Great news for Laura, and really good to have all four of our top girls competing.
Safarova won't be an easy opponent but Laura should feel like she has nothing to lose after getting in so late and she's definitely playing well enough to have a chance.
With Safarova one of the highest non-seeds and Sharapova a potential round 2 opponent, if Laura had always been playing I would be moaning about her getting a difficult draw. Instead I'm just glad she gets a chance to play singles.
-- Edited by tony_orient on Friday 27th of July 2012 01:34:45 PM
I will be dissapointed if Martic turns up just to retire.
Me too.
The Croatian papers, tabloids and broadsheets alike, have Karlovic saying "I will play even if on crutches.", and then commenting that Marti is expected to follow suit, unfortunately.
Thats a real shame. I appreciate they want to show theyre doing their best for their country and they have earned the spot so can technically do with it what they wish, but what is the point? You're not going to win a gold with plantar fasciitis, why turn up and set your season back further by even trying
Karlovic withdrew yesterday with someone else taking his place, a British journalist has tweeted that he thinks Laura could be in as a possible withdrawal so Martic may have withdrawn!!
Brill! Just go for it Laura! I seem to recall Safarova struggling against other lefties, and of course partner Hev will be on hand with some Saf-slaying tips
I'm absolutely delighted our top four are playing. I think Heather should compete well, Laura's serve mmm... needs a little work on it shall we say and full recovery from injury - but those groundstrokes when they're working are to die for.
But I think it's fantastic to see how the old versus the new guard will compare. And it does mean that at the next Olympics if Laura & Heather are our top two players they will have competed before in the singles and this time around the expectation won't be too burdensome.