Week 19 (25K) Monzon, Spain, Hard

indiana · Tennis legend

Week 19 (25K) Monzon, Spain, Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

Naomi was a break up but manages to lost the set 7-6(4).

Sigh.

PaulM · Tennis legend

1-3*

Bigger sigh

PaulM · Tennis legend

This was one of those matches that really demonstrates that once you get into the cycle of losing and falling down the rankings, it's incredibly hard to stop it, even when you drop down levels.

Over and out 7-6(4) 6-3

How different could things have been if she'd closed out a couple of those very close 3 setters from winning positions earlier in the year....

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Naomi should really look to herself and ask why she ever got rid of Fitzy.....

blob · All-time great

She's always done it her own (her family) way. Oftentimes to her great credit. Almost as often to her detriment.
I don't see her changing any time soon and opening up to outside influence.
I say this without any malice at all, just because I find it to be true: she has a big chip on her shoulder, that has weighed her down and impeded her, even if it laso can serve as motivation.

But, I suspect she'll be back after this latest episode of swings and roundabouts.
She's neither stupid nor incapable, and so will find a way. Pride may mean that takes longer than it otherwise would, but I'd still have my money on Naomi coming good in the long term, rather than against.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

I disapprove of her approach. And I wouldn't want other young British players to look at it and thinks it's a good example to follow. Look at the Clarke family in contrast. They had their disagreement and ill feeling toward the LTA but now Jay is meeting up with the Davis Cup squad and is all smiles. They moved past it. I don't say she is stupid as a person. But i think her stance on this one topic has been. And she created a difficult situation for her younger brother. The consequences haven't simply been about her.

indiana · Tennis legend

It does seem such a pity so much has flowed from that one teenage fallout with the LTA, whatever the rights or wrongs of the LTA's approach then.

I still remember her Wimbledon press conference when she'd won a MD match ( so must have been 2014 ) when seemingly instead of enjoying the occasion and looking forward she seemed very eager to engage in how all she had achieved was without the LTA's help and how she had stuggled through, and what a pity her career had been so defined by her treatment back in her teens and how people still talked about her behaviour then.

And I found it very sad and thought well only defined because you and your family chose it to be so defined or everyone would have moved on a very long time ago and it all been well forgotten.

There's much to admire about Naomi but I can't help wondering about some very big choices.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family. Perhaps Naomi has had a bit more to deal with than most. I would consider her a very successful person.

"They f**k you up your mum and dad"

As a child your parents are for the majority of people by far the biggest influence on your life, "man hands on misery to man". Different people cope in different ways and to comment on what has turned into a very successful career without truly understanding the family dynamics in childhood and now that underpin it means they come with little or no context. But let's face it she is still relatively young and one of the most successful British tennis players of her generation and she rightly or wrongly has done it without LTA support.

Not my sentiments but I understand how the relationship between parents and son drove Phillip Larkin to produce some of his finest poetry..."That be the verse"

"they may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra just for you.