Week 36 - ITF ($50K) - Trabzon, Turkey Hard

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

RE: Week 36 - ITF ($50K) - Trabzon, Turkey Hard

steven · Tennis legend

QF: MURRAY, Samantha (GBR) 189 beat MITU, Andreea (ROU) 174 (CH 163 in Feb) by 2 & 2 biggrin

That's a hat-trick of convincing straight sets wins against top 200 players this week - very impressive indeed!

SF: MURRAY, Samantha (GBR) 189 v FORETZ GACON, Stéphanie (FRA) 173 (CH 62 in 2003)

H2H 0-1, 6 & 2, Surprise 25K R1 last year - a good chance for revenge, hopefully!

korriban · Challenger level

kundalini wrote:
6-2 6-2

Stephanie Foretz Gacon next. She beat the 2nd seed Zanevska 6-4 6-2

Wow! Another spanking! Sam must have huge confidence at the moment, and Foretz is unlikely to be the very solid player she was a few years back.

What is it about September to November that seems to spark such great form in Sam? - no real sign of this kind of standard during the Summer. The really good news is that with her ranking being much higher than last year, she will be seeded or at least main draw in almost any ITF she decides to go for upto probably $75k - which should give her a much less difficult route through the early rounds than 2012 - so the basis for a great end to the year is certainly there.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Great week for Sam, clinical stuff.

paulisi · Tennis legend

She seems to be progressing quicker than Tara, which is a surprise, as I've been impressed with Tara. How far can Sam go. Could she be top 100?

steven · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
She seems to be progressing quicker than Tara, which is a surprise, as I've been impressed with Tara. How far can Sam go. Could she be top 100?

They're actually in quite a race to be higher-ranked at the year end - Sam has just gone 1 point ahead of Tara (239-238) in 2013-only points, though in the race to be year-end GB no. 4, Bally is ahead of both of them at the moment.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Two losses in the doubles SF :

Semifinal

Yuliya BEYGELZIMER (UKR) / Maryna ZANEVSKA (UKR) [3] def. Stephanie FORETZ GACON (FRA) / Emily WEBLEY-SMITH (GBR) [1] 6-1 6-2
Alona FOMINA (UKR) / Christina SHAKOVETS (GER) def. Samantha MURRAY (GBR) / Ana VRLJIC (CRO) [4] 6-4 6-2

paulisi · Tennis legend

Sam underway and has consolidated an early break 2-0

the break didn't last long 2-2

-- Edited by paulisi on Saturday 7th of September 2013 08:30:31 AM

Sam struggling on her serve at the moment and every service game seems very long, whereas the French girl is holding much more comfortably.

-- Edited by paulisi on Saturday 7th of September 2013 08:53:08 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

But breaks back to 30 and just about holds. so 4-3*

So good to 'see' her playing well - Stephanie is still a very good player, still very solid and difficult to beat. Keep going, Sam . . .

And Stephanie holds serve in about 4 shots . . . (3/11 BP converted for her, 2/4 for Sam)

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 7th of September 2013 09:25:51 AM

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 7th of September 2013 09:27:00 AM

steven · Tennis legend

SF: MURRAY, Samantha (GBR) 189 lost to FORETZ GACON, Stéphanie (FRA) 173 (CH 62 in 2003) by 3 & 4

Pity, but still an excellent week for Samantha, who will jump about 20 places to a new career high in the 160s when these points and her USO Q points get added on Monday (Foretz is also going to jump a lot, thanks to her run here and a win at USO Q)

-- Edited by steven on Saturday 7th of September 2013 10:02:09 AM

paulisi · Tennis legend

So all the pressure on Sam's serve has told and she has lost the first set 6-3

paulisi · Tennis legend

Sam now a break down in the second set... Not looking too good at the moment.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

GSM to the French woman 6-3 6-4

Spectator · All-time great

Good for Ms Murray. Hope she does well in Shrewsbury, too.