TENNIS: French Open finals
Jun. 6th, 2010 09:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllWomen’s Final
This was possibly the better match. I went in supporting Stosur, but Schiavone did a marvellous job of containing her, of playing the game that she wanted to play, mixing things up and showing Stosur’s limitations, even. It was a surprise, but at her age, you’d expect her to be a wily campaigner. She wasn’t overawed by the occasion, played marvellously and deserved to win. I was rooting for Stosur to come back in the second, but she couldn’t, and Schiavone deserved her celebrations. It was refreshing to see women who had worked their way there not be overawed by the occasion (as the talented, powerhouse girls often are, showing little defence to the might of the inevitable champion). I hope they both take what they can from this and carry it with them to Wimbledon.
Men’s Final
This was the result that I wanted and expected, although I thought it would be a closer match, but Nadal really had been very good in his semis and more impressive that Soderling (although Soderling faced a tougher opponent). But Nadal went up another gear today and was imperious, particularly in the second set, where he just kept retrieving shots he almost shouldn’t have and producing astounding winners. The commentators used the wall metaphor, but it was a wall that kept producing awkward or long shots that kept Soderling back (although he wasn’t great when he came in to the net). Not so many down the line, just swerving in forehands that I love but an overwhelming performance. After the first break in the second set and the hold, you just knew. There was no way Nadal was going to blip again in the third set, not on this occasion, not against this player and not on this court. And he cried! His French accent was so Spanish!
I feel it’s only right that he’s world no. 1 and will be going into Wimbledon as such, as he couldn’t defend his title last year, and Federer will have that. He won me over in ’08, and I think the ‘bad year’ of ’09 reminded us that he is human and vulnerable – there’s this thing where you appreciate the champions more as they grow older and you process their achievements, instead of taking them for granted, aware of their finiteness. It feels weird to day that with Rafa looking so good, but it’s true. Also, as Henman reminded us, he still ended up no. 2 during that 'bad year'.
And hooray, Queen’s starts next week, so tennis can continue to eat up my free time. Of course, I have strawberries in my fridge.
This was possibly the better match. I went in supporting Stosur, but Schiavone did a marvellous job of containing her, of playing the game that she wanted to play, mixing things up and showing Stosur’s limitations, even. It was a surprise, but at her age, you’d expect her to be a wily campaigner. She wasn’t overawed by the occasion, played marvellously and deserved to win. I was rooting for Stosur to come back in the second, but she couldn’t, and Schiavone deserved her celebrations. It was refreshing to see women who had worked their way there not be overawed by the occasion (as the talented, powerhouse girls often are, showing little defence to the might of the inevitable champion). I hope they both take what they can from this and carry it with them to Wimbledon.
Men’s Final
This was the result that I wanted and expected, although I thought it would be a closer match, but Nadal really had been very good in his semis and more impressive that Soderling (although Soderling faced a tougher opponent). But Nadal went up another gear today and was imperious, particularly in the second set, where he just kept retrieving shots he almost shouldn’t have and producing astounding winners. The commentators used the wall metaphor, but it was a wall that kept producing awkward or long shots that kept Soderling back (although he wasn’t great when he came in to the net). Not so many down the line, just swerving in forehands that I love but an overwhelming performance. After the first break in the second set and the hold, you just knew. There was no way Nadal was going to blip again in the third set, not on this occasion, not against this player and not on this court. And he cried! His French accent was so Spanish!
I feel it’s only right that he’s world no. 1 and will be going into Wimbledon as such, as he couldn’t defend his title last year, and Federer will have that. He won me over in ’08, and I think the ‘bad year’ of ’09 reminded us that he is human and vulnerable – there’s this thing where you appreciate the champions more as they grow older and you process their achievements, instead of taking them for granted, aware of their finiteness. It feels weird to day that with Rafa looking so good, but it’s true. Also, as Henman reminded us, he still ended up no. 2 during that 'bad year'.
And hooray, Queen’s starts next week, so tennis can continue to eat up my free time. Of course, I have strawberries in my fridge.
