A first-time Australian Open women’s champion is assured for 2008 as Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova highlight the final match at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
The semifinals were a rather sleepy affair as Ivanovic outlasted a nervous Hantuchova and Sharapova defeated a finally exhausted Jelena Jankovic.
Unfortunately, the championship match is not without controversy as the headlines have been buzzing about Sharapova’s father Yuri’s behavior and Ana Ivanovic’s squeaky sneakers.
I don’t think Sharapova need be concerned about Ivanovic’s noisy footwork; if she can still hear the noise over her own grunting that is her misfortune.
Yuri Sharapov’s misdeeds are a completely different matter. Joke or not, his throat-cutting motion was in poor taste, and if Sharapova wins the title on Saturday, we are destined to hear another priceless sound byte about how at the end of the day, a Grand Slam title is not about bananas (oops, I mean gestures), rather her superior performance.
I’m not sure if Sharapova watched any of Ivanovic’s semifinal against Hantuchova, but if she did, her hopes must have been boosted a notch or two. Ivanovic lost eight straight games before Daniela Hantuchova realized that the finish line was in sight, signaling it was a good time for her to choke. Hantuchova headed into the semis saying that she was over her nervous perfectionism, but at the end of the day, her nerves got the better of her again.
Speaking of nerves, Ivanovic did not exactly radiate steel last night either. That was the most painful match I’ve watched since Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze’s mediocre semifinal at the US Open last year. The nervous Nellie bit won’t go far against Sharapova, long regarded as one of the game’s steeliest competitors.
Ivanovic’s last major final saw her so nervous that her ball toss would not go up straight, but I like to think that beating Sharapova in Melbourne is a bit easier than trying to deny world No. 1 Justine Henin in Paris.
Sharapova’s level has slipped a little since her dismantling of Henin in the quarterfinals, something Ivanovic may be able to exploit. Although it does make a lot of noise, Ivanovic’s footwork has drastically improved, another area where she could outclass the Russian.
We all know that deep down inside Ivanovic she has the courage, heart, and skill to win her first major title. After all, she is not the new No. 2 player in the world for no reason.
A Grand Slam title will come for Ana Ivanovic, but I’m not convinced that it will be tomorrow.
Maria Sharapova has looked almost unbeatable for the past two weeks and will win her third Grand Slam title Saturday night in Melbourne.
[...] Open finals! January 24, 2008 at 2:43 pm | In Uncategorized | I found an article discussing the women’s Australian Open final round. It is between Maria Sharapova and Ana [...]
Noisy Footwork versus Excessive Grunting…who will win and who will go deaf first?
I dont mind any of the grunting, but the squeaking thing last night was just annoying…I know Ana didn’t do it on purpose, but she needs new shoes.
I would freak out if I throw up the ball to serve and my opponent is making a Godzilla’s sound on the other end.
I would rather hear squeaky feet then the grunting honestly. I think last night it seemed louder because the roof was closed so it kept the sound in or something because her shoes have been squeaking since the beginning, but it was never that loud. I love watching Maria, but the two things that I don’t like are: her father and her grunting. When she plays her best, it’s amazing to watch, but sometimes I can’t focus because all I can hear is grunting.
I agree, Aaress–Maria wins her first Australian Open.
The odd thing is that ever since last year I figured that 2008 would be the year Maria won the Australian Open. She seems to win a major title every other year (which would bode for a great career if that continues for another 8-10 years) and I thought it just made sense that she’d take the title. Her wins have been impressive, facing two former world no. 1’s (albeit one not at the very highest level of her game- Davenport) and the world no. 4 and 11. That could definitely be considered a tough draw. The lucky thing is that she hasn’t had to face a Williams sister, though with the way she’s playing, she’d prove a formidable opponent to them. So while I don’t expect Ivanovic to falter as she did in last year’s French final, I see Sharapova taking the title in straight sets.
(Side note: I know it’s a couple days late, but I’ve been thinking about how dominant Henin has been the last couple of years and remembered this little factoid: the last time she lost before the semifinals of an event before this Australian Open was Miami in 2006, which means that she got to that stage at every tournament from April 2006-January 2008. Almost two years, 15 tournament wins, 3 grand slams. That’s pretty incredible.)
Maria will try to do something only Justine and Serena(active players)have done and it is to win a major without dropping a set. I think Serena did it at Wimbledon and US Open sometimes back, I could be wrong, and Henin did it last year at the French and US Open.
This is a chance to show she belongs with the Williams Sisters and Henin when it comes to Grand Slam pressure!
Maria had a great week so let’s hope she can continue…she only had to face Henin this time and none of the Williams, so this is for her to win.
Nick I would like to correct you on your comment that only Justine and Serena are the only active player to win a slam without dropping a set. Lindsay won all three of her slams without dropping a set too.
Oh yeah, Lindsay, forgot that she’s back…keep on thinking she’s still retired…good catch Vicki.