Topic: Women final!

[Tennis4you]

Some interesting quotes in this article, it was worth a post.  

Williams confident ahead of final
   
DAVENPORT (1) v WILLIAMS (7)
Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams
28------------Age-------------23
American----Nat-----American
3------------Slams-------------6
45-------Career titles-------25
$18.7m---Earnings----$14.8m
4-------Head-to-head--------9

Serena Williams goes into Saturday's Australian Open final against Lindsay Davenport with her confidence restored.

The American is looking for her first Grand Slam title since Wimbledon 2003.

And after her semi-final win over Maria Sharapova, Williams insisted: "I'm still the top fighter out there.

"I'm a firm believer that when I play my best tennis, I think everyone would agree it's next to impossible for someone to beat me," she said.

"I never doubt myself. I'm always hard on myself and say different things like, 'I need to do this better.' But I never will put that doubt in my mind."

Williams was dogged by injury for a year following her Wimbledon win in 2003 and dropped out of the top 10 last year.

I guess I look pretty dumb now after talking about retirement after Wimbledon
Lindsay Davenport

She reacted angrily earlier this week when it was suggested that she and her sister Venus were declining forces and took great satisfaction in saving three match points before beating Sharapova.

"It's almost a better feeling to win that close," said Williams.

"In that sense I've played some tough matches in the past year and I haven't been able to win them all. It was a good feeling to come through that."

In truth, Williams was well below her best for much of the semi-final and made 53 unforced errors in all.

But she has a winning 9-4 record against Davenport and, despite losing their last two encounters, looks to be in better form.

That is because world number one Davenport has, by her own admission, been fortunate to come through matches against Alicia Molik and Nathalie Dechy.

"My game's a little bit off from where I'd ideally want it to be, but it's there," said Davenport.

"I look at it like I need to play better than I've played to be able to win, and I know I can do that."

Two wins over Williams in Los Angeles last year have certainly boosted Davenport.

"Before I played her last year and beat her two times, I had lost to her a number of times in a row," she said.

"I've seen her play a lot recently but obviously I have some confidence from winning.

"But I'm still going to have to play well and I'm going to have to not let her dictate, and go for shots."

And no matter how uncertain her form, the 28-year-old is glad to have shelved thoughts of retirement.

"I guess I look pretty dumb now after talking about retirement after Wimbledon," she laughed.

"But I'm ecstatic that I get another chance to try and win one".

[Hoytie]

I'm hoping that Serena actually looks at her outfit when she is out on court, vomits upon seeing the ugly boots and top, and has to default the match.  Which would make Lindsay the winner.  I'm still wondering how Serena got away with that Cameroon outfit at the French Open.  I would have thought by now that the Cameroonian government would have kidnapped her to its country and made her the 14th wife of some village chief.  As for the article, I was hoping one of the players, at least, would shock us and say something out of the ordinary.  For example, maybe Lindsay would say "I want to kick Serena's big butt on court tomorrow" or Serena would say, "I know I like to praise myself.  But I am putting it all in perspective.  If I lose, which I may, there is always Hollywood".

[Tennis4you]

I honestly think that if a player is dead serious about their tennis they would not create costumes for the majors to show off their design fashion.  That is not what the majors are for.  I know she wants to win and is a competitor, buy how much time did she take away from her preration to make those outfits?

None the less, I am still 50 / 50, I want them both to win.  What if they both barf on Serena's boots at the same time and they both have to default at the same time?

[Arcforce]

What's the deal with Serena? She is acting weird.... Very careless in this first 4 games. Tell me she hasn't come up with yet another excuse

[Anonymous]

Arcforce, what excuse has Serena given in previous matches?

[Anonymous]

Arcforce, what excuse has Serena given in previous matches?  

when they mentioned something about a rib, i have experienced it before when i was an avid runner.  it comes from not taking air in correctly.  also, Serena has mention being nervious whenever she plays a final.  come'on, she knows the matches are broadcast worldwide, which is much different from other tournaments.

[rubyspirit]

i'm not sure why, but i posted those two.  didn't know it was Guest, but oh well.  you know it's me.  

[Tennis4you]

No biggie!  Welcome to the boards Ruby!

[Arcforce]

lol

Well Serena came back to take that 2nd set some gr8 playing from her. I guess whatever it was that bothered her kinda loosened up after she began to play. The play hasn't been THAT exciting (save for that 22 point deuce game) but I'm hoping we go into another extended third set to REALLY heat things up

[Tennis4you]

Holy crap, we must have posted that about 2 seconds apart from each other.