Week 3 - Australian Open (women's)

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

RE: Week 3 - Australian Open (women's)

Peter too · Tennis legend

Summary:-

R2: ROBSON, Laura (GBR) 53 beat KVITOVA, Petra (CZE) 8 8 2-6 6-3 11-9
R2: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 50 beat PERVAK, Ksenia (KAZ) 82 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2

R3: ROBSON, Laura (GBR) 53 v STEPHENS, Sloane (USA) 29 25
R3: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 50 v RADWANSKA, Agnieszka (POL) 4 4

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

WOOHOO!!!!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

YYYEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!

Jan · Hall of fame

woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Really looking forward to laura against Sloane.

Fear Radwanska will be too strong.

Armchair · County player

PHEWW !!!

Happycynic · Pro player

I think we can finally put a nail in the view that British women lose three set matches. Grand gutsiness by Laura and Heather.
Sooo pleased

korriban · Challenger level

Classic tweet from Barry Flatman before the ast game:

"Laura Robson punishes Kvitova 2nd serve to break again. Now serving to win 11-9. Come on, this is for Roger Draper's next pay rise!"

superb!

I have to admit the standard of tennis improved a lot in the final set, although Laura can play a LOT better than she did. To be fair I also thought her movement got better and better as the match went on. Still below average for the top 100, but certainly signs of progress.

I think if she plays her best tennis from the start against Sloane Stephens, she will win, having seen the previous match between them. Assuming she's not still recovering from today!!!! Well done indeed. She has a genuine shot at reaching the quarter final, no question about it.

For Heather, a win is beyond her IMHO, but she needs to try some new tactics against Aga, take a few more games, maybe even a set. Something to show that she is making progress, and that the top 5 cannot steamroller her anymore.

Good luck to all!

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

So a couple of routine 2nd round wins for Heather and Laura then...

Did Heather give Laura some advice along the line of "what you need to do is play rubbish for a couple of hours till the match is almost lost then suddenly turn it round - it's a lot more fun that way"

In all seriousness the quality of tennis was really poor for most of the match then suddenly at 4-4 in the third it got much much better. In the past Laura has got frustrated with herself for playing poorly but today she was the one who battled through and found some of her best tennis when it mattered most. In those last 12 games Laura played really well under intense pressure and on that basis just about deserved to win in the end.

Now we've got 10 hours to settle the nerves before Heather takes to the court again.

S&V · Club Coach

Just logged in to find this news, fantastic!

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

jake270392 wrote:
Madeline wrote:
Wowza! What great news to come home to! Laura obviously plays better if I'm not watching
You should really watch the match haha

I did, on the links provided above and on Eurosport player - they showed it after Andy's match tonight. I have never seen the match from start to finish but I reckon I must have seen pretty near all of it now.

-- Edited by Madeline on Thursday 17th of January 2013 11:14:17 PM

Josh · Challenger level

My internet went down at 9-9, only just come back on! Glad Laura managed to pull through in the end, was getting pretty anxious waiting for the connection to come back. 2 in the last 32 is pretty good going, wonder what the chances of both of them being seeded for Wimbledon are, pretty high I'd guess.

steven · Tennis legend

Fabulous (albeit 'winning ugly') performance by Laura - serving last against a former Wimbledon champion and it was Laura who looked mentally stronger throughout that final set!

This is the first time we have had three Brits in R3 of singles at a slam since Wimbledon 2002 and the first time we have had two British women in R3 of a slam since the 1991 US Open. (I'm rather proud of beating the WTA stats guy to that one by a few minutes wink )

Someone asked me on Twitter the last time a British woman reached R3 of a slam. Of course, the answer was "yesterday" biggrin

philwrig · Hall of fame

Wow what can you say, looked dead and buried, unhappy with the way she was playing, fiddling around with her right ankle, then Kivitova opened the door with loads of doubles, Laura grew in self belief, believing a win was now possible, but she was serving last in the final set, big disadvantage, served for the match, Kivitova raised her level, Laura though stayed strong and grabbed her next opportunity emphatically for a remarkable win.

Not playing her best, I'm wandering whether her ankle problem is inhibiting her movement a tad, but really growing in mental maturity. The most important thing in sport is to win when you are not at your best, which she did today, so impressive.

Sloane will be tougher but as long as she can recover well, she will probably be 40/60 against anything is possible after today.