Week 5 - ITF ($100K) - Midland, USA Hard

Strongbow · All-time great

RE: Week 5 - ITF ($100K) - Midland, USA Hard

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Shelby didn't play well. Neither did Naomi in the first set but 2nd set much better. Stream issues meant I didn't really enjoy the match.

After yesterday's performance I was wondering if Naomi should have a serious go on the clay this year; just to see if her aggressive approach could win matches. In the past I would have thought she'd be out of her depth but some of her matches this year make me wonder if she could be competitive in slower conditions against some top 100 players when she plays well. There's at least 2 WTA events that she would probably be main draw for and she would make qualies for Madrid and Rome. Partly because the alternative options don't appear as attractive as in previous years though the ITF have yet to list most of the May events. Got to play Roland Garros for the cash if nothing else.

wimdledont · Challenger level

Second biggest ranking points haul of her career, guaranteed. Win tomorrow, and it's the biggest; and her biggest ever title.

Mediocre on serve today - just a net plus 2 (aces minus DFs) in set1, net plus 3 in Set 2. She should be around +5 per set on a good day. Set 1 versus Gibbs was +9.

I think that playing moonballer Brengle may have been good for her. When backpedalling, she started yesterday, and continued today, to offer some alternatives to the resigned, sliced capitulation into the top of the net. Won several points on the subsequent UE from her opponent.

The whole match was on her racquet. Hasn't seen an opponent here yet with the weapons to trouble her. She's a bit too good for this lot, so far...

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I don't much too store by the aces figure in itself - it's a shame they don't give an 'aces plus service winners' figure - if you have a fast-reflexed returner, they might get the tip of the racquet on a lot of serves and you end up with practically zero aces, but all the service winners were as good as aces and, frankly, the same.

Really great week for Naomi, and Fitzy too !

Let's hope it just gets that little bit better.....

Strongbow · All-time great

One more win for a top 100 ranking smile

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
I don't much too store by the aces figure in itself - it's a shame they don't give an 'aces plus service winners' figure - if you have a fast-reflexed returner, they might get the tip of the racquet on a lot of serves and you end up with practically zero aces, but all the service winners were as good as aces and, frankly, the same.

Really great week for Naomi, and Fitzy too !

Let's hope it just gets that little bit better.....

Agree; against Brengle the aces figure was just the tip of the iceberg; the number of easy put aways teed up by a dominant serve far outweighed them; I was really impressed by Naomi's ready willingness to follow in behind even her second serves: yes she stuffed a few up but never seemed put off trying again next point. The pace on her blocked backhand return was also a revelation often whistling past Brengle before she could even move. I have high hopes that Naomi will be going deep inside the top 100 over the next few months :)

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Coup Droit wrote:
I don't much too store by the aces figure in itself - it's a shame they don't give an 'aces plus service winners' figure - if you have a fast-reflexed returner, they might get the tip of the racquet on a lot of serves and you end up with practically zero aces, but all the service winners were as good as aces and, frankly, the same.

This week (no data for Jaksic match as not screened):

Unreturned serves total per match/total serves and some other stats

Naomi 33/69 (18 aces, 3 first, 12 second) - Nicole Gibbs 22/72 (5 aces, 9 first, 8 second) - Naomi with more UEs but also more winners

Naomi 30/100 (18 aces, 8 first, 4 second) - Madison Brengle 22/118 (1 aces, 12 first, 9 second) - again Naomi with far more UEs but tons more winners (5 s+v, 1 s+s, 9 s, 6 v, 6 dv etc)

Naomi 23/59 (9 aces, 11 first, 3 second) - Shelby Rogers 16/67 (1 ace, 11 first, 4 second) - this time Shelby with more winners (12 v 9 not including aces), Naomi more UEs (23 v 18) but where Naomi scored well was aggressive shots that forced an error (20 v 4)

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

It is to be Robin Anderson in the final.
I watched her matches against both Sanford & Falconi.
Dangerous; good movement; good defence - will make Naomi hit extra balls; and maybe a high number of overheads - can be pushed back scrambling deep behind the baseline though; smart point construction.
An illustrious college career. Her UCLA squad were winners or runners up in the team championship in NCAA Div I in three of her four years in the squad, often due to her almost unparalleled, almost unblemished records in each of the four years.
Now that she is a full time tennis player, expect her to progress quickly towards the top 100.

SF: Naomi BROADY (GBR) 112 defeated Shelby ROGERS (USA) 151 7-6(5) 6-2

F: Naomi BROADY (GBR) 112 vs. (WC) Robin ANDERSON (USA) 280 (CH 277 12/2015)
H2H 2-1
2015 $25K Landisville, PA, USA - Hard - F - RA(Q) - NB won 4-6 6-4 7-6(5)
2013 $25K Landisville, PA, USA - Hard - R16 - RA(WC) - RA won 1-6 6-4 6-4
2011 US Open, USA - Hard - QR1 - RA(WC) - NB won 7-6(2) 7-5

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Their match in the 2015 Landisville final was a good one and very close, though if Naomi plays like she did in the second set today it should be enough to win.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Warming up for the doubles on (the much improved in quality compared to earlier) stream now.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

You know, I think that if Grace Min stood on Lauren davis' shoulders, together they still wouldn't be as tall as Naomi.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

After 8 minutes, already *3-0

Strongbow · All-time great

insomniacfolder wrote:
You know, I think that if Grace Min stood on Lauren davis' shoulders, together they still wouldn't be as tall as Naomi.

If all 3 of the other girls tried they might just get there - nice start smile

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

5*-0

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

6-0 in 17 minutes. They lost just 8 points.