[baconbets]

sharapova will take this. currently -125 on my book, also -105 for -1.5 games (probably not safe in WTA land).

azarenka is a member of the WTA "new school" along with players like kvitova, which means trying to eat your way to becoming enormous like a male player to improve your depth of shot and weight of shot. kvitova and azarenka are 6' tall with chicken legs and beer guts. its almost like they purposely stay out of shape so that they can bang all but the best players off the court with little trouble. the problem is they have poor movement and overall fitness.

sharapova had a few issues with jankovic, but jankovic is a great defender. she started slow but took over the match against once she became more precise with her shots. despite being the taller player, sharapova really has improved her movement on clay, and can match azarenka's power. she will win the tightly-contested points with her usual determination. in addition to being a better mover, i think she is also better at hitting on the run. standing flat footed, azarenka might actually have a bit more power, and on hard, azarenka has revealed herself to be a little better, but not on clay. very surprised this line isnt more like -175 or -200 for sharapova. anyone see it differently?

[MagicDiceFlow]

Azabrat has become so annoying to me not because of her screeching, but because she thinks the world owes her something on every damn point. She throws a fit even when her opponent hits a good shot. That won't be good for her mentally against tough players like Sharapova.

[ohumad]

lol @ eating your way to the top. Azarenka is a cutie. Kvitova is such a waste of potential and imo more talented than either of these girls although that don't mean squat if you're a nutcase. I also thought the line would be lower. I saw a couple places open up at basically pick em. Pova had a few tightly contested matches a bit back in Stuttgart but you gotta take her on clay. It seems too easy...?

[tevari]

Azabrat

I have that nickname copyrighted.

[adila1401]

Azarenka is a cutie

[ohumad]

OK she's a 6/10 but she has some redeeming qualities. This one is a bit better but the skin needs a little work.

[MagicDiceFlow]

I have that nickname copyrighted.

Was that you , Tevari? Nice nickname, very fitting. I see what you mean, she complains about every single point she loses.

[baconbets]

wow, ivanovic looks oompa loompa orange there. 20$ spray tan?

[adila1401]

OK she's a 6/10 but she has some redeeming qualities. This one is a bit better but the skin needs a little work.

Oh, Ya!!

[Gio21]

you guys dont like the over 22? I think it might be a tight contest and should hit with ease

[Pinocchio]

I like the over. I also think clay is the only surface where Sharapova can beat Azarenka.

[Gio21]

Going with my sexy Russian! -125

[innn]

Sorry guys much ado about nothing.
AZARENKA takes this. It's written in her cheeks.

[ExodusNZ]

Victoria Azarenka 2-1 @ 4.5 ??

[gaebiskon]

on clay, aza looks like a cow on the ice while maria has much improved movement
maria will win this

[GoBlue77]

azzy for me. sharapova wond defend title guys

[clubgowi]

Azarenka leads the h2h 7-5 and has won both grand slam meetings, Sharapova won both claycourt matches, but the Belarus player did lead (6-4 0-3) in the first of those, in what was Masha's real breakthrough tournament on the surface, in Rome in 2011. We discussed Sharapova yesterday ....

It is still hard for me to fully accept Maria Sharapova as a clay court player, but I suppose as defending champion and with two Rome and one Madrid titles to her name, all in the last two years, I have to change my mind. She had not won on dirt before that and I had previously made some comments, probably not original, about her turning with the speed of an oil tanker, this movement has improved a bit, but is still an issue for me. She was a little quicker and her movement better as a youngster, but as she grew in height it became more of a problem and she has had to adapt to it. Three years ago I would have laughed if you said she could win at Roland Garros, but she is 46-5 on clay in the last three seasons and that is the best record on Tour. However, she did withdraw in Rome, which as a two time defending champion must have been hard, citing sickness, but a couple of days later she admitted that tiredness was a factor, she had won both Stuttgart and Madrid and said that had taken it's toll. I still think clay is tough for her, especially mentally and she will have (potentially) three gruelling battles on the surface this week.

Jankovic is a claycourter and a three time semi finalist here, in each of those years she lost to a player at the very peak of their game, two of them went on to win the title and the other was long odds on in the final (circa 1.20) and blew it. JJ is a six time winner on the surface and former world number one, who has got her game back on track this year and will collect a lot of ranking points here, possibly enough to return to the top ten. She has played Masha in six completed matches (never on clay) four went the distance and she won one of those.In her post match interview after R4 she said that she was "very happy with her game" and "healthy", this is a big statement for her, almost all tennis players are hypochondriacs (seriously) and some are always "injured", Jankovic is, or has been one of the worse, so for her to make a point of saying this, is a clear indication that she is at her best and obviously fit. Conditions will be a a little warmer in Paris by the time the tennis starts, but there will still be a little wind around and this will not help Sharapova, especially with her very high ball toss and career long problems with double faults, eight against Zheng in the third round. This is Jankovic's first grand slam quarter final in three years, she has waited a long time for this opportunity and I feel we will see the best of her today, I think this is a potential "upset" and I am very keen on her chances of taking a set.

45 unforced errors for Masha (to 30 winners), the fourth match running she has had more errors than winners and in total making 36% more errors, to put that into context, Azarenka has hit 30% more winners than unforced errors. Against a top ranked player and whichever way you look at it, VA is top 3 at least, those stats are going to have to improve. Sharapova was "lucky" in that Jankovic did her best to beat herself yesterday and I doubt that this version of Azarenka will do likewise. Add into the mix the Masha ball toss issues, especially if even a little wind today and the knowledge that she is facing arguably the best returner in the game, meaning that Sharapova will have to look for more on her second serve (double faults?). The Belarus player is coming to terms with the surface and whilst far from being a claycourter, this tournament is not going to be won by one of those in any case, she is near the top of her game and in the last two rounds Kirilenko and Schiavone only won a combined 11 points from 52 second serves. I think that Azarenka should be a small favourite.

Victoria Azarenka to beat Maria Sharapova

[samus82]

My money is on Sharapova today.

[Darkside Magick]

Max bet : [352] Maria Sharapova -119 vs Victoria Azarenka

[aufordboy]

I'm on Sharapova as well. BOL Today

[cheven]

nice write-up clubgowi, i still see it as not worth a bet, but you've got me consider

[clubgowi]

nice write-up clubgowi, i still see it as not worth a bet, but you've got me consider

Thanks cheven, just a standard play, not one to bet the house on .

[ohumad]

Azarenka leads the h2h 7-5 and has won both grand slam meetings, Sharapova won both claycourt matches, but the Belarus player did lead (6-4 0-3) in the first of those, in what was Masha's real breakthrough tournament on the surface, in Rome in 2011. We discussed Sharapova yesterday ....



Victoria Azarenka to beat Maria Sharapova

That could be important! We'll see today if she's capable of beating Pova on all surfaces.

[secret007]

on Vika today.

[HOT WINGS]

Went with Sharapova. She should take her on clay.

[bruceBRUCEbruce]

over 21.5

[Bet10Heinekens]

Are you guys watching with the mute button on

[samus82]

I'm pretty sure my neighbour thinks I'm watching porn

[49erFan8280]

I'm pretty sure my neighbour thinks I'm watching porn

Bird porn

[ThingsFallApart]

If Azzy blows this one up 5-2 ...!!!

[secret007]

who do you think will benefit from this delay? i know Vika just won the second set 6-2 and seemed to have the momentum, but now after the delay, i will br surprised if Sharapova gets that many point from Vika 1st serve again. She was all over Vika's first serve, Vika only won 50% of her first serve so far.

[Bet10Heinekens]

Mother Nature to the rescue, this has to stop all of Aza momentum

[secret007]

^^ you might think it stops Aza momentum, but I think in a way benefit Azarenka as well. She can regroup. Despite the score, Vika did not look that good in the second set.

[GoBlue77]

Rain delay. Killed Azz momentum. Great. ...now princess will win and proceed to get raped by Serena

[secret007]

O/U live is set at 24.5 ( under is favored ). The question is who out of these 2 more likely to win with ease in the third set?