Week 47 - ITF ($75K+H) - Toyota, Japan Carpet

Reeltime · Satellite level

Week 47 - ITF ($75K+H) - Toyota, Japan Carpet

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Game 6: Sam Manages to avoid the bagel, closing out the game to 15.

I get a feeling the score flatters Kimi a little, though 61% points won for the Japanese tells it's own story.

Can Sam break to avoid the breadstick too?

1-5*

Game 7: Best pressure yet for Murray on the Japanese serve, at 30-15*. Translates it in to her first BP's, at 40-15*.

Converts the second chance to avoid the bread stick, keep the set alive, and show good promise for the rest of the match.

*2-5

Game 8: Kimi strikes back, 2 SP's at *15-40, but Sam denies them both, reeling off the next four points to hold. Impressive stuff there.

3-5*

Game 9: Kimi holds to love, and wraps up the first set. Sam's comeback at the end hopefully augurs that she is now in to the match and will not have such a slow start in the second set.

3-6

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Saturday 24th of November 2012 04:18:38 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Nice to hear some faith. Not usually my strongest suit!

Set 2: Sam Serves first.
Game 1: Oh dear, slow start again, straight to *0-40 as in the first set, and broken, to love. That might be considered a bit mentally sloppy, but Kimiko is a wily, slightly less young, fox.

0-1*

Game 2: Kimi holds to 15.

*0-2

Game 3: Murray starts it with her second Ace, and holds to 15 - on the board earlier in this set. Only 27% won on 2nd serve is a problem though, as it was yesterday.

Kimi is winning two thirds of points or better on both 1st and 2nd serve.

1-2*

Game 4: Sam gets a foothold at 30-30*, and then deuce. But, a BP never arises, and Kimi holds.

*1-3

Game 5: *40-15 for Sam turns in to Adv. and a BP chance for Kimi, which she takes - 4 points in a row.

Another wiinning game position squandered, and this starts to feel like one match too far, and against an opponent of undoubted quality.

1-4*

Game 6: Kimi holds to love. Sam will have to serve to saty alive, and, allowing for the break, needs a three minute game to last out the hour on court.

*1-5

Game 7: Not a great start, a second DF. Then, *0-30, but... good heart shown to win the next 4 points and force Date-Krumm to serve it out.

2-5*

Game 8: Can Sam break to stay alive like the first set?

Sadly no, she saved one MP, but Kimiko saw it out, to 15. 1:00 and 19 seconds on court.

GSM Date-Krumm

6-3 6-2

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Saturday 24th of November 2012 04:46:56 AM

steven · Tennis legend

insomniacfolder wrote:
Finally! Some one has said it!
Modesty forebade me from mentioning it myself.
Of course, those in the know noticed it.
They wanted me for next Director General of the BBC you know? And Chelsea Manager and to direct the new Star Wars movies and...

... but you turned them all down because you wanted a job that lasts more than a few weeks? wink

I hadn't realised (until I checked just now) that you've only been a member since July, it feels like you've been a regular for ages. (*)

(*) please take that as a compliment!

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Well, a bit deflating in the nature of the loss, but it's hard to feel anything but admiration for what Sam has been achieving recently.
Today, the pro's pro, Kimiko, played a very solid match in all departments, and never gave Sam much of a look in.
Remembering that 2 months ago, Sam was ranked very nearly 400. Also remembering who Kimiko is, and has, been, the result is hardly surprising.

Still, what a fantastic week. Did anyone really have Murray down to make a SF here when the week began? If so I'll start playing the lottery, and you can pick my numbers!

Just a great run of results for Sam, and today: just a step too far.

We'll see what happens now regarding Dubai.

I think it's probably worth the trip even if it ends up a loss in her first match. There's not much else in the schedule, and if the body holds together for another match, and she gets a favourable draw, then the rewards at a $75K are well worth taking. It's also potentially another chance to play a high quality opponent, which is always a good test. The Dubai field is pretty strong at this level.

Excellent week for Sam then , and for me, this result in no way detracts from it.

Thanks to Steven for the reminder about Naomi's CH this year, before the match (and kind words). It was easy to forget, it seems so long ago. There was a slight upswing in form for her at the end of the season too. So I'm also hopeful for a good rebound from her disappointing year, and perhaps threatening that CH again, as she doesn't have many points to defend for large parts of next year.

<edit - correcting awful spelling and some of the awful grammar. Yes, this is the improved version!>

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Saturday 24th of November 2012 05:07:55 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

insomniacfolder wrote:
Finally! Some one has said it!
Modesty forebade me from mentioning it myself.
Of course, those in the know noticed it.
They wanted me for next Director General of the BBC you know? And Chelsea Manager and to direct the new Star Wars movies and...

OK, I ( rather sadly ) just checked the rankings. 7 out of the top 10 are at least 30 places higher now in the world rankings than when you joined in July smile ( and 2 of the other 3 are maybe past reponding to such karma or indeed rather indisposed )

Reeltime · Satellite level

Ok, way ahead of myself as usual. Anyone got the cut-offs for the AO qualifiers for the last few years? Cant find them anywhere.

indiana · Tennis legend

insomniacfolder wrote:
....Thanks to Steven for the reminder about Naomi's CH this year, before the match (and kind words). It was easy to forget, it seems so long ago. There was a slight upswing in form for her at the end of the season too. So I'm also hopeful for a good rebound from her disappointing year, and perhaps threatening that CH again, as she doesn't have many points to defend for large parts of next year.

Though of course overall Naomi has less points to defend than she would like, their distribution don't really help her in initially making any huge strides up the rankings, let alone get anywhere near her CH in the first half of the year ( mainly since she would still be counting her poorer second half ). Of her 167 counting points, 70 were won in the first quarter of the year, and 106 in the first half.

No, to get back there ( well unless she goes a bit daft early doors smile ), it will be a long haul exercise in accumulatiing what looks about the 340 points she would need in a 12 month period to beat her CH.

Let's hope she does have a much better year and that later on in the year that does indeed begin to look possible.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 24th of November 2012 11:11:37 AM

Reeltime · Satellite level

cheers. Anyone else about for the semi?

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Is it an ungodly hour? Check.
Then I'm about

Voegele dispatched Tammy surprisingly adroitly, and so awaits in the final.

Can Sam overturn another tour veteran? let's hope so...

Reeltime · Satellite level

You got a feed. I cant find one

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

No, just live scores I'm afraid.

Reeltime · Satellite level

Ok 1st set down. I have to bail ot, I have to work tomorrow. Still confident tho :)

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Not much of a surprise that Kimiko had far too much class for Sam. Anyway, a super tournament and a fantastic autumn.

Reeltime · Satellite level

Got to admit I'm surprised by that scoreline. Onward and upward tho. A great week for Sam, and hopefully more to come