[GermanBoy]

I obviously know that the reason given was that Sam wanted to focus on her singles game. However, she has up to now played a full schedule in doubles as well. Sydney, Australian Open, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami. Every time with Stubbs. Lisa played the same tournaments, with Peschke, and in addition to that she played in Paris.

Either team, Sam & Stubbs as well as Lisa & Peschke haven't yet had the amazing success you expect from doubles players of their calibre. If both teams continue playing together and will be playing the same tournaments I can't see the reason as to why Sam and Lisa had to split up.

They were on their back to the top challenging Black and Huber. I can't see Sam having the same results with Stubbs she used to have with Lisa. Unfortunately that will mean her ranking will drop around the time of Wimbledon and the US Open as she will have to defend final points both times.

I want Sam and Lisa back together. They were my favourites.

What is your opinion?

 

[Harvs]

I obviously know that the reason given was that Sam wanted to focus on her singles game. However, she has up to now played a full schedule in doubles as well. Sydney, Australian Open, Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami. Every time with Stubbs. Lisa played the same tournaments, with Peschke, and in addition to that she played in Paris.

Either team, Sam & Stubbs as well as Lisa & Peschke haven't yet had the amazing success you expect from doubles players of their calibre. If both teams continue playing together and will be playing the same tournaments I can't see the reason as to why Sam and Lisa had to split up.

They were on their back to the top challenging Black and Huber. I can't see Sam having the same results with Stubbs she used to have with Lisa. Unfortunately that will mean her ranking will drop around the time of Wimbledon and the US Open as she will have to defend final points both times.

I want Sam and Lisa back together. They were my favourites.

What is your opinion?

sam said she wanted to play the BIG tournies in doubles... and she has... she just hasnt played much else in singles so far... i would expect after miami she will be playing much less doubles and playing smaller singles tournies to try and win that first singles title.

 

[stubbsy71]

When Rennae and Peschke played Doha at the end of season Championships, Rennae and Peschke knew it was their last tournament together. Peschke had already agreed to play with Lisa. Rennae did not have a partner for 2009 at this time. I asked her and she never mentioned playing with Sam. Rennae is very honest, her integrity and her honesty are her most valuable assets, so I never doubted her.
Whatever Sam and Rennae agreed was last minute, and it was never anything permanent. Rennae's been injured, and is still carrying that injury, so I wish them both well.

 

[Dave.]

Sam is playing no less doubles now than she used to when she was at the top :shrug: I do hope her and Rennae continue for the rest of the year as they do have the potential to do well. Sam needs to realise that doubles is her strong point and try to maximise her talent. Playing less doubles isn't going to help her win a singles title, she's already been a set away from a singles title on four occasions.

As for her split with Lisa, who knows? They were doing really well last year, I don't understand. But I think we can be sure that concentrating on singles was not the actual reason because she's still playing the same amount of doubles.

 

[^bibi^]

Well judging by Lisa's level of play lately, the answer seem kinda obvious.. She's really far from the great double player she used to be :shrug:

ANd Stosur knows she could easily get another good double partner :shrug:

 

[Dave.]

Well judging by Lisa's level of play lately, the answer seem kinda obvious.. She's really far from the great double player she used to be :shrug:

ANd Stosur knows she could easily get another good double partner :shrug:

Yeah I think that was probably it.

Although saying that, they still knew each other's games so well that it didn't matter how Lisa was playing. They still were the only team to reach 2 GS finals last year. :shrug: It's hard to imagine Sam will have those runs with Rennae, who hasn't been to a slam final since 2004.

Personally, I think Sam would have been better off staying with Lisa, but I do agree that Lisa is not playing well this year and has fallen out of shape.

 

[pwayne]

Yeah I think that was probably it.

Although saying that, they still knew each other's games so well that it didn't matter how Lisa was playing. They still were the only team to reach 2 GS finals last year. :shrug: It's hard to imagine Sam will have those runs with Rennae, who hasn't been to a slam final since 2004.

Personally, I think Sam would have been better off staying with Lisa, but I do agree that Lisa is not playing well this year and has fallen out of shape.

Agree on where Lisa and Sam ahould have stayed together

 

[The Dawntreader]

Yeah I think that was probably it.

Although saying that, they still knew each other's games so well that it didn't matter how Lisa was playing. They still were the only team to reach 2 GS finals last year. :shrug: It's hard to imagine Sam will have those runs with Rennae, who hasn't been to a slam final since 2004.

Personally, I think Sam would have been better off staying with Lisa, but I do agree that Lisa is not playing well this year and has fallen out of shape.

Lisa is slowly falling out of the doubles elite, and it's understandable in a way. She was injured for a time last year, so naturally her usual rigorous training regime suffered. Plus lets face it she's 34 years old now, and some way of her prime of say 2001 where her and Stubbs were racking up Slams. She's lost the quickness in her hands as well, and on serve.

 

[Dave.]

Lisa is slowly falling out of the doubles elite, and it's understandable in a way. She was injured for a time last year, so naturally her usual rigorous training regime suffered. Plus lets face it she's 34 years old now, and some way of her prime of say 2001 where her and Stubbs were racking up Slams. She's lost the quickness in her hands as well, and on serve.

Yeah I agree with you, but is Rennae really a better option? Yes she is a much better athlete in remarkable shape right now, but she is even older than Lisa, and despite the differences in their fitness, Lisa has still had much better results in the past 2-3 years.

Even now, Lisa and Kveta have been doing better than Sam and Rennae have. As long as Lisa gets herself in a good position at the net, she'll win with anybody IMO. It's getting to the net that has been her problem, as you said, she's too slow.

 

[The Dawntreader]

Yeah I agree with you, but is Rennae really a better option? Yes she is a much better athlete in remarkable shape right now, but she is even older than Lisa, and despite the differences in their fitness, Lisa has still had much better results in the past 2-3 years.

Even now, Lisa and Kveta have been doing better than Sam and Rennae have. As long as Lisa gets herself in a good position at the net, she'll win with anybody IMO. It's getting to the net that has been her problem, as you said, she's too slow.

No, i don't think Rennae is the better alternative. She's in better shape than Lisa, but her 'peak' years have passed IMO. A lot of her strengths (her serve, return) have been lessened by age, and her style doesn't seem well suited to Stosur's. They play too similar.

Kveta is a good doubles player, but she's no Stosur. Kveta has the ground game to compliment Lisa's volleying prowess, but she hasn't got a great transition game from the baseline to the net which Sam had with Lisa.

It's a strange move by both.

 

[Dave.]

No, i don't think Rennae is the better alternative. She's in better shape than Lisa, but her 'peak' years have passed IMO. A lot of her strengths (her serve, return) have been lessened by age, and her style doesn't seem well suited to Stosur's. They play too similar.

Kveta is a good doubles player, but she's no Stosur. Kveta has the ground game to compliment Lisa's volleying prowess, but she hasn't got a great transition game from the baseline to the net which Sam had with Lisa.

It's a strange move by both.

Yeah I was surprised by the switches. I think it benefits Kveta though, who is better suited to the (slightly) calmer Lisa than Rennae :lol:

 

[The Dawntreader]

Yeah I was surprised by the switches. I think it benefits Kveta though, who is better suited to the (slightly) calmer Lisa than Rennae :lol:

Lisa is the swearer, Rennae is the fighter:lol:

 

[GeeTee]

Even now, Lisa and Kveta have been doing better than Sam and Rennae have.

Huh???

Let's compare tournaments so far in 2009...

        STUBSUR	PESMOND

Sydney       R1         R2

AO	     R16        R16

Paris	     -	        F

Dubai	     -	        R2 (R1 bye)

I/Wells      R16        R32

Miami        Alive/QF   Alive/R16

Stubsur and Pesmond have both played in the same tournament on four occasions. The comparison is exactly equal at the moment with Miami yet to be determined. Pesmond's only success (Paris) consisted of beating no-name teams including a walkover in the semis..

Stubsur have only lost to Chan/Chuang, Williams Sisters, and Azarenka/Zvonareva this year. It's not like they're losing to dud teams. Also playing together means that Australia's Fed Cup team are advantaged.

And the best team in the world - Bluber - are hardly having a great season themselves, either..

 

[Dave.]

Lisa is the swearer, Rennae is the fighter:lol:

Rennae is a pretty good swearer too :lol:

It's funny that when she played with Rennae, Lisa had to be the calming influence yet she still would get mad at herself in singles

Huh???

Let's compare tournaments so far in 2009...

STUBSUR PESMOND
Sydney R1 R2
AO R16 R16
Paris - F
Dubai - R2 (R1 bye)
I/Wells R16 R32
Miami Alive/QF Alive R16

Stubsur and Pesmond have both played in the same tournament on four occasions. The comparison is exactly equal at the moment with Miami yet to be determined.

Stubsur have only lost to Chan/Chuang, Williams Sisters, and Azarenka/Zvonareva this year. It's not like they're losing to dud teams. Also playing together means that Australia's Fed Cup team are advantaged.

And the best team in the world - Bluber - are hardly having a great season themselves, either..

Lisa & Kveta won their debut tournament in New Haven last summer too.

I agree though, Sam and Rennae have only lost to good teams this year, but the same applies to Lisa and Kveta.

 

[stubbsy71]

Kveta honestly, she was too nice sometimes, the killer instinct is not one of her virtues and it was fairly obvious Rennae and Kveta couldn't play for much longer. Kveta had a great tournament playing with Lisa, and perhaps this gave them the idea to team up.
I'm bias for sure, but Rennae isn't only a great athlete, but her observation skills, her knowledge, her ability to motivate and get the best out of people is second to none. She will help bring a great deal to Sam’s game, and I think we will see that in some of Sam’s singles performances.

 

[GeeTee]

Lisa & Kveta won their debut tournament in New Haven last summer too.

I agree though, Sam and Rennae have only lost to good teams this year, but the same applies to Lisa and Kveta.

I was only comparing this year but even in New Haven last year (as with Paris this year), Pesmond didn't really beat top quality opposition...

R1 W LLAGOSTERA VIVES (ESP) / MARTINEZ SANCHEZ (ESP) 6-3 6-4
QF W KIRILENKO (RUS) / PENNETTA (ITA) 6-2 6-2
SF W RODIONOVA (RUS) / VOSKOBOEVA (RUS) 6-1 6-0
FR W CIRSTEA (ROU) / NICULESCU (ROU) 4-6 7-5 [10-7]

 

[Dave.]

^^

Llagostera-Vives and Martinez-Sanchez had won Acapulco, made the Tier I Final in Berlin, and back-to-back GS QF's at RG and Wimbledon. So far this year they have been one of the best teams.

Kirilenko and Pennetta had won Estoril and just before New Haven, they made the Tier I Final in Canada, where they bageled Peschke and Stubbs.

Rodionova and Voskoboeva had just defeated Davenport and Hantuchova in the previous round. Voskoboeva had just made the RG QF's too.

Cirstea and Niculescu were having a breakthrough run to their first final together. Cirstea actually won two titles in 2008.


The first two teams they beat are definetely quality wins. Especially considering Peschke was thrashed by Kirilenko/Pennetta whilst playing with Stubbs, but the scoreline was completetely reversed when she played with Raymond in the very next tourney.

 

[RiskeFan1]

It does seem like an odd decision. I certainly wouldn't walk away from a partner who I just reached the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open. Lisa Raymond has been written off every year for the last few years, but then pulls a huge result at a Grand Slam out of her ass. It could just be that doubles specialists like Lisa and Rennae want to pair up with other full time doubles players. In the event that someone like Stosur goes far at a Slam, it's not unlikely that they would withdraw from the doubles, something that Lisa or Rennae simply can't have happen.

In all honesty though, Stosur/Stubbs are home and away the best bet to consistently challenge Black/Huber. Rennae has been dealing with a leg injury and is a better player than her current results show. Raymond has won almost all of her Slams with someone that has a lot of firepower from the baseline (Davenport, Stosur, Stubbs, etc). Peschke is a good player and they obviously get along well, but she doesn't bring that to the table.

 

[CrossCourt~Rally]

Yeah I think that was probably it.

Although saying that, they still knew each other's games so well that it didn't matter how Lisa was playing. They still were the only team to reach 2 GS finals last year. :shrug: It's hard to imagine Sam will have those runs with Rennae, who hasn't been to a slam final since 2004.

Personally, I think Sam would have been better off staying with Lisa, but I do agree that Lisa is not playing well this year and has fallen out of shape.

True, i doubt Sam or Lisa will make a slam final like they did TWICE last year with their current partners. Its a shame as i really like all 4 players involved in the switch .

 

[mckyle.]

They broke up off the court, so they broke up on the court.