Weeks 26-27 - Wimbledon women's main draw

Forbesman · Social player

RE: Weeks 26-27 - Wimbledon women's main draw

steven · Tennis legend

Very disappointing - it really seems like a match she should have won, especially after thrashing her in China last year. It just seems that Wimbledon makes Jo a bit too nervous

L128: Johanna Konta WR 96 lost to Peng Shuai (CHN) WR 61 (CH 14 in 2011) by 6-4 3-6 6-4

PaulM · Tennis legend

Sadly Jo didn't deserve anything more today, didn't play well enough. Real shame, she could have won this match with a bit more quality.

She does get absolutely crippled by nerves, she was so tense throughout that match, and it's going to stop her doing much more if she can't find a better way to deal with them.

With huge points to defend over the summer, let's hope its ownwards and upwards.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

The amount of loses in three sets for Jo now is ridiculous. She just doesn't have that edge you need. Think she may have just about peaked unless she can sort it out

PaulM · Tennis legend

Mervatron wrote:
Jo just can't win three set matches anymore. I feel a big fall is coming and Jo will be back to 150ish soon

I'm not as pessimistic as that. A win today would have been a nice buffer for the summer to take a bit of pressure off, but no matter how well she is playing I think Wimbledon just seems to completely freak her out. She's such a nice girl and works so hard, I really wanted her to win a round here but she just couldn't loosen up for long enough. She showed glimpses of what she is capable of, but what was frustrating is that Peng didn't play that well, Jo really beat herself (being broken to drop the first set a prime example, the mistakes she made on some of those game points were horrible), and if she had just been able to relax and play her tennis she could have really made a move today with a returned from injury Kirilenko in round 2 (who took out Stephens).

She needs to make amends for her dire US Open showing last year, and I think she is in for another solid summer. She's wisely heading straight to the States for a $50k (last year she bizarrely turned up and lost in round 1 of WTA Bucharest) so if she strings some wins together there that sets her up nicely. She should make directy entry for the US Open.

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 23rd of June 2014 01:40:15 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

One thing I was going to mention is that it always seems like British women win and lose in clusters at Wimbledon.

I was going to predict that if Jo won we'd get 3 through, but if she lost zero, but thought against it. However now she's lost, I'll predict no British winners in round 1 and hopefully enjoy being wrong once again!!

PaulM · Tennis legend

So far if Babos gets her return in play she is almost guaranteed to win the point. Naomi really struggling. This could be quick.

1-4*

On the plus side, good to see Jo has recognised her biggest weakness and is trying to fix it

Despite working closely with a sports psychologist, Konta admitted she failed to fend off the Wimbledon jitters.

'In the first set she handled the occasion much better than I did,' she said.

'I was playing with a little nerves, a lot of tension, I felt. Obviously when you play like that, you can't play at your best level.'

Konta added: 'Obviously this game is very much mental.

'I am working with a sports psychologist, she's helping me a lot with how to handle situations, and that's obviously a work in progress.'

Konta said it was tough to keep the positive aspect of breaking into the top 100 world rankings in mind in defeat.

'I'm not sure if it's consolation,' she said. 'Obviously it's a small milestone for me, so obviously I take a lot of pride in that, am very happy about that.

'But obviously that's not my main goal, I'm very much looking forward, wanting to keep moving forward.'

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi misses 3 break points (well, she didn't really miss them Babos played very well) but managed to hold for 2-5*

I'm assuming Babos didn't play like this against Katy.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

If Naomi has to hit more than 2 shots she can't win the rally. Not great so far

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi needs to focus hard on getting her first serve in play and hoping Babos drops her level enough for her to get a sniff on the returns. From the back of the court this isn't a contest at the moment, but that was a good fight from Naomi to hold at the start of the second

26 10*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Terrific from 0-30 down, two brilliant points, and two huge serves.

32*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi slips on the first point of the game missing an easy volley, but recovers well

43*

Babos missing a couple more groundstrokes in the rallies now.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi has an ace called out on the first point, but serves 3 to make up for it, taking her total to 14

54*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi opens with a double, and holds to 40 to ensure she at least gets a tiebreak

65*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Tiebreak it is

1-0* great volley behind a big serve
2-0* screaming backhand return
*2-1 easy put away for Babos
*3-1 big backhand down the line draws and error
3-2* just goes long with the forehand
3-3* huge serve from Babos
*3-4 nets the passing shot
*4-4 nice volley into the space
5-4* error from Babos, good defence from Naomi
6-4* double fault (eep!)
*6-5 swings at the backhand return but it goes long
*6-6 Naomi slips badly. Huge shame as it was a brilliant point.
7-6* serve and volley winner!!
7-7* backhand return into the net off a second serve
*8-7 tame forehand error into the net from Babos

HUGE forehand winner.

COME ON!!! 26 76(7) 00*