[Tennis2013]

So is it a STRONG era now? or is it still weak? Seems to change every month

Still weak, but at least Top 10 got a bit stronger, that's for starters

 

[Nadal goat]

Queen Swiatek level below 2022 that's all.

 

[Kurmay3Katti]

Haha the tune of this forum was very different when Iga annihilated her competition in Doha.

 

[J99]

Sorry some, but I have to disagree the competition isn't getting any stronger really, Saba is just playing better than her usual B and C games of yesteryear's of giving away bucket loads of points before the ball gets put into play and Ryba is Ryba she's having another peak period if she can sustain it then god help everyone else.

You feed Iga these sacrificial lambs the bakeries will keep coming. There are players around that can trouble her but they have to face her first and being the #1 player gives you a license to avoid them for a while.


That kinda isn't possible, it would be like talking about my Lakers without mentioning the Celtics. She played Gauff 4 times last year and already had another classic in this early season already. The rivalry we need but don't deserve.

This is what the system has been giving us, no point fighting it just embrace it.

I can't tell if this is humor or serious or both, well in order for it to be a rivalry the players either have to not like each other or each player has to win about half of the matches, in this case Swiatek is 6-0 vs. Gauff and never dropped a set, so no rivalry to be seen here.

 

[goldenlox]

She lost to Rybakina twice and Krejcikova. The scores are onesided
Last year she almost lost to Samsonova in Stuttgart and the competition is better this spring
In Miami she lost the fewest games by a Champion in 20 years. Miami, Rome and Paris seem like her best events.
I dont believe Rybakina is a perfect match up. I saw this loss and Iga didnt play well. But this level looks as good as her summer and fall after Wimbledon.
Not quite as good as last spring.
Lets see Miami. Often getting to the final here and then traveling hurts players in Miami and I can see Sabalenka and Rybakina not being as tough as this week

 

[Queen_Of_Spray]

They have both both Rybakina and Iga listed on the nominations of the BJK tie which will be played on indoor Clay courts in Astana next month.

Will be interesting to see this on clay.

 

[followdaisy]

They have both both Rybakina and Iga listed on the nominations of the BJK tie which will be played on indoor Clay courts in Astana next month.

Will be interesting to see this on clay.

What kind of clay is it? Is it like Stuttgart or is it normal clay?

 

[cricketbat]

They have both both Rybakina and Iga listed on the nominations of the BJK tie which will be played on indoor Clay courts in Astana next month.

Will be interesting to see this on clay.

So clay is clay, indoor underneath layers will make it faster and play likely similar to Stuttgart - ideal preparation for Stuttgart except for the flight time.

Is Rybakina also playing stuttgart ?

 

[Beat]

what a dumb, negative thread. one could also go "hey, so cool there's finally some competition for swiatek!". but no, let's not give the other players props, but instead drag iga down. not surprising coming from that OP…

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.

will you promise to delete your TF account if she does? thanks.

 

[Queen_Of_Spray]

I'm not sure anymore I've watched a few W60-W100's over the last couple of years and it's always been on hard_courts for womem so thought would be that but the BJK cup says indoor clay and the arena does list a few clay courts. Maybe it's ATP who use them normally.

 

[Queen_Of_Spray]

So clay is clay, indoor underneath layers will make it faster and play likely similar to Stuttgart - ideal preparation for Stuttgart except for the flight time.

Is Rybakina also playing stuttgart ?

Not sure yet, you never know with her, barely communicates on socials hopefully that will change. Her aim was to be top-10 so if she runs deep at Miami wouldn't surprise me if she goes diva mode.

Charleston did a feature confirming her entry on the webpage and then disappeared a couple of days later.

 

[Perun]

No, she has not been "figured out". You're a master of overreactions.

 

[suisse]

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.

this is pretty spot on.

Swiatek is an amazing player but i never bought into the "her level is unplayable" narrative that was running rampant last year. she had no effective opposition and freaks out the moment everything isn't going her way.

while i suspect she'll still achieve a lot at the highest level i honestly do view her as more of Lleyton Hewitt transition champion. might sound harsh - but Hewitt likely would have won at least 5 or 6 slams had Federer to come into his prime.

her strength on clay is a distinguishing factor. but really i don't see why Rybakina and Sabalenka can't do well on modern clay - neither is a bad mover.

 

[BlueTrees]

I said this all along and still stand by it. Most of her "success" is attributed to luck. She got lucky RG 2020 was held in October instead of its usual spot in the calendar. She got lucky getting #1 by default due to Barty being removed from the rankings, and thus getting lucky with her draws with her top seeding she never actually earned due to her own merits. She got lucky to be up against Cori and Ons in slam finals, who both were pathetic and should never be anywhere near that stage. Her luck was bound to run out at some point. She had a good run though.

 

[followdaisy]

I said this all along and still stand by it. Most of her "success" is attributed to luck. She got lucky RG 2020 was held in October instead of its usual spot in the calendar. She got lucky getting #1 by default due to Barty being removed from the rankings, and thus getting lucky with her draws with her top seeding she never actually earned due to her own merits. She got lucky to be up against Cori and Ons in slam finals, who both were pathetic and should never be anywhere near that stage. Her luck was bound to run out at some point. She had a good run though.

Yes, and she got lucky winning 37 matches in a row and 8 titles in 1 season

 

[BlueTrees]

Yes, and she got lucky winning 37 matches in a row and 8 titles in 1 season

She hadn't won a title since Rome the previous year, then the second Barty retires, she goes on her silly streak. You can't tell me with a straight face that's just a coincidence, lol.

 

[followdaisy]

She hadn't won a title since Rome the previous year, then the second Barty retires, she goes on her silly streak. You can't tell me with a straight face that's just a coincidence, lol.

It is. She changed her coach after the 2021 season. You can notice she was already improving at AO when she reached the SF. Later she became even better. She didn’t steamroll opponents in 2021 like she did in 2022. She beat Sabalenka 4 times, 5 times if we include the exho, Jabeur 2x, Sakkari x2 and those were players she was struggling against in 2021.

 

[Bad Luna]

Yes, and she got lucky winning 37 matches in a row and 8 titles in 1 season

It is. She changed her coach after the 2021 season. You can notice she was already improving at AO when she reached the SF. Later she became even better. She didn’t steamroll opponents in 2021 like she did in 2022. She beat Sabalenka 4 times, 5 times if we include the exho, Jabeur 2x, Sakkari x2 and those were players she was struggling against in 2021.

Good job! You have great teaching talent, seriously. Only the patience and perseverance you display here can help some troublesome kids to learn more about tennis and great players.

 

[followdaisy]

Good job! You have great teaching talent, seriously. Only the patience and perseverance you display here can help some troublesome kids to learn more about tennis and great players.

I worked as a teacher for many years 😜

 

[Mauriac]

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.

I agree. Iga clearly isn't invincible and there are players who can, and will, beat her but unlike many on the WTA she is unlikely to randomly flop against a low ranked player.