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Maria’s Big D begins...

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Graveller » Aug Wed 14, 2019 3:14 pm

Poor mytiwtiw... reality is that Maria gets breadsticked by top players that still have not reached their peak, whereas Maria is only getting worse (age-wise, healthwise).

No matter how hard she practices, the firs5 decent top player that she meets at the US Open will give her the Barty-treatment.

Hard to accept for a fan(atic), but it is the fate for every player... look at what happens to Azarenka too... or Serena (at least she has still some real weapons that keep her more or less alive against the next generation).
"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: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Grossefavourite » Aug Wed 14, 2019 3:36 pm

Maria Sharapova: 'Patience is not one of my best qualities'.

Ummm, that's what got you in trouble in the first place.

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Grossefavourite » Aug Wed 14, 2019 6:37 pm

BARTY SETS A DIABOLICAL TRAP FOR SHARAPOVA TO SECURE WIN IN CINCINNATI
The top-seeded Aussie used her slice backhand to force the five-time Grand Slam to make no-win decisions.

Ashleigh Barty is the one of the nicest people in tennis, but she set a diabolical trap for Maria Sharapova on Wednesday at the Western & Southern Open.

It began with her slice backhand, a shot that she hits as smoothly and effectively as anyone in tennis. But against the 6’2” Sharapova, it was even more effective than usual. When a rally began today, Barty would send a low, biting underspin backhand across the net. It didn’t have to have much pace or be especially well placed. The point was to force Sharapova to (a) bend down and hit up on the ball to get it over the net; and (b) make a no-win decision about where to put her next shot. If Sharapova went back to Barty’s backhand, she would get another low slice in return; if she went to Barty’s forehand, she risked having the Australian pop her powerful topspin forehand into the corner for a winner.

Sharapova didn’t play badly for much of this match, but she couldn’t escape that trap. With Barty changing speeds and spins on each shot, Sharapova could never find a rhythm for long; it took her a set and a half to hit a clean, penetrating backhand off a Barty slice. For the match, Sharapova hit 16 winners and made 31 errors, and whenever a big point arrived, she was the one to misfire. Her last stand came with Barty serving at 2-0 in the second set. Four times Sharapova reached break point; on three of them, she missed makable forehands. She finished the match one of seven on break points. Despite some flashes of her old self this week, Sharapova hasn’t put together two wins at an event since the Australian Open, and today she couldn’t find the shots she needed when she needed them most.

While Sharapova spun her wheels, Barty picked up speed and looked more comfortable with each game. Her full range was display today. She bailed herself out with aces. She was precise with her putaway forehand. She won five of six points at net. And she closed with a little bit of old-school flair: With Sharapova serving at 1-4 in the second set and hanging on by a thread, Barty broke her again with a perfectly measured drop shot-topspin lob combination.

The top seed made it look easy, but after early losses at Wimbledon and in Toronto, it was a win she needed.
Last edited by Grossefavourite on Aug Wed 14, 2019 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Grossefavourite » Aug Wed 14, 2019 6:39 pm

Barty Shatters Sharapova in Cincinnati

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Carving out a backhand drop shot that fluttered like a butterfly, Ashleigh Barty dragged Maria Sharapova to net then played over the 6’2” Russian’s head with a loopy lob winner.

The top seed spent much of this blockbuster match giving the five-time Grand Slam champion the runaround.

Barty dissected Sharapova with variety roaring through 11 of the final 13 games in a 6-4, 6-1 dismissal to charge into the Cincinnati round of 16.

“Overall, it was a pretty clean performance,” Barty told Tennis Channel’s Chanda Rubin afterward. “It’s difficult to come out against a player like Maria. She's an incredible champion, knows how to fight and makes you win every single point. So I was happy to hang in there and win the big ones.”

It was Barty’s first win since her third round defeat of Harriet Dart at Wimbledon last month.

Facing a 1-3 deficit, Barty broke in four of Sharapova’s last seven service games.

"That's what makes this game so tough is one day you're playing someone that's extremely aggressive, another day you're playing someone that has a great backhand slice," Sharapova said. "She's using her forehand quite well, as well. I think that's what's really gotten her to the top.

"She's a little bit more consistent on that side. And serve, as you saw in those bigger points, really found the lines. Yeah, didn't let up."

The 23-year-old Aussie improved to 40-7 on the season—only three of her seven losses have come to opponents ranked outside the Top 10. Barty is second to 2018 champion Kiki Bertens (41-16) and Karolina Pliskova (41-11) for most wins on the WTA this season.

Barty will play Anett Kontaveit for a quarterfinal spot. The Estonian baseliner beat Iga Swiatek, 6-4, 7-6(2), one round after she conquered 13th-seeded Angelique Kerber, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

“I think I didn't serve as well as I would have liked to today, but I think I did a really good job behind my second serve,” Barty said. “It’s Important for me to trust myself and trust my second serve.”

Wild card Sharapova shoveled a backhand wide to face set point. Barty snatched the 44-minute opener and rode the winning wave into the second set.

As the match progressed, Barty's forehand grew more ferocious, while the 2011 champion’s errors escalated. Barty banged a diagonal forehand breaking for the second time in a row for 2-0.

In the near 11-minute game that followed, Sharapova stepped into the court repeatedly earning four break points. Barty withstood every test using her slice backhand to defend and drilling her forehand to attack.

The top-seeded Aussie held firm reeling off her fifth straight game for a 3-0 second-set lead.

Chasing a stray toss, Sharapova spit up her sixth double fault. Barty unleashed the slick backhand drop shot and lob combination bamboozling Sharapova with shot selection to break for 5-1.

A wild backhand return ended a one hour, 27-minute triumph.

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Grossefavourite » Aug Wed 14, 2019 6:43 pm

Ashleigh Barty thrashes Maria Sharapova to advance to third round in Cincinatti

Top seed Ashleigh Barty has beaten Maria Sharapova in straight sets to advance to the third round of the Cincinnati Open.

The world No.2, who had suffered a slump in form since her early exit from Wimbledon last month, comfortably beat the former Cincinnati champion 6-4 6-1 in one hour and 27 minutes in the second round on Wednesday.

In an initially evenly matched contest, the pair exchanged point for point to be 4-4 before Barty broke away and closed out the first set 6-4. The French Open champion then raced to a 3-0 lead in the second before Sharapova pulled one back.

But Barty immediately took the next point to be up 4-1 after the Russian overhit her return of the Australian’s second serve.

The world No.2 then won a crucial breakpoint with her well-timed drop shot bringing Sharapova up to the net, before she exquisitely lobbed the ball back inside the flat-footed Russian’s baseline to make it 5-1.

The 23-year-old wasted no time getting into position to serve out for the win, again sealing the set with her second serve.

Barty, who had a bye in the first round, avoided a consecutive opening defeat at a WTA event after she was beaten 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 by American Sofia Kenin at last week’s Canadian Open.

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by djmm1962 » Aug Thu 15, 2019 6:26 am

Mytiwtiw wrote:
Aug Wed 14, 2019 11:22 am
Wednesday .... Maria’s day @ Cincy 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🎉👍🏻🌋

Hmmm, I guess that didn't work out :lol:

LOL!!

Gazelle stripes down her face and a breath right strip across her nose :shock: Wheeew!!

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Ace2Ace » Aug Thu 15, 2019 7:12 am

djmm1962 wrote:
Aug Thu 15, 2019 6:26 am
Mytiwtiw wrote:
Aug Wed 14, 2019 11:22 am
Wednesday .... Maria’s day @ Cincy 🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🎉👍🏻🌋
Hmmm, I guess that didn't work out :lol:
LOL!!
Gazelle stripes down her face and a breath right strip across her nose :shock: Wheeew!!
That is to scare off the little girls... Too many dangerous teens around the WTA lately.

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by djmm1962 » Aug Thu 15, 2019 7:21 am

It's not working, LOL!!

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by Ace2Ace » Aug Thu 15, 2019 7:28 am

Once, she forgot she had that Russian makeup. She's been crying a lot. And the marks became like a tattoo. They won't go away. Who told her to use Russian made product?

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Re: Maria’s Big D begins...

Post by djmm1962 » Aug Thu 15, 2019 10:11 am

It does look like a tattoo :)

LMAO!!

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