WTA - Tennis - International - WTA

Safina
R128 vs Dominguez 2:0 7-5 6-3
R64 vs De Los Rios 2:0 6-3 7-5
R32 vs Flipkens 2:0 7-5 6-1
R16 vs Mauresmo 2:1 4-6 6-3 6-4
QF vs Lisicki 2:1 6-7 6-4 6-1


Venus Williams
R128 vs Voegele Stefanie 2:0 6-3 6-2
R128 vs Agnieszka Radwanska 2:0 6-1 6-2
R64 vs Katerina Bondarenko 2:0 6-3 6-2
R32 vs Carla Suarez Navarro 2:0 6-0 6-4
R16 vs Ivanovic 8:0 6-1 0-1 ret
Dinara Safina probably produced the worst performance ever in a quarter-final at Wimbledon to have still made it further to the semi-finals. The match itselfl was awfull to watch. If in the first set Lisicki comfortably hold her own service game hse mentally was unable to keep up with Safina. In the first set she was broken when serving for the set, in the first set tie-break she was comfortably ahead only to be turned around to set point for Safina but lucky for her the Russian played really poor to allow her the set, in the 2nd set she was unable to convert break points a 5-4 for Safina hitting poor shots and eventually losing 6-4, while in the 3rd she lost because she simply lacked the serve we all know she is capable of, losing all of her 4 service games, and hitting more double faults and unforced errors than she did in all the previous 4 matches put together. Safina didn't impress at all, hitting 38 unforced errors, 15 double faults(incredible) and I honestly don't understand how can she be world no. 1. She simply put the ball in Lisicki's court in the 3rd and 2nd set and allowed the young German to make mistakes, and she made errors by the dozen, 42. Although it leaves a sorrow taste in my mouth, this is tennis, half of a match played at an unreal level hitting winner after winner and 12 aces and the other half only with errors and df, 6.

On the other hand there is no doubt Venus Williams is the most in-form player in Wimbledon, and she has high chances of winning her 3rd consecutive Wimbledon simply if she keeps her game at the same level. She does not face any confidence crises like Lisicki, she makes few mistakes, hits a lot of winners, many good serves, and excellent net player and the simple fact she defeated Agniezka Radwanska 6-1 6-2, another in-form player playing counter-attack tennis like Safina did against Lisicki in the 2nd part of the match, shows us pretty clear she just needs to keep the same level of tennis and will cruise against a total unimpressive Safina.

Odds are deservedly low for Venus, the handicap set at -4. 5 and it will be covered helped a bit by gifts from Safina. Serena swept the floor with Safina at Australian Open, Kuznetsova did the same at Roland Garros and now Venus is the queen of Wimbledon who will sweep the floor with Safina. 2 sets is enough.
My pick: Under 21 games

Record Date : 02/07/2009 10:37