Congrats to Jessica Pegula

[Motorin']

1 minute ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

She played well and I was really cheering for her.

But I don't think she has the weapons to win a major.  She has a big forehand but her other strokes are just average.

 

I thought she let Swaitek off the hook in the first set. Up 3-2, poised to take a commanding 4-2 lead, she had a wide open court and an easy winner that she buried into the net. She fell off a cliff until her rally in the second set.

 

Agree she doesn't have an arsenal of weapons, but think she can play at the highest level if she really focuses on eliminating her mistakes. Whether that alone is enough to win a slam remains to be seen, but she's close to competing for a championship if she can be more focused on her game and cut down on her errors in big matches. 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

16 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

I thought she let Swaitek off the hook in the first set. Up 3-2, poised to take a commanding 4-2 lead, she had a wide open court and an easy winner that she buried into the net. She fell off a cliff until her rally in the second set.

 

Agree she doesn't have an arsenal of weapons, but think she can play at the highest level if she really focuses on eliminating her mistakes. Whether that alone is enough to win a slam remains to be seen, but she's close to competing for a championship if she can be more focused on her game and cut down on her errors in big matches. 

To me the biggest thing she can work on is her serve.  Use it more like a weapon and get some aces and cheap easy points.

 

Her serve is not strong enough.  She's sort of just getting it in there.

 

Also work on her net game.  Start taking short shots, hit them into the open court and charge the net and volley them for winners.

 

Of course as you said eliminate unforced errors in crucial times in big matches as well.

[Augie]

1 hour ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

She played well and I was really cheering for her.

But I don't think she has the weapons to win a major.  She has a big forehand but her other strokes are just average.

 

She has the second most major victories on the women’s tour this year. Nothing average about that. It’s just hard to get past the #1 Swiatec. 

 

EDIT: Match victories in Majors, for those who do not follow tennis at all. She has had several deep runs, and that is very impressive for such an “average” player. 

 

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Edited September 8, 2022 by Augie

[Mr. WEO]

17 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

She has the second most major victories on the women’s tour this year. Nothing average about that. It’s just hard to get past the #1 Swiatec. 

 

which majors has she won?

[Augie]

14 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

which majors has she won?

 

Thank you for adding your own special twist. So you can only be above average if you win a Major? Good to know. I thought I stated a relevant stat. It was either misunderstood, or you used the Congrats to Jessica thread for another purpose. 

 

She has done very well in Majors this year against the top players, proving she is one of the best women’s tennis players in the world. Only one female player has more match victories in Majors this year. But maybe that’s not good enough for you. I’m sure she will be very upset and try harder to gain your approval. 

 

I was responding to someone who thinks that other than her forehand she is just average. That is simply not true. Somebody doesn’t know as much about tennis as they think. Yes, she can improve (like every other player) and her serve would be a good place to start, but the results don’t lie. 

 

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Edited September 8, 2022 by Augie

[John from Riverside]

56 minutes ago, Motorin' said:

 

I thought she let Swaitek off the hook in the first set. Up 3-2, poised to take a commanding 4-2 lead, she had a wide open court and an easy winner that she buried into the net. She fell off a cliff until her rally in the second set.

 

Agree she doesn't have an arsenal of weapons, but think she can play at the highest level if she really focuses on eliminating her mistakes. Whether that alone is enough to win a slam remains to be seen, but she's close to competing for a championship if she can be more focused on her game and cut down on her errors in big matches. 

As long as she keeps playing and improving.....she has got a shot

[Mr. WEO]

17 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Thank you for adding your own special twist. So you can only be above average if you win a Major? Good to know.

 

.

 

There's no twist--just a simple question. 

 

A guy said she hasn't the weapons to win a major.   

 

You then answered him with "She has the second most major victories on the women’s tour this year."

 

So I asked which majors she has won this year to be #2  in that tally.  Your answer was unresponsive. 

 

Where did I lose you?

[TBBills]

 

 

[Augie]

8 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

There's no twist--just a simple question. 

 

A guy said she hasn't the weapons to win a major.   

 

You then answered him with "She has the second most major victories on the women’s tour this year."

 

So I asked which majors she has won this year to be #2  in that tally.  Your answer was unresponsive. 

 

Where did I lose you?

 

I took it as snark, as I thought what I posted was abundantly clear. Apparently not clear enough, so I edited the post. There is nothing “average” about winning a couple dozen or so matches in Major tournaments in a single year. More than every other woman player not named Swiatec, I believe.  Unfortunately, to be THE best, you have to beat the best and she hasn’t cleared that hurdle yet. That does NOT make you average.

 

This sounds like the fools who said she was a little rich kid playing a country club game. I find that take to be both ignorant and offensive. 

 

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Edited September 8, 2022 by Augie

[chongli]

She reminds me a lot of Jimmy Arias in the early 80's. He was from and resided in Buffalo and was really famous in the area at the time. He made the US Open semifinals once, but never won a grand slam, as McEnroe, Connors, and Lendl usually stood in the way. Let's hope Jessica wins one soon!

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, chongli said:

She reminds me a lot of Jimmy Arias in the early 80's. He was from and resided in Buffalo and was really famous in the area at the time. He made the US Open semifinals once, but never won a grand slam, as McEnroe, Connors, and Lendl usually stood in the way. Let's hope Jessica wins one soon!

 

As a kid I used to play where Jimmy Arias played indoors in the winter. It made it fun to follow him.

 

As an adult we moved into a country club community in Florida. The guy on the court next to me executed a beautiful serve and volley and I thought “oh boy! We’ve got some good players here! This is going to be great!” As it turns out, I was playing next to Jimmy Arias again!  He was teaching top juniors in the area out of our club. He also coached our kids high school team where his daughter was enrolled.

 

Nice guy. A buddy took lessons from him and Dave McPherson (who coached the Bryan Brothers for years). When he was getting a lesson from one, the other would come by and tell him to do the opposite of what he was being coached. Then they would just argue about it for half of his very expensive lesson!   😂 

[chongli]

7 minutes ago, Augie said:

As an adult we moved into a country club community in Florida. The guy on the court next to me executed a beautiful serve and volley and I thought “oh boy! We’ve got some good players here! This is going to be great!” As it turns out, I was playing next to Jimmy Arias again! 

 

What, you didn't recognize Jimmy Arias?! 😆 [I kid...I wouldn't have either].

 

A great story. Thanks for telling it. It shows this really is a small world we live in.

[Marv's Neighbor]

1 hour ago, QCity said:

 

Doping doesn't mean an automatic victory.

Then what's the point?

[Mr. WEO]

44 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I took it as snark, as I thought what I posted was abundantly clear. Apparently not clear enough, so I edited the post. There is nothing “average” about winning a couple dozen or so matches in Major tournaments in a single year. More than every other woman player not named Swiatec, I believe.  Unfortunately, to be THE best, you have to beat the best and she hasn’t cleared that hurdle yet. That does NOT make you average.

 

This sounds like the fools who said she was a little rich kid playing a country club game. I find that take to be both ignorant and offensive. 

 

.

 

 

no it was just me asking you back up your response to the other guy.  He didn't say she was average (he said her strokes were), nor did I.  She's the #1 ranked US woman.

 

You attacking another straw man.

 

His point was clear; he didn't feel Shen could win a major tournament---meaning, actually winning it.  The whole tournament, not some matches.  

 

The rest is all projection.  You're looking for a slight against Pegula when I was just questioning your dubious claim. 

 

 

[Dr. Who]

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

Thank you for adding your own special twist. So you can only be above average if you win a Major? Good to know. I thought I stated a relevant stat. It was either misunderstood, or you used the Congrats to Jessica thread for another purpose. 

 

She has done very well in Majors this year against the top players, proving she is one of the best women’s tennis players in the world. Only one female player has more match victories in Majors this year. But maybe that’s not good enough for you. I’m sure she will be very upset and try harder to gain your approval. 

 

I was responding to someone who thinks that other than her forehand she is just average. That is simply not true. Somebody doesn’t know as much about tennis as they think. Yes, she can improve (like every other player) and her serve would be a good place to start, but the results don’t lie. 

 

.

She's a top ten player right now, but if she wants to really threaten to win a major, she has to make her serve more dangerous.

[Augie]

4 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

 

 

no it was just me asking you back up your response to the other guy.  He didn't say she was average (he said her strokes were), nor did I.  She's the #1 ranked US woman.

 

You attacking another straw man.

 

His point was clear; he didn't feel Shen could win a major tournament---meaning, actually winning it.  The whole tournament, not some matches.  

 

The rest is all projection.  You're looking for a slight against Pegula when I was just questioning your dubious claim. 

 

 

 

Nope. He said other than her forehand her strokes (a/k/a her GAME) is just average, and that is incorrect. If you have a single weakness (say, a weak backhand) you will NEVER see an opportunity to hit a forehand without getting run off the court. Nobody is “polite” on tour, they will pick on your weaknesses relentlessly, and without a shred of remorse.

 

My “claim” was not “dubious”, I stated a FACT. She won more matches in Majors than everyone but Swiatec this year. It’s not a straw man, as people often like to say when they are proven wrong. She’s a top 10 player in the world (#8 currently), and the top US woman. She can’t get past Swiatec, but that is very rare for anyone. Swiatec has roughly DOUBLE the WTA points as the #2 player. Pegula and average should not be used in the same sentence. “Average” does not make it to top 10 in the world. You are not the best female player in the country with an “average” game. You just don’t like being wrong, or you just like to argue and look silly.  Get over it. 

 

 

[Augie]

17 minutes ago, Dr. Who said:

She's a top ten player right now, but if she wants to really threaten to win a major, she has to make her serve more dangerous.

 

This is true, and I mentioned that above. Every player has things to work on. That is where she should start. 

 

Now, if Swiatec were out of the way? Maybe losing in another bracket? It COULD happen now, but some tweaks will improve her odds. I’d also say it’s not impossible for her to beat Swiatec on the right day, under the right conditions. Hell, we lost to the Jags last year! 

 

I responded to a guy who said she was just average other than her forehand, and it turned into this. There is a giant chasm between “average” and “elite”. She is in there somewhere. 

[Dr. Who]

Just now, Augie said:

 

This is true, and I mentioned that above. Every player has things to work on. That is where she should start. 

 

Now, if Swiatec were out of the way? Maybe losing in another bracket? It COULD happen now, but some tweaks will improve her odds. I’d also say it’s not impossible for her to beat Swiatec on the right day, under the right conditions. Hell, we lost to the Jags last year! 

 

I responded to a guy who said she was just average other than her forehand, and it turned into this. There is a giant chasm between “average” and “elite”. She is in there somewhere. 

If you are consistently reaching the quarterfinals of majors, you're clear above the average line. 

[Success]

Those matches can often come down to just a few points. She played really well, and had some chances to turn the tide in her favor.  Her opponent gave her a lot of praise after the match, too (sincere praise - not the "Brady" kind we see in the NFL).

 

[Mr. WEO]

10 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

Nope. He said other than her forehand her strokes (a/k/a her GAME) is just average, and that is incorrect. If you have a single weakness (say, a weak backhand) you will NEVER see an opportunity to hit a forehand without getting run off the court. Nobody is “polite” on tour, they will pick on your weaknesses relentlessly, and without a shred of remorse.

 

My “claim” was not “dubious”, I stated a FACT. She won more matches in Majors than everyone but Swiatec this year. It’s not a straw man, as people often like to say when they are proven wrong. She’s a top 10 player in the world (#8 currently), and the top US woman. She can’t get past Swiatec, but that is very rare for anyone. Swiatec has roughly DOUBLE the WTA points as the #2 player. Pegula and average should not be used in the same sentence. “Average” does not make it to top 10 in the world. You are not the best female player in the country with an “average” game. You just don’t like being wrong, or you just like to argue and look silly.  Get over it. 

 

 

 

 

If you had actually said that previously, we wouldn't still be talking about how many "majors" she "won" (your words).  But it also would not have been a meaningful rebuttal to the guy who said she won't (actual) win one. 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Mr. WEO