Week 3 - Australian Open (women's)

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

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

Julia Carrot · All-time great

4 - 4* Now !! magic hands and a couple of pills did the trick it seems

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Laura serving at three quarter pace but hitting the ball very well off the ground now despite the injury

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Sloane wins the set 7-5.

The quality of play is pretty good and Laura certainly battling hard but not getting any free points on serve because of the injury which makes service games a struggle.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Down a set and now * 1 - 4

Julia Carrot · All-time great

2 - 4* laura hasn't given up (even if we nearly have)

Julia Carrot · All-time great

0 - 30 Tense stuff

15 - 30

2 bp's for Laura

1 gone

Great saves by both but Sloane takes point

Deuce

MP Sloane

DEUCE

murrayman650 · ATP level

5-2* Stephens

15-0

30-0

30-15

30-30

40-30

40-40

adv Robson

5-3

0-15

0-30

15-30

15-40

30-40

40-40

adv Stephens

40-40

adv Stephens

6-3

Julia Carrot · All-time great

2nd MP

second serve chance, but

GSM Sloane

blob · All-time great

For the second time in a fortnight Sloane brushes Laura aside in straight sets.
Laura played some of her best stuff this year in patches, but so many UE's.
Sloane just better in all departments.
Sloane worst surface too - probably Laura's best (maybe grass?). On clay Sloane would really thrash Laura.
but, in 9 months, when Robsons the age Stephens is now if she can be where Sloane is now with her game, she'll be doing just fine.

Summary: Sloane good. She could win the french this year.

Jan · Hall of fame

Caught the last few games of this - was amazed it was still going!

Pity - but a good tournament for Laura.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

I think that was a good effort today from Laura, especially given that she was hampered by injury (her ave. 1st serve speed was 150 kph today compared to 170 kph vs Kvitova and she got hardly any free points as a result).

Certainly a much higher quality match than the one against Kvitova with several entertaining long rallies. Laura battled well to the end but she needed to sneak the first set to have any chance of winning really, especially having pulled it back to 4-4. She has started badly in a few matches recently and it does make life difficult.

The period when Laura got it back to 4-4 was probably the best tennis she has played this year, and as long as she can recover from injuries to both her shoulder and ankle she is looking good for the rest of the year. It might be for the best though if she doesn't play the next tournament and give herself a chance to get 100% fit for the Fed Cup. There is no point playing through injuries at this stage in the season.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Laura played a decent match in the circumstances, Sloane is a very tough nut to crack at the moment. Hampered by the shoulder issue meant it was just about an impossible task, but again showed huge fighting qualities.

I agree with Tony that her schedule particularly in the near future and also for the whole sesaon needs to be carefully constructed, because it would be daft to try and play every week when her body is clearly telling her to pace herself. This year is about consolidation and making sure she stays injury free and reasonably fresh.

steven · Tennis legend

Ben Rothenberg: "As down as I've ever seen Laura Robson after a match. Had to think this draw gave her a great shot at the QFs, + injury concerns."

korriban · Challenger level

I didn't see the match. According to the match stats, Laura had 11 winners and 47 unforced errors in 2 sets. it sounds like she had very few free points on serve, given her shoulder problem, with 10kph less speed, and a much smaller number of unreturned serves. Which meant that more rallies ensued. I assume this is what the problem is (and has always been) - a mix of poor shot selection, poor anticipation and movement, and impatience, leading to attempts at winners too early and often too late on the ball. When you can strike a ball that well, I imagine she believes she can make any shot. She can't. Her coach MUST fix this, and her interview suggests she is all too aware of her failings.....but if you can play averagely and still cause damage, it really does bode well for a fitter, faster, more patient and more tactically aware Laura in 2 years time. Wimbledon could be interesting!