Week 10 - ITF ($25K) - Mildura, Australia Grass

Samson · Lower Club Player

Week 10 - ITF ($25K) - Mildura, Australia Grass

wimdledont · Challenger level

Vondrousova actually only won one 25k in her miracle run, losing in 2 other finals. Her huge charge upwards came from winning WTA Biel from qualifying, which got her around 300 points...

www.itftennis.com/procircuit/players/player/profile.aspx

In fact, Gabi's 25k form in 2018 trumps (sorry) both Vondrousova in 2017 and Kasatkina in 2015.

On last night's showing, the only other player here in Gabi's league was Katy, who gave her by far the strongest test of this tournament, would have been a better finalist RU, and picked the wrong half of the draw.

PockyTastic · Futures level

Gabi and Katys sf match is on YouTube for those like me who didnt catch it live.
youtu.be/_od2AVVwfCY

Peter too · Tennis legend

Samson wrote:
Like everyone, I am so impressed with the results of Gabi, Katy, Harriet and Laura this year. Fingers crossed they are able to manage their bodies with all of the matches they seem to be playing! Would also like to see the lower ranked girls take some inspiration from this group and start winning titles too!

Well, there will be chance to see how they are playing in the next few weeks as several of them are playing in Heraklion over the next three weeks.

jb288 · Satellite level

Yeh I understand the desire for the 15k girls to test themselves at higher events, but I was hoping to see Eden, Beth, Alicia and the like trying to just win lots and lots of 15k matches in these first few months. Hopefully just around the corner :)

indiana · Tennis legend

Mervatron2 wrote:
Whilst I agree Gabby is clearly ready to move up in terms of events she's had this trip planned for a fair few months. Why would she change things last second?

She has a 60K and a 25K left on clay good prep fro the European clay season leading into the French Open. Although if she does win the 60K, she may be tempted to return early. Leave Katy to win the 25k.

I'm sure now she's sat down with her team and looked at the events in April and May and decided what to do now. I'd like to see her try some of the smaller WTA events as well as some of the bigger challenge events.

Oakland, have to disagree with you on winning too much at one level. If that happens over a period of 3/4 years fine but over 3 months no. Look at Vondrousova. She was winning 25k's for fun this time last year and is now top 50 and just beat Jo in Indian Wells.

Indeed, she's hardly going to jump ship on a planned big Aussie trip on the basis of this is proving too easy and I'm not progressing ( she certainly is! ) And yes in the grand scheme of things it's just been a couple of months or so in Australia anyway quite apart from there not being great alternatives elsewhere. Her schedule to date has made eminent sense from where she was. It will be interesting to see how it develops.

As you say it is still a relatively short time, and really well as she has done I think I'd be right in saying Australian 25Ks are not the toughest ( and the coming 60K certainly won't be a strong 60K ).

So yes probably introduce some higher tournaments where thought appropriate but no need to make any huge leaps in general tournaments right now. Steadily forward unless she starts getting really silly in relatively strong lower level tournaments,

You can hang around at a level too long but you can also push too high too quickly on the strength of a tournament win or two. Gabi's success has been more than that but that consideration must still apply.

Michael D · All-time great

French Open qualifying is the week of 20 May. If Gabi stays in Aussi for the 25k in Canberra as well as the 60k the week before (and both are on clay, so why not), then she has about 7 weeks to plan before the French qualifying starts. So she will need some rest/ training and some competitive play in that time. I'm assuming she will have plenty of opportunities for tournaments in Europe at different levels during this time, and she often uses Spain as a training base anyway.

wimdledont · Challenger level

Another consideration could be that Gabi seems to be quite injury-prone - I think she's had 3 or 4 substantial lay-offs in the last couple of years? So going for broke at winning a bunch of points at one big event might be a better bet than slogging it out for weeks on end at 25k level.

If I were in her corner, I might be ringing round a few WTA TDs, and politely enquiring about their WC policy. She's looking a good fit for the next Bellis/Kasatkina/Vondrousova WC sensation.

Jan · Hall of fame

Well done Gabi!

:clap;

Babfive · Satellite level

The final is now up on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

YAY, great win by Gabi there biggrin

My prediction that she'd be GB #4 by year end looking a decent shout at the moment smile

-- Edited by vohor on Sunday 11th of March 2018 10:27:17 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

vohor wrote:
YAY, great win by Gabi there
My prediction that she'd be GB #4 by year end looking a decent shout at the moment

I read that as WTA 4 - and thought, well, I'm a great fan of Gabi but I think that's probably a tad optimistic........ smile

Jaffa · Challenger level

That racket smash at the end from Reix is absolutely glorious. Thoroughly enjoyed that.

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
vohor wrote:
YAY, great win by Gabi there
My prediction that she'd be GB #4 by year end looking a decent shout at the moment

I read that as WTA 4 - and thought, well, I'm a great fan of Gabi but I think that's probably a tad optimistic........

Agree by year end would be a bit of a stretch smile

vohor · Grand Slam Champion

Jaffa wrote:
That racket smash at the end from Reix is absolutely glorious. Thoroughly enjoyed that.

Loved the fact she still shook the umpire's hand almost without breaking step smile