Comments on: Amazing Dinara Safina battles past excellent Venus Williams into Rome final

By: Marija

Marija — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:32:37 +0000

She's close to winning Rome. Two points away from victory at the moment!

By: Deena

Deena — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:26:42 +0000

What a match!
Venus was so magnanimous in defeat unlike Serena (sore loser)…She is truly an amazing champion…
Hope to see Dinara winning Rome and Paris!

By: Zuleika

Zuleika — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:39:29 +0000

Despite coaching assistance, it was Dinara who executed the shots, took the risks and won the match, not Zeljko, nor the relative quality of performance from Venus 'on her worst surface'. This is an universally acknowledged law; theoretical knowledge does not always necessarily mean successful practical application or more colloquially, anything is always easier said than done, and in the end, it was Dinara's champion class and calibre ultimately accelerating her to the greatest victory in an epic semi final (against a player to whom she has never beaten) possibly this season. Do not disregard Dinara's talent or capacity to 'figure out a way to beat Venus', evidently the first set was an extremely close tiebreaker, and Dinara has alreaady explained in past interviews that it was the confidence with which Zeljko instilled and reiterated for her which was more crucial. If you recall the Sydney International final against Dementieva where Dina won the second set rather easily, Zeljko had exchanged words before the third set including (audible) tactics etc., however an agigated Dinara did not actualise the guidance and therefore ultimately lost. Hence there must not be a general conclusion or assumption that on court coaching will always provide the player with an unfair advantage and the ultimate solution for it is still that player who will have to acknowledge, actualise and execute those shots and you could not deny Dina's individual superb display of talent and excellence during that match.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 09 May 2009 11:49:42 +0000

It was a very good match. My only thing is this. I wish Dinara would stop relying on her coach so much. She is the NO. 1 player in the world, she needs to start learning to think for herself out on court. When it comes to the majors, where your career really counts, she will not be able to call on him to give advice during a match. I hate on-court coaching and really think it is a form of cheating. I hope the WTA gets rid of it because it serves no useful purpose. Dinara could not even figure out a way to beat Venus, who was playing on her worst surface, without having her coach whisper instructions in her ear after each changeover. It was the only aspect of this match that I hated.

By: Zuleika

Zuleika — Sat, 09 May 2009 01:42:18 +0000

This will corrupt the Dina critics; 'he Queen of Comeback' will now be the reigning Queen of clay!

давай Динара!

By: streams

streams — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:50:34 +0000

"Amazing Dinara", yes a great match and amazing for DS to some up on top.