Or at least do it once. Just to see how it feels.
In a result that in surprising, unsurprising, expected, and unexpected, Dani dumps out Caro 61 63. Sure, that looks like a straightforward scoreline, but this is Dani and Caro here. Dani was actually up 4-0 in the second set before Caro finally got on the board and made everyone hug their neighbor. It says a lot about both players that once Caro held serve to get on the board at 1-4, everyone was like "Well shit, Dani's gonna lose now." To quote Katie, "SHE CAN HEAR YOU."
Thankfully Dani brought her earplugs today. It was still touch and go there towards the end, but she held her nerve and got it done, showing off her amazing ball striking throughout the match. How great is it to see her get a win like this? More importantly, how great is it to see her smile like that? For a player who works so hard (she is *always* on the practice court, often twice a day) and has had a pretty tough go of things in the past (both on and off court), this is just so heartwarming. I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY!
As for Woz, the criticism has already started raining down. She's going to have it rough for while. It's not entirely fair but it's part and parcel of being numero uno: you get the perks and the potshots.
She's already won 40 matches in 2011. She didn't win her 40th match until August in 2010. The early loss here at least means she'll get next week off (accent-uate the positive) but she's then scheduled to play not Eastbourne or Edgbaston, both grass tourneys, but her home tournament of Copenhagen, which is an indoor hard court tourney. Clearly the country of Denmark is also conspiring against her.
Caro's always claimed (much like JJ) that she prefers to play matches rather than practice. I mean, I prefer eating mozzarella sticks to salad but I know that it's not good for my body. She played Brussels on the heels of Madrid and Rome, and looked physically and emotionally tired today. She was flat. She couldn't even muster up the energy to try and squeak her shoes on the clay. That's a whole lot of tired.
I don't see Caro having a chance at Wimbledon so we'll see if she can get herself back together for a run in New York. See you in New Haven, Caro!
(Pics: Reuters)