BMS did indeed win her semi-final, so Heather gets a new opponent, who is also now a doubles specialist:

QR1: (q12) Heather Watson WR 76 v (alt) Lucie Hradecká (CZE) WR 197 (CH 41 in 2011)

H2H 3-1, 1-1 on hard - Heather lost in 2011 but has won the last three, 2012, 2013 & in Madrid this year.

 

Meanwhile, the main draw is out and JoKo gets a chance to reverse a very recent upset ...

L60: (11) Johanna Konta WR 13 v Anastasija Sevastova (LAT) WR 30 (=CH)

H2H 1-1 - JoKo won in 3 sets in Aus Open qualifying in 2013 but lost 4 & 5 in R4 at this year's US Open.

-- Edited by steven on Friday 30th of September 2016 07:44:21 AM

As the draw opens up for Heather, QR1 is turning into a bit of a nightmare - she went a set and a break down, got the break in the 2nd set back right away but has just double faulted to set up a break point for Lucie, who takes it and will serve for the match 4-6 4-5*

That's terrible.

Heather really needs to take a long off-season with her new coach. She's going backwards and it's really sad to watch.

I mean I suspect if she was ill a few days ago she's not quite 100%, but still, you don't really want to be losing to doubles specialist alternates in WTA qualifying. Even if Hradecka isn't exactly a Klepac...

Needs a good week in Hong Kong. Maybe she should play a couple of the WTA $125k's to round out the year in November? Hard to know. I definitely don't think she should do an exhibition like the Indian thing she did last year.

Hopefully Jo can have a good performance this week, she's got a really tough draw which makes me think Singapore is too much a long shot, especially consider the paths her main competitors (who all have big head starts) have. I really was worried she wouldn't consolidate how she finished 2015, but she absolutely has. Really remarkable.

DF wrote:

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This is a mandatory tournament. Who has to play here?

 

Lots of of points up for grabs but Naomi's coaching team have decided to avoid the tournament this time.

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It is like a GS as everyone is entered and it is counted as a scorer if you have made main draw only. If you make main draw and withdraw you get zero points as a counter. 

the addict wrote:

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DF wrote:

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This is a mandatory tournament. Who has to play here?

 

Lots of of points up for grabs but Naomi's coaching team have decided to avoid the tournament this time.

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 If I've understood the rulebook correctly, top ten players have to play 4 out of the 5 mandatory tournaments. Below that, all those that qualify by ranking for direct acceptance are automatically entered into both main draw and qualifying. The last direct acceptance is Marijana Lucic Baroni  ranked 56. The last direct accptance into qualifying is Wang Yafan 142.

So I would think Naomi was able to withdraw without peenalty or reason.

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The top ten players commitment is all four Premier Mandatory tournaments plus four out of the five Premier 5 tournaments. So not too dissimilar to the men with their eight non slam mandatories.

Beyond that, yes with Naomi not in the automatic Premier Mandatory main draw entries by ranking, there should be no issues for her not competing. 

Premier Mandatories main draws are mandatory counters. I don't think Premier 5s are (?), just the participation rules ( not sure what the non participation penalties are ). All Jo's current Premier 5s count by score anyway.

-- Edited by indiana on Friday 30th of September 2016 07:28:43 PM