Week 16 - WTA Premier - Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart (GER) (Clay)

philwrig · Hall of fame

Week 16 - WTA Premier - Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart (GER) (Clay)

Julia Carrot · All-time great

philwrig wrote:
It's not looking too good, ALF is good on clay, think she made a bit of a breakthrough at last years FO, whilst Jo a bit like in Mexico not at her best and not on her preferred surface.

But she seems to be getting the hang of this clay stuff as the match progresses.

An indoor clay court IS a weird thing, is it not ?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

But outside clay courts have to be shut for 3 months of the year (unless you live in a very mild climate) so if you didn't have any inside ones there'd be no way to play on clay for most people.

(Cue the Classic Clay man to post his link......

)

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

It's all a bit of a tale of two serves so far for Jo.
1st serve good: 71% in, 84% won.
2nd serve vulnerable: 38% won.

Friedsam breaks.

3-6 3-4*

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

ALF wins 3-6 3-6

That's about the score I was expecting.
Hopefully we build towards winning a round or two at Madrid and Roland Garros.
My expectations are low, and anything gained on clay at this level for the first time is a bonus.
Onwards! Still doubles to get some match practice in.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Not to be for Jo today, but I suspect she'll peak for the FO, and then for what should be a grass season to remember.

philwrig · Hall of fame

insomniacfolder wrote:
ALF wins 3-6 3-6

That's about the score I was expecting.
Hopefully we build towards winning a round or two at Madrid and Roland Garros.
My expectations are low, and anything gained on clay at this level for the first time is a bonus.
Onwards! Still doubles to get some match practice in.

Should have had a bet ! ALF was a solid underdog with the bookies for this one, but I agree not a surprising result, but I thought it would have been much tighter.

tony_orient · ATP qualifying

Jo still a bit of an unknown quantity on clay, and she has started each part of the season slowly (before building to highly impressive results in the big events) so not a surprise.

I'm sure her clay results will improve over the course of the clay swing, but not sure to what level.

-- Edited by tony_orient on Monday 18th of April 2016 03:06:56 PM

cwej · Lower Club Player

I think clay is always going to be a struggle for Konta. She'll be looking forward to the grass season right now I reckon!

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Jo phlegmatic and sanguine, as ever, after the match:
I think that is always to be expected first match on clay, I think it's not easy for anyone. I think she did a better job than I did today dealing with the conditions. So, I'm happy I'm involved in doubles here. So, I'm looking forward to that, just all the matches I can get going into Roland Garros on the clay is an added bonus. This was my first match on clay since last year, so for about a year, so, I just need to go a little easy on myself and also keep looking forward and keep enjoying the challenge of continuously trying to improve.

Priesty · Challenger level

Thought it might be worth mentioning that Pliskova only got 2 more games off Dodin in the FQR than Laura did. Perhaps not quite as bad as it looked after all.

-- Edited by Priesty on Monday 18th of April 2016 11:12:32 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

I get the impression that Jo's two strongest weapons, serve and backhand cross, will be neutralised by the slowness of the clay.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Priesty wrote:
Thought it might be worth mentioning that Pliskova only got 2 more games off Dodin in the FQR than Laura did. Perhaps not quite as bad as it looked after all.

That's good to know. I don't think it was so much the scoreline that bothered me about Laura, more the DF/UEs.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

paulisi wrote:
I get the impression that Jo's two strongest weapons, serve and backhand cross, will be neutralised by the slowness of the clay.

Good point. I'm not sure how good a mover she is, or how fit.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Jo's doubles is under way, and streams available.
*1-0

Understandably, in the wake of their Fed Cup heroics, this all seems a bit like it's after the Lord Mayor's Show for Kiki & Caro. I think Jo & Laura have a real chance here for the upset.
*3-0

The Anglo-German alliance got to 5-1 and then the French class started to rise and they clawed a little back, but Jo & Laura, both playing well, saw it home, breaking Mladenovic for the opening set.
6-3

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 19th of April 2016 05:50:30 PM