Week 16 - ITF ($50K) - Dothan, AL, USA - clay

Peter too · Tennis legend

RE: Week 16 - ITF ($50K) - Dothan, AL, USA - clay

SMC1809 · All-time great

3 of the 4 singles matches are on the Stadium (televised) court today. Guess which one isn't! disbelief

philwrig · Hall of fame

Yep with also two of the doubles matches on centre as well.
My analysis of this matchup is as follows:
Reasons to support Laura.
1. Won their last meeting.
2. Won 4 consecutive matches on the senior circuit for the first time in a challenger event.
3. Improving with each match.
4. Gets the worst out of Ferguson when they have matched up in the past.

Reasons to support Ferguson
1. In the best form of her life.
2. Played spectacular tennis in the first set of her match last night.
3. Has a better record on clay than Laura.
4. Fresher than Laura having only played 4 easy sets all week.

To sum up then you have to make Ferguson the favourite but at the same time Laura has to have a very realistic chance of victory. Ferguson in three sets but I'd love to be wrong.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Ferguson is the favourite, yes. Will be an interesting measure of Lauras improvement, cant help but feel Laura will lose this though.

indiana · Tennis legend

I'd generally agree with the analysis of Fergsuon being favourite.

But I do think we know enough of Laura to know many outcomes are possible from being pretty comprehensibly beaten here to producing victory against Ferguson even playing up to her recent good form.

I think slowly but steadily though she is getting more consistent.

If Laura plays near to her very best, victory certainly possible, but yes Ferguson favourite.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Must have gone the distance as match after transferred to centre.
Very hot and humid there today so have to favour Ferguson in a gruelling match.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

You certainly would, though after breezing through up to this match its not impossible to think that the shock of being pushed to the limit may freak her out.

Hopefully not just wishful thinking on my part ;)

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

dont see any real reason to presume it went to a third, the match could of finished ages ago, the organisers could simply have seen this was going to be a fairly early finish. and they would prefer to wait and have it on centre

philwrig · Hall of fame

Tennis36 wrote:

dont see any real reason to presume it went to a third, the match could of finished ages ago, the organisers could simply have seen this was going to be a fairly early finish. and they would prefer to wait and have it on centre

I doubt it knowing the evening session starts at 6 local time.

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

er doubles matches don't take 2:30 mins,

its not like they have to clear up, clear the crowd lol, players would come out as soon as the doubles was over if it overun

-- Edited by Tennis36 on Friday 23rd of April 2010 09:06:38 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

Tennis36 wrote:

er doubles matches don't take 2:30 mins,

its not like they have to clear up, clear the crowd lol, players would come out as soon as the doubles was over if it overun

-- Edited by Tennis36 on Friday 23rd of April 2010 09:06:38 PM

What I am saying is say the previous match had been turned round by Lepchenko and it had gone to a third they would not have had enough time to complete both matches before 6 o'clock. Why wait around not knowing if Laura's match had finished at say 8.30 our time. I'm not certain but I'm say 80% sure.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, I certainly can't see any logic in holding back the doubles match on the chance that there would be time to slip it in on the stadium court.

-- Edited by indiana on Friday 23rd of April 2010 09:18:17 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

I can reveal great news
Laura won 4-6 6-3 6-1

steven · Tennis legend

Brilliant

indiana · Tennis legend

That is great news and a highly impressive looking last two sets considering the form Ferguson has been in.

I did say after the inconsistent qualifying match that we saw that Laura was well capable of quite suddenly upping her performance level, and she seems to have done so to some extent in her first two main draw matches, but even then Ferguson did appear quite a formidable obstacle.

Very well done, Laura smile