blob wrote:

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Coup Droit wrote:

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Amazing to think that only 9 months ago, Osuigwe was playing junior tennis at the Bank of England club against our Holly Fischer and needing three sets to win (before losing to Fran).

The Holly match was certainly nothing amazing, but it was very interesting viewing nonetheless.

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Slightly exceptional circumstances: that was Osuigwe's first ever match on grass, indeed her first ever time on a grass court was that week.
If this $25K were grass, I'd have Swan a strong favourite. Osuigwe's a clay specialist, which makes all the difference.

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May well have been Holly's first proper match on grass too, though.

And remember, Whitney defeated Katie on grass in Wimbledon last year, in juniors, quite comfortably. So not sure why Katie would be the strong favourite.

But I wasn't really making the point of whether Katie should win or not. But simply the nature of tennis, and match-ups, and progress.

Whitney will only be 16 in April, so presumably she is still developing and growing. I imagine Katie would be happy going into the match if Whitney is considered favourite, because then she has nothing to lose and can swing more freely. It will be an interesting match up.
 

-- Edited by Michael D on Thursday 25th of January 2018 10:43:58 PM

Whitney beat Katie in 3 sets at Wimbledon juniors last year. So it will be a tough test for Katie on clay

It really depends on who turns up, I was equally unimpressed by Whitney at Roehampton where Fran looked a different class of player but obviously things have moved on substantially for both players since. Physically at 14 Whitney could have been mistaken for a rangey 17 year old but has probably become stronger since.

In generality the superstar juniors ie those playing 2 or 3 years above their rank the Belliss and Ostopenkas of this world blast through players in the 300s as 15/16 year olds (interestingly neither of the two mentioned are particularly tall players, more quick and explosive) and I am not certain that Whitney necessarily ticks that box. More of a languid player if she keeps getting taller perhaps like Venus.

Her transition to the senior game will be interesting to follow but hopefully it will stall tomorrow.

It begins: Katie, *0-1

Lost 6-3 6-4

Ah pity

To be fair to me I had just looked back a couple of posts when I questioned Whitney being favourite rather than taken in all the earlier evidence ( those folk that just dive in! ). Whether I would have admitted to that if Katie had won ...    - and yes I too had last seen her 4-1* up in the second set.