Week 38 - ITF ($75K) - Albuquerque, NM, USA - Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Week 38 - ITF ($75K) - Albuquerque, NM, USA - Hard

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

From 2-0 to 3-3*
Vaidisova coming to life again

1-6 6-1 *3-3

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

JoKo gets a, hopefully crucial break, playing smart letting the Czech's variability happen.
Finish her!
1-6 6-1 *5-4

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

5 straight points from *0-40 to win it

Attagirl!

1-6 6-1 6-4

Peter too · Tennis legend

R2: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 3 119 beat VAIDISOVA, Nicole (CZE) WC UNR 1-6 6-1 6-4

QF: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 3 119 v LARCHER DE BRITO, Michelle (POR) 7 137

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Great stuff :::)))

philwrig · Hall of fame

Fine win for Jo, played Ok, another fascinating matchup, will be a bit tougher I suspect, good luck.

indiana · Tennis legend

Well, I am guessing that's a new highest CH win for Jo, if you see what I mean :)

Peter too · Tennis legend

Jo lost to Michelle in 3 sets as a junior in 2007 and lost again in 2 last year. Michelle had a career high of 76 in 2009.
Is Michelle still as noisy as she used to be, if so Jo will need a good set of ear plugs.

DF · Tennis legend

Back to back wins . Getting better.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Not quite but it varies.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I saw sets 2 & 3. Joko was solid throughout, Vaidisova in set 2 looked like she had tanked with few first serve and multiple errors.

Vaidisova played much better in set 3 and served really well, especially on breaks where she they in several aces out wide and punished anything short.

great fightback from 0-40 to win five points in a row and win the match.

Vaidisova with match fitness and a little more consistency will easily get back to top 50.

Excellent result for Jo - she needs the points.

indiana · Tennis legend

Oh. memories of the de Brito vs Sharapova match at Wimbledon last year.

It was noisy on both sides !

PockyTastic · Futures level

So pleased for Jo. Her confidence has taken a real beating in the last few months, so back to back wins is very VERY pleasing.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

philwrig wrote:
Not quite but it varies.

Yes. MLDB's base volume has definitely reduced, but as Phil says, it varies, in pressure situations especially. It never feels as cynical, deliberate, or plain cheating as say, especially Sharapova (who was still shrieking as the ball hit her opponents racquet quite often at USO) or, slightly less so, Azarenka's often does.

I think MLDB's is more like Schiavone - they're both very noisy, but it always feels like genuine effort.

Would that they could all be like Halep & Genie.

I spent a few hours watching Vaidisova Mk. I to remind myself of how she played in her pomp. She's not far removed from that now. Shots are understandably not as well attuned, and the footwork is a pale shadow. If she's serious about a full on, full time return though, I'd agree with PaulM, Top 50 within a year looks like the very least she could/would expect.

So pleased for JoKo she had every chance to go to pieces at several times in that match, and even in the last set, but came through with distinction.

I think the match against Michelle is a toss up - MLDB plays quite a lot of sloppy matches and the occasional brilliant one. They're a bit similar to my mind: both have talent greater than their respective careers so far would suggest.