Week 25 - Eastbourne (Tier II) Qualifying 2008.

RedCabbage · Club Coach

RE: Week 25 - Eastbourne (Tier II) 2008.

DJ · County player

Thanks for the interesting observations, Pat51, and welcome aboard.

DavidC · Tennis legend

RE: Week 25 - Eastbourne (Tier II) Qualifying 2008.

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

It's currently 1-1 (first set)

wolf · Tennis legend

Bally is fit it seems, currently 1 game all.

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

2-1 Elena (break)

Sally · Grand Slam Champion

2-2

Smidster · Challenger level

Elena Breaks

4-3

wolf · Tennis legend

Ballly loses the set 7-5 and then retires. :sad:

steven · Tennis legend

That is sad, but hopefully the fact that she was able to come out and play at all today means that she will be ok for Wimby.

A pity that the one Brit who got through QR1 got through injured though!

DavidC · Tennis legend

Bally sounds upbeat - this is from the LTA site:

"Elena Baltacha bowed out of the International Womens Open in Eastbourne on Sunday against Tsvetana Pironkova. Playing in the qualifying event, the British No 3 was forced to withdraw due to a lower back injury after one set of her second round match.

Baltacha held a break of serve advantage at one stage but looked in considerable discomfort throughout the 58 minute set. Having received treatment, the 24 year-old was finally forced to pull-out with the score at 5-7.

Baltacha said: Im disappointed to have been forced to withdraw but Im pleased that the injury isnt too serious. With a day or twos rest, Im hoping that I will be fit to start playing again. I cant wait to get back out on the court and Im really looking forward to playing at Wimbledon next week."

-- Edited by DavidC at 19:42, 2008-06-15

cakj1234 · Lower Club Player

With the way she has been playing she should have won, regard less of ranking. You like alot of other people on here John are too quick to pat all the Gb women on the back for losing. Face reality they will get nowhere by continually losing matches like this. They have been given the opportunity to gain points in these GB tournies and they have not taken them. All as you all do is praise them for doing well considering. I have been a sports coach for 15 years, i am not just a side of court observer. Yes praise them but not for losing a match that they were capable of winning.

RedCabbage · Club Coach

It's pretty unfair to criticise a player for losing a close match against a much better player. Sure, we all want them to do well but we needn't necessarily expect it. Of the qualifiers I saw the only really disappointing one was Amanda Elliot's match. Looking only at rankings it shouldn't have been a surprise but in the match itself she actually looked like the better player but she kept going through spells where she was returning tame second serves into the bottom of the net or skying mi****s into neighbouring courts. Once she had got into a rally she was favourite against the grumpy little Paraguayan who panicked every time Elliot came into the net.

Stoop's match was more a case of staying solid while Kanepi fluctuated and, while she wasn't made to look bad (like most of the british girls I saw at the same point in 06) it was clear who the better player was. I didn't see enough of the Fitzpatrick match to comment.

cakj1234 · Lower Club Player

Its just very frustrating for a supporter to see so many matches that could be won being lost. You just want them to do well and win. lets hope they can pick up some points in the quals and move up.