Week 16 - WTA International ($250,000) - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

steven · Tennis legend

Week 16 - WTA International ($250,000) - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Good luck Sam

indiana · Tennis legend

Is Sam now going to play above her ranking, now just on the threshold or still at a level ( or three ) below her ranking ?

With her, there seems to be a dramatic difference, but Edgbaston was encouraging that she may be on the turn again.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Samantha's match will be starting shortly now.
Playing for the right to face the first seed, Hozumi, who won easily earlier.

Fujiwara is getting on a bit (32½) and has had a pretty poor year, though a victory against Falconi in January may speak to an ability to still play above her norm on an inspired day.
In the kindest possible way, it is to be hoped that today might accelerate any thoughts the Japanese may be having on the subject of retirement, as Sam scores a comfortable win.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Well, Sam lost the first set, 4-6

She started slowly and presumably a bit nervously, serving 5 DF in her first two games and was broken in both.
She managed to break Fujiwara in the second game.
There was a very long seventh game in which Sam fought off several Break Points to hold.
But, Sam couldn't get much purchase on the Japanese service, as the set went on serve to its conclusion after that opening flurry of breaks.
Acclimatisation on a short turn around may be a factor.
As Sam's game steadied through the set, still plenty of hope for the remainder of the match.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Thought Sam might struggle with this one. Now a break down in the second

PaulM · Tennis legend

Gets it back though *1-1

paulisi · Tennis legend

Sam is 5-2 up second set.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Sam served out the second set with an ace. 6-3.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

The second set was in any ways a mirror image of the first, with, from our point of view, the right player winning it.
Fujiwara's 1st serve percentage dropped considerably and this afforded Sam more general pressure than she was able to generate in the first set, and she made it count.
Also, Sams own serving was steadier in itself,and she came under less threat allowing her to hold more comfortably.
The combination meant a good set from Sam, whiich she took 6-3

You got this now Ms. Murray!

PaulM · Tennis legend

Very nice recovery in that set to win it 63

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Heat suspension before the third set.
Whether this is just the mandatory 10 minutes after the second set in the conditions, or it the temperature/humidity had exceeded the maximum in which they are permitted to play, and so the delay would be longer, is unknown.

Either way it's unfortunate, as Sam had the momentum and had settled in to the match. We saw that she can start a little cold (ironically), in the first set.

Should Sam win this match, I can't figure out the points the she will earn.
There are 24 Qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur, but the WTA tables only have provision for International Level events with either 16Q (12 pts for QR1 victory) or 32Q (10pts).
Do they just split the difference and give a QR1 winner here 11 points?

Edit - Re points: No, in fact they get 12 points (http://storage.e-tennis.net/public/36/Document/QS.pdf)

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Saturday 12th of April 2014 08:26:35 AM

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Back on court - it must have been the mandatory heat break.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Sam down a break in the 3rd 4-6 6-3 1-3*

paulisi · Tennis legend

Breaks straight back.