Week 41 - WTA ($220K) - Osaka, Japan - Hard

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

RE: Week 41 - WTA ($220K) - Osaka, Japan - Hard

philwrig · Hall of fame

I'm going to disagree and say thats a very tricky draw for Laura. I saw Laura really struggle with the Greek's low slicy spinny groundstrokes at the final of the women's doubles at Nottingham this year. So far in Laura's career it has been against this sort of opponent which she has struggled. The Greek will just absorb Laura's power and basically try to upset her rhythm with her slices and variations. If she can overcome this obstacle then the draw looks very kind until the semis.
Hev has been given a avery difficult task particularly as Hercog has rediscovered her best form in recent weeks after being plagued with injury problems.

indiana · Tennis legend

I have always got the impression that Daniilidou can be a bit unpredictable, that even since her general fall down the rankings she can occasionally pull off what looks a big performance.

I don't really know much at all about her game so maybe it is the style that Phil points to that sometimes doesn't suit higher ranked opponents ( amd could well not suit Laura ).

Certainly my first instincts when I saw that draw, was hmm, might be a bit of a wildcard.

And taking a look at her results this year, it is the mixed bag that I thought it might be, plenty top 100 wins and out of top 100 losses. Worst in ranking terms was a 3 set defeat to Samantha Crawford in the US Open FQR, but we know that Samantha is up and coming and went on to give Laura a good match in R1.

Hopefully will be OK.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

Hercog I thought was a good all court player, but I'm hearing others say she is best on clay.
So we'll see what Heather can do.

Laura needs to be looking at beating players like Danilidou at this stage of their careers. Although she can be tricky on her day.

steven · Tennis legend

Maza1987 wrote:
Hercog I thought was a good all court player, but I'm hearing others say she is best on clay.

On ITF, Hercog lists her favourite surfaces as "Clay, Clay" and has won all of her 11 senior (WTA & ITF) singles titles on the devil dust, including Bastad WTA the last two years. She did reach R3 as a qualifier in Beijing this week (in the main draw, Pavlyuchenkova retired against her in the 3rd set then she got revenge in a 3rd set tiebreak for straight sets loss the previous week to Makarova before losing 0 & 2 to Sharapova) but apart from that, her only other WTA main draw wins off clay this year were against Jamie Hampton in Miami (weirdly, again after a thrashing in the previous tournament) and a win by retirement against Bertens in Grapevine.

PockyTastic · Futures level

indiana wrote:
Q1: BEDDOW, Robyn (GBR) 967 lost to LYKINA, Ksenia (RUS) 310 6 - 2 6 - 0
Looking at the stats, looks fairly competitive on Robyn's serve, 20/46 points won, and that includes 7 DFs ( and 1 ace ) and a 1st serve in % of 41%. Lykina took all 5 BPs that she earned.
Just 5/33 on return though ( 1/13 in the second set ).

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 6th of October 2012 05:51:14 AM

I looked at those stats too... I guess Robyn has a half decent 1st serve going for that was probably aided by a quick surface... Looks like her return game needs a lot of work... Still without having seen her play, who knows maybe she is a slightly better player than her results suggest.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Heather has a Monday start, 4th on Court 3 (which has a 3am BST start). Laura will have to wait until Tuesday.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Heather is pairing up with Kimiko Date Krumm in doubles ,(sorry if already mentioned).

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

4-3* All on serve, no BP opportunities. Very even.

First set Heather.

Despite having won a total of just 4 points in Hercog's previous 4 service games, Heather managed to earn the first BP of the match in game 10, at 40-30*, and thus a set point. More SP's came after deuce's 1 & 2, and the third SP was taken.

Heather lost only 6 points on serve in the set. Good work all round there.

6-4

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Monday 8th of October 2012 07:30:13 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Game 4: Heather fashioned a break back point from a second deuce, but Polona found an Ace to save it, and subsequently held.
*1-3

On serve thereafter.

3-4*

Game 8: Heather earned the first 40-15* for either player in the match, but couldn't take either of those BP's. More BP's from deuces 1 & 2, with that fourth chance taken to level the set up again.

*4-4

Game 9: Heather holds. Polona, having just been broken, and having been broken to lose the first set, must serve to stay in the match.

5-4*

Game 10: Polona serves up her second DF of the match at 0-15* and this helps Heather to push to 40-30* and a first Match point. That one slides by, but another comes from the first deuce, and that's all Miss Watson required.

Thank you very much

GSM to Heather

6-4 6-4

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Monday 8th of October 2012 08:20:07 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Heather's singles is under way.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Set 2
Game 3: Heather faced the first BP against her of the match, which Polona immediately converted.
1-2*

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Oops !

steven · Tennis legend

I can't stand the original of this and can't work out how on earth it has become so popular, but this take on 'gangnam style' by Laura and best mate Genie Bouchard, with a little help from their friends (especially Heather) is hilarious - http://youtu.be/5gGfIwM38xI

-- Edited by steven on Monday 8th of October 2012 04:42:49 PM

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Well done Heather. Normal service resumed. All racquets intact presumably