Hantuchova was one of the most frustrating players I've seen. She had worked so hard to get back to the top 10 in 2007, and took that momentum into 2008. She really had that match there for the taking after starting so well, but it slipped away like so many others did. She was never the same after that match. That said, I doubt she'd have beaten Sharapova in the final anyway as Maria herself peaked at that tournament and has never been quite as good a player since then, despite winning two more grand slam titles.
I agree with you Tom, this match was really mentaly tough for Hantuchova. She even talks about it in an interview, this defeat followed her for a long time and ultimately hurt her career. As for Maria, she really peaked here even thought she was starting to have her issues with the shoulder. As we all know, the shoulder injury was what affected Maria's career. With her famously strong will to keep going she basically developed a new game that ultimately resulted in her 2 Gram Slam wins in the tournament she was the less likely to win, Roland-Garros aka. French Open.
I actually thought Sharapova’s groundstrokes were much better around 2012 to 2014. But her serve in AO 08 was one of the best serving performance. With Hantuchova, she’s really talented and I feel bad that she lost this opportunity for her first singles slam final. :(
@@cresanneclyderamos2223 Yes, but she had more firepower in her shots in 2008. Those BHs and FHs were bullets. She also had much better serve. 2012-2014 she was better athlete and had really good consistency.
2 gorgeous women. Dani really should've won this match. She just lost focus at a set and a break up and couldn't recover. Felt so sorry for her after it ☹️
Confidence. She just got in her head so much that her service games became a real struggle. The backhand also deteriorated after winning the French and players began really targeting it.
Yeah, her mental game totally declined after she won the French. She was one of the first of many WTA players who win one major and then totally drift away mentally from the pressure. It's sad. Same as Bouchard who had one of the best years of any WTA player ever in 2014 (semis or finals of every GS) and then just tanked after that. Too much publicity, too many expectations, too much doubt got in her head.
Is incredible that the highlights don't really showed what opened the door for Ana to win...the squeaky shoes incident! Even I noticed here, it drove Daniela crazy.
Because it was all in Hantuchova's head. No one else complained about Ana's shoes making noises all tournament. Hantuchova only let it get to her because she was prone to mental collapses anyway. If it wasn't for the shoes she'd have found something else to fall apart over
It was definitely gamesmanship from Ana, that’s why Sharapova disliked her so much - she’s always portrayed to be super innocent when she isn’t. Like with the blood pressure sitch.
Daniela wasn't the same after this match. She didn't really reached this kind of level anymore which is such a shame.
Hantuchova was one of the most frustrating players I've seen. She had worked so hard to get back to the top 10 in 2007, and took that momentum into 2008. She really had that match there for the taking after starting so well, but it slipped away like so many others did. She was never the same after that match. That said, I doubt she'd have beaten Sharapova in the final anyway as Maria herself peaked at that tournament and has never been quite as good a player since then, despite winning two more grand slam titles.
I agree with you Tom, this match was really mentaly tough for Hantuchova. She even talks about it in an interview, this defeat followed her for a long time and ultimately hurt her career. As for Maria, she really peaked here even thought she was starting to have her issues with the shoulder. As we all know, the shoulder injury was what affected Maria's career. With her famously strong will to keep going she basically developed a new game that ultimately resulted in her 2 Gram Slam wins in the tournament she was the less likely to win, Roland-Garros aka. French Open.
I actually thought Sharapova’s groundstrokes were much better around 2012 to 2014. But her serve in AO 08 was one of the best serving performance. With Hantuchova, she’s really talented and I feel bad that she lost this opportunity for her first singles slam final. :(
@@cresanneclyderamos2223 Yes, but she had more firepower in her shots in 2008. Those BHs and FHs were bullets. She also had much better serve. 2012-2014 she was better athlete and had really good consistency.
AO 2008 was the tournament I started folloowing tennis. Also it had Sharapova, Ivanovic, Hantuchova and JJ, so much beauty.
JJ?
Jelena Jankovic.
Sameeeee
What a year has been for Serbia. Imagine if Ana had won, 2 Serbian champions and then RG …
2 gorgeous women. Dani really should've won this match. She just lost focus at a set and a break up and couldn't recover. Felt so sorry for her after it ☹️
I LOVE Ana, but still this was such a pain to watch, the talent of Daniela shining in glimpses only to fate away
IVANOVIC WHAT A BEAUTY, ELEGANCE, GOOD VIBE. SHE WAS THE REAL PRINCESS OF WTA. WILL BE FOREVER.
Frosty handshake from Daniella..
Yeah, that was cold as Hell
One of the best matches with a great comeback
This was a riveting, high quality match.
Great match from Ivanovic!
The thumbnail made me click so fast…im too messy 😂
Classless handshake
i started to follow tennis for this match , ivanovic my crush she was so beautiful and had great shots
This match reminds me of 2021 French Open semifinals Sakkari vs. Krejcikova. Sakkari blowing a 5-3 lead in the 3rd set and lost 9-7 on deuce.
Ana 🥰🥰🥰😇
Classic Hantuchova Meltdown 😍
Squeaky Shoes Gate 🙊
How is possible that Ivanovic serve was so bad after 2008. It's like she forgot how to serve.
Confidence. She just got in her head so much that her service games became a real struggle. The backhand also deteriorated after winning the French and players began really targeting it.
Yeah, her mental game totally declined after she won the French. She was one of the first of many WTA players who win one major and then totally drift away mentally from the pressure. It's sad. Same as Bouchard who had one of the best years of any WTA player ever in 2014 (semis or finals of every GS) and then just tanked after that. Too much publicity, too many expectations, too much doubt got in her head.
Beautiful Ana . I like her
美女👸✨対✨👸美女
Is incredible that the highlights don't really showed what opened the door for Ana to win...the squeaky shoes incident! Even I noticed here, it drove Daniela crazy.
Because it was all in Hantuchova's head. No one else complained about Ana's shoes making noises all tournament. Hantuchova only let it get to her because she was prone to mental collapses anyway. If it wasn't for the shoes she'd have found something else to fall apart over
It was definitely gamesmanship from Ana, that’s why Sharapova disliked her so much - she’s always portrayed to be super innocent when she isn’t. Like with the blood pressure sitch.
12:06 come on fail from Ana 😁
Hantuchoker blaming Ivanovic’s shoes for her spectacular choke! That sitter of a volley she dumped in the net was priceless