Week 20 - WTA International 220k - Strasbourg (Clay)

SMC1809 · All-time great

Week 20 - WTA International 220k - Strasbourg (Clay)

steven · Tennis legend

QR1: (q5) Naomi Cavaday WR 174 v (wc) Cindy Chala (FRA) WR 475
QR1: Laura Robson WR 257 v Audrey Bergot (FRA) WR 388
QR1: Anna Smith WR 269 v Aline Pinheiro (BRA) UNR

Pinheiro's a bit of a mystery - she's 28, reached a career high of 1151 way back in 2002 and hasn't scored a ranking point in the last 8 years! How she got a place in qualifying here I really don't know! (*)

Pretty good draws anyway - I don't know how they develop because I've takenthese matches from the OoP.

(*) Edit: she has played one match this year - a 0 & 3 loss to an unranked Moroccan in Fes, where she got in as a QWC, and she has a very old website at http://www.alinepinheiro1.hpg.com.br/

-- Edited by steven on Friday 14th of May 2010 04:49:12 PM

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Can't complain at any of those - let's hope they develop better than the recent far east tournaments... aparrently Sorana Cirstea (WR #35) took a QWC

-- Edited by RBBOT on Friday 14th of May 2010 05:05:54 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

The draws in the second round get much tougher certainly for Anna and Laura. Cav to me looks to have a decent draw all the way through.

Anna would play the Romanian Cirstea in QR2 who received a late wild card.
Laura would play Duque Marino in QR2 who is a Columbian clay court specialist ranked just inside the top 100. Her best form has been at home though and she is on a losing run at the moment so not an impossible task unlike Anna's.
Sophie Ferguson is the other seed in Cav's section.

Both Anna and Laura play first up at 9a.m BST,Cav much later.

Having had a look at Bergot's recent form Laura's task isn't straightforward.

SMC1809 · All-time great

When I saw the news about Cristea earlier today, my first thought was that I hope our girls can avoid her, or if not avoid her completely then only meet her in the FQR. No such luck for Anna.

So what looked initially like a nice draw, now looks a lot worse, with the top 2 seeds waiting in QR2.

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

not too worried about laura's opening match, and fairly optimistic about the second(if she get's there). Seems that her wr of 99, is largely due to one great tournament earlier this year, not done much since

Maza1987 · Challenger level

I wish I could share your optimism of the duque marino match. This is red clay, I believe. Unlike the stuff laura was playing on in the U.S.

Tennis36 · Masters Series Champion

oh right, i thought clay was clay...

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

but probably quite like the stuff she trains on in Paris

JT · Junior player

Interesting line up here.

Laura - I'm not sure she's a big fan of the slower red clay as she's more suited to faster surfaces so this could be interesting.

Anna - should be comfortable, no idea who this girl is and I think this will be Anna's 1st red clay win of the year! If last week is anything to go by she'll be doing well to get games on the board in round 2!!

Naomi - Isn't she playing French qualies? What's the rules with that then, can she play both events? Could be a good chance to get some more wins and points on the board.

Good luck girls, any of them teaming up for doubles?

steven · Tennis legend

JT wrote:
Naomi - Isn't she playing French qualies? What's the rules with that then, can she play both events? Could be a good chance to get some more wins and points on the board.

Yes, she can, assuming she doesn't go deep enough into the main draw here to be forced to miss sign-in in Paris. RG is a week 21 event, so playing Strasbourg then RG qualies doesn't break the one tournament per week rule.

JT · Junior player

Ok great, thanks for that Steven. When does French q's start then and when would she have to be out of Strasbourg by?

steven · Tennis legend

I think she would need to be in Paris by Tuesday evening - it's about 2'20 from Strasbourg by TGV, so that probably means qualifying and then going out in R1 (16 points) is the best she could do and still be able to get there in time.

SMC1809 · All-time great

So far, so good. Both Laura and Anna are 3-0 up.

SMC1809 · All-time great

Anna's taken the first set 6-0, in under 17 minutes and for the loss of just 7 points.