[mexicotrip]

1997 french open final...What happened?

 

[jenglisbe]

Iva played very well, and Martina was flat. Simple as that. Some people thought Hingis assumed she had the final in the bag and didn't really come prepared to play.

People were surprised at Iva's win at the time - and still are - but Iva had a decent record against Martina at the time (I think Hingis led the head-2-head 3-2 before the final). Iva also played great that whole tournament.

 

[croat123]

Iva played the tournament of her career and martina was simply too over-comfident in the final

this match might have changed tennis history had it gone the other way, but i'm so happy iva won

BTW, this is the first women's tennis match i ever watched!

 

[jenglisbe]

What I hate is when people say Hingis would have won the Grand Slam that year had she won this final. Uh, how do people know that?

Had Hingis won this final, the rankings might have been different, which would have changed seeds and draws in future tournaments. That could have changed Hingis winning. Also, the pressure on Hingis would have been huge at the Open if she won the 3 majors before it, and who knows how she would have handled that.

 

[Kart]

Hingis had a very close semi against Monica.

I think she was expecting to coast the final but Majoli had other ideas - she hit her forehand hard and relentlessly and Martina was completely unprepared. Majoli played a great match and deserved to win. Martina took a rather long bathroom break towards the end and her mother had vanished from the stands. Some people thought maybe there was something going on there - Iva even complained to the umpire about how long she was taking. Personally I think Martina was just trying to get over the shock of the fact that she was about to lose her first match of the year.

In many ways it reminds me of the Oz final of 2001.

 

[Joana]

It happened that Iva played an amazing match - hitting hard, playing aggresively, taking complete control of the rallies. Martina wasn't playing well, I guess she wasn't expecting any of that.

 

[Martian Willow]

Iva played the tournament of her career and martina was simply too over-comfident in the final

this match might have changed tennis history had it gone the other way, but i'm so happy iva won

BTW, this is the first women's tennis match i ever watched!

It was the first match outside the British grasscourt season I watched. Can't remember much about it though. Hingis was just coming back from her horsey injury, but it's probably true overconfidance was the real reason. And Iva was a good player, and would have acheived more without all the injuries, so it's not that strange.

 

[bandabou]

Majoli just had what turned out to be the blue-print to beat Hingis: Make sure you´re dominating and controling the points.

To be fair, Martina just came back from knee surgery after she fall from one of her horses.

 

[jenglisbe]

I don't buy the knee injury excuse; Hingis made it to the final didn't she (beating Seles)?? Her knee must have been Ok. Also, the knee didn't appear to be bothering her in the final. Hingis was just outplayed.

 

[Kart]

I don't think she had any surgery.

 

[mexicotrip]

Majoli's game has always bothered Hingis. lol. I love IVA .

 

[Martian Willow]

I don't think she had any surgery.

It was her ankle, I think, and I'm fairly sure she did have surgery on it. There's a small item in Ace magazine from the time about it, but I can't be arsed to dig it out now. She did miss all the clay court warm ups though.

 

[jenglisbe]

Willow - Actually, she played and won the Hilton Head event. She then was out until the French Open.

 

[barmaid]

Yes, I always heard that it was the injury from her horseback accident that prevented her from winning the French OOpen that year and while she did reach the finals (as somebody pointed out) beating Seles....the toll on her body was probably too much to overcome at that point and
Majoli did play the match of her life....it happens!!


barmaid

 

[spencercarlos]

1997 french open final...What happened?

I played perfect tennis in that final, Hingis just ran out of gas, and Iva kept moving her around the court, hitting winners all over the places. I had never seen Iva play so well. She kind of turned on just in time to take her only grand slam title.

 

[irma]

she missed 7 weeks, not a year

 

[brunof]

Hmm, What is up with Iva now? She has had a terrible year, and I expected more. I hope she doesn't take another plunge in the rankings. Commitment seems to be a problem, and frankly it makes me sad. So much talent there, especially on the clay.

 

[tennisjam]

Iva played well, Martina was flat...

Martina just came rather unprepared after surgery...she had long semis against Monica...I think she was even engaged in doubles...

She ran out of gas, not a surprise for a 16 year old in those conditions...

 

[bandabou]

That was the signs of things to come....Martina just didn´t have stamina for long matches or for running much..as she hated practice.

 

[Kart]

Hmm, What is up with Iva now? She has had a terrible year, and I expected more. I hope she doesn't take another plunge in the rankings. Commitment seems to be a problem, and frankly it makes me sad. So much talent there, especially on the clay.

Too much partying was the rumour, although that's probably less true now.