Gonna be a banger Ryba vs. Vika.
Feels like this is the moment Ryba is ascending into stardom, and the only thing standing in her way is herself. And an in form Vika.
Sabalenka and Pliskova both look in red-hot form on the other side of the draw
Should be three brilliant matches to look forward to if those two both win tomorrow
Sabalenka and Pliskova can suddenly play like shit for no reason at all. Will be an interesting match up if they both make the semis. Sabalenka is the favorite to make it from her side of the draw but knowing WTA I won't be surprised if Vekic or Magda make it
Yeah, I think the window in which Pliskova was going to win a major has long since closed. I give her kudos for continuing to hang around and put herself in position, though. Last year was rough for her.
Only one woman has ever won her first major after turning 30, Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 U.S. Open. While there are several other women who have won *a* major (not their first) after the age of 30, the only two in any recent-ish year have been Serena (obviously, she won 10 from ages 30-36), and Angie Kerber, who was 30 when she won Wimbledon in 2018 (her third major title). Before Serena, I think you may have to go all the way back to Graf, who won her last one at 30.
Right you are. I was using the tables here:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_Grand\_Slam\_singles\_champions\_in\_Open\_Era\_with\_age\_of\_first\_title](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Grand_Slam_singles_champions_in_Open_Era_with_age_of_first_title)
And just realized that the "age of evolution" table for women only shows players who have won 3 majors, which Li Na did not. Even her first major win puts her fifth oldest all time for age at time of first win.
Not disagreeing with you. But my point is rybakina is the only player that could knock her out imo. And that was including everyone who made the quarterfinals.
Yeah I'm surprised by this. And the exposure of Pegulas second serve as a weakness? And repeatedly, Pegula refused to change directions. This is not a practice hit .. common
Totally uninformed opinion here but is it possible that many of this gen’s best female players have an endurance issue when it comes to these slams? The same one that plagued Serena post-pregnancy basically. Look amazing in the first few rounds and then surprisingly bad come QF or SF against like a 20 rank player.
No reason to think this could be the case other than watching the top ranked women (not really Iga or Ons despite this AO) struggle to get to the finals in strange looking ways. Slam SFs have simply been dominated by Iga and players ranked in the 20s
You may have a point. But I actually expected the losses for other tops seeds except for Pegula. I think they are incredibly fit; it takes a while level of work to get to where they are. A level not familiar to many civilians like me.
I can acknowledge that menstrual cycles may have an impact players vacillating levels within a tournament but she was just run ragged trying to reach for defense positions...
I can't speak for others metrics of this match but there was just a glaringly lack of shotmaking from Pegula. She is solid, consistent and can executive offensive shots for winners from anywhere except for this match. There was little of that in this match. I suspect they were not expecting this level from across the net?
I don't know why I am so baffled by this match
Oh yeah, don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to compare their fitness levels to us mere mortals or anything like that. Just comparatively to some of the other lower ranked women you might expect them to beat in the earlier rounds. I was really pulling for JPeg so I’m bummed about that one.
(From highlights) seems like Pegula just couldn't get into a rhythm of crushing the ball. Like she had previously.
Vika was comfortable with Pegulas groundstrokes. And she offers variety back. Add some nerves in there and that probably what did it.
Vika on form is great to watch. Really clean technique.
Glad Azarenka won. The way the Eurosport commentators in the UK wrote her off was so irritating to me. As if Azarenka isn't the one with the Slams and the pedigree and the higher top level.
Hope Pegula can start to win some of these big matches soon though
Vika was a set and two breaks up and J Peg had clearly mentally clocked out of the match but yet Eurosport commentators were still questioning how long Azarenka could keep playing at that level lol
I know that if she’s a slam contender, she’s gotta beat top players, but she did lose to Barty once and Iga twice in slams last year. Not sure I’d call that flopping, and the hype was likely because she crushed Iga a couple weeks ago.
I was surprised some people were suggesting she was a tournament fav. (I didnt get to see her earlier matches)
I don't know how I will trust the hype in any of the American women going forward.
Holy crap, every time a top player loses, do we need to do a “why was she favored?” or imply that she somehow didn’t deserve to be favored?
It’s the same way Berrettini was favored in matches where he didn’t play Djokovic last year and in 2021, once you only lose to the very best players, you tend to be favored over everybody else.
Pegula lost to Barty and Swiatek in her three Slam QFs last year, and just beat Swiatek pretty heavily a few weeks ago. That usually enables her to be favored over everybody else.
I'm not sure I can blame them *too* much, though. Vika has been past the 4th round of a major only once in the five seasons of post-partum play. Her power, which once allowed her to co-dominate the sport for a couple of seasons, almost seems a bit quaint by today's standards.
Zhu Lin was in form and by beating Zhu, Keys and now the in form number 3, Azarenka proved she still has it mentally. She will always believe she is in the match.
May not be what she was physically 10 years ago, but still very effective.
Desperate to see Rybakina win to hit back at the disrespect and regain lost ground in the rankings, but she is still a developing young player nowhere near her peak.
Apart of me is bracing for an Azarenka upset so I won’t be as cut should it happen.
I always thought Azarenka was mentally strong. She was one of the few players not intimidated by Serena back in the day, when Serena was super dominant.
she doesn't have as much sting in her ground-strokes, especially that top of class backhand, but her serve is quite good and she is very fit for a 30+ yo mom.
I watch all of Vika's matches, and I feel like it's the opposite? Her serve has been wonky/unreliable the last few years (it started getting better this year, though!) and what keeps her in in the top 20-30 range are her groundstrokes, high tennis IQ, and amazing returning abilities.
i am speaking relative to her young self back in the early 2010s. she tweaked her serve in the pandemic and routinely clocked 110mph+ first serves at USO 2020. it has since regressed but i feel it's still better than what it used to be originally. the power is also in reference to that time a decade back, she was bulkier and hit harder/heavier. no questions about her tennis IQ, as with most players it gets better as she ages.
Show me a player outside of Andy Roddick who has done more with less than her in the past 25 years. She works her ass off. Her dad is rich. Ok. I think the world gets that. But if you wanna give her a backhand shot like that, go after Gulbis because Pegula has every reason not to be a top 5 player: she’s not got amazing talent, she isn’t like 6’3” like a lot of these girls, and yes, money probably doesn’t motivate her. And….yet…..she still fucking wins.
Also, if her dad froze her out of the inheritance, she would still have accomplished more than like 85% of this sub combined.
I agree with everything you said, but nobody is 6'3 on the women's side. The tallest is probably like Rybakina, and she's listed at 6'0 (though probably taller in actuality). The most typical height is like 5'9 and Pegula isn't even that short at 5'7
I dont care what they are listed at, I have walked side by side with them, trust me when I tell you many are 6’3”. The most intimidating place I have ever been was backstage at the Toronto tournament. I saw one player with the atrongest legs I have ever seen……and she got busted for PEDs like a year later. I am 6’1”, so I have a good idea if I am looking up or down. Remember, tiny little diminutive Radwanska is 5’9”…….
These girls are waaaay taller than they are listed.
Murray reached number 1 for the first and sadly only time at 29, Penetta won her only singles slam and made her career high of number 6 at 33 right before retiring, and Kerber made number 1 at 28 and won her 3 slams from 28-30 so yeah.
Edit: OMG WAWRINKA TOO, 3 slams from 28-31
Murray is a special case. He had been playing at what is frankly an ATG level for a sustained period that would have easily reached #1 in any era except the one with the 3 GOAT contenders.
Murray was extremely good very early.
In her early 20s she had some major injuries and multiple surgeries so she wasn’t playing and had to rebuild her game and career. She got a new coach and stayed healthy and started climbing the rankings a few years back. I remember she was ranked in around the 70s or 80s and I saw her play at the us open and won. I I was impressed and started following her and it was a continual rise. She’s 28 and will then 29 next month.
Caroline Garcia comes to mind. Apart from her, WTA players Pegula's age or older that are *currently* at their career best ranking are Alexandrova, Jabeur, Zhang, Trevisan, Linette, Tomljanović, Pera and Zhu, and that's just in the top 60. So yeah, it's very common.
Magda Linette is gonna reach her career high ranking after this AO (so far she's advanced +17 positions to 28th in live ranks vs her career high rank #33)
Omg going from queen Rena to queen Renka. I fucken love this arc that old gen are cutting into next gen action. It's like a some fever dream h2h.
I'm always going to root for this gen over anybody on tour. Idk who she plays, even if it's someone I like I'm rooting for Azarenka because she goes back to tennis and the world in 2012, and that is like a completely different time for some reason
she goes before 2012! she won miami in 2009 beating serena! serena was always extra cautious to beat her like sharapova, but azarenka never got intimidated by this. and their relationship seemed much better/more respectful than the serena-sharapova frenemity.
azarenka is the champ of controlled aggression, so that along with return of serve were two things where she was better than serena. even if the h2h is lopsided in favour of serena, she still had to work harder to beat azarenka compared to sharapova (who really couldn't do anything better than serena).
azarenka's controlled aggression allowed her to ragdoll counterpunchers like woz, aga, kerber most of the time. she could rally with them all day while also being more aggressive them, pushing them further and further behind with each ball.
The nice thing is that if either Azarenka or Rybakina wins, they'll have beaten a top 10 opponent in route to the title. Also, since Azarenka or Rybakina are guaranteed to be in the final, even if someone from the bottom 1/2 wins, they'll have beaten a previous grand slam champion.
From 2021 Wimbledon to 2022 Wimbledon, where it ended (won by Rybakina who did beat top 10 opponents), the winners all never faced a top 10 opponent.... that's 4 grand slams in a row! And all 4 - 2021 SW19, 2021 UO, 2022 MP, 2022 RG
Barty came close, by beating Pliskova, but she actually had just fallen out of the top 10 for the first time in almost 5 years, the week before Wimbledon began.
for 4 consecutive majors for the winner to never face a top 10 opponent must be one of those unofficial open era records.
As far as I know, Barty winning 3 grand slams without facing a top 10 opponent and winning 2 grand slams without facing a previous grand slam champion is also something not ever done since Margaret Court.
Can't tell if cause of WTA "depth" or "weak era".
YES! Love me some Vika. It’s insane to me that Pegula was such a fave, given her track record in QF’s and the calibre of opponents she beat en route here. No shade.
If Pliskova and Sabalenka win their QF’s we will have the best semi-final lineup since the 2020 US. And we know what absolute fucking bangers those matches turned out to be.
>If Pliskova and Sabalenka win their QF’s we will have the best semi-final lineup since the 2020 US. And we know what absolute fucking bangers those match
I mean, this is pretty subjective but 2022 USO SF lineup was better with Iga vs Sabalenka & Jabeur vs Garcia
Fair play, but I strongly disagree. This lineup would have more slams between them and more players previously ranked number one. We all knew Swiatek would beat Sabalenka given their H2H that year and anybody sensible would have known Garcia would go off the boil sooner or later. This set of semi finalists would cumatively be more accomplished and the matchups more interesting.
If you consider live rankings though, there is only one player from TOP10 left in the draw now (Sabalenka).
In USO I believe 3 out of 4 semifinalists were TOP5 in live rankings at the time plus Garcia was on the huge rise to TOP10.
All in all both points are fair IMO, and this very is subjective. Depends what you value more - current ranking positions vs overall career achievements.
Objective shade is acceptable. Let's just state the facts. Maybe Pegula should have been tested earlier and would have completed better? The running around defensive game with no second serve will never work against Azarenka
I miss Serena
I mean, she clearly wants to be her own person and achieve something, she's cerntainly not playing for money, just like most of the top players. Don't get me wrong I have no sympathy for billionaires when they bitch about something, but stress isn't something exclusive to earning money.
some would say there's even more pressure on her, because many see her as privileged and want her to fail. You can never know what's inside someone's head, no matter the apparent success or wealth
Couldn’t watch but damn yay Vika. At this point I want her to win. After being so close in USO 2020 and IW 2021 I want her to have a happy ending 👏
Azerinka played well, Pegula was on the back foot and frustrated the whole time.
Why was Pegula trying to play through the middle of the court? Was that some bad coaching?
Pegula seemed to win the cross court rallies. But she also seemed to avoid them.
Pegula's first serve wasn't doing much, either. Her second serve seemed to frustrate Azerinka more.
You know how she’s been wearing a “3” in support of Damar Hamlin? It’s not just because she’s a fan, her family owns the team. They are that level of rich.
I don’t hold it against her. The money may have made it easier but lots of tennis players come from well off families. She still had to have the talent and put in the work.
Pegula was hyped at the US Open as well but then she faced Swiatek and couldn't stop hitting errors, the same happened here. Azarenka wasn't anything special this match compared to the Zhu match.
Hopefully Rybakina can play her best Tennis next match, she wasn't great against Ostapenko. Amazing serve but any big shot Ostapenko threw right at her she struggled getting back in the court.
I feel against Ostapenko it was all just serve/return difference. Not really about Rybakina hitting some great shots once the rally started.
The most important shot is the serve, and the second most important shot is the return.
It's true that the 184cm tall Rybakina is not the the world's best baseliner, sprinting side to side.
But Rybakina can definitely play well from the baseline and hit some great shots. Just against Ostapenko that wasn't really the case and has to be better against a player like Azarenka.
pegula played awful...she said the conditions were different, which I understand, her game is well suited for the heat, so she wasn't getting the pop she needed. still, there was an atrocious drop shot in the second set when she should have just put it away, and she just wasn't thinking out there. vika's playing better than she has in a long time, but good enough to be in the SFs? i wouldn't have thought so. i thought pegula would dominate this match...now that she hasn't...surely rybakina will?
crushed that we won't get a veteran's match with azarenka vs. pliskova, but still excited for the matches to come.
Anyone can beat Azarenka at any given day. This was all Pegula just playing horrid Tennis, which can happen to all of them, including Azarenka. Don't forget Zhu was very close and was even the better player, her issue was that she literally had no serve. So in the 3rd set while she kept getting broken because she had no free points from serve, she had to actually break Azarenka back consistently from her own play since Azarenka does hit some big serves.
Rybakina at her best is the better player but if she plays the way she did against Ostapenko she is probably losing.
Gonna be a banger Ryba vs. Vika. Feels like this is the moment Ryba is ascending into stardom, and the only thing standing in her way is herself. And an in form Vika.
Sabalenka and Pliskova both look in red-hot form on the other side of the draw Should be three brilliant matches to look forward to if those two both win tomorrow
Sabalenka and Pliskova can suddenly play like shit for no reason at all. Will be an interesting match up if they both make the semis. Sabalenka is the favorite to make it from her side of the draw but knowing WTA I won't be surprised if Vekic or Magda make it
Vekic is 5-1 against Sabalenka and both are in top form, should be a great match!
Magda beat plishy during BJK Finals 6-4 6-1 so well see
Pliskova will choke.
Yeah, I think the window in which Pliskova was going to win a major has long since closed. I give her kudos for continuing to hang around and put herself in position, though. Last year was rough for her.
I mean. I’d love for her to get one. But I just don’t see it. She may get lucky and get a wozniacki slam in her last year.
Lmao what last year she is 30.
Only one woman has ever won her first major after turning 30, Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 U.S. Open. While there are several other women who have won *a* major (not their first) after the age of 30, the only two in any recent-ish year have been Serena (obviously, she won 10 from ages 30-36), and Angie Kerber, who was 30 when she won Wimbledon in 2018 (her third major title). Before Serena, I think you may have to go all the way back to Graf, who won her last one at 30.
Li Na won the Australian Open in 2014 after having turned 30 a few years prior
Right you are. I was using the tables here: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_Grand\_Slam\_singles\_champions\_in\_Open\_Era\_with\_age\_of\_first\_title](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Grand_Slam_singles_champions_in_Open_Era_with_age_of_first_title) And just realized that the "age of evolution" table for women only shows players who have won 3 majors, which Li Na did not. Even her first major win puts her fifth oldest all time for age at time of first win.
Even if she doesn’t she won’t beat Rybakina.
Not disagreeing with you. But my point is rybakina is the only player that could knock her out imo. And that was including everyone who made the quarterfinals.
Well, she will be facing Rybakina if she makes it to the finals.
Yes. I was referring to azarenka. Losing. Not pliskova or sabalenka
Sabalenka or Vekic could beat Azarenka too.
Rybakina can overpower Vika.
Yep
So true. Really excited to see this match.
Tbh I don't think letting a redlining Vika hit you around the court was the way to go for Jess
Yeah I'm surprised by this. And the exposure of Pegulas second serve as a weakness? And repeatedly, Pegula refused to change directions. This is not a practice hit .. common
Totally uninformed opinion here but is it possible that many of this gen’s best female players have an endurance issue when it comes to these slams? The same one that plagued Serena post-pregnancy basically. Look amazing in the first few rounds and then surprisingly bad come QF or SF against like a 20 rank player. No reason to think this could be the case other than watching the top ranked women (not really Iga or Ons despite this AO) struggle to get to the finals in strange looking ways. Slam SFs have simply been dominated by Iga and players ranked in the 20s
You may have a point. But I actually expected the losses for other tops seeds except for Pegula. I think they are incredibly fit; it takes a while level of work to get to where they are. A level not familiar to many civilians like me. I can acknowledge that menstrual cycles may have an impact players vacillating levels within a tournament but she was just run ragged trying to reach for defense positions... I can't speak for others metrics of this match but there was just a glaringly lack of shotmaking from Pegula. She is solid, consistent and can executive offensive shots for winners from anywhere except for this match. There was little of that in this match. I suspect they were not expecting this level from across the net? I don't know why I am so baffled by this match
Oh yeah, don’t get me wrong I’m not trying to compare their fitness levels to us mere mortals or anything like that. Just comparatively to some of the other lower ranked women you might expect them to beat in the earlier rounds. I was really pulling for JPeg so I’m bummed about that one.
big if true
(From highlights) seems like Pegula just couldn't get into a rhythm of crushing the ball. Like she had previously. Vika was comfortable with Pegulas groundstrokes. And she offers variety back. Add some nerves in there and that probably what did it. Vika on form is great to watch. Really clean technique.
Glad Azarenka won. The way the Eurosport commentators in the UK wrote her off was so irritating to me. As if Azarenka isn't the one with the Slams and the pedigree and the higher top level. Hope Pegula can start to win some of these big matches soon though
Those commentators were awful. They just couldn't let go of their preconceived ideas about the match and see the brilliance of Azarenka's performance.
Vika was a set and two breaks up and J Peg had clearly mentally clocked out of the match but yet Eurosport commentators were still questioning how long Azarenka could keep playing at that level lol
Pegula gets way too much credit for someone that continually flops at the QF stage of a slam. She's the Andrey Rublev of the WTA.
I know that if she’s a slam contender, she’s gotta beat top players, but she did lose to Barty once and Iga twice in slams last year. Not sure I’d call that flopping, and the hype was likely because she crushed Iga a couple weeks ago.
I was surprised some people were suggesting she was a tournament fav. (I didnt get to see her earlier matches) I don't know how I will trust the hype in any of the American women going forward.
Holy crap, every time a top player loses, do we need to do a “why was she favored?” or imply that she somehow didn’t deserve to be favored? It’s the same way Berrettini was favored in matches where he didn’t play Djokovic last year and in 2021, once you only lose to the very best players, you tend to be favored over everybody else. Pegula lost to Barty and Swiatek in her three Slam QFs last year, and just beat Swiatek pretty heavily a few weeks ago. That usually enables her to be favored over everybody else.
fair enough
I mean she beat Iga pretty convincingly a couple weeks ago and has been blowing several of her opponents off the court
>I was surprised some people were suggesting she was a tournament fav Of course she was a favourite she was world number 3 and just beat Iga.
Yeah American women have given us no reason to trust them in tournaments /s
With Ostapenko and Rybakina moving up the ranks she is going to have the same problems as Iga does.
I'm not sure I can blame them *too* much, though. Vika has been past the 4th round of a major only once in the five seasons of post-partum play. Her power, which once allowed her to co-dominate the sport for a couple of seasons, almost seems a bit quaint by today's standards.
Mmmmm pedigree. Most tasty dog food!
what a win, and on her dog's birthday 🦮
Zhu Lin was in form and by beating Zhu, Keys and now the in form number 3, Azarenka proved she still has it mentally. She will always believe she is in the match. May not be what she was physically 10 years ago, but still very effective. Desperate to see Rybakina win to hit back at the disrespect and regain lost ground in the rankings, but she is still a developing young player nowhere near her peak. Apart of me is bracing for an Azarenka upset so I won’t be as cut should it happen.
I always thought Azarenka was mentally strong. She was one of the few players not intimidated by Serena back in the day, when Serena was super dominant.
yeah especially in the 2012/2013 seasons
she doesn't have as much sting in her ground-strokes, especially that top of class backhand, but her serve is quite good and she is very fit for a 30+ yo mom.
I watch all of Vika's matches, and I feel like it's the opposite? Her serve has been wonky/unreliable the last few years (it started getting better this year, though!) and what keeps her in in the top 20-30 range are her groundstrokes, high tennis IQ, and amazing returning abilities.
i am speaking relative to her young self back in the early 2010s. she tweaked her serve in the pandemic and routinely clocked 110mph+ first serves at USO 2020. it has since regressed but i feel it's still better than what it used to be originally. the power is also in reference to that time a decade back, she was bulkier and hit harder/heavier. no questions about her tennis IQ, as with most players it gets better as she ages.
Will pegula ever win another set in a slam QF? 8 in a row lost now...
Female Rublev (pending tomorrow’s results)
Jesus, yeah just checked and of Rubles' 6 QFs before this one he has lost in straights in 5, the exception being his 5 set loss to cilic at RG.
BUT SHE WAS THE WORKING CLASS HERO :((((((((((
Show me a player outside of Andy Roddick who has done more with less than her in the past 25 years. She works her ass off. Her dad is rich. Ok. I think the world gets that. But if you wanna give her a backhand shot like that, go after Gulbis because Pegula has every reason not to be a top 5 player: she’s not got amazing talent, she isn’t like 6’3” like a lot of these girls, and yes, money probably doesn’t motivate her. And….yet…..she still fucking wins. Also, if her dad froze her out of the inheritance, she would still have accomplished more than like 85% of this sub combined.
I agree with everything you said, but nobody is 6'3 on the women's side. The tallest is probably like Rybakina, and she's listed at 6'0 (though probably taller in actuality). The most typical height is like 5'9 and Pegula isn't even that short at 5'7
I dont care what they are listed at, I have walked side by side with them, trust me when I tell you many are 6’3”. The most intimidating place I have ever been was backstage at the Toronto tournament. I saw one player with the atrongest legs I have ever seen……and she got busted for PEDs like a year later. I am 6’1”, so I have a good idea if I am looking up or down. Remember, tiny little diminutive Radwanska is 5’9”……. These girls are waaaay taller than they are listed.
JFC, chill.
JFC, stop being so lazy. She isn’t.
???
Based Vika teaching these kids a lesson
Lol Pegula is almost 29. Azarenka is only like 4 years older than her.
Hard to believe, feels like Jess is younger. Late bloomer moment, Ig
Omg I thought she was younger. How often does a player reach their peak ranking at 29!?
Ask Andy Murray
Murray reached number 1 for the first and sadly only time at 29, Penetta won her only singles slam and made her career high of number 6 at 33 right before retiring, and Kerber made number 1 at 28 and won her 3 slams from 28-30 so yeah. Edit: OMG WAWRINKA TOO, 3 slams from 28-31
Murray is a special case. He had been playing at what is frankly an ATG level for a sustained period that would have easily reached #1 in any era except the one with the 3 GOAT contenders. Murray was extremely good very early.
What’s far more uncommon is a top-5 player who did not crack the top 100 until age 25.
In her early 20s she had some major injuries and multiple surgeries so she wasn’t playing and had to rebuild her game and career. She got a new coach and stayed healthy and started climbing the rankings a few years back. I remember she was ranked in around the 70s or 80s and I saw her play at the us open and won. I I was impressed and started following her and it was a continual rise. She’s 28 and will then 29 next month.
Very often.
Can you name any significant ones other than Murray?
Li Na won her first slam at the age of 29, although technically she peaked even higher 3 years later winning AO and reaching world #2
Wawrinka
Li Na had a top ranking of No 2 in the world which she achieved at 32 after winning the 2014 Aus Open I'm sure there's plenty
Caroline Garcia comes to mind. Apart from her, WTA players Pegula's age or older that are *currently* at their career best ranking are Alexandrova, Jabeur, Zhang, Trevisan, Linette, Tomljanović, Pera and Zhu, and that's just in the top 60. So yeah, it's very common.
kerber
Jabeur and Garcia literally did it
Magda Linette is gonna reach her career high ranking after this AO (so far she's advanced +17 positions to 28th in live ranks vs her career high rank #33)
By having rich parents and being able to afford to stay on tour and wait
She saw Djokovic against De Minaur and wanted to copy his style.
33 is the new 23
Fuck them kids
Vika turning back the clock and going for a third Aussie open. Really disappointed in jpeg.
Omg going from queen Rena to queen Renka. I fucken love this arc that old gen are cutting into next gen action. It's like a some fever dream h2h. I'm always going to root for this gen over anybody on tour. Idk who she plays, even if it's someone I like I'm rooting for Azarenka because she goes back to tennis and the world in 2012, and that is like a completely different time for some reason
she goes before 2012! she won miami in 2009 beating serena! serena was always extra cautious to beat her like sharapova, but azarenka never got intimidated by this. and their relationship seemed much better/more respectful than the serena-sharapova frenemity. azarenka is the champ of controlled aggression, so that along with return of serve were two things where she was better than serena. even if the h2h is lopsided in favour of serena, she still had to work harder to beat azarenka compared to sharapova (who really couldn't do anything better than serena). azarenka's controlled aggression allowed her to ragdoll counterpunchers like woz, aga, kerber most of the time. she could rally with them all day while also being more aggressive them, pushing them further and further behind with each ball.
She showed up just as much as the Bills did on Sunday.
Savage
Queen Vika! Go win this thing!!
The nice thing is that if either Azarenka or Rybakina wins, they'll have beaten a top 10 opponent in route to the title. Also, since Azarenka or Rybakina are guaranteed to be in the final, even if someone from the bottom 1/2 wins, they'll have beaten a previous grand slam champion. From 2021 Wimbledon to 2022 Wimbledon, where it ended (won by Rybakina who did beat top 10 opponents), the winners all never faced a top 10 opponent.... that's 4 grand slams in a row! And all 4 - 2021 SW19, 2021 UO, 2022 MP, 2022 RG Barty came close, by beating Pliskova, but she actually had just fallen out of the top 10 for the first time in almost 5 years, the week before Wimbledon began. for 4 consecutive majors for the winner to never face a top 10 opponent must be one of those unofficial open era records. As far as I know, Barty winning 3 grand slams without facing a top 10 opponent and winning 2 grand slams without facing a previous grand slam champion is also something not ever done since Margaret Court. Can't tell if cause of WTA "depth" or "weak era".
What do you mean 2022 Wimbly Elena beat Ons
That's why they excluded 2022 Wimby
They edited the comment
How convenient
Oh ok.
correction: ons beat ons /s
I said "won by Rybakina who did beat top 10 opponents"
This is interesting. To be fair, I think Collins was a much bigger challenge to Ash in the final than Iga would have been
And there is Iga who went through three top ten players to win US Open last year.
Think they said from 2021 Wimbledon to 2022 Wimbledon
Yes, I was adding, not correcting.
oh sorry then :)
I used to be on the depth wagon but in retrospect, I disagree with myself and saw some very weak draws. Smh. I just had to admit it.
YES! Love me some Vika. It’s insane to me that Pegula was such a fave, given her track record in QF’s and the calibre of opponents she beat en route here. No shade. If Pliskova and Sabalenka win their QF’s we will have the best semi-final lineup since the 2020 US. And we know what absolute fucking bangers those matches turned out to be.
>If Pliskova and Sabalenka win their QF’s we will have the best semi-final lineup since the 2020 US. And we know what absolute fucking bangers those match I mean, this is pretty subjective but 2022 USO SF lineup was better with Iga vs Sabalenka & Jabeur vs Garcia
Yes I agree. This potential semi final match up to me is not something I’m excited about
Fair play, but I strongly disagree. This lineup would have more slams between them and more players previously ranked number one. We all knew Swiatek would beat Sabalenka given their H2H that year and anybody sensible would have known Garcia would go off the boil sooner or later. This set of semi finalists would cumatively be more accomplished and the matchups more interesting.
If you consider live rankings though, there is only one player from TOP10 left in the draw now (Sabalenka). In USO I believe 3 out of 4 semifinalists were TOP5 in live rankings at the time plus Garcia was on the huge rise to TOP10. All in all both points are fair IMO, and this very is subjective. Depends what you value more - current ranking positions vs overall career achievements.
Objective shade is acceptable. Let's just state the facts. Maybe Pegula should have been tested earlier and would have completed better? The running around defensive game with no second serve will never work against Azarenka I miss Serena
2021 Wimbledon was very good. Barty Kerber Pliskova Sabalenka
Pegula mental is whats keeping her from winning a Slam
Going back two steps, more like making a SF
It's weird because out of all players, she should be the most stress-free. Literally a billionaire.
Turns out people still want to achieve something after being rich, that's crazy
She got passion
I mean, she clearly wants to be her own person and achieve something, she's cerntainly not playing for money, just like most of the top players. Don't get me wrong I have no sympathy for billionaires when they bitch about something, but stress isn't something exclusive to earning money.
When you reach the top 20 or 30, the stress is no longer related to money.
That's what us proles would think, but she has extremely successful parents to impress.
Being rich does not mean all your problems disappear. The rich have exactly the same neurosis’s as anyone else.
some would say there's even more pressure on her, because many see her as privileged and want her to fail. You can never know what's inside someone's head, no matter the apparent success or wealth
Her parents are billionaires, she isn't........yet.
Thought she conquered her demons.
She can win a slam with a good form and the right draw, but with most draws she'll come up short even with a better mental game
Vika: The Resurgence
Couldn’t watch but damn yay Vika. At this point I want her to win. After being so close in USO 2020 and IW 2021 I want her to have a happy ending 👏
Azarenka wasn’t kidding about bringing it to her huh
Vika Renaissance let's gooo
Azerinka played well, Pegula was on the back foot and frustrated the whole time. Why was Pegula trying to play through the middle of the court? Was that some bad coaching? Pegula seemed to win the cross court rallies. But she also seemed to avoid them. Pegula's first serve wasn't doing much, either. Her second serve seemed to frustrate Azerinka more.
I would love it if Vika could win the whole thing.
Love a Vika resurgence
Am i the only one who didn’t know pegula Is the heir of a multi billionaire?
Probably
In the whole world? No. In the tennis community? No. Between me and you? Yes.
You know how she’s been wearing a “3” in support of Damar Hamlin? It’s not just because she’s a fan, her family owns the team. They are that level of rich. I don’t hold it against her. The money may have made it easier but lots of tennis players come from well off families. She still had to have the talent and put in the work.
I am both happy and sad. Such is tennis
Great performance from vika. It's been so long since she won a title, really hope she can pull it off here. The level is there certainly
good to see Vika back in form!
Vika yess!!!
I didn’t really like Vika in her hayday 10 years ago but now I’m hella bullish on her winning this
Queen 👸👸
Pegula was hyped at the US Open as well but then she faced Swiatek and couldn't stop hitting errors, the same happened here. Azarenka wasn't anything special this match compared to the Zhu match. Hopefully Rybakina can play her best Tennis next match, she wasn't great against Ostapenko. Amazing serve but any big shot Ostapenko threw right at her she struggled getting back in the court. I feel against Ostapenko it was all just serve/return difference. Not really about Rybakina hitting some great shots once the rally started.
The most important shot is the serve, and the second most important shot is the return. It's true that the 184cm tall Rybakina is not the the world's best baseliner, sprinting side to side.
But Rybakina can definitely play well from the baseline and hit some great shots. Just against Ostapenko that wasn't really the case and has to be better against a player like Azarenka.
Why is every slam like this for Pegula đź’€ she destroys everyone and then gets destroyed once she makes the quarters
Probably because she's a class above the lower ranked players but she's not better than the top 20
pegula played awful...she said the conditions were different, which I understand, her game is well suited for the heat, so she wasn't getting the pop she needed. still, there was an atrocious drop shot in the second set when she should have just put it away, and she just wasn't thinking out there. vika's playing better than she has in a long time, but good enough to be in the SFs? i wouldn't have thought so. i thought pegula would dominate this match...now that she hasn't...surely rybakina will? crushed that we won't get a veteran's match with azarenka vs. pliskova, but still excited for the matches to come.
I’m surprised so few picked azarenka to win this match. This beatdown. Was clearly coming. Rybakina is the last player that can beat her imo.
Anyone can beat Azarenka at any given day. This was all Pegula just playing horrid Tennis, which can happen to all of them, including Azarenka. Don't forget Zhu was very close and was even the better player, her issue was that she literally had no serve. So in the 3rd set while she kept getting broken because she had no free points from serve, she had to actually break Azarenka back consistently from her own play since Azarenka does hit some big serves. Rybakina at her best is the better player but if she plays the way she did against Ostapenko she is probably losing.
The Bills loose, Pegula looses
*lose, *loses
Who is this cricket physio
Hahaha my thoughts exactly
Maybe Rybakina will lose her serve? Hopefully? Lol
No
I started watching from 6-4 2-0, Pegula surely wasn't aggressive, but Vika just played better
Pegula played out of her mind to break back at the end of the first and then still lost it and got super deflated in the 2nd IMO
Pegula was plenty aggressive
How did pegula lose I thought she was on fire wow
.rt hi m nbbbnhev.
Pegula does not have the weapons to win these things.