Is it the worst defeat in your career?
Yes, you can say so. This loss today is very difficult
for me. I was leading. I won the first set. The second I lost, but
it was close. And the third set was within my reach but I lost.
This happens sometimes. She is a very tough player and she fought on
each point until the end.
Carla Suarez Navarro
I think I played very good in three sets, but in the important moments I need to improve my mentality.
Garbine Muguruza
Who is Judy Murray?
Maria Sharapova
We’re in the semis of a Grand Slam, so I’m going to respect her but not put her too high on a pedestal.
Genie Bouchard, referring to Sharapova
At the very beginning she gave me points. I almost had nothing to do. But then I was not showing enough courage on the court. Next time I'll show more courage.
Carla Suarez Navarro
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Sweeping the court
Courtney Nguyen asks: Is Simona Halep the most graceful player on the women's tour?
Martina Navritalova has been named the first woman to compete in the WTA Legends event, which will be held in conjunction with the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Not that some of us needed to be reminded, but the sexism in professional tennis is very ugly.
Genie Bouchard is the first Canadian to ever reach two major semifinals.
Oh, to have BBC access during Wimbledon. Both Laura Robson and Marion Bartoli will be commentators.
Martina Navritalova has been named the first woman to compete in the WTA Legends event, which will be held in conjunction with the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Not that some of us needed to be reminded, but the sexism in professional tennis is very ugly.
Genie Bouchard is the first Canadian to ever reach two major semifinals.
Oh, to have BBC access during Wimbledon. Both Laura Robson and Marion Bartoli will be commentators.
Sharapova and Bouchard advance to French Open semifinals
During the first set of the French Open quarterfinal match between
Garbine Muguruza and Maria Sharapova, it seemed as if Serena
Williams--by virtue of the blessing she bestowed on the Spaniard at the
net last week--was more or less beating Sharapova all the way from the
beach in Miami. A blessing is a powerful thing, to be sure, but so is
the will of Maria Sharapova.
Beaten down 6-1 in the first set, in exactly the same fashion as Williams was, Sharapova then found herself serving at 4-5 in the second. Wait! Hadn't we just seen this, or something very much like it? So, Sharapova held--emphatically. And then she broke Mugaruza, and then she won the set.
There's a lesson in this, and one that, as fans, we know well. On these occasions, you're advised to beat Sharapova in straight sets, or the outcome won't be one that you'll like. It will be kind of like closing a screen door to keep out a tornado.
Sure enough, in the third game of the final set, Muguruza seriously blinked. It was a long blink, lasting twelve minutes.The Spaniard failed to convert five game points, and that was that. Sharapova won the set 6-2. I didn't find the match very interesting--I never find these types of matches very interesting. I was much more entertained by what was going on on Suzanne Lenglen, where Muguruza's countrywoman, Carla Suarez Navarro, was engaged in a battle against Eugenie Bouchard. However, curiosity kept me returning to the Sharapova match. It apparently never occurred to those in charge of scheduling to not put both quarterfinals on at the same time.
Suarez Navarro led 5-2 in the first set, which Bouchard won 7-2 in a tiebreak. The Spaniard won the second set 6-2, then went up 4-1 in the third. 4-1 can be such a deceptive lead, and especially for a player like Suarez Navarro, whose nerves are her greatest enemy. Bouchard won ten consecutive points, then suddenly, it was 4-all. The Canadian rising star won the final set 7-5 on her third match point. She was simply too mentally stable to go away.
Bouchard reached the semifinals at the Australian Open, and now here she is again, on clay at the French. Are there any doubters remaining? In Melbourne, Bouchard's run was halted by eventual champion Li Na. Now she will have to face Sharapova, which is no small feat. And even if she should lose that match, Bouchard will have made a big announcement about herself to the tour.
Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci did some beating down of their own. The 2nd-seeded Italians defeated Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the semifinals. And top seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Peng Shuai defeated Cara Black and Sania Mirza to also go to the semifinals.
In mixed doubles, Kiki Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor were defeated in the quarterfinals by Yaroslava Shvedova and Bruno Soares.
Beaten down 6-1 in the first set, in exactly the same fashion as Williams was, Sharapova then found herself serving at 4-5 in the second. Wait! Hadn't we just seen this, or something very much like it? So, Sharapova held--emphatically. And then she broke Mugaruza, and then she won the set.
There's a lesson in this, and one that, as fans, we know well. On these occasions, you're advised to beat Sharapova in straight sets, or the outcome won't be one that you'll like. It will be kind of like closing a screen door to keep out a tornado.
Sure enough, in the third game of the final set, Muguruza seriously blinked. It was a long blink, lasting twelve minutes.The Spaniard failed to convert five game points, and that was that. Sharapova won the set 6-2. I didn't find the match very interesting--I never find these types of matches very interesting. I was much more entertained by what was going on on Suzanne Lenglen, where Muguruza's countrywoman, Carla Suarez Navarro, was engaged in a battle against Eugenie Bouchard. However, curiosity kept me returning to the Sharapova match. It apparently never occurred to those in charge of scheduling to not put both quarterfinals on at the same time.
Suarez Navarro led 5-2 in the first set, which Bouchard won 7-2 in a tiebreak. The Spaniard won the second set 6-2, then went up 4-1 in the third. 4-1 can be such a deceptive lead, and especially for a player like Suarez Navarro, whose nerves are her greatest enemy. Bouchard won ten consecutive points, then suddenly, it was 4-all. The Canadian rising star won the final set 7-5 on her third match point. She was simply too mentally stable to go away.
Bouchard reached the semifinals at the Australian Open, and now here she is again, on clay at the French. Are there any doubters remaining? In Melbourne, Bouchard's run was halted by eventual champion Li Na. Now she will have to face Sharapova, which is no small feat. And even if she should lose that match, Bouchard will have made a big announcement about herself to the tour.
Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci did some beating down of their own. The 2nd-seeded Italians defeated Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the semifinals. And top seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Peng Shuai defeated Cara Black and Sania Mirza to also go to the semifinals.
In mixed doubles, Kiki Mladenovic and Daniel Nestor were defeated in the quarterfinals by Yaroslava Shvedova and Bruno Soares.
Monday, June 2, 2014
French Open--what they said
After going down 5-4 in the third, I just sort of told myself, "Okay,
listen, you have to play aggressive. You have to go for your shots, and
nobody's going to give you the quarterfinals just because you're nice, so go gain it"
Andrea Petkovic
I’m really happy I’m in quarterfinals for the first time in my life here because I love Paris....I have a lot of confidence in myself. Day by day I play better.
Simona Halep
All the points were very tough. I just tried to be focused.
Sara Errani
I could have lost first round; that would have been real bad, right?
Sloane Stephens
The WTA should investigate Halep for anti-American activities. It was painful to watch how she kept hitting the ball away from Stephens, to prevent the American from hitting clean shots. She also quite obviously used excessive spin to confuse the American player and intentionally returned balls that Stephens thought would be winners. On repeated occasions she chased down drop shots that should have been winners. It is also deeply disturbing that the line judges joined in this xenophobic attitude, calling out Stephens' shots that had landed barely several feet outside the lines. To add insult to injury, the umpire awarded the match to Halep 6-4 6-3, without regard for artistic expression and self-professed big tournament experience by Stephens.
From a comment on Tennis.com
I wanted her...to run a lot on court, and I think I played aggressive, and I dominated the match, I think.
Simona Halep
I didn't feel like dancing. But people were coming just to see the dance. They were like, "Andrea, dance, dance." Then I sort of did it to don't disappoint the people.
Andrea Petkovic
Andrea Petkovic
I’m really happy I’m in quarterfinals for the first time in my life here because I love Paris....I have a lot of confidence in myself. Day by day I play better.
Simona Halep
All the points were very tough. I just tried to be focused.
Sara Errani
I could have lost first round; that would have been real bad, right?
Sloane Stephens
The WTA should investigate Halep for anti-American activities. It was painful to watch how she kept hitting the ball away from Stephens, to prevent the American from hitting clean shots. She also quite obviously used excessive spin to confuse the American player and intentionally returned balls that Stephens thought would be winners. On repeated occasions she chased down drop shots that should have been winners. It is also deeply disturbing that the line judges joined in this xenophobic attitude, calling out Stephens' shots that had landed barely several feet outside the lines. To add insult to injury, the umpire awarded the match to Halep 6-4 6-3, without regard for artistic expression and self-professed big tournament experience by Stephens.
From a comment on Tennis.com
I wanted her...to run a lot on court, and I think I played aggressive, and I dominated the match, I think.
Simona Halep
I didn't feel like dancing. But people were coming just to see the dance. They were like, "Andrea, dance, dance." Then I sort of did it to don't disappoint the people.
Andrea Petkovic
Halep reaches her first Roland Garros quarterfinal
French Open 4th seed Simona Halep, the highest-ranked woman left in the draw, advanced to her first-ever French Open quarterfinal today when she defeated Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-3. It was a bit hard to watch Halep and Stephens because--at least for one very long set--all the real action was taking place in the Jankovic vs. Errani match--more on that in a moment.
Halep wasn't at her best, but it's a good sign that on an "off" day, she can still win. The Romanian's serve, which has looked so good in the last few weeks, was tentative, and lacked the big pop and careful placement we've seen from it lately. Halep's movement was as great as always, though, and when the big points loomed, she knew how to win them. She worked her way slowly through the first set, gaining confidence as she went. By the time the second set rolled around, Stephens hadn't exactly folded, but she was clearly beatable.
Halep broke Stephens six times out of six opportunities. The 4th seed hit 19 winners and made 25 unforced errors. Stephens hit 15 winners and made 35 unforced errors. Stephens did a good job of getting her serve in, but she didn't really do too much with it.
Halep will need to get her new serve back in gear and clean up her game for her quarterfinal match.
Errani and Jankovic. Oh, the drama! The first set lasted 81 minutes and was as thrilling as anything you would hope to see on a clay court. Naturally, there were "things" going on. Prince was in the stands watching the Italian and the player formerly known as world number 1. Some Serbian fans were very annoyingly intense. Jankovic played with a painful right thigh, and was seen by both a trainer and a doctor, who applied massage, re-wrapped the thigh and provided some medication.
But for all her pain, JJ held at set point at 6-5 in the first set. Errani broke her, and then went on to win the tiebreak 9-7. The scurrying Italian fireball hit the softest drop shots throughout, repeatedly frustrating an already frustrated Jankovic. Errani broke Jankovic right away in the second set, and ultimately won it, 6-2. Errani also found a workaround for that second serve of hers--she got her first serve in 90% of the time.
There were some breathtaking rallies in this match, several of which went over 20 shots. Errani's next task will be to play Andrea Petkovic, who was able to fend off a spirited Kiki Bertens, 1-6, 6-2, 7-5.
In today's final match, which was moved to Court 1 so that it could be played before darkness fell, 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Lucie Safarova 6-2, 6-4. It wasn't until the middle of the second set that Safarova looked to be truly in the contest, and though she was able to take advantage of some of her opponent's errant ways, it was too little too late. Kuznetsova has always played her best at the French Open, and she looks as good as ever.
There are now two former champions left in the draw, as well as two Spaniards and two Russians. There are no Kikis remaining.
Here is the quarterfinal draw:
Garbine Muguruza vs. Maria Sharapova
If Muguruza didn't think getting Serena Williams in the second round was her worst nightmare, she might think that getting Sharapova in the quarterfinals is. The 2012 champion's three-set victory over Sam Stosur left no doubt that she is to be feared from now on. For her part, Muguruza still seems kind of relaxed, thanks partly to a smart coach, who took the Spaniard's phone away from her after she upset Williams.
Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard has pretty much had a romp through this event, taking out Angelique Kerber in the round of 16 as though it were nothing. Now she's up against an actual clay court expert, albeit one whose nerves have historically given her a lot of trouble.
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Simona Halep
Halep's performance today left something to be desired, especially in the serving department. Assuming she gets her serve back on for the quarterfinals, it could be very entertaining to see her and Kuznetsova play each other for the first time. The Russian is great on clay, but she can go mentally off at big moments. Spectators will see a lot of red dust as these two slide and spin and put on what I think will be the best show of the day.
Sara Errani vs. Andrea Petkovic
Sara Errani is a woman on a mission. In her own way, she is Sharapova-like in France. After going through a terrible slump, the Italian has her mojo back, and Petko will have to serve very well and be on her toes every moment to counter the volleys, spins and drop shots coming off of Errani's racket.
In doubles, the run of Kiki Mladenovic and Flavia Pennetta was ended today by Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. Also winning today were Marina Erakovic and Arantxa Parra Santonja, as well as 4th seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Perhaps most interesting, today's other winning team was the Spanish duo of Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro, who are both still in the singles draw. In fact, they are headed for a semifinal collision in the singles draw--only first they have to defeat Maria Sharapova and Genie Bouchard, respectively.
Halep wasn't at her best, but it's a good sign that on an "off" day, she can still win. The Romanian's serve, which has looked so good in the last few weeks, was tentative, and lacked the big pop and careful placement we've seen from it lately. Halep's movement was as great as always, though, and when the big points loomed, she knew how to win them. She worked her way slowly through the first set, gaining confidence as she went. By the time the second set rolled around, Stephens hadn't exactly folded, but she was clearly beatable.
Halep broke Stephens six times out of six opportunities. The 4th seed hit 19 winners and made 25 unforced errors. Stephens hit 15 winners and made 35 unforced errors. Stephens did a good job of getting her serve in, but she didn't really do too much with it.
Halep will need to get her new serve back in gear and clean up her game for her quarterfinal match.
Errani and Jankovic. Oh, the drama! The first set lasted 81 minutes and was as thrilling as anything you would hope to see on a clay court. Naturally, there were "things" going on. Prince was in the stands watching the Italian and the player formerly known as world number 1. Some Serbian fans were very annoyingly intense. Jankovic played with a painful right thigh, and was seen by both a trainer and a doctor, who applied massage, re-wrapped the thigh and provided some medication.
But for all her pain, JJ held at set point at 6-5 in the first set. Errani broke her, and then went on to win the tiebreak 9-7. The scurrying Italian fireball hit the softest drop shots throughout, repeatedly frustrating an already frustrated Jankovic. Errani broke Jankovic right away in the second set, and ultimately won it, 6-2. Errani also found a workaround for that second serve of hers--she got her first serve in 90% of the time.
There were some breathtaking rallies in this match, several of which went over 20 shots. Errani's next task will be to play Andrea Petkovic, who was able to fend off a spirited Kiki Bertens, 1-6, 6-2, 7-5.
In today's final match, which was moved to Court 1 so that it could be played before darkness fell, 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Lucie Safarova 6-2, 6-4. It wasn't until the middle of the second set that Safarova looked to be truly in the contest, and though she was able to take advantage of some of her opponent's errant ways, it was too little too late. Kuznetsova has always played her best at the French Open, and she looks as good as ever.
There are now two former champions left in the draw, as well as two Spaniards and two Russians. There are no Kikis remaining.
Here is the quarterfinal draw:
Garbine Muguruza vs. Maria Sharapova
If Muguruza didn't think getting Serena Williams in the second round was her worst nightmare, she might think that getting Sharapova in the quarterfinals is. The 2012 champion's three-set victory over Sam Stosur left no doubt that she is to be feared from now on. For her part, Muguruza still seems kind of relaxed, thanks partly to a smart coach, who took the Spaniard's phone away from her after she upset Williams.
Carla Suarez Navarro vs. Eugenie Bouchard
Bouchard has pretty much had a romp through this event, taking out Angelique Kerber in the round of 16 as though it were nothing. Now she's up against an actual clay court expert, albeit one whose nerves have historically given her a lot of trouble.
Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. Simona Halep
Halep's performance today left something to be desired, especially in the serving department. Assuming she gets her serve back on for the quarterfinals, it could be very entertaining to see her and Kuznetsova play each other for the first time. The Russian is great on clay, but she can go mentally off at big moments. Spectators will see a lot of red dust as these two slide and spin and put on what I think will be the best show of the day.
Sara Errani vs. Andrea Petkovic
Sara Errani is a woman on a mission. In her own way, she is Sharapova-like in France. After going through a terrible slump, the Italian has her mojo back, and Petko will have to serve very well and be on her toes every moment to counter the volleys, spins and drop shots coming off of Errani's racket.
In doubles, the run of Kiki Mladenovic and Flavia Pennetta was ended today by Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. Also winning today were Marina Erakovic and Arantxa Parra Santonja, as well as 4th seeds Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik. Perhaps most interesting, today's other winning team was the Spanish duo of Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro, who are both still in the singles draw. In fact, they are headed for a semifinal collision in the singles draw--only first they have to defeat Maria Sharapova and Genie Bouchard, respectively.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
French Open--what they said
Sharapova didn't even bother to RSVP, she just crashed through the front door.
Todd Spiker
I was really mentally prepared for anything, for a battle.
Eugenie Bouchard
How quickly things can turn. I don't think I did much wrong. It was just one of those things. You miss a ball, she hits a good serve next one, play a sloppy game, and all of a sudden, you're even--and she runs away with it.
Sam Stosur
I didn't play my best tennis today. I couldn't find my rhythm. I was completely not on the court. I was there and I was trying to come back, but I just wasn't feeling the ball, and it was really tough. I don't really know what happened.
Angelique Kerber
It was difficult to return her serve. Although I was able to break her, I wasn't feeling comfortable.
Carla Suarez Navarro
Of course, now I'm very happy what I did. But I want to continue.
Garbine Muguruza
Why wouldn't there be? I'm in a Grand Slam fourth round. I lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open. I lost the first set playing an opponent who's played a great tournament so far. There's no reason why I should be walking around with my head down.
Maria Sharapova, on her display of intense emotion
Eugenie, did you have a plane to catch today?
Nope.
Eugenie Bouchard
Todd Spiker
I was really mentally prepared for anything, for a battle.
Eugenie Bouchard
How quickly things can turn. I don't think I did much wrong. It was just one of those things. You miss a ball, she hits a good serve next one, play a sloppy game, and all of a sudden, you're even--and she runs away with it.
Sam Stosur
I didn't play my best tennis today. I couldn't find my rhythm. I was completely not on the court. I was there and I was trying to come back, but I just wasn't feeling the ball, and it was really tough. I don't really know what happened.
Angelique Kerber
It was difficult to return her serve. Although I was able to break her, I wasn't feeling comfortable.
Carla Suarez Navarro
Of course, now I'm very happy what I did. But I want to continue.
Garbine Muguruza
Why wouldn't there be? I'm in a Grand Slam fourth round. I lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open. I lost the first set playing an opponent who's played a great tournament so far. There's no reason why I should be walking around with my head down.
Maria Sharapova, on her display of intense emotion
Eugenie, did you have a plane to catch today?
Nope.
Eugenie Bouchard
Spaniards continue dominant run at Roland Garros
Both Garbine Muguruza and Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to the quarterfinals of the French Open today. Muguruza took out wild card Pauline Parmentier, the last Frenchwoman standing, in straight sets (6-4, 6-2). Parmentier fought as hard as she could againt the rising Spanish star, but to no avail.
Suarez Navarro, seeded 14th, had to deal with yet another of the tournament's upstarts, Ajla Tomljanovic. She defeated Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-3.
No one had an easier time of it than Genie Bouchard, who needed just 51 minutes to roll 8th seed Angelique Kerber into a German pancake. Bouchard was simply relentless, hitting 30 winners and making only eleven unforced errors. She was successful nine of nine times at the net, and she should be, shall we say. pretty rested for her quarterfinal meeting with Suarez Navarro.
And then there was 'Pova. She lost the first set (double-faulting on the final point) to an aggressive and on-target Sam Stosur. Then, with the Russian serving at 3-4, 30-all in the second set, something happened. Actually, two things happened: Stosur began her not quite inevitable but not unusual decline, and Sharapova turned on whatever switch it is that she turns on when it looks like she's close to losing to someone she's accustomed to dominating. The 2012 champion won nine straight games, and really, Stosur might just as well have been in the stands for most of it.
Sharapova went a bit crazy out there. At 5-0, she was yelling and shaking her fist like someone performing in Le Theatre National de Bartoli. What can you say, except this is Maria at her fighting best, and this is Stosur at her--well, you know.
The two top doubles seeds--Hsieh and Peng, and Errani and Vinci--both advanced today.
Kerber and Stosur weren't the only entities to collapse today. The Roland Garros app for the iPhone and iPad died--I don't know whether the Android app went out with it. I woke up early this morning and found that my phone app wouldn't open, but it was hours before my iPad app stopped functioning. According to a report on Roland Garros Radio, officials are "working on it."
Suarez Navarro, seeded 14th, had to deal with yet another of the tournament's upstarts, Ajla Tomljanovic. She defeated Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-3.
No one had an easier time of it than Genie Bouchard, who needed just 51 minutes to roll 8th seed Angelique Kerber into a German pancake. Bouchard was simply relentless, hitting 30 winners and making only eleven unforced errors. She was successful nine of nine times at the net, and she should be, shall we say. pretty rested for her quarterfinal meeting with Suarez Navarro.
And then there was 'Pova. She lost the first set (double-faulting on the final point) to an aggressive and on-target Sam Stosur. Then, with the Russian serving at 3-4, 30-all in the second set, something happened. Actually, two things happened: Stosur began her not quite inevitable but not unusual decline, and Sharapova turned on whatever switch it is that she turns on when it looks like she's close to losing to someone she's accustomed to dominating. The 2012 champion won nine straight games, and really, Stosur might just as well have been in the stands for most of it.
Sharapova went a bit crazy out there. At 5-0, she was yelling and shaking her fist like someone performing in Le Theatre National de Bartoli. What can you say, except this is Maria at her fighting best, and this is Stosur at her--well, you know.
The two top doubles seeds--Hsieh and Peng, and Errani and Vinci--both advanced today.
Kerber and Stosur weren't the only entities to collapse today. The Roland Garros app for the iPhone and iPad died--I don't know whether the Android app went out with it. I woke up early this morning and found that my phone app wouldn't open, but it was hours before my iPad app stopped functioning. According to a report on Roland Garros Radio, officials are "working on it."
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