OT: The Australian Open

[wire chief]

The schedule has Serena & Sloane at, "Not before 8:30 pm (est)". They follow right after the 7pm Azaranka match.

 

[DaddyChoc]

The schedule has Serena & Sloane at, "Not before 8:30 pm (est)". They follow right after the 7pm Azaranka match.

whoa... thats great news, I thought it would be a 3am match

 

[wire chief]

whoa... thats great news, I thought it would be a 3am match

A 3am match would put them way behind the other women's quarter, completed yesterday. Perhaps an unfair advantage to those ladies. Plus the men's quarters are not complete, but those semis are a day later, so the men 's schedule to finish their quarters will occur later than that of the women.

 

[VAUConnFan]

As of this moment, I am switching my allegiance. My favorite women's tennis player is now Sloane Stephens; A ton of potential.

 

[John Glass]

I like Maria Kirilenko's potential

 

[VAUConnFan]

I like Maria Kirilenko's potential

AGREED!

 

[DaddyChoc]

3rd set... a game apiece

 

[VAMike23]

Holy Carp! Stephens got GAME !!!! She's knocking balls back at Serena that almost never come back like that! Power vs. Power! Zoweeeeeee

The power on display in this 3rd set is just sick.

 

[VAMike23]

Stephens just hit a slice approach! Are we really in 1975 and not 2013 ???

 

[VAMike23]

And Stephens wins it against her longtime idol....WOW EE WOW

Go Sloane!! Win it all for USA !!!!!

 

[DaddyChoc]

Roger wins

 

[Icebear]

http://espn.go.com/espnw/commentary...ns-serena-williams-reach-first-slam-semifinal

 

[wire chief]

Roger wins

I watched from the beginning of the 3rd set. They were 2-2 in sets with Jo-Willie ahead in games . Roger won his 1st 2 sets in tiebreakers. Good endurance from Roger in the 3rd--that 31 year old is FIT. This may have been Jo-Willie's best effort against Roger in a losing cause.

 

[John Glass]

And Stephens wins it against her longtime idol....WOW EE WOW

Go Sloane!! Win it all for USA !!!!!

If Sloane can develop a better serve she will stay in the top 10. She plays defense like Novak Djokovic , sometimes it took 2 or 3 great shots to win a point against her. However, she missed a lot easy second serves.

 

[John Glass]

Stephens just hit a slice approach! Are we really in 1975 and not 2013 ???

Stevens has an all round game

 

[VAMike23]

Stevens has an all round game

She had some nifty volleys and looked very comfortable at net. Refreshing (to say the least) for someone with that kind of power from the baseline!

 

[wallman]

Freaking awesome, I just wish they had met in the final.

 

[VAMike23]

Freaking awesome, I just wish they had met in the final.

100% agree - the third set rallies I saw featured some INCREDIBLY high-level tennis, just jaw-dropping power and guts from both players. Each was doing things that would have ripped most other pros to shreds, somehow answering shots that would routinely go as winners with winners of their own!

WOW and double WOW.

Edit: In 1992 I saw Courier and Agassi play at the US Open. Late in the match, my cousin and I snuck down to some very low seats and watched a few games from almost court level. At that close range, the match looked like a battle between two howitzers. The power was sick. And the speed with which they covered the court, shot for shot - just stunning.

Last night, watching Stephens and Serena, I was reminded of Agassi and Courier........

 

[wire chief]

Maria and Na Li begin "not before 9:30pm est", with Sloane/Victoria following.
That is not prime time for me.
However, Tennis Channel offers a 6am "Ladies Semi #1" rebroadcast, which I guess will be
Maria/Na Li.

Now I have looked at the scheduling for Thursday on both Espns, Tennis Ch, ABC, Fox, NBC &
CBS for a Semi#2, but have come up empty.

If any of you know something, please give a heads up.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Maria and Na Li begin "not before 9:30pm est", with Sloane/Victoria following.
That is not prime time for me.

in the next hour, 15 minutes? or Thursday evening?

 

[meyers7]

Good to see Williams go down.

 

[John Glass]

in the next hour, 15 minutes? or Thursday evening?

it depends on where you are, Australia is 16 hours ahead of EST. I think it is tonight on the east coast

 

[sivad40]

Li beat Maria in straight sets 6-2 6-2.

 

[DaddyChoc]

dang Sloane

 

[VAUConnFan]

Good to see Williams go down.

So, you'd rather see a non American win the Australian Open?

 

[VAUConnFan]

dang Sloane

She'll be fine. She's had a taste. From what I have seen, there is no reason to believe she cannot continue moving up. She has what it takes in today's game to succeed. What I especially like is that she generates her power with a very easy swinging motion.

 

[Bigpetunia]

So long as Serena is around, the two shriekers will have to settle for second and third place on the list of players one roots against most ardently. Two, thankfully, are now out. Too bad Sloane was overmatched by VA, but here's hoping for Li Na!!

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Going back to 2011, has anyone else looked forward to Na Li's post-match commentary as much as her matches? She is incredibly funny (especially since English is not her first language), has a beautiful smile, seems to really engage the crowd, and does not seem to take herself too seriously.

In 2011, she mentioned her husband's snoring, the fact that her mother does not come watch her because she has "her own life to lead," and the fact that "prize money" is what motivated her to overcome exhaustion and make it to the final. Then there was the issue over the exact date of her wedding anniversary...

http://youtu.be/9lIdJWLI7kY

 

[meyers7]

So, you'd rather see a non American win the Australian Open?

Than a Williams? Absolutely.

If it were say the Olympics, then I'd hold my nose and I wouldn't object.

 

[EricSD]

She took out one shreaker, let's hope she can take out the other...