Dear Sveta,
Hey! I really like you. You seem to have a fun + friendly personality and I hear you get along with pretty much everyone on the WTA Tour. That's nice.
I even like your game - that is, when you're not getting in your own way. You know what I'm talking about, the way you have of obsessively thinking about it during a match to the point where all moments of spontaneity and creativity are completely destroyed. It's like throwing cold water on a brightly burning flame.
If I remember correctly back to 2004 when you had that surprise run to your first and only major championship to date - the U.S. Open - you're an all-court lady baller with shots to spare. But for some reason you've made the unwise decision of parking your Russian arse at the baseline all...day...long.
The results speak for themselves: lost 10 of your last 11 final appearances, suffered a second round loss in Dubai to Elena Vesnina, and only reached two quarterfinal appearances to date at Syndey and the Aussie Open where you served for the match against eventual winner Serena Williams and then crumbled.
Now you've been upset in the second round of Indian Wells by 18-year old Urszula Radwanska 2-6, 6-4, 3-6 after being up a break in the third set. She's a talented baller but still raw and not at your level at all. But you found a way to lose. Yes, YOU found a way to lose a match you should've won. And as last year's finalist and World No.8 you'll be taking a hugh hit in the rankings and will most likely fall out of the Top 10. Let's not even discuss Miami where you made the semifinals last season - the field will be much deeper (read: the Williams sisters return).
So my advice? Step off the baseline. In fact, step off the court completely and take a break to clear your mind and get some head shrinking. The Tour will be here when you get back but it needs you to be in better shape. And I would think you'd want that for yourself too.
(image via getty)
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Open Letter to Sveta: Take a break, you need it (badly)
Labels: Svetlana Kuznetsova, tennis
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Step away from the computer, Rich. This lady clearly needs you to be her sports shrienk. She utterly needs one now. What kind of game is she playing these days? Ursula took a medical time out and came back limping, and like you said, Svetlana managed to LOSE the match. LOL! Seriously though, she does need to take a break. You're so right about that.
ReplyDeleteAsh
3:30 am, I was awake (sort of) and I knew she would lose once she was broken back. I love Kuzzy, but she exasperates me so much.
ReplyDeleteShe beat Venus last year in Miami, no way she does it again playing like this. She has a new coach and is a better athlete than half of the tour but yet ... runner up seems to be her favorite title.
rich, you are such a bitch :)
ReplyDeleterich, send your letter to sveta directly, stat! she needs it!
ReplyDelete"There’s death. There are taxes. There’s the sun rising in the east. And there’s this question, pondered every three or four months by tennis fans all over the world: What’s the deal with Svetlana Kuznetsova"
ReplyDeleteLol this quote by Steve Tignor just popped into my head
Dementieva just went out. Maybe you should make this a chain letter for all the WTA players.
ReplyDeleteJJ's out now too. Seriously, Rich this letter has to be delivered to the entire tour. Start licking stamps!! (or, like everyone else in the 21st century you could email it to them)
ReplyDeleteRidiculous! Could it be because they play too much tennis?
ReplyDeleteAsh
I suggest you send them a tweet via Twitter. Elena even said she didn't want to be there. I wonder what Jelena will say.
ReplyDelete"Elena even said she didn't want to be there."
ReplyDeleteSo funny I didn't want to have to watch them be there either! See, we could've helped each other out: the lady ballers all decide to go on hiatus to get themselves together and their heads shrunk (sans V + ReRe who are actually winning titles by winning and not by having their opponents implode) and then we don't have to suffer through their matches.
Simple is as simple does I say.
"Elena even said she didn't want to be there."
ReplyDeleteSo funny I didn't want to have to watch them be there either! See, we could've helped each other out: the lady ballers all decide to go on hiatus to get themselves together and their heads shrunk (sans V + ReRe who are actually winning titles by winning and not by having their opponents implode) and then we don't have to suffer through their matches.
Simple is as simple does I say.
As for Lena, I'm giving her a pass on this loss. At least she's won a couple of titles this year unlike JJ who has yet to even make a final! Lena does need a break as she said but I think she'll be fine. JJ, well, let's see.