Week 3 - Australian Open (women's)

RainDelay · Pro player

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

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: ROBSON, Laura (GBR) 53 v OUDIN, Melanie (USA) 91
R1: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 50 beat CADANTU, Alexandra (ROU) 91 2-6 6-3 6-2

R2: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 50 v BARTHEL, Mona (GER) 32 38 or PERVAK, Ksenia (KAZ) 82

Pervak won the 1st set but is a break down in the 2nd.

steven · Tennis legend

That's actually Hev's first R1 win in a hard court slam, having drawn Aza, Shazza and Li Na at the AO & USO previously, and her 5th slam main draw win overall. It should lift her to a new career high in the low 40s.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Mona down a break in the 3rd so Hev's next opponent still uncertain

Peter too · Tennis legend

R2: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 50 v PERVAK, Ksenia (KAZ) 82

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Pervak, I believe, was Laura's conquerer in her 1st attempt to take the Junior title here. Let's hope Hev can get get the better of her.

steven · Tennis legend

Hev played Pervak (CH 37 in 2011) in the Aus Open junior QFs 4 years ago, the Russian (now Kazakh) winning 3 & 5.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

So, I guess that was the same year she beat Laura in the final.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

It sounds like it was another one of Heather's excellent battling wins today - though perhaps she was battling more against a cpombination of struggling with her game, injury and illness than she was against Cadantu. She's through to the next round which is the main thing anyway.

One area where Heather has had a bit of luck is with the draw as having beaten the world no. 91 she now plays the no. 82 with Barthel being knocked out on a day where the seeds have won 14 out 15 between them. Pervak will present more of a challenge than Cadantu though and I think it's a match Heather will need to be close to full fitness to be able to win.

Maza1987 · Challenger level

pervak is playing well this year. had a lull last year but seems back to where she was heading the year before.

well done heather.

steven · Tennis legend

Hev's comments on today's match via the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21008496

PockyTastic · Futures level

Lots of gruelling rallies ahead against Pervak. What's Heathers record like against players who play in a similar style to her?

philwrig · Hall of fame

steven wrote:
Hev played Pervak (CH 37 in 2011) in the Aus Open junior QFs 4 years ago, the Russian (now Kazakh) winning 3 & 5.

Hev played well that day, if I remember correctly it was played in over 100F conditions and it was Pervak's toughest match on the way to her title.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Hopefully Hev will have recovered from whatever afflicted her today because she will need all the energy she has to overcome Pervak who is playing well and is certainly much better than a 82 ranking, I'd say a top 40 player when playing well.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Well done Laura, she did enough to win comfortably in a match that wasn't particularly high quality. Oudin made far too many errors for a player with her style of play, and Laura's first serve looked a real weapon hitting speeds of 181kph.

In fact I think both Laura and Heather needed the benefit of a nice first round draw but they played well enough to win which is the only thing that matters really.

Laura will need to step it up several levels to beat Kvitova, though if the forecasts are correct and it hits 40 degrees on Thursday that could be a definite advantage for Laura.

-- Edited by tony_orient on Tuesday 15th of January 2013 05:41:08 AM