First game of the second set... and Jaqueline still hasn't held. 0-1* Gabi is definitely looking the more resilient in these conditions.. You just can't afford to let them get to you, and they clearly have the Romanian.

Gabi doesn't hold her first service game either, despite one good passing backhand shot down the line that blows back in, to give her game point. And at this point, my feed has cut, so I only have live scores (I'm in Bangladesh this week). Jaqueline has a game point - she hasn't had many the entire match so far - doesn't take it. Has another and holds, her first of the match. That might give her an edge this set, and places pressure on Gabi to hold now too *1-2

Feed still cut, so I can't see what's happening any longer, pity.

It was fun watching in that wind. Still Gabi holds to love, dare I say it, that was important. Feed's back, yay. Wind's still blowing, Jaqueline gets another service game on a tight baseline call that Gabi is not happy about. Queries it with the umpire. *2-3

..A very long rally at 15-30, despite the conditions and the ball swinging. Jaqueline wins it and crouches on the baseline facing the back of the court, head in her hands, gathering herself. It doesn't work. Gabi gets BP, then another very long rally in the circumstances, and the wind carries one of Gabi's forehands right into the back cross court corner, and then takes it even further away. Jaqueline, despite her mobility - they both are - can't get there. Gabi now has to hold serve to get back on an even keel. 6-2 *4-5.

And does it. Gets to 40-15, throws the ball up 3 times to get one to vaguely stay in the right place, and wins the point. 5-5*

 

-- Edited by Michael D on Saturday 24th of February 2018 09:44:36 AM

Gabi goes on the offensive now. She is hitting her forehand much flatter than Jaqueline who is tending to balloon the ball more, not effective in these conditions. Hitting it flatter Gabi can be more aggressive. Gets to 15-40, then breaks second time of asking. A great recovery from 3-5, Gabi now leads *6-5 and is serving for the match.

-- Edited by Michael D on Saturday 24th of February 2018 09:45:19 AM

Gabi brings it back from 15-30, and gets a match point, Jacqueline ballooning two backhands, after hitting a good earlier backhand winner. The last backhand blows back with the wind a bit, and sits up to be smacked. A nice way to win the match. Congrats to Gabi, the match wasn't that long (1 hr 31) but a huge mental effort and exhausting. Last four games in a row to Gabi.

6-2 7-5 

 

-- Edited by Michael D on Saturday 24th of February 2018 04:48:01 AM

indiana wrote:

---

Sounds good prep if Gabi wants to enter the Skye tournament we were recently muting while discussing Emily Appleton's island tour.

---

Yes, indeed!! After that performance today I'd certainly give Gabi some backing in this.   She stayed patient. The number of times she had to throw up the ball 2-3 times to serve were many. She also picked up a lot of dying balls, crouching low on her heels and scooping up sliced shots back over the net. Both ran well, to give Jacqueline her due as well, retrieving many more blown wide balls than expected given the conditions. 

On 18/12 Gabi was WR 339 on 130 points.

After adding the previous weeks Pune L16, that week's Navi Mumbai title, the Launceston title, the Perth 1 QF and the Perth 2 final ( all 25Ks ) she has so far added 144 points, net 139, to be on 269 points 'in running' and as Michael says stand on the verge of being top 200.

If she can have a full season ( last year there was that over 3 months of no competition until shortly before the India trip ) and keeps going the way she is, well it is going to be worth following !