Week 30 - Womens ITF ($25k) - Almaty, KAZ

johnnylad · Tennis legend

RE: Week 30 - Womens ITF ($25k) - Almaty, KAZ

steven · Tennis legend

johnnylad wrote:
What cracks me up is how keen we are to comment when we have no real idea about the opponent. We base on our opinions on the fact that we think Cav has more potential than someone we don't know and we spout off rubbish about how its "SHOCKING".

Don't get me wrong. I'm gutted she didn't win but I sometimes think we're worse than the people who only tune in for 2 weeks a year when it comes to unrealistic expectations

If you were only allowed to comment on tennis if you had perfect knowledge, there wouldn't be much commenting on tennis going on! wink

The big difference between us and the two weeks a year mob is that here lots of us try to dig a bit deeper and find out a bit more the players and their opponents, and most of us aren't afraid to admit we were wrong when necessary either. Indeed, we welcome it when people who know more come on and fill in the gaps in the story.

Was "shocking" too strong a word? Yes, I'll give you that, it probably was, but I've already explained why I think it was reasonable to assume Cav had a good chance of winning and I can't imagine she came into the match expecting to lose it or that she wasn't very disappointed about the missed chance afterwards.

-- Edited by steven on Thursday 30th of July 2009 08:30:37 PM

Ratty · County player

we know she is at least a top 150 player.

Why so? Highest ranking 183?

philwrig · Hall of fame

The word shocking was probably an exaggeration but if we just accept average performances at best we will not make any progress and eventhough Cav's talent maybe a bit overstated by a few on here this was still a match that at the very least should have been a hard fought 3 set struggle.
Hofmanova is a talented young player but do you really think she is guaranteed to crack the top 100 in her career.

-- Edited by philwrig on Thursday 30th of July 2009 10:32:55 PM

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Nope I know nothing about Hofmanova. lol

Tutu · Club Coach

I know a bit about Hofmanova, she's a good player and although it wasn't a BAD loss or SHOCKING, I definately think that Naomi is a better player than her, and a few other impartial people agreed and thought that Naomi should have won through and possibly even taken the whole tournament but oh well, baby steps.

Ratty · County player

I definately think that Naomi is a better player than her,

Ah, that comforting belief that hitting the ball harder somehow makes her a better player - EVEN THOUGH SHE JUST LOST IN STRAIGHT SETS!!!

Hofmanova - highest ranking 215, highest junior ranking 4 (at the age of 16)

Cav - highest ranking 183, highest junior ranking 23 (when nearly 18)

Think I'll go with Hofmanova on this one ...

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: CAVADAY, Naomi (GBR) 251 beat VENKATESHA, Poojashree (IND) 464 6-1 6-0

Tutu · Club Coach

I didn't say that, did I? Naomi's game is more than just power, I actually think her biggest weapon is the angles she creates. Who cares about juniors, seriously, it's a completely different tour to the seniors and there are so many players who go one to be nobodies, I mean look at dushevina, she's only just won her first tour title (a premier, beating basically nobody) and years ago she was the Junior number one or something.

But it's obvious that Naomi struggles with consistency throughout a tournament which is why she only has one 25k IIRC, we just have to hope that she can try and make quarter finals and semi finals and slowly build her rank up.

And interestingly Hofmanova lost in the next round.

-- Edited by Tutu on Tuesday 4th of August 2009 11:03:54 AM