Now my day is complete-Pierce/Clijsters final
bye bye Yuri and no more hype on Maria Sharapova thank God

Glad for Kim. It should be an interesting final.

Yeah... Nothing against Maria Sharapova, but I am really glad for Kim Clijsters (and I am actually a Justine Henin-Hardenne guy). After a relatively boring Women's US Open, this is going to be some Final. Go Kim!

KIM is such a great player, she needs to win a major. GO KIMMY!!!!!!!!!!!

FOR a change, cattle and i are rooting for the same player.

Kim over Mary tomorrow. Antics included. wink

Is there some sort of champion's dinner at the US Open. That could get awkward on the off chance that both Kim and Lleyton win.

[ September 09, 2005, 05:53 PM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

Back from Ashe and after I thought I'd never want to step foot in it again after my 'husband' lost to Agassi I'm once again joyful as Clijsters beat Hyped-apova and Pierce was able to oust Dementieva. I swear if that bitch got to another slam final with that serve I would've pulled my hair out. I still think they have got to get this crap with the medical timeouts cuz I didn't like it. Whatever the ending its going to be a great storyline. Either Mary will continue her 5 year plan ('95 Australian, '00 French, '05 US Open???) or Kim will finally breakthrough and get her first. I know she's happy not to be seeing Lindsay on the other side. Kim's gonna have to serve better and keep that sometimes erratic forehand in check because if Mary gets in a groove watch out. I can see the ghost of grand slams past coming back to foil Kim. Its amazing though...Nick Boliterri said that Mary Pierce would win a slam this year and I thought he was CRAZY when he said it. It is very possible. This match to me is a toss up.

With Kim, it seems like she's at her best when she doesn't rely on her great defense, and instead goes after her shots with power and conviction. I think that's why she's historically had a tough time with Venus and Lindsay--that tired Sanchez-Vicario style defense isn't going to win slams anymore, especially against the "big babes" as Mary Carillo calls them.

The final really is Kim's to win or lose. If the old counterpunching Kim shows up, Saturday night's going to be rough for her.

[ September 09, 2005, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: Neptune ]

And right on cue, Dimentieva...

"You can change the game around by winning an unbelievable point or by changing the rhythm," Dementieva said. "By taking a 12-minute timeout, I don't think it was a fair play, but she could do it by the rules. And she did it. If that's the only way she can beat me, I mean, it's up to her."


Very sour grapes.

tell it like it is, elena!

atta boy snicks. pierce is a piece of work and has done this on a number of occasions (majors and lesser tournaments). there's another quote from pierce re: being 30 and having played on the tour for many years, hence her body might be less cooperative; but i can remember a time in her early twenties when she pulled the same stunt on conchita martinez at the french (not the final, another time). i'm sure one of the other guys can tell you which year it was.

la pierce is weird, plain and simple. professional or weekend hack, gamesmanship is gamesmanship and she should be taken to task.

maybe she'll pull another during the final and the crowd will wise up. comeback or no that's some shit.

is it me or does Maria Sharapova look like a strung out Russian crack whore when she's fresh from a match with no makeup on? She is NOT a natural beauty and she needs some Proactiv. She has to be dolled up in hair and makeup for a minute to look 'pretty' as far as I'm concerned. I think Daniela Hantuchova has tons more natural beauty and elegance than Sharapova.

[ September 09, 2005, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: ltskinmdterp ]

Ouch man, that's harsh. Isn't that a bit uncalled for? With attitudes like that from the spectators, no wonder Hantuchova had an eating disorder.

Focus on the athletics, I say.

Regardless of Mary's gamesmanship, quirks, or whatnot, I think it's amazing a 30-year old woman has made it into two Slam finals this year.

Did Mac or Mary make any comment about Sharapova's costume change? It would surprise me since they've spent the last two weeks kissing her butt.

why would they comment on it? it's not like she FAKED a costume change.

Well, a costume change is hardly necessary and it would halt the momentum of the game, much like Mary's injury timeout.

yes, but as i said, she did not FAKE! a costume change.nor did she abuse the rules of costume changes.
besides, she took the break after she had just won the set, so the only momentum she would be halting would be her own.

[ September 09, 2005, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: snicks ]

So many of the top women have pulled this kind of BS that I can't just single out Mary on this count. I remember one time when Serena needed a bathroom break when she was down like 4-0 in the third against JCap in the quarter of Wimbly. She didn't even wait for a changeover. I've seen Hingis, Capriati, and even Dementieva take long bathroom breaks when they were down as well. The rule must change, but I don't think it is fair to pile on Mary.

Mary did not abuse the rules either. Deal with it.

"I swear if that bitch got to another slam final with that serve I would've pulled my hair out."


I still don't understand why everyone is so critical of Dementieva's serve. I agree her serve sucks; everyone knows that and even she knows that, but people say she's so undeserving of a Grand Slam title because of this weakness. Hey, if she makes it to a Grand Slam final or possibly wins one then she's deserving of it because she did it. I think it's cool if someone can succeed even though they have a weakness and they try to make up for that weakness. You might as well say Graf is undeserving of most of her titles because of her weak "passe" backhand. She won anyways with this weakness and I think that's cool.

yeah, and i've got a bridge i wanna sell ya

Pierce is some piece of work; why she never even gets a caution for the excessive time she takes to serve escapes me. Kimmie take her out; I'm just crazy for Clijsters.

GO KIMMY! DON'T CHOKE!

Thats the key for Kimmy...it wasn't so much the quarters and semi I was worried about...but the final will be her ultimate test. Will the ghost of grand slams past come back to get her? Either way its going to be a great ending for someone. Either Pierce at 30 will win her 3rd slam...five years after her last or Kim will breakthrough and win her first. I think if Kim loses to Mary Pierce it would be rough. She's played the best hard court tennis this year and its hers to lose. But if she counterpunches and Pierce is in a groove...Pierce will win the match. Kim needs to use her great defensive skills to make Pierce hit one more shot but she needs to be offensive mostly and look to step in and make Pierce move.

"[/QUOTE]Pierce couldn't make it on the American circuit, so she suddenly discovered her French heritage a few years ago. When she had many personal problems that many tennis players must handle, she used it as an excuse when her game suffered. [/QB][/QUOTE]"


I don't usually post here but this comment was so wildly off the mark that i had to say something. First of all, as someone else pointed out Mary Pierce has ALWAYS played for France from day one of her professional tennis career which is now going on 17 years. As a French player she has won 2 Grand Slams and reached 4 additional slam finals...I fail to see how this equates to struggling on the American circuit let alone the international circuit.

what shocks me most is your assumption that Mary Pierce ever WAS American to begin with. Mary was born in Montreal, last time I checked that was in Canada. She has citizenship in Canada and also France (her mother is French). Contrary to what many of you seem to believe, Canadiens are not US citizens.

Personally I am thrilled for her to have reached the final at age 30 although truth be told I will be cheering for Kim Clijsters (Belgium is our neighbour)

the wicked witch and the simon cowell group are performing.

does "il divo" mean 'four homosexuals"?

my mary ain't looking so sharp early on......hit the ball bitch!

she should fake another injury. maybe she can come back!

are you channeling her father? eek!

she ain't coming back, except for a couple of games in the middle of the first set Kim is looking pretty good.

kim is playing out of her mind. she wants this first major sooo bad.

go kim.

clijsters is a GRAND SLAM CHAMPION! AT LONG LAST!

i was rooting for mary but have to say it's nice to see kim win

Great to see Kim finally win a big one, but too bad for Mary. Kim smoked her. I've never seen her hit her forehand and serve so well. I think Mary sealed her seat in Newport with two GS finals this year - great to see her playing so well again. Hope they both keep it up next year.

Could have done without the nose-picking during the awards ceremony.

[ September 10, 2005, 06:43 PM: Message edited by: Houston Gator ]

Mary....stop picking your damn nose! That was funny as shit.....just shove your finger all the way up there!

I agree about Mary and her nose. wink But Kim so deserved this, and it couldn't happen to a nicer person.

What a waste of money. Mary farging Pierce stinking up ANOTHER grand slam final. Damn you Lindsay...why did you have to be in one of your PMS moods against Dementieva?? What an awful final from Pierce. To think Nick Boliterri said Mary was gonna win a slam this year. Bullshit. Once again she stinks up another grand slam final and makes it a total bore fest.

As for Kim...congratulations girl. You are the Belgian I like and its so overdue for her. It was so great to see her joy. Now she can shed all the labels that she can't win the big match. I'm sure she was happy not to be seeing Davenport on the other side of the net. But, I was happy to see Kim be offensive and not be a counterpuncher. She took this thing and was not about to let it go. Congrats chica. Kim got a big ole booty...I heard Lleyton was hung (too bad the rest of him looks a shitty mess) so I know he had a good time with that rump roast.

I am so disappointed with some of these posts. Are we sportsfans or bitter housewives in here?
Get a grip.

Kudos for Clijsters. Now that she's got the monkey off her back, I'll bet she'll start picking up some more grand slam hardware in the future.

Thank you Darius: I share your disappointment in the tone of many recent posts.

Oh, and nice chunka change Kim picked up to. Bet she goes on some New York shopping spree today. I would.

[ September 11, 2005, 06:37 AM: Message edited by: puckman1 ]

Very happy for Kim! She definitely deserved it after the luck she's had. I too hope that getting this one out of the way will make it easier for her to win more slams in the future.

I'm sure Mary must be disappointed to lose another slam final like this, especially after coming so far at her age. Very similar to Davenport, getting far in slams later in the career and not being able to finish. Still, two grand slam finals in one year at age 30 is nothing to sneeze at.

I am a little late here because I didn't get a chance to post after watching the match. But, well done, Kim Clijsters! I have never been much of a follower of her, but Clijsters has definitely won me over at the 2005 US Open. I hope she can ride this momentum all the way into the 2006 Australian Open.

Sorry to see Mary play so poorly in a Slam final again - she's sooooo mentally fragile. But congrats to Kim on a job well done. I'm glad she's got the monkey off her back, and it is so nice to someone who seems so genuinely real and nice do well.

Raymond and Stosur won. I was, naturally, rooting for Pennetta and Dementieva, but I've nothing agaisnt Raymond and Stosur, so good for them!

Congratulations Kim! Finally, no more having to hear about her not winning a major. It'll be interesting to see if the confidence goes down really deep, for when she faces Serena or, especially, Justine in a major final. It should...she's got so much ability.

Thought Pierce did a great job getting to the final. Loved the comment earlier about her "rebabing"...that is classic. And it's so her. I love that she is herself on the court, even if it's a little different from most of the other players. Too bad she rushed her shots in the final...seemed like she was feeling pressure because of Kim's speed and defense, so she tried to go for a little too much. And seemed to be a little surprised by the pace Kim put on the ball...seemed like some of her swings were a little late.

And G4G, our very own and very favorite prognosticator, not to mention the cutest, you are the man. Called it like you (fore)saw it, and got it right. From now on I won't fear the call when you predict the player I want to win it. (Heard that Kim won't either anymore. Lol.)

Way to go Kimmie; she's on her way home to Belgium to (among others) her American boyfriend who's been playing basketball over there. Before he left they were hanging out in Belmar where he's from.

Love her- she kept getting this lame question- Do you think you're too nice to win a Grand Slam? And she answered- I don't like that question-look at Roger Federer, he's the nicest guy on the tour and he wins.

[ September 11, 2005, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: Fedex ]

It was a better match than it seemed. Mary was hitting very hard, but what Cljisters did so well was rush and push Mary..Kim just kept pushing and pushing while they both hit harder and harder..Mary was out of breath and out of sync...the fact is, Kim played a very smart, very strategic match and it really worked...Pierce hit the hell out of the ball, as hard as any woman on the tour, but Kim just kept getting it back and she pushed and pushed...a very well played match by Cljisters..she really deserved this tournament..

I am so happy for Kim. The comeback win against Venus was her watershed moment. You could feel it happening. Fantastic!!

GH ... poor Amelie now has to bear the burden of my admiration all alone frown