Katie O'Brien returns to competition in a strong $100K event. First match is against a player who was in the top 50 a couple of years ago, but has not had a good year, falling to 160 currently.
Katie's quarter:
(8) Monica Niculescu (ROU) vs Estelle Guisard (FRA) Kristina Kucova (SVK) vs Pauline Parmentier (FRA) (WC) Séverine Brémond (FRA) vs Katie O'Brien (GBR) (3) Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) vs Q
Brémond got divorced in Nov 2008, so that may have something to do with why she's been having a tough couple of years. The high spot of 2008 for her was reaching R4 of the USO (where she lost to Serena), as a result of which she finished last year in the top 100, but she dropped a lot when those points fell off last month.
Since last year's USO, her record in WTA main draws is 3-10,but she's had a couple of good ITF tournaments - she reached the Final in Saint-Raphael last year, beating Katie 4 & 2 on the way (so she'll drop even further tomorrow because she only reached R2 this year), and reached the Saguenay 50K Final last month. Her only other match against a Brit in the last two years was when Anne beat her 8-6 in a 3rd set t/b in Indian Wells qualifying last year.
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!
The Wozniacki demolition appears to have knocked her confidence.
Mm, maybe. I would very much hope not to any significance, and that just for wharever other reasons she was just outplayed today.
It will be interesting to see how Katie performs in the remaining weeks of the season. I am still hopeful there are a few more good performances to come.