Graf at her best wouldn't have lost to Lisicki today. Lisicki just happens to be very good on grass. If she could be more consistent, she could win Wimbledon. I think it was two years ago that she beat Sharapova, then No. 1 in the world, at Wimbledon as well.
Serena wasnt at her best in this match, she is also 31 years old also i think Lisicki on grass gives Graf all she can handle, especially if she comes focused, she is like a poor version of a young Serena
Lisicki beat Sharapova last year at Wimbledon, and she had a run of beating french open champs at the all england club. Before this match Lisicki had never beaten Serena I think at this stage of Serena's career, Lisicki is a little better than Serena on grass. Their are 2 grass players that you can say are on the level of Serena currently on grass( due to age), Kvitova, and Lisicki. Lisicki is also only good on grass, and pretty much sucks on the other surfaces
I guess she won't catch Steffi Graf then and will never be on the same level as the all-time greatest, Steffi Graf.
I like Novak and I'm glad he won. I don't dislike Haas but him wearing his hat backwards like a 90's frat boy makes him look like a d-bag. I don't really know who's better Graf or S. Williams. I will say that Graf lost to Lori McNeil. I don't think Serena would have lost to her. So, in fact, picking people who upset one or the other probably isn't the best way to decide.
She's also the most talented player currently on the WTA Tour right now she has the talent to win multiple grand slams, to me after Serena she is the next great one. The problem with her is that success came really fast for her, and now she doesn't seem as motivated as before. That loss to Serena in Doha also could have damaged her psyche. Here is the match.. in the video below you can see the potential of Kvitova is amazing, INSANE backhand, and crushing forehand. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/MrnJQgs60lk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Female tennis players unlike men take losses harder and it can sometimes affect their play going forward. Serena in particular has damaged a lot of female tennis players psyche from multiple beatings, some retire from the tour like Hingis, Safina, Petrova, Dementieva, and Vaidasova, and then others are never the same like Ivanovic, Wozniacki, and Jankonvic to name a few. Others are bit mentally stronger like Vika and Sharapova, so the losses don't stay with them but like a lot of young tennis players Kvitova is a headcase, and regularly losses to player she should destroy handily. That's the difference between this era of players and Graf's era. The current players are WAY more talented, but the belief is not there a lot of the time. Sabine Lisicki has to the potential to win 3 or 4 Wimby's in career if she BELIEVES she can
Sloane Stephens another Melanie Oudin America isnt pumping out champions anymore USTA is stubborn, and stuck in the 90s The rest of the world has used Richard Williams approach to creating champions. Even the Nick Bollateri admitted this
Sloane Stephens is only 20, the great serena had only won 1 major at that age. Her ranking has consistently been coming up and she's already made the semis in the Aussie open as well as the Wimbledon qtrs and the 4th rd at Roland Garros this year. It's stupid to just write her off and compare her to a one hit wonder. And your beast kvitova lost again, she didn't win her lone slam until 21
Other countries just care more about tennis. I was a decent player and I'm moderately athletic but some of the guys from Eastern European countries I've played with were built like skilled position football players. People like that in the United States don't choose tennis. The best sport to play before learning tennis is soccer. I remember reading a study that players that played youth soccer had a step advantage on players that didn't. That's an insane advantage, and it's another sport we could care less about in the United States, well men. I imagine the majority of the pros on tour played soccer as children, I know nadal and roger did.
I think the general disinterest in tennis is the problem, we've never played soccer and that never seemed to hurt us until about 10 years ago. Despite the willaims sisters, it still very much has a country club perception which almost entirely excludes black kids who are some of our best athletes. And you have to commit young, very young. There is a lot of competition in this country for sporting affection. Between the big 4, soccer,swimming,x-games sports,track, golf, and lacrosse, all of which are very popular in different parts of the country for youths. In a way we're victims of our own sporting success.
she has no killer instinct, no fight. She has talent( although thats arguable). But without fight she will achieve NOTHING. Bartoli is a player that Stephens should have beaten if she had a killer instinct. Bartoli is a player that has done nothing since 2007, this draw was perfect for Stephens and with Kvitova losing she could have made the finals.. smh Sloane Stephens upside is like a cross between Aggie Radwanska and Caroline Wozniacki... but those players have belief even though they have no power or weapons to hurt the hard hitters with Its frustrating watching Sloane play, she is a good defender and can put a lot of balls in play at times, but their a LOT of time when she cant hold her serve to save her life, even againist inferior players.
This kid is black and is currently the #1 15 year old in the world, from what ive seen his game reminds me of a cross between Berdych and Murray. I just dont trust the USTA to harness this kids ability to the fullest, he needs to leave the USA and go to Italy or France( another federation that can develop his amazing talent) <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/e7gPOF7yfXA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Sabine Lisicki advances to her first final againist Marion Bartoli 2 hard hitters, but 2 players who also make a ton of errors, im leaning towards Sabine, but Bartoli has made a Wimby Final in the past, and is a decent grass player in her own right
Bartoli is so ugly, and French. Lisicki must win this. She fought back well against Radwanska. I thought Radwanska would win.
lol pushers will never win another major on the womens side again. The last i can remmeber was Hingis, and she was forced out by the constant beatings from the hard-hitters like Serena, Venus, Capriati, and Davenport many thought that power tennis would never work in womens tennis, the USTA always said that power tennis would never produce majors.. only errors lol Well the Williams Sisters proved it can produce majors, and many of the top tennis federations around the world( sans USTA) are documented saying they want and are training their young female tennis prospects to be the next Serena, not Hingis, Kim, or Henin.
So you consider Radwanska a pusher, say that pushers will never win a major on the women's side, yet she was only two points or so away from advancing to the final. Does not compute.