Week 29 - ITF ($50K) - Granby, Canada Hard

murray_2k9 · Challenger qualifying

RE: Week 29 - ITF ($50K) - Granby, Canada Hard

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Lots more visible signs of emotion in that video than Laura usually shows outside of a big event. Looked like a decent size and engaged crowd for an ITF event too. Plus they had a speed gun which (if to be believed) clocked Laura's serve at 108mph in one of the points on the video which is much faster than she ever served at Wimbledon.

JoKo's semi final will be at 4:30 BST. Laura's doubles final is not before 9pm but probably later than that.

-- Edited by tony_orient on Saturday 25th of July 2015 12:05:30 PM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Strong start by JoKo, up a double break *3-0 but she did have to save 2 break points

And JoKo serves up a bagel to her Mexican opponent

-- Edited by tony_orient on Saturday 25th of July 2015 04:02:25 PM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

V-Rod putting up a much stronger fight in the 2nd set - JoKo 6-0 *2-3

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

JoKo wins 6-0 7-5 and into the final!

Jan · Hall of fame

Great!!!

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Fantastic to see Johanna backing up her grass court form.
After the heights, and profile of Eastbourne & SW19, this could have been the equivalent of footballs 'wet Tuesday night away to West Brom' - The uninspiring, unglamorous tie that, nonetheless, has just as many points as any more prominent fixture.

But, no let down from JoKo. Whilst eyes, and comments, are (personally, understandably, but disapointingly) overwhelmingly elsewhere, she has just got down to doing the business, not wasting her #1 seed, and seemingly continuing to show the progress which was clear on the grass, now on.
+39 net points already, and a big haul of 32 more on offer in the final, back this up next week and things are looking promising moving in to USO.

You could question the scheduling, I suppose, not trying for the WTA's, but the post Wimbledon events are often pretty thankless basket case affairs with results going to no sort of identifiable form (well done to Johanna Larsson in Bastad though, a nice story after so long, and 2 previous unsuccessful finals at her home event), and then are far flung and can be exhausting and disruptive for no reward.

I'm not sure whether Jo is staying in the states from now until Flushing Meadows, but it's entirely possible, and, by my reckoning, that would be a sensible schedule.
A shame that the WTA Internationals on the road to USO this year -are crazy - Washington is, Serena aside, arguably stronger than Premier Stanford in the same week; New Haven looks set to have at least 5 top 10 (ish) players in it.

It's not as though there's much choice for a player at her level - the month of August, the global ITF calendar for women has only 4 events in total above $25K! And, two of those are carry overs from the last week of July. Which, as often noted, is crazy, and a huge problem.
So, staying on for Lexington, and then Vancouver is about as good as you could get and probably more chances of wins, with decent points, and building the confidence heading in to the big one.

A R1 win at USO would cover everything Jo has counting until the end of the year.

Onwards!

philwrig · Hall of fame

Nice post, I think it's part of my strong belief that this is just a stepping stone for Jo, and together with the weak field, she was the overwhelming favourite to win this week, certainly once Laura had knocked out Osaka, so maybe that's why there hasn't been a huge number of posts.

Here's an interesting poser.

6 months ago when Judy picked her FedCup team for 2015, Jo was picked because there was no alternative, she was still a long way ahead of our number 3, but a long behind Hev. It seemed that in 2016 assuming Laura returned fit and healthy, that there would be a straight swap between Jo and Laura. However now and assuming Jo continues to perform well, who does Judy pick for Fed Cup duties ? Does she split up her formidable specialist doubles pairing, or does she make a tough choice choosing 2 from Hev, Jo and Laura. Tough one !!

-- Edited by philwrig on Saturday 25th of July 2015 06:55:26 PM

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Jo is the No.1 seed and in good form, so she probably should be winning this event, but sometimes that is easier said than done. She is winning and winning easily this week and it probably justifies her schedule. I think I said as her first match started, ideally she should be playing a WTA event but the right event just isn't there at this time of the season, so doing well in a $50k is the next best thing.

There is still quite a lot of water to flow under the bridge until Judy has to pick a Fed Cup team again, but if everyone is fit and well I think Anna would be the unlucky one to miss out despite Joss and Anna being the star players this year.

-- Edited by tony_orient on Saturday 25th of July 2015 07:21:32 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

I agree, tough, but if Hev, Laura and Jo are all well and in decent form I would revert to my general preference of 3 specialist singles players for the week ( covering for the week is a bit different from one-off matches over two days ), in these players' case 3 players that offer good doubles options too. The problem last time was the options re any third singles player, so going with just two plus Joss and Anna made more sense.

When push then comes to shove, Joss would likely get the nod over Anna.

-- Edited by indiana on Saturday 25th of July 2015 08:19:18 PM

Peter too · Tennis legend

tony_orient wrote:
Jo is the No.1 seed and in good form, so she probably should be winning this event, but sometimes that is easier said than done. She is winning and winning easily this week and it probably justifies her schedule. I think I said as her first match started, ideally she should be playing a WTA event but the right event just isn't there at this time of the season, so doing well in a $50k is the next best thing.

-- Edited by tony_orient on Saturday 25th of July 2015 07:21:32 PM

She is in the qualifiers list of the Citi Open in Washington on 3rd August.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Final is at 16:30 UK time

F: Johanna KONTA (GBR) [1] 126 vs. Stephanie FORETZ(FRA) 194 [3] (CH: 62 02/2003)
H2H: 1-2 (as below, apologies for lazy pic copy/paste)

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

tony_orient wrote:
JoKo wins 6-0 7-5 and into the final!

Well done Jo biggrin

GL in the final

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Anyone know where I can get the dubs scores please?

airsmashers · County player

scores.itftennis.com/