Heather with a super backhand down the line winner on route to 15-40. Caroline saves both with an ace followed by a decent serve that creates the opening for a forehand winner. Heather just wide with a backhand. *0-1
Woz more aggressive forehand down the line. Heather responds with a smash for 15-15. Watson backhand down the line winner. Heather nets a forehand 30-30. Woz's nothing forehand gives Heather the chance to strike a forehand down the line winner. Caroline's deep shot gets it back to 40-40 then a forehand winner for bp. Heather big serve finished by a smash 40-40. df 40-A. Heather's aggressive forehand is called out (replay suggests probably the right call) 0-2*
Heather forehand winner for 15-15. Caroline dumps a backhand in the net 15-40. Heather with a decent return, Caroline unwisely aims over the high part of the net and fails to make it *1-2
Ace. Unreturned first serve for 30-15. Caroline pushes a backhand wide 40-15. More chasing around the court ends with Heather easing the ball into the space 2-2
Heather dictating the play 0-30. Woz with 2 backhand unforced errors loses her serve to love *3-2
Caroline playing as if she has a sponsor engagement to attend tomorrow 4-2*
Woz holds to love in a game that belongs in a totally different match, big serves and aggressive play 4-3*
Watson retrieving anything Woz throws at her. Ugly final point from Caroline, 2nd serve return missing the doubles tramlines. Not won a point in the last 2 return games. 5-3*
For once Woz wins a long rally with a super forehand. Heather goes long as Caroline holds to love *5-4
Ace. Short angle forehand followed by forehand down the line winner 30-0 long rally this time Caroline torments Heather 30-15. Rally Heather goes wide 30-30 Woz backhand down the line called out (looked more in to me). Caroline takes aim on a forehand down the line, misses by miles 6-4
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Both players have great speed around the court. Heather was prepared to attack as well as chase balls down. Whenever Caroline switched to a more aggressive approached, her ground-strokes soon let her down, causing her to switch back to keeping the ball in play. Watson had both a well thought-out plan and super execution; Woz had neither.
-- Edited by kundalini on Saturday 5th of March 2016 04:46:27 AM
Well that's two matches in a row that Heather has closed out confidently, and while the match against Hercog seemed to be because of a capitulation from her opponent, this was Heather playing her best tennis to the end!
I think that's Hev's first ever win against a former world #1 (at the twelfth attempt).
She joins Laura, Johanna & Naomi in the ever expanding club of current GB players to have achieved that feat.
Good to see Hevs response to potentially becoming GB no 3! Can't have Naomi breaking into the federation cup squad! Fantastic win for Hev, very pleased for her although I am sure she's pretty chuffed herself. Another win and she can go crazy and treat herself to a new coach or has that been sorted?? If so perhaps just a racquet and a pair of flash trainers.