<p>^ I find her game incredibly boring. Hit hard and if that’s not working hit harder. I also cannot stand her screeching. </p>
<p>Scratchy QF from the Goat. </p>
<p>Hard to say how VB is playing given his draw so far. </p>
<p>Hoping Djoker slips and falls on a bar of soap in the shower. ;)</p>
<p>lol, wishing an injury on a player, even if you don’t like them, is really terrible, awkward.</p>
<p>Sharapova’s been lucky to not have anyone difficult. Please Na I need you to do it. And even though I’m upset that Fed beat Tsonga, I want him to beat Murray. Oh God, so arrogant.</p>
<p>^Desperate times call for desperate measures. ;)</p>
<p>“I find her game incredibly boring. Hit hard and if that’s not working hit harder.”</p>
<p>emilybee, you just described Lendl, Sampras, Nadal, and Federer’s game on the men’s side, and Serena, Venus, Steffi and Navratilova’s game on the women’s side. Tennis may have been a finesse game back in the 70s and early 80s (, Evert, Austin, Connors, McEnroe, Borg etc…), but Lendl, Navratilova, Becker, Sampras, Graff etc… changed all that. Tennis has become a game of power. </p>
<p>And why all the negativity about Novak? He has a nice game which does not rely on raw power and he is classy…oh, and he does not screech! Honestly, I would not mind any of the remaining players win, except for Federer. 17 Grand Slams is enough!</p>
<p>I’d like it to be Ferrer, but come on… it’s Ferrer.</p>
<p>Sharapova and some others are best watched on “mute”.</p>
<p>I’m pulling for Ferrer.</p>
<p>Djokovic and Murray can out-Ferrer Ferrer. Federer just places the ball where it is very uncomfortable for Ferrer.</p>
<p>“emilybee, you just described Lendl, Sampras, Nadal, and Federer’s game on the men’s side, and Serena, Venus, Steffi and Navratilova’s game on the women’s side.”</p>
<p>Lendl, Rafa, Serena, yes, but I disagree about the others, even Steffi given her wicked sliced one handed backhand. Sampras, though I found him dull as dishwater (mostly do to his personality,) came to net all the time, not something a baseline basher ala Maria ever does. </p>
<p>Rafter played in the 90’s and 2000’s and doesn’t fit your stereotype of the post 70’s-early 80’s player and neither does Edberg. And how anyone can think Roger plays anything like Maria is beyond me! </p>
<p>As for Nole, I don’t like players who use injury as an excuse every time they lose and I find him arrogant. I like players who are humble in victory and gracious in defeat.</p>
<p>Lendl has an effective volley and drop volley. He has a pretty good drop shot too. Agree on Steffi’s slice backhand - that must be tough to return on grass. She could serve and volley, stay back or mix it up too. Sampras was Mr. Serve and volley and he had great touch on his volleys. He was mainly a banger from the baseline though.</p>
<p>Roger is an artist on the court. He’s the bridge between classic and modern tennis.</p>
<p>I never mentioned Rafter or Edberg. I am not familiar with his game, but Edberg was definitely finesse serve and volleyer. Sampras may have been a serve and volley type, but he had a huge serve and definitely fit the mold of a power player. I do not think Nole is arrogant. In fact, he is very humble and classy, both in victory and in defeat. He spoke highly of Murray when he lost to him in Wimbledon and at the US Open, and he praised Tomic after losing to him in the Hopman Cup. And he no longer uses injury as an excuse because he is fit. When he used injury as an excuse, it was because he truly was injured. There was a time when he was constantly injured. In other words, not an excuse, but a fact.</p>
<p>Anyway, unless something strange happens, Nole should win his third Australian Open.</p>
<p>Alexandre, You are welcome to your opinion and I am welcome to mine.</p>
<p>However, imo, there is a difference between a power player and a basher. Maria is a basher. </p>
<p>As for Nole, he will never be on my list.</p>
<p>ps - Rafter was an Aussie, a pure S&V, who won the US Open in '97 & 98, reached the Wimby final in 2000 & 2001 and made the semi’s of both the AO &, shockingly RG. Had ground strokes which were described by other players as weaker than their grandmothers hit.</p>
<p>Li Na one set down, one set to go! Oh my God a Li/Stephens final would be so great. Though Na’s known for choking, so. And Sloane. lol.</p>
<p>Li Na d. Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2</p>
<p>I want a Li Na - Stephens final too with Na winning. I don’t really like Ferrer’s game. Too much grinding- at least Murray has some variety and can go to net. Ferrer- defense defense defense.</p>
<p>I agree with Alexandre. Novak is a class act. He wears his heart on his sleeve, sure but that guy never gives up without a fight and when he loses is nothing but gracious. His game is so complete- great groundies and pretty good everything else and that, with his defense is insane. I think he’s such a great role model overall-he really just gives it his all.</p>
<p>I’m glad Murray won his first slam (was sick of the ■■■■■■ attacking him) but I don’t like his game as much. I admire Federer’s game but am not a fan. I like Nadal-his game is also defensive but he can be aggressive when he wants to be. </p>
<p>Favorites in general: Novak Djokovic, Tomic, Nishikori, Tsonga
Dislike: Tipsarevic </p>
<p>For women’s tennis, I kind of don’t care for it anymore, now that Justine Henin has retired. That 2003 match against Capriati was just amazing. So.much.respect.</p>
<p>
+10000000000000000000000</p>
<p>Hope Sloane beats Azarenka.</p>
<p>And Sloane loses the first set 1-6. </p>
<p><a href=“http://stat.mobli.com/media_stills/media_26815867.jpg[/url]”>http://stat.mobli.com/media_stills/media_26815867.jpg</a></p>
<p>Have a picture of Serena’s ankle if you weren’t convinced it was more her losing than Sloane winning.</p>
<p>I never doubted it, lol but hopefully this gives Sloane a confidence boost so she plays more aggressively. Belief is very important. </p>
<p>And she just broke back, 4-3 so…let’s see!</p>
<p>Sloane has no belief and no mental strength. </p>
<p>Serving for the match.</p>
<p>Good news is Azarenka is ready to kill herself with anger, so hopefully Li Na can win her second slam!</p>
<p>3 MP lost…</p>
<p>Ridiculous! Azarenka has left the court! Sloane is a witch and her career will forever be tarnished, IMO.</p>
<p>Ugh, finally.</p>
<p>LI NA DO IT.</p>
<p>I’ve decided to set my alarm for 3:30 like last night. Even though Djokovic is going to destroy Ferrer.</p>
<p>I wanted Sharapova to win, but with her out, I definitely want Li Na. She was off to a slow start in her career, but she is definitely finishing strong.</p>
<p>Djokovic was just too much for Ferrer today. When Djokovic is in a zone, he is hard to beat. There really is a concrete ceiling between the top 3 (Djokovic, Federer and Nadal) and the rest. Berdych, Del Potro, Ferrer, Murray, Tipseravic and Tsonga can beat any player on a given day, but they are not in the same league. Hopefully, Novack can duplicate this effort in the finals, likely against Federer.</p>
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