Wimbledon final 2011 revisited

Maria Sharapova has no time for those who defeat her in important matches, and none is so significant as a Wimbledon Final, especially considering that Maria's first Grand Slam singles success came there in 2004. So being defeated last year by someone who, like Maria had been in 2004, was featuring in her first final at the highest level, angered the Russian to her core.

The 2012 Aus Open semi final offered an oportunity to exact some revenge on the world number two from the Czech Republic, and continue the quest for both a second Aus Open crown and the regaining of the world number one ranking.

Petra had the goal of a second Grand Slam title out of the last three, and yes she would assume the world number one ranking too should she take out the Aus Open.

Both girls opened with strong games on serve, but Petra stumbled first with a nervous performance in the third, losing it badly and gifting the advantage to Sharapova 2-1. An advantage lasting one game, in the process highlighting Sharapova's occasional propensity to lapse into the service yips. 2-2 from where Kvitova wasted a game point, compounding by delivering a double fault, and that was a triple treat of service breaks.

Maria stopped the run of games against serve but I didn't run urgently to a thesaurus searching for superlatives; I guess this match had risen to great heights, if the perspective was that of an ant. Kvitova's standard may have been close to that of a first round loser in qualifying, but she probably needed to improve to reach that level. Even an inconsistent Sharapova managed to break the Czech serve three times without any great effort.

The set to Sharapova 6-2, but in contrast to Azarenka v Clijsters, where highlight reels could be put together from just about any portion of the match, here I struggled to think of just a few memorable things about set one.

Hopefully there would be two sets left, and they would be top class.

Not quite top class but things improved markedly, with Petra's ground strokes making some of their first appearances for the match on the way to assisting their designer holding serve. In turn, while Maria's serve was being broken both girls hit some appetizing shots. During game three Petra's offering became closer to cordon bleu than Maria's as she consolidated to lead 3-0, but nothing indicated certainty of anything at this point of the match.

If we had any problems about the quality of tennis in this match, the two games to follow shut us up - the second and fourth seeds would have shot the lights out had there been the need for any, each service game held with sheer class from both sides. 1-4 with Maria to serve again.

Sharapova scraped through her game saving a break point, but the flood of Kvitova winners continued unabated into the seventh game which she held to love for 5-2.
Another love game, this time featuring four fantastic serves, rounded out the set 6-3 for a vastly improved Kvitova, and the second semi promised now to be a third set dog fight.

First blood in the final chapter of the semi was drawn by a still impressive Kvitova as she piled the pressure on a resilient but in the end helpless Sharapova who lost her serve in the third game to fall behind 1-2. However, Petra had to consolidate the break to feel any where near comfortable. No comfort in this environment and Petra played her first poor period of tennis for some time. Ill timed at that and Maria could take charge with her experience.

Another long game but Maria came home with the chocolates and once more had the lead 3-2 with games still on serve. Maria saved break points to lead 4-3 and things seemed to be falling her way. Petra was having to play catch up. The rallies were phenomenal, the winners frequent and fantastic.

Unfortunately Petra could not absorb the pressure of serving second when it mattered most and Sharapova won through 6-2 3-6 6-4. Her ability to withstand multiple break points and several other situations where behind on serve, was the difference.

A noisy final on Saturday against Azarenka is assured, with the winner the new world number one. Kvitova is still a force to be reckoned with in women's tennis and will be vying for the top position all 2012.