A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
A forum to discuss all things related to the Women’s Tennis Association.
Copyright © 2024 | MH Magazine WordPress Theme by MH Themes
I am so happy about Kvitova. How strong is she…It’s just inspiring. 🙂 That would be nice If she could make far in this tournament. But this is a really big win what she achieved today. I’m glad for her. 🙂
Me too, ToMMo! It brought tears to my eyes! Dear brave Petra.
Anyone watching Wozniacki against Jamiee Fourlis? 17 years old Australian, ranked 336, totally taking it to Woz. Just won the 2nd set, hitting winners all over the place. Definitely a future star.
Yeah joe…Some of these youngster’s..u know when they’re going on court,they played out of their mind..not afraid at all,knowing they’re the underdog..have all the advantage in the world..don’t have a worry or pressure at all..their energy and stamina wayyy above their seniors..but..usually the experience and mental strength will go to the seniors in the end…but,it’s good to see the spirits from the youngster’s…and there’s a lot out there Joe..I guess it’s just a matter of time for them to break out to the field and give a real challenge to the senior’s..
Just woke up…it’s too early here! I’ll try to stay awake. I wanted to watch Tomlinovic v Bertens beacuse I nearly picked Alija Tomljsnovic to beat Kiki Bertens. I love Alija Tom! She’s been injured a long time and still working her way back. Kiki will probably be too tough of a first round match.
But I see Alija has a break in the first set. 🙂
I like her too. She is a real competitor. But Bertens is another dimension on clay now. I really believe that if Halep is healthy enough to get there then it has to be a Bertens – Halep final for me. 🙂 As in my brackets too. 🙂
But of course there are several players who can get there like Kuznetsova or Svitolina…this could be another final. 😀
Anyway I like this tournament. Btw… today I made a bet on those players who all of us picked in this round…like manwerty, kpuppy, MA, ratcliff and me in the tennisdrawchallenge… Okay I sort out a few players but picked a lot from those players. I hope I will win. 😀 It’s still good.
Yes…Alija got a set but Bertens mowed her down after that LOL
Mladenovic is playing with a bad bad!!! OH NO! She might win this round but if that’s true about her back — there goes one of my brackets 😀
Good luck with your bets ToMMo!
I’ve already done much better today than yesterday picking WTA.
Not bad picking ATP either. My knowledge has slipped for WTA plus I’m too busy.
I;m very sad that Kiki Mladenovic can’t play well today – I had no idea she had a back problem 🙁
If Mladenovic goes out here, then I am done with bracket challenges for good with the women. I am sick of players being talked up and then coming out and not gettIng it done. Where did this back problem come from? I picked her to be a finalist here because she’s done so well.
The women are beyond all over the place. This RG could bec wide open.
The crowd is really trying to get behind Mladenovic here. She just broke and is now two games from winning.
I imagine that the pressure must be enormous on her. I think they said it’s been 17 years since a Frenchwoman won here.
Now Brady broke back. Unbelievable match!
I dont know = today was the first I heard of it Nny!
Dont go..Dont go…just pick at least two brackets next GS so you have a spare 😀
Azarenka will be back for Wimby. And Petra will be playing better.
rc,
I didn’t pick extra brackets. That’s the only way to go.
Mladenovic seems to be struggling with the back. She keeps bending over. Even if she ekes out the win, I don’t know if she can make it. There’s no way of knowing how serious it is.
Not being able to see the women’s matcges in the states hasn’t helped either. I am going blind with picks because I don’t know who is playing well.
I am done with Kerber. I checked my bracket and I had a brain cramp and picked her to go to the quarters. Not picking her to do anything from here on out. That’s on me because I knew she has not done well this year.
Nny,
Well I hope Kerber can make a comeback. But in one of my
brackets I picked Makarova. That’s why at least 2 Brackets are necessary lol
I hoping it just something like “time of month” type of back pain and they gave her something for it and she can get through this. Allez, Kiki!!
She held serve! And the her fans are encouraging her …
Yay….Kiki!!! She broke Brady and Kiki will serve for the match! Alleeee
Dang it. Brady broke back. Kiki was too nervous and in pain when she had her chance 🙁
This is maddening. Can Mladenovic finally hold serve after yet another break to win this match?
Maybe the French fans can help her get over the finish line.
Yay….wow…she fought through it. I hope she feels better by her next mach and it’s not a true back injury!
Oh, apparently it might be a serious back injury. She says she wasn’t able to practice for the last 48 hours. Well, good luck dear Kiki!
Finally! The emotion on her face! Hopefully she can recover. She’s in a good section of the draw. Mugu hasn’t been doing well and she’s the highest seed there.
Mladenovic injured yesterday while she was practicing. Doctors told her she would need 48 hours but obviously she didn’t have the time that’s why this was painful for her badly.
Muguruza will beat her and maybe Errani will have a chance against her too. I saw Muguruza today and she was very convincing. She played well in Rome aswell until her neck injury. I picked Mladenovic against Muguruza but now it turned around in me to Muguruza. If she can beat Kontaveit which won’t be easy by the way.
I realized that I hate Begu. Never pick her she is really unpredictable.
Okay….I won’t pick Begu, ToMMo! And thanks for the info about Mladenovic and Muguruza. Errani, is one I love, even though her serve is awful – she’s fun to watch.
It remains to be be seen how Mledanovic recovers. Now at least I know how it happened. Mugu may look good, but we have to see if she can sustain it. As defending champion she should have incentive to do well.
I hope that Mladenovic can get through this, but backs are tricky.
Yeah Mugu can play very good and then really bad…She isn’t really constant.
Kiki now has 48 hours so hopefully she can get better. 🙂
On the tourneytopia I accidently made two same brackets…but not the same as in the tennisdrawchallenge. 🙂 But tennisdrawchallenge is my priority. 😀 But mostly the same. I really have strong feeling about Halep and Bertens. But it’s a long way…this tournament just getting crazy as always. Nice matches today btw.
The bet what I made for fun about our tips can be 14/12 if Safarova can win her match or 14/11 if she will lose. That’s nice percentage even if it won’t give money. 😀
Dang I had Duque-Marino winning and changed it. She’s good on clay and so is Paraguayan, Veronica Cepede. I thought about picking her but I love Lucie Safarova too much to not pick her!
I did pick Haddad Maia for two rounds on one bracket 😀 risky pick vs Vesnina!! And I have Rybarikova beating Coco V. hahaha I just don;t like Coco. I don’t always use my head for picking.
Yeah I know they are good on clay but still…Lucie and Begu also could handle it…but not this time. 😀
I feel the same about Coco. 😀 And I picked Haddad Maia too even if it was risky. Vesnina is so up and down.
Oh, Maia at least got a set but Vesnina is up 5-2 in the third. I like Vesnina…I just didn’t trust her here completely. I picked her in a couple brackets, tho.
Beatrice Haddad Maia fought and got one break back but Vesnina has match point…that was a good match!
Vesnina should beat Lepchenko, imo.
TDC is my priority too…That’s where I picked Rybarikova to beat Coco. But I think I have Mladenovic winning on TDC…I can’t remember.
I have a total of 5 WTA brackets counting Tournytopia main draw, our group, and TDC. That’s too many!! Somebody tell me to stop!
I only have 2 ATP brackets I is on the main draw tourneytopia and one is in a Tennis-x private pool. Then I have one on TDC.
Tuesday FO Picks:
Barthel over Pironkova
The odds are way up favoring Barthel. I’ll be surprised if it will be that easy- Pironkova is dangerous. I picked the Bulgarian in a couple brackets.
Peng over Cirstea in 3 but odds are close and this one could go either way.
Cornet over Babos in 3
Townsend over Kato in 3
Konta over Hsieh in 2
CSN over Sakkari. Odds favor CSN so much but I think Sakkari will be more trouble than that — she might even win. I picked CSN but…
Svitolina over Shvedova
Martic over Bondarenko
Keys is slightly favored over Barty. I picked Barty in most cases, I’m unsure about Keys’ wrist.
Strycova over Riske
Garcia over Hibino
Osaka over Van Utvanyck — maybe
Vondrousova over Hesse
Maria over Duan
Kasatkina over Wickmayer — maybe
Halep over Cepelova — maybe
Radwanska over Ferro — maybe (ah Aga, please)
Bouchard over Ozaki — that’s a maybe, too.
Kristyna Pliskova over Pacquet (I’ve heard rumors of Kristyna playing better on clay than Karolina)
Sevastova over Beck
Im enjoying the unpredictability of FO on the womens side, to tell the truth i always pull for an underdog and a new champion, unlike the mens side where im always either Rafa or Andy ….
I enjoy the WTA unpredictability too. For so long is was mostly Serena with some Maria thrown in. It’s just wide open at this point. Unfortunately my most important WTA brackets have poor ailing Kiki Mladenovic winning. (it’s tough to keep on top of injury news – missed it) In her place I would put Muguruza, now that I’ve seen her play a match. Garbine looks good.
I enjoy unpredictability but not when its about injury. I went for Halep beating Mladenovic now I hear they’re both ailing.
I have mixed feelings about the whole unpredictability issue in women’s tennis now. On one hand it might make it more interesting and generate some excitement to see unexpected players doing well. But on the downside, there is confusion and disappointment when the #1 player can’t getv it together and when players come up with unexpected injuries. It can’t be helped, but just when Halep was healthy again, she got another injury. Then Mladenovic got injured while practicing. But when players like Kerber, Aga and Mugu are not playing well then I think it takes away from the enjoyment.
Mugu is showing signs of coming back and that’s very welcome. I know that one can say Serena’s dominance might have made things too predictable but I enjoyed her attempt to get the calendar slam and her passion and commitment to being the best. Azarenka and Sharapova also brought the fighting spirit and great quality of tennis.
So for me it’s a mixed bag because I feel that the competition hasn’t been what it should be. I hope that we wi see some quality matches with players giving it their best. That’s all I can ask.
NNY Good points, i was actually pulling for Serena to surpass Stefi, rather than it being about the calendar GS, i didnt like her dominance, i just thought it was an interesting talking point, i dont know if she will be the same player when she returns after having the baby, but id still like to see her get to 24 and equal Margret Court who i cant stand after the things shes said, i wonder if Maria will be the same by SW19, although Petra i feel will win that one if shes at her best, i have Halep for the title, just a shame shes ailing physically, and i had her beating Kerber in the final hmm, the other one i think could do well is Pliskova, and i actually think Venus or Kuzey could be dark horses, my two cents ….
In some points I agree with you mates but in some points I don’t. I really hated the dominance of Serena but of course I admit that she is one of the greatest…or… she is the greatest women player ever. but she wasn’t invincible in his last year or years. And Azarenka was really good when she got pregnant that’s true…but before that she always had injuries and she wasn’t always good. And about Sharapova…maybe she was the most unpredictable of these 3 in the late times before her ban. 🙂
My point is I feel too much hype of these 3 players…and of course I admit all of them…they are great champions.
But this year on clay Halep is really great…and about this injury…she had time to recover and I really hope that she did. So that is the reason why she is still my favourite to win RG. And Svitolina plays great the whole year even on clay. Kuznetsova isn’t worse than Sharapova was in her late years or now. Muguruza is getting better again. Her match was really entertaining against Schiavone. If Mladenovic’s back will be okay she is capable of really good tennis as she played this season. And there’s Bertens who is really good on clay and it seems she is in form now. There is Venus who is also a great champion and she feels that she has chance. And there are some players who can surprise us like Pavlyuchenkova, Ostapenko, Kasatkina, Pliskova or even Stosur… And I don’t want to underestimate Suarez Navarro… And then there are still big names like Cibulkova, Radwanska, Wozniacki who are not as good on clay and not in their best form but they are always dangerous. So for me…this tournament is great.
And please don’t take this as offense…I really don’t want to hurt anybody’s feeling… but… I really see that a lot of people whining all over the world because these names are not the same which they get used to. 🙂
Anyway I really enjoy this variety in WTA now. And we have already seen quality tennis without Serena or Vicka or Sharapova. And there will be many quality matches on this tournament to I believe in that. 😉
Tommo,
I don’t have a problem with anyone disagreeing with me. However, I do take exception to the idea that it’s just about the big names that people are used to. I don’t approach tennis that way.
I believe that Serena, Azarenka and Sharapova have all contributed in their way with great tennis and great competitive spirit. That’s why I miss them here. I knew that Serena couldn’t dominate forever. I think that is over. But she brought a fierce intensity and great effort to her matches. I respect that.
There are other women’s players who I really like it would be great to see them step up. I like Halep, Aga and Mugu. I hope that they all do well. I like Pliskova and think she can do great things in this sport. I like Cibulkova’s intensity. I appreciate Kuznetsova still playing so well at this point in her career. I am happy that Kvitova is back playing again.
So I can miss the great players who are not here while appreciating the others. I just want to see quality tennis and exciting matches. I would like to see some players take advantage of this opportunity.
Okay I understand now. That is reasonable. I think you’re right, I feel the same way. 🙂
What happened with Makarova in 2 days? :O This performance was rubbish…
I don’t know what happened ToMMo..i didn’t see it…all i know is that…some of us lose a point when she lost!…Argh!!Stress!!Hehe…
Sad about Petra, but having said that, i think it was probably asking too much to come back on tour after so long out, and expect instant success, i believe it was about getting matches under her belt, come grass i think she will be back firing on all cylinders again ….
I picked Petra to win two matches. One match was more like it. The HUG between Bethanie MS and Petra at the net made me cry.
And Bertens lost against CiCi…Big surprise but even if it is really bad for my bracket I’m glad for Bellis. 🙂 I like her very much.
Yay… Go Cici!! Awesome win for her!!
ToMMo, I love WTA 😀
great for the game
CiCi could win title (as could anyone else in draw)
Seriously!
Although I think Muguruza is coming to life. It’s gonna be interesting every day 😀
Muguruza is really getting better. We shall count on her. And Wozniacki played surprisingly well on clay today. 6-0 6-0 and reached the 3rd round on Roland Garros for the first time since 2012. That’s nice. If she can play better and better I think she can reach a nice result here maybe.
I think this tournament is great and just getting better day by day. 😀
Truer words were never spoken!
?
I just flipped the channel to check on Kiki Mladenovic. She playing Sara Errani — Sara is a speedy and feisty fighter but if Kiki is feeling better, she should win this match rather easily. fingers crossed.
Oh dear Sara made her run and used her great defensive game to break Kiki ,,,, so I don’t know. I don’t see any signs of Kiki being in pain yet.
Now I start to see it. She’s still having trouble, Kiki is. She’ll be lucky to win this round. Errani is a wily shotmaker. Even som normally Kiki would hit through her. Kiki appears uncomfortable when Sara moves her around.
I have been waiting for Mugu to get going. There are very encouraging signs!
I feel for Mladenovic. I can’t see the match, but a back injury is always difficult to deal with and can be unpredictable.
Kiki got the first set! One more Kiki, Allez!
Yes Mugu but she’s so up and down…many are but Mugu’s swings from playing pathetic to absolutely brilliant. She could definitely defend her title here – if she’s at her best.
probably more than Klizan will get against Murray!
They just flashed the score – Mladenovic 6-2 first set.
Nny,
Sara breaks to start the 2nd set. It’s never over for Sara…she’ll keep fighting. Apparently she spent many years in Spain, loves clay, and David Ferrer is her hero. She tries to play like him. So that’s what you get from Sara…when her legs are healthy, she can run forever and she’s a smart experienced doubles player.
Also Kiki had to see the trainer after the second set and seems more uncomfortable than in the first set. A retirement isn’t out of the question, I think. It’s her movement that is effected by the pain. Her serve and keeping the points short is the key.
rc,
Thanks for the update since I can’t see the match. So the back is affecting her. I am familiar with Errani. She’s not going to give the match away.
It’s just a bad break for Kiki with the hopes of the French people on her.
I think I used the word effect because whatever she was given by the trainer is perhaps having a good effect. Load her up with advil gel caps. I think anything stronger is off limits.
Errani is fighting to hold serve, as usual – poor Sara. Kiki is punishing Sara’s 2nd serve. And Kiki gets the break and will hopefully be able to serve for the match at 5-3. She has the love of her fans helping. Two more points. Match points….Sara fights of one. Errani is a Career Grand Slam winner in Doubles.
Sara fights off another …and it’s Deuce. Dang it Sara was all over those shots.
Now they switched to Kiki’s match! She just broke Errani.
Yahoooo wooot. Kiki wins another round!
Well done to Kiki!
She will play Shelby Rogers next, Nny. Still keeping my fingers crossed that Kiki will survive another round!
rc,
Do you know about Rogers? I am not familiar with her.
Fairly familiar with her. But I had to look up their H2H because I thought Shelby had beat her.
Last year in New Haven, Conn. Shelby beat Kiki 61 61.
They are the same age: 24. Kiki has had such a different singles experience this year tho — she’s all the way up to #14 and Shelby is ranked #49. But Shelby is a strong player. I’m a little worried because of the back issues. Shelby is very decent on clay .
rc,
Thanks for the info. I assume that Kiki’s team is doing as much as possible to help her in between matches. If she can still play, then maybe it’s not that serious. But certain movements could aggravate it.
Slams are challenging as it is. Kiki has a tough road ahead of her. I think she is on track to meet Mugu.
Nny,
If Mladenovic can get past Rogers…
…it’ll will be a miracle if she beats Muguruza. Garbine can be sensitive tho, and the crowd will be chanting KIKI, KIKI!
Kuznetsova is a battle-hardened professional and champion. Oceane Dodin actually was out–playing Sveta with the crowd behind their girl but Sveta isn’t at all put- off by a partisan crowd. It was close Kuznetsova over Dodin 7-6, 5-7, 6-3, but much more exciting than the score. Oceane Dodin really fought well – I knew who she was but had never seen her play; she’s tall, with a fine athletic physique, and power game. Hope she keeps that level up. Sveta had to dig deep into her box of tricks. Yay! Another of my three bracket champs, survives LOL
I’ve seen Dodin on WTA Budapest…LIVE…She can play really impressive. 🙂 As you said…she is rellay powerfull. A big hitter. Something like Vicka but Dodin is faster on court…Maybe the good example is Pliskova. Dodin can not serve as well, but she is capable of the same big winners. She’s a young player so I think she will be better in the future. I really like Dodin. And btw she is beautiful in real life even she is quite tall. 😀
Thursday FO Picks:
Match to watch! Vondrousova vs Kasatkina. I’ve never seen Vondrousova play but she’s had some very impressive wins lately; and Daria seems a bit flat. In one bracket I got carried away and picked the young Czech to make the QF, I think 😀
Konjuh over Linette
Strycova over Cornet
Svitolina over Pironkova (but you never know with Pironkova)
Aga over Van Utvyanck (come on Aga!)
Hsieh over Townsend
Vesnina over Lepchenko
Simona over Maria T.
Sevastova over Bouchard
Garcia over Pacquet
Duque-Marino over Rybarikova
Pliskova over Alexandrova
Pavlyuchenkova over Cepede
Parmentier vs Witthoeft is a toss up
Keys should beat Martic — but IDK…I’ve never seen Martic.
Suarez-Navarro vs Cirstea is another match I couldn’t pick.
The Kasatkina – Vondrousova match can be great. Two young talented players. I can not put my emotions away so I hope Kasatkina can win this one. She is really motivated now after her injury.
The Konjuh – Linette match can be tricky. For the bracket it would be nice if Konjuh can win this, but I am not sure.
Strycova beat Cornet.
If Svitolina has the momentum then Pironkova will throw the games away as always. That’s what I hope for. 😀
Aga win would be nice. 🙂
Hsieh – Townsend is a toss up for me.
Vesnina – Lepchenko too. For some reason I think Lepchenko can win this.
Halep for the win.
I think Genie can catch Sevastova even If she wasn’t so good in the first round.
Garcia beat Pacquet.
Duque-Marino.
Pliskova but it won’t be easy.
Pavlyuchenkova shall win, but I have some bad feelings there.
Parmentier can beat Witthoeft I think.
Keys surprised me in the first round. Maybe she will do this again.
Suarez Navarro can beat Cirstea.
So HAPPY for Kiki Mladenovic!! Missed the match but I’m sure Tennis Channel will replay it. It’s the match I’ve been dreading for Kiki…Garbine Muguruza next.
Yay, Ostapenko and Stosur, too!
Davai Sveta!
rc,
If you get a chance, do yourself a favor and watch Kiki’s match! It was something else! You really were spot on about Rogers! She made a real match of it!
The atmosphere was like a soccer match! Kiki pointing to her head and blowing kisses to the crowd was wonderful!
I think she will have a tough battle with Mugu. Things are getting very interesting with the women. Halep is looking good now. This could turn out to be a very exciting women’s RG!
Nny
LOL…I will…I have to go run errands very soon but I intend to see Kiki vs Shelby. I’m very worried about Mugu winning the next round. She’s grunting as bad a Sharapova these days. She pauses once in a while but it’s making it hard for me to enjoy Garbine like I used to…
mugu has been competing very strongly. she’s not playing at the level of last year but i reckon she could make the final or even win.
a lot of top seeds ahve been very unconvincing. thought pliskova was very unconvincing yesterday evening and kerber was an accident waiting to happen.
if halep is ok physically it should be her going through to the final.
kind of wonder also if venus could make some waves. i love venus.
Venux…why not?!!
Mugu has ramped up her grunting – have you heard it?
not really rc!! grunting seems to be an obligatory accessory for much of the tour! i ahve been willing her on too much to notice that much…
who are you rooting for? simona?
rooting for Simona…I didn’t pick her to win but oh God, I’d be so thrilled if she won. Also rooting for Aga to win another round 😀
I have 3 WTA bracket: one for Mladenovic, Svetlana, and Svitolina. Who are you hoping to win if Venus doesn’t?
what i am really really hoping for is for petra to go deep at wimby. with no serena and kerber a no show she must have a shot at doing well.
was wonderful to see her back at rg.
Not about Petra, amy. I’m just happy she’s back. I heard she wasn’t fully able to grip the racket without some pain still. I’m sure she’ll try. Maria and Vika will be back, I think, won’t they?
Watching Kuznetsova – Zhang third set. Svet up 3-0 in the third, but…it’s never over until it’s over. Zhang is in faboulous shape. But Sveta is one of the best fighters in shape or not.
am watching venus. she still has great game but i guess fatigue is always going to be a problem for her.
sveta is one of my faves and i’d be happy to see her win.
probably am hoping for too much for petra but as you say it’s just wonderful to see her back. what a fighter! i always like to construct romantic narratives for people, am very sentimental!!
Yes – you are a romantic – it’s a great thing to be, imo 🙂
it’s why i love poetry so much! and you do write well rc! stop being so modest….!
venus is looking good….
Okay then, thanks. If I take my time, I can tell a good story in writing. Got an A in creative writing at the Uni of Portland. Got on the deans list also, so I’m not terribly insecure. But I do think my skills and mind are both slipping.
venus drops serve serving for the set! damn it!
these things always come back rc. hard work though ….i don’t remember as much poetry as i used to…
first set venus!!
I’m not using spell check or reading my posts before posting lol
Amy, I’m not a good writer — I get too lazy about it. But thanks for your kind words on that other thread.
Sveta 4-1. Come on!
Shit…Sveta was serving for the match and Zhang broke her!
Ah no. I have to go. But Amy — so nice to read you here again, even if it’s for today. Please take care and come back soon.
i’ll be back rc, as arnie would say!! some days i have to do other things so don’t draw any conclusions from my absence.
lovely to talk with you, as usual…
venus wins!! she was awesome today….