Moments when Serena Williams is stoppable have been few and far between, especially in recent years, but the fact that the fighting and big-game Maria Sharapova couldn’t have found an answer to the American’s dominance in ten years and 15 successive matches still amazes me.
Anne Keothavong was live tweeting about the match and here’s the conclusion of the tennis pro:
Does anyone think Maria will ever beat Serena before they both hang up their rackets? Unless Serena is injured, I can’t see it happening
— Anne Keothavong (@annekeothavong) March 27, 2014
In today’s Sony Open Tennis semifinals, Sharapova headed to a good start, with a 4-1 lead in the first set and 2-0 in the second, but the top-ranked Williams erased them both for a 6-4 6-3 triumph and her ninth Miami final. It is her record number of times in one tournament final.
Actually, it does not amaze me at all… Masha’s game is all big hitting (all big screaming…) and nothing else. She was never moving well – she’s got a little better in the last 2 years, but now it’s mostly back to her old ways and even when it got better, it was never great. It is mostly understandable given her height, but still… a tennis player unable to move is some kind of aberration 😉 And aside for her huge baseline shots, there’s nothing else in her game. No net play, no slices, no drop shots, not any kind of variations. Not to mention that she’s got now a lot of problems – her serve is totally unreliable and she struggles to find a good lenght on her ball on the baseline shots.
The problem is – Serena has all of Masha has (even when Masha is at her best): big serve and big baseline shots. But Serena has a lot more in her arsenal: she’s moving far, far better and she can hit any and all shots in tennis repertory, drop shots, slices, volleys.
So no, it is not surprising at all that Masha cannot win against Serena.
Maggie, what you wrote is 100% correct in my opinion. Maria Sharapova had a little variety in her game she might had much greater success against Serena and Azarenka.
In regard to Anne Keothavong question I don’t see Maria defeating Serena unless Serena is not 100% healthy or mentally in the game. Maria current coaching coaching isn’t going change how she plays. She to ritualistic to ever change without having major fall in the ranking before she might find answers. It is true she still very young but she far from flex IMHO.
Serna is @ her best….. nd i think so that time will never come now, when Masha will beat Srena again../.