From a field of one hundred twenty-eight tennis players, the Australian Open’s draw has been narrowed down to only four.
Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, and Daniela Hantuchova each have pinned their hopes on reaching the 2008 Australian Open championship match, but by the end of Thursday, two of them will be packing their bags to return home.
Last year’s finalist Maria Sharapova has the most Grand Slam experience of the semifinalists, but Jankovic, Ivanovic, and Hantuchova have also played spectacular tennis over the past ten days just to reach this pivotal moment.
(3) Jelena Jankovic vs. (5) Maria Sharapova
After her brilliant display of near perfection against Justine Henin, it’s hard to imagine Maria Sharapova walking away from Melbourne without the ladies’ title. Scoring a bagel set against the No. 1 player in the world is an amazing feat, doubly impressive when you consider just how well Henin was playing on Monday.
Still, Jankovic is a treacherous foe, and even considers herself tennis’ equivalent of a wounded animal. Any hunter will tell you that a wounded prey is the most dangerous, something Maria Sharapova would do well to remember, especially after Jankovic’s straight set dismissal of Serena Williams.
Pick to Win: Maria Sharapova in two sets
(4) Ana Ivanovic vs. (9) Daniela Hantuchova
It has been encouraging to see Daniela Hantuchova reach her first Grand Slam semifinal at such a late stage in her career. True, the Slovakian is only twenty-four years of age, but it sometimes seems as though she has been around the Tour forever. She has more experience than her fellow European Ana Ivanovic, although Ivanovic will still be riding an emotional wave after pounding Venus Williams in two sets on Wednesday.
Look for Hantuchova to have moments of brilliance and superior footwork, but Ana Ivanovic appears headed for her second Grand Slam final in less than a year.
Pick to Win: Ana Ivanovic in two sets
Agree or disagree with my picks? Leave your thoughts about the semifinals in the comments below!
Expanding on how it’s taken Hantuchova quite a while to reach a Slam SF, here’s a look at the ‘ovics and the ‘ovas.
Hantuchova (24) – pro in 1999 – first SF in 2008
Ivanovic(20)- pro in 2003 – first SF in 2007
Jankovic (22) – pro in 2000 – first SF in 2006
Sharapova (20) – pro in 2001 – first SF in 2004
For a benchmark:
Graf – pro in 1982(13) – first SF in 1985
Navratilova – pro in 1973(16) – first SF in 1975
V Williams (27) – pro in 1994 – first SF in 1998
S Williams (26) – pro in 1995 – first SF in 2000
Hmm, POV…
S. Williams won 1999 US Open, so what “first SF in 2000″ are you referring to?
Henin – pro in 1999 – first SF 2001 French
Clijster – pro in 1997 – first SF 2001 French
I’m going for an upset for Jankovic vs. Sharapova match, I think it will be one heck of an upset in the making.
As for Henin, I think I disagree with you that she was playing well on Monday…she looked tired and her ground strokes were not there at time. Maria played great but Henin was bumped out so we couldnt see the great fight in her.
Anyhow, I’m up for an upset.
Nick, apologies for the mis-info on Serena.
S Williams (26) – pro in 1995 – first SF in 1999
Thanks for catching and correcting on that and for adding the info on Henin and Clijsters
The main point was emphasizing what Aaress was stating – it’s really taken Hantuchova a while to get to a SF in a slam. Unusual it seems.
Thanks Pov for the stats. I had not compared them to other players and I find it fascinating that Hantuchova has gone so long, especially compared to those other women.
No other recent player comes to my mind when considering how long Hantuchova has gone between “peaks” of good results.
I am APPAULED that the WTA doesnt take action against Sharapova and her father for their behavior. the neck slashing gesture has simply gone too far. I wrote Larry Scott a letter. Can I recommend that others do the same?
One Progress Plaza
Suite 1500
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
USA
Phone: +1.727.895.5000
J,
ESPN has reported that CEO Larry Scott has spoken to Yuri and Maria regarding his actions on Monday.
I’m not aware of any fines being leveled against Sharapova or her father, but the Tour has made it a point to address the situation.
Hmm, I don’t think Yuri meant anything bad against Justine, but I would agree that he should have used another gesture. If you want to see a picture then it’s floating somewhere online or go to my site to see a funnier version of it!
The crazy daddies of Tennis continue, as least Dokic’s daddy and Williams Sisters’ daddy have slowed down in recent year. Pap Yuri has not gone too wild lately until this week. I think he gets a little hyper when Maria is playing well.
Overall, the semifinals last night were really…boring. Jankovic once again got injured…and Hantuchova choked and couldn’t maintain her great game from the first set to 2-0 in the second.
It seems that I’ve entered a world where hyper-sensitivity is running rampant. Every comment and gesture that’s not PC seems to being scrutinized and reacted to in a way that I see as silly.
Does anyone really think that the man was advocating killing or physically attacking Henin? No of course not. Did he hurt or directly insult anyone? No. So what is the big deal? The gesture – done after the match – simply says “My daughter took her out.”
Sure one might think it was a poor gesture, dumb, not the most gentile,etc but c’mon now. We’re people, we have passions. It’s the excitement of the moment, his daughter has just beaten the worlds #1.
If I do write Larry Scott, it will be to quite emphatically request that he not fall into reacting to the over-sensitive, take offense at everything trend that seems to be at hand currently.
As Tiger Woods said about the lynch comment – much of this is media-driven hysteria
When I saw Yuri make that gesture after the match, I was taken aback. It was very offputting. But then I thought about the year end championships final between sharapova and henin. Maria’s coach came down to the court in between sets and was trying to pump Maria up by saying “you’re stronger than her” and “you’re better than her”. It reminded me of a boxer being pumped up by his trainer.
Maria’s team is hardcore and I don’t think Yuri meant anything by it. It’s just how they motivate and inspire her.
The semifinals were boring. I’m over the Australian Open. I don’t care anymore. I’m watching the men now. Go Tsonga!
This was one time I was hoping that my comment didn’t post. There is a hilarious error in it. Ouch! No I’m not saying what.
I’m psyched to see Maria Sharapova win it. I think the final will be a tough match.
Will,
Tsonga huh? Interesting. What makes you a Tsonga fan?
I hope tomorrow’s final is a tough match as I agree with Will, those semifinals were boring. Watching Daniela choke is never a pleasant experience. Remember Wimbledon last year against Serena?
I didn’t stay up for Tsonga’s match, although I have watched him a bit over the last two weeks. Remarkable win for him last night against Rafa. I wonder what how well he plays on clay?
well something else happened with the Sharapova’s camp last night…apparently, they were in some kind of argument with the Press last night while dining out.
Jeer squad doing Maria no favours
Linda Pearce
January 25, 2008
MARIA SHARAPOVA’S father and coach, Yuri Sharapov, was holding his daughter’s purple handbag, walking from the dressing room to the players’ restaurant between semi-finals at Melbourne Park yesterday, when the Herald approached to ask his thoughts on tomorrow’s women’s final. What followed was rather surprising.
Having appeared to consider the question briefly, Sharapov turned, and said rather fiercely that he was not doing interviews. Then, he yelled: “You guys like sharks! You guys sharks!.”
He then disappeared outside, leaving the lone and hardly fearsome shark feeling rather bemused.
At the same time, a dark-haired man approached angrily, reiterating that Sharapov does not talk to the media.
He started bellowing, nonsensically: “You don’t care how she plays! You don’t care how she plays!”
The dark-haired man? Max Eisenbud, Sharapova’s long-time personal agent from IMG.
(Site Edit – Source: The Age)
lol. Now that I support. I think that, in some ways, both men have valid points about much of the media. Maybe he was considering answering and then remembered the big deal made out of his “she got axed” gesture. Yes, the man may well be a boor. Still, it does seems that often the least important thing is how the athlete is performing. The focus is on anything that can be sensationalized and rendered with a lot of holier-than-thou judgments
I would think by now Maria and Yuri would know how the cruel the media can be. She put herself in the spotlight with all the commercials and glamorous magazine covers…too late to take it back…at least she hasnt ended up like Kournikova.