TENNIS: Getting to the semi finals
Jun. 2nd, 2011 08:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllI was expecting (hoping, because I don't mind the grunting) it to be Sharapova against Azarenka, but congratulations to Li Na, who is backing up her run at the Australian Open. I am sure we'll see Azarenka go deeper in grand slams soon, but for now, not one of the top four women's seeds is through to the semis, while the four best male players...are. (The former champion, a grand slam winner and the runner up at the Australian Open plus a local player aren't bad to have as semi-finalists, of course.)
I came home to discover Murray ahead by one set and two breaks. I then proceeded to see him fail to win the second set easily, letting Chela be the aggressive one. Grr. If there had been a choice, I would have watched Nadal vs. Soderling, honestly, as it would have been better for my nerves. Murray did have the ability to prevail in the second set (but why does it have to be such a struggle? Unfavourable comparisons with the top three abide.) and his ruthlesness in exhausting Chela paid dividends in the third.
A good result for Nadal, better than I'd expected. I would have loved to have seen the match - you can't judge a match by celebrations at the end. Presumably he found enough of his timing, length and confidence (but Soderling is his nemesis here, so he had that motivation). But Murray could beat him. (I should learn to not make predictions). I would love to see both men's semis, but I'll probably be lucky to catch the tail end of one.
I came home to discover Murray ahead by one set and two breaks. I then proceeded to see him fail to win the second set easily, letting Chela be the aggressive one. Grr. If there had been a choice, I would have watched Nadal vs. Soderling, honestly, as it would have been better for my nerves. Murray did have the ability to prevail in the second set (but why does it have to be such a struggle? Unfavourable comparisons with the top three abide.) and his ruthlesness in exhausting Chela paid dividends in the third.
A good result for Nadal, better than I'd expected. I would have loved to have seen the match - you can't judge a match by celebrations at the end. Presumably he found enough of his timing, length and confidence (but Soderling is his nemesis here, so he had that motivation). But Murray could beat him. (I should learn to not make predictions). I would love to see both men's semis, but I'll probably be lucky to catch the tail end of one.
