Day 2 was a much better day tennis wise than Day 1 in Doha. With the temperature at 5p Doha time about 50 degrees Celsius/108 degrees Fahrenheit the day could've featured slow, sluggishly played break fests, something the WTA has become known for. Indeed the first match started out just like that.
Ahem. Back to the match.
The first set was decided by a tiebreaker that Bepa won 7-6(4). The second set saw a mentally tired Victoria Azarenka trying to hold on but in the end not having enough left after winning Moscow last week. Vera won that set 6-4. Bepa is now the leader of the White Group with a match record of 2-0 and sets won at 4-0.
Jelena couldn't play as poorly as she did on Day 1 and she didn't but she was never in the match. She tried to make a better showing but in the end she lost 6-2, 6-3. I think Lindsay Davenport, in her usual blase blase style said it best when discussing why Jelena's recent play. She said that in 2008 Jelena played almost constantly and that while she does work out and keep herself fit the body can only take so much and that she is paying the cost for her schedule two years ago. Yes she finished the year at #1 but has never been the same since. Clisters, also in the White Group, is up 1-0 in matches and 2 sets to none lost behind Bepa.
The third match featured WTA #1 Caroline Wozniacki playing Samantha Stosur.The tennis press was breathlessly reporting that if Bepa lost or Wozniacki won Caroline would secure the year end #1 ranking.
The Order of Play for tomorrow at 5p Doha time, 10a Eastern US time is as follows:
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Khalifa Tennis Complex (from 17.00hrs)
1. Samantha Stosur vs. Elena Dementieva
2. Caroline Wozniacki vs. Francesca Schiavone
3. Kim Clijsters vs. Victoria Azarenka
End Note: I'm going to be out all morning tomorrow so I won't post a Day 3 review. I should pick things up again on Friday.
3 comments:
Clijsters over Vika in 2.
Sammie over Dementieva in 2.
Woz over Frannie in 3 (ugly) sets.
I don't understand why Vika played Moscow last week. I'm sure there were lots of rubles involved but she stumbled into this event and began play with very little time to recoup. Can she beat Clijsters? Yes. Will she? I don't think so.
I have no idea what's wrong with Elena. She seems to be going backward instead of forward. It could be that she's tired but she's been playing like this most of the second half of the year. Unless Stosur implodes mentally she should routine her.
Wozniacki will be out for blood. Franny hasn't shown that same spark she had in Paris. Woz will use her height to try and gain an advantage but if Fran concentrates she can eke out a win. If this goes two it's Wozniacki. If it goes to three it'll be Fran.
Of course I suck at predictions and you don't sir. :)
Vika had to play Moscow just to qualify for Doha. Li was ahead of her in the race before last week. Sure she could have tanked after winning her first match, but it's not at all obvious that she would have had a much better chance against either of her first two opponents. Both Kim and Vera are better players at this point.
Kim will win this tournament as long as she keeps her concentration and doesn't start spraying errors left and right. There is no one better than her on hard courts. Not even Serena and she is not here.
P.S. Elena wasn't quite as "dead" as most of us expected. Glad to see her beating Stosur. Don't like her much...
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