A 16 yo Serena winning pro matches, hmm, I seem to have heard that one before! First ITF win at the first attempt, and nicely dug in to get that 'W' too.
Q1: Serena NASH (GBR) UNR defeated Natalia ZORGOVSKA (SVK) UNR 3-6 7-5 6-4
It's nice to see more juniors playing on main tour and I suspect it will be the way the new regime pushes the juniors in that if they are good enough, they should step up a level earlier.
Too many juniors have just played junior tennis and don't know what it takes to be competitive at open age level.
It wasn't quite her first attempt - she lost in the first q round last week to Marinkovic (which was a tricky draw).
But it's certainly a hard fought win and great to see her getting some international experience.
I knew there was something wrong about that when I looked it up.
Of course, I realise now that the ITF page won't update the activity page until Monday, and that was why it is blank now. Apologies for any confusion caused,
It looks like Serena lost the first set 4-6 but is 1-0 up in the second when bad weather stopped play and the match has been put back to tomorrow.
Just out of interest, and to back up paulisi's point in some ways about how good it is to see youngsters getting some experience at adult level, I heard from someone who's been out in Heraklion for the last couple of weeks.
He said that Marinkovic didn't in fact play very well last week - but Serena (in her first ITF event) was trying to go for too much, convinced that she had to hit clean winners left, right and centre. Which is exactly the point about experience. Because, in fact, the Slovakian girl who she beat yesterday was apparently just as good as Marinkovic but Serena had realised (with her coach) that the level was not so lofty as she'd feared and if she made a few more balls, at important times, as opposed to going for broke, she'd be in with a shout. Which she was - and she won !! And big credit to a fighting spirit because she actually lost the first set 6-3 despite winning more points, and was 5-2, 40-15 up in the second and then got dragged back and was 3-1 down in the third, and then 4-3 down with a break. And still won . . .
Losing a set 4-6 against a WR 946 player is pretty good too really ::))
In fact, seemingly, the 'playable' level has been quite a (pleasant) surprise. With low WTA rankings counting for very little (which is what I've always thought - any ranking over 1000 is irrelevant and many from 800 up are not much better). British Tour matches appear to compare well, which is a compliment to the Tour level.
Anyway, great to see her spread her wings a bit and the experience will stand in very good stead.
Good luck, Serena.
-- Edited by Coup Droit on Sunday 26th of October 2014 04:54:45 PM
I certainly agree that in the womens game, between ~WR900 and the final ranked players (usually around 1200), there is often precious little actual difference in the actual level or quality of play in an average match.
Serena resumes this morning.
She also has a WC in the doubles, and a kindly draw which carries a pretty good chance for at least one win (of course, supporters of her opponents are probably saying the same thing!).
Doubles
R1: (WC) Nash/Nilsson (GBR/GER) vs. (WC) Braun/Kaercher (GER/GER)
This event is in all sorts of trouble.
Constant rain and no contingency has played havoc.
They've not completed the singles R1 yet, and haven't even started the doubles.
Forecast is for rain right through Sunday too.
I mention this because Serena is still, ostensibly, alive in the doubles.
Our players are making good progress in several locations this week, but it occurred to me that it's possible that by default, Serena could become last woman standing this week.
I'm Serena's coach. We actually left there on Thursday afternoon, as if we didn't leave then it would have meant we had to stay until Tuesday - surprisingly few flights from Crete to the UK at this time of year. We did consider staying on for the doubles and perhaps signing in for next week's qualifying. The problem with that was the weather forecast is pretty dyer for next week also and after Tuesday there are no flights out of Crete until he Tuesday after.
Interesting that the doubles was played today. When we left the referee was pretty much decided that the doubles would be cancelled this week, and after that was another day and a half of rain.
I'm Serena's coach. We actually left there on Thursday afternoon, as if we didn't leave then it would have meant we had to stay until Tuesday - surprisingly few flights from Crete to the UK at this time of year. We did consider staying on for the doubles and perhaps signing in for next week's qualifying. The problem with that was the weather forecast is pretty dyer for next week also and after Tuesday there are no flights out of Crete until he Tuesday after.
Interesting that the doubles was played today. When we left the referee was pretty much decided that the doubles would be cancelled this week, and after that was another day and a half of rain.
Thanks very much for the information. All sounds like you made a very practical decision to me.
Best wishes to you and Serena for Winter training and next season
I knew there was something wrong about that when I looked it up.
