In order of importance:

- Laura's current first serve lacks the penetration it possessed when she was a teenager. Needs another 10 - 15 mph just to have a chance.

- Movement. Get the feet in position to hit the shot.

- Confidence seems extremely fragile

- Ball toss not as bad as it was but still not quite there

- Margin for error on initial ground-stroke after serve and when returning 2nd serves, be aggressive without being reckless

- Backhand was rubbish today

If she is to ever get back to being a top 50 player, it is going to take a long time. I can't see it happening unless she can find a first serve with real penetration.

kundalini - thanks for the analysis. I was unable to watch the match today, but it sounds like not much has changed over the last couple of months. The serving problems show in the stats, but it looked for a while if her returning game was OK. Sadly I can't see Laura moving up the rankings for some time yet.

indiana wrote:

---

Sounds as if Wickmayer must have been below par given the relative closeness of the scoreline.

---

 Wickmayer is currently ranked 113 so miles below her peak. She finished last year ranked 52. Between 2009 and end of 2012 she was consistently a top 30 player, career high 12

Don't think I've seen her play this year so no idea how this performance compares to her 2017 level. Her results look slightly better than Naomi's but perhaps 5 or 6 fewer tournaments so similar points total. 

She led 5-3 in the opening set and had 5-2 in the second set. 

Couldn't give much of an assessment of the opening set as I gave up on it as Bet365 got confused by the change of court. When I returned to a functioning stream of the correct court, Wickmayer double faulted for 5-5. Then Laura not great to get broken to 30. Robson had bp as Yanina served for the set again but couldn't punish a 2nd serve, forehand into the net on her second shot. Laura managed to win two first serve points with super play for 15-30 but frustratingly, just one out of four 2nd serves up to 40-40. Yanina finishing with 2 aces 5-7.

2nd set. Both held comfortably. Laura poor service game to get broken to 15, awful drive volley into the net on bp, YW won the first point with a sensational return winner but the rest were gifts from Laura. Long game at 1-2* Laura punished a few 2nd serves but don't think she ever got a bp. Laura then saved a bp the following game after a couple of poor initial ground-strokes after her serve. Big chance for Robson to break at 2-3* inviting 2nd serve that she went after only to miss the target. Had struck a couple of return winners in that game. Robson rather went to pieces from 40-30 in her next service game 2-5* YW poor attempt to close out the match, one df and two errors off her first ground-stroke after the serve, Laura contributing a return winner on bp *3-5. Robson comfortable hold 4-5* Easy love hold for YW again finishing with back to back aces 4-6

Both players demonstrated some talent, hit numerous impressive winners. Both seemed fragile, annoyed that they weren't landing shots that I would imagine were fairly routine 5 years ago. While I was watching there were no lobs, volleys, smashes, use of slice or drop shots from either player. 

-- Edited by kundalini on Monday 20th of November 2017 04:23:53 PM

Julia Carrot wrote:

---

Naomi seems to have pulled out of this tournament. At least I can't see her name in the draw any more (but I may be being unobservant).

---

Still on the list in the official app. Will keep an eye on it though.

She's not scheduled to play her first match until Wednesday; presumably to facilitate hot-footing it from Taipei after her doubles SF.

blob wrote:

---

Julia Carrot wrote:

---

Naomi seems to have pulled out of this tournament. At least I can't see her name in the draw any more (but I may be being unobservant).

---

Still on the list in the official app. Will keep an eye on it though.

She's not scheduled to play her first match until Wednesday; presumably to facilitate hot-footing it from Taipei after her doubles SF.

---

 I'm obviously going mental!!!   It was the phone App I was looking at and I scanned it several times and even 'imagined' I saw a different opponent playing against Bibiane Schoofs.  (checked the alternates section though and there was no mention which I thought was strange). Relieved anyway.  Thanks.

Naomi takes the first set 6-3 - first serve only 33% so far

And the roller-coaster goes on
6-3 0-6 *0-1