Solid win today for Vika, who took out Sam in straights today. The stats show pretty obviously that Vika brought her A game, and Sam did not, and it was enough to make the difference. Both these players are too good for another to not show up, and have things be close. Vika served at 74%, Sam at 55% with only 2 aces. Vika was only broken once in her 6-2, 6-3 victory.
The real impressive thing for the birthday girl (who turned 21 today) was her match yesterday versus Bartoli. Down a break in the first set, she remained positive, fist pumping, tapping herself, and urging herself on. Unfortunately for her, she dropped the set and got broken early in the second. Things totally unraveled, with her yelling at herself and whacking balls against the backstop. I figured it was over, usual Vika was out being herself again. But slowly things shifted, Vika pushed on, upped her game, Bartoli’s game dropped a bit, and before you knew it, Vika had the match in three. While it wasn’t a total mental display, the end of the first set, and the eventual win showed real signs of Vika staying calm, positive, and reassuring of herself. Those are the wins that are important for big time players, because more often then not, you find your A game the next day and before you know it, you’re in the final.
I can’t say I’m a huge Vika fan. Hate her for the “wooo” sound (once drove my sister out of an adjacent room because the sound alone was driving her mad) or the temper, but the fact of the matter is that Vika has one of the hardest hitting games out there, and isn’t afraid to take it to opponents. Not to mention some good defensive skills and above average volleying. The temper and consistency are what has been hurting her, but with an improvement in the headcasiness (I can only assume that’s a word) and a proper control on aggression, she should be a serious contender for a ton of hard court points this season. Which along with other big hitters like Sam, Masha, and Elena, you’ve got to like as a fan of the WTA.
I never used to like Vika. Too much of the screaming and carrying on with nothing to show for it. However, about 3 years ago I saw her play a match in Linz, I think it was. I think she was playing Golovin (but I could be wrong) and I was hearing a lot about her but never seen her play. I was most impressed with her backhand, bu felt her serve and movement needed work.
I did not mind the screaming and carrying on at the time as I thought it showed passion for the game and that she expected a lot from herself. However after watching her a few more times I felt she was doing herself a disservice by not chanelling that inner frustration and making it pay in her game. She has a game that when it is on, it is really on.
I am hoping for a Vika win today because she needs this title. She needs the confidence of knowing that she can beat players who hit big off the ground. Her failure to do this against Serena and Venus this year must have put doubts in her mind. I liked that she was able to take out Clijsters on grass and I feel that if but for the injury she suffered she would have gone far at this year’s tournament, maybe even the semis or final.
Good call. That’s the thing, she can get a bit crazy, but if she’s able to focus that energy and pin point it into concentration, that can and will be deadly and could bring her a whole lot of come from behind wins.
The problem with Vika is that though she is aggressive, she isn’t THAT big of a hitter and she doesn’t have enough raw firepower. If Maria gets going and plays well from the very beginning, there’s no way that Vika will be able stay with her. That’s a big ‘if’ of course.
I’m rooting for Maria myself. In her earlier career I even considered myself a h8t0r but she really won me over with her fighting spirit at the French against Enna. I think the tour desperately needs her to find some form and get back to the top 5 again and so hopefully this will be the beginning.
I am not a fan of Sharapova but admired her struggle to come back this year and her perspective on her injury this year and the task of trying to return to the Tour. The process has been a slow and long one and right now she really cannot beat the elite of the sport (there is only 1 by the way). She gets tired pretty easily during rallies and while she was uber aggressive last night in her match against Radwanska, this is Radwanska we are talking about right who plays 30 feet behind the baseline and has no power off the ground to counteract Sharapova’s pace.
That being said kudos to ARad for at least befuddling Sharapova in the first set and making a match of it the rest of the way. She hung in there and really has nothing to be ashamed of.
Vika may not have the power of Maria but she strikes the ball cleaner and with more precision than Maria (at least right now). Her serve is attackable but she places it very well and if she is able to drag Maria around the court (something that is possible on the backhand side) then she should give herself a chance.
Let us hope for a clean match. I am tired of seeing the coaching from the stands of Michael Joyce. A player like Sharapova does not need a coach being caught on camera whispering behind his hand every time she passes by giving her instructions. It is distasteful and it calls into question her supposed mental strength and her ability to think her way through matches.
Really? Most of the time he seems to be sitting there slouching, and whenever she looks at him he just kinda shrugs. Not exactly a Justine thing going on.
Vika is better taking the ball at the run and is way more comfortable at the net. Right now these players stack up very well against one another, gonna be good.
Brodie, really? You did not see him telling Sharapova to serve to Demmy’s backhand? You did not see him whispering to her from behind his hand every time the camera went to him in the stands? He does it all the time and I wish the commentators would call him out on it in the same way they call out Justine and Carlos.
As a matter of fact he is a very vocal coach. The most vocal that I have seen in a long while on the WTA tour. I am not sure if being so vocal while in the stands is permitted but he is. You can clearly hear him yelling come on Maria and when she won the second set against ARad you could clearly him say “Come on Maria” and then raced down courtside.