(no subject)
Ladies and gentlemen!
We've moved up a level. Maria Sharapova blasted Kaia Kinepi 6-2 6-3. The match was, frankly, short and one-sided. The winner was a player on top of her game with no peer in sight, least of all on the court. It was almost too easy; but we don't think that way, so rather, thank goodness it was so easy, all the more rest for Maria.
Her next opponent is the only other top-5 player remaining in the draw, #4 Petra Kvitova. This young Czech had an outstanding 2011 including a victory over Sharapova in the finals at Wimbledon to claim that championship. She is no softie. But we've got momentum on our side: Sharapova has defeated Kvitova in two out of two meetings so far in 2012, including a narrow and toughly contested 6-4 7-6 victory on clay in Stuttgart less than six weeks ago. This is not an auto-win, but it will be a win, because Sharapova is going to be the French Open champion.
When I say we've moved up a level, I mean that I can feel it. The air is different now. Entering the semifinals makes everything look a little more shimmery and golden. The instant increase in excitement is palpable. There are only four women remaining, and all four will play tomorrow to decide the finals matchup. That means Sharapova and Kvitova's match happens without either having a day of rest since their previous round. Which makes it all the more useful that Kvitova took three sets, playing 39 more minutes of tennis than Maria.
[x] Round 1
[x] Round 2
[x] Round 3
[x] Round 4
[x] Quarterfinals
[] Semifinals
[] Finals
We've moved up a level. Maria Sharapova blasted Kaia Kinepi 6-2 6-3. The match was, frankly, short and one-sided. The winner was a player on top of her game with no peer in sight, least of all on the court. It was almost too easy; but we don't think that way, so rather, thank goodness it was so easy, all the more rest for Maria.
Her next opponent is the only other top-5 player remaining in the draw, #4 Petra Kvitova. This young Czech had an outstanding 2011 including a victory over Sharapova in the finals at Wimbledon to claim that championship. She is no softie. But we've got momentum on our side: Sharapova has defeated Kvitova in two out of two meetings so far in 2012, including a narrow and toughly contested 6-4 7-6 victory on clay in Stuttgart less than six weeks ago. This is not an auto-win, but it will be a win, because Sharapova is going to be the French Open champion.
When I say we've moved up a level, I mean that I can feel it. The air is different now. Entering the semifinals makes everything look a little more shimmery and golden. The instant increase in excitement is palpable. There are only four women remaining, and all four will play tomorrow to decide the finals matchup. That means Sharapova and Kvitova's match happens without either having a day of rest since their previous round. Which makes it all the more useful that Kvitova took three sets, playing 39 more minutes of tennis than Maria.
[x] Round 1
[x] Round 2
[x] Round 3
[x] Round 4
[x] Quarterfinals
[] Semifinals
[] Finals