[wongqks]

Hi,

I just saw part of the match between Monica and Anna, I am happy that Monica pull it through. But it is just become a bit concerning that Anna just could not pull through against top players, she can certainly give all players a very tough match, but in the third set she will lose. In this match, she play very good aggressive and also creative tennis, her net play is very impressive, I think I would not be wrong to compare her volley to be as good as Martina Hingis.

I just want to see your opinions to see what she need to do in the third set? I mean does she need to go to the net more in the end, trying to dominate the rally I am not expert enough to analyse what she need to do, but I am sure some of you can analyse it a bit.

Just out of curiosity.

 

[veryborednow]

She needs to quit all her other activities and concentrate fully on modelling. It's the only way she will be able to compete with the likes of Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss...

 

[saki]

Anna already knows what she has to do. Anyone who can win a set from a top player can also win a match. She just has to carry on doing what she's doing.

Anna has some really great shots, I personally think that she's the best volleyer around at the moment, but she hasn't quite worked out what to do with them.

I think she'll get there, because she has before. It just seems like every time she's playing well, she gets injured and then her confidence is dashed and she has to start from square one again.

 

[marshmellow]

anna's lost two tough matches this year already, and both were lost in the third set (serena and monica). anna got ahead in today's 3rd set in her match against monica 2-0 but just lost the lead and let monica back in. she can't do that when playing the top players...

also she needs to capitalize on every break point she gets. over the years and so many times now, she could have gone ahead in the match but she just couldn't convert those bp chances. maybe she plays the tight points wrong sometimes. but she just has to cut down on those low percentage shots in crucial points.... i remember one time that she was saving set point and she's on the run, preparing her forehand for a shot, she's two feet outside the baseline, and she goes for a down the line winner........i mean what are the chances that she's gonna get that?

anna goes for too much sometimes when she could get a shot back as a crosscourt forehand and use the low part of the net....but noOOO...she'll try for those big bravo kinds of shots that when they clip the net they just make you cringe.

sometimes though, anna becoms too tentative on some shots....hopefully that changes with confidence...

last thing i can think of is the mental part. anna's not very strong mentally.

she'll have these lapses in the middle of matches and when she wakes up, she's dug a hole for herself. i think she needs a coach as well....but i don't see that happening just yet...

oh yeah, if she can be injury free for the rest of her career then it'll be soo great...

 

[auntie janie]

I think Anna has already taken the first step she needs to get to the next level-- she admitted she was not as mentally strong in the 3rd set as Monica was. First you have to recognize your weaknesses before there can be any hope of correcting them. This admission of a need for increased mental strength at the end of matches is a very positive sign for Anna and her fans.

 

[CC]

I saw her on a program on espn and she said (I'm paraphrasing) that she knows she shouldn't go for those risky shots but it's just how she likes to play. Maybe she can't help it. Some people like to play with flash, even though a simpler shot is more appropriate.

 

[Newinva]

Anna:Should do more modelling, star in more movies, make more adverts for underwear, and sign-up to as many endoresments as she can.

Why? Because she will never win a title, and does she really care? No!

 

[wongqks]

I think Anna has a lot of talent, and her reflexes to shot is really good as well, maybe it is the mental part, the temptation for going for too much in crucial moment, but all in all I am impress with her play today, a very hard hitting match with Anna produce some really nice touches at the net.

So I am sure she is not far from playing in her top level.

 

[Newinva]

LOL.VivalaSeles

Please remind me of her Title victories?

 

[wongqks]

May I remind everyone that this thread is about what anna need to do to take the next step in tennis-wise, not what anna need to do to take a next step into the world of Hollywood, it is utterly unfair to her to tell her to go do some modelling, it destroys the whole reason for this thread if it ends up to be one of those anti-anna debate. For once please talk about her tennis.

 

[veryborednow]

OK me = taking the piss. It was going to be funny, as long as nobody else took the same stance, but they did so now I look an arse.

Therefore, Anna isn't that bad a player. In fact she's pretty good cos she's been in 2 grand slam semis (that's right?) and was no. 8. She isn't going to win a title unless she enter a tier 5, if she does that and wins the first, then maybe the second one will come faster and some kind of confindence could be restored.

Seriously though, maybe cutting down on outside activities would help. When Jen was younger she had loads, now she has minimal and can concentrate fully on tennis and her results reflect this.

 

[Newinva]

As I thought! I am correct, yet again!

Anna has never won a Title, nor will she ever win a Title.

 

[auntie janie]

veryborednow,

One GS semi, not 2 -- in 1997.

 

[wongqks]

Vivalaseles,

There is no need at all to argue with him/her, that poster obviously is one those people who don't really follow much tennis, I doubt he/she ever saw her play as well, so nothing much to say about that. Yeah, I mean even if she never wins a title, she still play better than all but maybe 10-15 girls in the world

 

[wongqks]

Hi vivalaseles , nice to see you on board again.

I am having quite a good weekend actually, thanks, hope you have a lot of fun this weekend as well, next week gonna be very bad for me

 

[tiger]

the only thing she can do is:

more training

and less modelling


thats all then she will win her first tournament!!

 

[endiadjendiadj]

anna's problem is not the modeling as a few on this board have suggested. it's not the lack of training because i've heard commentators and other players state that anna is one of, if not, the hardest trainer on the wta tour.

anna's problem is MENTAL! she does not have that killer instinct that monica, the william sisters or hingis have/has. (please don't get upset with me if i've unintentionally omitted your fav) anna is one of the most naturally talented players on the tour. like hingis, she has all the shots but the difference between the two is that anna is MUCH weaker mentally than martina. their games are similar but the killer instinct in anna is missing.

gabby had this same problem. even though she won a grand slam and some other tournaments, gabby should have won more. she lacked that killer instinct the majority of the time. she was also one of the most naturally talented players on the tour but she just couldn't put it together upstairs.

 

[Vanity]

endiadjendiadj is right. That's what I've been thinking for awhile now. I think maybe she should see a sports psychologist, that could help!!!

 

[Aci79]

Why does everyone expect so much of her?

People just can't give her a break on asking "when is she going to win her first singles title?" "Will she ever win a title?" type of thing!
The same thing happened to Martina... in a different level of course..
"When is she going to win another grand slam title?" "Will she ever win another GS title?

Publicity wise, we are lucky to have Anna as a tennis player. A good tennis players! Even if she doesn't have singles title under her belt. She is still a competitor out there.
Look how many people come to watch her.. and how she brings up TV Ratings.
We might prefer her to be known as a tennis champ, but hey... not every player is capable to do so.
There are plenty tennis players who are struggling to even qualify for an event. Do we talk about them? No.

Her endorsement paycheck is bigger than her tennis.. so what?
Good for her... at least she is lucky enough not having to count solely on tennis like some other players.

As long as she participates in tournaments, and show us that she is still a tennis player, who tries her best to win matches.
Then.. it should be enough.

She doesn't go out there and start tanking matches.. or lose to lower rank players.

Talking about closing a match for Anna...
There are so many other players with titles under their belts who are still having problems with closing out matches once in a while..
We should give these people a break..
They know what to do, but it is just not easy to close out a match! That's why tennis is so exciting, because you never know until you actually win the match. Some players can do it better than others, and that makes them champions.

The fact that she is still there has shown us that she loves the game.
She could have quit and concentrate on her modelling or movie career, but she has not done so. And we should be glad for not having to lose a professional tennis player.

 

[Kart]

She needs to stay fit and keep playing like she has been.

The results will improve soon enough.

Anna is a great athelete, but she lacks the mental toughness of the top players - she has two options, see a sport psychologist a la Gabriela Sabatini, or keep giving herself chances to play the top players and eventually beat them.