Women’s AO Final Wozniacki v Halep

What a great Australian Open Women’s Final! I love Navratilova’s tweet where she said both Wozniacki and Halep were champions. It’s important to remember the contribution the loser makes to a match. Indeed, Halep played incredible tennis. The total points won in the match showed only a two point lead for Wozniacki! This shows how small the gap can be between winner and loser. So, Halep has nothing to feel badly about, especially because in many ways her game was stronger. For instance¹, on 1^st serve percentage; aces, where Halep served 6 aces to Wozniacki’s 1; accuracy by only double-faulting once to Wozniacki’s 6 double faults; break points won (42-36) and she had a considerably greater number of winners (40-25)! Although Halep also has a terrific forehand producing many winners, she also suffered unforced errors on her groundstrokes, forehand and backhand. Whereas, Wozniacki played the tighter game. She had less winners but less unforced errors. If there was a slight weakness it was on the return of serve where Wozniacki was the one with a higher percentage of wins.  

Generally speaking, having a high percentage of return of serve can have the effect of putting pressure on the server who can end up feeling as though they are serving less well than they, in fact, are. As I discovered when analysing my game post-match, you can feel like you are playing worse than you are during the match. Because I was losing I thought I was serving badly until I saw the stats later. But, during the match, there isn’t much time between points or change of ends to think what to do differently. So when you are losing you can suffer rising panic and you feel like you are in a boat filling up with water and no matter how hard you try, you can’t plug the gap in the boat fast enough! In one of my matches I had a very high percentage of first serves in but all I was aware of was the score and that I was losing! This is why I’m not keen on this shot clock and having less time between serves. It’s unrealistic in that conditions vary. For instance, you can have a 17 shot rally after which you need a slightly longer pause to regroup than say, after a 3 shot rally. Or, you may need to adjust your tactics or fix a weakness in your game mid-match to make a comeback but the games go too fast to allow time for self-coaching so you can play your very best.

Being a good returner is an important skill which is easily forgotten because so much emphasis is given to being a good server. So, as a player you can think ‘I’m a good server I can gain easy points that way’ and you do! But when you come across another good server then also being a good returner is extremely helpful, both practically and psychologically. You feel that you can be active at all times in the match rather than slightly becoming passive and having that sinking feeling every time it’s not your service game. This is why I practise the return of serve just as much as the serve. I approach the return of serve as a separate skill in itself, not just another forehand or backhand.  For instance, I especially work on short reaction times to improve my return of serve, which I found invaluable in my matches.  

This is not to say that any of this is what Halep thinks. She gave a brilliant post-match press conference which gives the low-down². As a recent former number 1 she has a well-developed game with few weaknesses. She was in the unenviable position that other players love to chase the present number 1 so that in itself is a huge pressure.

However, I think the value of factoring in the big difference between the subjective experience of being the player in the match as opposed to being a spectator watching the match is something that doesn’t always come out in match analyses enough. Hence I think post-match interviews can be very insightful and valuable for us so we can correct any assumptions we may have made when watching the match. However, I wonder if the interviews are not a bit too soon after the match, especially for the loser, who is on an emotional downer from the let-down of psyching themselves up to win but then losing. As a result, I think, you can receive a wrong response from a player who has just lost a match and is in no mood to talk about it, at least, not straightaway!

In the end, there wasn’t much to choose between them. It was down to the luck of the draw. Halep not only had Pliskova in the quarters and Kerber in the semi-finals, (both players having been former number 1’s last year on top of which Kerber also reached number 1 in 2016) but also she had a real fight on her hands in the third round with Lauren Davis, who took her to 15-13 in the third set, despite being ranked 76 in the world. A foot injury also hampered her movement during the tournament. Against an athlete like Wozniacki, this makes life very difficult. You are more likely to make errors, getting to the ball is slower as a result and it’s harder to dominate the points. On the other hand, Wozniacki had by far and away the easier draw with unseeded players in the quarters and semis which may have helped her recover faster between matches and from tougher ones earlier on. Added to which, she is full of self-confidence having won the End of Year Championships.

I really enjoyed this fabulous match and it was great for Wozniacki to achieve her first Grand Slam and, once again, return to the number 1 spot in the world. I’m also delighted for her because people have a habit of unfairly getting on players backs if they are number 1’s but don’t have a Grand Slam in their pocket. I also wish Halep lots of luck in future Grand Slams. I’m sure she’ll win one soon! 

So congratulations to both of them for a match well played but also for their sportswomanship during the ceremony. Halep was gracious in defeat and Wozniacki even looked at Halep and apologised for winning! This exemplifies the true spirit of sport and competition! It's a social skill many, in all walks of life, could learn from and cross-apply! 

¹ Detailed match stats available at:

https://ausopen.com/match/Simona-Halep-vs-Caroline-Wozniacki-WS701#landing-tab=view-3

² For her post-match press conference and more see:

https://ausopen.com/match/Simona-Halep-vs-Caroline-Wozniacki-WS701#landing-tab=view-5