funches wrote:

Forehand_lob wrote:

 I'm liking Kuzy to make it to the QFs against Azarenka, and then who knows? Her beating Azarenka and Serena back to back isn't out of the question for her.

Yes it is. She would have lost 2 and 2 to this Serena at the U.S. Open she won. 

 
I think Kuzy's got more of a game that can bother Serena if she's got her head on straight; she played Serena incredibly tough at the Australian Open in 2009.  Admittedly, her having her head on straight is the big question, but I think when it is, she does everything as good or a little better than Azarenka (who was lucky Hampton was injured because she played like crap against her and deserved to lose).

Let me put it this way, while it's entirely plausible that Serena will thrash Kuznetsova, I think Kuzy would give her more of a challenge than Azarenka.  Serena usually plays pretty consistently, but she does have some mystifying up and down periods (French Open 2012, the final against Stosur at the US Open 2011).

Well, the "Cronin curse" is in effect on Kuzy.

It was an interesting match between Kuzy and Wozniacki.  In the first set, Kuzy could do no wrong.  In the second, she went somewhere else (and Wozniacki played a lot better).  In the third, she was up and down, but pulled it out.  If you had told me ahead of time that it was going to be a three set match, I would have pegged Wozniacki as the winner.

The Li d. Radwanska match was surprising.  Not so much for who won (I picked Li to make the final), but because Radwanska suddenly started playing error-prone tennis.  That's uncharacteristic for her.

She also had this headscratcher of a comment in her post-match interview:

Q.  She is someone who has played well against you.  What is it about her game that makes it a tough matchup for you?
AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA:  Well, I think she's a very consistent player.  She's always playing on the same level.  It's not like up and down like the other girls.  She's always playing solid tennis. 

I'm not sure on who Radwanska was talking about there, but I can't believe that it was Li.

I think Li will beat Sharapova today. It will be the litmus test for how well Sharapova is playing after her record-setting desruction of the field on her way to the semis. She hasn't played anyone who could hit with her. Let's see what she does againt a player who has game.

If Sharapova wins 4 and 3, I'll finally admit she's all the way back from her shoulder sugery. But I kind of expect her to get the yips on her serve against Li. 

Last edited by funches (1/23/2013 2:14 pm)

The whole world will be pulling for Li, except for me. 

I think that match is a toss-up. If Li plays like she did in the quarters and semis, she'll win. Her upside is higher. But if she's a little off, Azarenka should won. She's one of the few players who can handle the hatred the crowd will spew on her. She doesn't seem to mind being a villain. 

No bronze medals this time. 

I guess some people are too lazy to actually sign up for a new site. 

I had visions of Conrad during the women's final, with someone's brilliant pick earning them 20 points and beating me even though I had picked better overall that at any other contest ever. He did that twice in the early years of the contest.