Week 10 - WTA Premier ($5.4M) Indian Wells, USA Hard

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 10 - WTA Premier ($5.4M) Indian Wells, USA Hard

philwrig · Hall of fame

This was some win and some performance. It looks like Hev is beginning to look like a player who can really build on a solid start to a tournament, a bit like she did in Hobart. But this was a bit special.

The 1st serve - massive tick
Composure - massive tick

Seemed to have time on the ball, never seemed rushed and as a result kept her UE count to a minimum. Movement/footwork much better today. Played with a good feel/hands. Played some blinding winners to boot. Aga nowhere near her best, but still a career best performance. Have to say I couldn't watch the last game live, I was so nervous, but I didn't need to worry !

Not a bad draw next either.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

philwrig wrote:
Helen40 wrote:
Great mental fortitude from Hev, especially from 2-4 down in the second. Well done Hev!

I only heard the match, but from the commies, Aga was making alot of UEs. So my question to those of you who did watch it is - Did Hev play at top 10 level or was Aga playing well below par? (Or both?)
Aga didn't play at top 10 level, but I'd say Hev played at top 20 level, definitely her best performance as a pro, and obviously her best result in terms of ranking.

Thanks Phil, I'm pretty rapt for Hev getting her first top ten scalp, but it's good to stay realistic too.

emma · Strong Club Player

excellent win Heather :)

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Great win, the only negative being that I was out and missed the match. Looked like it was going against her at 4-2 in the second set so a fantastic performance to regain the momentum against a top player.

She must have a good chance in the next round too - Suarez Navarro who is over ranked at 13 in the world or Pavlyuchenkova.

Peter too · Tennis legend

tony_orient wrote:
Great win, the only negative being that I was out and missed the match. Looked like it was going against her at 4-2 in the second set so a fantastic performance to regain the momentum against a top player.

She must have a good chance in the next round too - Suarez Navarro who is over ranked at 13 in the world or Pavlyuchenkova.

Heather has a 1-0 record against the higher ranked Suarez Navarro but has never played Pavlyuchenkova, who has a ranking close to Heather's.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Pavs can go off horribly so would be the one I'd feel Hev had a better chance against but either way she just needs to battle away

Sim · County player

Peter too wrote:
tony_orient wrote:
Great win, the only negative being that I was out and missed the match. Looked like it was going against her at 4-2 in the second set so a fantastic performance to regain the momentum against a top player.

She must have a good chance in the next round too - Suarez Navarro who is over ranked at 13 in the world or Pavlyuchenkova.
Heather has a 1-0 record against the higher ranked Suarez Navarro but has never played Pavlyuchenkova, who has a ranking close to Heather's.

Could well be Pavlyuchenkova she has a 6-0 record against Suarez Navarro.

Looks like Hev will only go up 1 or 2 places on points gained today. Also I have just realised that the gap between the GB no. 1 and no.2 is larger for the women than the men;108 places vs 104. Must be some time since that last happened?

steven · Tennis legend

Two very close 1st sets then CSN won the 3rd 6-0 to end Pav's 6-0 100% record against her! So ...

L16: Heather Watson WR 43 v (12) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) WR 13 (= CH)

H2H 1-0 - Hev won 7-6(5) 6-1 in Auckland in 2011

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Maza1987 wrote:
I've only posted twice in the last 6 months or so but Heather has brought me back. lol

Good grief ! Well done Hev !

Jan · Hall of fame

I've just found Hev's match on youtube, so will try and watch it later

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

If Heather can find a good percentage of first serves (and if necessary some of those faster second serves of hers) she will surely make it 2-0 against CSN; Heather's slower second serves were her only Achilles heel against Aga: better to take some DFs on the chin whilst going for the faster ones methinks.

Think Heather needs 2 more wins here to get past her CH with a R4 win leaving her close but just short (E&OE); that might very well mean having to beat Halep in the QFs...Good Luck in R4 first Heather :)

paulisi · Tennis legend

Hev said she was working a lot on her mental state for the last match.

indiana · Tennis legend

All the best to Heather. But, however CSN is viewed, I doubt that she has for so long been highly ranked by accident.

Heather may need to be at her very best to have an opportunity to progress further.

markymc1983 · Club Coach

I always thought CSN has great natural ability but lacks that competitive spirit needed at that level. Poor concentration also, pretty much like an adolescent. But you don't get to a couple of grand slam QFs without a quality game