Aces and Faults: Dementieva wins tennis title at Carson
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Aug 14, 2006 | Print |
Elena Dementieva won her second title of the 2006 season yesterday at the JPMorgan Chase Open in Carson, California. Dementieva outlasted Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. (Russia’s Dementieva lifts Los Angeles crown)
I do not necessarily agree with everything this guy wrote, but I have to admit that it was an amusing read on the new instant replay system! (Instant replay in tennis a bad call)
Maybe Anastasia Myskina needs to find another Tier IV tournament to enter next year. The world No. 11 is now 0-2 in career finals at Stockholm. (Zheng upsets Myskina in Sweden)
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momofan | Aug 14, 2006 | Reply
Hi. I was just wondering what you thought Elena’s chances at the Open were as a result of this title? Matt Cronin over at tennisreporters.net thinks she might just be ready for a Slam, but I have my doubts. First of all there’s that serve (if you need some refreshing go to that video I linked you to ;)). Also, Elena is just so darn inconsistent that you never know with her — she might go out before the second week or make a run to the finals. Personally I think she’s a *very* dark-horse, along with Hingis and Vaidisova and Petrova, and I’d say the favorites are the top 4 and perhaps Kuznetsova if she has recovered sufficiently from her ab injury. However, if they are injured/not match-fit/get upset (perhaps by the WS, who will be “dangerous floaters” in the draw this year) the “uber-dark-horses” like Dementieva and Hingis might have a shot. But that serve makes me very suspect of both.
Aaress | Aug 14, 2006 | Reply
Momofan,
I agree with you completely and just do not see Dementieva as the winner of the US Open. Like you stated, the serve is still a big problem. Bethanie Mattek - a player who has never even been in the top 100 - pushed Dementieva to three sets and fourteen double faults last week and those just are not the stats for someone who is headed for a Grand Slam breakthrough. She’s one of the dark horse candidates for the trophy, but I’d put her behind Petrova, Hingis, and Vaidisova.
Dementieva’s win was an excellent accomplishment last week, but you still have to wonder how different the results would have been if Amelie, JHH, Kim, and a rested and fired up Maria had been in the draw.
I have not officially decided on my “pick” for the title, but I’ll be writing about it next week during our US Open Series preview.
Mad Professah | Aug 15, 2006 | Reply
You have to admit the serve is getting BETTER. I still don’t see how it would be possible for Dementieva to win THIS major title. I could see her winning Australia if a whole bunch of the top players decided not to make the trek down there, but I think on a good day there are a lot of players in the top 100 who can take out Dementieva even when she is having a good day.
Aaress | Aug 15, 2006 | Reply
Oh, she is definitely improving! But Dementieva on her best day is still not even close to serving like Lindsay, Maria, or even Serena.