Week 20 - ITF ($100K+H) - Prague, Czech Republic - Clay

DWH · Club Coach

RE: Week 20 - ITF ($100K+H) - Prague, Czech Republic - Clay

DF · Tennis legend

Heather doing well on the 'red dirt' bodes well for RG qualies. Only has 5 points to defend from last year.

steven · Tennis legend

Just a quick recap to show quite how impressive a week it was

L32: Heather Watson WR 112 beat (2) Klára Koukalová (CZE) WR 30 (CH 20 in 2013) by 2 & 4
L16: Heather Watson WR 112 beat (WC) Petra Uberalova (SVK) WR 359 (CH 349 in Mar) by 1 & 4
QF: Heather Watson WR 112 beat (5) Karolina Pliskova (CZE) WR 62 (CH 51 in Feb) by 2 & 4
SF: Heather Watson WR 112 beat Tímea Babos (HUN) WR 110 (CH 59 in 2012) by 7-6(3) 6-3
FINAL: Heather Watson WR 112 beat (6) Anna Karolina Schmiedlová (SVK) WR 66 (CH 65 last month) by 7-6(5) 6-0

3 top 70 players beaten and she end 8- and 9-match winning streaks in the space of a few hours today

Looks like that will take her into the low 90s in the WTA rankings and she must be pushing top 50 in the Road to Singapore too

-- Edited by steven on Sunday 18th of May 2014 03:02:18 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Wow, I disappeared for a bit at 2-0* and came back to it being off Bet365 so rather thought that her poor opponent had retired. But 6-0, gooood stuff.

Heather wins her second tournament of the year, following the Midland 100K in February, both won without dropping a set.

She goes to 26-7 for the year, including 10-5 against top 100 players, which has gone towards herself appropriately being a top 100 player again.

Great that she's back in the swing so soon after her latest lay-off. Just tidy up that serve a bit, and it's all systems go....

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Stunning win from Hev! Looks like shes getting back up towards her best. Hoping for a good draw at the French

-- Edited by murray_2k9 on Sunday 18th of May 2014 03:07:05 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Brilliant news. And she managed to play two full matches, in one day, without a huge break. Great fitness. Way to go, heather :)

indiana · Tennis legend

Hev will now hit 700 points at the French Open.

Goes to 685 points now and at the French Open, since she is in qualifying, she will at the very least replace her 5 points from last year with her current best non counter, 20 points.

But, we don't want just 700 points !

Peter too · Tennis legend

Been out all day after seeing the SF suspended for rain at 6-6. Came back to find Heather not only polished off her SF opponent but completed her top 100 comeback by winning the final. biggrin

-- Edited by Peter too on Sunday 18th of May 2014 05:52:59 PM

A131 · Intermediate Club Player

indiana wrote:
Well done to Heather.

Bobos has certainly not pushed on as she and others no doubt hoped, but I must admit I missed her ever being particularly touted as top 10.

I don't think she was excessively touted but I do remember a British commentator at the French Open a few years back - I forget who it was - predicting a good future for her as she had certainly had a good junior career. She's still very young but it would seem Heather Watson was just to strong for her today and I wonder if mentally she has a few weaknesses or is very much a confidence player. Heather is a much more solid player I think.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Well Done Heather. So happy for her. Looking good for RG next week. Hope she qualifies and we can see where she ends up MD then

indiana · Tennis legend

Anyway, I think that Katy Dunne and Katie Boulter will be exciting to follow if the ( seemingly minority ) recent prediction that they will be ranked ahead of Heather ( and Laura ) in a couple of years comes true.

As I said at the time of that discussion, Heather has been WR 39 previously and, health and fitness allowing, I see no reason that she can't more than achieve that again.

I admit that I have come out on a few occasions to say that I think Laura has a higher top end potential ( I actually still think that ), but Heather Watson is a damned good tennis player, with I think more to come, and what a fighter.

LordBrownof · Futures level

Anyone else going? I'll be there Friday for qualies and then Sunday for day 1.

steven · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:

I admit that I have come out on a few occasions to say that I think Laura has a higher top end potential ( I actually still think that ), but Heather Watson is a damned good tennis player, with I think more to come, and what a fighter.

I think that's probably true but I find Heather much more satisfying to support (that's a pro-Heather comment, not an anti-Laura comment, I hasten to add!) - you always know she's going to give it everything, and when you think of the troubles she's been having on serve and how many times she's been behind this week (I haven't checked, but it feels like lots of times!), it's quite stunning that didn't even drop a set here.

Jan · Hall of fame

pics from Hev:

Heather Watson ‏@HeatherWatson92 1 hr

The winning moment! I'm quite happy... pic.twitter.com/8DQnubgk3t

philwrig · Hall of fame

A131 wrote:
What's happened to Babos over the past couple of years. As most know she was once touted as a potential top 10 - still might be I suppose - but she hasn't yet fulfilled her promise. Any thoughts?

I'd say lost a bit of confidence in her groundies, resorted to playing alot of slice. Probably better on a doubles court when her below average movement isn't exposed as much. Also tends to tighten at the crucial moments of a match, plus had the odd injury or two.