Weeks 21-22 - French Open Main Draw

DavidC · Tennis legend

RE: Weeks 21-22 - French Open Main Draw

jb288 · Satellite level

Interested to see Lisicki lost to Safarova though. That makes it somehow better...

cakj1234 · Lower Club Player

After being severely critisised on here last year around the same time,because of my comments about gb players losing after being in winning positions, i now see the same thing happening a year later, am begining to feel following Gb women a complete waste of time. Well done Anne for getting where you are but dont see you getting any higher, as as for O brien, South, Stoop, and anybody else over the age of 21 they deserve no more WC, let the youngers have them for experiance, the likes of Laura, Heather, Tara, and Naomi B and C, and any other 91/92 birth year who show potential. The players that theywere all hoping to come thru last year ie Elliott are just a waste of space now.

jb288 · Satellite level

Cak, I think that criticism may be valid for certain losses, but a cursory look at MLDB's record indicated this was a strong possibility, and that she is expert in this area - or perhaps that her youth means she has no fear in these situations. If it was merely a mental collapse, we would've seen Mel struggle to win games after the 2nd set - she didn't, it was a close set. Mel and Michelle are close in rankings, with the latter having arguably more experience against top players, so this wasn't a choke, it was just someone else being better on the day - I don't really think that's a reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater!

On the WC issue, I do think it'd make some sense for Mel, Katie and Bally to play qualies instead since the grass season is so short and there are few opportunities for 'specialists' to get points - but that would prevent them competing at Birmingham, where Mel beat 2 seeds to make QF last year. In any case, I'm confident at present that none of them will need to qualify for the US. And let's not forget, 64 players have to lose in R1 - it's not a rare thing that just happens to Brits!

DavidC · Tennis legend

Katie has decided that we have had enough drama for today:

KOB 0*-3

cakj1234 · Lower Club Player

How often do you see a Brit doing what MLDB did. We are just on thereceiving end of it all the time. I dont care howclose they are in the rankings or how expert they are at fighting back, Gb are just crap at winning that final game.

wolf · Tennis legend

Well put, jb288

Katie *0-3 Govortsova

DavidC · Tennis legend

Katie gets on the scoreboard:

KOB 1-3*

philwrig · Hall of fame

I think that Katie needs to get through the Top 100 barrier before she will be able to make another step forward .Am I right to believe that a win here would take her their which is probably why she's playing a stinker.

DavidC · Tennis legend

bp saved:

KOB 1*-4

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

I think you should all follow that advice of Piers doing the BBC commentary - it really will cheer you up! http://www.mathilde-johansson.com/

-- Edited by RBBOT on Monday 25th of May 2009 02:12:53 PM

jb288 · Satellite level

You're right, Phil - we need to find a way to make her do it without her knowing! Could we ask the WTA to pretend she has fewer points than she has...?

DavidC · Tennis legend

philwrig wrote:

I think that Katie needs to get through the Top 100 barrier before she will be able to make another step forward .Am I right to believe that a win here would take her their which is probably why she's playing a stinker.

A win here may take her into the top 100, depending on other results. Katie played Olga in 2007 and won 5 games, so at the moment the match is following a similar script

Katie 1-5*

DavidC · Tennis legend

Katie loses the set 1-6

philwrig · Hall of fame

Katie's better than this unless Govortsova is back to her best form.