Week 1 - WTA International - Auckland, New Zealand

steven · Tennis legend

RE: Week 1 - WTA International - Auckland, New Zealand

James · Satellite level

Keothavong def. Morita 6-0 ret.

wolf · Tennis legend

A blistering return and a great forehand and Anne goes to 15-30..then 15-40 but back to deuce..Ad Keothavong and that's the set.

Anne wins the set 6-0 and she surely won't have an easier set of tennis all year.

And Morita has pulled out with injury so Anne wins 6-0 ret. Didn't see anything to suggest she was injured (apart from the fact she was playing awful).

James · Satellite level

Anne's being interviewed on court [bet365]...

Peter too · Tennis legend

That was a bit of a shock, it took less than 22 mins, 70% service points won, 68% of return points won.

James · Satellite level

Any ideas on the injury anyone? Notice any hand gestures etc

The most obvious answer would be that it had something to do with the strapping on her leg. She didn't really seem to be limping/touching it though.

steven · Tennis legend

I didn't see anything to suggest that she was being hampered by an injury, but her leg was heavily strapped and she may just have decided it wasn't worth risking it when she was getting mashed so comprehensively.

Anyway, Anne played well, broke Morita's 20 match winning streak and has reached her second main tour semi biggrin

where she will probably play Wozniacki (after avoiding meeting Wozniak tonight when Morita took her out)

-- Edited by steven at 01:49, 2009-01-08

Sheddie · administrator

yeah that retirement was a complete surprise to me....ok she was getting mullered but didn't seem to be having any issues movement wise, just couldn't keep the errors down and live with the pace Anne was hitting with

first time I've seen Anne play since last Wimbledon...really impressive set, her forehand is such a consistent weapon now and her returning is so good....consistently deep and rarely gave Morita anything, any time there was a 2nd serve she was all over it...

is she top 50 now ?

can see no reason why she can't establish herself in the top 50, who knows, maybe even creep up into the seeding range (top 32)

Sheddie · administrator

The favourite is for it to be 2nd seed and world no 12 Wozniacki who had an impressive 2008 winning 4 titles and making the last 16 of the Aussie Open and the US Open

However her progress is far from certain as she plays world no 73 Elena Vesnina who took out Vaidisova 6-4, 6-3 yesterday

Either way Anne's going to have to do something special to make the final but she's in the form of her life so who knows and what form to take into Melbourne

steven · Tennis legend

The Shedman wrote:
is she top 50 now ?

No, she's 53rd by my "same points as last week" method and TBE's more scientific method on tennisforum seems to be putting her in 53rd too.

Another win here (a very tall order) or a R1 win at the AO (more than possible if she avoids a seed in R1) there would get her there.

Isn't it fabulous to see a Brit who wasn't a prodigy (like Andy or, one assumes, Laura) doing so well on a fair bit of talent plus lots of hard work and perseverance. smile

Boggo, this could be you too! wink

Shhh · Challenger level

steven wrote:

Isn't it fabulous to see a Brit who wasn't a prodigy (like Andy or, one assumes, Laura) doing so well on a fair bit of talent plus lots of hard work and perseverance.

Good call steven. Theres something about it that makes Annes success seem more relateable if that makes sense. As its one of the players we have all followed on these message boards for a good few years, its almost like one of your own family doing it haha!

gjr · Club Coach

Wozniacki V Vesnina is currently on court.

Vesnina has a break and is leading 5-3 with Wozniacki to serve.

gjr · Club Coach

Vesnina breaks again to take the first set 6-3

Tutu · Club Coach

Hope Lena can close it out, love my self some vesnina. Don't worry, I will still be rooting for Anne!

Smidster · Challenger level

Morel ike it from Caroline in 2nd set

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