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

indiana · Tennis legend

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

indiana · Tennis legend

"so if her consistency turns out a bit hung-over from those matches"

What a turn of phrase thsse at the beeb can come out with - EEK !

PockyTastic · Futures level

Very impressive from Heather. Best of luck to her in the finals.

Laura and Heather have really moved it up a gear this year we hoped they would. It's a shame things haven't panned out too well for Anne and Bally, but they have served GB well in recent years and provided good targets and examples for the younger girls. Hopefully they'll both be back on top form next year or if one or either calls it a day then they can hold their heads up high.

Jan · Hall of fame

wow well done Heather!

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
"so if her consistency turns out a bit hung-over from those matches"
What a turn of phrase thsse at the beeb can come out with - EEK !

I agree that the calibre of the journalists employed by the Beeb these days is nowhere near what it used to be, but to be fair, the quotes I posted earlier came from a poster on the site (hence the fact that I saw fit to name him as "Michael-J" [& I take this opportunity freely to admit that I haven't a clue what NotAClue was driving at in his (her?) reply to my post!]), not from one of Aunty's hacks, so I'd say it's fairly typical of the kind of language I see regularly on message boards & blogs... wink

NotAClue · Lower Club Player

This from Twitter: "Heather Watson was only 9 months old when Kimiko Date Krumm reached her 1st Osaka final, now they are in dubs final together"

Stircrazy wrote:

indiana wrote:
"so if her consistency turns out a bit hung-over from those matches"
What a turn of phrase thsse at the beeb can come out with - EEK !
I agree that the calibre of the journalists employed by the Beeb these days is nowhere near what it used to be, but to be fair, the quotes I posted earlier came from a poster on the site (hence the fact that I saw fit to name him as "Michael-J" [& I take this opportunity freely to admit that I haven't a clue what NotAClue was driving at in his (her?) reply to my post!]),

doh Michael J.should be on Fox News.

Michael J. on Fox

Michael J.

Fox

I'll leave the punning to SMC

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

NotAClue wrote:

Stircrazy wrote:
indiana wrote:
"so if her consistency turns out a bit hung-over from those matches"
What a turn of phrase thsse at the beeb can come out with - EEK !
I agree that the calibre of the journalists employed by the Beeb these days is nowhere near what it used to be, but to be fair, the quotes I posted earlier came from a poster on the site (hence the fact that I saw fit to name him as "Michael-J" [& I take this opportunity freely to admit that I haven't a clue what NotAClue was driving at in his (her?) reply to my post!]),
Michael J.should be on Fox News.
Michael J. on Fox
Michael J.
Fox
I'll leave the punning to SMC

It's OK. I came back on here to say that the penny had dropped, ergo , but I see I've been beaten to it by both you & Indy. Not a huge fan of mainstream American films, I'm afraid, so I tend to be a bit slow on the uptake with references to those who act in them...

Peter too · Tennis legend

Chang's scoreline against Stosur was almost the same as her scoreline against Laura.

It wasn't all that long ago that someone at the LTA said he was aiming to get 6 British players in the top 100, which seemed somewhat unlikely at the time as Andy was the only top 100 player and all the other possibles seemed to hover just outside that psychological barrier. I said I thought one of our girls would break the 100 barrier by the end of Wimbledon the following year. I was right about that but the girl I thought most likely to make the break through, Naomi C never did due to health problems. Another who might have made it, Georgie, has also been suffering prolonged injury problems. However since those forecasts we have had Anne, Elena, Katie, Melanie, Heather and Laura break the barrier. Now we are expecting Heather and Laura soon to bring our top 50 tally up to 4. So what should the next target be, two in the top 20 or top 10?

DF · Tennis legend

Well done and good luck to Heather

Hope Eurosport keeps its promise to show the final

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Here is the HP Open's official YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/hpOpenOfficial

There is an 11 minute video of Heather's Press Conference today. Quite illuminating. Heather is charming as ever, and confirms that this will be her last event of the year.

There is also a 0:42 video showing a point (yes, just the one) from todays doubles match indicating the crowd support Heather & Kimiko can expect tomorrow. Based on the exhaustive survey, of one data point - Heather is striking the ball very nicely.

There is also a fulsome match report on the singles SF on the tournament website, which, as ever, gets delightfully garbled if you run it through the auto-translator wink

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Oh, just saw another one. The last two points of the singles SF

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Heather serving first

Set 1

Game 1: starts with a DF! Good thing that - get the nerves out early. Holds to 30. 4 1st serves in out of 6 points.

1-0*

Game 2: Will Chang be able to maintain her remarkable form of this week? Heather gets 30-0*, and then an early BP at 40-30* and converts for a good start. But so did Stosur against Chang so we'll not celebrate just yet!

*2-0

Game 3: Hold to love, 4 1st serves in. Apart from that DF, Heather's serve has hit the ground running.

3-0*

Game 4: Kai-Chen on the board, holding to 15, as her serve also warms up.

*3-1

Game 5: Despite consistent serving, taken from *40-15 to deuce. From there, a rare 2nd serve point leads to a BP chance for Chang, which is saved. A 2nd BP from deuce 3 is taken. Heather had 3 game points, Chang 2 BP's. Back on serve.

3-2*

Game 6: Chance, at 30-15* and 2nd serve, but Chang takes that point. Another 2nd serve point on 30-30* earns Heather a BP, but it's quickly saved. Chang's first DF then presents Heather a second BP opportunity, also saved. A 3rd BP is earned from deuce 2, and third time lucky. Heather re-establishes the break.

*4-2

Game 7: Chang replies strongly, *0-40, and breaks to love. Match is tight, holds are precious commodities!

Heather still serving well, though the effectiveness of the 1st serve has dropped off a bit (75% in, 10/19 points won [53%])

4-3*

Game 8: A 2nd DF from Kai-Chen got Heather 30-40*, but it was a comfortable hold really. Considerable pressure now on Heather to match suit.

*4-4

Game 9: Point split exactly even at 26 each going in to this game. Kai-Chen has the momentum though, and it continues, *15-40, 2 BP's and only one is required to secure another break. Heather broken 3 times in a row despite consistency on 1st serve.

Much as she did in the first set against Stosur, Kai-Chen has turned the set around, and will now serve for it.

4-5*

Game 10: Heather, fighting as always though, gets 40-0* and 3 break back points of her own. Gutsy stuff, as she takes the second to level us up again. Needs a hold here quite badly though.

BP conversion: Chang: 3/4, Watson: 3/6

*5-5

Game 11: Heather hasn't held serve since the third game of the set.

In trouble again at *15-30, and again BP's come for Chang, 2 of them at *15-40. Saves both though!

Heather missed two Game Points, and from deuce's 3 & 4, more BP's arrive for Chang. Both are denied by Watson.

It now seems a critical, epic game in this set (duh!).

More game points go begging for Heather. On to the sixth deuce, and the 7th.

Amazing! 4 saved BP's, 7 deuces. Heather holds! What guts!

6-5*

Game 12: We're not even through set 1, and already this is intolerable on the nerves.

Heather gets 3 Set points at 40-0*, a third DF from Chang setting them up. One gone... She breaks! Set Watson!

7-5

How the *[bleep]* did she manage to win that set like that???

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Sunday 14th of October 2012 04:15:53 AM

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Sunday 14th of October 2012 04:28:24 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Set 2
Heather serving first.
Game 1: That had to be a body blow to Chang, surely? Heather adds to the misery with a routine hold to 15.
1-0*

Game 2: Chang DF #4 brings 15-30*, Heather builds, 30-30, DF #5 gives Heather an early BP chance, but Chang saves it. From deuce Watson earns another break chance and it is taken. Same start as the first set then.

*2-0

Game 3: seeking to strike back, from *15-30 to *15-40, Chang creates 2 BP's for herself. Heather can't repeat the heroics from the end of set 1, and Kai-Chen takes the first, to steady her ship.

2-1*

Game 4: Chang now having considerable trouble with her service action. Now managing only 33% 1st serves in. A 6th DF brings 15-30*. Heather ideally needs to capitalise, but can't, as Chang holds to 30 to level it up.

*2-2

Game 5: The contrast in this set so far is between Heathers high 1st serve % but low return from it (73%, 38% won), and the opposite from Chang (43%, 67% won). Making it an even contest, but a little surreal - I feel as though Heather should be winning somewhat easily.

Heather serves this game out, to 30.

3-2*

Game 6: Kai-Chen's 6 DF already so far today, equals her highest total in any of her matches so far this week. Heather has the pressure on again, at 30-0*, from there though she only manages to force deuce, before Chang holds.

*3-3

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Sunday 14th of October 2012 04:43:05 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Game 7: Heather twice the odd point behind, but holds to 30.
4-3*

Game 8: A break here would be nice! I don't think I can stand a third set, or a TB. Taiwanese DF #7 starts the game, Heather adds to it, 30-0*. And, 2 BP's arise at 40-15* and she takes the first.

Oh lawd!

She. Will. Serve. For. The. Title.

*5-3

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Sunday 14th of October 2012 04:51:54 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Game 9: Nerves would be perectly understandable. Starts with an Ace! But... *15-15, *15-30, *15-40, *30-40. Deuce. Love the way she fights - 2 BP's saved

CHAMPIONSHIP POINT!!!!!

Aaaaaarrrrrrggghhh! DF - only her second. Nerves, wouldn't be human without some!

Chang then has a BP, and converts.
Agonising. So close. Keep the faith though

Game 10: Chang has to be full of nerves too, serving to stay in it. Let's go Heather!

Kai-Chen to her great credit holds to 15, and piles the pressure back on to our girl.

*5-5

Game 11: Can't let the missed chance get her down (master of the bleeding obvious me). There's two BP's for Chang though, at 15-40*, and she takes the first to break, and turn the set on it's head. Since her Championship point, Heather has just 2 points.

5-6*

Game 12: Can Heather break to force a TB shoot out? 15-0*, 15-15*, 15-30*, 15-40*. 2 Set Points, Chang.

We're going to a decider, could be an utter heartbreaker!

5-7

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Sunday 14th of October 2012 05:10:18 AM