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Post by curlywhirly on Jun 3, 2010 15:10:55 GMT
If you'd asked me who the next first-time slam winner would be, I'd have guessed some young thing like an Azarenka or whoever, not vets like Schiavone or Stosur (she's 26, so I'll call her a vet) who previously had journeywoman careers. And I'd have thought we were still a couple years away from getting a new winner-- it looked like the slams still belonged to the Williamses and Belgians (with maybe an odd Pova or Kuzzy win thrown in). This has been a very interesting French Open, but I guess this has always been the most unpredictable slam. I expect things to be business as usual at the next two slams (a Williams or Belgian emerging victorious).
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 3, 2010 15:53:03 GMT
I feel sorry for Demented, but I'm very meh on Schiavone. Actually, I'm a little frightened of her; she looks like she could be mean. Seriously though, I just can't see her with a major title, even the wacky French. Team Stosur all the way. I do think it's hers to win or lose. C'mon, Sam!
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lt
Semi Finals
Posts: 3,223
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Post by lt on Jun 3, 2010 16:01:45 GMT
I thought so too but all the recent ex-players have said she's the most-liked player on the tour. Okay then.
eta: there was a quote I read from her press conference a few days ago (I think I read it on Down The Line). She was asked if she's still based out of London and she replied no, her parents wanted her to come home. She didn't want to leave London but they won and she lost. I thought that was cute. I think because it didn't come out creepy in the usual WTA parental way but more like her folks missed her while she lived so far away.
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 3, 2010 17:05:54 GMT
I know. I shouldn't have made that comment; everyone has a different game face. Back when I swam competitively, I was one of those deadpan, dead-eyed types. Maybe that's why the hyper-animated or mean-faced competitors sometimes irritate me.
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 3, 2010 18:31:17 GMT
Double-posting to say I just watched the Schiavone/Dementieva re-run, and oh my fucking god. Schiavone is just shy of thirty, has only three career titles, and she's in a GS final? That tells me everything I need to know about Roland Garros. Sheer craziness.
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Post by mooncreek on Jun 3, 2010 19:04:22 GMT
tikigirl - Sam only has two career singles titles. I'd think having the doubles career slam would make her the more experienced, however.
It seems bizarre to realize that the Schiavone/Dementieva match was longer than Stosur/Jankovic match. I wouldn't have wanted to spend money for that day.
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Post by harry24 on Jun 3, 2010 23:29:26 GMT
Sam S. looks like she could be Darren C's little sister. There's something really similar in the eyes and face shape, I think. She seems very nice and low key (shocking for an Aussie, I know). The most impressive thing about her is that she's actually doing something different with her game. Hopefully that will encourage other women/girls that there are different ways to win.
Schiavone also seems extremely likable. Let's hope it's a really good final and that both women bring their best to the court.
For the men, I'm rooting for Soderling-Nadal because that could really be an exciting match. Assuming Nadal makes the final it will be very interesting to see how he fares against this new style of successful clay court tennis player: tall and humongous hitting. That typically is the type of game to give dear Rafa trouble. Could be interesting.
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lt
Semi Finals
Posts: 3,223
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Post by lt on Jun 4, 2010 0:58:54 GMT
Just watched the Demetieva/Schiavone match on TTC--I heard wrong. It was Elena's calf, not thigh that is injured (I guess she has a tear?). Ugh. As Martina said, you can't do anything about a calf injury except make it worse by continuing to play. Poor gal.
Has Martina gotten so much better as a commentator? She still talks too much but she seems to be separating herself from being a player more than she did. Her experience lets her give really good points. She and Schiavone seem to be pretty good friends and she calls her Francie, so I'm adopting that nickname.
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Post by oopssorry on Jun 4, 2010 3:02:20 GMT
Ouch. No more nagging questions. (*rubs calf)
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 4, 2010 4:52:05 GMT
Wait, wait, wait...someone (in the states) help me out here -- why can't I find the men's semis on my guide? Don't even fucking tell me they won't be shown live.
:: scurries off to do some research ::
ETA okay, tell me if I've got this right: NBC is showing one semi only, and it will be tape-delayed. TTC will show both, but even more delayed, at night. Is this for fucking real? Should I bother to get up in the wee hours and hope for a livestream?
Someone hold me.
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Post by vallegirl on Jun 4, 2010 5:09:35 GMT
And, of course, NBC set aside a whopping 3 hours of coverage so, when they "jump ahead to 4-4 in the second set" you can pretty much tell who won at that point, so that will save you an hour or so of TV viewing.
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Post by harry24 on Jun 4, 2010 5:40:36 GMT
If I understand TTC's promos correctly, they will be televising the Soderling-Berdych match live at 7:00 am (EST), and NBC will start broadcasting at 11:00 am (EST). Now, what exactly happens at 11:00 I don't know. If Soderling-Berdych is still going on, will NBC pick it up mid-match. I assume they'd have to do that.
If Nadal-Melzer (so weird to write that for a semi!) starts before 11 am (5 pm Paris time)), the question will be whether NBC will force TTC to embargo it and then will join the match in progress or broadcast it on delay.
I think we should all be hoping the Soderling-Berdych match goes close to the full four hours or longer. Then we'll probably get Rafa's match live on NBC.
Have I got that right?
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 4, 2010 5:40:42 GMT
From what I saw advertised on TTC, if not anywhere else, they will have the first match live. Then I can see the second tape-delayed on NBC.
Well...I'll be up as early as I can, and hope some of you will be here. I am cross-eyed with lack of sleep the last two weeks, but what can you do?
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Post by breezybee on Jun 4, 2010 9:59:01 GMT
TSN in Canada is showing tennis from 6:00 am to Noon so I assume that they are showing both semis live. I will be at work though so I'm going to see a recorded version anyway. "cough, cough, maybe I'm coming down with something and I'll have to stay home".
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Post by tikigirl on Jun 4, 2010 11:49:44 GMT
Oh my, breezy, I hope you're feeling better worse.
So I'm here for the first match. Where the hell is everyone? Oh right, it's early (TikiBoy almost had a panic attack when the alarm went off at 5:15 a.m. local time -- he couldn't grasp that I was voluntarily getting out of bed that early).
I think I might be more screwed than most re: the second match; as far as I can see, it's not coming on until 11:00 a.m. mountain time. I'm going to have to hunt down a stream.
So...GO, SOD!
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