Week 37 - WTA ($220K) - Québec City, Canada - Hard

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

RE: Week 37 - WTA ($220K) - Québec City, Canada - Hard

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

http://lsh.lshunter.tv/static/popups/109467382300750.html

Heather seems inspired by events in NYC! Up an early break.

2-0*

Heather now sporting a black K-Swiss headband, and with straightened hair almost looks unrecognisable at first! Playing well though.

3-1*

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 01:25:33 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Heather putting pressure on Barthels serve with 2 BP's, but 2 UE's see them disappear.
Creates another as Barthel can't handle a ball driven midcourt at her advancing feet, and Heather makes up loads of ground for an excellent put away.
And she breaks with some really good play.
Last time I'll say it tonight, but Barthel is behaving pretty despicably so far - in a permanent strop.
*6-5

Heather's 2nd serve really needs attention, two in a row with nothing on them, just patted in present Barthel with 2 break back points at *15-40. Heather saves one, but a FH from Mona levels it up again for a TB.

6-6

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 02:05:38 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

TB - Mona Serves first
1-0*
*2-0
*2-1
2-2*
3-2* Drove a ball right into Mona's body at the net
*3-3 Another soft 2nd serve form Heather, just dismissed by Barthel.
*4-3 Great deep cross court FH forces an error from Mona
5-3* Cracking service return winner down the line from Heather
5-4*
*6-4 Good play again by Heather closing off the court and forcing an error.
*6-5 An excellent Watson first serve flies back past her as Barthel hits a clean winner from it
7-5* Barthel DF gives Heather a very impressive first set.

7-6

Go!

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 02:20:09 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Love service game including two aces for Heather start set 2.
1-0*

Pressure again for Heather on the Barthel serve, at deuce, but no BP materialises - Heather with pretty good depth on her service returns and ground strokes.

*1-1

Excellent FH winner down the line from Heather at 15-15, in the Aga Radwanska style, in that squat position on the turn. Contributes to a hold to 30.

2-1*

Barthel holds to love with 4 big serves.

*2-2

Heather saves 1 BP with a huge FH into Barthels BH corner, then serves an Ace. But, another weak second serve, and back-to-back DF concede a poor break to Mona.

Heather smashes her racket twice on the floor! - may have received a code violation for it, couldn't quite hear, and then calls for a coaching break.

2-3*

Obviously all helped to cleanse her pallette, as she sets up 40-15* and an immediate break back on the first BP. Each point moving Mona around nicely and gradually eliciting errors from her.

*3-3

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 02:36:09 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Helen40 wrote:
Calming down after the Murray match, keep up the good work Hev, and IF. Night night.

Night!

I'll see this one through, hopefully only take a couple more minutes

Heather saves a BP (10/13 saved for the match so far) at *30-40, two flashing FH cross courts into the Barthel BH corner force the error. Mona thought the second was long and looks set to explode. Heather holds with a nice BH winner down the line into the corner.

5-4*

Routine hold.

*5-5

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 02:51:35 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

steven wrote:
Only a couple more minutes? We should be so lucky!

Yep! I think today's our day for it though! biggrin

Danger at 0-30 for Heather, a Service return winner from Mona followed by a DF, soon leads to 2 BP's at *15-40. Heather saves the first with good pressure repeatedly hitting the baseline, forcing the error, and the second with a griity and wonderful FH winner down the line. She holds by staying tough in two more ground stroke rallies, again with good depth and weight of shot in both points, forcing Barthel back until her shots break down.

Tie Break at the very least.

6-5*

TB it is

6-6

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 02:58:30 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

kundalini wrote:
insomniacfolder wrote:
Love service game for Mona to open the decider. Heather needs to get her head together, quick.
*0-1
And make sure she doesn't run out of rackets

Agreed!

A mixed bag of a game for Heather, a DF, An ace, some sloppy footwork. But the bad wins out, and the German takes a decisive break.

Barthels gamesmanship seems to have gotten to Heather now, and a few close calls haven't helped. Both girls are now routinely screaming "Come on!" in the echoing arena at each other. A bit unsavoury and embarrassing. With a bigger audience they probably wouldn't be acting like this.

0-2*

Nice drop shot change of pace from Heather earns 30-30* and then a BP chance, which she takes with a clubbing FH cross court winner, to her credit. Back on serve.

*1-2

### Medical Timeout Watson###

Tight, back and forth, game goes to deuce. A Watson DF presents Mona with a BP chance which Heather denies. but a second arrives off of a weak 2nd serve, and Mona takes a break advantage again as Heather UE BH.

The break doesn't seem to have helped Heathers composure tonight, and she now has an anguished look, and negative body language.

1-3*

Heather takes the Barthel serve to deuce again, but can't prise an opening as an all or nothing FH goes long, and Mona holds. Looking ominous...

*1-4

First serve in, Heather follows it in with a good FH in to the corner, and (at the second attempt) kills the point. Second serve, and it's the same story as all through the match. it's meat and drink to Barthel, who always gets the initiative from the Watson second serve. And, it's another break, another racket goes flying from Heather - this is the first time I can ever remember her being unlikable at any point in one of her matches.

Writings on the wall now I'm afraid...

1-5*

Yup. Goose. Cooked.

1-6

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 11th of September 2012 03:44:39 AM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Heather about to start, she will somehow have to avoid being distracted by events in New York

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Having just watched 5 hours of tennis, don't think I can stay up for this one. Hope Heather can keep up her performance after a good start

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Too adrenalised to sleep. I'll be up for a week!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Pretty pumped myself, how's Hev doing?

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Wonder if Hev knows. Only just started looking at her match. Surely the audience there will have heard.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Can't find the link to LS, the WTA site links to a couple of weeks ago

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Barthel - who is really grumpy and tetchy with everything already tonight - retrieves the break.
3-4*