Ok, yes, I was giving Aga a shitload of shit via Twitter today. I mean, I'm sorry, she's normally boring as hell to watch. So imagine my surprise when I was sitting in the media center watching Billie Jean King talk about the formation of the WTA and Title IX (seriously, I was tearing up listening to her) when I glanced up at the TV to see Aga up 5-1 on Masha. I was rolling my eyes pretty hard.
But once I settled into my seats with Steph and DonkeyGrooming, I had a thoroughly good time watching the ridiculous rallies between Masha and Aga. Aga was doing what she does but she was doing it better than I had seen in quite some time. I can easily say this was the best match I've seen her play against a top player in a few years. Their cat and mouse game left me in fits of giggles.
Even if Shazza tried to kill her at the net.
The key to the match was Masha dialing back her game, hitting less aggressively, and accepting the idea that she couldn't engage in first-strike tennis in an attempt to hit through Aga. She had to rally and work the point until she got a short ball she could put away. It was was an odd contrast to last night's match, which saw Mash and Elena hit the fuzz off the ball. Maria had to use her head in this one and realize that if she dialed back Aga shouldn't be able to get a sniff on her serve. She did, Aga didn't, and entertaining rallies aside, she cruised to victory.
After the match Masha was told of Marion's comments on a Sharapova/Azarenka final. When asked whether the crowd should expect a loud match, "Your call. That seems to be her call."
Rad answer.
