Thanks for the post Pete. :)

Pironkova breaks Vera.

Kom sa Bepa, break back.

Hmmphf

Repeated from the old thread.

First chance I'm getting to see Pironkova. She doesn't look like she'd have much of a power game, but she's using Bepa's pace and cracking winners.

Pironkova up a break. Serving 4-2 in the first set.

WOW Bepa is all over the place right now!

Fantastic match so far, Pironkova looks exceptional, and the power she can generate seemingly out of nowhere is awesome, especially off the backhand.

Vera suddenly grunting a bit, she wants this break back bad.

Good for Pironkova for not getting rattled losing that point to the broken ball.

Pironkova is playing with the confidence she had against Vee.

She has beaten Vera before and believes she can do it again.

Pironkova consolidates the break.

Bepa's getting frustrated, but so far has kept her emotions in check.

Vera come on.

Vera is in panic mode, I think we see her lose her nerve today.

Please No breakdowns Vera.

The secret is to stay away from the backhand of Pironkova. A bit hard when she keeps running around the forehand to hit a backhand.

Funny thing is that the person who would have the least success against her is a leftie as their natural serve is to the righties backhand. she moves really well.

So far IMO an entertaining match, whereas sometimes the big names give us blowouts.

Nothing against Serena W, but I would LOVE to see a Pironkova-Kvitova final just because of their respective games - both fresh faces with some great power, as well as the lefty vs. court craft match up.

Love the varying speeds Pironkova offers. Wily tennis.

Stay with it Bepa, it's only one break

She is playing very well. No nerves at all. Nice to see

Davai, Vera! Fight!

Hold and break back Bepa.

"She doesn't look like she'd have much of a power game, but she's using Bepa's pace and cracking winners."

Chicklet,
Tsvetana is a counter puncher who uses her opponent pace and mixes up pace on balls she hit. Most top players do not see her game therefore, she can cause issues.

Pironkova has a very unusual and effective game. Movement is ace as is her court craft. But if she wins this and faces Serena in the final she will get a beatdown like she stole something (i.e., Venus's chance for a sixth Wimbledon trophy). I fear for her. The Williams sisters are a vengeful pair.

Agreed Patrick, she normally goes out before facing top players. Thus she offer surprise. Very much a counter puncher like JJ, but not of the same quality.

Pete,
Despite being late for the WTA CC, nice opening talking about doubles and the significance of the loss by the Williams Sisters. If they would have won Wimbledon, that would have been the biggest story of the summer. Now, the biggest story of the summer, IMO, is will Rafael Nadal complete the Career Slam especially if he is able to win the Channel Slam twice in his career.

Really wierd that Bepa cant hit through Pironkova, i know she has differenct shots and odd spins but shes not exactly pentrating the court, Bepa just looks lost

Darn first set gone. Bepa out do you beat a good player like Kim and start out so slow. Hopefully she'll step it up.

Thanks for the confirmation Master Ace. Her variety has been excellent

Ooh, tight backhand there while serving for the set. But she recovers and takes the set.

Yes, MA, nice of Pete to open talking about doubles, but then he rubs salt in the wounds of those of us still hurting by talking about picking sores and feeding the dogs (even though I have cats right now).

First set Pironkova. Can she hold it together to take this in straights or will VeraZ wake up and start playing. Somehow I dont think VeraZ will wake up.

Well, at least Bepa is calm. I hate to see her when she gets so frustrated.

Loved the story about Pironkova staying at the Bulgarian Embassy. And she's making her country proud.

Maybe Bepa needs a good tantrum? Just get the adrenaline going and freak Pironkova out a little bit.

Karen,

I really felt for you yesterday. Don't forget, Serena needs you now.

Ok, why is it necessary for them to show a Vera meltdown, she is fighting her way back. Davai Bepa.

chicklet - LOL, I'd do it if I were her.;)

Tsvetana Pironkova is playing like a Tseasoned Tsveteran.

Wake up Bepa, this is what you play your whole career for.

Lynne, thanks very much. Diane, Ruth and I were sitting on the environmentally friendly compost heap last night, drinking Red Stripe beer and talking with Venus and Federer on the rickety old Veterans Bus. We had a good time. Went to bed drunk and woke up with a splitting headache. On third cup of coffee. Have no idea where Ruth and Diane went as they left before I did. They could hardly walk :). Venus and Serena were still at the compost heap trying to repair the bus. Said they would be back at the US Open.

Dig this little thigh slap she's got going. Keep it going, Tsvetana.

"Tsvetana Pironkova is playing like a Tseasoned Tsveteran."

LOL - Go Pironkova!

I think Bepa is of the view that her big doubles win yesterday and her win over Clijsters was perhaps the end of the journey for her :)

Bepa starting to play better.

nice hold by Vera, now please break

My stream has died so I am watching the doubles match instead. typical.

Karen,

Well, having been there a few times myself, I know that feeling well.

Bepa's been able to hold serve easily this set. She may be able to use that momentum to make inroads on Pironkova's serve.

Thats it Bepa! Pironkovas return is not that great, if she can keep holding serve she can pressure Pironkova

today is only women semifinals...right? this match must be cracking seeing all the comments its getting, yawnnnn maybe i will watch a game or to, nothing to do , bored in france, bored at home i need to check out mars or the moon, or the north pole before that...

Bepa under the towel. She says it helps her concentrate. Whatever works for you, Верочка

Break her Bepa. Where is Sokol when her girl could use some support.

I think Vera has lost some weight this year - is that right?

Good opportunity for Bepa to break. 0-30.

Angel, go back to livescorehunter and click on any of the other English links. That is what I did. I actually have the match on ESPN via TSN but cannot bear to listen to the commentators.

Hitting partner hmmmm. Imagine they're are a lot of people hitting on him

nicely done, Vera, 2 more points, please. Davai!

What did I tell you. Whoever starts coming to net will have success.

terrific volley, go, Vera, go!

Bepa's had good luck at net. She should look to come in more often.

Sorry Sokol, didn't see your post.

dang it...

that's fine, Vera, just keep holding, you'll have other chances...

Nice hold for Pironkova. I'm liking the little I've seen of this young lady.

Huge hold there from Fabrice Santoro's long-lost Bulgarian niece.

Bepa just stay with it, stay positive.

Bepa's missed that opportunity to break, but if she keeps her head, I think she'll find her footing in the second set.

Well, she has to or she's gone :(

Kvitova and Pironkova also have what appear to be rock solid mental games.

Cool graphic showing the difference in paths between Pironkova's forehands.

Hello weary tennis fans
this 2 weeks has been exhausting!
Pironkova is hanging tough, she is really playing great. I love the FH slice shot, I hit that shot all the time, cuz my 'conventional 'FH sucks . Everyone I play hates that FH, it's tricky to track down, stays low and spins away from you.

Also Pironk is not soft balling as much today, she is hitting through the court not chipping , which Venus was hoping she'd do yesterday (give Vee some hard shots with pace instead making Venus create the pace).
Smart play by the Bulgarian

Brain cramp!

Good job Bepa, hold and break.

Pam Shriver is always looking for drama.

Melzer/Petzschner takes the first set in a TB against Moodie/Norman. They did get the early break only to lose it by game 4.

Now break Bepa break, this match isn't over, fight!!

Now break Bepa break, this match isn't over, fight!!

Come on, Vera, break! You need a break!

The neat thing, as Shriver has pointed out, is that it's not even a typical flat, hard slice forehand, but has that side spin as part of its natural motion, so you're dealing with 2 difficult aspects of the shot in one.

I don't think Vera wins this match unless Pironkova's level declines. Which is quite possible, but hasn't happened yet.

I am not liking the slice forehand shot at all. Looks way too wonky to me. As someone who hits their forehand flat and with lots of pace, I just cannot see myself playing against someone like that. It would make me want to jump the net and do the whole tennis ball and throat thing - LOL

@MattZ, LOL at Santoro's long lost niece.

Double yay, my football scores a great goal and vera hits a lovely dropshot.

OMG, did you guys see the clothes of the people that they just showed in the royal box. That fellow had on the ugliest suit ever and the woman beside him and behind him looked just as bad.

Stay with her Bepa, at some point she has to start playing like her ranking.

Vera will implode on court if she lets this chance to get into the Wimbledon final get away from her

moonball her, Vera :-)

Come on Bepa.

Come on Vera, break point!

BP, davai!

Break! Game on.

Yes!!

Yes! Great point to break, 4-2 to Vera

There it is, the break. Now, please, hold. It's not a break until you consolidate.

Davai!

Defense getting it done for Zvonareva. It's hard to deal with Pironkova's off-pace shots and then run down some screamers, but that's exactly what Bepa did. A well-earned break.

Melzer/Petschner gets an early break in the 2nd set and serves 7-6,2-0

I just read Pete's post for today, and I'm still smiling over the typo that has Martina and Pam winning the only women's doubles Grand Slam in 1894! I could just see them in those long dresses that must have been the norm then for the ladies. LOL

Somebody gave her a shot of Russian Vodka and she has woken up. That is the way to do it Bepa. Davai!!

nicely done, patiently, taking your time for that final shot for the hold. Davai, Vera, one game away to level it

Zvonareva playing really well now. High quality match.

Well done Vera in consolidating the break. I swear since Vera has picked up her play so has my football team. Good to see.

Berak her for the set, Vera!

Jamaica Karen
That slice FH moves slow too, so you have way too much time to prepare and make the shot. it worked perfectly on Venus, it broke down her FH and that breakdown spread like a virus throughout her whole game. Vee's FH has always been a wonky shot, thats why she does well against pace, it doesn't give her FH time to get all discombobulated

beautifully done by Vera....when she's calm and focused she is a great player.

Pironkova serving quiet well...

Nice love hold by Pironkova. Let's see how Vera does serving for the set.

This is Veras moment...she has to do it now

This has been a very enjoyable match to watch. More great stuff on the heels of the fabulous French Open final, aka, Slam-A-Roni, the Sam-Francesca Treat.

(Had to find an excuse to say that again.) :-)

Now, please, Vera, serve it out, no drama needed. I had enough drama in your matches over the years, a boring clean hold for the set would be soooo nice :-)

YF, which is precisely why I hate it :). I have played against people at my club who just slice the dickens out of the ball and throw in a lot of off pace shots, which tend to confuse people like me

Morning Ruth, hope you got over your hangover last night :)

Take it to her Bepa.