Quote Originally Posted by dgfred
What happened in the Dementieva/Pierce match? I wasn't able
to watch. I hope it wasn't Dementieva causing trouble b/c I think she is
cool to be such a SORRY server and still manage to do OK .
yeah, you can't help but admire dementieva being as good as she is with such a huge flaw (though she has improved the serve a bit). but no, it was pierce that simply abused the rules. she got beaten soundly in the first set, so she took a 12-minute!! "injury" timeout before the second set. all of the momentum and rhythm that dementieva had built up were obviously gone after that. anyone who has played tennis (or any individual sport i should think) can attest to how much a 12-MINUTE!! break would cool you off, if you are doing well. imagine if they had such a rule in boxing.. how about a 12-minute break after a standing eight-count?

it was obvious too, pierce was moving and playing much better after the "injury". the commentators were both commenting on the "gamesmanship" of her break. pierce simply took the break to regain her composure and break dementieva's rhythm. in other words, dementieva was punished for being the more ready of the two at game time.

that said, one can't really blame pierce for abusing the rules. it's far from admirable, but i don't blame her, i blame the rules. this has been a problem for a few years.. i forget exactly when they setup the new rules, but players have been abusing them in such a way since the new rules were introduced.

i was actually liking pierce's play in the open thus far, but i'm certainly not pulling for her in the finals now.

My daughter's (14) favorite is Ginepri
hmm, i wonder why?