I stayed up watching Desperate Housewives this late but must sleep now. I have no stamina to stay up for a 2:30 start so I will just start this thread.

C'mon Serena :bow:
If you play like you can regardless of Nicole you can win
If you play like crap you may still win from sheer mindpower

vaidisova has a great chance. hopefully she can get ahead early and sustain that. so many players fade v. serena. but nicole has solid groundstrokes and a kickin serve. should be highly competitive.
i'm sticking with contest prediction of nicole in 3, but i'd be happy to see serena through.

Serena actually won a tie-break. :blink:

In a bit of a Marat style as well ... going up 5-1, but then letting Nicole back to 5-5 before winning it.

This one's about over. Serena now leads 7-6 5-1.

:o Vaidisova comes back from 0-40 down to get to game point, but then loses the next to points, so it's another match point for Serena.

Deuce.

Vaidisova holds for 5-4. Serena still has another chance to serve for the match.

30-30 :hide:

Match point No. 5 . . . .

Deuce. (Vaidisova's ball was just barely wide, but Serena is out of challenges.)

Ace. Ad Serena. MP #6.

And she finally converts!

7-6 6-4

I think it's official. Her name now is Serena Safin. Never a win without drama ...

Serena won a tie break in the second round as well :D

:woohoo: GO SERENA!!!

I had a feeling with all the signs that were around that Serena was going to win... hopefully she will just finish off Sharapova.

Some of her rounds were the Serena of old, grunting and hitting so powerfully... 2nd and 3rd sets against Petrova were Serena sometimes at her best!

Serena vs. Petrova