Week 7 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.5M) - Dubai, UAE - Hard

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 7 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.5M) - Dubai, UAE - Hard

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

I'll be interested to see what reason she gives for below par play. I will cringe if it is her period again.

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity. Doesn't sound like she was too good today.

But I'm certainly not going to shoot Hev down or get overworried just yet, though be interested to know why she was 'flat'.

I hope the foot is not too much of a lingering issue, and she can get back to her very recent good form asap.

PaulM · Tennis legend

I think she'll be fine, sadly its just the days of metronomic consistency are gone and her results are going to be much for fluid now I think. It's just frustrating that she's been unable to capitalize on such a brilliant draw in a massive event like Dubai.

emma · Strong Club Player

yes, I was just thinking how she used to be consistent, tenacious and win often by wearing the other player down. these strengths seem to have disappeared under her new strengths. if this could be integrated instead of imposing one strength on top of another it would be better. as far as the foot is concerned maybe its more symptomatic of not being able to stand on her own 2 feet. only watched 5 mins but heard her coach telling her she was playing well. she ought to know that herself without being told.

((( Heather )))

philwrig · Hall of fame

I still believe that Hev is tenacious and a massive fighter but clearly she does appear more offcolour on the court on a more regular basis than she maybe has in the past.

To be fair she was flat at times at the FedCup on court, and you just can't afford to be like that in matches that are not heavily in your favour. She had zero niggles at the FedCup as far as I'm aware so the foot problem is a new one, although by all accounts minor.

It was 4 weeks ago she had the 'period' problems at the Oz open. I think she'll be fine, but to become a top 30 player she can't afford to have offdays when the draw is as kind as this one.

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Disappointing here. Not sure what to saw

steven · Tennis legend

Just to confirm the result:

L56: Heather Watson WR 43 lost to (Q) Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) WR 132 (CH 124 earlier this month) by 4 & 5

indiana · Tennis legend

Mervatron wrote:
Disappointing here. Not sure what to saw

A few logs. Should get rid of frustrations smile

philwrig · Hall of fame

Hev quote after per Reem Abulleil on twitter.

Heather Watson cited a very bizarre pain in both her feet during her defeat to Kozlova. Said it was "agony to just touch"

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

Strange..sounds like plantar fasciitis...but the fact it is in both feet and not just one is definitely concerning.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Sounds like a problem stemming from that she was wearing new shoes to me to be honest. Something the trainer asked her and Hev said they were but she'd worn them a couple of times in practice so it was "definitely not a blister".

Would explain why it was both feet anyway.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

I hope it's not that. She's a world class athlete, and that would be a rookie error. Abit like not sorting her period out.

She used to be sooooo consistent. I hope that part of her game returns.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Heather's foot has sufficiently recovered to allow her to play in the doubles today.
And the old magic team seems to be clicking again.
6-4 *0-1

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

All Chan-ge in set 2, as Hao-Ching & Yung-Jan take it, so MTB decider.
6-4 2-6