Week 35 - US Open Main Draw Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

Week 35 - US Open Main Draw Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

Heather Watson is, very sadly, just not at a top 100 level just now. Coaching situation definitely not helping things, she's totally bemused about what to do.

Hogenkamp is miles behind the baseline and not remotely troubled. Heather missing by huge margins, second serve very weak (when it goes in).

2-5*

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Is Heather's racquet a contributory factor? That Babolat racquet, with full poly strings? She's not Nadal.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Saddest thing is Heather doesn't even looks like she has interest in turning this around. No fire, no heart, no fight. Just going through the motions, swinging at the ball, ballooning it out, then trudging over to the other side of the court.

2-6

Sad to watch, this isn't the Heather we know and love. Come on girl, dig deep cry

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 30th of August 2016 03:41:31 PM

airsmashers · County player

Heather doubled over in her chair, calling for the trainer.

Jan · Hall of fame

oh no.
Only have a quarted of an eye on the match.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Heather now called for trainer. Would explain the listlessness. Doubling over slightly at changeover between sets. Stomach cramps.....?

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Heather sits hunched over, head bowed, devoid of energy as both trainer and doctor attend.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Crying her wee heart out. Poor thing. Says it's breathing issues.

Could it just be anxiety?

They keep talking about the heat but it's only (he says) high twenties and humidity isn't ridiculous. Certainly not as extreme conditions as the girls have been playing in in some of the lead-up events (including Landisville). They play in comparable conditions year round, so I'd be quite surprised if the heat had knocked her flat.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 30th of August 2016 03:45:27 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

To be fair to Heather, yes her form has gone away, but she has not so far this year lost to a single player outside the top 100 ( and may that yet continue ! ) suggesting she would be OK against challenger level players.

Sakkari WR 94 at the Olympics is the lowest ranked player she has lost to so yes that is recent, but still top 100.

2016:

vs top 50 : won 7 lost 10
vs 51 - 100 : won 6 lost 9
vs 100 + : won 7, lost 0
Total : won 20, lost 19

For much of the year she was about 50/50 in both the top 50 & 51-100 categorues and her then race position of about #50 seemed to perfectly fairly represent this.

So yes she has lost form but it would be untrue to suggest that she has been losing to players anywhere near Hogenkamp's ranking at all, let alone generally ( alhough I do see that this year she has only previously played two players in the 101-200 range ).

The worrying thing is though certainly the general trend in her results and competitiveness within matches.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 30th of August 2016 04:05:26 PM

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

Heather still lovely enough to say thank you to both doctor and physio

PaulM · Tennis legend

Dug out a hold from 15-40. Just has to try and hang tough for as long as can here.

Feel for her, when your confidence is taking a bit of a hit last thing you need is extra barriers to overcome.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 30th of August 2016 03:53:47 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Broken from game point and doesn't look like recovering

*1-3

PaulM · Tennis legend

Missing break points here

the addict · Tennis legend

*3-3 there is hope yet !