Serena's Run Comes To An End

[DavidinNaples]

I saw bits of the post-match interview with the Italian gal and she was absolutely charming....funny/self-deprecating/humble/proud...all with humor and amazement in her tone.

Pretty much the opposite of Serena's post match "interview"....

 

[Bonpland]

Vinci played very well, but when Serena beat Venus, in HER mind she HAD the Grand Slam! She wasn't worried about the rest of the draw just Venus! She wasn't prepared for what Vinci brought to the match, her shots and her movement, and now Serena's full of what-ifs!

Looking past "inferior" opponents gets a lot of players/teams beaten when they are, going in, the obvious favorite. The amazing thing is that anyone can win a Grand Slam, consecutive National Championships, or 70 or 90 games in a row.

Staying mentally prepared for each and every opponent is a challenging task. We'd all be counting on our fingers and toes the number of consecutive wins our girls would now have if it weren't for that aberration that took place last year in Palo Alto. (somebody remind me again how an opponent, any opponent, put up 88 against us).

Serena is a great champion and she will continue to dominate, but I think that RSHERMVIKES is right when he suggests that, in Serena's mind anyway, that getting past Venus appeared to be her greatest challenge.

I've been part, in my own life, as a player, parent, and fan, of too many defeats at the hands of "inferior" opponents who simply took advantage my team's state of mind and walked off with deserved, but unexpected victories.

All the more reason to celebrate a program that may (yes I said may) win their fourth straight NC.

 

[DaddyChoc]

what you expect from a winner and a loser?

 

[Huskies Rule]

I really like rooting for the underdog. Except when it comes to WCBB So, sorry, I liked this result.
A hand-picked, over-the-hill Andre Berto (30-1 dog) beating the blowhard, serial woman-beater Floyd Mayweather tonight is another "mismatch," and it would be an even bigger, sweeter upset. Here's hoping.

 

[Beemer]

Pretty much the opposite of Serena's post match "interview"....

I've always had a problem with Serena's attitude after a defeat, she's never been gracious about acknowledging that her opponent was better than her that day. Talk about a sore loser.

 

[wire chief]

I would say that Graf would beat Serena consistently because not only was she a superb tennis player but I think extraordinarily tough mentally. It's pretty obvious by this that Serena is not nearly as tough mentally though she's shown the same issues earlier in her career, inconsistency due to mental lapses.

That's just silly. You don't win 21 Majors by being inconsistent and lapsing your mental.

 

[Carnac]

Serena Stunned in US Open Semifinals

NEW YORK — There will be no historic Grand Slam for Serena Williams after all.
Roberti Vinci made sure of that.

The 32-year-old Italian stunned Williams — and the tennis world — by knocking off the three-time defending champion 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals of the US Open.

Williams was seeking to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1988 to win the Grand Slam.
Vinci entered the tournament facing odds of 300-1 to win it.

[MORE]

NOBODY saw that one coming!!

 

[Carnac]

No tennis Grand Slam again this year.Winning the 4 Slams in one calendar year.

Just goes to show you can only count on death , taxes , and The Huskies.
The Huskies will win their 4th NC in a row.. THE HUSKY SLAM.

Hey, HGN.....I like that kind of talk!!!

 

[alexrgct]

what an anti-climax: Flávia wins the U.S. Open of all things.

 

[alexrgct]

The only thing that will salvage this tournament for me is if Roger Fedor manages to win on the men's side.

 

[calpedaler]

what an anti-climax: Flávia wins the U.S. Open of all things.

I thought it was a very entertaining match.

 

[alexrgct]

The match was decent, but the outcome leaves me dissatisfied. Two random major winners come out of nowhere to capture a slam title and then immediately retire???

 

[triaddukefan]

The match was decent, but the outcome leaves me dissatisfied. Two random major winners come out of nowhere to capture a slam title and then immediately retire???

who was the other ?

 

[wire chief]

who was the other ?

I think you mean a Frenchwoman who got flowers from Pierce Brosnan during an earlier final(2007) that she lost. So did not come out of nowhere.

 

[calpedaler]

I think you mean a Frenchwoman who got flowers from Pierce Brosnan during an earlier final(2007) that she lost. So did not come out of nowhere.

Marion Bartoli did get flowers in 007 from 007, but didn't retire until after she won Wimbledon in 2013.

 

[meyers7]

 

[alexrgct]

Marion Bartoli did get flowers in 007 from 007, but didn't retire until after she won Wimbledon in 2013.

Yes-Bartoli won Wimby 2013 and was retired by the U.S. Open same year. I'd just prefer it if these surprise winners become factors in majors going forward rather a guaranteed one-time flash in the pan. Might be a shot in the arm the women's game could use in tennis: just a smidge more depth and intrigue. The men's game, meanwhile, routinely fields three legends who have won nine majors or more already (and hopefully not 10, pending the U.S. Open finals Sunday). And when Cilic and Wawrinka have shocked the tennis world by winning majors, they've kept at it thus far. That's what I'd prefer.

 

[Phillyconn]

What Vinci did in this match is exactly why I think Steffi would have beaten Serena, which was use the slice, which Serena does not handle well. Steffi's slice backhand hugged the ground. Vinci also moved very well and kept getting balls back and no player in the history of the game moved any better than Steffi.

Monica Seles owned Steffi Graf before she got hurt. Stef couldn't handle the power. Monica wasn't considered very mobile. Serena has the mobility and power, not to mention the best serve in history. Vinci played an incredible game. Serena was killed by the amount of unforced errors, especially on second serves.

 

[Phillyconn]

I've always had a problem with Serena's attitude after a defeat, she's never been gracious about acknowledging that her opponent was better than her that day. Talk about a sore loser.

I thought that she was very humble. She hates to lose, you think she should smile?

 

[iri10]

The level of competition in women's tennis is nothing close to what it was during Steffi Graf's prime. Not even close.

Certainly not in the year she got her calendar Slam. In 1988, Nav/Evert were already far out of their primes, and Seles wasn't around yet. Graf's path through the '88 US Open was Minter, Bollegraf, Herreman, Fendick, Maleeva, Evert by walkover due to injury, and future one-slam wonder Sabatini.

As it turns out, it's easier to get calendar slams (or at least, get close to them) in weak years. Not to say that this era is especially weaker than most of Graf's time - I don't think the post Seles stabbing era that Graf feasted on was particularly strong. The current era lacks stability at the top, but has a deeper top 100, IMO.

 

[Beemer]

I thought that she was very humble. She hates to lose, you think she should smile?

She doesn't have to smile, just have the grace & class to admit that for at least that one match her opponent was better than she was. This is an attitude she's had for years although you are right she was humble after losing Friday.

 

[DaddyChoc]

She doesn't have to smile, just have the grace & class to admit that for at least that one match her opponent was better than she was. This is an attitude she's had for years although you are right she was humble after losing Friday.

If she had it for years why is anyone surprised... geesh the things people say about others

 

[Beemer]

If she had it for years why is anyone surprised... geesh the things people say about others

Some people don't follow the sport all that closely.

 

[ThisJustIn]

She doesn't have to smile, just have the grace & class to admit that for at least that one match her opponent was better than she was. This is an attitude she's had for years although you are right she was humble after losing Friday.

“I thought she played the best tennis in her career,’’ Williams said of the 43rd-ranked Vinci. “She’s [32] and, she’s going for it at a late age. So that’s good for her to keep going for it. It’s inspiring.”

 

[Phillyconn]

She doesn't have to smile, just have the grace & class to admit that for at least that one match her opponent was better than she was. This is an attitude she's had for years although you are right she was humble after losing Friday.

I thought she gave her opponent all the credit in the world. She didn't make excuses this time. I was proud of the way she handled herself.

Why does she have to behave the way that you or anybody else thinks is right?
I would rather she show her anger if that's how she felt, instead of pretending.