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Kerber is so yesterday. I mean when a player implodes like this Catherine, it moves from the realm of failure to Tiger Woods implosion and it’s not that interesting anymore.
Good win for Mattek-Sands today over Kvitova.
I wonder if there will ever be a stylist anymore, a McEnroe, a Pozzi, a Rafter. Watching SteveJo this morning versus Coric, I know the guy is no 26 in the world, but his game is so patterned, hit a big serve, run around backhand and pound the forehand, no finesse. Qball the same way; Izzie the same way. It’s like the only stylist out there, and he’s never developed into the finesse player we thought he would, is DY.
Emotional win for Stevie Johnson. If you saw the ending, it’s hard to not be emotional watching it. He was on the court crying with the emotions from losing his dad recently. Unfortunately for SteveJo, he has to play Thiem next.
On the other side, Coric had a tantrum after losing match point that can only be equaled by Harrison. He smashed his racquet about 20 times, then when walking off he chucked his water bottle. It was quite a scene.
Dan –
I really think the Woods comparison is a bit much – Angie hasn’t had umpteen surgeries and various other scandals attached to her.
Kerber is yesterday ? Time doesn’t move that fast. She’s only been yesterday for about 5 months and she’s 29 for heaven’s sake, not 42.
An implosion at her age and at that rate has its own interest whether you happen to share it or not. You obviously don’t and that’s ok.
Players have come back from major slumps before. Angie might, she might not.
That has interest for me, at least. I don’t just follow winners.
Kvitova played two close tiebreaks and enough’s enough in her situation. She did very well to get so far, and in Paris which is not her favourite surface.
It’s not as though she’s playing at full power so Mattek-Sands win was far from a huge surprise.
When a no. 1 has gone through May without beating a top 20 player it’s quite an implosion. I didn’t mean she was taking drugs and having back surgeries like Tiger. I just meant her downfall has been swift and stunning. We look at Djoko and Murray having their troubles this year, but compared to Kerber they’re doing great.
Women’s tennis is at an all-time low as far as quality of play and interest. There just isn’t a single captivating player out there. Name me one?
Dan-
We know you’re not a fan of women’s tennis, neither am I in general, and I agree it’s at a low ebb but I’ve sat through some dire women’s competitions in my time so I’m not astounded exactly.
Captivating players come once in a generation if we’re lucky. We don’t seem to be at the moment.
And of course I agree that Kerber’s downfall has been outrageously sudden – that’s what’s interesting to me. It’s not just a physical decline. However…
Ceci Bellis is NBT – but from what I’ve seen she plays pretty much like the rest. Pretty though I suppose so she’ll make money.
The intrigue about the WTA tennis scene now is which player will step up to be the heir apparent to Serena? Will it be Bellis? Keys? Kasatkina? Ostapenko? Bertens? Konta? Kvitova? Bouchard? Robson? It will be somebody and we all are curious about who she will be…
Catherine; One thing we know about tennis with players like Dokic and Estrella and Harrison and Brian Baker and Capriati – we can never count anyone out. Robson has a lot of time to get her game and her fitness together. I would like to see Halep be the Queen Bee and I think she is capable of it but I can also see her getting to no 1 and after about a month just dropping like Kerber.
I don’t think there will be another Serena. Hopefully there will be a few good players who will be fun to watch.
I pay a lot more attention to the ATP than to the WTA, partly because I can see a lot more of their matches. But I was thinking about which women players I like to watch. Am not saying these are the best players, or future stars, just players whose games I enjoy.
I love watching Aga – her variety, accuracy, ability to make “impossible” shots, the way she will come in and finish points at the net. A very different player – Kvitova – her aggression, going for her shots, a strong serve. She has an all or nothing type of game but when she is on she is super exciting. I also enjoy watching Halep when she is not beating herself up and, among the youngsters – Daria Katsatkina and Bianca Andreescu. Bianca played some great tennis in Fed Cup matches, especially for a 16-year-old.
Doubles News: The Aussie team of Kyrgios/Thompson beat a top doubles team Herbert/Mahut. Their French fans (and others like me) will be very disappointed. Not a good day for French doubles teams – Benneteau/Chardy lost to Kubot/Melo. Struff/Mischa Zverev won over Jacq/Nys. Interesting that Mischa did not play with Sascha, maybe the youngster wanted to concentrate on singles at RG. Escobedo/Querrey up 4-1 in the third set over Bolelli/Fognini.
Very touching Chazz. Just heartbreaking for poor Steve but this once again proves how emotional adrenaline can lift a player to a higher level of performance. Always believed Johnson would be a top player, always saw specialness in the way he played and walked around at tournaments even when he was struggling in his early years. Huge huge win today vs a dangerous hungry desperate NEXTGENner.
Cibulkova is another one taking a plunge – out to a player from Tunisia.
Hartt – Abanda certainly got a thrashing today…. 0-0
There’ll be another dominant woman player sometime – history tells us that – but maybe not just yet.
I see Simona winning some GS but remaining vulnerable. Her game is quite similar to Angie’s, they played some good matches, but Simona is lighter and fleeter of foot and possibly she emotes more to get rid of stuff and Angie holds it all in during play.
Unfortunately, I was not very surprised at Abanda losing badly to Wozniacki, although was not expecting a double bagel. As I said before, am not a big fan of Francoise. I hope this experience shows her how far she has to got to be a successful player, and how much hard work it takes.
Whoa, Ons Jabeur beat Cibulkova? Jabeur is one of my favorites because she is so unique. She is a free spirit player who plays crazy shots and touch shots. I saw her hit two tweeners on the same point during a baseline rally and not a lob in US Open juniors years ago and kept an eye on her since. Did a Biofile a few years ago at US Open. She has struggled with injury and poor results but this is great to see her FINALLY getting a roll going.
Fanny has struggled since she left juniors but I spoke with her coach at Img in Dec and they went out to Vegas to work with Andre and Steffi but it's a slow process. Hungary also has another player the same age as Fanny who is rising slowly – Dalma Galfi. Have not see Stollar play but her coach likes her a lot but it's a long road.
Fanny has struggled since she left juniors but I spoke with her coach at Img in Dec and they went out to Vegas to work with Andre and Steffi but it's a slow process. Hungary also has another player the same age as Fanny who is rising slowly – Dalma Galfi. Have not see Stollar play but her coach likes her a lot but it's a long road.Click to expand…
I've been following Dalma Gálfi too, she actually had better results as a junior but Fanny has better game …
This is what they wrote about her under this vid:
"What a ball striker! Tremendous speed through the contact, and such crisp clean timing.. Fanni Stollar from Hungary, currently training at IMG under the tutelage of Margie Zesinger.. Watch how she gets hips turned into that deep backhand (the 6th ball that she hits).. and effortless power on forehands.. Only 16"
Yes Margie is pretty high on her. She said the difficult part has been winning so much in juniors (losing only about five matches all year) and then losing every week at the WTA level is very hard for her to endure. She said Agassi and Steffi shared great advice with Fanny at their home in Vegas. Agassi was very emotional in expressing to her how important it is to enjoy her career. Another hard part Margie told me was how veteran players from Fanny's country would walk right by her and not even say hello. Not going to name the name but she's playing Roland Garros. Once she adapts to the cold reality of the WTA Tour she is one to watch out for. I was really impressed talking with Margie Zesinger. She's an outside the box thinker/coach.
What’s written above are some of the reasons so few promising players come through from the juniors.
Most ‘great’ players leapfrog out of the juniors and start making noises on the circuit by 17/18. And they don’t look back.
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« Previous 1 2 3Dan Markowitz · May 31, 2017 at 8:13 am
Kerber is so yesterday. I mean when a player implodes like this Catherine, it moves from the realm of failure to Tiger Woods implosion and it’s not that interesting anymore.
Good win for Mattek-Sands today over Kvitova.
I wonder if there will ever be a stylist anymore, a McEnroe, a Pozzi, a Rafter. Watching SteveJo this morning versus Coric, I know the guy is no 26 in the world, but his game is so patterned, hit a big serve, run around backhand and pound the forehand, no finesse. Qball the same way; Izzie the same way. It’s like the only stylist out there, and he’s never developed into the finesse player we thought he would, is DY.
Chazz · May 31, 2017 at 9:18 am
Emotional win for Stevie Johnson. If you saw the ending, it’s hard to not be emotional watching it. He was on the court crying with the emotions from losing his dad recently. Unfortunately for SteveJo, he has to play Thiem next.
On the other side, Coric had a tantrum after losing match point that can only be equaled by Harrison. He smashed his racquet about 20 times, then when walking off he chucked his water bottle. It was quite a scene.
catherine · May 31, 2017 at 9:25 am
Dan –
I really think the Woods comparison is a bit much – Angie hasn’t had umpteen surgeries and various other scandals attached to her.
Kerber is yesterday ? Time doesn’t move that fast. She’s only been yesterday for about 5 months and she’s 29 for heaven’s sake, not 42.
An implosion at her age and at that rate has its own interest whether you happen to share it or not. You obviously don’t and that’s ok.
Players have come back from major slumps before. Angie might, she might not.
That has interest for me, at least. I don’t just follow winners.
Kvitova played two close tiebreaks and enough’s enough in her situation. She did very well to get so far, and in Paris which is not her favourite surface.
It’s not as though she’s playing at full power so Mattek-Sands win was far from a huge surprise.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 9:31 am
Yes it was a bad loss for AZ Andrew. It reminds me of young Federer losing to Luis Horna in three sets 76 76 64 (I believe) in the first round at RG.
Chazz · May 31, 2017 at 9:33 am
How about barely 18 year old Cici Bellis beating Bertens in straight sets? Pretty remarkable.
Dan Markowitz · May 31, 2017 at 9:51 am
When a no. 1 has gone through May without beating a top 20 player it’s quite an implosion. I didn’t mean she was taking drugs and having back surgeries like Tiger. I just meant her downfall has been swift and stunning. We look at Djoko and Murray having their troubles this year, but compared to Kerber they’re doing great.
Women’s tennis is at an all-time low as far as quality of play and interest. There just isn’t a single captivating player out there. Name me one?
catherine · May 31, 2017 at 10:01 am
Dan-
We know you’re not a fan of women’s tennis, neither am I in general, and I agree it’s at a low ebb but I’ve sat through some dire women’s competitions in my time so I’m not astounded exactly.
Captivating players come once in a generation if we’re lucky. We don’t seem to be at the moment.
And of course I agree that Kerber’s downfall has been outrageously sudden – that’s what’s interesting to me. It’s not just a physical decline. However…
Ceci Bellis is NBT – but from what I’ve seen she plays pretty much like the rest. Pretty though I suppose so she’ll make money.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 10:29 am
The intrigue about the WTA tennis scene now is which player will step up to be the heir apparent to Serena? Will it be Bellis? Keys? Kasatkina? Ostapenko? Bertens? Konta? Kvitova? Bouchard? Robson? It will be somebody and we all are curious about who she will be…
catherine · May 31, 2017 at 11:19 am
One thing I can tell you Scoop, it won’t be Robson 🙂
Where’s Simona in that list ? She’s better than most of the ladies you mention.
And I don’t think we’ll see another Serena for a long time.
This is an interregnum.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 1:23 pm
Catherine; One thing we know about tennis with players like Dokic and Estrella and Harrison and Brian Baker and Capriati – we can never count anyone out. Robson has a lot of time to get her game and her fitness together. I would like to see Halep be the Queen Bee and I think she is capable of it but I can also see her getting to no 1 and after about a month just dropping like Kerber.
Hartt · May 31, 2017 at 1:27 pm
I don’t think there will be another Serena. Hopefully there will be a few good players who will be fun to watch.
I pay a lot more attention to the ATP than to the WTA, partly because I can see a lot more of their matches. But I was thinking about which women players I like to watch. Am not saying these are the best players, or future stars, just players whose games I enjoy.
I love watching Aga – her variety, accuracy, ability to make “impossible” shots, the way she will come in and finish points at the net. A very different player – Kvitova – her aggression, going for her shots, a strong serve. She has an all or nothing type of game but when she is on she is super exciting. I also enjoy watching Halep when she is not beating herself up and, among the youngsters – Daria Katsatkina and Bianca Andreescu. Bianca played some great tennis in Fed Cup matches, especially for a 16-year-old.
Chazz · May 31, 2017 at 1:38 pm
If anyone is interested, the two videos near the bottom sum up the ending of the Johnson-Coric emotional match:
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/05/emotion-grieving-steve-johnson-defeats/66448/
Hartt · May 31, 2017 at 2:01 pm
Doubles News: The Aussie team of Kyrgios/Thompson beat a top doubles team Herbert/Mahut. Their French fans (and others like me) will be very disappointed. Not a good day for French doubles teams – Benneteau/Chardy lost to Kubot/Melo. Struff/Mischa Zverev won over Jacq/Nys. Interesting that Mischa did not play with Sascha, maybe the youngster wanted to concentrate on singles at RG. Escobedo/Querrey up 4-1 in the third set over Bolelli/Fognini.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Very touching Chazz. Just heartbreaking for poor Steve but this once again proves how emotional adrenaline can lift a player to a higher level of performance. Always believed Johnson would be a top player, always saw specialness in the way he played and walked around at tournaments even when he was struggling in his early years. Huge huge win today vs a dangerous hungry desperate NEXTGENner.
catherine · May 31, 2017 at 2:56 pm
Cibulkova is another one taking a plunge – out to a player from Tunisia.
Hartt – Abanda certainly got a thrashing today…. 0-0
There’ll be another dominant woman player sometime – history tells us that – but maybe not just yet.
I see Simona winning some GS but remaining vulnerable. Her game is quite similar to Angie’s, they played some good matches, but Simona is lighter and fleeter of foot and possibly she emotes more to get rid of stuff and Angie holds it all in during play.
Nekro · May 31, 2017 at 3:15 pm
I hope it will be Fanny Stollár 😀 She has great technique and she's a good competitor 😀
Realistically, imo Ostapenko, she has awesome technique and aggressive, confident game and mindset…
Bouchard and Robson suck and they're old too…..
Hartt · May 31, 2017 at 3:40 pm
Unfortunately, I was not very surprised at Abanda losing badly to Wozniacki, although was not expecting a double bagel. As I said before, am not a big fan of Francoise. I hope this experience shows her how far she has to got to be a successful player, and how much hard work it takes.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 10:55 pm
Whoa, Ons Jabeur beat Cibulkova? Jabeur is one of my favorites because she is so unique. She is a free spirit player who plays crazy shots and touch shots. I saw her hit two tweeners on the same point during a baseline rally and not a lob in US Open juniors years ago and kept an eye on her since. Did a Biofile a few years ago at US Open. She has struggled with injury and poor results but this is great to see her FINALLY getting a roll going.
Scoop Malinowski · May 31, 2017 at 10:58 pm
Fanny has struggled since she left juniors but I spoke with her coach at Img in Dec and they went out to Vegas to work with Andre and Steffi but it's a slow process. Hungary also has another player the same age as Fanny who is rising slowly – Dalma Galfi. Have not see Stollar play but her coach likes her a lot but it's a long road.
Nekro · May 31, 2017 at 11:52 pm
scoop said:
↑
Fanny this year already beat Vesnina http://www.eurosport.com/tennis/fan…-advance-in-charleston_sto6119624/story.shtml
I've been following Dalma Gálfi too, she actually had better results as a junior but Fanny has better game …
This is what they wrote about her under this vid:
"What a ball striker! Tremendous speed through the contact, and such crisp clean timing.. Fanni Stollar from Hungary, currently training at IMG under the tutelage of Margie Zesinger.. Watch how she gets hips turned into that deep backhand (the 6th ball that she hits).. and effortless power on forehands.. Only 16"
Scoop Malinowski · June 1, 2017 at 12:02 am
Yes Margie is pretty high on her. She said the difficult part has been winning so much in juniors (losing only about five matches all year) and then losing every week at the WTA level is very hard for her to endure. She said Agassi and Steffi shared great advice with Fanny at their home in Vegas. Agassi was very emotional in expressing to her how important it is to enjoy her career. Another hard part Margie told me was how veteran players from Fanny's country would walk right by her and not even say hello. Not going to name the name but she's playing Roland Garros. Once she adapts to the cold reality of the WTA Tour she is one to watch out for. I was really impressed talking with Margie Zesinger. She's an outside the box thinker/coach.
catherine · June 1, 2017 at 2:32 am
What’s written above are some of the reasons so few promising players come through from the juniors.
Most ‘great’ players leapfrog out of the juniors and start making noises on the circuit by 17/18. And they don’t look back.