Week 31 - WTA International ($250k) - Washington DC, USA - Hard

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Week 31 - WTA International ($250k) - Washington DC, USA - Hard

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

I've not seen the full draw, but you can't really complain about that at all to be honest. Should win her first round match and if she does, the next one will be interesting. Freya recently bagelled Di Lorenzo so positives can be taken from that, McNally will be a bit of an unknown quantity on the pro ranks, albeit with a fine junior pedigree.

The main draw has been made. Swan will be happy enough to have drawn Zheng, while Boulter (who must have got in due to withdrawals) has a harder match against the 5th seed Krunic.

the addict · Tennis legend

I'm not impressed by the main draw, Katie S, Katie B and two qualifiers in the 8 with Wozniacki

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
I'm not impressed by the main draw, Katie S, Katie B and two qualifiers in the 8 with Wozniacki

To be honest though, when you look at the seeds, the 8th seed is 45 in the world, so any win at this stage, especially for Katie Swan who is a WC and was circa 300 only a few of months ago would be seen as a good tournament - she has a winnable first round match so I think she should be happy. Boulter does have a tougher 1st round match but would face Han or a Q for a place in the quarters if she beats Krunic and that is as good as you can realistically hope for at that stage.

They would be guaranteed a seed (top 50 player) before the QF and every seed would be a favourite but looking at them, top 3 are very strong, Makarova (defending champ) and I think Vekic and Bencic's A game is better than Krunic's, so Katie B might actually be happy enough with that draw.

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: SWAN, Katie (GBR) WC 176 v ZHENG, Saisai (CHN) 112 CH=60 22/8/16
R1: BOULTER, Katie (GBR) 117 v KRUNIC, Aleksandra (SRB) 5 44 CH=39 18/6/18
H2H 0-1 Manchester 2017 Krunic 2-6 4-6

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Peter too wrote:
R1: SWAN, Katie (GBR) WC 176 v ZHENG, Saisai (CHN) 112 CH=60 22/8/16

There has to be a reasonable chance that this will change.
Saisai is currently in Nanchang, and due to play her SF there on Saturday. She will be a strong favourite for that match, and to make the final on Sunday. Even if she does not, it's a long way to DC from Nanchang, even if they give them a deferred slot late on Wednesday, would Zheng really want to travel ~12.4K km (~7.7K miles) for another International in such short order?

paulisi · Tennis legend

Peter too wrote:
R1: SWAN, Katie (GBR) WC 176 v ZHENG, Saisai (CHN) 112 CH=60 22/8/16
R1: BOULTER, Katie (GBR) 117 v KRUNIC, Aleksandra (SRB) 5 44 CH=39 18/6/18
H2H 0-1 Manchester 2017 Krunic 2-6 4-6

I saw that Krunic match. Everything came back no matter what Katie threw at her.

the addict · Tennis legend

Ace, my comment was based on 2/4 qualifiers (Harriet we hope) being in the same section with our other two. So they could all meet very early.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
Ace, my comment was based on 2/4 qualifiers (Harriet we hope) being in the same section with our other two. So they could all meet very early.

Ah right, got you, didn't consider the Dart situation despite commenting on it earlier, ha.

Although to be honest, I do think the same principles apply here. As British tennis fans we do generally like to see them kept apart, but as overseas main WTA draw are relatively new experiences for them and they are largely still at the Q / WC stage (KB just made the cut after a string of late withdrawals), an early meeting may not be so bad, especially as if one did meet here then we'd be guaranteed a main draw quarter finalist which would be superb. Had this have been e.g. Lexington 100k or Granby 60k then it would be unfortunate, but in a reasonably strong 250 draw I'd rather see it as an opportunity. Assuming all 3 continue their progress and gain vast main draw experience over the next 12 months, then this time next year a similar draw wouldn't be ideal.

I just hope Harriet (if she comes through Qs which is probably only around 50/50 itself) avoids Wozniacki in the main draw. Bencic is starting to show signs recently that she is getting back to her old self so would prefer her not to play her as well, but Han in the first round would be pretty good and I'd snap your hands off for a Boulter vs Dart Washington 250 2nd round match. Stollar would be fine as well though.

the addict · Tennis legend

Yes, I agree with all that. I'd just rather they got the experience by not having to play each other ! But that's looking too far ahead, one round at a time.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

I suppose on the other hand when you see the current Moscow semi final line and see a couple of 17 year old's breaking through then that wouldn't be possible here in the above situation, but that is pretty rare and unexpected and most players are preparing for the hard courts after a very taxing couple of months.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Ace Ventura wrote:
I suppose on the other hand when you see the current Moscow semi final line and see a couple of 17 year old's breaking through then that wouldn't be possible here in the above situation, but that is pretty rare and unexpected and most players are preparing for the hard courts after a very taxing couple of months.

Another 17 year old has also been destroying the premium $80K field in Prague this week.

the addict · Tennis legend

Well let's hope Harriet has a happy 22nd birthday and wins today

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

AliBlahBlah wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
I suppose on the other hand when you see the current Moscow semi final line and see a couple of 17 year old's breaking through then that wouldn't be possible here in the above situation, but that is pretty rare and unexpected and most players are preparing for the hard courts after a very taxing couple of months.
Another 17 year old has also been destroying the premium $80K field in Prague this week.

True, she's a potential phenom, just won the first set of her semi final 6-1 (although just gone a beak down in the 2nd) and genuinely might not need her Wimbledon MDWC next year if she keeps going.

Swaitek actually lost that second set 0-6 but is *3-0 up in the decider.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Saturday 28th of July 2018 10:07:17 AM

Mervatron2 · Futures level

Good luck to Harriet.

I hope she takes the confidences from her grass court season into the US hardcourt swing.

Many in the past haven't been able to.