hehe - obviously an up and coming star...

--- In ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com, "Go Sooners" <440gtx@...>
wrote:
>
> Who is Selena?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> briannatur2001
> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:54 AM
> To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] season end
>
>
>
>
>
> Selena and Venus... again not following a pattern of consistency but taking
> out anything that looks like competition.
>
> With the return of Kim and probable Justine, be interesting to see how next
> year unfolds.
>
> Notably as Venus ages and to a lesser extent Selena, there is still no one
> really moving up on their dominance.
>
> Next year could be the year of the older ladies, last kick.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

"briannatur2001" <brianna2001@...> wrote:
> there is still no one really moving up on their dominance.
  Williams, Serena, 2009: won 50, lost 12 (81%)
  Safina, Dinara, 2009, won 55, lost 16 (77%)
  Kuztensova, Svetlana, 2009, won 43, lost 16 (73%)
  Wozniacki, Caroline, 2009, won 69, lost 24 (74%)
  Dementieva, Elena, 2009, won 55, lost 17 (76%)
  Williams, Venus, 2009, won 38, lost 16 (70%)
  Azarenka, Vika, 2009, won 46, lost 16 (74%)
  Jankovic, Jelena, 2009, won 46, lost 19 (71%)
  Clijsters, Kim, 2009, won 13, lost 3 (81%)
  Wickmayer, Yanina, 2009, won 49, lost 22 (69%)

Who is dominant? No-one. Dinara and Serena are the top two - whichever did best
in last week's tournament would have ended the year No. 1 - they are that close.
Dinara was too injured to play... But I think we can assume she will be fit in
January.

As for who will win the Australian Open - could be any of them... except that
Serena will not necessarily be playing, which will cause her to lose her No 1
spot very quickly.

Curious that of these players, all but two have first names that end in an 'a'
sound.  [Caroline is not pronounced like the English name - instead the final
three letters are pronounced as in exactly the same way as the last three
letters of Yanina.]

Anyway congratulations to Richard Williams and his two daughters, who have had a
very successful year.

It would be cool for Belgian tennis if Yanina and Kim were in final of the
Australian Open.  But who knows - maybe Dinara will win all four. :))

Who is Selena?

-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
briannatur2001
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 11:54 AM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] season end





Selena and Venus... again not following a pattern of consistency but taking
out anything that looks like competition.

With the return of Kim and probable Justine, be interesting to see how next
year unfolds.

Notably as Venus ages and to a lesser extent Selena, there is still no one
really moving up on their dominance.

Next year could be the year of the older ladies, last kick.







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Selena and Venus... again not following a pattern of consistency but taking out
anything that looks like competition.

With the return of Kim and probable Justine, be interesting to see how next year
unfolds.

Notably as Venus ages and to a lesser extent Selena, there is still no one
really moving up on their dominance.

Next year could be the year of the older ladies, last kick.

You Jinxed Jelena?  Because I like her too?
That must be her problem........LOL


<http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=5057056/grpspId=1705370304/msgId
=3007/stime=1256657869/nc1=1/nc2=2/nc3=3>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

O'h cripes, I jinx'd her.



--- In ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com, 440gtx@... wrote:
>
> I like Jelena too but I like Wozniaki too
> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "briannatur2001" <brianna2001@...>
> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:30:53
> To: <ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad  Star Rising] DOHA
>
>
> I have been a Jelena fan for a while.
>
> She doesn't have the best game, but lord, her attitude and dedication - OMG.
>
> Her draw in Doha is favourable to making the semi-final.
>
> While the William sisters are in a tougher draw...
>
> It will be interesting.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

I like Jelena too but I like Wozniaki too
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: "briannatur2001" <brianna2001@...>
Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:30:53
To: <ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad  Star Rising] DOHA


I have been a Jelena fan for a while.

She doesn't have the best game, but lord, her attitude and dedication - OMG.

Her draw in Doha is favourable to making the semi-final.

While the William sisters are in a tougher draw...

It will be interesting.






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have been a Jelena fan for a while.

She doesn't have the best game, but lord, her attitude and dedication - OMG.

Her draw in Doha is favourable to making the semi-final.

While the William sisters are in a tougher draw...

It will be interesting.

Not news, and has been said before.

In her tennis career, Ashley has ALWAYS been her own worst foe.
We also speculated both in private as well as public that Ashley would not
return from tennis given her new family.

Comparison to Kim is insane, Kim always had passion, oftimes too much for the
game... Ashley??

My only thought would be she should not return as a side event... if you do it,
do it right or not at all.

But ... betting money would say...




--- In ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com, "hemicuda_573" <440gtx@...>
wrote:
>
> October 24, 2009 - Is this a new Ashley Harkleroad?
> By Charles Bricker
>
> It's 1:30 in the afternoon in Malibu, Calif., and while husband and coach
Chuck Adams is out checking on his apartment house real estate, Ashley
Harkleroad is at home along the couple's personal stretch of beach at the edge
of the Pacific Ocean, reliving her already well-traveled 24 years of life and
playing kitchee-koo with 7-month-old Charlie.
>
> It's too cute. But, then, so is Ashley, who has packed a lot of living into
two wild decades on this planet, yet managed not to lose that girl-next-door
look.
>
> Motherhood fits her beautifully -- so beautifully that she's having serious
thoughts about not returning from her one-year pregnancy leave from the Sony
Ericsson WTA Tour. If she does come back, and the plan is to return at Memphis
and then Indian Wells in March of next year, it won't be because of some
infatuation with the game. It will be for something far more basic.
>
> I asked Ash how seriously she wants to play tennis again.
>
> "If I come back . . . I don't know that I will be able to . . . Or if I really
care about that." That was her initial, disjointed series of thoughts, but she
quickly gathered herself and laid it out with a bit more cohesion.
>
> "You know, it's really hit me the last couple days, this decision. I wouldn't
mind having another baby. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing. Chuck and I are
raising Charlie alone. We're not getting any help and I don't want any help. But
the prize money on tour is up 33 percent. If I want to come back just to get the
money, it's like 'here's a little gift we'll give you.' It wouldn't be so bad
and I can always have another baby, whether it's in six months or a year and a
half from now."
>
> For someone who has barely cracked the top 40, Harkleroad is one of the most
widely known of American women players, and not always because of her tennis.
>
> She was an ingenue at 6. Eastern Bowl 18s junior champion at 14. Revealing
tennis outfit at the U.S. Open at 15. French Open juniors runner-up at 17 with
wins over Marion Bartoli and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Married far too young to
tennis pro Alex Bogomolov at 19. Divorced a few years later. Hit her stride at
22 with a win over Dinara Safina in Australia. And then the internal bleeding at
Key Biscayne a couple months later and the surgery to remove her right ovary.
Followed, let's not forget to mention, by the nude photos in Playboy magazine.
And, next up they hope, a network reality show to run some time in 2010,
depicting the challenge of raising a child and playing professional tennis.
>
> There was a time when she didn't think there would be a child to raise.
>
> "I was vomiting in the training room, crawling around the floor. At some
point, I just said, 'OK, something isn't right here and I feel like I'm dying,'
" she recalled those agonizing moments in March of 2008 at the Sony Ericsson
Open. "And when they told me about the operation, my first thought was, 'Does
this mean I can't have babies.' "
>
> Ashley turned to little Charlie -- Charles IV to be perfectly accurate -- and
in that sing-song voice parents use with infants, told him, "That's right.
You're my little miracle baby, aren't you."
>
> Anyone who has coached Ashely -- Jose Luis Clerc, Jay Berger and of course
husband Chuck -- will tell you the talent is there. What isn't clear is if there
is enough passion for the game.
>
> "Motherhood is awesome," said Harkleroad. "This is so much better than playing
tennis. Just watching Charlie. He has so much stamina it's ridiculous. We put
him in this bouncer and he can bounce for an hour, as high as he can go. He
stares so intently. You really want to know what's going on in his mind."
>
> Another digression to the little guy. "We're talking about you, silly," she
giggles at him.
>
> If she does come back, will the tennis public, and the non-tennis media as
well, allow her to be Ashley Harkleroad, athlete. Or will she invariably be
identified as Ashley Harkleroad, Playboy nude?
>
> "It's funny," she said. "Really, I'm not vain. But my dad used to tell me,
'Ashley, if you weren't so pretty you'd be so much better a player.' Yes, there
are a lot of distractions out there. Look at Ana (Ivanovic). She gets all this
off-court attention and then you start worrying about how you look. Maybe people
won't take me seriously as a tennis player if I come back, but I've proven I can
play."
>
> Chuck has her in the gym three times a week these days and they're doing some
light hitting twice a week. "We're also cycling in the hills, but you can't rush
this," he said. "Childbirth leaves your ligaments loose and jello-y. She tried
to play Team Tennis this year and couldn't. But by March she'll be much
stronger."
>
> Adams knows this comeback won't be easy. "But you saw Kim Clijsters. She has
balance in her life and if Ash gives it a chance, I think she can be better than
she was before she got pregnant.
>
> "At this stage, I don't think she's convinced about a comeback, but she gets
eight free tournaments and we can't pass that up. So she's not excited yet to
come back because she's so into being a mother, but when March comes around, I
think she'll enjoy it."
>
> The eight free ones are the tournaments she can enter with a protected ranking
of 68, if she comes back within a year of taking the time off.
>
> She's 24, but "i feel about 34," she said, half-jokingly. Which is not a bad
thing because it puts her, in her mind anyway, a lot closer to Adams' age of 38.
Still, it was the right marriage for her, she said. "Chuck is such an incredible
money manager and great husband."
>
> Her split with Bogomolov wasn't pretty, but she doesn't regret the
ridiculously early marriage. "I learned a lot, though I feel I could have done
things differently. He was my buddy and I'm happy that he's remarried and is
expecting a baby. I'm just happy that Bogie is happy."
>
> Obviously, things haven't gotten less complicated for Harkleroad. Playboy . .
. removal of an ovary . . . and now they are on the cusp of a reality show deal
that could make life even more cluttered.
>
> "A big part of me just wants to be a mother," she concluded. "But there's a
part of me, too, that wouldn't mind seeing how it goes if I come back to tennis.
So, I'm kind of in the middle."
>
> That got a chuckle out of me. She's always, it seemed, been in the middle of
something.
>
> Charles Bricker can be reached at bricker@...
>

October 24, 2009 - Is this a new Ashley Harkleroad?
By Charles Bricker

It's 1:30 in the afternoon in Malibu, Calif., and while husband and coach Chuck
Adams is out checking on his apartment house real estate, Ashley Harkleroad is
at home along the couple's personal stretch of beach at the edge of the Pacific
Ocean, reliving her already well-traveled 24 years of life and playing
kitchee-koo with 7-month-old Charlie.

It's too cute. But, then, so is Ashley, who has packed a lot of living into two
wild decades on this planet, yet managed not to lose that girl-next-door look.

Motherhood fits her beautifully -- so beautifully that she's having serious
thoughts about not returning from her one-year pregnancy leave from the Sony
Ericsson WTA Tour. If she does come back, and the plan is to return at Memphis
and then Indian Wells in March of next year, it won't be because of some
infatuation with the game. It will be for something far more basic.

I asked Ash how seriously she wants to play tennis again.

"If I come back . . . I don't know that I will be able to . . . Or if I really
care about that." That was her initial, disjointed series of thoughts, but she
quickly gathered herself and laid it out with a bit more cohesion.

"You know, it's really hit me the last couple days, this decision. I wouldn't
mind having another baby. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing. Chuck and I are
raising Charlie alone. We're not getting any help and I don't want any help. But
the prize money on tour is up 33 percent. If I want to come back just to get the
money, it's like 'here's a little gift we'll give you.' It wouldn't be so bad
and I can always have another baby, whether it's in six months or a year and a
half from now."

For someone who has barely cracked the top 40, Harkleroad is one of the most
widely known of American women players, and not always because of her tennis.

She was an ingenue at 6. Eastern Bowl 18s junior champion at 14. Revealing
tennis outfit at the U.S. Open at 15. French Open juniors runner-up at 17 with
wins over Marion Bartoli and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Married far too young to
tennis pro Alex Bogomolov at 19. Divorced a few years later. Hit her stride at
22 with a win over Dinara Safina in Australia. And then the internal bleeding at
Key Biscayne a couple months later and the surgery to remove her right ovary.
Followed, let's not forget to mention, by the nude photos in Playboy magazine.
And, next up they hope, a network reality show to run some time in 2010,
depicting the challenge of raising a child and playing professional tennis.

There was a time when she didn't think there would be a child to raise.

"I was vomiting in the training room, crawling around the floor. At some point,
I just said, 'OK, something isn't right here and I feel like I'm dying,' " she
recalled those agonizing moments in March of 2008 at the Sony Ericsson Open.
"And when they told me about the operation, my first thought was, 'Does this
mean I can't have babies.' "

Ashley turned to little Charlie -- Charles IV to be perfectly accurate -- and in
that sing-song voice parents use with infants, told him, "That's right. You're
my little miracle baby, aren't you."

Anyone who has coached Ashely -- Jose Luis Clerc, Jay Berger and of course
husband Chuck -- will tell you the talent is there. What isn't clear is if there
is enough passion for the game.

"Motherhood is awesome," said Harkleroad. "This is so much better than playing
tennis. Just watching Charlie. He has so much stamina it's ridiculous. We put
him in this bouncer and he can bounce for an hour, as high as he can go. He
stares so intently. You really want to know what's going on in his mind."

Another digression to the little guy. "We're talking about you, silly," she
giggles at him.

If she does come back, will the tennis public, and the non-tennis media as well,
allow her to be Ashley Harkleroad, athlete. Or will she invariably be identified
as Ashley Harkleroad, Playboy nude?

"It's funny," she said. "Really, I'm not vain. But my dad used to tell me,
'Ashley, if you weren't so pretty you'd be so much better a player.' Yes, there
are a lot of distractions out there. Look at Ana (Ivanovic). She gets all this
off-court attention and then you start worrying about how you look. Maybe people
won't take me seriously as a tennis player if I come back, but I've proven I can
play."

Chuck has her in the gym three times a week these days and they're doing some
light hitting twice a week. "We're also cycling in the hills, but you can't rush
this," he said. "Childbirth leaves your ligaments loose and jello-y. She tried
to play Team Tennis this year and couldn't. But by March she'll be much
stronger."

Adams knows this comeback won't be easy. "But you saw Kim Clijsters. She has
balance in her life and if Ash gives it a chance, I think she can be better than
she was before she got pregnant.

"At this stage, I don't think she's convinced about a comeback, but she gets
eight free tournaments and we can't pass that up. So she's not excited yet to
come back because she's so into being a mother, but when March comes around, I
think she'll enjoy it."

The eight free ones are the tournaments she can enter with a protected ranking
of 68, if she comes back within a year of taking the time off.

She's 24, but "i feel about 34," she said, half-jokingly. Which is not a bad
thing because it puts her, in her mind anyway, a lot closer to Adams' age of 38.
Still, it was the right marriage for her, she said. "Chuck is such an incredible
money manager and great husband."

Her split with Bogomolov wasn't pretty, but she doesn't regret the ridiculously
early marriage. "I learned a lot, though I feel I could have done things
differently. He was my buddy and I'm happy that he's remarried and is expecting
a baby. I'm just happy that Bogie is happy."

Obviously, things haven't gotten less complicated for Harkleroad. Playboy . . .
removal of an ovary . . . and now they are on the cusp of a reality show deal
that could make life even more cluttered.

"A big part of me just wants to be a mother," she concluded. "But there's a part
of me, too, that wouldn't mind seeing how it goes if I come back to tennis. So,
I'm kind of in the middle."

That got a chuckle out of me. She's always, it seemed, been in the middle of
something.

Charles Bricker can be reached at bricker@...

As the year continues in a maze of changes...

Dare to name your top 5 closing WTA rankings for the year?

Here are mine...

1.  Dinara Sarfina - Williams won't play the events to unseat her.

2.  Serena Williams - Brute strength alone.  Plus watch for semi's + in the
final championships

3,4,5, and for that matter 6,7,and 8 are harder to project.

3.  Elena Dementieva - some loss of momentum, but...

4.  Venus - seems to be slipping but won't fall far.

5.  Caroline Wozniacki ... and into the top 3 next year.

Honorable mention

Jankovic - for her heart, but has a slew of points to lose in the remainder of
the year and will have trouble staying top 10.

Well I picked Kim to beat Venus but picked her to go out in the quarters.  I
mean it was logical I thought.  I had Wozniacki out in the quarters too.  I
wasn't sure how she would handle Maria's power.  Maria wasn't there however. 
Kim kind of proved my thinking correct.  I think Caroline will improve and
handle the power players better in the future.  She has just enough offense but
may need to be a little more offensive minded against the big hitters.

Kim, Kim, Kim....

My, how that changes the landscape.

I am really sorry about Serena's rant.
While totally wrong I also think it has been dramatized and gives williams
bashers reason to cheer.

One 2009 open and things just aren't the same...

On to Quebec City, but just too far for me to travel.

I don't see how Wozniaki doesn't make the final at this point. If Oudin
upsets Wozniaki then Oudin makes the final.  I think Caroline ends that run
however.
Nothing against Wickmayer but she got to face all the underdogs after
beating Razzano.  Better to be lucky than good sometimes / in this case
both.
Isn't the wrong Bondarenko in the quarters?
The easy half of the draw has now become the tough half.  I guess that's why
the top half was so tough to start.
Any of the four can come out of the bottom half but expect a Clisters v
Williams semi, which probably means Li v Pennetta the way this tournament
has gone this year.



-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
rowlandgoodman
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 4:42 PM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] Re: Into the void - not really




An all Belgian final would be nice :))







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

An all Belgian final would be nice :))

One thing is for sure........the Williams dad is not #1.
He taught them a sloppy brand of tennis and it ugly to watch.
If they weren't such good athletes they wouldn't even be in the
top 200.

-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
rowlandgoodman
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2009 3:00 PM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] Re: Into the void - not really




"briannatur2001" <brianna2001@...> wrote:
> Well, what an odd first week at the Open.

How is it odd? Seems normal to me.

> Safina seems to struggle with each match, but she gets through.
> She has heart, I'll give her that.
> Is she #1 material? She'll have to at least make the finals for any
legitimate claim.

Dinara making the finals in 5 premier and 2 grand slams this year doesn't
count? Venus only made the final in 1 premier and 1 grand slam this year.
Serena did a bit better by making the final in 1 premier and 2 grand slams
this year.

Dinara played 20 tournaments in the past 12 months, as compared with 18 each
for Venus and Serena, 22 each for Elena and Jelena, 21 for Svetlana, 24 for
Vera and a massive 28 for Caroline.
http://www.wta96. <http://www.wta96.com/wiki/lranking100.htm>
com/wiki/lranking100.htm

Clearly Dinara's lead isn't because she plays so many more tournaments than
her rivals. One area the Williams girls have a clear lead in - their coach -
he really is No 1.







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"briannatur2001" <brianna2001@...> wrote:
> Well, what an odd first week at the Open.

How is it odd?  Seems normal to me.

> Safina seems to struggle with each match, but she gets through.
> She has heart, I'll give her that.
> Is she #1 material?  She'll have to at least make the finals for any
legitimate claim.

Dinara making the finals in 5 premier and 2 grand slams this year doesn't count?
Venus only made the final in 1 premier and 1 grand slam this year.  Serena did a
bit better by making the final in 1 premier and 2 grand slams this year.

Dinara played 20 tournaments in the past 12 months, as compared with 18 each for
Venus and Serena, 22 each for Elena and Jelena, 21 for Svetlana, 24 for Vera and
a massive 28 for Caroline.
http://www.wta96.com/wiki/lranking100.htm

Clearly Dinara's lead isn't because she plays so many more tournaments than her
rivals.  One area the Williams girls have a clear lead in - their coach - he
really is No 1.

Well, what an odd first week at the Open.

I already lost two of my projected semi-finalists... but that is not the story.

Safina seems to struggle with each match, but she gets through.
She has heart, I'll give her that.

Is she #1 material?  She'll have to at least make the finals for any legitimate
claim.

Where are the Williams?  Well, still here of course.
Are they really the #1 and #2 players in the tour...
I don;t think so based on eratic play all year...
New meaning to one hit wonders ... not to take anything away from them.

But where are the real #4-8 players...??
Is there any clear challenge?
The week should have an interesting play-out.

Not to menion the autumn  campaign

Well I lost my finalist............ I knew I should have picked Maria.

I lost some big hitters today.

I'm missing 9 of 16 in my third round picks in the top half.
My bottom half was almost perfect until the third round.
I still have 12 of 16 in the third round in the bottom half.
I guess when I said it was the easier half...........I wasn't exaggerating
too much.

-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
briannatur2001
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 9:48 PM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] My draw ....






is beginning to suck.







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

is beginning to suck.

What did you do to my pool?

So much for the story as no great American Hope...

Here is mine

Safina v Jankovic
Sharapova v Wozniaki
Azarenka v Clisters
Pennetta v Williams S

Sharapova v Jankovic
Azarenka v Williams S

Jankovic v Williams S

As hard as it is to pick against Serena, Jankovic gives her fits.

Jankovic

I will also there is a ton of potential for upsets out there too.
Pennetta over S Williams which could put her in the final.
Lisiki over Jankovic
Cristea over Wozniaki
Clisters over Azarenka or Li

Then I wonder why I didn't pick Sharapova to win it.  The only real
challenger in her draw to her game may be Dementieva and I don't
see how Sharapova doesn't beat her.  It's easy from there until
Jankovic/Safina but I don't think the shoulder will let her get all the way
there.

-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
briannatur2001
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 12:07 PM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] US Open - Be Bold





Post your quarter final matches, semi's, finals and selected winner...

Let's see how you do.

Safina/Jankovic Dementieva/Kutnetsova
Clijsters/Li Willams, S/Zvonarena

Jankovic/Dementieva
Clijsters/Williams, S

Dementieva/Williams, S

Williams, S







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Post your quarter final matches, semi's, finals and selected winner...

Let's see how you do.

Safina/Jankovic  Dementieva/Kutnetsova
Clijsters/Li     Willams, S/Zvonarena


Jankovic/Dementieva
Clijsters/Williams, S

Dementieva/Williams, S

Williams, S

Well Serena has a pretty easy draw as usual it seems.  Makes it easier to win
doesn't it?  In the mean time I picked Jankovic to come out of the other side
but it could be Safina, Maria, Caroline, Ana even Lisicki and Cristea are good
dark horses.

In the mean time the only competion either one of the Williams will face is
Clisters.  Yes Azarenka is there, Zvonareva and Pennetta has been playing very
well but only Clisters has the skill to come out of the bottom half other than
the Williams sisters.

I don't think either one of the Williams would survive the top half but they are
both in the easy half of the draw.  In the mean time everyone else will beat
each other up...........so expect a Williams to win the Open.

Your proposals would have several effects

Having 6 months off due to injury would be even more damaging than now - so
players would be under greater pressure to return to full time play when they
should be recuperating.

Under the current system it is possible to have a baby and return with some of
your points left - under your proposals the points you have left would be
devalued.

In deciding who goes to the season ending championships, winning the Australian
Open would not count for much compared with a player's results in the US Open.

I prefer the current system.

Remember that part of the reason for having a ranking system is to make it
advantageous for players to play in the many different tournaments during the
year.  The current system does that.

I have a theory why Dinara is No 1.  Maybe she deserves it?

Pull up Yahoo tennis ... there are comments on the unfairness of the WTA
ranking....

Here was my 2 cents worth on their site.

  101. Posted by briannatur2001 Thu Jul 30, 2009 12:00 pm EDT Report Abuse
... there is a valid argument to both sides. Currently the WTA system favors
performance over a 12 month running period. The system also 'rewards' players
who play 18+ events per year. There is also a strong argument that players doing
well in the premiere events should be given stronger recognition.
... One possible solution would might involve one or two tweaks to the current
system. Here are three proposals.
I have friends who would argue the first, but I believe the women players are
pressured to play too often. Let's limit the number of events per year they can
total points, say 16-19 events per year, take the best of their performances and
not include the others. There remains incentive for playing as you may 'better'
cumulative points by taking the 'best of' issues. A second suggestion is easy...
increase the point awards for the premier events, say Grand Slams and Tier 1
events. Last proposal is a bit more complicated, but logical. Place a lower
'total' on the older events, so say each quarter (three months) a reduction
factor is placed on points awarded in pervious quarters, not drastic, but
recognizing a win 12 months ago should not count the same as today... maybe
10-12 months ago points reduced by 25%, 7-9 months ago 15% and 4-6 months ago by
5%... again recognizing current performance should rate stronger.

... did our Ashley go?

At the end of March, Ashley's website projected a return in three months.

That would have been a July return.

I have not been searching the ITF sites, but she is not real visible on the
circuit.

This week, she fell off the official WTA ratings, just from lack of play,
therefore points.

Anyone with an update?

The Roger's Cup (aka Canadian Open) is in Toronto this year, sites alter from
Montreal to Toronto.  A good field and a tune up for the coming US Open. 
Tickets are more expensive this year, I'll be in the cheap seats and only on the
early days.

My predictions were all wrong.  I thought Njiric to win the girls, and Velotti
to win the boys.  I did not make predictions for the other competitions, as they
did not seem so important.

There are a few of my photos on http://www.p2h.fr/

Babos got injured yesterday.  I guess that means she will not be playing her 3rd
pro event next week (the one that would give her a WTA ranking).  Her elder
sister played juniors in the some of the same tournaments as young Ashley.

It does not seem that long ago when beautiful Dinara was in juniors.  But for
some of today's juniors, that is half a lifetime ago.  One girl I know explained
to me two weeks ago that she does not like playing pro events, because everyone
is SO OLD, and they don't have boys.

YAWN...
Venus!!

--- In ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com, "Go Sooners" <440gtx@...>
wrote:
>
> LIAR
>
> No one had Oudin in the round of 16.
>
> LOL, I love ya anyway.
>
> (and yes I understand is was a funny, I'm just playing back.)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
> briannatur2001
> Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 9:01 AM
> To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] Re: Predictions
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Why I am 16 for 16 of course :-)
>
> --- In ashleyharkleroadsta
> <mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising%40yahoogroups.com>
> rrising@yahoogroups.com, "Danny" <440gtx@> wrote:
> >
> > Well I have 23 of 32 picks still in the draw.
> >
> > Sharapova is gone of course.
> > I picked Mattek over Stosur and the match was a good as expected
> > Wozniak let me down getting upset in round one.
> > Sugiyama was a suprise over Schnyder
> > Who would have thought Flipkins would still be around
> >
> > I do still have 14 of 16 for the round of 16.
> >
> > How's everyone else doing?
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Then again

Wozniacki has lost two in a row to the Lisiki.

-----Original Message-----
From: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
briannatur2001
Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 5:22 PM
To: ashleyharkleroadstarrising@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Ashley Harkleroad Star Rising] Cup Play





So who was it Ashley played just a year ago US vs Germany in cup play and
beat?? O'h yeah, I remember.







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]