What's with Sam Stosur?

[gzhpcu]

A WTA player I really enjoy watching, great kick serve, muscular, fit plays like a man. She is down to 24 in the WTA ranking, lost 3-6, 1-6 to Kvitova in Connecticut. What is her problem, she is really a strong player..

[hockeyscout]

A WTA player I really enjoy watching, great kick serve, muscular, fit plays like a man. She is down to 24 in the WTA ranking, lost 3-6, 1-6 to Kvitova in Connecticut. What is her problem, she is really a strong player..

You'd better be a savant if you want to win in any sport, and I'd say people like Agassi, Williams, Sampras, Nadal and Navratolova won because of their outside of the box thinking, and being surrounded by some off the wall coaches (who were wrong when these kids were 8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16) and guess what, right (when the players were 17-18-19-20-21-22).

So, I am not seeing that (she's special, no).

You need to be an innovator to win, and I am not sure I see a Martina or Agassi type IQ which is what you need to have to win.

Aside from that Sam is a bit small (and yes, she is big in the upper body, however, her legs are well behind Serena's in terms of development.

I don't think she has wingspan to compete with the Kvitova's and Sharapova's, who are horses, nor does she have the raw power, size, strength or off the charts athleticsm of Serena or the athletic running gifts of Venus Williams.

So, when you start dealing with the difference between a number one and
number ten the physical genetic elements are a game changer.

She's not overly impressive in her return to serve game, and I really question how well she can move laterally at times to the forehand side of the court.

Good player, and a nice pro, however, you need to have a few SPECIAL elements to win and she lacks it in that regards.

In hockey, we refer a player like this as a tweener, good in anything, but not great enough to win.

I think this is a perfect example of a classic overachiever, who got to the top with a lot of hard work, and good scientific work off the court training.

Whoever worked with this gal clearly took her as far as she was capable of going.

[bottle]

You'd better be a savant if you want to win in any sport, and I'd say people like Agassi, Williams, Sampras, Nadal and Navratolova won because of their outside of the box thinking, and being surrounded by some off the wall coaches (who were wrong when these kids were 8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16) and guess what, right (when the players were 17-18-19-20-21-22).

So, I am not seeing that (she's special, no).

You need to be an innovator to win, and I am not sure I see a Martina or Agassi type IQ which is what you need to have to win.

Aside from that Sam is a bit small (and yes, she is big in the upper body, however, her legs are well behind Serena's in terms of development.

I don't think she has wingspan to compete with the Kvitova's and Sharapova's, who are horses, nor does she have the raw power, size, strength or off the charts athleticsm of Serena or the athletic running gifts of Venus Williams.

So, when you start dealing with the difference between a number one and
number ten the physical genetic elements are a game changer.

She's not overly impressive in her return to serve game, and I really question how well she can move laterally at times to the forehand side of the court.

Good player, and a nice pro, however, you need to have a few SPECIAL elements to win and she lacks it in that regards.

In hockey, we refer a player like this as a tweener, good in anything, but not great enough to win.

I think this is a perfect example of a classic overachiever, who got to the top with a lot of hard work, and good scientific work off the court training.

Whoever worked with this gal clearly took her as far as she was capable of going.

Well supported interpretation. I know it thickens my understanding of the subject.

[gzhpcu]

Much is true, but she did win the US Open in 2011 in a convincing final against Serena Williams. She was also 61 weeks number one in doubles...

[hockeyscout]

Inspiration

Much is true, but she did win the US Open in 2011 in a convincing final against Serena Williams. She was also 61 weeks number one in doubles...

My daughter and I talk a lot about the games of various top female players.

For us, Sam is a HELL of a success story.

No one since Mary Pierce has done so much with so little.

That's sports, hide your faults as best you can so no one can see them and use them against you, lie to yourself and everyone around you for 10 years, and 10,000 hours that you will be a future number one (believe what isn't true or really practical) and mold strength out of nothing so you're a rock.

Mary and Sam are pretty much human backboards on the court!

A lot of kids, parents, coaches and administrators say they want to create champions, however, only a few like Mary and Sam are willing to do all it entails to reach those heights.

[jeffreycounts]

A WTA player I really enjoy watching, great kick serve, muscular, fit plays like a man. She is down to 24 in the WTA ranking, lost 3-6, 1-6 to Kvitova in Connecticut. What is her problem, she is really a strong player..

I agree with you. You would think her powerful first serve and incredible kick serve would give her a huge advantage. And everyone says how her forehand is the only wta example of the "atp forehand". So combine those two things and she should be winning Grand Slams left and right.

I think it has to be either mental or motivational. Or she is like a Fernando Gonzalez or James Blake - no strategy just blast away.

I will say Sam seems to be an awesome person who might not have the killer instinct that, say, Serena or Sharapova have. I'm glad she at least won one Slam.

Sam and Verdasco are two players I thought would be at the very top, but something is off with both of them mentally.

[gzhpcu]

Yes, I just read that she does have a mental problem: inability to handle the pressure at major matches and being poor at closing out matches.

[hockeyscout]

Yes, I just read that she does have a mental problem: inability to handle the pressure at major matches and being poor at closing out matches.

Or, she is just not good enough to raise the bar (and her level of play). If you lack certain athletic traits, of course you will have a tough time closing out. It's like asking Roy Jones Junior to close out Mohamed Ali or George Foreman. No, its not mental, its just your body only has so much to give.

It catches up on you sooner or later. It is tough being a lightweight (an that is what she is, and an exceptionally well trained one at that) fighting girls who were born BIG like Serena, Petra and Maria. In terms of legs, Sam isn't at Venus' level, or hell, I think Petra and Maria are stronger in the bottom half. Sam's biceps look great, and she is big in the shoulders, however, as a functional athlete she isn't blowing those two away by any means.

That poor gal Sam did a load of weight work, and she earned every inch of it, however, she wasn't born a Greek Adonis, and, in pro sports that will catch up on you when you play a girl who has better genetics, and is training as hard as you, is bigger and maybe has a better feel for the game.

Those three are champs for a reason -- they have the physical tool sets to do it. Plus, intelligence, raw size, wingspan and feel for the game will overcome a perfect ATP stroke in the woman's game any day. It's girls, not men. Different game.

[stroke]

I agree with you. You would think her powerful first serve and incredible kick serve would give her a huge advantage. And everyone says how her forehand is the only wta example of the "atp forehand". So combine those two things and she should be winning Grand Slams left and right.

I think it has to be either mental or motivational. Or she is like a Fernando Gonzalez or James Blake - no strategy just blast away.

I will say Sam seems to be an awesome person who might not have the killer instinct that, say, Serena or Sharapova have. I'm glad she at least won one Slam.

Sam and Verdasco are two players I thought would be at the very top, but something is off with both of them mentally.

I agree completely. Sam has what appears to be the best serve and forehand in women's tennis. I would think that would be enough also, but it is clear she is not as strong mentally as she would like probably. Her backhand is not particularly good and she simply does not move well enough to run around and hit forehands for an entire match. Now if she had Steffi Graf's wheels............

[vrc10s]

I agree completely. Sam has what appears to be the best serve and forehand in women's tennis. I would think that would be enough also, but it is clear she is not as strong mentally as she would like probably. Her backhand is not particularly good and she simply does not move well enough to run around and hit forehands for an entire match. Now if she had Steffi Graf's wheels............

You are being nice here. Her backhand is terrible sometimes. I agree she doesn't move well enough to run around it often enough.

[gzhpcu]

Just watched Stosur beat Krunic in Charleston. Her ranking is down to 70. Hard to understand. Great serve and forehand, looks very muscular. Guess she must not have the killer instinct.

[maxply]

Sam's Slow, Sir.

Thumbs up on the comment about her serve and forehand being top shelf, and her need for Steffi Graf level movement.

Sam looks tired, too. Heck of a serve and forehand, still. But her movement is down a notch or two from her heyday.

Wishing her well.