Week 12 - WTA Premier ($6.1M) - Miami, USA Hard

Grachka · County player

Week 12 - WTA Premier ($6.1M) - Miami, USA Hard

Mervatron · Masters Series Champion

Phew. That was close.

Forehand deserted her today but she still managed to find a way.

Gary Denton · Intermediate Club Player

Excellent win from Jo. Toughed it out brilliantly. Sad for Elena, who just lost her nerve in the crucial ninth point of the breaker. Great match

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

I got tense there even watching on LS. Well done Jo.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Brilliant job Jo :D :D :D

Julia Carrot · All-time great

It was a good match. I enjoyed it.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Forget Vesnina's official current ranking of 96, the Russian played miles better than that. Better even than when she won the title in Edgbaston, or was at her peak. I've only ever seen her play better on Fed Cup duty for Russia.

All of which is a way of saying that this was a really good, hard fought victory for Jo.
Massive! R16 at her first attempt in Miami!
GB has 12.5% of the ladies remaining

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Really enjoyable game some great tennis from both players in the last set
Bring on the last 16

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Sunday 27th of March 2016 10:18:48 PM

nicofrance · Strong Club Player

Excellent win for Johanna, Vesnina can be very difficult to play when she's in form firing winners from all over the place. My nerves were shredded when Vesnina came back in that third set. Johanna did brilliantly to hold herself together and come through that match.

Now she has to play Niculescu which is a totally different scenario, hopefully she can get some tips from Heather about how to cope with that bizarre game!

Peter too · Tennis legend

R3: WATSON, Heather (GBR) WC 69 def WICKMAYER, Yanina (BEL) 47 3-6 7-5 6-3
R3: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 24 23 def VESNINA, Elena (RUS) Q 96 4-6 6-1 7-6(3)

R4: WATSON, Heather (GBR) WC 69 v HALEP, Simona () 5 5 CH=2 2014
H2H 0-2
US Open 2013 6-4 4-6 2-6
French Open 2014 2-6 4-6

R4: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 24 23 v NICULESCU, Monica (ROU) 33 CH=28 2012
H2H 0-1
Nottingham 2015 2-6 6-2 2-6

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Only 4 players who can possibly overtake Jo at #21 in the live rankings this week now...

Fingers crossed Niculescu doesn't bamboozle her as she did Heather at Indian Wells :)

-- Edited by vohor on Sunday 27th of March 2016 10:33:22 PM

Strongbow · All-time great

Wel done Johanna biggrin biggrin biggrin

steven · Tennis legend

Miami WTA started in 1985. In the first 31 years, only one Brit ever made it to the last 16 (Jo Durie in 1988), now two have managed it in the same year!

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Enjoyed watching that, lots of momentum changes. Elena defo the better player in 1st set and Jo the better in set 2, but both really on song in the decider - so exciting!

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Both in action on Court 1 today: Heather first up at 3.55pm BST, Jo 3rd up with a men's match in between.

Thanks for that last post, Steven; these are halcyon days :D