ATP M1000 WTA 1000 Madrid 4/25 - 5/7 2023

[ti-amie]

Swiatek is still the favorite at Roland Garros, but I got the sense at the Australian Open when Sabalenka maintained her composure to close out Rybakina in three sets that she could win the Grand Slam this year. I don't use that term lightly. She has the game to do it, and if she serves well and keeps her nerve, she will be incredibly difficult to beat for anyone on any surface except for Swiatek if they meet in the final at Roland Garros.

Obviously the odds are long for anyone to do it, but I believe she clearly has the best chance of anyone since Serena.

Apparently Iga let it be known during her trophy speech that she didn't like playing at 1a.

I think coaching won that match for Aryna. She could've done her usual and lost focus at a few key points during the match but she did it only once and that was in the second set when Swiatek leveled the set at 3 all. Instead she dragged herself right back to the game plan she and her coach worked out and when a crucial point came at 3 all in the third she held and that was when Iga blinked.

It's very rare to say a WTA match was great. If you're a tennis head you will appreciate this one.

[ti-amie]

Christopher Clarey
@christophclarey@sportsbots.xyz
Swiatek v Sabalenka

2021 WTA Finals RR Sabalenka 26 62 75
2022 Doha QF Swiatek 62 63
2022 Stuttgart F Swiatek 62 62
2022 Rome SF Swiatek 62 61
2022 US Open SF Swiatek 36 61 64
2022 WTA Finals SF Sabalenka 62 26 61
2023 Stuttgart F Swiatek 63 64
2023 Madrid F Sabalenka 63 36 63

[ponchi101]

The score does not tell about the quality of the match. Some truly great points, and both kept their level, with the small dips which led to the result.
But let's remember that Madrid is seldom a good indicator for RG. I agree with the above: Iga is still the leading contender for RG. Rome will let us know better.

[jazzyg]

Swiatek is still the favorite at Roland Garros, but I got the sense at the Australian Open when Sabalenka maintained her composure to close out Rybakina in three sets that she could win the Grand Slam this year. I don't use that term lightly. She has the game to do it, and if she serves well and keeps her nerve, she will be incredibly difficult to beat for anyone on any surface except for Swiatek if they meet in the final at Roland Garros.

Obviously the odds are long for anyone to do it, but I believe she clearly has the best chance of anyone since Serena.

Well, being that she is the one who won the slam this year, nobody else has a chance for a Grand Slam this year. So she clearly has the best chance - hard to argue ))

Do you really not get the gist of what i was posting? I'm saying Sabalenka is the only player with a chance to win the Grand Slam in any year since Serena came close and has the goods to do it. That's been the case for what, five players in my lifetime--Navratilova, Graf, Hingis (because of the lack of competition when she hit the top), Serena and now Sabalenka in my estimation. Graf succeeded. The others won three of the four. I think Sabalenka's game is on their level. We will find out if she can stay in the same good headspace she is in right now.

[mick1303]

Swiatek is still the favorite at Roland Garros, but I got the sense at the Australian Open when Sabalenka maintained her composure to close out Rybakina in three sets that she could win the Grand Slam this year. I don't use that term lightly. She has the game to do it, and if she serves well and keeps her nerve, she will be incredibly difficult to beat for anyone on any surface except for Swiatek if they meet in the final at Roland Garros.

Obviously the odds are long for anyone to do it, but I believe she clearly has the best chance of anyone since Serena.

Well, being that she is the one who won the slam this year, nobody else has a chance for a Grand Slam this year. So she clearly has the best chance - hard to argue ))

Do you really not get the gist of what i was posting? I'm saying Sabalenka is the only player with a chance to win the Grand Slam in any year since Serena came close and has the goods to do it. That's been the case for what, five players in my lifetime--Navratilova, Graf, Hingis (because of the lack of competition when she hit the top), Serena and now Sabalenka in my estimation. Graf succeeded. The others won three of the four. I think Sabalenka's game is on their level. We will find out if she can stay in the same good headspace she is in right now.

This is what you wanted to say maybe. But you said "this year".
In all seriousness - I don't feel that Sabalenka is at this level of domination. She is good, but not THAT good. On a given day she is vulnerable to more than one player: Swiatek, Rybakina, Kreichikova. If she wins one more slam this year - it will be a great year for her.

[ti-amie]

TBH I don't think any of the top WTA players have a GS in them. I'm including Sabalenka, Swiatek, Rybakina and Krejcikova in that mix. All of them need the draw to break for them because any rando can take them out on a given day due to lapses of focus/concentration/conditioning.
Sabalenka played very well today but she had no pressure on her because no one expected her to win.

Just to be clear I mean winning all four majors in a calendar year.

[ti-amie]

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

Both finals delivered. The women's was a fine match, the men's too.
Some of Struff's volleys were downright Edberg-esque.
At 32, doubtful to see Struff making any inroads in the winners' circles. But he may be someone to avoid at RG, this year.

[ti-amie]

Struff made Carlitos very uncomfortable out there and for most of the second set he was reacting to what Struff was doing. In the third set you could see Carlitos calm himself down and begin to impose his will. It helped that Struff had no legs by that point. Still it was a very good match and it wasn't until Carlitos went up 4-1 in the third that it was safe to think that he'd win.

I agree about Struff. He's in Qualies in Rome and I'm sure a lot of players are hoping he's tired and crashes out early.

Two finals worthy of being finals. What is the tennis world coming to?

[ti-amie]

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

Four players that ranked high in singles. Let's hope it becomes a regular occurrence.

[Owendonovan]

In the spirit of trophy moments, this made me chuckle. I'd be happy with a food processor, not the 0% crap.

Spain women's race apologizes for food processor, nonfat gifts.
MADRID -- The organizers of a women's running race in Spain apologized Monday after the winner was offered a food processor to take home, sparking accusations of sexism.
The 7-kilometer Carrera de la Mujer women's race issued a statement on Twitter saying it hadn't considered the kitchen appliance -- donated by a sponsor -- would have sexist implications.
"We apologize but we consider this a product with no sexist character and ideal for any athlete who wants to improve their nutritional habits," the statement said. "We regret if any woman felt offended."
The food processor controversy went largely unnoticed until Ángela Rodríguez Pam, Spain's secretary of state for equality, tweeted that the winner had received a food processor and others were given 0% fat products.
"If you win: housewife and if not at least you'll lose weight," Rodríguez Pam tweeted.


https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/i ... nfat-gifts

[ponchi101]

A kitchen appliance company gave a kitchen appliance as a prize.
Truly odd.