Miami 2026 Part 2

[Miss_Vee]

Well as I thought, Sabalenka beat Rybakina in straight sets.  Her team has really done their homework, and Sabalenka was the more sturdy player tonight.  I always can see when Rybakina is fading.  She put up a good fight to get back on track in the first set, but she went down 0-4 in the second set.  

Any way the final is set for Saturday. Sabalenka vs Gauff.

[Miss_Vee]

Tomorrow’s men’s SF should be great, especially Fils vs Lehecka.  Like both of these players.  Zverev has to bring more to the table, otherwise Jannik will mow him down.  

[Miss_Vee]

Lehecka up an early break on Fils.  Let’s see what is to come in this match….a quote from Sinner. Lol. That’s how many of the players speak about matches now.

[Miss_Vee]

Why are these latter stages of these tournaments falling flat?  Fils simply didn’t have it to push through this SF today.  He played an amazing quarter final to get here, and then falls flat against Lehecka whom he had beaten the last time they met.

Last night Rybakina didn’t have it either to be as competitive vs Sabalenka. 

[Miss_Vee]

Zverev tried to take it to Sinner in this first game..lol.  Sinner of course immediately dismissed the 0-30, and won the first game on his serve.  

[Miss_Vee]

Actually love watching Sasha trying to come to the net and surprise Jannik with his aggressive play.   He’s trying everything to reach Sinner and Alcaraz’ level.  Doing a decent job, but unfortunately will end up second best most of the time.

[fedexpress06]

Come on Coco.  Can't stand her tennis but anyone over smug Sabalenka.  This has Coco in 3 written all over it. 

[fedexpress06]

I really do admire Coco's mental toughness.  I mean anyone else with those glaring flaws would never come close to 1 let alone 2 slams and multiple wins over Sabalenka in huge finals.  Come on keep grinding away and moon ball if you have to lol

[Notorious S.T.A.R.]

And her tennis had been fine.

[fedexpress06]

fine in the sense it gets the job done but imagine star if without those glaring flows and hideous serves and forehand - she would have 5-7 majors already in this era. 

[Miss_Vee]

Fed and Star, it has dawned on me recently, after watching the improvements in Gauff’s serve and forehand since the quarter final, that despite the glaring flaws in her game, she has 2 GS titles.  Think how good she might be, when her serve and forehand become reliable, and when she is able to use all of her strengths to win matches.

So far, she has been reliant on her foot speed and mental strength to win tournaments.  That’s the reason she has been inconsistent, but still able to maintain top 5 status.  She just turned 22 years old.  She is also entering her favourite season in the calendar.  I find this very interesting.

[Miss_Vee]

I know there is a thread about WTA players having babies, but don’t have time to search for it.  Anyway, I did announce a week or so agar, that Petra K was pregnant.

• Guess what?!?!  She gave birth to twin daughters March 30th.  Emma and Ellla.  How wonderful for her family.  Petra was definitely in the mood put the finishing touches to her family…lol.  
  

Caro Garcia is also pregnant, and not even a year since her wedding.  Well she is now 32 years old.  Why wait ?  Watching these girls grow up and now they are young mothers.  Congrats!

[Sekasi_ChangeIsComing]

Congratulations to both Petra and Gracia.

[sugarplum876]

So I read Iga hiring a new coach for the clay season?

[Notorious S.T.A.R.]

I think that first round loss @ Miami was a wakeup call for her.  The tour is coming up to where she has the bulk of her points to defend.

[Sekasi_ChangeIsComing]

She is training at Rafa's academy under Rafa's watch. She is going to dorminate the clay courts again.

[sugarplum876]

Rafa why? No Rafa I’m done😂

[Miss_Vee]

Hi sugarplum!   Sek is correct about Iga.  She has been flailing for a while.  Her head is a jumbled mess.  Of course Rafa will assist Iga, because she is his biggest fan.  I had said a long time ago, that I didn’t recognize Iga’s game style any longer.  She has been looking more awful than usual lately.  Apparently Wim Fisette isn’t really a good technical coach, from what I have been reading recently. So it seems a move to hire Rafa’s coach, Francisco Roig, is a great move for Iga.  Let’s see if it makes a difference in Stuttgart.

[sugarplum876]

Missvee, it’s her best surface I won’t be surprised if she doesn’t great but can she win clean?🤩

[Miss_Vee]

Sugar, I keep forgetting that you are very suspicious about Iga’s alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.  Still don’t have any clear thoughts on the matter.  However you have presented many clues that are suspect, and yet I my head doesn’t go there.  I want to believe that she’s a clean athlete.

Anyway clay season is about to begin in earnest, so we shall soon find out which way the cookie crumbles.

[sugarplum876]

Missvee, let see how the season goes. I can’t just see her the same way, I’m also talking about her gamesmanship more than anything.