- Alexandra Fusai 2002 History
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- Sunday 2/17/02
- It looks like Alexandra had at least some fun in Dubai today. That's good!
- Getting good info from the Duty Free has been a bit difficult so far, but I believe I have found persuasive evidence that Alexandra Fusai d. Su-Wei Hsieh in 1st round qualifying today: 7-6(7-3), 7-5. YEA!
- There is some evidence that Hsieh had set point(s?) in the 1st set, meaning that she was up 5-4 or 6-5 (or both) and Alexandra came back to force the tie-break. Then, the 2nd set went to 5-5 and Alexandra won 2-in-a-row, including a break, for the set and match. YEA!
- (NOTE: I am not too proud to state the obvious.)
- This had to have been a very close and exciting match, and a super-duper whoop-de-doo wowie-zowie GOOD SHOW for the crowd. Well done, Alexandra!
- But then it looks like, "after suitable rest", Alexandra went out there on Court 4 again, this time for 2nd round vs. Tathiana Garbin, and lost. Oh well.....
- I don't (yet) know the score, and Garbin (seeded #4) is quite a good player, and was probably much more rested than Alexandra (Garbin played 1st round yesterday), but, even so, oh well.....
- At least that 1st round must have added many to Alexandra's enormous fan-base! Unforgettable Fusai, as they say!
- So now let's see some good Fusai/Vis action, ok?
- And this time: WIN THAT FINAL!
- And HAVE FUN!
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- Monday 2/18/02
- In the 2nd round Qualifying yesterday in Dubai (Alexandra's 2nd match of the day), it was Alexandra Fusai vs. Tathiana Garbin, the #4 seed. Garbin took the 1st set 6-3, then Alexandra took the 2nd set, also 6-3. So: despite having won a hard-fought and close 1st round only shortly before, here was Alexandra playing even with the well-rested #4 seed. OK! But Garbin got the 3rd set 6-1. Oh well....
- Even so, it was a quite good day for Alexandra yesterday: 50 games played, including a tie-break, 5 sets played, 3 sets won. Not bad! Not bad at all! A FUN day!
- Today was a day off - or more likely, a practice day. Nothing wrong with that!
- Now it's Doubles time!
- Fusai/Vis (seeded #2!) face Kristie Boogert/Nicole Pratt in 1st round, maybe tomorrow. Boogert/Pratt are a REAL team - indeed this draw looks like REAL trouble for FV in every round - a real tough draw.....
- That's GOOD! More FUN! And then SUPER SWEET when you WIN THAT FINAL, FV!
- Take it one-match-at-a-time, one-set-at-a-time, one-game-at-a-time, one-point-at-a-time, HAVE FUN, and then: YOU'RE CHAMPIONS!
- Easy as that, eh?
- And GOOD SHOWS for the crowds!
- DO IT, FV!
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- Tuesday 2/19/02
- It was a GOOD DAY for Alexandra and Caroline in Dubai today, and (surprise?) a GOOD SHOW for the crowd!
- Yep, Fusai/Vis d. Boogert/Pratt in 1st round Duty Free today: 7-6(7-2), 3-6, 6-2. YEA!
- It went like this (as near as I could tell - unknown who served 1st): 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, ?-?, 4-5, ?-?, 5-6, 6-6, (7-2), 7-6, 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, ?-?, ?-?, ?-?, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, 0-1, ......, 6-2. YEA!
- In text: In the 1st set, FV took an early 3-1 lead, but then BP won 3-in-a-row to lead 4-3, then 5-4, then 6-5. FV came back to force the tie-break, then took it handily 7-2 to take the 1st set 7-6. YEA!
- In the 2nd set, FV took an early 2-0 lead, but BP again came back to lead 4-3, then BP took the 2nd set 6-3. Uh-oh, 1 set all.
- In the 3rd set, BP took the 1st game, but FV came back to take this final set profoundly, 6-2, and thus the match. YEA!
- Next for Fusai/Vis (the Quarters - Thursday) will be vs. Barbara Rittner/Maria Vento-Kabchi. This looks like another chance for FV to have MUCH FUN and give the crowd another GOOD SHOW!
- Win again, FV, WIN AGAIN!
- And WIN FUN!
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- Thursday 2/21/02
- Well, it looks like Rittner/Vento-Kabchi d. Fusai/Vis in the Dubai Quarters today: 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Oh well....
- The only detail I have is 2-2 in the 1st set. Oh well.....
- At least I hope it was some sort of good show for the crowd, and some fun for all concerned. Good 2nd set there, FV, ok?
- I thought this draw looked like a minefield for FV - it seems like it turned out to be that. Oh well....
- Even so, this was a good week for Alexandra - not great, but good. Both Singles matches showed much better than decent play, as did both Doubles matches.
- Well done, Alexandra!
- Bye bye, Dubai! (I couldn't resist.)
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- Monday 3/4/02
- This week (and, hopefully, next week), Alexandra is at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California, USA. Indian Wells is in the Low Desert, about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. (The Low Desert is a strange place - I prefer the High Desert, northeast of LA....)
- Qualifying starts this morning. Alexandra (unseeded) is scheduled to play the #8 seed, Maria-Emilia Salerni of Argentina, in a 10am match.
- Salerni is a youngster, playing well. My hunch is that Salerni will receive education, experience, and exercise - and ALEXANDRA WILL WIN!
- And EVERYONE will HAVE FUN!
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- Tuesday 3/5/02
- Well, it was clearly a very good show for the crowd, and much closer than #95 vs. #171 would seem to imply, but it was Maria-Emilia Salerni d. Alexandra Fusai in 1st round qualifying at the Pacific Life Open yesterday: 4-6, 7-6(7-3), 6-3. Oh well....
- SO: It clearly looks like Alexandra came very close to what some would have thought of as a huge upset (I would not have been at all upset, though!) - that's GOOD! This match is yet more evidence that Alexandra is clearly poised to make a quick and soon jump back into the top 100 - that's GOOD! (Even so, oh well....)
- So now it's DOUBLES FUN TIME!
- Fusai/Vis (unseeded) face the #2 seeded team of Cara Black/Elena Likhovtseva in 1st round. Black/Likhovtseva are a "capable" team, to put it mildly - but so are Fusai/Vis!
- Win, FV, WIN!
- Then this very tough draw just gets even more interesting. Yet I see FV marching through the umpteen rounds to take this Title!
- Win it all, FV, WIN IT ALL!
- And HAVE FUN doing it!
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- Thursday 3/7/02
- Well, I guess some hills are just too steep to climb, sometimes. Today, in 1st round at the Pacific Life Open, it was Black/Likhovtseva d. Fusai/Vis: 6-4, 6-3. Oh well....
- Okay, it wasn't a shocker. Alexandra and Caroline were unseeded and are currently ranked #47 and #39, while Cara and Elena were seeded #2 and are currently ranked #3 and #4 (the #1 seed is Raymond/Stubbs, ranked #1 and #2).
- Even so, there were indications that FV played quite well. They had chances, but the chances seemed to mostly slip away. Oh well....
- It went like this (FV served 1st): ....., 3-2, 3-3, ....., 4-5, 4-6, 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 2-5, 3-5, 3-6. Oh well.....
- Data on the 1st set was hard to get, but I got fairly good data about the 2nd set.
- In more detail: The 1st set was on serve at 3-2, then 3-3, then FV were down a break at 4-5, with BL serving for the set. FV then had at least 2 chances to break back and put the set back on serve, but BL held through a deuce for the set: 4-6. Oh well....
- In the 2nd set, FV were broken at 15 (1st chance), then they broke back at 30 (2nd chance): 1-1. Then FV were broken again at 15 (1st chance), and BL held at 15 (1st chance): 1-3. Then FV had a chance to hold at 40-30, but BL got another break, through two deuces, on their 2nd chance: 1-4. Then FV had two chances to break back from 15-40, but BL held through a deuce: 1-5. Things must have looked quite grim for FV at that point, but they were clearly far from defeated! That's good! FV then fought off a match point and held through a deuce: 2-5. Then FV got a break back through a deuce on their 2nd chance: 3-5. Then FV went up 40-15, but BL got the break, and set, and match, through 3 deuces on their 3rd chance. Oh well....
- So Indian Wells was 2 losses for Alexandra - but they could be fairly called "good" losses. The close loss to Salerni indicates that Alexandra continues to be on the verge of a major Singles breakthrough. And the good play by FV vs. BL indicates that FV is a team playing far above their rankings.
- Sure, Indian Wells was 2 losses - but they weren't "defeats"!
- And they were 2 GOOD SHOWS for the crowds!
- And, hopefully, some FUN!
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- Tuesday 3/19/02
- This week, Alexandra is in Miami, Florida, USA, at the NASDAQ 100 Open, playing Doubles only.
- In 1st round (probably not before this Friday), it will be Fusai/Vis (unseeded) vs. Elena Likhovtseva/Cara Black (seeded #2).
- Yogi Berra would say, "It's deja-vu all over again!". OK, Yogi is a nice guy, but he is, well, a bit "simple".
- Here is TRUTH: "The only thing constant is CHANGE!".
- Win, FV, WIN!
- Then: MAKE A MARCH!
- (pun intended.....)
- And HAVE FUN!!!
- (P.S. I will pay $$ for pics of Alexandra in her bikini on that Miami Beach!)
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- Friday 3/22/02
- Well, today two teams walked onto Court 7 at the NASDAQ 100 Open in Miami, Florida, USA, to play a game of tennis doubles - and they both came to PLAY!
- An ignorant spectator may have thought it would not be much of a match. After all, it was the #2 seeded team, Cara Black/Elena Likhovtseva, ranked #'s 3 and 4 in the world, vs. the unseeded team of Alexandra Fusai/Caroline Vis, both ranked, well, in the double figures. And that ignorant spectator, seeing the result of Black/Likhovtseva d. Fusai/Vis 6-2, 6-4, may well think that nothing exciting was missed. IGNORANCE is WRONG!
- It went like this (FV served 1st): 0-1, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6, 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 3-4, 3-5, 4-5, 4-6. Oh well....
- (More detail is limited by this match being reported only in 90-second snapshops, but, oh well....)
- In more detail: In the 1st set, the first 5 games went through deuce at least once, with the 5th game going through deuce at least twice. The first 3 games were breaks (all through at least one deuce): FV broken, then BL broken (they had at least 1 hold chance), then FV broken again. Then two holds (both through a deuce or two) kept BL up, now 2-3. (There seemed to be a long delay between these 2 holds - unknown why.....) A hold, a break, and another hold (through at least one deuce) gave the first set to BL: 6-2. Oh well....
- In the 2nd set: FV held (unknown details), then BL did likewise (possibly at love): 1-1. FV then held again, as did BL (through at least one deuce): 2-2. FV were then broken (possibly at 30), then BL held: 2-4. Then FV held, and had at least one break chance at 30-40, but BL also held, through at least one deuce: 3-5. FV then held, and went up 0-30, but BL took the 2nd set, and match, through at least one deuce: 6-4. Oh well....
- Fusai/Vis played very well in this match! OK, Black/Likhovtseva played better, OK..... This was a close match, though! FV is a VERY GOOD team, clearly! WELL DONE, FV!
- The crowd saw a very great and exciting show, with FV only 2 points (or less?) from putting that 2nd set back on serve at 5-5.
- And the crowd got to see Alexandra's tremendous beauty: her static beauty and her dynamic beauty, her style, her grace, and, probably, her wit. Lucky crowd!
- The next time FV face a team with players ranked no more than world #5, then the greatness of FV will be apparent.
- And the next time Alexandra is invited to play Singles, I predict she will play Singles very well, repeatedly.
- (Meanwhile, Alexandra, I'm just up the coast a bit here, at Hilton Head, and these days I happen to own one of the best sailboats ever made, an S2 8.0c, and I would like very much to take you out for an afternoon sail in the Sound, and, maybe, the Ocean. This is not a "race" boat, it is a "cruise" boat, though it is actually quite quick, but mostly it is very comfortable and safe and not scary. Think about it, ok?)
- (By the way: sailing is FUN!)
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- Monday 4/1/02
- Alexandra is in Sarasota, Florida, USA, this week playing both Singles and Doubles. That's good!
- In Singles, Alexandra (unseeded) drew the #8 seed, Virginie Razzano, in 1st round qualifying. Well, Razzano got the win: 6-4, 6-1. Oh well....
- Virginie is a very good player, and this was seeded vs. unseeded, so not an upset - but, even so, oh well....
- In Doubles, Alexandra and Caroline (Fusai/Vis - unseeded) drew the #4 seeded team of Nicole Arendt/Liezel Huber in 1st round Main Draw today. Well, the crowd got a good show, but it was the seeded team of Arendt/Huber who advanced: 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Oh well....
- This dynamic of seeded vs. unseeded is something that Alexandra has spent much time on both sides of. Alexandra, unseeded, has scored many victories over seeded players, or teams. Also, as the seeded player, or team, there have been losses. My hunch is that the "upset" wins are sweeter than the "expected" wins.
- Alexandra has shown much Singles ability these last several months, and Fusai/Vis have done likewise, so wins will come.
- Let's just call this week "practice", ok?
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- Saturday 4/6/02
- This week, Alexandra is in Amelia Island, Florida, USA, at the Bausch & Lomb Championships.
- Today, in 1st round Qualifying Singles, it was Alexandra Fusai (unseeded) vs. Rika Fujiwara (seeded #15, WTA-ranked #122). Well, Fujiwara won it: 6-3, 7-6(7-5). Oh well.....
- Apparently, Fujiwara had a very good 1st set, with many winners, then Alexandra took a 4-1 lead in the 2nd set. But Fujiwara came back and then it was 5-5, then 6-6, then 6-5 in the tie-break, then Fujiwara took it.
- So it looks like a close match (2nd set, at least), and, as usual with Alexandra, a good show for the crowd - but a loss. Oh well....
- Now (probably) it's Doubles time, probably Fusai/Vis again. Fusai/Vis is a very good team! (But Fusai/Anyone is a very good team, eh?)
- Win some Doubles now, Alexandra!
- And HAVE FUN!
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- Sunday 4/7/02
- Hooray!! A WIN!!
- The VERY GOOD Doubles team of Alexandra Fusai/Caroline Vis took the court at Amelia today for 1st round Doubles Qualifying vs. Evie Dominikovic/Rachel McQuillan.
- And FV WON!! 8-3!! YEA!!
- Okay, it was FV seeded #1 vs. DM unseeded, so not an upset, but even so: VERY WELL DONE, FV!!
- Tomorrow in 2nd (ie. final) round Doubles Qualifying it will be Fusai/Vis vs. either Samantha Reeves/Abigail Spears or Maria Emilia Salerni/Asa Svensson.
- Win again, FV, WIN AGAIN!!
- And HAVE FUN!!
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- Monday 4/8/02
- Another WIN!! Hooray AGAIN!!
- Today at Amelia it was Alexandra Fusai/Caroline Vis (seeded #1) vs. Maria Emilia Salerni/Asa Svensson (seeded #2) in the 2nd (and final) round of Doubles Qualifying. FV WON!! 6-2, 6-3!! YEA!!
- (So, #1 is "supposed to" win over #2 - PHOOEY on that! This was a VERY GOOD WIN! VERY WELL DONE, FV! AGAIN!)
- It went like this (Salerni served 1st, Alexandra 2nd): 0-1, 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-2, 5-2, 6-2, 0-1, 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 4-2, 5-2, 5-3, 6-3. YEA!
- I was there! Saw the whole thing! (It's only about a 3.5 hour drive from here, each way....)
- All 4 players played well, although I think Alexandra played best of the 4 (but maybe I saw what I wanted to see, eh?). SS lost not due to errors, but due to winners from FV, more down the middle than down the sides, and due to constant, unnerving, pressure, especially from Alexandra. Alexandra and Caroline had about equal winners, but Caroline had more errors, due to a more "bold" (ie. "risky") attitude. Not a bad thing, that, though! And it looked like SS "picked on" Caroline a bit, 'cause I think they learned early on that "picking on" Alexandra was not a good idea. Alexandra served very well - maybe 80+% 1st serve - Caroline and SS were 60+%ish - not bad, but not great. Alexandra played very "smart", with tremendous accuracy, Caroline seemed to be more in "ad lib" mode, and SS seemed, well, "confused" - perhaps even "assaulted" (understandably, I suppose). SS played well (especially Salerni), but FV played VERY well!
- The preceeding paragraph is entirely subjective, of course. I didn't chart serves (except double-faults), and the difference between "winners" and "errors" is usually as mysterious to me as the Nazca Lines (or most Yes lyrics). Others who saw the match may say, "No, Gary, you've got it ALL WRONG!". All I can say to that is, well, they're right, too, ok? I saw what I saw. And I LIKED IT!
- And it looked like FUN!!
- In more detail (or different detail): SS won the toss and elected to serve. Salerni served well and held at 30: 0-1. Alexandra then held at love: 1-1. Svensson was then broken at love: 2-1. Caroline then double-faulted, but held at that 15: 3-1. Salerni then started with an ace, double-faulted at 40-15, but held at 30: 3-2. Alexandra then held at love, again (my notes show: winner-CV, good serve, winner-AF, good serve): 4-2. Svensson then went down 15-40, mostly due to 2 CV-winners, then lost it on a "lucky lob" from CV (what you don't see here is Alexandra doing good returns of what could have been SS winners): 5-2. Caroline then served it out, holding at 30, with a clear AF-winner in the middle there: 6-2. YEA!
- In the 2nd set, Salerni held at love, with a couple of CV long errors in there, which may have been due to good Salerni serves: 0-1. Alexandra then served, but made an error for 0-15. The next point was a huge crowd-pleaser, which went to FV: 15-15. CV then hit 2 winners at SS's feet for 40-15. Alexandra then made another error (or was it a very good return from SS?) for 40-30, but then she held for 1-1. (Alexandra seemed a little "edgy" in this game - the only real "anxiety" she showed in the match - but holding seemed to settle her down again.) Svensson was then broken at love, with a winner from Alexandra figuring in the middle there: 2-1. Caroline then went up 30-0 on 2 AF-winners, then a winner and a "lucky lob" brought 30-30, but Caroline held: 3-1. Salerni then went up 40-0, then held at 15 with another "lucky lob": 3-2. At this point, Alexandra was tested, although she didn't have the "anxiety" of the 2nd game (fortunately, eh?) - a dumb overhead CV-error, a winner from SS, and an Alexandra error brought 0-40. But then a CV-winner, an AF-winner, and another CV-winner, brought deuce, then a long overhead error from SS gave the add to FV, and Alexandra held: 4-2. This was an important game, played very professionally by FV - beautiful to see! Poor Svensson then went up 30-15 on 2 CV-errors, but was then broken on a CV-winner: 5-2. Caroline then went up 30-15 (the 15 was an AF-error), but then threw 2 double-faults for 30-40. Deuce came from an AF-winner, but then a CV-error brought add-SS. A CV-winner brought another deuce, and an AF-winner brought add-FV (match point), but a winner from SS, an AF-error, and a CV-error gave the break to SS: 5-3. This was an exciting game (3 deuces!), but afterward FV didn't seem particularly troubled, and SS didn't seem particularly hopeful. Salerni then went down 0-15 on an AF-winner, then there was a very long point, which awed the crowd greatly, with Alexandra returning several huge wide slams with towering lobs - it ended with a CV-lob going long: 15-15. A CV-error brought 30-15, but a double-fault evened things, then an SS-error gave FV another match point. A winner from SS brought deuce, but 2 SS-errors gave game, set, match to FV: 6-3. YEA!
- It may look like Caroline dominated in winners (and errors), but I think Alexandra actually hit more balls. Alexandra "kept the pressure on", going for everything, and making incredible returns, probably "producing" many errors from SS. Caroline was more "aggressive" - and that's a GOOD THING. Yet I think that, today at least, Alexandra's "pressure" had more to do with the outcome that Caroline's "aggression". Alexandra would "set 'em up" and Caroline would "knock 'em down". But sometimes when Alexandra would "set 'em up" they would knock themselves down, and when they don't, Caroline needs you to "set 'em up", Alexandra. Caroline: STAY AGGRESSIVE! You do it VERY WELL! And Alexandra: you are RELENTLESS! You are THE FOUNDATION! YOW! (Just my opinion, ok? I could be wrong....)
- (Also it seems that Salerni served better than Svensson.)
- Next for Fusai/Vis, as the sole qualifiers among the 16 Main Draw Doubles teams, is vs. Nathalie Dechy/Sandrine Testud (unseeded), probably Wednesday.
- Yeah, Dechy and Testud are both very good players. But are they a better Doubles team than Fusai/Vis? I DON'T THINK SO!!
- Win again, FV, WIN AGAIN!
- And HAVE FUN!!
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- Wednesday 4/10/02
- Well, today I saw some tennis matches at the Bausch & Lomb Championships, at Amelia Island, Florida, USA.
- For instance, I saw Alexandra Fusai/Caroline Vis vs. Nathalie Dechy/Sandrine Testud in 1st round Main Draw Doubles.
- Well, Dechy/Testud d. Fusai/Vis: 6-4, 6-2. Oh well....
- It went like this (Alexandra served 1st, then Testud): 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 0-1, 0-2, 0-3, 1-3, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6. Oh well....
- All 4 players played well. The match was closer than the score indicates - more like 7-5, 6-4 in closeness. Sure, DT won both sets (and FV lost both sets), but both sets had some considerable closeness. Alexandra played not quite as well as on Monday, and Caroline played better than on Monday, so Alexandra and Caroline played about equally well. As on Monday, Alexandra served very well, with a very high 1st serve %, and also returned very well, but her excellent returns were less likely to "produce" errors in DT than they had been in SS on Monday. I guess that makes some sense - but how DT were able to return some of Alexandra's very excellent returns I will never know! Also as on Monday, it was Caroline, with her aggressive (and appropriate!) play, who had most of the spectacular winners, as well as most of the spectacular errors (including at least 1 at a semi-crucial time). But unlike Monday, Caroline was better at the winners, and not as bad at the errors. So: Caroline's aggression was more productive than on Monday, while Alexandra's excellent serving and excellent returning, although both almost as good as on Monday, were not as productive (DT and SS are, well, different size animals, ok?). I suppose Alexandra and Caroline were about equal in earning points today. Caroline played a fair bit better than on Monday - Alexandra played only slightly less well. Dechy played better than Testud, although Testud definitely had her moments, especially towards the end. Dechy played very well throughout, except for a brief slow start (Dechy had just a little more than an hour's rest after her impressive 6-2, 6-2 victory over Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario).
- In more detail (or different detail): DT showed up basically on time, but FV were several minutes late. That was spooky. (People around me were asking each other, "How long until it's a forfeit?".) And Alexandra had a lower leg quite extensively taped. That was also spooky. (I saw no indication that she was favoring that leg, or getting any pain from it, during the match, though, so I guess we're talking "good taping" here, eh?). Then DT won the toss, and elected to receive. Electing to receive seems like a bit of "in your face" gamesmanship, but maybe being late can be that, too. Probably FV had a good reason for being late (like taping Alexandra's leg), and electing to receive means nothing. I know not of such things.
- Alexandra got a point, then double-faulted, then went down 15-30, but she held at that 30, with a very good serve to take the game point: 1-0. Testud then got a point, then lost 4, with a good AF-winner in the middle, and a DT-error at the end: 2-0. Caroline then made an error to go down 0-15, then it was 0-30, then a DT-winner made it 0-40. Two AF-winners brought 30-40, then a good serve from Caroline made deuce. But a double-fault gave the add to DT, but a good serve, and a CV-winner, made it add-FV. But then it was deuce again, then another good CV-serve brought add-FV, again. But back to deuce on another double-fault, then add-FV, then Caroline held with a CV-winner: 3-0. The next game's notes (Dechy serving) show: ND-error, ND-winner, CV-error, CV-winner, CV-error, ND-winner: 3-1. (Alexandra probably had several good returns in this game.) Then Alexandra went down 0-15 (possibly on a double-fault), then down 0-30 on an AF-error, then it was 15-30 on a CV-winner, then 30-30 on an AF-winner (good point! my notes say). Then "everyone" knew Caroline was going to slam a winner to kingdom-come, but "everyone" was wrong - she dumped it in the net: 30-40. Testud got the break with a winner: 3-2. Testud then held at love, with a point (somehow), a CV-error, an ST-winner, and an ace: 3-3. Caroline then went up 30-0 on a good serve and a good point, then an AF-error and an AF-winner made 40-15. An ND-winner and a double-fault brought deuce. An AF-winner made add-FV, but an AF-error brought deuce again. Then it was add-FV again, and Caroline held with an AF-winner: 4-3. Dechy then went up 15-0, then it was 15-15 (somehow), then a double-fault made 15-30, an AF-error made 30-30, and a good serve made 40-30. A CV-winner brought deuce, then it was add-FV, but an AF-error made deuce again, and Dechy held with an ST-winner and a DT-winner: 4-4. Alexandra then went down 0-15 on an AF-error, then it was 0-30, then a CV-error made 0-40. DT got the break on an ST-winner: 4-5. Testud then went down 0-15 on an ND-error, but an ND-winner made 15-15. Then it was 30-15 (somehow), then 40-15 on a good serve, then 40-30 (somehow), then Testud held, with an ND-winner, for the game and set: 4-6. Oh well.....
- In the 2nd set: Caroline went down 0-30 on a double-fault, then an ND-winner, then came back to 15-30 on a good serve, then 30-30 (somehow). But a CV-error, then another double-fault, gave the break to DT: 0-1. Dechy then went up 15-0 on a good serve, then a CV-winner made it 15-15. Another good serve made 30-15, then somehow it was 40-15. But 3 CV-winners made add-FV, then Testud hit the luckiest drop-shot imaginable for deuce #2. A crowd-pleasing good point (ie. very good play on both sides) ultimately ended with add-DT, then DT held (somehow): 0-2. Alexandra then went up 15-0, then her 1st serve was played out, and it looked like 30-0, but the serve was then called out, and she double-faulted: 15-15. After that, Alexandra seemed "rushed" and "pissed" and, maybe, "frustrated", for this game at least. And she had good reason, both in a specific and a general sense. The next point made 15-30 (somehow), then a good serve made 30-30, and an ND-error made 40-30. But then a double-fault brought deuce, and an AF-error and a DT-winner gave another break to DT: 0-3. Two good serves by Testud brought 30-0, but then a CV-winner and a very good, crowd-pleasing, point made 30-30 (Alexandra seemed to have left the previous game behind, that's good!). A double-fault, and another good (ie. crowd-pleasing) point, gave FV a break back: 1-3. Caroline then went down 0-15 on a CV-error, then it was 15-15, then 30-15 on a good serve, then it was 40-15, then 40-30 on an ND-winner, then Caroline held: 2-3. Then Dechy went up 15-0 on a ST-winner, then it was 15-15, but then 3 straight CV-errors gave the hold to DT: 2-4. Alexandra then went down 0-15 on an ND-winner, 0-30 on a "lucky lob" from DT, then 0-40 (somehow). The break came on an ND-winner: 2-5. (Despite being broken at love, Alexandra served VERY well in this game.) Testud then went up 30-0 on an AF-error and an ND-winner. Then it was 30-15, then 30-30 on an AF-winner. Then a crowd-howler brought match-point: 40-30. But then an ST-error brought deuce, a good serve brought add-DT, a CV-winner brought another deuce, then an AF-error and a DT-winner gave game, set, match to DT: 2-6. Oh well.....
- After the match, DT left quickly, but FV hung around for a bit. Alexandra seemed, well, sad, but at least Caroline seemed comforting. (I was I guess 150 feet away, so I don't know what I saw, ok?) This was not a loss to be sad about - this was a loss to be proud of. Not many people on this planet get to play vs. the likes of Dechy/Testud - and truly challenge them! I am a person who tends to "focus" (and tries to!) - I try not to "evesdrop" (I think it's rude), but with about a dozen people packed within a very few feet of my head in those very crowded small stands, well, I heard things. I heard that they'd heard of Dechy and Testud, but not Fusai and Vis. And during the match, and after the match, they knew Fusai and Vis as very exciting players. Next year, they will look at their schedules and if they see Fusai and/or Vis they will go there - Dechy and Testud will be 2nd choices.
- I know from personal experience how Alexandra creates fans. Her HUGE spirit is, well, "endearing". Whenever Alexandra plays, singles or doubles, win or lose, more Alexandra-fans are created - and, well, the world is then a better place.
- That FV lost to DT today is not a shocker. That FV played very well is also not a shocker - not to me at least. FV are a good team, and Alexandra is playing very well these days. That was good to see!
- And except for, basically, 1 game, it looked like Alexandra had some fun out there today. I liked seeing that, too!
- A possible source of frustration for Alexandra may be the circumstance that, after FV won Qualifying, SS made the draw as "lucky losers" (due to a late withdrawal), then advanced with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Grande/Hrdlickova. GH are probably not as good a team as DT (sadly, Rita may be in a bit of a slump, lately). Of course, qualifying is always better than not qualifying, and facing Rita may have been awkward, but advancing would have been nice. But stuff happens and chips fall.... Still, it seems that Alexandra, and FV, have had some bad luck draws. One thing about luck, though, is that it changes!
- So: Amelia was 2 wins and 2 losses for Alexandra. That's not bad - not great, but not bad!
- (By the way, I took many pictures, Monday and today, mostly analog, but also, for the first time, digital - expect some galleries "soon". For now, here's a sample: click here! As you can see, Alexandra is as beautiful as ever!)
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- Go: to next AF History 2002: click here!