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Coup Droit


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Week 39 - ITF ($10K) - Roehampton, UK - Hard
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I managed to get down for a bit today and the Gemma/Alicia match was the absolute highlight (well, the first two sets, of course).

I didn't see the very end of the set so don't know exactly when Gemma picked up her injury but for the first set and three-quarters, the two were playing brilliant tennis.

It could have been the quarters or semis in the MD.

Gemma, who really impressed me at Surbiton, has been ratcheted up to TRULY impressive (as said before, great balance and movement for someone with power, and with unusually good natural ball skills, it's particularly rare in women's tennis).

And Alicia is exactly how you'd imagine a good college player to be - very fit, sporty, very good technique, fights well.... should get ranked again with no problem.

Such a shame about the injury for Gemma - do hope she's OK.

Most of the others (including the ones I hadn't seen before) played pretty much the level expected (although not always the style of game I'd expected).

The only one who really surprised me was Alice Gillan - checking her info on line, I hadn't realised quite what a serious player she is, on the LTA radar, full-time tennis etc. etc. But it is certainly merited. Also stood head and shoulders above nearly all the rest in terms of potential (and even absolute).

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The Optimist


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Yes, Alice has always been a solid and committed player but never really stood out.  In the last 18 months though she has come on in leaps and bounds.  She is one of those who has changed her training base quite a bit over the years but believe she is currently at Chiswick.  Just completed her A levels and decided to go full time tennis rather than US college.



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paulisi


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Frankie Wilkes is the first through to the main draw.

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the addict


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Q2: WILKES, Francesca (GBR) UNR def. ZEYNEL, Jessica (GBR) UNR 7-5 6-1
Q2: BARNETT, Alicia (GBR) UNR def. CROUCH, Mollie (GBR) UNR 7-5 6-1
Q2: MURGETT, Bronte (GBR) UNR def. WALKER, Georgie (GBR) UNR 6-2 6-2


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paulisi


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I would guess as they are playing outdoors that rain stopped play

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the addict


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Q2: HOLTUM, Louise (GBR) UNR def. MPUKUSA, Kimberly Alinafe (ZIM) WC UNR 7-6(2) 6-4

In the remaining matches
Lauryn is 6-2 0-0 against Lily
Camille is 6-3 0-0 against Lucy
Alice is 6-2 2-2 against Sarah
and the other match has yet to start

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paulisi


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Doubles draw is out - would be very surprised if we didn't have a repeat of last week's final.



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Coup Droit


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Should have added yesterday that at 3-3 in the Alicia/Gemma match, in a mega deuce/advantage game, that could be the 'critical seventh' of the set, Gemma's ball was called out (on Alicia's back line) and Alicia turned to the umpire and said 'that was SO FAR in', just as indignant to get a point unfairly as she would have been to lose one. And they replayed the point.

After Gemma's equally sporting action last week, it is nice to see that there are some excellent fair-play players out there....

NB Only saw a very few balls of the match but Maria Budin also looked liked a youngster with some good tennis on her racket (but didn't see enough really, to have any sort of informed opinion).



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paulisi


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To be fair - a lot of the average senior players and reasonable juniors are of a very similar ability, but most of the difference comes down to experience, consistency and attitude.

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the addict


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Two more results
Q2: JOHN-BAPTISTE, Lauryn (GBR) UNR def.GHODRATI, Lily (GBR) UNR 6-2 6-1
Q2: GILLAN, Alice (GBR) UNR def. WRAY, Sarah (GBR) UNR 6-4 6-4

The top two seeds are on court, and both are struggling a bit.
Eva is *6-5 against Maria 2 breaks to 1, very even on points
Lucy is 3-6 6-4 *0-1 against Camille - didn't take her chances in the first set and paid the penalty

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Coup Droit


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paulisi wrote:

To be fair - a lot of the average senior players and reasonable juniors are of a very similar ability, but most of the difference comes down to experience, consistency and attitude.

 

I know what you mean but I'm not sure I completely agree. I think the level might be, overall, similar but the actual ability is often very different.

There are some who have significantly higher ability than others. Some, however, have definitely received far better coaching (and lots of it). Body size and shape is also relevant.

Consistency, of course, is simply based on technique and fitness. And attitude covers both on court (not that important) and commitment to fitness etc. (very important).

 

Overall, if you were being completely objective, there were very few of yesterday's players who you would genuinely advise to pursue a professional tennis playing career. That's not to say they shouldn't try - and there's nothing worse than having regrets at missed opportunities, so go for it, enjoy, work hard, live the life and see what happens. But it would be irresponsible of a tennis coach to strongly advise them to do so.



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paulisi


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I think I meant a lot of these players are of a similar playing level now and could beat each other on any given day and be capable of picking up a handful of ITF points of they were to have a run on the tour.
Yes - some have better techniques, some are fitter.

I would suggest Lucy Brown, Beth Grey, Emily Appleton, Emma Hurst, Eden Silva and Lauryn Baptiste are probably at a higher standard that the rest of the other girls at the moment, but the others generally could quite easily pick up the odd point or three with the right draws and a bit of luck.


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paulisi


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Lucy came through - as expected(she shouldn't be playing qualifiers at 10K - too good for that) and Maria and Eva are into a third set.

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the addict


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paulisi wrote:

Lucy came through - as expected(she shouldn't be playing qualifiers at 10K - too good for that) and Maria and Eva are into a third set.

 I agree. Unfortunately Lucy has had a very fragmented 12 months, with several minor injuries and niggles, and consequently hasn't managed to maintain or improve her ranking. The first time I saw Lucy play was against Harriet at Chiswick last year, and there was little between them. It's certainly tough at that level to move up the ladder if things don't go your way.



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Coup Droit


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I don't think that Lucy is playing anywhere near as well as she did before she injured her foot. I know she's had knock-on problems from it too (and believe that it was French physio, connected to her French league tennis team, I believe, - though not completely sure - who sorted her out in the end).
But whether it's the physical effects of the injury, or the mental legacy, she's not quite the force she was a few years back when she looked seriously under-ranked. But it must all be there still.....

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