the FO and that only Peak Soderling and Peak Djokovic beat him

 

[andreescufan]

It's literally insane to hold Swiatek to the same standard as last year.....she lost here in SF to a red hot Rybakina and in Final at Dubai to a very good Krejcikova......hardly losing in R1 to qualifiers. Give it a rest with the Swiatek bashing FFS. She is still a massive threat to win anything she plays.

Good for Rybakina, Sabalenka and Babs for making 2023 interesting. If a few more ladies join the party on a regular basis, should make for a lot of great matches.

 

[RobertoS.S.&J.H.]

Every number 1 that existed, every top player that existed, all of them had their bad moments and their tough loss/match-ups. Serena did. Venus did. Justine did. Everyone did. It happens.It's not like they won every tournament every year. Iga is very young and already achieved a lot at only 21 years old and now she lost to a top player and slam champion. No shame in that. And she lost in the SF, it's not like she'd lose in the first round or something.

 

[RoS]

Every number 1 that existed, every top player that existed, all of them had their bad moments and their tough loss/match-ups. Serena did. Venus did. Justine did. Everyone did. It happens.It's not like they won every tournament every year. Iga is very young and already achieved a lot at only 21 years old and now she lost to a top player and slam champion. No shame in that. And she lost in the SF, it's not like she'd lose in the first round or something.

Serena never did have a bad match-up. Henin was maybe the only true complete player to be able to beat a well playing Serena - like she did at the Berlin 2002 Final, FO SF 2003 and USO QF 2007. The others had no chances. Serena whe she was losing was especially playing way below her level, it's the truth.

Serena-Henin could have been a WTA Fedal rivalry. Sadly, it never happened. And since the retirement of Henin in 2008, Serena harvested the rotten corpse of the WTA. Serena waited her terminal decline to be passed out, while Djokovic and Nadal dethroned (and surpassed) Federer by themselves

 

[Kenneth Chow]

Why is Sabalenka being included in this group???....she has not beaten the supposedly untouchable Swiatek twice yet...

 

[RobertoS.S.&J.H.]

Serena never did have a bad match-up. Henin was maybe the only true complete player to be able to beat a well playing Serena - like she did at the Berlin 2002 Final, FO SF 2003 and USO QF 2007. The others had no chances. Serena whe she was losing was especially playing way below her level, it's the truth.

Serena-Henin could have been a WTA Fedal rivalry. Sadly, it never happened. And since the retirement of Henin in 2008, Serena harvested the rotten corpse of the WTA. Serena waited her terminal decline to be passed out, while Djokovic and Nadal dethroned (and surpassed) Federer by themselves

Justine troubled Serena, especially in slams.

Oh, and Sybille Bammer says hello! I mean, Sybille Bammer

 

[VeniVidiVici]

Why is Sabalenka being included in this group???....she has not beaten the supposedly untouchable Swiatek twice yet...

Did you mean twice since Igas rise to number 1? Because otherwise she has beaten Iga twice.
She did beat her on their last match and had her on the ropes in the previous one at the us open so fair to put her on the list.

 

[Aga-esque]

I have no faith in Sabalenka, Rybakina or Krejcikova to be more consistent than Iga. Chances are they will start losing before they meet her due to seedings & then she'll win tournaments without having to face them.

So not at all.