Week 26 - Wimbledon Womens Singles Round 2

DUSTY DICK · Club Coach

RE: Week 26 - Wimbledon Womens Singles Round 2

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Good effort from Anne. You can't ask for more than she took it to Venus.

Hopefully now she can be more confident at WTA level and get more wins there.

indiana · Tennis legend

DUSTY DICK wrote:

Maybe it's not just a dream that we could have 3 or 4 girls in the top 100 in the next 12 months. No more girls in the singles this year but a big well done to them for their performances.

I totally agree. It has been one of the most encouraging display in years, from all the girls. GB has 5 girls, who proved that they are not out of place at Wimbledon.

Sue Barker was interviwing Nigel Sears before the Keothovang match, and he seems to have been doing good work with them.

During the commentary, they did mention that Sears is on the girls' cases constantly encouraging them, working with them on their diet and fitness etc.

Which brings me to the one downer that I and others have mentioned quite a few times. MORE work definitely needs done with at least a couple of them on diet, fitness and movement. They must be convinced to do whatever it takes to help them be all they can be.

If the work is really done on thisi and their game in general, yes for the first time in a long time, there are potentially 3 or 4 girls who could be in top 100 in the next couple of years,. It is, I feel, a realistic goal.

gazzpash · Club Coach

Its not just the 5 aforementioned players that are all pushing, we have some good strength in depth with Amanda Elliott, Anna Fitzpatrick and Georgie Stoop all coming through to Top 300 and then be pushing on too

DavidC · Tennis legend

Excellent performance from Anne - just what was needed to reinforce the belief that she belongs in the top 100 and provide encouragement to our younger players.

goldfish · Futures qualifying

Thoroughly enjoyed this match yesterday. Was quite concerned for Anne at the start as Venus seemed to have too much power but Anne wasn't overawed and played some clever shots, moving Venus round the court at times and holding her nerve at crucial points. Great way to start her first game with an ace and her serving surprised me as I thought it had been mentioned that it wasn't a strong point. The wind was very swirly at times and a couple of Anne's double faults were definitely due to gusts of wind moving the ball around. I did wonder if Anne would be slightly miffed that supporters in the crowd were shouting 'come on Anna'.

Very, very encouraging and showed that she well deserves her high ranking at present. Exciting times for the girls.

According to the Times today, fastest serve so far is by Venus (127), 4th fastest Naomi (117), 5th fastest Mel (116), 10th fastest Anne (109) - might be very slightly wrong with speeds as I no longer have the paper in front of me.

steven · Tennis legend

At least Elena managed to get 2 games off Zheng in their 1st set - Ana Ivanovic managed just one!

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

steven wrote:

At least Elena managed to get 2 games off Zheng in their 1st set - Ana Ivanovic managed just one!

She may come back and win this, but she isn't looking much like a world number 1 at the moment and to be honest is doing her best to confirm that this is a very weak era of women's tennis.

And is it just me who thinks that Ivanovic doesn't have a clue how to play on a grass court?

Shame Elena didn't take her chance against Zheng as she'd have beaten Ivanovic if she'd played as badly as she is today

steven · Tennis legend

Elena ended up getting more games than Ana in both sets against Zheng (2 & 5 v 1 & 4)

DUSTY DICK · Club Coach

With Ivanovic and Sharapova out Jankovic is now the highest seed left but you can see Venus or Serena winning again. If not maybe a surprise package this year. I don't know if it is a weak era at the moment but personally i like it when we get occasions like this when the game opens right up in a tournament and adds to the drama. Ivanovic looked far away from world number 1 in that match and i don't think anyway that grass is her surface and she wouldn't get past the william's sisters on present form.

Ratty · County player

I actually quite like the Williams sisters, and I don't mind one of them getting to the final, but it's looking horribly like it's going to be one of those godawful Serena v Venus finals that we had about 6 in a row of a few years back.

Kuznetsova, Jankovic and Safina are the only women left who can prevent it.

England expects ....

DavidC · Tennis legend

ForeverDelayed wrote:
She may come back and win this, but she isn't looking much like a world number 1 at the moment and to be honest is doing her best to confirm that this is a very weak era of women's tennis.

And is it just me who thinks that Ivanovic doesn't have a clue how to play on a grass court?

Shame Elena didn't take her chance against Zheng as she'd have beaten Ivanovic if she'd played as badly as she is today

There have been two main developments in the women's game in the last 15 years. The first is the emergence of scores of East European athletes keen to work hard, but not necessarily especially gifted. The second is the higher power initially brought in by the Williams sisters, which everyone else has had to respond to.

The end result is much greater athleticism and power, and far more depth with fewer routs in Grand Slams, but less guile and court craft. Hence many of the top players like Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova have little in the way of plan B when their basic game malfunctions for whatever reason. Whether you regard this as a weak era depends on what you value most, but there is no doubt that Justine Henin will be sorely missed.

I don't think Bally would have fared nearly as well against Ana - she doesn't have the fast, scurrying game keeping the ball low which bemused her.