Miss Maria Sharapova poses a perplexing conundrum in the most undesirable of situations. Having just lost 6-46-1, albeit to a player whose form has proven devastating throughout the week, Sharapova’s dignity was undoubtedly damaged in her enigmatic inability to elevate form when circumstances demanded it. Sharapova’s subjugation of both Dementieva and Radwanska in the two previous rounds amply illustrates a steely resolve, yet this insuperable fortitude paradoxically withered in those ‘clutch’ moments, e.g. break points etc. The statistics are particularly revealing: Shazza poorly botched 4/6 break point opportunities, and won a meagre 3/15 second serve points. Notwithstanding Azarenka’s sublime form, her Nyagan – derived, Americanised opponent meekly capitulated with comparative futility subsequent to the first set.
The Russian megastar constructed her success on foundations of technical solidity, and superior mental equanimity, claiming 22 WTA tour titles in her already-protracted career. One (:P) must conjecture that her current aberrations stem from the pressures of attempting several career-comebacks, following shoulder surgery and elongated convalescence. Her father’s absence on the tour, explicated by the ubiquitous ‘Google News’ – ‘"After I won my third Grand Slam, he said, ‘Look, I like hiking and skiing a lot, and he wanted to pursue that," said Sharapova’, is a possible contributing factor to this waning of vigour. Reaching the finals, needless to say, is a laudable achievement, but Sharapova never appears so noticeably uninspired where a title constitutes the victor’s reward. Perhaps this once prodigious youngster has slated her thirst for success? A 70 million dollar contract with Nike certainly offers the aliment for satiation, this blogger feels…
To refrain from lingering on negative perorations (:P), I want to express gratitude towards Enrico Cioni’s (*hopefully* my future subject parent at Emma) calming words, even though he’s currently enjoying a vacation or ethnographic/archaeological/primatological investigation in Peru:D Also, another possible fellow Emma-er , Christine (who also possesses a blog at http://takethat-doctor.blogspot.com/, very graciously posted a link to my blog on her own page:D I’m thankful, especially considering statistics indicate my blog views correlate negatively with time…
That will be all:D
Posted by Christine on August 2, 2010 at 1:18 am
aw bless! well, I always enjoy your posts
(not that that is probably much of a consolation! 
) must say, since I discovered the ‘stats’ bit of blogger, i have become mightily obsessed with traffic and sources and stuff – it’s really quite worrying! 
Posted by jfox223 on August 2, 2010 at 1:31 am
aye it’s while easy to become self-conscious about who’s reading etc. i mean, my friends would regularly read, along with anyone who responds to my cheap, signature advertising on thestudentroom, but i’m pretty unacknowledged apart from that:( o, and of course it’s a consolation; all readers are equally valued:D
Btw, how difficult is it to get to write for a Cambridge students’ newspaper? I hope Varsity isn’t deluged with Englings…twud be nepotism at its finest otherwise:(
Posted by Christine on August 2, 2010 at 5:33 am
ah, TSR adveritising…if i actually posted on it often enough I would DEFINITELY be doing a bit of shameless self-promo!
Varisty and TCS always seem to be advertising for people to write for them and from what I’ve heard it’s pretty easy to get into, so I think you’ll have no problem at all
Posted by jfox223 on August 2, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Haha! I’ve been getting quite a few warnings for conducting ‘shameless self-promo’ hehehe.
O well that sounds good then, provided I get in (into Cambridge):( Only 17 days until results…
Posted by Christine on August 3, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Blimey – that’s not long! i suppose the first half of last summer just went so slowly because of results anticipation, but still, it seems so soon :O ofc, we all have our fingers crossed for you
Posted by jfox223 on August 3, 2010 at 11:05 pm
The summer has, thus far, gone surprisingly fast you know:S When R.D. is closer, time is retarded (always wanted to use that word in a politically correct context)!
Awww thanks, I really appreciate it; every possible digit on my body has been crossed, although since exams went so badly, I’m hoping it’s not all in vain:(
Posted by Christine on August 3, 2010 at 11:09 pm
you lucky thing!
i know someone else who is just as anxious as you, which means you’ll probably both be absolutely fine 
oh, don;t go being so pessimistic!
Posted by Christine on August 3, 2010 at 11:10 pm
jeez, these smileys are terrible – they look very scary :O
Posted by jfox223 on August 3, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Haha! It’s definitely the eyebrows and the curve of the smile…like the way hairy teddy-bears (from my youth, of course;)) sometimes look really stern:P Pessimism is my middle name:( Although like you said, it’s nice to know other people are in the same position! My biggest worry is getting the A* in English, ‘cos the timing for the second essay went worryingly smooth. Biology was also pretty horrific, but I won’t venture into details:P