Week 44 - ITF ($75K) Barnstaple, UK Hard

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

RE: Week 44 - ITF ($75K) Barnstaple, UK Hard

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

GSM Sirotkina

Tara's highly unorthodox and creative strategy of sleepwalking through the first set surprisingly didn't pay off.

She seemed to play much better, and even pretty well, in the second though from what I saw.

Her best tennis seems of a quality higher than that which her current ranking would suggest. She is rarely consistent enough in finding it or anything approaching it. I still think she will continue to rise up the ranks a fair way, and don't think Top 200 is beyond her.

And then there was one! Can Naomi bring some tennis sunshine to Barnstaple?

steven · Tennis legend

Tara: "Don't think I could have played much worse :( sorry guys"

A bit harsh on herself, but clearly not one of her better days. Not a bad tournament though, that R1 win means she got further than we had any right to expect.

indiana · Tennis legend

I know it's easy to say in respect of many players based on a few performances,rather than today's, but I agree that Tara is certainly capable of being top 200 if she could just be so much more consistent.

Anyway, these 14 point should take her back into the top 250 on 215 points. And even including 26 points still to defend this year from 3 tournaments, she only has 30 in total of these 215 to defend before next June. So a good first half to the year for once would certainly move Tara up the rankings.

steven · Tennis legend

Naomi has just held for 5-4* in the 2nd and is certainly holding her own against the no. 2 seed, but every time I watch a Brit playing here this week, it's very noticeable that their opponents seem to aim their groundstrokes to be deep, just inside the baseline, whereas the Brits appear to have a tendency to aim for the service line ...

steven · Tennis legend

Naomi breaks to take the 2nd set 6-4

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Very impressed generally with the bits I've seen of Naomi so far today. Against a form and considerable opponent, this is much better than we've seen for some time from Naomi. Desperately hoping she can pull off a big win for herself.

Steven's point about the lack of depth in most GB players ground strokes is well made, I thought Anne especially was hitting very safe earlier, and consequentially, ineffectively - ending up on the back foot in most rallies..

philwrig · Hall of fame

Echoing the above comments this is uber impressive from Naomi.

steven · Tennis legend

Wow - 3/3 love holds so far for Naomi in the final set! 4-6 6-4 4-1*

steven · Tennis legend

Nice cheeky lob there and then an unforced error by the Russian makes it 30-30

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Go Naomi! *5-1
*30-30
MP! *40-30
Ace!! Right down the T.

That is a fantastic result from Naomi. Anyone see that one coming?

wolf · Tennis legend

Naomi wins 4-6 6-4 6-1, great stuff!! Where has this form been, she played very well today.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Had to go out. Naturally all her best tennis comes when I'm not watching!

steven · Tennis legend

8 of the last 9 games and just 2 points lost on serve in the final set against a top 100 player - it looks like Naomi is well and truly back

philwrig · Hall of fame

Very happy about this result:)