I wish I could have seen the Zurich match between Daniela Hantuchova and Maria Kirilenko. They both have such elegant games, and I think it would have been a pleasure to see them play each other again. It wasn't a pleasure for Hantuchova today, though. Having struggled ever since she returned to the tour after a long injury layoff, the 8th-seeded Hantuchova lost to Kirilenko, who claimed the match, 7-5, 6-2.
The situation was even worse for former world number 1 Amelie Mauresmo, who won only three games against Victoria Azarenka. The 6-2, 6-1 scoreline had to be a hard reality for the woman with the most elegant game of all.
It wasn't a bad day just for veterans, though. Alize Cornet, who appeared to be totally in control, with several chances to win her match, ultimately lost it to a very tough Alona Bondarenko.
I feel so sad for Amelie....do you think she should retire, Diane?
ReplyDeleteShe's getting a new coach for next season. I'd like to see how she does with him/her before I start writing her off. At this point, her problems are probably mostly mental, and a good coach could turn that around.
ReplyDeleteI feel sad for her, too, Claire. And I miss seeing that beautiful game in later rounds. There will never be another game quite like hers, and there certainly won't be one as elegant among current players (though I give both Hantuchova and Kirilenko points in that category).
I think she is too talented and too good an athlete to walk away. She needs to put this season behind her. Here's hoping a new coach will turn her around. It's not like there's a lot of time...
wise words indeed, Diane.....half of me felt sad to have missed the match but the other half was the nearest I could ever get to feeling glad not to have seen her - I could watch Amelie play anyone, anytime, anywhere, but it's so awful when she has such a bad game.....
ReplyDeletehere's hoping a new coach, new season, and hopefully a chunk of good luck will lift her to something approaching her old self....I don't want to see her retire just yet: but whatever she does, she'll always be my champion. A truly great player; elegant, graceful - she even has just a tiny little 'grunt', and it's a graceful one :)
no-one else quite like her, and there never will be.
Any truth in the rumours of Martina Navratilova helping out?
I don't know anything about that rumor, nor do I have a feel for whether Martina would be good at that.
ReplyDeleteI think it was on one of the many forums, so I rather imagine it's speculation .... can't see it happening, and my own thoughts are that it would be too 'high profile', which wouldn't lend itself to settling Amelie down ...
ReplyDeleteaccording to L'equipe...Martina Navratilova has
ReplyDelete"thrown her name in the hat". Amelie has got a list of French coaches lined up according to reports/rumours but I hope she has John McEnroe's number!
dani
That's interesting. I can't imagine how anyone can even be in a room with John McEnroe, much less be coached by him, but it's not my worry.
ReplyDelete