Clijsters Beats Schnyder; How Weak is WTA Tour?

Yeah, I hate to stomp all over the WTA, but it’s pretty shocking for Kimmie to be winning this easily against top players. It’s not like she’s playing qualifiers.

I’m a Kuzzy fan, so I hope Kutzs gives a good showing. But I’d be happy to see her take down the top head case if it came to that.

August 12th, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Monica Seles also came back pretty strong after taking 2 years off the tour.

August 12th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

I’m not at all surprised that Kim is playing this well. She has be training really hard and playing world tennis to prepare. Kim moves really well. And tennis is all about getting into position to be able to hit a good shot. Her movement is really helping her comeback. Not to mention, that she is playing players that she use to beat before she left. That is always a big help.

August 12th, 2009 at 6:55 pm

The WTA Tour showcases the best women tennis players in the world. No one from my club is going to win a match on the tour. You won’t either. Clijsters’ win means she is one of the best women players in the world, period. What you are really doing is putting women. But you’re doing it like a little girl.

August 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm

Wait, beating a streaky player in Bartoli and an aging Schnyder whom is far beyond her prime is an indictment of the WTA?

Sorry, but IMO, just another in a long line trying to find anything andd everything wrong with the WTA and dishonoring and discrediting its players from top to bottom.

August 12th, 2009 at 8:03 pm

Steffi can come back and still beat some of these ladies. Martina, too. Can you believe Mauresmo is still currently ranked 15th? They have a number one who could not even play a decent game in the finals of a major. A number 2 who seems disinterested when playing any event outside a major and looks so out of shape. Girls who could not play without deafening their opponents with their blood-curling screams. Billie Jean could not be happy at all at what has happened to the WTA.

August 12th, 2009 at 9:01 pm

Marcus, Serena is as in-shape as anyone on BOTH tours (and I think you meant “uninterested”).

I think the main problems on the tour are lack of mental strength and–even more significant–the inability to serve.

August 13th, 2009 at 12:13 am

Kim lost multiple times to Serena

August 13th, 2009 at 1:28 am

Davenport too started well after her comeback but soon fizzled out.

August 13th, 2009 at 4:05 am

I’ve been a clijsters fan since she began in the tour so i’m probably prejudiced but is it really a surprise that now that she’s back she’s beating top ten players again? she was number one in the world with justine henin in the game, venus and serena still interested and lindsey and mauresmo still at their game. she’s been training and playing small tournaments for the last year or so and now she beats bartoli (nice girl, impressive at wimbledon but hasn’t really done much since right?) and patty who indeed is a bit older, plays in streaks and has seldom posed a severe threat to any topplayer. And that is supposed to be surprising? really? come on, if she’d win, and i guarantee that next tournament and at the us open she’ll be a contester) that’be a little surprising. but i’ll grant you that men’s tennis for the last 5 years has been the more exciting and talented.

August 13th, 2009 at 6:40 am

… my sister would be top 10 … :)

… seriously if Henin came out of retirement right now she would reach #1 within the year … I don’t think I have seen the womens circuit in such disarray in my lifetime …
… the WTA needs a women to rise to the top who can play a consistent game to set the standard for all others to play against …
… the men have 3-4 players (if Nadal stays away long enough to get out from under his tendinitis) who set that standard …

August 13th, 2009 at 7:34 am

I find golf to be better.

August 13th, 2009 at 8:58 am

Diane,

Thanks for you comment about disinterested vs uninterested. I looked them up and read about their origins and learned more.

I have not watched women’s tennis for a while now. But I have created my own game about it. I look at who are playing and based on what I know about them, I predict who is going to win. Then after the game, I Google the result. My main gauge is their mental strength (which I think you agree with). Ability comes in second only in my predictions. I am almost always correct.

August 13th, 2009 at 10:38 am

Not sure you should be so free in calling those other players head-cases. Wasn’t that what we used to calle Clijsters when she repeatedly crumbled against Henin?

August 13th, 2009 at 11:02 am

I believe Clijters was. She would lead then crumble against Henin. That happened several times. In my observation on women’s tennis, the mentally tough ones almost always come out on top. Think Chris, Martina, Steffi, Monica, Serena and Sharapova (prior to the shoulder problem). Now think of Mandlikova, Shriver, Gabriela and now Dinara. When those ladies played you can almost always predict who is going to win. That is why it was so interesting watching matches between Chris and Martina, and Steffi and Monica. I don’t get that in women’s tennis anymore which explains why I have stopped watching. I just do my predictions game. I find that more exciting than watching the actual games.

August 13th, 2009 at 11:13 am

Clijsters is up a set and a break against Kuznetsova.

August 13th, 2009 at 3:04 pm

Well, the WTA is definitely weak, but Clijsters, is still a good player. She’s won 3 majors, been in 3 slam finals (I’m including her doubles wins) and was the #1 player multiple times.

Schnyder, was never that great and now she’s over the hill in tennis years, so I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise that Kim won.

August 14th, 2009 at 1:20 am

Clijsters is not a great player. Of course she can beat Schnyder, Bartoli & Kuznetsova who are the most inconsistent players on the tour, although Kuznetsova has the most talent. Unfortunately she can rarely make it work to her advantage. The WTA is at its weakest in years. I will be watching mainly mens’ matches at the Open this year! It’s way too painful to watch the women fall to pieces.

August 14th, 2009 at 6:19 am

I agree that women’s tennis does not have a strong consistent player in the rankings. What is up this year with serving? Double faults are at an all time high like our economy is at an all time low….
If Cijlisters can make a comeback and beat any players in this US open—I applaud her efforts. At least she has one of the best attitudes on the circuit! That you can not discount away :)

September 7th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

I figured the whole thing was fixed after the second Russian was beat by “American” teen. And when Maria Sharapova–badshoulder or no, was also beaten by same Cinderella,I KNEW it was fixed so Gamblers could profit. Then seed after seed fell–both mens and women. With so much hype that “Serena would win” and she didn’t, I know for sure the ENTIRE thing was a ruse. I mean even Fault-prone Venus won a set off of Clisters 6-0 And Serena “lost” due to a “foot fault” and NO CHALLENGE? C’mon. WE know GABMLING interests has taken over tennis. I mean, it’s NOT reasonable that Serena should lose this match while she has shown TOP FORM all week. The set her up with that doubles so close to next match anyway.

September 13th, 2009 at 12:13 am

Agree, WTA is WEAK. Commentators act like their job is to be hypercritical of players, expecially non-white ones. And with so much hating on Williamses–I don’t WHY they tolerate their abuses and really leave this WTA as they found them–a DYING sport!

September 13th, 2009 at 12:22 am