Week 31 - WTA International ($227K) - Florianopolis, Brazil Hard

the addict · Tennis legend

Week 31 - WTA International ($227K) - Florianopolis, Brazil Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

The draw was too good to be true. Can't believe it.

The girls lose 61 06 10-7. That was a real oopportunity missed.

I blooming hate MTBs. I suspect Em isn't too thrilled about them just now either.

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 1st of August 2016 02:23:21 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

Certainly Em's emotions must be getting twisted one way then another. That did look a big 60 points opportunity

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: WEBLEY-SMITH, Emily (GBR) LL 549 v HIBINO, Nao (JPN) 7 75
H2H 0-1 Nanning 2014 2-6 2-6

PaulM · Tennis legend

Em v Nao first on tomorrow but again the unstreamed court.

Couple of photos show her with new taping on her left thigh.

Strongbow · All-time great

Nicely done Em smile

PaulM · Tennis legend

If you watch the Ostapenko stream (because you know, there's gonna be some drama) you can just see a bit of Em's match in the top and can sort of work out what's going on.

She drifted a return wide on break point, but took the second. Looks like she's throwing a ton of junk and Nao was missing.

Nao breaks straight back to 30 after a dodgy serve/volley attempt and a forehand long.

1-1*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Breaks to 30 after a nice volley

*2-1

Balloons a forehand wide on game point and Nao breaks back with two return winners

2-2*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Em hauls herself from 0-40* to deuce, and gets 3 break points, but Nao holds on after several deuces.

*2-3

More competitive than I was expecting but suspect Nao will start to pull away after holding on to that game

PaulM · Tennis legend

From 30-0 to 30-40, but Em digs and gets her first hold

3-3*

And Nao holds from 15-30 after a drop shot goes awry.

*3-4

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 1st of August 2016 01:43:16 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Em goes down 0-40, saves two, then goes wide on the third

3-5*

PaulM · Tennis legend

And Nao serves out to 15.

Shame she couldn't break at 2-2*, but made a decent fist of it.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Second set disappearing at quite a pace, broken on a double fault

0-3*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Em saves two break points, but then doubles to hand Nao a third which is taken.

Saves a match point, but Nao gets another and it's over and out. GSM Nao 63 60.

Had a few opportunities early on with points for 3-1* and *3-2, but it ran away pretty quickly as you would suspect with the rankings gap. But a boost to the coffers at least, and hopefully, despite the deep disappointment of the doubles yesterday, she feels the stress of getting to Brazil was worthwhile for that brief moment of joy on Saturday evening. Hopefully the return trip will be a bit more relaxed!

Nao meanwhile, is capping off a superb 18 months with a trip to Rio to play for Japan. Great achievement.

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 1st of August 2016 02:30:25 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well done, Em.

Fortune favours the brave.

That's 2,100 dollars for today (on top of the 1k or so in the qualis, and an OK bit for the doubles).

Plus some good points.

All in all, a very good effort.

As before, the French guy I quote said, although he never really got anywhere of note in the rankings, the only regret he had about his career was not rolling the dice and trying more higher-ranked tournaments and instead spending all his time grafting for bubkes in the ITFs and occasional small challenger. Otherwise, you'll never know how you might have done if you don't ever give yourself a chance.