Azaranka IMO should concentrate more on her tennis. She comes off as a soar loser and prior to this match, one who is not the most honest player anyway. Serena seems to have her number when it's called. She should stop being such a cry baby. Oh, and stop the screaming will ya? It's so annoying! Worst thing in tennis is to have to watch a match with her and Sharapova...geez, shut up.
1
As far as I know, Azaranka’s reference to Hawk-Eye would not have changed the result. Electronic replay would be used to correct the line call (changing “out” to “in” in this instance), but that was actually done by the umpire here. As to the umpire’s subsequent judgment that the point needed to be replayed, Hawk-Eye would not have changed that, since it is a discretionary call.
In any case, Azaranka knows that electronic replay is not used at the French, so why go on about it in the midst of a match? IMO, she would be better served by preparing herself mentally for bad calls like this and other setbacks a player inevitably suffers during a match, and be able to play through them without allowing her focus to become unglued. It is an important part (perhaps the most important part) of what it takes to become a champion.
In any case, Azaranka knows that electronic replay is not used at the French, so why go on about it in the midst of a match? IMO, she would be better served by preparing herself mentally for bad calls like this and other setbacks a player inevitably suffers during a match, and be able to play through them without allowing her focus to become unglued. It is an important part (perhaps the most important part) of what it takes to become a champion.
2
It's hard for Vika to expect Serena to concede such an important point, given Vika's own misuse of injury time-outs and other less-than-sportsmanlike behavior over the years. Gamesmanship can cut both ways.
4
Serena is the best female tennis player in the world.Some people just don't 'get it...
6
Azarenka should have lunch with John McEnroe to discuss the merits (or lack thereof) of muttering obscenities at the umpire during a match. Usually the more emotionally mature player wins.
2
Let's face it, while I like Vika she is using this one point as an excuse for losing 10 of the following 12 points. I thought Vika had moved on from the "bathroom breaks to collect myself" moments of the past. She is a great player but the reality is that she still has to work on her mental toughness even with Sasha now in her corner. Moving up in the rankings after a lay off is never easy, but it will go faster if you realize your mental mistakes and work to correct them.
5
Azarenka, you and Sharapova are both great tennis players but Serena is just a little better. I won't lie after the first set i thought Serena was going to lose in straight sets. Azarenka just looked more motivated. The French Open is Serena's worst surface so if Maria is going to ever beat Serena it has to be on clay. Come on Serena I know you can have another "Serena Slam" year.
6
Azarenka is a jerk, a sore loser and a cheater. She always has been. She's complaining about one single call. That one call did not lose her the entire match. Just own it you choked and Serena was the champion that she always has been. So typical. Why don't you retire and join the other cheater Justine Henin.
4
Mistakes and bad calls happen even if it was corrected there and Azarenka got the call Serena was already ahead, regardless of what happened Serena won the match fairly as the great champion she is.
9
“I don’t know how she does it,” Azarenka said of Williams. “When she plays against me and Maria, her level is not at all the same as when she plays against some of the others.”
I loved this quote. It's like Vika is Wile E. Coyote, and Serena is the Road Runner. Every time Vika sets a trap, Serena escapes. If I could, I would insert an animated gif or a youtube clip of Dr. Claw vowing revenge against Inspector Gadget. "I'll get you next time, Gadget. Next Time!!!!!!!"
I loved this quote. It's like Vika is Wile E. Coyote, and Serena is the Road Runner. Every time Vika sets a trap, Serena escapes. If I could, I would insert an animated gif or a youtube clip of Dr. Claw vowing revenge against Inspector Gadget. "I'll get you next time, Gadget. Next Time!!!!!!!"
7
Vika plays victim. Not a good look.
4
Azarenka let Williams off the hook.
In the second set she had the opportunity to break Williams and go up 4-1 with her own serve to come. She missed a tough but makeable shot. Williams didn't let the moment pass and steamrolled her way to the second set.
This had nothing to do with an umpire's call, and everything to do with the competitors themselves.
Regardless, it's nice to see Azarenka back on the court and playing well.
In the second set she had the opportunity to break Williams and go up 4-1 with her own serve to come. She missed a tough but makeable shot. Williams didn't let the moment pass and steamrolled her way to the second set.
This had nothing to do with an umpire's call, and everything to do with the competitors themselves.
Regardless, it's nice to see Azarenka back on the court and playing well.
9
“I don’t know how she does it,” --Azarenka
Azarenka should demand that tennis tests for HTH and steroids it is time
Azarenka should demand that tennis tests for HTH and steroids it is time
4
They're already tested for everything, but don't let that stop your whiney excuse seeking whines about how Serena is supposedly on "steroids" Because steroids makes you play the lines .... sure.
Plenty of players got caught using doping, including one who played RG this week. Williams? Not so much.
Also, it's not as if there aren't 12 women on tour who hit the ball harder than Williams.
Plenty of players got caught using doping, including one who played RG this week. Williams? Not so much.
Also, it's not as if there aren't 12 women on tour who hit the ball harder than Williams.
6
Tennis has a terrible drug testing program that is an embarrassment compared to sports like cycling. But the fact of the matter is that we have no idea who will test positive and it's as likely to be a player we love as one we hate. I always believed the suspicions about Lance Armstrong but Floyd Landis broke my heart.
"Her latest match with Serena Williams had been over for more than an hour, and Victoria Azarenka was still shaking her head in disbelief as she sat at a table in the French Open players lounge on Saturday night."
Shaking her head at what? The fact that the #1 female tennis player in the world beat her? She should be shaking her head in disbelief that it took Serena three sets, instead of the usual two sets.
"Azarenka said she had broken a chair in anger in the locker room. That seemed both understandable and fitting in light of the circumstances, which included a dubious ruling from the chair umpire Kader Nouni at the end of the second set."
If it was Serena who broke a chair in anger instead of Azarenka, I wonder if sports reporters would say it's "understandable" and "fitting?" Not a chance! They would be attacking her endlessly.
Shaking her head at what? The fact that the #1 female tennis player in the world beat her? She should be shaking her head in disbelief that it took Serena three sets, instead of the usual two sets.
"Azarenka said she had broken a chair in anger in the locker room. That seemed both understandable and fitting in light of the circumstances, which included a dubious ruling from the chair umpire Kader Nouni at the end of the second set."
If it was Serena who broke a chair in anger instead of Azarenka, I wonder if sports reporters would say it's "understandable" and "fitting?" Not a chance! They would be attacking her endlessly.
31
So true. Words like "angry" and "civilised" and "self control" would be flying around, along with all the dog whistling words that implicate that people of color are little more than animals. "Thug" would be probably number 1.
7
I Love You Black Goddess Serena.... Reign Supreme!
11
As usual the media wants to create animosity when there is none. The umpire made a call that is made umpteen times in competition and his decision basically reset the clock for both players. He did not give the point to Serena. Vika acknowledged that the call did not dictate the outcome of the match. For crying out loud she was ahead by a set and 4-2 in the second set and ahead 2-0 in the third.
12
i didn't know serena had rivals lol
4
“When she plays against me and Maria, her level is not at all the same as when she plays against some of the others.”
It's called a steroid cycle.
It's called a steroid cycle.
Re: "It's called a steroid cycle."
Not a fair comment to make if there isn't proof. It seems a form of prejudice to credit Serena's superior skills to steroid use. For me, there will be a great void in women's tennis when she no longer plays--she is an athletic goddess on the court.
Not a fair comment to make if there isn't proof. It seems a form of prejudice to credit Serena's superior skills to steroid use. For me, there will be a great void in women's tennis when she no longer plays--she is an athletic goddess on the court.
23
So finding amazing angles, reading the play of your opponent, and just plain outplaying your opponent in your mind boils down to steroids? I would give your comment credit if it was just power Serena uses to win (which is usually said by someone who does not follow tennis) but Serena has moved well beyond just power. She now sets up points, finds unbelievable angles, has a serve that is tremendously hard to read, is very athletic so she can run down balls, and oh yes - has power. So DougP, you've got to come up with something better than that!
19
It is quite clear that the chair umpire made a HUGE mistake in calling a replay. The point was Azarenka's, Serena had made a bad hit on the ball, and THEN the umpire miscalled it out. The linesman did not affect Serena's misplay.
Serena should have simply and graciously ceded the point, and not have effectively lied by saying that the call affected her play.
Disappointed that Serena cannot show a tad more grace.
Serena should have simply and graciously ceded the point, and not have effectively lied by saying that the call affected her play.
Disappointed that Serena cannot show a tad more grace.
2
She did not lie. She acknowledged that the ball was in. Serena does not cheat but has been cheated many, many times by umpires and players.
In her earlier two matches against other opponents there were two calls that were called out and Serena told the umpire that the calls were in. She is not the umpire. She cannot make the call EXCEPT to clarify that the ball was in.
Where the blazes does "grace" come in the heat of the moment? Furthermore the call did not cause the outcome of the game (per Vika herself). For crying out loud Serena was down a set and 2-4 in the second set and down 0-2 in the third. She came back and won. This whole thing has NOTHING to do with Serena. Blame the umpire if blame is to be given, but we have seen these calls over and over again in high level matches.
Funny you didn't label Vika's behavior as graceless.
In her earlier two matches against other opponents there were two calls that were called out and Serena told the umpire that the calls were in. She is not the umpire. She cannot make the call EXCEPT to clarify that the ball was in.
Where the blazes does "grace" come in the heat of the moment? Furthermore the call did not cause the outcome of the game (per Vika herself). For crying out loud Serena was down a set and 2-4 in the second set and down 0-2 in the third. She came back and won. This whole thing has NOTHING to do with Serena. Blame the umpire if blame is to be given, but we have seen these calls over and over again in high level matches.
Funny you didn't label Vika's behavior as graceless.
20
As I remember it Justine Henin actually DID lie about a point during another French Open and no one talked about her showing grace. In fact, she went on to much acclaim for winning the tournament. I watched the match and even if the call had gone to Vika she still lost 10 of the next 12 points so give it a rest. Her nerves got the best of her and she lost just like she always does when she or Sharapova play Serena.
6
The simple fact is that there are no women players who can really challenge Serena, she is simply in a different class from her competition. Yes, she will occasionally lose a minor match, or lose if she is injured. But barring those unusual circumstances, she always wins. This will only change when age eventually takes its toll, as for example it is beginning to with Roger Federer. Quite honestly, I can't remember another time in tennis when one player of either gender was so completely dominant.
9
So Vika won the first set against Serena 6-3, led 4-2 in the second set, and 2-0 in the third set.
But Serena won the match, winning 4 straight games in the second set, and 6 straight games in the 3rd, a total of 10 out of the last 12 games.
And this is supposed to be the fault of the umpire Kader Nouni who decided to have the players replay a point instead of awarding it to Azarenka?
You've got to be kidding me.
But Serena won the match, winning 4 straight games in the second set, and 6 straight games in the 3rd, a total of 10 out of the last 12 games.
And this is supposed to be the fault of the umpire Kader Nouni who decided to have the players replay a point instead of awarding it to Azarenka?
You've got to be kidding me.
23
You know.