Week 45 - ITF ($25K) - Esperance, Australia - Hard

philwrig · Hall of fame

RE: Week 45 - ITF ($25K) - Esperance, Australia - Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

R2 : WHYBOURN, Lisa (GBR) Q 333 lost to BEGU, Irina-Camelia (ROU) 6 214 6 - 4 6 - 0
R2 : SOUTH, Melanie (GBR) 292 beat BOGDAN, Elena (ROU) 7 201 6 - 0 6 - 4

QF : SOUTH, Melanie (GBR) 292 vs LETCHER, Sophie (AUS) WC 401

Letcher, 18 later this month, beat the Japanese no 2 seed in 3 sets.

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

The top seed, Alicia Molik (WR 110), is out, too, beaten 6-2 2-6 1-6 by the German qualifier, Nicola Geuer (WR 352)! disbelief

jb288 · Satellite level

Mel beat Letcher 5 and 5 in Cairns back in September, if that can be of any guide.

philwrig · Hall of fame

I would be shocked if Mel loses against Letcher.

Josh · Challenger level

Not looking good, Mel lost the 1st 6-3 and was 5-2 up in the 2nd before being pegged back to 5-5. Just held though to trail 3-6 6-5*

Josh · Challenger level

Missed the end of the TB but the scores now gone so looks like Mel lost 6-3 7-6

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

Josh wrote:

Missed the end of the TB but the scores now gone so looks like Mel lost 6-3 7-6

She did: lost the tie-break by 5-7. bleh

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity for Mel cry

Australia has certainly turned round Mel's seasons pointswise, and once these latest 14 points have been added, her ranking points ( all earned this year ) will be :

9 counting tournaments up to and incl August : 81 points
7 tournaments in Australia since September : 115 points
Total : 196 points.

The 115 comes from 3 semi finals, 3 quarter finals and one first round exit.

I'd say Australia has been good for getting Mel winning more matches again and getting some confidence, which she seemed to be lacking before. I would though say she is still far from her best and there have been real opportunities for a better Mel to pick up quite a lot more points.

She has had 2 or 3 very good victories against such as Bogdan here in the L16 but of her 7 defeats 5 have been to players outside the top 300.

So, I'd say the Australian run of 25Ks has been good for Mel, probably a good opportunity for a number of players in her position to pick up points. But I'd say she still has some way to go to be back to playing close to how she was when she was around and indeed briefly in the top 100.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Mel to me was never truly a top 100 player, yes on her day capable of beating a top 100 but not consistently. If you analyse the points that were gained to get Mel there in the first place, most were gained in weak Australian events. So I would suggest a ranking nearer 200 is consistent with Mel's overall ability. Thus her performances this week in particular, apart from today's stinker, put her back to nearly her best level, not a top 100 player but a top 200 one.