I can't remember a more electrifying first game to a match, with Dementieva serving two service winners and a beautiful serve- and- volley point. She then went on to break Justine in the second game, and was then broken herself at love, and the rest of the match pretty much went the way you'd expect from these two greatest returners in the women's game today.
Which is to say, pretty ugly.
I found myself rooting for Elena today, I've got to admit, even though I admire JHH tremendously and want to see her make her comeback, because I've been enthralled for so long with Dementieva's gothic (rather than epic) struggle with her service game (and, indeed, considering her usual matches and her appearance, she or it all sort of reminds me of _Buffy_).
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mimus <tinmimus99@hotmail.com> wrote: : I can't remember a more electrifying first game to a match, with : Dementieva serving two service winners and a beautiful serve- and- : volley point. She then went on to break Justine in the second game, : and was then broken herself at love, and the rest of the match pretty : much went the way you'd expect from these two greatest returners in : the women's game today.
: Which is to say, pretty ugly.
I tuned in at 2-1. First set was pretty good up until 5-3, when Dementieva got to serve for a set. At that point, both girls seemed to lose their sharpness but especially Dementieva, who played pretty meekly after that. She had a set point at 5-4 but failed to convert, and JHH ran away with the set. ED's serve collapsed at that point. She held only one service game after that.
Second set was much of the same until JHH got 4-1 lead, at which point ED woke up a bit and levelled, with help of some truly dreadful serving from JHH. She had two game points to go up 5-4, but lost 7 points in the row, conceding a triple match point, which was too much headway.
JHH's serve and forehand looked pretty good, backhand less so other than few beautiful DTL winnrs. Also she was quite erratic. ED is getting there _slowly_. She still needs to work with her aggressiveness. Too many times she got stuck at no-mans land and JHH burned here there with deep defensive shots. JHH won largely because she has more mentality of a champion.
It will be interesting to see how clay season turns out...JHH is not at her best shape but close, and before her illness she was arguably the best clay player of the Tour. But field seems deeper today...
: I found myself rooting for Elena today, I've got to admit, even though : I admire JHH tremendously and want to see her make her comeback, : because I've been enthralled for so long with Dementieva's gothic : (rather than epic) struggle with her service game (and, indeed, : considering her usual matches and her appearance, she or it all sort : of reminds me of _Buffy_).
I always thought they would get Anna for next spin-off...
: I can't remember a more electrifying first game to a match, with>: Dementieva serving two service winners and a beautiful serve- and->: volley point. She then went on to break Justine in the second game,>: and was then broken herself at love, and the rest of the match pretty>: much went the way you'd expect from these two greatest returners in>: the women's game today.>
: Which is to say, pretty ugly.>
I tuned in at 2-1. First set was pretty good up until 5-3, when Dementieva>got to serve for a set. At that point, both girls seemed to lose their>sharpness but especially Dementieva, who played pretty meekly after that.>She had a set point at 5-4 but failed to convert, and JHH ran away with>the set. ED's serve collapsed at that point. She held only one service>game after that.
Even with her (relatively) excellent service game in the first set, I had no faith at all in her serving for the set, considering her chances'd be better at defending for it.
Second set was much of the same until JHH got 4-1 lead, at which point>ED woke up a bit and levelled, with help of some truly dreadful>serving from JHH. She had two game points to go up 5-4, but lost>7 points in the row, conceding a triple match point, which was too much>headway.
They traded breaks to start out with in the second.
JHH's serve and forehand looked pretty good, backhand less so other than>few beautiful DTL winnrs. Also she was quite erratic. ED is getting there>_slowly_.
Yes. I think she can take away some encouragement from today's match regarding her progress on her serve. After all, that *was* Justine on the other side of the net.
She still needs to work with her aggressiveness. Too many>times she got stuck at no-mans land and JHH burned here there with>deep defensive shots. JHH won largely because she has more mentality>of a champion.>
It will be interesting to see how clay season turns out...JHH is>not at her best shape but close, and before her illness she was>arguably the best clay player of the Tour. But field seems deeper>today...>
: I found myself rooting for Elena today, I've got to admit, even though>: I admire JHH tremendously and want to see her make her comeback,>: because I've been enthralled for so long with Dementieva's gothic>: (rather than epic) struggle with her service game (and, indeed,>: considering her usual matches and her appearance, she or it all sort>: of reminds me of _Buffy_).>
I always thought they would get Anna for next spin-off...>
And Safin looks lot like David Boreanaz.
Myskina for Queen of the Tennis Vampires.
-- Thank you, Adelphia, for demanding $120 more a year for The Tennis Channel!
I found myself rooting for Elena today, I've got to admit, even though> I admire JHH tremendously and want to see her make her comeback,> because I've been enthralled for so long with Dementieva's gothic> (rather than epic) struggle with her service game (and, indeed,> considering her usual matches and her appearance, she or it all sort> of reminds me of _Buffy_).
BtVS? Hmm... don't see it. She's much more angular and lanky than SMG. I'd gladly take either, though.
On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 00:35:38 GMT, "Jack" <jrcunniff@sprintmail.com> wrote:
I found myself rooting for Elena today, I've got to admit, even though>> I admire JHH tremendously and want to see her make her comeback,>> because I've been enthralled for so long with Dementieva's gothic>> (rather than epic) struggle with her service game (and, indeed,>> considering her usual matches and her appearance, she or it all sort>> of reminds me of _Buffy_).>
BtVS? Hmm... don't see it. She's much more angular and lanky than SMG. I'd>gladly take either, though.
<whine>
Well, you know, from a distance, and on her serve . . . .
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![[Charleston] JHH-Dementieva](http://gyxu.com/i/logo_new.gif){kind=logo}
