OT: Serena in action

[wire chief]

Serena plays the very good Viktoria Azarenka tomorrow at 7:30 am EDT for the
Madrid Open championship on the Tennis Channel.
Now since both Rafa & Novak (early losers) say they won't play next year unless the surface is changed, this may be the very last opportunity in your lifetime to see a match on blue clay, so tune in.

 

[easttexastrash]

That blue clay is a mess. But they sound a bit like whiners since Fed is doing quite well. Everyone is dealing with the same conditions.

Serena and Azarenka should be a great match. I will be up at 5:30 MDT to watch that one. I hope Serena plays at a high level because she will need to in order to beat the shrieker. They should make her play with a ball gag in her mouth.

 

[wire chief]

That blue clay is a mess. But they sound a bit like whiners since Fed is doing quite well. Everyone is dealing with the same conditions.

Serena and Azarenka should be a great match. I will be up at 5:30 MDT to watch that one. I hope Serena plays at a high level because she will need to in order to beat the shrieker. They should make her play with a ball gag in her mouth.

You know, ETT, the shrieker is far from alone in this behavior.

 

[easttexastrash]

You know, ETT, the shrieker is far from alone in this behavior.

Unfortunately, you are correct. I hate that about women's tennis. This really started with Seles, who was one of the worst, along with Sharapova.

 

[wire chief]

Unfortunately, you are correct. I hate that about women's tennis. This really started with Seles, who was one of the worst, along with Sharapova.

Yes, Seles was loud, but also my favorite. I'll never get over the stabbing that interrupted her high-flying ways.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yes, Seles was loud, but also my favorite. I'll never get over the stabbing that interrupted her high-flying ways.

I agree. I got to see Seles play Navratilova when Seles was only 14 or 15. She was about as tenacious as I have ever seen. Talk about an attacking mentality! And after the stabbing she was never able to hit the ball with the same angles that she hit earlier in her career.

 

[easttexastrash]

Serena jumping all over Azarenka early. Already up two breaks in the first set. But Azarenka is a fighter and should put up more of a challenge as the match progresses.

 

[DaddyChoc]

6-1 4-2... Serena up and serving right now

 

[easttexastrash]

That was a royal butt whoopin'

 

[DaddyChoc]

and a ugly trophy

 

[VAMike23]

aww man!! Overslept.

 

[wire chief]

Serena is in demand. There will be mixed doubles at these Olympic Games. John Isner is quoted that he, Mardy Fish and each of the Bryan Bros. want the lass to be partners. Hah!

 

[calpedaler]

Unfortunately, you are correct. I hate that about women's tennis. This really started with Seles, who was one of the worst, along with Sharapova.

The Williams sister are exactly quiet either, especially Serena. They are really loud when a match is tight.

 

[VAMike23]

The Williams sister are exactly quiet either, especially Serena. They are really loud when a match is tight.

Really no comparison between Serena and a serial grunter/whiner like Az.

Games go by where the only noise from Serena's side is the ball getting hit. Serial grunter/whiners, OTOH, not only grunt/whine on every ground stroke but sometimes even on drop shots. It's beyond ridiculous.

 

[calpedaler]

Really no comparison between Serena and a serial grunter/whiner like Az.

Games go by where the only noise from Serena's side is the ball getting hit. Serial grunter/whiners, OTOH, not only grunt/whine on every ground stroke but sometimes even on drop shots. It's beyond ridiculous.

It could be argued that selective grunting is calculated to distract...the opponent not the viewer.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Serena doesnt do it while serving (is there a rule against it?)

 

[EricLA]

Really no comparison between Serena and a serial grunter/whiner like Az.

Games go by where the only noise from Serena's side is the ball getting hit. Serial grunter/whiners, OTOH, not only grunt/whine on every ground stroke but sometimes even on drop shots. It's beyond ridiculous.

i tend to agree. Serene does not scream all the time when she hits, but Azarenka screams on every shot. i love women's tennis, but can' stand her. going to be unenjoyable watching the next generation of women's tennis players if more of them become screamers like Azarenka...

 

[wire chief]

Just to provide another perspective, Monica Seles at one point felt the criticism and decided to be quiet in her next match.
On paper, she shouldn't have been defeated but was. She didn't feel herself. The youngsters do buy into the extreme expelling of energy to increase their effectiveness.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Just to provide another perspective, Monica Seles at one point felt the criticism and decided to be quiet in her next match.
On paper, she shouldn't have been defeated but was. She didn't feel herself. The youngsters do buy into the extreme expelling of energy to increase their effectiveness.

Not quite. This happened at Wimbledon in 1992. Graf thrashed her in the final. Seles had never defeated Graf at the All-England Club. And Seles had barely defeated Graf in the French Open final that year (10-8 in the third set). It would not have mattered what Seles did that day.

 

[easttexastrash]

Just to provide another perspective, Monica Seles at one point felt the criticism and decided to be quiet in her next match.
On paper, she shouldn't have been defeated but was. She didn't feel herself. The youngsters do buy into the extreme expelling of energy to increase their effectiveness.

I agree that Seles was affected by this attempt to control her grunting and I think was a contributing factor to her loss. She was more focused on being quiet than she was on constructing points.

I had a bad habit of flinching at the point of contact and my coach taught me that breathing out would prevent me from squinting or closing my eyes, which was a problem for me. Some people take it to an extreme.

 

[VAMike23]

It will be interesting to see where Serena is seeded going into the French. I know they are bound fairly strictly by the World ranking but in my mind she is the favorite. I think she will be #6 in the rankings if I'm not mistaken. Perhaps tournament officials could move her as high as #4 or #5 in the seeding. Not sure.

 

[wallman]

Hate the screamers but don't mind the grunters, less distracting.