I hope Li Na defends the title.

http://myballsmyballs.blogspot.com/2012/01/li-stops-kvitova-awaits-azarenka-or.html

This was a match Kvitova lost, more than a match Li won. Kvitova grinded Li Na to a pulp in first set and then like that self destructed (after she went up a break) Kvitova was never the same and Li Na took the opportunity.

Li Na was successful in exploiting Petra again. Petra is famous for inconsistency but in last couple of months she has improved this weakness, but Li Na use the same strategy against Petra that she used in french open, stretching Petra on the left with her forehand and opening the court. Also, this cause Petra breaking down emotionally. But all was part of the strategy very nice match. Saw some quality rallies.

Completely agree with you Tennisman. It really was more than a win for Li Na. This will for sure give her back the confidence she had lost. I hope she backs it up by defending her title and going on to win the Aussie Open by going a step further again this year.

I always love a back-from-brink victory, whoever the victor is. Really enjoyed the match and your writing, Mr.Pagliaro, thanks.

It's for 'the greater good'. Kvitova will now hava a little extra rest and the chance to pull the no1 ranking off when it really matters, whereas it was a long time coming for Na Li it put on a memorable performance, better for the sport.

Disagree with @Tennisman - did you watch the game?

First set is like you said, but it was more that Li didn't believe herself. I mean Petra's got the power, but Li is no Wozzy or Aggy.

After Li's been coached, she started hit deeper, flatter and more down the line. This disrupted Petra's rhythm. As time goes, Petra was tired, disgusted, and wanted to check out.

Good strategic analysis material. I wonder why Petra didn't ask her coach? Perhaps she didn't really want to win, to take the #1 spot?

This match was well worth being awake at an ungodly hour.

Bone: +1

JayZee, it is suspected that Petra isn't getting on-court coaching during these matches in preparation for the AO. Players aren't allowed coaching at majors during the match.

@Tennisman.

- It's "ground" not "grinded"

- Yes Kvitova went AWOL but that doesn't take anything away from Li Na's stepping up her game to take the win.

"I wonder why Petra didn't ask her coach?"

Asking her coach would have been exactly what a champion doesn't do. Serious players, I would hope, would ignore on-court coaching as an option.D

She'll get the number ranking where it really matters ;) Hopefully hehe
This was a test of her mental strength and she didn't do well. At least now she can improve on her mentality after this match as she knows what emotions she will face etc.

All the best Petra!

No surprise here.

As I keep saying: Petra is mentally WEAK.

Of course she shows some mental fortitude from time to time: Wimby, Fed Cup, Istanbul.

But she has a disconcerting knack of losing matches she should win, crashing out early tourney after tourney, failing to back up a big tourney win until months later etc

Whatever you think about Caro, she is anything but mentally weak.

Tara - Its just been a year for Petra, at least give her another year before making conclusions that she goes on for months without winning aftering bagging a major title. She did back up her Istanbol result with her Davis cup performance and then her Hopman cup performance and now even at Sydney she was good until she got into Li Na. and she did not loose to anybody, she lost to world no. 5 and French Open Champion. Let us give her sometime before we rush to conclusions...

Tara said: "Of course she shows some mental fortitude from time to time: Wimby, Fed Cup, Istanbul." As if those tournaments are nothing. If I were looking at that list, I would say she shows her mental fortitude at the right times. Of course, being relatively young and inexperienced she's prone to more ups and downs but I believe she'll be able to iron those out in the coming year. Whether she got the ranking at this tournament is irrelevant (it's just a storyline journalists have pumped up and PK did not care to bite a la Woz). If she does what she's supposed to do at AO, the ranking will come.

Bone, Tina: +1 (Great to see Nole fans thinking rationally even when it comes to WTA :))

This was a very strong comeback from Li Na, whose power and accuracy off both wings finally paid dividends in the 3rd set when she played Slam champion worthy tennis.

And as I said last night, after playing 11 matches already in the 2012 season (incl. Hopman Cup doubles) there are worse things for Petra to do than rest.

nice write-up...

"This was a match Kvitova lost, more than a match Li won."

Who said that revealed to us that he is not a tennis man but rather a tennis child.

Li Na is still one of my favorite players to watch. People forget that she almost won 2 of the 4 majors last year! She had Kimmy on the ropes and got a little nervous but then won in Paris. Prediction is Li na will get back to the australian open final. Mr. Pagliaro you hit the target on Petra she is physically ready to be #1 but mentally needs more experience. I agree with you.

Hmm, is there no RR for Azarenka d. Radwanska?

This match proved that Li was powerful and smart.On the contrary,Kvitova showed her weakness mentally，she couldn't calm down when she met dilemma in the match.If being strong in mentally,Kvitova will be the leader in WTA like Serena before.

Li's confidence is sky high. A few early wins in Melbourne and she could be rolling...

What if Li Na continues her winning ways this season and suddenly everyone sits up to realise she could be the next world No. 1 rather than Petra Kvitova. Has anyone ever thought of that? There have been too much hype about Wosniaski and Kvitova in the race for No. 1.

I think Petra was a little tired, mentally if not physically. Don't think this translate into mental weakness. And of course she was up aginst the #5 in the world, who is the defending champion here. Is anyone going to say Nole was mentally weak because he didn't grab # 1 on his first chance at RG last year? PK will be #1 in the near future.

Let's hope she wins today's match against Azarenka...