Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open Main Draw

jb288 · Satellite level

RE: Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open Main Draw

jb288 · Satellite level

She's more than a match for JJ in rallies, hitting the corners well, but she can't buy first serves at the minute.

jb288 · Satellite level

Frankly it's just nice to see Katie hitting so many winners against a top 10 player.

Smidster · Challenger level

Fantastic stuff Bally - A winnable match given Bondarenko's GS record and she took it.

Safina next - Given recent British experience I just hope she is able to compete.

Katie loses 6-2 6-2 - Did at least make JJ work for it so encouraging.

jb288 · Satellite level

Well, Katie will be gutted, but she gave a decent account of herself; as a rallier, she was impressive, and got some of her winners out of nowhere (I wish I had her backhand down the line!). The serve was a big problem of course - how many players win more points on their second than first serve? She also seems terrified of leaving the baseline and was often put off by a change of pace. But she can compete with these girls!

And OK, so JJ is a retriever, but who would've thought Katie would've hit more winners than her in this match? Nice one. Have to say if I played tennis the way Jankovic does I'd get a bit bored - does she never feel the need to go down the lines or take a risk??

-- Edited by jb288 on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 07:53:42 AM

Peter too · Tennis legend

Katie's fastest serve was 163 KMH to Jelena's 164
Average 1st serve speed 151 KMH to Jelana's 153
Average 2nd serve speed 138 KMH to Jelana's 129

So Katie's serves were at a comparable speed to Jelena's it's just that Jelan returned serve better and made no double faults to Katie's 8.

Katie hit 12 winners to Jelena's 11 but Katie made 50 unforced errors to Jelena's 16.

From the stats it looks as Katie can play at Jelena's level but far less consistently.

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Shame about Katie, but what a fabulous win for Elena!

indiana · Tennis legend

Great win for Elena and good effort from Katie.

Yes, it's a bit strange about the rankings that you get 160 points in total for qualifying and winning MD first round, the same as a MD entrant who wins two rounds. So Elena hasn't as yet advanced her ranking points position though has just stayed ahead of Katie in ranking points. Currently 775 points to Katie's 769 total.

The women's side generally give comparatively more points to qualifying and first round wins then the men's side, but the above does seems a bit anomalous.

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 01:44:09 PM

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Great stuff from Bally.

Watched the whole match and she played well except for that wobble at the start of the second set.

Katie :( I hope she doesn't get too down hearted. It's time for her to step it up on the WTA tour now and start beating top 100 players week in, week out

DUSTY DICK · Club Coach

Well played Bally. Just what we needed with Anne K still out at the moment. I think she will feel quite positive about playing Safina and if she can get in front then just maybe...... but a big maybe. Still whatever such a positive start to the year for Bally. Please let her stay injury free.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Fan-bally-tastic! biggrin Well done, lass! Onwards & upwards... Again, nowt (& yet everything! wink ) to lose against Safina, but given the latter's suspect temperament in Grand Slams...

* I'm confuse about the ranking points question. Exactly how many has Bally picked up thanks to that win?

philwrig · Hall of fame

Stircrazy wrote:

Fan-bally-tastic! Well done, lass! Onwards & upwards... Again, nowt (& yet everything! ) to lose against Safina, but given the latter's suspect temperament in Grand Slams...
* I'm about the ranking points question. Exactly how many has Bally picked up thanks to that win?

Just a further 60 points.

wolf · Tennis legend

Just watched Bally's match on Eurosport player, seems like a great performance from her even though Bodarenko wasn't at her best.

It will be very interesting to see her match against Safina and how well she does.

I will watch Katie's match later but it seems she played OK and the main thing for her was winning that first round match.

markymc1983 · Club Coach

Bally was great last night, she looked like the top 50 player. It's just a shame that this brilliant run will not affect her ranking

djlovesyou · Strong Club Player

Well, it will affect her ranking in the sense that she doesn't drop off the precipice like what could have happened had she lost her first round.

So it's very positive in that sense.