YES !    Into the final   6 - 3  6 - 3          


( overall 64 points to 43  so that score doesn't lie at all ! )  

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 27th of March 2010 11:56:07 AM

Brilliant - and she's broken the losing semis streak too! In her own way (i.e. for her own level) Anna has made as impressive a start to 2010 as Bally, I'd say.

As has been said, real consistency this year and now certainly seems to be moving on a gear again.

Not dropped a set in 6 matches this week  :
 
WR  753    W   6 - 2   6 - 2
WR  288    W   6 - 2   6 - 3
WR  144    W   7 - 5   6 - 4
WR  474    W   6 - 2   6 - 3
WR  203    W   6 - 3   6 - 1  
WR  205    W   6 - 3   6 - 3       

Yes Anna with a win would be provisionally up to GB no 6 ( some rise this year ! ) and actual rankings no 6 unless Naomi can do some damage in Spain this coming week.

F: SMITH, Anna (GBR) Q 350 v LARSSON, Johanna (SWE) 3 128

So Anna ends up playing her usual doubles partner in the final.

Larsson at WR 128 will be the highest ranked player Anna has played this year.

She has been on form too.  That is a CH.  She has lately won successive titles at 50K in Germany and 25K in Clearwater, USA, which at stage made her win / loss record  17 / 3 for the year.  She also had a 50K title and 25K title in her last 3 tournaments of 2009 giving her a record an overall record to the end of Clearwater of 31 / 4.  Loads of wins against top 200 players in that run, though not higher.  Anyway, err not bad !!

On the form and continuing improvement Anna has shown I wouldn't put it beyond her, but I can't imagine it's going to be easy.  It would represent a very notable win both in giving her a 25K title and in the opponent beaten.

Clear wins in past for Larsson, Anna having a real fall away even in the 3 set matches ( incidentally one of the few minuses for Anna this year is just winning one out of six 3 set matches ) but Anna has clearly improved hugely more recently.  

Good that Anna didn't have to go to 3 sets earlier today given she still has to play her doubles final today and Larsson had a slightly early finish due to retiremet  ( beat Oprandi  7 - 5  3 - 1 ret )

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 27th of March 2010 03:35:38 PM