It is just a real pity that Laura hasn't been able to take advantage of some very decent draws the last couple of weeks.

With some mitigating circumstances, I certainly don't condemn, though question some of her tactics ( as she has herself ). And she fought well yesterday.

But a Laura near her best could have significantly added to her ranking points, and there will probably be important weeks to come when she will get very much tougher draws.

Not that draws have memories, so no reason to expect any balancing. Just that such tough draws will likely come along at times, and if so and blank weeks occur ( even if she is playing well ) it will then be more of a pity she wasn't able to make more hay when the chances seemed there.

Anyway for now she could really do with getting her health sorted out ( I noticed her coughing at a Fed Cup PC, but thought nothing of it at the time ). She clearly has had much success since the problem surfaced at Olympics time. But it does seem that it is a bit variable. See that specialist, girl, and try all you can to get it sorted longterm.

Laura's twitter account is active again

Not sure whether this has been reported (& I'm too bloody lazy to go back more than a couple of pages! ), but according to a snippet in this evening's London Standard, Laura, for all she probably doesn't want to be seen to be offering excuses, has apparently "been struggling with a chest infection".  She goes on to say that "[it] is something that I'm living with.  It was on and off since the Olympics.  Now it's worse."   Not too sure what to make of that.  Hope it really isn't anything too serious...

She should take time away from flying and hot dry countries...cant think shes done herself much good with the Aussie events and then the Middle East.

Compared to reports of her previous behaviour and questionable, even deliberately unsporting antics - this would appear to be a step-change improvement. I watched the match, and until the tiebreak, she was generally much less demonstrative than in these videos. These cameos are almost comical, irritating perhaps, but hardly nasty and certainly not directed tomwards the opponent (which had been reported previously). 

I certainly don't think it affected Laura one little bit - she would probably have been annoyed at herself much more than her opponent.

 

She played alot better today, gave Aga a real workout.

It turns out that she has been suffering from depression for the last 6 years and doesn't feel that life on the WTA tour is condusive to getting completely better, though I don't think she has completely ruled out returning again at some point.