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Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 6:47 am

I see you deleted your comment on Naomi. A shame, because I agreed with you on many points.

Now I do not think that Naomi is that bad: here game is- imo - indeed quite one-dimensional, but she can play it really well. Just like Maria S. is for me also one-dimensional, but when she plays her game at her best, she is hard to beat.

It must be hard for younger players to become part of the tour. It feels as if they have to choose between powerplay (at the expense of developing an overall game), or focus on variation and mastering all the shots and elements of the game. Finding the balance is hard. And whatever option you choose as a youngster, you never catch up on the other option later in your career.
Bencic/Kasatkina will never become full-on power players, and Naomi, Vondrousova, Ostapenko will never become players that mix it up all the time. I prefer the ones that focussed on an overall game, and I think that someone like Bencic will give me more tennis-pleasure than the others of the 97'class.

I also hope that Sabelenka turns into her main rival. I think that her decision to team up with Mertens in doubles may add some extra to her game; same goes for Mertens. It is a cooperation that I like a lot.

Looking forward to Halep vs Bencic (as well as Stephens vs Bertens). Not a coincidence that neither are ball bashers. And Bertens looks like the one to beat in this event. But any combination in the final is OK for me :-)
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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 6:48 am

Rex: I still can see the post (as Commish) and restore it if you want... But I guess you had your reasons for removing it...
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"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 8:10 am

Match started evenly until 2-2, then Halep went into full-mode and won 4 in a row.

Belinda looks a bit lost on the clay for the moment. I hope she can make it a bit more of a contest in Set 2, but Halep looks like a (future) #1... I think that she gets to that spot if she wins this event. And from what I've seen from Halep, Osaka and Kvitova in this event, Simona is the real #1.
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 8:14 am

Bencic is still a fighter... looked like a lost case when Halep broke on love in the first game of Set#2, but Belinda does a repeat and rebreaks on love.
6-2 1-1
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"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 8:25 am

Simona imo still looks like the better player, but somehow it is Bencic with a break ahead... 6-2 1-3*... good match

Edit: back on serve, Belinda leading 4-3. BB gets frustrated at times, but no reason to be as she manages to stay with Halep - one of the best clay-courters at the moment.
Still my money is on Simona, but who knows?
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 8:46 am

And we are at 6-2 *4-5... Bencic one game away from the set... Her stats at the net in this match are great, by the way: W:L 11:0... But regardless of the score, Simona is the better player. Not that Belinda is bad, not at all. She somehow manages to survive the Halep domination in rallies, and then take advantage of every opportunity.
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"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 9:12 am

:-) :-) because Bencic wins the TB without discussion: 7-2, and we move on to set 3...

And to think that Bencic did not play on clay in 2016, 2017 and 2018... and then to do this against Halep in a SF of a Prem.Mand, the day after beating the #1 (well, #1 on paper). No less than 22 winners from her in this set alone.
Hoping that the level of both stays the same in this final set (it starts well). The nice thing is that you never know what their next shot will be: no repetitive ball-bashing for sure.
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by Graveller » May Fri 10, 2019 9:29 am

Halep is amazing in this third set... 4-0 in no time.
Belinda did well in Set 2 - much better than expected - and in time she may be able to beat Halep on clay. but not now yet... not in 2019.

Edit: too bad it ended with a bagel, but that does not take away the great two sets we saw earlier. Halep two sets away from the #1 spot.
"Never argue with an idiot - they take you down to their level and then beat you on experience"

"Don't wrestle with a pig: you both get dirty, but the pig actually likes it"

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by djmm1962 » May Fri 10, 2019 2:33 pm

Belinda is a brat, and she reminds me too much of Hingis!! Glad she was bagelled after that whine-fest!!

Go Simona!!

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Re: Madrid 2019: WTA Draw and Result

Post by djmm1962 » May Fri 10, 2019 2:34 pm

Come on, Sloane!!

Immediancy is needed ~ Go super aggressive!!

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