I am very sad indeed that this is Martina's last tournament :( In honour of her remarkable and long career, I thik she deserves a thread to follow her progress in the quest for that one last slam title, which amazingly she is still in contention for at the age of almost 50 in a career that has spanned over 30 years. :bow: :bow: :bow:

MIXED DOUBLES
Martina is competing in the Mixed doubles with a great partner Bob Bryan. Yesterday they beat Corina Moriaou and Mike Bryan, Bob's brother going to one of the new tie breaks after one set all which they won 10-4. This match was a thrilling encounter, according to the reports, featuring the number 1 men's doubles pairing with the skill and experince of Martina and Corina, who is a pretty good doubles player herself. It was played in front of a packed stadium with a very excited crowd too. So in round 2, Martina and Bob will play Titian Sun and Mark Knowles who are unseeded. Shoudl they get through this, and I pray they do :pray: they will play the winner of Rodianov/Ulyett v Groenfeld/Cemak. This side of the draw is very open the latter knocked out number 2 seeds Renee Stubbs and Mark Knowles, which would mean that Matina and Bob would not meet seeds until the semis if they got there. This could be Srebotnik/Zimonjoc(6) or Yan/Perry (4).

No 1 seeds are Bjorkman and Raymond, what a great final that would be should they both get there. I would expect Bjorkman and Raymond to progress, as I think all the seeds went out in round one except them - that's Stosur/Paes(3), Nestor/Likhovtseva(7), Black/Aspelin(8). Martina and Bob are seeded 5. I am thinking that the mixed doubles is Martin's best hope, although it is far from easy. Although unseeded, Wimby winners Ram and Zvonereva went out in round 1. :o

WOMEN'S DOUBLES
Martina is partnering Nadia Petrova and seeded 10. In their first round match they beat Osterloh and Rolle 6-1 6-1. Next they play Krajicek and Morariu, unseeded for a place in the final 8 where if all goes to form, they could meet Martina's former doubles partner Groenefeld with Shaughnessy (5) Their draw is very tough, with number one seeds Raymond and Stosur as potential semi-final opponents. Black and Stubbs (3) top the other half of the draw.

So let's get behind Martina in her very LAST slam and I really, really hope she wins a title becasue she SO deserves to take one with her on her retirement. :) :ok: :pray:

GO MARTINA! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

Any comments on how she might do? Btw if anyone can report to me on the matches I'd be most grateful. :ok:

I agree with SB that Martina's best chance of one last slam is in mixed doubles. Although mixed doubles seems to me to have been one of the areas that has really grown in depth in recent years. Are more top players starting to enter it in the slams or is it just me :shrug:

Anyway there seems to be a path to the final for Martina in mixed double should fate lend her any aid. After seeing Martina at Wimbledon while she's still athletic and fit with a good serve; it is quite clear that her expericence and shot making skills will be her best allies against the younger mixed doubles players.

I think she could get to the semis in the women's doubles as Nadia Petrova seems to be finding form at the moment and I can't see her going deep in singles so perhaps she could end up playing her best tennis in the doubles with Martina; in the same way that Venus saved her best tennis for the mixed in Wimbledon this year. The number one seeds are a formidable pairing though and will be hungry for another slam.

What about Zie Zheng or whatever her name is? The chinese doubles players who have already won 2 Grand Slams this year. Where are they in the draw?

Jie Zheng and Zi Yan are the number 2 seeds so are in the bottom half of the draw. They had quite a struggle in the opening round though, saving 1 match point to defeat Benesova/Strycova 7-5 2-6 7-6(3).

:blink: Oh rite. Presumably they'll find better form though. If Martina made it past Lisa and Sam and then managed to defeat the number two seeds as well; that would be quite a going away party :lol:

Of course it would be all a days work in her heyday B)

Good news - Martina and Nadia made it through 6-2 6-1 so convincing victory for them. :ok: Not sure who they play next, as the opponent for Groenfeld and Shaughnessy is nto decided yet, and they will play the winner of that.

Yes maybe as Serena says, Nadia will be focused on the doubles and she lost her singles match tonite. So havign onyl a chance at a doubles title now and makign a bit of history with Martina in the process should motivate her. If it doesn't I dont; knwo what will.

Nav fans check out Rts thread in Pro tennis Chat about volleying. ther eis an interview with Martina about racquet head size, strings, etc. and wantign to restrict them.

i responded in the original thread - she is sooo right!

:ok: I know! I wish they would get her on the BBC so as we can ask her stuff. we could ask her about Nadal then :D I love the wya she says she is the greatest volleyer that ever played. She\d be about right there too. Cant; she teach your Maria? roflmao Seriously, if Sharapova was to improve her volleying and approach the net more and develop flair I would like her game.

I have to say it's funny that Maria and roddick are going out (allegedly), because they both have exactly the same problems in their games! roflmao

perhaps maria has a better backhand and A-rod a better forehand!

I dont now about reducing the size of the racquets, that seems very unfair to me on players who have bulit their match-winning games around using the bigger raquets like Nadal, Venus, Serena etc.................... i mean if Nav in particular doesnt lke using the bigger raquets there's no law saying she cant pull out her '78 racquets out of the cuboard :lol:

Still, i think Nav has a good chance of reaching the final in WD. I dont think she'll win in the mixed doubles, as i see better teams in the mixed, and nav has always prospered better in WD than MD IMO.

Fair enough, but what she is saying is ultimately there is less skill involved due to racquet technology and I must agree with her. And those using less advanced racquets cant; compete. Shame. :(

Do you think she has more chance in the WD then? Looking at the draws and stuff I woudl have said the MD but I would not bet on it. I think one of he rproblems ha sbeen that she has had some quite weak men partners. You'd think the big names would be queuing to play with her really. Well bryan is a hug ename so I am hoping :pray: They won tonite in 3 btw. No 1 MD seeds are out - Bjorkman and Raymond, so that has opened things up fo rsome :o Ho wgood is Petrova in WD?

Nadia is a really good doubles player and won tons of titles in 2004, she seems to be playing well and with confidence now so I don't see why with Navrat she can't go far here. They seem to be powering through. And I don't think Martina could've picked a better partner than Bryan so hopefully with the number one seeds out they'll be able to make some serious progress in the mixed as well.

Jie Zheng and Zie Yang are out. If Martina gwins her match today then she's in the quarters of the women's doubles and the number one seeds are still in the way, but with the number two seeds out who have dominated the Grand Slams this year then winning the title seems slightly more 'doable' :)

They've changed the balls, and the surfaces, with the precise motivation of changing the game to make s&v harder, right? Of course it would disadvantage some playing styles; that is the point. Whether they should be trying to influence the way the game is played is another question, but I'm not dead set against it in particular as recent changes have disadvantaged s&v to the point of making it almost extinct.

It wouldn't have to be done from one day to the next, and great players should be able to adapt their game sufficiently; I'm sure that Fed and Nadal could still do it. (I think Fed plays with a smaller racket anyway; is that right?)

I would like to see a situation where both S&V and baseline tennis are feasible, so that the top players will have to be good at both and mix them up. But it's questionable whether that balance can really be obtained by adjusting the game. Overdo it (as they've done in the past), and one dominant style will just be replaced by another, and people will still complain. At least the current style makes for longer rallys, though when they're from the baseline, they're often not as exciting.

This reminds me of a fantastic point in the Horna v Nadal second-round match; in the second set when Horna had his first break point (to break back). Did anyone see that match? It was pretty nice.

In any case, back to the topic at hand: let's hope Martina will get through both of her matches today - if they're even played today because of the blasted rain! :devil:

Indeed. Still a lot of work for Martina, but she's a legend and can do it! :pray:

It's a strange world where she is playing on the regular tour, and Rios is on the seniors tour ... ;) That's because she is a true champion :bigwave:

Well she jsut needs to play the match of her life :)

She seems to be on excellent form and really focused so that could do it.

Well said! :D I just wish they coudl get on with it so she could play. Otherwise she coudl end up playing two matches in one day or something.

More like 4 in a day; she was down to play the MD and WD yesterday which was enough of a challenge in itself :blink:

I know! :o I suppose that other teams will have the same issue, but I reckon some players that arent in both will have an advantage. I hope she doesnt; end up losing cos of a cramped schedule or I shall personally go over there and punch th shcedulers for this! ;) roflmao

Martina played great in the mixed yesterday SB, i watched it all. She's so sharp on the volleys, its beyond belief. The only thing that may let her down in this tournament in her serve, its a bit ineffectual, but if she places it well, it should be no problem. Go Nav, win your 58th GS! :D

Glad to hear it! :D So she is looking good. I really hope she does it. Her chances are very good i think. :ok:

Do you know she played doubles with serena once? :D

I heard, but how did they do?

I think they won a match :lol:

I'll find out............

It was back in 2002 - The Tokyo Princess Cup.

They beat Martinez/Pratt lost to Sanchez-Vicario/Kuznetsova from what I remember.

I remember when Navratilova had a great singles tourny that year at Eastbourne, nav beat panova and took Daniela to 3......

Thanks :ok:

Martina and Nadia win the first set today, but get broken at the beginning of the second :(

Go Martina! :bigwave:

Kirilenko/Ivanovic serving for the set. Anyone else watching this?

Martina and Nadia go 15-30 up, but then lose two points for 40-30. Fantastic volleying by Martina for deuce - what a legend!

Easy volley for Martina for break point! But Kirilenko has a duel at the net with Martina, and brings it back to deuce.

Nice smash by Nadia for another break chance! Go Martina! But Ivanovic comes up with some great shots to pull it to deuce again. Now it's set point after a long return from Nadia ...

But some great volleys from Martina save the day when Kirilenko nets the response!

Another break point! Nailbiting stuff here ...

Ivanovic hits a forehand long, and Martina and Nadia have broken back!!!!!!!!!

GO MARTINA!

I'm slightly embarrassed, as I seem to be talking to myself. I'll just watch Martina serving to stay in the set, and be quiet ...

No, MJT, have been following it too..

Am about to turn in for the evening though.. maybe catch up with you on the next instalment of this fascinating tournie? :ok:

Probably will - not sure how much I'll be able to watch tomorrow though, have been neglecting work a bit too much ...

Looks like Martina and Nadia are losing the tie-break though :(

Let's hope they can pull through in that champions' TB lark.

Oh dont; be! I am following your commentary as I can't see the match and Martina is my fave. I so want her to win another title before she goes. I even started a thread about it days ago. And my USO radio link had crashed :( so please carry on.

Go Martina and Nadia :ok:

Alright!

Martina and Nadia got whitewashed in the second set TB :( 7-1.

Champions' tie-break to start ...

I don't quite understand what is going on - are they playing a proper third set?

Martina and Nadia had break point, but couldn't convert. Back to deuce.

Martina shouts at herself as she misses at game point :(

Ivanovic/Kirilenko lead 1-0 in the third; on serve.