Weeks 35-36 - US Open Main Draw

airsmashers · County player

Weeks 35-36 - US Open Main Draw

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Well I've been expecting a huge win from Laura for about the last 18 months and I'd never have thought it would be Kim that she'd beat. Laura played brilliantly. If anything, her defence was more impressive than the attacking side of her game, though that was superb at times. Even points that she lost, she often made Kim hit an extra shot and got her defensive shots back deep. Surprised that Laura recovered after the terrible smash to go bp down at 5-5 in the 2nd set, 3 big serves allowed her to hold then Clijsters was amazing to save 2 mps the next game.

2nd serve was ok, a few dfs but also some decent second serves that were unreturned. First serve was good. Return was surprisingly good, possibly the best I've seen her return. Backhand far more reliable than usual with an occasional stunning crosscourt winner. I liked the drop shots, nice to see some variation from Robson. Shot selection was excellent; just a few times she was too safe and got punished. Looking at the stats, winning 51% behind her 2nd serve is astonishingly good though perhaps Kim's errors helped, the Clijsters forehand was rather erratic. Unreturned serves 32-17 in Laura's favour. Winners (not including aces) 21-26 Kim's backhand giving her the edge. Similarly aggressive shots (forced errors) 14-18 in Clijsters favour. Unforced errors (including dfs) 31-31

-- Edited by kundalini on Thursday 30th of August 2012 03:14:05 AM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

I just saw Mallory Burdette reach the third round of the US Open.

Since beating Anne as an unranked and complete unknown player her run has been remarkable, winning a 100k and now 3rd round of a grand slam.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

RBBOT wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
Funny really- in some ways a breakthrough win, but on some ways not. Kim's WR25 now, and Laura's biggest scalp was Safrona WR22 - I know not in the same league as Kim, but WRs don't lie.
In this case they do. Kim is WR25 from only playing 11 tournaments. If she'd played the 20-25 tournaments that is a normal year for a top-ranked player, she would be much higher.

If you look at Kim's activity on the WTA tour website, she's played 6 tournaments in the last 12 months. I imagine that the rankings have included 5 mandatory events that she didn't play. In terms of points per event Clijsters is certainly top 10, close to Na Li in 8th and Wozniacki in 9th. Her 6 losses include one walkover and one retirement. There really wasn't anything in her results in 2012 to suggest that she'd be vulnerable to Robson.

Julia Carrot wrote:
Has anybody worked out what Laura's rank might be after this second round win?

Last year Laura qualified then won her first round match against Morita due to retirement, before losing in the 2nd round to Anabel Medina Garrigues. For that effort she got 160 points (60 for qualifying + 100 for 1st round win). This year she gets 100 for beating talented junior Crawford and 60 for beating Clijsters, 3 time winner of the US Open; don't you just love the ranking system! By the way, 120 points on offer if she can beat Na Li.

-- Edited by kundalini on Wednesday 29th of August 2012 11:51:58 PM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

tony_orient wrote:
I just saw Mallory Burdette reach the third round of the US Open.

Since beating Anne as an unranked and complete unknown player her run has been remarkable, winning a 100k and now 3rd round of a grand slam.

I also watched that match, she was mighty inmpressive.

Burdette cruised past Hradecka (WR 69) without any real trouble at all. Everything about her game is rock solid.

She'll now already be ranked ~155, and that's based on just the 5 (five!) tournaments she's entered.

Next up for Mallory is probably Sharapova. A match I'll be watching with some relish.

Burdette is forfeiting all monies earned, as she is set on seeing out her final year at Stanford.

I think plenty of Top 50 players will be very glad that she's made that decision, and not decided to play the tour full time.

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

The JoKo interview on the US website is great, gives a lot of insight into her as a person - much more than I anticipated.

Nice to see she calls GB home and feels a weight off her shoulders now. Its also nice that she was so passionate to represent GB, so welcome on board once again!

indiana · Tennis legend

Missed it all today.as prearranged walikng trip, but before I got here I read in another thread that that made it 3 - 0 to GB today and I'm like oh please make it be true and it was smile

I still made sure I read from the start of the Clijsters match to kind of capture a little of how it was, and WOW, jusr WOW !

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 30th of August 2012 01:57:12 AM

Armchair · County player

I just want to big up Radio 5 Live SportXtra.
I caught about 45 minutes earlier this evening and had Nick Bolittieri, Jonathon Overend & Neil Harman giving commentary.
Along with an interview with JoKo and much else besides.
So don't feel that if you don't have SKY etc., you're either confined to a 2 inch square livestream or a livescore window.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Johanna 3rd on court 7
Also many doubles matches involving GB players

-- Edited by Peter too on Thursday 30th of August 2012 02:50:31 AM

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Isner v Malisse is looking like going to a tie break in the 4th

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Isner's finished, so Robbo/Clijsters up soon!

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Armchair wrote:
I just want to big up Radio 5 Live SportXtra.
I caught about 45 minutes earlier this evening and had Nick Bolittieri, Jonathon Overend & Neil Harman giving commentary.
Along with an interview with JoKo and much else besides.
So don't feel that if you don't have SKY etc., you're either confined to a 2 inch square livestream or a livescore window.

I second that !

Just listened to their commentary on the Isner match.

Armchair · County player

This is a nightmare because Kim is one of my favourite all time players just after Steffi. But obviously I want Laura to win.
It's going to be good and bad either way for me.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

I'm rapt, I can't get live stream so happy 5 live sports Extra is giving commentry

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Helen40 wrote:
I'm rapt, I can't get live stream so happy 5 live sports Extra is giving commentry

Maybe this will work for you? http://atdhenet.tv/42788/watch-us-open-arthur-ashe-stadium