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

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

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

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Seems like that was a relatively comfortable win for Laura, but that the second set was closer than a 6-2 score suggested. I think she will be glad it's Heather who has Medina Garrigues in the next round; Laura has not had much fun playing her.

steven · Tennis legend

Ratty wrote:
steven wrote:
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

Gosh, people are just fascinating.
There are thousands of vids of teens doing the latest dance craze on YouTube. No, believe me, I don't watch them either.
But by some mysterious process of human psychology, the "celeb" status of the participants takes this particular vid from being "yeah, so what, it's kinda embarrassing" to "hilarious".
Normally, I'd agree with you on this kind of point (and as you've probably guessed, I haven't seen any of the other videos you refer to so I can;'t compare), but I did genuinely find it fun - partly because they are people we've seen on court or being interviewed before (which makes the contrast funnier than watching complete strangers doing it, where there's a tendency, fair or not, to assume they're probably that stupid all the time), partly because it was fun to see the Beijing Olympic stadia again and partly because in the outdoor bits, it was funny to think how different the reaction might be if they had done the same in a few years time when one or both of them might be more readily recognised by the Chinese public.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

R2: ROBSON, Laura (GBR) [8] 56 vs. ZHOU, Yi-Miao (CHN) [Q] 228

Zhou is decent, but has never yet defeated a top 120 player. There is no H2H record.

Jan · Hall of fame

Well done Laura!

Thanks for the commentary ISF!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Thanks IF, onwards and upwards for our top teens!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

How far does Laura have to go in this tourney to make top 50?

SMC1809 · All-time great

2 more wins should do it.

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Heather / Kimiko leading the doubles 6-3 2-1*

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Helen40 wrote:
How far does Laura have to go in this tourney to make top 50?

Needs to make the Semi-Final, and the 130 points on offer there. That would also probably be enough to see her end the season inside the top 50.

It's not inconceivable that she could just scrape in by reaching the QF - and earning it's 70 points - but it's contingent on lots of other players having bad weeks.

Heather's doubles with local darling Kimiko (rightly so) against her Gangnam co-star Genie, (who lost here in FQR), with Alexa Glatch (who lost singles earlier today), is well under way.

1st set to Heather and Kimi 6-3. BP conversion HW/KD 3/4, EB/AG 1/3. Seems to have been pretty even otherwise.

Second set 2-2

On serve, EB/AG have had 3 BP's, but missed them all.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Tomorrow's OOP is up, and neither of our girls seem to have any matches scheduled at all. confuse

This draw is ready for the taking for someone. Schiavone [4] retired after losing the first set today, and Tamarine Tanasugarn reminded us of her past form by dispatching Shvedova [5] 3 & 2.

Stosur though still looms as the most likely winner.

Heather & Kimiko get a break in the second set, and are almost home.
5-2

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

WD R1: WATSON, Heather/DATE-KRUMM, Kimiko (GBR/JPN) [4] 147 defeated BOUCHARD, Eugenie/GLATCH, Alexa (CAN/USA) 573 6-3 6-2

R2 opponents to be decided tomorrow

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

insomniacfolder wrote:
Tomorrow's OOP is up, and neither of our girls seem to have any matches scheduled at all.

Good news if TV coverage starts on Thursday though

philwrig · Hall of fame

Seems that Laura started slowly, held for a huge game at 1-2, and then never looked back. Wobbled a bit in the second but always seemed in control of the match. Not her best but this level is probably good enough to see her through to the semis.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Julia Carrot wrote:
The translated info by Laura's name on the OOP on the Japanese Website reads............

ROBSON, Laura
Robson, Roller (GRE)
ROBSON, Laura
Robson, Roller (GRE)
64 sixty-two

?????

So thats Google thinks she's Aus, this tournament thinks she's Greek, whatever next !

link to some photos from today's action, both Hev and Laura http://hp-open.jp/?p=1212.