Week 1 - WTA International ($235K) - Auckland, New Zealand - Hard

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 1 - WTA International ($235K) - Auckland, New Zealand - Hard

blob · All-time great

Nope, Bertens takes it on the 4th match point
Week 1, so not too much to go on, but if a player like Bertens can start with a good week why not our girls?
trying niot to be too down as it's the start of the year and i spose this weeks a reminder not get carried away with any of them despite the potential still obviously lots to do

Peter too · Tennis legend

R2: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 49 lost to BERTENS, Kiki (NED) 63 4-6 6-3 3-6

That's a shame, Heather would have played Jamie Hampdon next who she has already convincingly beaten twice.

At least that was an improvement on the 2 & 1 loss that Heather last suffered at the hands of Kiki.

steven · Tennis legend

It sounds like the conditions here would have suited Laura better just as the conditions in Shenzhen might have suited Heather better. Still, what can you do! A pity they didn't manage to go further, especially with their draws really opening up, but at least they both got a win to start the year and both have improved their ranking point totals this week.

blob · All-time great

are any of the 4 girls from this weeks action scheduled for sydney or hobart anyone know?

blob · All-time great

sorry answered own question, both still scheduled for Hobart.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

blob wrote:
are any of the 4 girls from this weeks action scheduled for sydney or hobart anyone know?

Heather and Laura are playing Hobart. Don't know about JoKo or Anne K. I'm guessing they would just play Aus qualifying.

korriban · Challenger level

Wish I could have seen it, but I really expected Heather to win this one. Return game looked ok from the stats, but on serve the numbers look very odd. First serve percentage Okish, but when your second serve success is around 10% in set 1 and 20% in set 3, expect to be broken a lot! In fact Heather lost her first 6 second serves in set 1, and lost all 4 service games in set 3, as her first serve also started to become less effective. So even her winning service games likely to be long drawn out affairs with many deuces. I hope this is match rustiness, and something that can be ironed out with her coaching team before the Aussie Open, when it really matters. As Steven says, at leAst Heather and Laura both won a match and added to their ranking points. And there may be a benefit from NOT seeing all their hard winter work pay off from day 1, as it will discourage complacency, and reinforce the need to keep working. Chance to step up again a notch next week.

daisy · County player

Over and out for Heather in Auckland.

QF: Cara Black/A. Rodionova d. Heather Watson/Marina Erakovic 6'4, 4'6, 10'5.

Close match and great that Hevina managed to take it to the MTB but they hit a few shots long in the middle and it looks as though Cara Black is intent on making a good comeback after her maternity 'leave'.

Jan · Hall of fame

ah well, on to the next tournie.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

A shame for Heather, as an originally tough draw had opened up somewhat. At least her match with Bertens was a close match which is good to have at the start of a season.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

Shame.
Knew Bertens is underranked though. She'll be top 35 by year end imo.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Bad matchup for Hev, as soon as she plays a power player playing at their best it becomes a difficult match to win, somewhat similar to Laura playing funky players. I think if they'd switched opponents we might have had different results. Of course both Ned and Rom are potential Fed Cup opponents as well. Some positives from this week, all our girls had some success but as much as we anticipated or would have hoped for. Agree with Korriban though that losing these matches should just make Hev and Laura more determined to put things right next time so maybe a blessing in disguise. Reduces maybe unrealistic expectations of the British press corp.

blob · All-time great

Urk!!!!
Hev out of hobart with elbow injury she tweeted

Heather Watson @HeatherWatson92
"I injured my elbow yesterday in my singles match, unfortunately I have to withdrawal from Hobart. Doing everything I can to get healthy"

begs the question why she played the doubles, and worries for AO

hobart field looks tough, so maybe not much lost, but would want a better week to start a season

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Eeeeek !!!!

Explains alot about her play though. Poor Heather.