Week 25 - WTA - $637K - AEGON International - grass (Eastbourne)

DavidC · Tennis legend

RE: Week 25 - WTA - $637K - AEGON International - grass (Eastbourne)

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Is that Laura & Heather's biggest doubles scalp?

Safarova is WR 21 singles / 67 doubles
Pavlyuchenkova is WR 33 singles / 52 doubles

Of course, their likely next opponents are Huber / Raymond, which really would be a huge win.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

seems like a good draw for heather with greta arn. good player, but at 33 and never having progressed past the first rnd at wimby, it's definitely a good draw.

martinez sanchez, hmmm, you'd think it's best to draw her on grass than any other surface. But then again, she is a very skilled volleyer so it probably quite comfortable on the surface.

good win in the dubs btw.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

MJMS is a good grass court player even if she doesn't have fantastic results on it. More than winnable for Laura though.

If we are being honest both should be looking at winnning there matches tomorrow if they have serious thoughts about going top 50 and beyond.

I keep waiting for Laura to have that breakthrough event that seems her take the next step. May be it will finally come tomorrow?

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Mervatron wrote:
MJMS is a good grass court player even if she doesn't have fantastic results on it. More than winnable for Laura though.

If we are being honest both should be looking at winnning there matches tomorrow if they have serious thoughts about going top 50 and beyond.

I keep waiting for Laura to have that breakthrough event that seems her take the next step. May be it will finally come tomorrow?

I thought Hev had got there last year, and then it went to pot. I'm surprised it's taken Laura so long, she's got sooo much natural talent when I've seen her play, but still can't get her head together

Maza1987 · Challenger level

any chance of eurosport covering these tomorrow?

Jan · Hall of fame

oh I missed that - too busy concentrating on W'don qualies!

-- Edited by Jan on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 12:13:23 PM

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

If they reach the same round, Laura will be in front of Heather due to her qualifying points.

Next up, in-form Birmingham semi-finalist Makarova who beat Kivitova in R1

-- Edited by RBBOT on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 02:04:23 PM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

The bookies have Laura as favourite to win today which is surprising (she wasn't even favourite to win yesterday). I think Laura has a good chance today but I wouldn't make her favourite to win.

Ratty · County player

Helen40 wrote:
Mervatron wrote:
I keep waiting for Laura to have that breakthrough event that seems her take the next step. May be it will finally come tomorrow?
I thought Hev had got there last year, and then it went to pot. I'm surprised it's taken Laura so long, she's got sooo much natural talent when I've seen her play, but still can't get her head together

I'm not quite getting the "breakthrough" myth.

Surely tennis - in common with most other endeavours - is a process of gradual improvement, with lots of fits & starts, and unpredictable set-backs and plateaux.

The subsequent history of Brits who've fluked a couple of wins in the grass court season via all those lovely wild cards is not a happy one. But of course, many would say that welfare handouts do tend to have that effect.

huntley93 · Strong Club Player

Ratty wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
Mervatron wrote:
I keep waiting for Laura to have that breakthrough event that seems her take the next step. May be it will finally come tomorrow?
I thought Hev had got there last year, and then it went to pot. I'm surprised it's taken Laura so long, she's got sooo much natural talent when I've seen her play, but still can't get her head together
I'm not quite getting the "breakthrough" myth.
Surely tennis - in common with most other endeavours - is a process of gradual improvement, with lots of fits & starts, and unpredictable set-backs and plateaux.
The subsequent history of Brits who've fluked a couple of wins in the grass court season via all those lovely wild cards is not a happy one. But of course, many would say that welfare handouts do tend to have that effect.

you wake up a bit early this morning! confuse i agree though one good tournament dosnt meen they will start climing the rankings.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Ratty wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
Mervatron wrote:
I keep waiting for Laura to have that breakthrough event that seems her take the next step. May be it will finally come tomorrow?
I thought Hev had got there last year, and then it went to pot. I'm surprised it's taken Laura so long, she's got sooo much natural talent when I've seen her play, but still can't get her head together
I'm not quite getting the "breakthrough" myth.
Surely tennis - in common with most other endeavours - is a process of gradual improvement, with lots of fits & starts, and unpredictable set-backs and plateaux.
The subsequent history of Brits who've fluked a couple of wins in the grass court season via all those lovely wild cards is not a happy one. But of course, many would say that welfare handouts do tend to have that effect.

I dunno, I think a few youngsters shot onto the scene, eg Hingis, Capriati, but Hev and Laura are abit onld for that now.

Welfare handouts can be goods if used wisely, however, with Laura's first one, she bottled a great chance, and has been bottling ever since.

philwrig · Hall of fame

tony_orient wrote:
The bookies have Laura as favourite to win today which is surprising (she wasn't even favourite to win yesterday). I think Laura has a good chance today but I wouldn't make her favourite to win.

Was just going to mention this myself, a few online tipping sites have made Laura their bet of the day citing MJMS lack of form and it being her 1st match on grass for the year.

I agree with you about not making Laura favourite. Certainly Laura played well yesterday and with home support she should have every chance and I expect a close match, but until she has proven herself able to beat top 50 players on a regular basis I couldn't make her favourite.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Maza1987 wrote:
any chance of eurosport covering these tomorrow?

I'm afraid its highly unlikely, due to the fact they only have cameras for centre.

indiana · Tennis legend

steven wrote:
As things stand in the GB rankings:

GB 1 = Anne 836 pts, approx WR 77
GB 2 = Laura 692 points, approx WR 97
GB 3 = Bally 678 pts, approx WR 101
GB 4 = Hev 669 pts, approx WR 103

Laura's win ensures that Bally will be outside the top 100 for another week, whether Laura gets in there next Monday or not (it's virtually certain she will) but Hev beating Arn removed the most immediate threat of Bally falling even further.

60 additional points are on offer for a R2 win.

So, with Anne, Laura and Bally all with 100 point R1 wins from Wimbledon last year ( when Hev unfortunately lost hampered by injury ), Hev looking in good position to take over as GB No 2 after Wimbledon.

If GB do get 2 WCs ( generally seems uncertain whether it will be one or two - GB have requested two ) it puts Heather in a stronger position for an Olympic WC if she is actually in the top 2 in rankings as well as having currently clearly won most points this year.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 19th of June 2012 05:09:50 PM