OT: Aussie Open

[wire chief]

Women's semis begin at 10pm with Coco & Venus.

 

[triaddukefan]

Glad to see that 3 out of the 4 men's semi-finalists hit one handed backhands.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Good thought. Do we know if he be interested?

He should have at least been asked the question. Maybe it was asked privately and never disclosed.

 

[EricLA]

While we certainly hope so, what, in your opinion, separates Ms Vandeweghe from all the other American hopefuls who have come and have gone away just as quickly?

It is more than obvious that the Williams sisters are supremely talented tennis players who have long exceeded the test of time. Yet Richard Williams seems a mere after thought. One would think he would have been offered any number of positions in the tennis world training and preparing young tennis players.

For me, I think Coco will be around for a while, but also Madison Keys. Both have big games, Coco moves better than Madison and I think has a bigger serve, and while neither is fleet of foot, they aren't Davenport either...

I think Americans are on the rise. I don't expect to see 4 or 5 in the top 10 any time soon, but if Venus hangs around (and Serena) for a few more years, you could see Coco, Madison, Serena and Venus all top 10'ish players. Just my $.02 but I think the game is moving more towards power tennis and crafty players like Radwanska and Wozniaki will have a harder time remaining at the top. Players like Pliskova, Halep, Serena, Venus, Garbine, Madison, Coco, Lucic-Baroni, etc are all had hitters, and while Kerber doesn't hit as hard, she hits hard enough and chases everything down.

 

[Hope]

I'm a big Rafa fan but his hair loss has me in tears. His victory over Raonic was encouraging. If he could win one more French Open Championship, which would be #10, I think we would both be supremely happy. (Hi Uncle Tony)

 

[VAUConnFan]

One has to believe that experience was the difference in tonight's first semifinal. One cannot help but be happy for Venus. Especially since quite a few of us, myself included, while resigned to the fact that she is years removed from her best tennis, never believed she would play in another grand slam final. She is truly playing for the love of the game.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Venus!!!!!! Wouldn't a Venus Serena final be inspiring?

You are halfway there.

 

[DaddyChoc]

You are halfway there.

thanks for the update

 

[DaddyChoc]

wow, what a Finals this is going to be... we need Serena to win to add to her totals number BUT it would be cool for Venus to snag a title... but not from her lil sis.

Richard must be pulling his hair out

 

[cordarone]

So we got an all-Williams women's final, likely Roger-Rafa in the men's and even the Bryan brothers in the doubles .
What year is this again- 2007?

 

[rugbymate]

if you want to watch a classy press conference go on the ausopen site and watch Lucic-Baroni....so real, so grateful, so what sport should be all about

 

[VAUConnFan]

A recent tennis article discussing something about which I had not given any thought; That the overwhelming dominance of power in the women's game means that teenaged phenoms have become extinct.
As well as Ms Vandeweghe has played in the Australian Open, as good as she is projected to be, the hope that she is going to be around a while - The fact is she is 25 and has just played in her first grand slam semifinal. Is this going to be the new normal and will players now look to retire in their mid to upper 30's going forward? Will we see other players(read Keys, Stephens, Townsend, and others) make their big breakthroughs as they mature a bit more.

American tennis on the women's side may not die with the Williams sisters. That will be my hope going forward.

 

[wire chief]

I feel certain that Bob Dylan won't mind my variation on his theme.

Yes, she serves...just...like...a woman.
And she returns...just...like...a woman.
Yes, and she takes the net...just...like...a woman.
But she celebrates like a...little girl.

I sheepishly admit I lost faith that she could find the stamina for a 3 setter.
What a remarkable person is Venus Ebony Starr Williams.

Watch the highlights/
Venus denies CoCo to reach final

And will Rafa join Roger? If he gets by Dimitrov at 3:30am

 

[eebmg]

Serena is Serena but I do not remember Venus playing as consistently as she did. Her ground strokes and movement were really amazing. CoCo played pretty well but Venus won all the important points (facing 9 break points I think) . I think the final will be close going 3 sets. Looking forward to it.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

While we certainly hope so, what, in your opinion, separates Ms Vandeweghe from all the other American hopefuls who have come and have gone away just as quickly?

For me, I think Coco will be around for a while, but also Madison Keys. Both have big games, Coco moves better than Madison and I think has a bigger serve, and while neither is fleet of foot, they aren't Davenport either...

The concern is that we have seen this before, with American female tennis players who were groomed/hyped to be potential successors to the Williams sisters. But no one has truly stepped up.

The last American not named Venus or Serena to win a GS title? Jennifer Capriati (2002 Australian Open).

The last American not named Venus or Serena to make the final of a GS tournament? Lindsay Davenport (2005 Australian Open).

Since then, Melanie Oudin made the 2009 US Open quarterfinals, Sloane Stephens made the 2013 Australian Open semifinals, Bethanie Mattek-Sands made the fourth round of the 2013 French Open, Madison Keys made the 2015 Australian Open semifinals, CoCo Vandeweghe made the 2015 Wimbledon quarterfinals, etc. And now Coco Vandeweghe has made the 2016 Australian Open semis.

But none has had a consistent breakthrough, in terms of being a GS title contender. Keys, however, is the best bet, as she followed up her 2015 Aussie Open performance with making the quarterfinals at 2015 Wimbledon and making at least the Round of 16 of the next five GS tournaments she played (2015 US Open and all 2016 Grand Slams). She is currently injured and missed this year's Australian Open, but is currently ranked in the top 10. But she is only 21 years old (she turns 22 next month)

With Coco, the power was always there. The control, however, was not. In a way, she reminded me of an early Mary Pierce...fierce competitor with great power who could never quite harness her emotions and had a tendency to let her groundstrokes spray when she got into a funk. But in the last 13 months, Coco has six wins over Top 10 players (two at the 2016 Australian). And she is 25 years old, turning 26 later this year. I do not see her as a threat on clay. But with that big serve, and if she can harness the consistency like she did here, I could see the potential for her to be a threat at Wimbledon and at Flushing Meadows. Time will tell, however.

Just my $.02 but I think the game is moving more towards power tennis and crafty players like Radwanska and Wozniaki will have a harder time remaining at the top. Players like Pliskova, Halep, Serena, Venus, Garbine, Madison, Coco, Lucic-Baroni, etc are all had hitters, and while Kerber doesn't hit as hard, she hits hard enough and chases everything down.

When Davenport, Capriati, Venus, and Serena were on the scene together and winning majors (circa 1998-2002), Mary Carillo dubbed the new generation "Big Babe Tennis." She felt that players such as Martina Hingis, who was very crafty but lacked the booming serve and power in her groundstrokes, would have a much more difficult time.

And she was right. Hingis did not win another major after the 1999 Australian Open (and at the time, those four only had a total of one major; since then, they won a combined 35 majors).

 

[DaddyChoc]

where is Sloane, geesh I had faith in her

 

[rugbymate]

Interesting that not one #1 seed made it to the finals in mens and women's singles and doubles....can't remember the last time that happened..would definitely pay a lot for a seat to either the mens or women's final. Definitely want Roger to win but feel conflicted about who to root for in the women's final.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I'll take Roger and Serena for $200.00

 

[VAUConnFan]

My money would be on Nadal and Serena. The faster surface would have certainly favored a younger Federer. Fed at 35? This Australian Open has so far shown that age is merely a number.

 

[JordyG]

Now that Venus and Serena are in the final again for the first time in 14 years have we all forgotten the criticism heaped on their father who taught them how to play by reading a handbook? Have we all forgotten the nasty media articles about how ugly they are, their "manly" body types, the slurs, the stalkers? One who faced a life threatening injury, the other facing a years long debilitating auto-immune disease? Let's also note how these women have carried themselves with dignity and stayed above the vicious attacks leveled at them for years. Just for a second, let's acknowledge that these two women, aside from our beloved Husky's, are the greatest sports story of this century.

 

[rugbymate]

Got Serena in straight sets, Roger in 4...all finalists deserve Badass awards!!

 

[wire chief]

Perhaps I'm the lone voice crying in the wilderness. I'll feel almost as giddy as she did in the semi (no, opposite Lil Sis, she won't effuse),
with a Venus win.

 

[DaddyChoc]

lets goooooooooooo Serena!

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[Wbbfan1]

Congrats to Serena. Winning her 23rd Major. Its only a matter of time before she ties and passes Margaret Court who has the record at 24 Majors.

Not a dominating performance by Serena. Had just enough control of her serve and utilized her power to beat Venus. I thought Venus played well, but was never a threat to beat Serena.