Week 23 - WTA International ($250K) - Nottingham, UK - Grass

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Week 23 - WTA International ($250K) - Nottingham, UK - Grass

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Katie dropping the ball short very often, and hitting generally pretty high over the net; loopy and inviting for Zhang, 0-6 *0-3
Both Pliskova's have lost their first sets back on grass!

-- Edited by AliBlahBlah on Monday 6th of June 2016 01:30:47 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Presumably Katie played much better than this in her first two matches....

LordBrownof · Futures level

So much for my prediction that she'd do well today!

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

She must have. She's barely played a good shot so far, let alone a good point. Everything just seems way out of kilter for some reason. She wouldn't have won the other matches playing like this.
But, serving to stay alive at 0-6 *0-5, Katie finally found some fist serves, a few aces, and got on the board to avoid the double bagel. Just.

Katie loses 0-6 1-6

Not an altogether unexpected scoreline, but the performance will be massively disappointing. On the bright side, it seems unlikely everything that was mis-firing today can be in that bad shape on a general basis, otherwise she'd never win matches. So hopefully they can diagnose whatever technical things collapsed today and right it.

PaulM · Tennis legend

That was brutal. Very glad she saved a couple of double bagel points to get a game at least.

Shame to end such a brilliant couple of days with a big bump, but onwards! She can be very pleased with her exerts over the weekend and a nice jump up the rankings next Monday.

wimdledont · Challenger level

A little rally from Katie at the end, with a couple of aces to stave off a double bagel, 0-6, 1-6

With Katie taking a toilet break after a 20 minute first set, I'd suspect she may have a stomach issue today.

14 ranking points to add to her existing tally of 23 is a very good return on the week for her. Should move up around 120 rankings places next week.

LordBrownof · Futures level

PaulM wrote:
That was brutal. Very glad she saved a couple of double bagel points to get a game at least.

Shame to end such a brilliant couple of days with a big bump, but onwards! She can be very pleased with her exerts over the weekend and a nice jump up the rankings next Monday.

That's true, Savchuk was her biggest rankings win in 2016 by about 100 places so nothing to be sniffed at.

Strongbow · All-time great

I think Katie has done really well this week. She is not long back in rankings after a year out and her 14 pts here are her best haul since returning.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

paulisi wrote:
I'm sure she would like to draw Vekic again.

Let's hope so because that's who she's got.

Laura gets Michelle Larcher De Brito as Konjuh withdrew

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

I'm a little more hopeful for Laura then - I just hope she can take advantage of it. Gutted for Katie, but two rounds of qualies not to be sniffed at.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Laura really should win that.

If Tara can beat Vekic again that would be fantastic.

wimdledont · Challenger level

Notts Post has a liveblog running...

www.nottinghampost.com/Nottingham-Open-tennis-Live/story-29365596-detail/story.html

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

More amazing luck for Laura. Though Michelle did beat 'pova at Wimbledon that one time.
Developments so far and updated rankings:

FQ: (WC) Katie BOULTER (GBR) 724 lost to Kai-Lin ZHANG (CHN) [Q1] 115 0-6 1-6
FQ: (WC) Tara MOORE (GBR) 280 defeated Shuko AOYAMA (JPN) 246 6-2 6-2

R1: (Q) Tara MOORE (GBR) 280 v. Donna VEKIC (CRO) 111 (CH 62 Jul. 2013)
> H2H 1-0
> 016 Eastbourne $50K, Grass, Moore by 6-3 2-6 6-1
R1: (WC) Laura ROBSON (GBR) 308 v. (Q) Michelle LARCHER DE BRITO (POR) 249 (CH 76 Jul. 2009)

R1: Joanna KONTA (GBR) [2] 18 defeated (SR) Victoria DUVAL (USA) 580 6-3 6-0

wimdledont · Challenger level

Freya up next.

Zheng is up into the top 20 for doubles, but has lost her last 7 singles matches. Hopefully Freya has benefitted from advice from Naomi and Jo, who have both beaten her this year.