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

DF · Tennis legend

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

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Both opening games of set 2 could easily have gone against serve, with multiple break point chances in each, but each time the servers eventually prevailed.
Overshadowed by her shining singles breakthrough and achievements, mostly unremarked has been how Jo has quietly gotten steadily better on the doubles court, sh seems to have worked hard on her understanding of the dynamics of the form, and if she's not exactly natural at it, the difference from 2-3 years ago is marked, because, and I say this with all the love in the world, she used to be awful
6-3 *1-1

The French eke out a break advantage, in which Kiki played a frankly laws-of-physics-defying pass and understandably couldn't stop beaming with how she pleased she was with herself.
6-3 2-3*

...and the Gallic chums, thus galvanised, kept their quality noticably improved, to claim the second. Jo & Laura +3 in the match points differential.
MTB it is!
6-3 3-6

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Tuesday 19th of April 2016 06:26:04 PM

LordBrownof · Futures level

Who is coaching them both? Interesting to see...

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

LordBrownof wrote:
Who is coaching them both? Interesting to see...

I don't know, he sounded British to me though.

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

MTB
0-0*
*1-0 Garcia drives at Siegemund who can't respond.
*1-1 Excellent pass DTL from Kiki
1-2*
2-2* Jo hit the net post on return, almost deflected on to the base line for a winner, but not quite.
*3-2
*3-3 Jo Backhand overhead put away angled volley from a Mladenovic lob
4-3* García long when she had a reasonable DTL chance.
5-3*
*6-3 Laura cuts off a drive at the net it loops up and just drops wide.
*6-4 Good serve rom Jo, forced floated return, Laura kills it.
7-4* Netted FH return from Siegemund
7-5* Second change, still with an advantage. Fantastic winner into the corner on the run out wide from Kiki.
*7-6 Tense. After 8 shots cross court back and forth with Laura, Caroline changes the direction and fires at Jo's FH volley, which nets. All square.
*7-7 Clinical cut off from García at the net from a Siegemund drive. Need to stop this flow, quickly
7-8* But can't

7-9* Good serve from García, Jo does well to get a good return back, Laura moves far too early, and Caroline DTL into plenty of space
7-10

insomniacfolder · Challenger level

Very easily could have won that, but the French are a very good pair, and got more energised as the match and saved their best for the final moments.
Shame. Creditable showing against very good opponents.

R1: Johanna KONTA/Laura SIEGEMUND (GBR/GER) lost to vs. Kristina MLADENOVIC.Caroline GARCÍA (FRA/FRA) [2] 23 6-3 3-6 [7-10]

indiana · Tennis legend

Pity couldn't eke out the win in what looks a really good performance, and Jo's doubles has indeed really come on in the last year or so, Since she was defending 80 points this week she will undoubtedly drop out of the doubles top 100, but clearly that is not exactly her priority. Any further match on clay would have been good though.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 19th of April 2016 10:48:22 PM