philwrig wrote:

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Julia Carrot wrote:

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Phil. Any more news on Laura's plans for next week?

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  I assume she has a MDWC like last year. I was very encouraged by her performance in the doubles last night, just a shame Anne and Laura couldn't have continued on as the draw had opened up with the number 1 seeds having withdrawn as well, had a realistic chance of winning the whole thing.

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Do they have any more left to give out? Reading the rules it looks like they have 2 normal wild cards that have gone to Bally & Heather and 2 Top 20 wild cards (1 of which is Serena) which if not given to a player in last year's top 20 must be given to the next player due into the main draw. Or are you talking about the Unicef Open? I doubt she'd get one there on current ranking now that she no longer has a Bok coaching her.

I have read that Laura is playing in the Maureen Connolley Challenge Trophy junior team competition at Eastbourne, with Francesca Stephenson, Daneika Brothwick and 2 others.

First set to Bally by 6-2.

Bally going like a train at the moment:  6-2 *4-1!

Bally wraps it up by 2 & 2 & earns the chance to defend her title.

indiana wrote:

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Go Bally  

Mucho more points this year too given this is a 100K + H tournament and the one Nottingham tournament last year was a 50K.

She won 70 points last year, and has so far won 100 for reaching the final this year with 150 points if she wins the final.

F :   (5) Elena Baltacha WR 74  vs  (6) Petra Cetkovska (CZE) WR 92

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 She's won 110 so far for a 100K + H final, but she has 120 points to come off from Eastbourne last year, so needs more here and/or in the next 2 weeks to 'break even' over the grass court season.

Great stuff from Elena again, she has only lost an average of 2 games per set in her last three matches!

Love the post match comment from Nino:

"Great performance today from the old warrior, well down Bal, we'll patch you up and throw you in the arena again 2moz. Coach Nino"

I notice he also said to somebody today: "Biggest factor is staying injury. Shame she's not Heathers age, wasted 9 years b4 our partnership.But life in the old dog.CN"

... which would sound harsh and a bit full of himself, were it not so obviously true!