Pliskova hasn't had to do anything to win the last two games. The fact that Jo is playing better and should win is all the more frustrating. Turning point may have been in the 2nd game of this set where she really should have gone 2-0.
This waywardness in the forehand, particularly, is something that has characterised JoKo almost every time I've seen her play. Sometimes she overcomes it in the end, but it's always there at some point. This may explain why, though having, I think, to all intents and purposes, a top 100 all around game, she hasn't really yet gotten closer to breaking into that hallowed ground, and has spent much of the last year more or less where she is now. Perhaps I'm alone, but I get the feeling the FH issues could strike in R1 in any other given week though
But, a good week and good wins, and good progress in the rankings. With fine tuning she has great potential.
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Data I post, opinions I offer, 'facts' I assert, are almost certainly all stupidly wrong.
A poor end to a marvellous week. Hopefully she gets a kind draw in Edgbaston.
Yes, I agree. I think Jo sort of got away with one yesterday so maybe it was due to catch up with her.
Pliskova definitely served better in the second and third sets and got some nice deep placement which caught Jo out but it was hardly convincing.
Jo's backhand is more reliable but not a real weapon (I like her wristy cross-court though). Her forehand wins her a lot of points, and loses a lot too, maybe because she feels pressured on it to force the point. She seems to get herself caught out. (It's not technically quite spot on either which is maybe why it breaks down more easily).
But a lot of really good stuff. She should feel really encouraged for the grass season - she's one of the few who seems at ease on the grass.
Real pity about the waywardness, particularly on the forehand.
But much as one or two folk here seem personally affronted with such UEs, similar to when Laura gets very inconsistent, I doubt anyone is as frustrated as Jo. I imagine that her and her coach(es) continue to really work on a more reliable forehand. If there was a simple fix, it would no doubt be made !
Yes, 110 points for Nik. That's the biggest doubles title of both their careers (though Sanchez has won a 75K singles title before) and means that by Monday, Nik will have risen more than 300 places since the official WTA year-end, from a doubles ranking of 498 to close to 180! (*)
(*) I'm relying on the figures on the pdf version of the WTA rankings not to be misleading me here, because I don't keep my own Best 16 records for doubles and, unlike the ATP breakdowns, they are not easily accessible on the WTA site
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GB on a shirt, Davis Cup still gleaming, 79 years of hurt, never stopped us dreaming ... 29/11/2015 that dream came true!