DUELING DIVAS

Wow, did anyone see that Australian Open match between divas Maria Sharapova of Russia and Karin Knapp of Italy on Thursday, Day 4? In 107 degree farenheit air temperature, these two fabulous young women battled out a three hour and twenty-eight minute match!

photo by Clive Brunskill/courtesy Getty Images

The ultimate score tally in Maria's favor was 6-3, 4-6, 10-8. Incredible!  So much tennis was played here~ the physical, the mental, the unknown weather conditions. In fact, the other courts were suspended for play as the temperatures on court soared to 120 degrees farenheit. Rules have it that a match can only be suspended/halted after the set has completed, not within the set.  So, Maria and Karin battled it out.  And they did.

In the women's tennis play, I have never seen such great tennis, such tenacity, such belief in their own requisite games that each held on, not giving in to the other. Maria had several chances to close out the match in the third set, twice serving at 40-0, only that Karin came back, and then broke Maria's game to take the lead.  Classic tennis here. Maria held on, broke Karin back ,and the back and forth was a rare visage to behold. In fact, under these conditions, the court itself takes on its own persona. Maria, Karin, and the heat of the court, not to be denied.

In such heat, the recommendation here is to shorten the points, to get off court as soon as possible.  Once a point is belabored, there is less chance of winning it.  Get to the point, and finish it!  Tough for Maria and Karin to do, such fabulous players! 

Here is a 7 minute video of the highlights of these two dueling divas~

Also, kudos go to Chris Evert for her succinct commentary.  She has both players understood so well, and knows just what to say, when.  A reprieve resonates with Maria, in her favor, that she has a short memory. Chris said this several times, and it has much value.  How many times we are in a match, get so close, then something happens and we cannot recover? We are stuck in that moment and not getting beyond.  Shorten your memory, and you move on to the next point. When you move on to the next point, you have a 50-50 chance of winning, not less than 50, where you then have to work even harder due to the emotional.mental baggage you are carrying.  Move on!  This is a great lesson for all of us.

Here is Maria, still smiling after her grueling, dueling second round match~

courtesy AFP

Every now and then you get that rare occurrence of two players so evenly matched on a given day. This day was one of them. Congratulations Maria, for finding a way to close out a grueling match.  And a big hand goes to Karin Knapp, a contender not to be denied, we will certainly see Karin again!

For a complementary read, another match similar in grit and gruel is from a year ago, between Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka, see DUELING GLADIATORS.

AND, stay well with sunscreen!  Put it on every day, under your makeup, you can never get enough as sunscreen will wear off, re-apply often!

You may like Clarins multi- screen 40 SPF, approved by the Skin Cancer Foundation for daily use, applies lightly, absorbs well, I return to this one! Comes in tint, too~

 

  SPF 40 Day Screen

PLUS~

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