Many of us have been through all this with Andy, and quite possibly Tim/Greg before this particular messageboard started. Personally I've been impressed by the way Laura and Heather have taken a look at their respective games and are trying to improve certain aspects. This process can take a long time but eventually their peak performance level will rise as a result of the work they are doing. Right now they seem to be desperately short of confidence but that's something nearly every player will go through at some stage. I disagree with korriban's view that Laura should change her strategy. Her approach is the right one given her strengths and weaknesses. If she possessed Heather's movement then she could wait for her opponent to make the error. There really is very little difference between the tennis she was playing at the US Open and the 2013 version, apart from confidence, being match-tight and the court conditions.

It would hardly be a great surprise if throughout Laura's career, we see a pattern of her struggling during the spring and early summer before going up a couple of gears when the grass court season begins and then taking that momentum on to the faster playing conditions during the US hardcourt summer. Doha, IW, Miami then the clay just aren't a great match for her style of play; too cold, too slow, too windy. She would have to be in peak form and fighting hard in order to pick up decent points.