![]() ![]() But all the self-belief in the world won’t help much when your opponent is snapping out kick serves that you practically have to take out of the air with a smash. The latter component is essential to the success of someone who comes to the game with a liability as pervasive as Davis’. “I had faith I could win, I believed in myself.” “I saw she lost to some people she shouldn’t have lost to,” Davis said. ![]() Gifted with outstanding athleticism, grooved groundstrokes, and a terrific combative temperament, Davis is realistic and shrewd. She’s had the last laugh on the naysayers, as she’s currently ranked No. Later, when I asked if the question had offended her, she explained that she gets it “a lot”-meaning, too often-and allowed that she had proved many former coaches and others wrong when they suggested that her diminutive stature was a career killer. ![]() ![]() When I asked her if she felt it was tough to be one of the smallest players on the tour, a chill crept into her tone as she replied, “No, it’s not tough.” Her kick is serve is good as that of any of the guys.”ĭavis is a hard case who stands 5’2” without the chip on her shoulder. “Of course, I practiced for that kick serve,” a chastened Davis said after the loss. She’s a good if not great mover, and that rock-solid backhand, topspin forehand, and vicious kick serve are equally useful in singles and doubles, as Davis discovered today. It isn’t like Stosur is a doubles specialist who has a glaring, technical weakness that keeps her out of the singles hunt-she’s three years removed from winning the U.S. This from a player who was top-ranked in the very competitive doubles game as far back as 2006. She also might have remained among that vaunted company, instead of backsliding down as low as No. Had Stosur understood more about herself and the mental game, she might have broken through into the elite ranks before 2010, when she cracked the Top 10 in singles for the first time. While Stosur has developed into a thorough professional since her WTA debut in 2000, she’s long been dogged by bouts of impotence, possessing a game with so much to recommend but which had delivered so little of its promise. Sam Stosur hasn’t had the same impulse to patrol the “self-help” section in the bookstores of the world (as Ivanovic admitted to doing), although there was a time when it seemed that doing so would do the Aussie some good. Your own expectations ought to be your lodestar. She learned that you don’t need to live your life as a puppet in the dreams of others. In other words, Ivanovic had to confront a reality familiar to many other sensitive, well-meaning young ladies out there. “I put others' expectations in front of my own, and then I realize, ‘You know what? People will think that's good or bad and they will go on living their life, but you have your own path to follow.’ This is what I had to discover-what was my goal and not so much be obsessed about what other people's vision of my life or career should be.” It's very hard for me, because sometimes I put others in front of myself. “You have to look for it inside and to understand what you want. “Winning matches helps your confidence, but confidence is something you carry inside,” the former French Open champion declared. Ivanovic also was willing to make a surprisingly frank confession after the win today. Those were the catch phrases and watchwords for Ivanovic (as well as Stosur) today. As Riske said, “First and foremost, she was there on every single point.” Ivanovic teed off mercilessly on Riske’s second serve, on a day when when the American put just six out of every 10 first serves into play. ![]()
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