Week 24 - WTA Premier ($846K) - Birmingham, UK - Grass

paulisi · Tennis legend

RE: Week 24 - WTA Premier ($846K) - Birmingham, UK - Grass

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Grachka wrote:
My suspicion is that Lepchenko was not representative, as she has been out a few weeks and was never particularly good on grass or have a game suited to it.

I hoped that that wasn't the case, but I guess it is. Ah well onwards and upwards (hopefully) I guess.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

I'm hopeful Heather can take the 55 points against Giorgi who is having a poor trot at the moment...68 on the Road to Singapore against Heather 44.
Fingers crossed Naomi can find her singles form this week.
Excellent that Jo and Tara are no longer meeting; all 4 getting through to R2 no longer impossible :)

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

I was there today and yesterday. From the moment of the first ball struck in the extended warm up to begin this rain delayed match, Laura Robson did not resemble the player who played yesterday. Yesterday was characterised by dynamic, aggressive groundstrokes, hit with conviction. Today there was no sign of it, it was like someone had flicked a switch and a different person had stepped out to play.

In the warm up, Siniakova was hitting imressive flat aggressive groundies whilst Laura was hitting much of nothing, just knocking it around, even when the ball sat up for her. After several minutes of this, i was surprised but not concerned, thinking this is how she warms up and she'll transform into the confident, aggressive, powerful player i saw yesterday, once the match starts.

But in essence, she never transformed, never impressed and never threatened. With respect to Siniakova, forget her, her game style or where she is ranked. For me, the story of this match was only about what was and wasn't seen on Robson's side of the net.
Whatever confidence and fire was inside Robson yesterday, today we saw barely a waft of smoke. It's not the scoreline that's disappointing. It's the way she played. There weren't any moments for c'mon Laura's, she was showing nothing to bring the crowd in and make them believe. She was meek, when yesterday she was bold.

At the end of the match, while strolling off court, eyes ahead or to the ground, she quietly, briefly, shock her head to herself in her understated way. And that moment is essentially the one I'm trying to relay and account for here .

briteny · Intermediate Club Player

Let give Laura a little bit more time to gain back her confidence.....

philwrig · Hall of fame

Slightly worrying I'd say, because it sounds what you're saying is that she was underpowered today, hit very few winners. At least at Notts last week, she was hitting with conviction, it's just 1/2 the balls were going out. Anyway hopefully just an off day, and no injury niggle in the wrist.

Miriambee · Futures level

paulisi wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Anyone likely to be in attendance tomorrow? I'll be there and possibly Tuesday too.
maybe - subject to forecast and OOP. I was going to chose between Ilkley and Edgbaston at last minute

I'm only going to Edgbaston if the weather's OK, however the forecast for the next few days is terrible.

Priesty · Challenger level

Miriambee wrote:
paulisi wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Anyone likely to be in attendance tomorrow? I'll be there and possibly Tuesday too.
maybe - subject to forecast and OOP. I was going to chose between Ilkley and Edgbaston at last minute
I'm only going to Edgbaston if the weather's OK, however the forecast for the next few days is terrible.

Seek me out if you do happen to go, I'm most likely to be in a green t-shirt on stand D on centre court.

-- Edited by Priesty on Monday 13th of June 2016 07:13:28 AM

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Thanks for the report skibbarriz.

That's really interesting. I guess when we see Robbo on the telly etc she knows that she's being watched by lots of people. Maybe that's what they mean by a big court player. Even last week, she was at least in the man draw. But qualies? I guess that hasn't floated her boat from what you have said. This is understandable but disappointing and worrying, as these sort of situations are exactly what she is going to be experiencing once the grass court season is over.

I still entertain a hope that she will get another win before she's off the green stuff, but my hope of a decent return before the US swing is fast diminishing.

Miriambee · Futures level

Priesty wrote:
Miriambee wrote:
paulisi wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Anyone likely to be in attendance tomorrow? I'll be there and possibly Tuesday too.
maybe - subject to forecast and OOP. I was going to chose between Ilkley and Edgbaston at last minute
I'm only going to Edgbaston if the weather's OK, however the forecast for the next few days is terrible.
Seek me out if you do happen to go, I'm most likely to be in a green t-shirt on stand D on centre court.

-- Edited by Priesty on Monday 13th of June 2016 07:13:28 AM

Cheers, Priesty, had to change my plans this morning so unable to go now. Hope weather stays OK.

The Optimist · ATP qualifying

Helen40 wrote:
Thanks for the report skibbarriz.

That's really interesting. I guess when we see Robbo on the telly etc she knows that she's being watched by lots of people. Maybe that's what they mean by a big court player. Even last week, she was at least in the man draw. But qualies? I guess that hasn't floated her boat from what you have said. This is understandable but disappointing and worrying, as these sort of situations are exactly what she is going to be experiencing once the grass court season is over.

I still entertain a hope that she will get another win before she's off the green stuff, but my hope of a decent return before the US swing is fast diminishing.

Of course, if it's not wrist-related it could just be second match syndrome. Having been out for so long and having had relatively little success on her return, the first match of the tournament probably took as much emotional energy from her as a final might have done previously, resulting in her coming out the next day just flat and slow. Very much the same sort of thing as when a player gets a fantastic, unexpected win against a much stronger player and then goes down tamely the next day to weaker opposition. Still at least a win and earned points.

airsmashers · County player

Play has resumed

DF · Tennis legend

Heather's match up next

DF · Tennis legend

Hev wins the first set 6-4

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

The official stats they showed suggested Hev hit 33 winners and just 3 unforced errors in that set.
Can't say I agree with that interpretation, but she was solid and played some nice stuff.