Comments on: Tennis Players to Watch in 2007, Part Two http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/ Women's Professional Tennis News, Results, and Commentary Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:10:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: momofan http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5848 momofan Fri, 29 Dec 2006 20:47:56 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5848 AAGGHHH! Don't remind me Aaress, please! I can't tell you how many times I've ridden the Momobagelcoaster, only to fall of and plunge 10,000 ft!! Yikes! I hope 2007 brings much better fortune in THAT regard! AAGGHHH! Don’t remind me Aaress, please! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ridden the Momobagelcoaster, only to fall of and plunge 10,000 ft!! Yikes!

I hope 2007 brings much better fortune in THAT regard!

]]> By: Aaress http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5827 Aaress Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:54:54 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5827 <blockquote> Nathalie Dechy — beats Amelie (then world No. 1) in the second round of Eastbourne, breaking my heart in the process, and then goes on to lose in the first round of Wimbledon THE VERY NEXT WEEK! </blockquote> Sorry momo - that was a tough blow, but apparently Amelie did get the final word in on that one. I just wish Amelie will quit handing away bagel sets like spare change to her opponents next season. Her loss to Maria at the US Open was nothing less than a disaster.

Nathalie Dechy — beats Amelie (then world No. 1) in the second round of Eastbourne, breaking my heart in the process, and then goes on to lose in the first round of Wimbledon THE VERY NEXT WEEK!

Sorry momo - that was a tough blow, but apparently Amelie did get the final word in on that one.

I just wish Amelie will quit handing away bagel sets like spare change to her opponents next season. Her loss to Maria at the US Open was nothing less than a disaster.

]]> By: Aaress http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5825 Aaress Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:46:38 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5825 My pleasure, Alsacienne! As you know, I love discussing tennis, and your comments always add to the discussions so much here at OTB. I agree with you on Nathalie - she is slumping pretty badly, but she does have time to fix the quirks in her game and try to regain her form. France has the potential to be a tennis powerhouse, second only to Russia, if players like Bartoli, Dechy, Golovin, Bremond, and Rezai continue to progress up the rankings. My pleasure, Alsacienne! As you know, I love discussing tennis, and your comments always add to the discussions so much here at OTB.

I agree with you on Nathalie - she is slumping pretty badly, but she does have time to fix the quirks in her game and try to regain her form.

France has the potential to be a tennis powerhouse, second only to Russia, if players like Bartoli, Dechy, Golovin, Bremond, and Rezai continue to progress up the rankings.

]]> By: Alsacienne http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5815 Alsacienne Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:03:13 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5815 And thats so much for you extensive answer, Aaress! Happy new year, bonne année, guten Rutsch to everyone! And thats so much for you extensive answer, Aaress!

Happy new year, bonne année, guten Rutsch to everyone!

]]> By: Alsacienne http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5814 Alsacienne Thu, 28 Dec 2006 22:01:35 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5814 On Dechy: It was great to see Nathalie do so well in early 2005 but I am not surprised she's not there any longer. Lacks that special something to be honest, and I doubt she is young enough and motivated enough to really change her game. I don't know if any of you watched the France-Italy Fed Cup tie but watching Dechy and Penetta slug it out was almost painful. And Penetta certainly was the more inspired player (even though I think she will find it difficult to get back into the top 20, too). On Dulko: pity for her, really, but lack of motivation if you ask me. I watche dher practice with Jankovic at Strasbourg last year and Jankovic was the more motivated player by far. Now that we know how Jelena described her state of mind during that time what does that tell us about Gisela? You need to work you behind off to stay up there... Gajdosova... will be interesting and I always cheer for the veterans especially Ai Sugiyama! On Dechy:
It was great to see Nathalie do so well in early 2005 but I am not surprised she’s not there any longer. Lacks that special something to be honest, and I doubt she is young enough and motivated enough to really change her game. I don’t know if any of you watched the France-Italy Fed Cup tie but watching Dechy and Penetta slug it out was almost painful. And Penetta certainly was the more inspired player (even though I think she will find it difficult to get back into the top 20, too).

On Dulko:
pity for her, really, but lack of motivation if you ask me. I watche dher practice with Jankovic at Strasbourg last year and Jankovic was the more motivated player by far. Now that we know how Jelena described her state of mind during that time what does that tell us about Gisela? You need to work you behind off to stay up there…

Gajdosova… will be interesting

and I always cheer for the veterans especially Ai Sugiyama!

]]> By: Brant http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5729 Brant Thu, 28 Dec 2006 02:36:27 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5729 Dechy has been such a disappointment since the 2005 Australian Open, and even then I think she had a fairly easy road to the semifinals (only facing tough opponents in Myskina and Schnyder). I also think Gisela Dulko had a terrible year. She has never had the game to upset the top players, bu falling out of the top 40 showed that she is really struggling with her game as of late. I think Stosur, Radwanska, King and Gajdosova will have huge ranking boosts next year and be the stand out players to break through (as far as I'm concerned Chakvetadze, Jankovic, Vaidisoca and Ivanovic "arrived" into the games elite in 2006! Dechy has been such a disappointment since the 2005 Australian Open, and even then I think she had a fairly easy road to the semifinals (only facing tough opponents in Myskina and Schnyder).

I also think Gisela Dulko had a terrible year. She has never had the game to upset the top players, bu falling out of the top 40 showed that she is really struggling with her game as of late.

I think Stosur, Radwanska, King and Gajdosova will have huge ranking boosts next year and be the stand out players to break through (as far as I’m concerned Chakvetadze, Jankovic, Vaidisoca and Ivanovic “arrived” into the games elite in 2006!

]]> By: momofan http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5720 momofan Wed, 27 Dec 2006 22:04:46 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5720 Nathalie Dechy -- beats Amelie (then world No. 1) in the second round of Eastbourne, breaking my heart in the process, and then goes on to lose in the first round of Wimbledon THE VERY NEXT WEEK! Apart from her stellar 2005 AO performance, I don't think she's done much since then, which is a real shame, since I really like her. Nathalie Dechy — beats Amelie (then world No. 1) in the second round of Eastbourne, breaking my heart in the process, and then goes on to lose in the first round of Wimbledon THE VERY NEXT WEEK!
Apart from her stellar 2005 AO performance, I don’t think she’s done much since then, which is a real shame, since I really like her.

]]> By: Aaress http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5715 Aaress Wed, 27 Dec 2006 18:39:54 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5715 Hi Alsacienne! I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday - I sure did, but it does feel good to get back in the saddle after a couple of days of rest. Good thoughts on Zvonareva - it would be great to see her get back to her old form and at least reach the top fifteen again. I've not seen Chan Yung-Jan compete, so much of what I know about her is limited to other people's opinions. I have to confess, I had no idea that she was ranked so high! 2006 will be a good test for Agnieszka and Olga, and we should see by the end of the season if they are capable of being solid contenders or perpetual journeywomen. The top-twenty players are fairly entrenched right now, and Radwanska and Poutchkova are going to find that it may turn out to be harder to stay in the top fifty or sixty than it was to reach it. I love watching the "old-timers" on the Tour like Bremond, Craybas, and Likhovtseva win because it proves that pro tennis is a game for mature and experienced veterans, not just hot-shot teenagers. Bremond had a fantastic season in 2006, and I really was glad to see her compete on the Tour circuit and not hop around the globe playing Challengers to grab ranking points. She played week-in-and-week out against the top players, and in my opinion, really earned her spot in the top forty. Oh yes - the underperformers! I'd have to give the award to Groenefeld . . . although I seriously was starting to wonder about Petrova during the summer. Groenefeld ended 2005 well and I thought that she would have a huge chance of breaking through in 2006, but her game self-destructed by Wimbledon. Injuries played their part in her woes during the summer/fall, but I think her confidence is probably close to an all-time low and trying to win without confidence is like trying to play tennis using a racquet with broken strings. Speaking of underperformers - what are your thoughts on Nathalie Dechy? Hi Alsacienne!

I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday - I sure did, but it does feel good to get back in the saddle after a couple of days of rest.

Good thoughts on Zvonareva - it would be great to see her get back to her old form and at least reach the top fifteen again.

I’ve not seen Chan Yung-Jan compete, so much of what I know about her is limited to other people’s opinions. I have to confess, I had no idea that she was ranked so high!

2006 will be a good test for Agnieszka and Olga, and we should see by the end of the season if they are capable of being solid contenders or perpetual journeywomen.

The top-twenty players are fairly entrenched right now, and Radwanska and Poutchkova are going to find that it may turn out to be harder to stay in the top fifty or sixty than it was to reach it.

I love watching the “old-timers” on the Tour like Bremond, Craybas, and Likhovtseva win because it proves that pro tennis is a game for mature and experienced veterans, not just hot-shot teenagers. Bremond had a fantastic season in 2006, and I really was glad to see her compete on the Tour circuit and not hop around the globe playing Challengers to grab ranking points. She played week-in-and-week out against the top players, and in my opinion, really earned her spot in the top forty.

Oh yes - the underperformers! I’d have to give the award to Groenefeld . . . although I seriously was starting to wonder about Petrova during the summer. Groenefeld ended 2005 well and I thought that she would have a huge chance of breaking through in 2006, but her game self-destructed by Wimbledon. Injuries played their part in her woes during the summer/fall, but I think her confidence is probably close to an all-time low and trying to win without confidence is like trying to play tennis using a racquet with broken strings.

Speaking of underperformers - what are your thoughts on Nathalie Dechy?

]]> By: Alsacienne http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5712 Alsacienne Wed, 27 Dec 2006 17:57:28 +0000 http://www.onthebaseline.com/2006/12/27/tennis-players-to-watch-in-2007-part-two/#comment-5712 Hej Aaress, merry Christmas first of all, or to be politically correct as an American Friend reminded me, happy holidays. Good list of players to watch, but I'd definitely add Zvonareva. Okay, we know she can be good, but I think she has an excellent year in front of her now that is seems she has learned to control her temper somewhat. And what do you think of Olga Poutchkova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Chan Yung-Jan? On the not-so-young 2006 ranking rockets Severine Bremond and Martina Mueller? I'd also be interested in your opinion about some of 2006's underperformers: Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Lucie Safarova, Maria Kirilenko? Bonne année 2007! Hej Aaress,

merry Christmas first of all, or to be politically correct as an American Friend reminded me, happy holidays.

Good list of players to watch, but I’d definitely add Zvonareva. Okay, we know she can be good, but I think she has an excellent year in front of her now that is seems she has learned to control her temper somewhat. And what do you think of Olga Poutchkova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Chan Yung-Jan? On the not-so-young 2006 ranking rockets Severine Bremond and Martina Mueller?

I’d also be interested in your opinion about some of 2006’s underperformers: Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Lucie Safarova, Maria Kirilenko?

Bonne année 2007!

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