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It seemed like Bianca was running out of gas last night too. Having to be fit to play best of 5s would probably help with this
She was dealing with a leg injury in the 3rd set, hamstring I believe.
It seemed like Bianca was running out of gas last night too. Having to be fit to play best of 5s would probably help with this
For me it’s more that almost no one is consistent enough to win against lower ranked opponents, even when they’re in their prime.It’s part of why I have trouble caring much about women’s tennis. Every time it seems like there might be a batch of dominant stars they seem to flicker and fall back to earth after only a few years.
Also find it a bit underwhelming that it’s a best of 3 and not best of 5 like the men’s side mbut that’s another story.
She was dealing with a leg injury in the 3rd set, hamstring I believe.
For me it’s more that almost no one is consistent enough to win against lower ranked opponents, even when they’re in their prime.
She’s definitely still working back into match shape and form. It’ll take a while, she was basically off for an entire year and a half.She wasn’t looking that amazing since the 2nd set either though, to be fair
Better expressed than I tried to put it. This is it, exactly it.Yeah, the whole “anyone can win any day” mantra turns me off from it more than makes me interested. I love an underdog too, don’t get me wrong, but it rarely feels like anyone is a favourite on the women’s side. Which actually makes it hard for one to be an underdog to begin with.
Yeah, the whole “anyone can win any day” mantra turns me off from it more than makes me interested. I love an underdog too, don’t get me wrong, but it rarely feels like anyone is a favourite on the women’s side. Which actually makes it hard for one to be an underdog to begin with.
I just think women's tennis is in a transition phase. Serena dominated for so long that there was eventually going to be a period once Serena hit the age wall when women's tennis would be a free for all. I actually think this new generation of ladies has a much deeper talent pool so that makes it difficult for any to stand above the rest. I'd say that Osaka is head and shoulders above all others when her head is right but her mental issues go far deeper than just not focusing on tennis. Otherwise, she'd be a threat to the all time record. She's THAT good.
On the opposite side of spectrum, you have the men's game which has had a decade of dominance by three players to the likes of what we've never seen. It's a miracle that Murray and Wawrinka squeezed in multiple slams during that time period. Now it's Djokovic then everybody else and he's in his mid 30s which is remarkable considering that 30 was forever known as the end of the prime for just about every tennis player up until this last decade when Serena and The Big 3 changed the narrative on that in a big way.
Great post, definitely agree with your analysis. It would be exciting if somehow the women’s could have a big 3-5, maybe with some specializing on certain courts (it gets boring for me if it’s mostly one dominating).
Side question, do you attend US Open matches? Would love to make one someday. The girl has been to a couple Aussie Open matches years ago, jealous of that!
Several years back, I would attend fairly regularly but haven't been there since they reconstructed Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand etc.
It's actually only about a 5 minute ride from where I live so commuting is easy for me. Citi Field where the Mets play is also in the same area so I used to go to several Mets games a year. I've been to more Yankees game recently, went a couple of weeks ago for the first time post-Covid.
You guys should go. The Flushing Meadows complex is really nice and there's so much to do on the grounds if you want to wander around before, between or after matches. It's also not too far from Manhattan if you want to station in Manhattan.
I could see Emma Raducanu taking the US Open. She reminds me of Djokovic. A very good mover and returner. Very poised and high IQ player who plays most of the matches hitting at 80% to minimize unforced errors and once in awhile you see them hitting at 100% for a winner
Imagine winning the US Open and not dropping a set or going to a tie break. Doing it as an 18 year old and a qualifier. That's just insaneI’d actually be surprised if she didn’t at this point
I’d actually be surprised if she didn’t at this point
What happened to Ceausescu?
She just can’t stay healthy. It’s been 2 years of this for her now. I’m starting to think we’ve already seen the best of her.Leylah losing to Svitolina would have been no surprise. Andreescu choked lasted night, IMO. Very frustrating loss, she lost to an inferior player. Understand that she is not fully up to speed but you need to be able to get back to game shape after coming back from an injury or risk losing footing permanently. Especially on the women’s side
She just can’t stay healthy. It’s been 2 years of this for her now. I’m starting to think we’ve already seen the best of her.
Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.She's carrying about a dozen lbs too much weight. I'm not the only one out there saying it. For a thinner player maybe she could get around that. But she's stocky and muscular to begin with. Trouble is not all of that weight is muscle. She has some padding. Her collective weight makes it a bit difficult on her body, joints, etc, and her style is impacted that way. She exerts a lot of force on joints because she's strong. But that puts a lot of pressure on those same joints. Its her power combined with excess weight that is possibly collecting injuries.
I'm a bit worried that Andreescu has fallen into the eating regimen endorsed by say Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend etc. Athletes that consider calorie counting as unhelpful. But its part of this hubris that says we can't "shame" (thats not what this post is) . These are athletes, top fuel dragsters. Damn straight what you are eating, how much, what, is essentially important, its the fuel you're putting in your bodies. Yet theres this movement suggesting that athletes should be able to eat what others eat, they should be able to be normal. Well thats fine, if you tire of excellence in sporting competition you can be like everybody else, but without the millions in prize money. I mean Osaka particularly, she's really gained weight in recent years. It matters. She was looking over at Serena all those years thinking she could do that, gain weight, size, and still compete at her best. The Williams girls would be the exception to the rule.
Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.
Nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. I think it's a good thing for her as that's her appeal. She's racking up 9M a year in endorsements and she hasn't won anything in 2 years.
As my friends dad used to say, "She's built for comfort, not speed."She's carrying about a dozen lbs too much weight. I'm not the only one out there saying it. For a thinner player maybe she could get around that. But she's stocky and muscular to begin with. Trouble is not all of that weight is muscle. She has some padding. Her collective weight makes it a bit difficult on her body, joints, etc, and her style is impacted that way. She exerts a lot of force on joints because she's strong. But that puts a lot of pressure on those same joints. Its her power combined with excess weight that is possibly collecting injuries.
I'm a bit worried that Andreescu has fallen into the eating regimen endorsed by say Naomi Osaka, Taylor Townsend etc. Athletes that consider calorie counting as unhelpful. But its part of this hubris that says we can't "shame" (thats not what this post is) . These are athletes, top fuel dragsters. Damn straight what you are eating, how much, what, is essentially important, its the fuel you're putting in your bodies. Yet theres this movement suggesting that athletes should be able to eat what others eat, they should be able to be normal. Well thats fine, if you tire of excellence in sporting competition you can be like everybody else, but without the millions in prize money. I mean Osaka particularly, she's really gained weight in recent years. It matters. She was looking over at Serena all those years thinking she could do that, gain weight, size, and still compete at her best. The Williams girls would be the exception to the rule.
She may have won a major tournament a couple years ago, but carrying extra weight ultimately takes it's toll, as you are now seeing. I'm not suggesting she become anorexic, but like a lot of others, it sure looks like there is some extra cushion there besides muscle that could come off. And when you're playing a high intensity sport such as tennis, that extra weight puts a lot of strain on the muscles and joints. Lots of players rip balls and manage to stay healthy, that's not a reason.Andresscu's weight has very little to do with her injuries. In fact she won the US Open being on the heavier side. It's her play style that causing her injuries. She plays similar to Nadal. She rips the ball hard every chances she gets and she goes for every ball. That will always leads to injuries.
Nothing wrong with being on the heavier side. I think it's a good thing for her as that's her appeal. She's racking up 9M a year in endorsements and she hasn't won anything in 2 years.