With respect to Marion Bartoli, the first two sets of today's final—won by Caroline Wozniacki, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3—were polar opposites. The Frenchwoman's flat shots missed their marks in the opening set, and she was broken all three times she served. Nearly any extended rally ended in Wozniacki's favor. But in the span of a few minutes, everything changed. Once the second set began, her flat shots found their targets and moved Wozniacki around the court, as if doing side-to-side sprints. Bartoli also held serve throughout and finished many points with impressive winners.
During all this, Wozniacki's play was, as you might suspect, pretty consistent. She was sharp, and her shots seemed to have more pace than usual—possibly to keep up with Bartoli's groundstrokes, possibly because of Bartoli's own pace. With Bartoli serving so poorly to start the match, it didn't take much for Wozniacki to take total command of the first set. But despite a decent follow-up effort, she was unable to do the same in the next act. Wozniacki hit harder, a good sign, but forcing offense remains an issue. It's not as if Wozniacki can't hit the shots some of us want her to, but she can't do it all the time. It may be the only inconsistent part of the Dane's game.
Although the pendulum swung back in Wozniacki's direction by the end, we did get to see both players at their peak once: in the first game of the third set. A two-deuce game, Wozniacki and Bartoli brought out the best in one another with superb scrambling, lengthy exchanges and memorable punctations—none more so than when Wozniacki earned the all-important break of serve. It was a microcosm of the day: both women had their moments, but it was Wozniacki who was ultimately superior. And in front of a nationally-televised audience, against a player ranked outside the Top 10, it was the kind of performance she needed to make. After a so-so start to 2011, this win should be a big boost of confidence to the world No. 1. Let's see where it takes her.
—Ed McGrogan