johnnylad wrote:

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Apparently Harriet defends 30 from Eastbourne R2 last year?

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 I saw that too - on a 'respected site'

But I'm sure she lost in R1 last year.....

OK, I realise that not everyone will agree and it sound harsh but...

Assuming normal circumstances, I thought Freya played a slightly daft match yesterday.

And given her back problems and cold, she played a REALLY daft match.

And, although that ultimately is down to her, I think her coach really failed her.

She was gutsy, and came very close, it's true. BUT....

Her opponent is simply a duracell-powered engine on legs. Decent ground shots. Weak/very weak serve. But her USP is simply court coverage and percentage tennis.

How does anyone with a bad back/breathing problems, AND with all the power/prowess Freya has to call upon, think she's going to beat her one metre behind the baseline?

Freya attacked really hard - from one metre back. Took on the ball. And had Ozaki in all kinds of trouble. But all she had to do, ultimately, was loop it up or float it back, give herself enough time to scamper back, and keep on going, pink bunny style, knowing she risked nothing.

Freya didn't once step in on the serve and take it early. And it was begging for it. Nor really ever in the rally. And she never came into the net, or even half-way in, and took the ball out of the air, when she had Ozaki at full stretch and she floated it back. She just kept on attacking with full strength from way back, doing Lord knows what damage to her back, making the points ultra long, and ultimately paying the price.

As a coach, it would have been reasonable (although still slightly short-sighted but reasonable nonetheless) to say 'go out, at 5-5, play your game, you can win it in two'. But then to say, 'however, IF you end up losing the second set, this is Plan B, because a third set, playing like that'll kill you. And there's an easy and obvious alternative'.

I know she came within a point of winning it, but I'd say the same even if she won (and say she dodged a bullet). Because it was plain bad tactics, in my view.

She was crying her eyes out, poor love, and my heart went out to her. But I don't know what her coach was thinking of.

Didn;t see any of Lisa, got moved to another court and was engrossed in the matches I was watching.

Katie's was a heartbreaker. She played some lovely stuff.

Although the 5-0 up in the second was mainly due to Peterson playing terribly. In tennis meltdown.
But when Katie served for it first time, she was a tiny bit tight, Peterson woke up, and everyone knew it was match on, despite the score.

And it was close all the way. With Katie playing miles better than her ranking, which is wonderful to see.

Again, on coach bashing trend, though, I would like to highlight JoKo's coach who supposedly, at key points yesterday, was shouting to JoKo:

'Be brave !'

as against Bates who's advice on match points and other key points is:

'margin, margin', 'be solid' and - even - 'make her play'

(This is the man known for one of the biggest chokes in Davis Cup history, of course :www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis-britains-day-of-doom-as-bates-fails-the-home-team-capitulate-to-pair-of-novice-romanian-davis-1414174.html)

That's the sort of advice you give 10 year-olds. And it wasn't what she needed.

But it was a great event for her, surely so much better than she could have expected. So well done !

I agree CD, Freya was playing in a way which didn't protect, or mitigate, the back problem at all.

She fought her absolute heart out and it was a miracle she even got to match point, but unless she hit a service winner or got something with her first strike she was, as you say, blasting from well behind the baseline. She got down on herself for missing lots at the end of the second set, but that was because she was being drawn into long rallies then going for a winner from too far back or simply breaking down after 10-12 shots.

Ozaki was a wall, but as you say her defence was often quite floaty, so as quick as she was there were a few balls to be plucked out the air. Freya didn't do that enough, and then on the one match point she did move in to smack a short backhand, she went wide.

Tactically it just didn't make sense, especially when she was hurting. She needed to shorten the points and she could have done by stepping in a bit more, she had Ozaki running side to side but then never moved forward to move it off, so up went a loopy ball or a deep slice, and it was start all over again.

Poor thing, I really felt for her. She dug out some big serves serving for it but not when she really needed them on the match points.

Harriet played pretty smart.

Today's OOP seems to now be limited to courts 6, 11 & 12; so Harriet appears to be stood down until tomorrow

It does sound a really good few days. Think I need to give myself a wee London holiday next year inclusive of Wimbledon Qualifying. May the sun shine.