Australian Open 2016 - Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

RE: Australian Open 2016 - Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

Overall a decent quality match but one Heather absolutely should have won in straight sets.

Babos much more consistent than usual, no surprise shes taking out her career high. Looks in good shape and she didn't have massive messy periods that we usually expect. Shenzen not a flash in the plan obviously.

So Hev out 6-7 7-5 7-5. Just couldn't get her serve firing consistently enough in the last few service games. Gutted for her but she backed off at the crunch and paid the price. The second serve at 30-15 in the final game was club level stuff.

Time to rebuild the ranking up. Missed opportunity but Babos played well and absolutely grabbed the opportunity Heather gave her at *5-4 second set.

Period between now and the clay so important.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

What to do for a player that doesn't have the natural weight of shot to end points quickly? Or, at least, quicker?
Many times Heather had winning positions in well constructed points, hit a decent shot deep, but it wasn't a winner which it would have been for so many other players with more power or timing. Nanos is not known for her defence.
Giorgi is about the same height and size, but she has the howitzer arm, which Heather does not.
Heather has become more aggressive, and could maybe go farther in that regard, but without the natural power it might not make much difference. What would?

JoKo second on Rod Laver tomorrow - clashing, most likely, with Andy & Dan elsewhere.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Just to put in context how difficult a patch Heather has had, take off Indian Wells points and she's somewhere around 98-102.

She's going to Acapulco after Fed Cup. As is Jo.

Difficult to know what to do when you are playing well and losing, but both against Larsson and Babos she had the chance to close. Lacking a bit of faith which hopefully the Fed Cup atmosphere will bring. As number 2 she'll have pretty weak opposition in the group.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

In advance that one looked too close to call and so it proved; no disgrace at all in that loss but feel gutted for Heather :(

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

GSM Babos 6-7(4) 7-5 7-5

Jan · Hall of fame

oh cry

-- Edited by Jan on Monday 18th of January 2016 11:14:35 AM

Strongbow · All-time great

Drat and double drat cry

Spectator · All-time great

Indeed. On to the doubles.

savva0122 · Intermediate Club Player

Didn't see the match so difficult too critical, reports said she had a big wobble- of a concern given a bit of a record of this now, serena, Larsson and Babos. She needs to get this monkey off her back pretty quick.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Just saw the repeat of the match on Eurosport - overall pretty high quality match for the most part until both players were more up and down in the third set due to tiredness more than anything. Heather didn't play badly at all but she will be disappointed mainly that she couldn't just find a bit more at the end of sets 2 and 3.

indiana · Tennis legend

Looks like Jo will kick off tonight's proceedings for the Brits.

Garbine Muguruza ( good memories there for Jo ) is currently 6-0 3-1* up on Annett Kontaveit on Rod Laver.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 19th of January 2016 12:57:45 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

Muguruza wins 6-0 6-4

Go Jo !

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, though they're likely to switch to Andy soon.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Match is showing on Eurosport2.