I popped down for a couple of hours (until it started to rain, in fact).

Tara played a very competitive first set. Far more intent and focus than when I saw her at Surbiton. Some good tennis against a player with a lot of variation, lots of chippy choppy stuff thrown into the top spin rallies. It was very close and Tara had a couple of golden chances. But Falconi deserved it as much as Tara did. Didn't see much of the second. Felt sorry for Tara really....

This may sound harsh, and I know she's very young, that no path is linear, and that she has had her fair (unfair?) share of injuries, but I couldn't help feeling that Katie Swan hadn't really made the progress one would have expected. There are some very good elements. But it hasn't really come together as a game. (It's slightly like Laura, really, some bits to get excited about but, overall, not quite there). However, I'm probably being impatient and unfair so ignore me.....

The O has given an excellent report of Harriet's match, and it was on telly. So nothing to add apart from - allez, Harriet - one final push to shush those very vociferous Turkish supporters !

A131 wrote:

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Mervatron2 wrote:

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What a dreadful day so far!

Tara loosing here shows she should not have had a MDWC. Hope we can get a few wins through now.

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 Or maybe she couldn't handle the pressure of having to qualify? I can understand that with players from all over the world hungry to gain a much coveted spot in the main draw coming three rounds of qualifying is far from easy. Would Katie Boulter or Laura Robson or even Naomi Broady have made it through qualifying if they had to play it?

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When you have tough opponents to play (and Tara certainly had one of those), there's nothing more confidence-sapping than feeling like the people on your own side have no faith in you. Clearly there were argukents for (ranking, last year's R1 win) and against (recent form) giving Tara a main draw wild card but she could be forgiven for thinking that she'd been singled out for a kick in the teeth by the LTA/AELTC when she was the only Brit in the ATP or WTA top 250 not to get one. A bit like Luke in the doubles, in fact. So it could have been that on top of the normal pressure in slam qualifying (and a tough opponent, of course) that contributed to the loss.

It looks like qualifying has been extended to Friday. Tickets on sale via the wimbledon twitter link.

indiana wrote:

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A131 wrote:

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Mervatron2 wrote:

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What a dreadful day so far!

Tara loosing here shows she should not have had a MDWC. Hope we can get a few wins through now.

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 Or maybe she couldn't handle the pressure of having to qualify? I can understand that with players from all over the world hungry to gain a much coveted spot in the main draw coming three rounds of qualifying is far from easy. Would Katie Boulter or Laura Robson or even Naomi Broady have made it through qualifying if they had to play it?

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Yes if making it through qualifying is a test of whether someone should have had a MD WC I woudn't fancy the chances of most of the general British MD WCs over the years hypothetically justifying theirs, and certainly including some among this year's men and women.

So mervatron, if you want to join A131 and myself who feel it best there weren't generally any Slam singles MD WCs ( unless perhaps from open competition(s ) ) fair enough and welcome. Otherwise, as things stand, losing in qualifying shows no such thing.

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Might add that I wouldn't even bet my house that Angie Kerber (on current form) would make it through qualifying. 

Gabi Taylor loses first set 6-0

 

-- Edited by murrayman650 on Wednesday 28th of June 2017 10:33:15 AM

At least two match points for Harriet, but not taken. Back to 7-7 in the deciding set, but now the BPs are against her, and this time they are taken. So now she has to break to stay in the match. Think she may well have missed her opportunity.

 

Indeed 

-- Edited by Michael D on Wednesday 28th of June 2017 10:48:05 AM