Heather Watson Interview

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

RE: Heather Watson Interview

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

The temperature difference may have been a factor if Shenzhen was just before the Australian Open, but with a week in between there is plaenty of time for Laura to acclimatise. As mentioned, it also breaks up the travelling if she is based in the UK for Christmas (otherwise probably just adds more travelling). I would also expect Shenzhen to offer the weakest field of the three tournaments.

philwrig · Hall of fame

insomniacfolder wrote:
philwrig wrote:
insomniacfolder wrote:
...
I love how journo's use quotes to make a point and miss out the bits that contradict their message. Maria said all the above but then finished off her answer at a PC with this last bit ' I'm 25. I'm not that old. I'm still into it. So I didn't know what I was doing, but it came out great. It was funny ' [...]
PS I see an NFL fan, didn't make it to 3 in the morning though ! only 2.30 am ;)
Ha! Thanks for the clarification. My source was, rather worryingly, the WTA's own press release - 'Quotable Quotes: 2012, According to Maria' - I quoted everything they printed on that subject, naively assuming they would be a reliable source.
Just goes to show that relying on a single source can lead to the whole down fall of your story and is unspeakably sloppy journalism. Perhaps I should let Newsnight know.
Regarding the NFL, you didn't miss much last night after you left it in all truth, the Steelers/Ravens match was all down hill after the first minute. The Patriots/Colts match on the radio earlier was something else though, an amazing game. My beloved Raiders continue to be an embarrassment though.
I couldn't face the torture of tuning in to the cricket though, which seems to have proven quite wise.

Yep it wasn't a high scoring game, always going to be a struggle playing with Leftwich at QB for the Steelers . Patriots do love putting up big scores and are one of my favourite teams, sorry to hear your afflicted with the Raiders who are having a shocker, no defence and no running game ain't a good combo.

philwrig · Hall of fame

tony_orient wrote:
The temperature difference may have been a factor if Shenzhen was just before the Australian Open, but with a week in between there is plaenty of time for Laura to acclimatise. As mentioned, it also breaks up the travelling if she is based in the UK for Christmas (otherwise probably just adds more travelling). I would also expect Shenzhen to offer the weakest field of the three tournaments.

This is the first year there have been 3 tournaments scheduled for the first week, so there could be some cheap points up for grabs compared to normal. I think Na Li is the only player confirmed so far for Shenzhen but we should know more this week when the first entry lists come out. Also this tournament has double the prize money on offer but the same points so that might attract a few better players.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

philwrig wrote:
tony_orient wrote:
The temperature difference may have been a factor if Shenzhen was just before the Australian Open, but with a week in between there is plaenty of time for Laura to acclimatise. As mentioned, it also breaks up the travelling if she is based in the UK for Christmas (otherwise probably just adds more travelling). I would also expect Shenzhen to offer the weakest field of the three tournaments.
This is the first year there have been 3 tournaments scheduled for the first week, so there could be some cheap points up for grabs compared to normal. I think Na Li is the only player confirmed so far for Shenzhen but we should know more this week when the first entry lists come out. Also this tournament has double the prize money on offer but the same points so that might attract a few better players.

Will be interesting to see the entry list but we already know Laura has the beating of Li Na so if she is the best player in the tournament.....

philwrig · Hall of fame

Confidence I like it !

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

There haven't been any Tweets from Laura in nearly a week. With the award at stake she needs to step it up.

philwrig · Hall of fame

She's in Florida training now so I wouldn't expect many for a while.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Laura won "WTA Newcomer of the Year" - as voted for by international tennis media.
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20121127/wta-player-awards-newcomer-of-the-year_2256076_2992615

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Well done Laura, good recognition for an excellent year (or at least 2nd half of the year).

According to the LTA, she is the first Briton to win a WTA award since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Yup. Well done Laura. Fully deserved.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Yes, well done, I notice there is ayoung player award, I hope she can get that too!

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

insomniacfolder wrote:
tony_orient wrote:
philwrig wrote:

tony_orient wrote:
The temperature difference may have been a factor if Shenzhen was just before the Australian Open, but with a week in between there is plaenty of time for Laura to acclimatise. As mentioned, it also breaks up the travelling if she is based in the UK for Christmas (otherwise probably just adds more travelling). I would also expect Shenzhen to offer the weakest field of the three tournaments.
This is the first year there have been 3 tournaments scheduled for the first week, so there could be some cheap points up for grabs compared to normal. I think Na Li is the only player confirmed so far for Shenzhen but we should know more this week when the first entry lists come out. Also this tournament has double the prize money on offer but the same points so that might attract a few better players.

Will be interesting to see the entry list but we already know Laura has the beating of Li Na so if she is the best player in the tournament.....
WTA announced more details of players for Shenzhen today (http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20121128/li-bartoli-to-headline-new-stop-in-shenzhen_2256076_2993889)
Confirmed so far are: Na, Bartoli, Jankovic, Hsieh, Zakopalova, Shuai and, Laura.
Which I think is already a decent list for a new week 1 event, and there's bound to be more top ~60 names to follow.
The tournament doesn't appear to have a live website yet though.

http://www.shenzhenopentennis.com/2013/eng/players.php

Babos, Timea (HUN)

Bartoli, Marion (FRA)

Beck, Annika (GER)

Benesova, Iveta (CZE)

Bratchikova, Nina (RUS)

Cadantu, Alexandra (ROU)

Chan, Yung-Jan (TPE)

Chang, Kai-Chen (TPE)

Czink, Melinda (HUN)

Hsieh, Su-Wei (TPE)

Hlavackova, Andrea (CZE)

Jankovic, Jelena (SRB)

Jovanovski, Bojana (SRB)

Li, Na (CHN)

Martic, Petra (CRO)

Minella, Mandy (LUX)

Morita, Ayumi (JPN)

Niculescu, Monica (ROU)

Peer, Shahar (ISR)

Peng, Shuai (CHN)

Robson, Laura (GBR)

Soler-Espinosa, Silvia (ESP)

Zahlavova Strycova, Barbora (CZE)

Zakopalova, Klara (CZE)

Laura will be seeded 7th or 8th, depending on how Bojana Jovanovski performs this week in Dubai, unless one of the few top 50 players not featuring in Brisbane, Auckland or Hopman Cup, decides they want to play Shenzhen and gets a wildcard. The cut for Brisbane is 46 (before withdrawls). In week 2 the initial cut for Sydney was 31, while Hobart was 60. Hsieh, Cirstea, Zakopalova and Shvedova the top 4 in Hobart. (info from Tennisforum)

-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 28th of November 2012 12:46:57 PM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

tony_orient wrote:
philwrig wrote:

tony_orient wrote:
The temperature difference may have been a factor if Shenzhen was just before the Australian Open, but with a week in between there is plaenty of time for Laura to acclimatise. As mentioned, it also breaks up the travelling if she is based in the UK for Christmas (otherwise probably just adds more travelling). I would also expect Shenzhen to offer the weakest field of the three tournaments.
This is the first year there have been 3 tournaments scheduled for the first week, so there could be some cheap points up for grabs compared to normal. I think Na Li is the only player confirmed so far for Shenzhen but we should know more this week when the first entry lists come out. Also this tournament has double the prize money on offer but the same points so that might attract a few better players.

Will be interesting to see the entry list but we already know Laura has the beating of Li Na so if she is the best player in the tournament.....

WTA announced more details of players for Shenzhen today (http://www.wtatennis.com/news/20121128/li-bartoli-to-headline-new-stop-in-shenzhen_2256076_2993889)

Confirmed so far are: Na, Bartoli, Jankovic, Hsieh, Zakopalova, Shuai and, Laura.

Which I think is already a decent list for a new week 1 event, and there's bound to be more top ~60 names to follow.

The tournament doesn't appear to have a live website yet though.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

The Tennis Masters is on next friday on itv4.
Heather is playing mixed with Tim. Hopefully they televise it.