Week 25 - Wimbledon R1 top half of draw

DavidC · Tennis legend

Week 25 - Wimbledon R1 top half of draw

DavidC · Tennis legend

Courts and times added above

Maza1987 · Challenger level

doh
heather will probably clash with andy

philwrig · Hall of fame

I actually now think Anne may win without the burden of expectation. If she doesn't Heather will find it extremely tough but if she does I fancy Heather to make it 2 GB wins for the day.

indiana · Tennis legend

I reckon the bookies have it about right, they are both slight outsiders. Wish bookies were right about Bally cry

I really hope at least one wins anyway and both isn't at all unrealistic, alas neither is a bit more likely.

I 'd doubt Heather will be effected in her match by Anne's match. Playing 1st round MD at Wimbledon is enough focus for her especially as it's a match she knows she is probably going to have to play very well in to win. I hope and suspect she will jiust be playing for herself first and then just those who matter to her.

As I say I doubt Heather will be effected re her match even if everyone else has lost but no doubt the media will be in full cry afterwards if all the girls and Jamie fail to win. Gee, horror thought, what if Andy lost a well. Don't go there

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

I quite fancy Annes chances actually. It sounds awful, but after seeing Ballys car-crash of a match she may feel she cant really do worse in a sense. Anne carried the burden of British number 1 very well and I think the chance to be the first Brit in R2 would appeal to her lots.

I suspect she should at least win a set and I hope the crowd actually bother getting behind her. Perhaps its too much Pimms or the hot weather but they seemed asleep during Ballys when a crowd boost could have made all the difference.

Today, we should hope for 2 Brits through, 3 would be brill and 4 would be perfect.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Latest bookie odds have seen Anne's price lengthen to 6/4 (2.5) and alot of money for Heather has seen her price shorten to 5/6 (1.83). Heather suffered from nerves at last years Wimby in the junior competition so that has to be a concern for today.

I just see Anne playing with a bit of freedom today, actually benefitting from the lack of GB success yesterday. The problem is her opponent is playing so well at the moment. Oh and please serve better Anne.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Her opponent is definitely on form so a strong start from Anne to get the crowd support on Rodionova quickly is important. Interesting that her odds are getting worse according to the bookies; I imagine the lack of British success undermined many betters confidence in Annes chances. This match could go either way for me but I see a definite 3 setter and either player taking it would leave me pretty unsurprised.

Heathers game seems more likely to suffer from nerves as she seems to rely more on thinking than Laura who can just swing and go for a few big winners. Dont think she has any need to feel nervous after her Eastbourne success but Im excited to see my first full Heather match. Good luck to her

Danjn · Lower Club Player

Anne just lost 4 straight games in 3rd set... now 4-4*

Count Zero · Tennis legend

6 straight games lost in that set from 4-0 up! :(

Gary Denton · Intermediate Club Player

Hard not to be disparaging here, but against an opponent who has made 50 unforced errors and from 4-0 up , I draw my own conclusions. A choke. She should have won.

How many times has that been said about British players in the past at Wimbledon? Mind you, the crowd were next to useless from a motivational point-of-view. Really, really disappointing.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

And with Heather's loss, the Brits go 0-6 in the first round, which given the draws they had, was not what we were hoping for.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing is that several of them were in great positions to win their matches (Elena served for the match, Anne led 4-0 in the third, Heather was a break up in the third, Katie, had she been able to hold serve would have won) and not one of them could close the match out.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

it must be mentally related (duh!)

surely whoever is in charge of this side of things at the LTA needs a shake up.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, very disappointing.

There's been a lot of good things this year on the women's side and I've been complimentary myself.

But here although some seemed to play quite decently when it came to the crunch none of them could get the job done, some from pretty quite good positions cry

Wimbledon nerves ? Bally has pretty well said that was the case with her.

indiana · Tennis legend

Count Zero wrote:

it must be mentally related (duh!)

surely whoever is in charge of this side of things at the LTA needs a shake up.

Well, as I said I do think quite a lot seems to have been going pretty well. Just very disappointing what has happened here.

Such as Bally, Anna Smith and Lisa Whybourn as well as clearly Laura and Heather have made big advances this year.

So certainly looking better than the men's side but yes i do think account needs to be taken of how some folk seem to have had trouble with pressure here and they need to look to see what help and motivation can be given in that area.