Week 10 - ITF ($10K) - Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

RE: Week 10 - ITF ($10K) - Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

But it's a dry heat, no?

She'll be fine - have faith.

PaulM · Tennis legend

A bit of water at the change of ends seems to have helped our lovely British flower a bit

2-1*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Saves one break point but not a second. Just can't get enough first serves in.

2-3*

Sorry CD, I can't share your confidence :(

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

You may well be right, PaulM. . . .

My confidence is based on nothing more than the fact that it is a lovely, sunny day, out my window

Not exactly 'technical' . . .

PaulM · Tennis legend

A couple of double faults help Em to break point from 40-0 down, but it's saved and Fuentes holds

*2-4

PaulM · Tennis legend

Em can't find a first serve at all in a very long final game in which she saves match point, misses three game points, saves two more match points, misses a fourth game point and eventually loses 46 63 63

bleh cry cry

Ouch, probably needed to take that break point at 2-3*. It was going to be tough this week with her draw but I did think she'd get this one under her belt (and she was cruising up until 5-1*), so that's a bit of a blow to the confidence. Looks like she's off next week then heading to Thailand for a very strong $15k.

Gotta break this bad streak somehow - 2015 has not been kind to her so far which is a real shame after a positive end to last year. Anyway, never mind, it's done now - head up and eyes forward. Hopefully she can get some nice down time at home and come back firing.

Katie up next, and I think she's got a pretty good shot at the 'upset' here.

-- Edited by PaulM on Wednesday 11th of March 2015 11:36:53 AM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

awwww, darn . . .

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Katie's lost the first set 4-6

PaulM · Tennis legend

Katie down a break in the second set *2-4

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Aimee won her doubles; Dasha lost hers:

Camila FUENTES (MEX) / Aimee GIBSON (GBR) def. Morgane MICHIELS (BEL) / Greet MINNEN (BEL) 7-5 4-6 [10-6]

PaulM · Tennis legend

Katie gets an opening in the final game at 0-30 and 30-40 but can't quite get there and loses 64 64

Tough day for the girls from Bristol :(

Been an interesting first foray into the pro world for Katie. She didn't get the luck of the draw really but good experience and I hope she starts to combine a few more 10k's into her schedule, she's perfectly capable of winning matches at this level.

"One too many" tweets Em. Do we think she means:-

(a) glasses of white wine consumed last night

(b) glasses of white wine are on the cards for tonight

(c) tournaments in this block

(d) something else (answers on a postcard)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Katie has had awkward draws, but I would have expected her to have picked up ranking points.

Is their depth at junior level? Katie has only ever won one junior tournament G4 and she is ranked 12 in the world.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

vohor wrote:
Ah well, here's hoping for Em v Katie in the QFs :)

Not to be then cry

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I got lambasted for implying that Katie was slightly over-hyped (not necessarily by this board but others). I think it's been excellent experience for her, though. And wouldn't be surprised if she had a sudden run in her next tournament - it's all there.

However, I don't think there's any problem with the depth at junior level. Katie got to the final of a Grand Slam. Hence, got mega points. And rightly so.

It's just like Caro Woz who was world number 1 while never getting past quarters or so in a grand slam. Or Laura getting to be top 20 or whatever, without ever having won something. Points are on a gradated scale - no 'mega' bonus for actually winning a title. It seems fine to me. The only lack of 'truth' about junior rankings is that not everyone plays them, or not everyone gives them serious weight, even if they do.