Week 40 - WTA Premier Mandatory - Beijing,China - Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Week 40 - WTA Premier Mandatory - Beijing,China - Hard

korriban · Challenger level

indiana wrote:
As you probably know, korriban, I pretty much agree with you re what you say about Laura's general movement and footwork, though I don't go into as much speculation.

But how many ways can one say at some length much the same thing, expressed a bit differently, after just about every Laura defeat ( probably some victories too ) ?

Fair enough!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well, the only good news I could find was an American medical report that said that sufferers both of chronic bronchitis and asthma should choose sports such as tennis (as opposed to long-distance running, for instance).

Not really being serious because, of course, that's just the tennis, not the training, so doesn't mean much.

But I assume Djokovic's followers were pretty upset when they learnt he had bad asthma (not the same thing of course but similar in many ways) and he hasn't done too badly.

I wonder if Laura can take the normal steroid treatments that a lot of chronic bronchitis sufferers use. Or if they are on the banned substances list. Statistically, it's pretty rare for young people who don't smoke to develop it so maybe it's quite mild. Let's hope so.

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 09:29:41 PM

steven · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Well, the only good news I could find was an American medical report that said that sufferers both of chronic bronchitis and asthma should choose sports such as tennis (as opposed to long-distance running, for instance).

Not really being serious because, of course, that's just the tennis, not the training, so doesn't mean much.

But I assume Djokovic's followers were pretty upset when they learnt he had bad asthma (not the same thing of course but similar in many ways) and he hasn't done too badly.

I wonder if Laura can take the normal steroid treatments that a lot of chronic bronchitis sufferers use. Or if they are on the banned substances list. Statistically, it's pretty rare for young people who don't smoke to develop it so maybe it's quite mild. Let's hope so.

She would surely be able to get a TUE if she needed to use them. Also, when I heard about this, I was sure I remembered hearing something about it before, so I'm not sure it was such a big revelation on the part of the commentators as someone mentioned earlier. The fact that Laura managed to win a match against a decent player in a place with an atmosphere as bad as Beijing also suggests that she must be managing it relatively well.

-- Edited by steven on Tuesday 1st of October 2013 10:26:28 PM

philwrig · Hall of fame

I see Laura's position as this. Because of the hype/expectation there is due to the junior Wimby win at 14, any defeats are perceived to be due to a poor performance. For example today a decent effort in the second set is ignored and a balanced view is not given. Even her so called fans e.g on TF slate her when she loses. If she wins the hype/expectation is just raised further.
If you look at it, yes she has world class ball striking talent, but she doesn't have world class athleticism. Unlike Andy Murray she has a huge weakness there. It doesn't matter how hard she works that will always be a weakness and something that will hold her back in winning grand slams/raeching the top of the womens game.

Now we know as well that she is facing a long term health condition that is likely to only to get worse( not sure Annie K should have let Sam Smith reveal that information on commentary), we don't have a very positive situation.

TomTraubert · Futures level

cant wait for this WTA year to be done

been a pretty horrible one for our girls in general made even more so coz expecktations were so high at the end of last year and we never really got going for any extended time this year

not the girls fault of course but this year has been very deflating overall

wipe down the slate reboot (apparentley mix some metafores!) and lets try again next year!!!

its the 13 in the year i tells ya

all the luck went to andy (where "luck" = just rewards for heroic amounts of hard work and application mixed with unholy talent) course i wouldnt change that at all but there weren't non left for our girls

next year :)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Add Safina to your list

korriban · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:
Add Safina to your list

And her coach during the time when she lost weight, added muscle, improved endurance and transformed her movement/footwork out of all recognition is a name we all know......

indiana · Tennis legend

Real pity re Laura's chronic bronchitis. Explains quite a lot.

philwrig · Hall of fame

It's probably fair that in the womens game, speed/great footwork isn't as a big an issue as in the men's, but it's still a big issue. I think that Laura is coming from such a low base even compared to the players mentioned above that it really is going to make it difficult.

Regarding the health issue, I believe you are more susceptible to chest infections etc., and clearly the polluted air of Beijing has maybe triggered this latest issue. I think it was Doha when she was similarly affected. Reading about the condition, breathing can be affected as well, so that is something to consider. It is also irreversible so in some ways worse than Asthma, which you can take drugs to control. I'm hoping she can keep it under control moving forward but it is a huge concern.

Both our top GB players with big health issues so early in their young careers makes 2013 a bit of a disaster.

Look only Laura knows how her illness is impacting her day to day practice/training which then leads onto how she performs on the match court, but it was quite a shocking revelation when I sat down to watch this morning.

Peter too · Tennis legend

While nowhere near as bad as Beijing, pollution levels in the UK have been rising for some years. London is regularly above EU pollution limits so coming home won't necessarily help much. I used to get bronchitis in the pre 1960s smogs and am now beginning to get it again on days when the air is still, so I have every sympathy for Laura trying to maintain intense levels of exercise in polluted air.

Spectator · All-time great

I hadn't previously realised that she had chronic bronchitis (just noted that she seemed to be sick a lot). Can't really imagine what performing at an elite athletic level would be like whilst managing such a condition - in a world where such small margins make such a big difference. Admire her even more than previously.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

According to Wikipedia chronic bronchitis is defined as suffering from a persistent cough etc. for at least three months in two consecutive years. So it's not a new problem for Laura but has now been ongoing long enough to be classified.

It seems to be something that flares up now and again rather than being a constant problem but hard to tell if it affects her behind the scenes. She should probably try to plan her schedule to avoid places where it is worse where possible (though Beijing is a mandatory event so can't be avoided)

TomTraubert · Futures level

laura got a wc for osaka

http://www.hp-open.jp/player.html

at the bottom