Week 10 - WTA Premier Mandatory ($8.65M) - Indian Wells, CA, USA - Hard

Michael D · All-time great

RE: Week 10 - WTA Premier Mandatory ($8.65M) - Indian Wells, CA, USA - Hard

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Michael D wrote:
blob wrote:

Anna does seem to go long stretches of poor form, and then blitzes of results all together. The tide is very much out at the moment.
Aoyama pretty likely to be in the Japanese Fed Cup team.
And at this point Anna's presence in Japan is far from certain. I know who I would presently go for as the 4th team member and I'm afraid it would not be Anna.

Ive always thought the best players form wise and rankings wise should be picked therefore picking Anna just because she is a Doubles player is wrong. Heather, Jo, Naomi, Katie and Gaby therefore.

wimdledont · Challenger level

KB is not in good form either, 309 in the race and well behind all the usual suspects, and Maia, Eden, KS to boot.

Michael D · All-time great

wimdledont wrote:
KB is not in good form either, 309 in the race and well behind all the usual suspects, and Maia, Eden, KS to boot.

Katie B just hasn't played many tournaments this year. We'll see how she does in Mexico next week in the 25k in which she's entered. But yes, I would have Gabi in the April Fed Cup team for sure, with Katie still.

indiana · Tennis legend

wimdledont wrote:
KB is not in good form either, 309 in the race and well behind all the usual suspects, and Maia, Eden, KS to boot.

Relatively early days in the race although yes some of our girls have still had time to make considerable hay.

4 wins and 5 losses this year. The wins have come in her last two tournaments in the USA, against Abanda WR 123 and Townsend WR 97 ( her first top 100 scalp ). Her 5 losses, yes one or two by quite big margins, have been to ranks 151 to 223 so no really bad loss by ranking.

The Fed Cup, great experience as it no doubt was, also took her away from Australia for the Fed Cup week and then choosing to resume with the generally tougher US 25Ks. Couple of good results but bit tougher to make big progress.

Last year she retired from the Portugal 25K final against Katie Swan ( if these 30 points had added one week later they would have been in the race count and Katie would be top 200 in the race, with Katie S incidentally top 150 if she counted her 50 points ) and then called a halt on her planned longer Far East trip after one loss. So not sure that she finished last year in great physical shape and counted just one late year race point, adding 27 this year for a total so far of 28.

So as I say relatively early days ( highlighted by the effect 30 or 50 points would have ), no really bad losses by ranking this year and a decent body of work over the last year. Hope she can get her 2018 campaign more fully into gear soon.

Good though of course to see such general progress with our women and likely competition for Fed Cup places.

indiana · Tennis legend

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Michael D wrote:
blob wrote:

Anna does seem to go long stretches of poor form, and then blitzes of results all together. The tide is very much out at the moment.
Aoyama pretty likely to be in the Japanese Fed Cup team.
And at this point Anna's presence in Japan is far from certain. I know who I would presently go for as the 4th team member and I'm afraid it would not be Anna.
Ive always thought the best players form wise and rankings wise should be picked therefore picking Anna just because she is a Doubles player is wrong. Heather, Jo, Naomi, Katie and Gaby therefore.

We do have to field a doubles pair so not saying Anna has to be in the team, but the doubles options have to be a consideration. If we went with Jo, Heather, Katie B and Gabi ( Naomi won't be there ) then yes good cover for singles, though 3 should be enough for 2 singles and then reverse singles. And while Jo and Heather are accomplished doubles players, a) on the second day, the doubles follows the singles matches, so they are not guaranteed to be in the best fettle physically and/or mentally and b) well that Katie evidently played in doubles in the Fed Cup group week, this would be a doubles step up and neither her nor Gabi are at all regular doubles players on the circuit, though Gabi is having a good week with Katy D in Australia.

Basically then there surely has to be wider considerations than just going with your best ranked singles players since like it or not there is a doubles match. Although in this case that ultimately may still be judged to be the best all round option based on the perceived doubles cover from these players and Anna's perceived form.

It does look like Jo, Heather and 2 from Katie B, Gabi and Anna, with Laura next in line but she would probably need very soon to show a real upturn in form ( though probably better doubles cover than Katie or Gabi ). It's certainly not clearcut to me.

I've been assuming a team of 4 but has that possibly changed to 5 for the World Group and play-off matches, as with the Davis Cup? I am guessing not with it having still been just 4 for the group stage. But if 5, that would help things.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 8th of March 2018 01:00:15 PM

wimdledont · Challenger level

By the time the tie comes round, Laura is due to be a ranking point ahead of KB, as things (will) stand...

live-tennis.eu/en/forecast-wta-ranking

...and she has a string of good doubles results, with 126 (and counting) points gained in 2018, W/L 9-3; whereas KB has only played FedCup doubles since Wimbledon last year.

Anyway, winning through to the World Group seems to achieve little for the players, but presumably entitles various LTA apparatchiks to vote themselves hefty bonuses; so I think I'd favour a team of Konoptseva, Carreras (provided she's still injured and unable to take to court), Sue Barker and Sophie Murray.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

One factor in selection, is how the players play when representing their country. To that end, has laura generally played above or below her ranking when playing Fed cup? I'd be inclined to go with the newbies.

the addict · Tennis legend

Whilst we are talking about Fed Cup, we ought to note that a certain Naomi Osaka has reduced the noise levels at Indian Wells.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

the addict wrote:
Whilst we are talking about Fed Cup, we ought to note that a certain Naomi Osaka has reduced the noise levels at Indian Wells.

Yes noticed that, good news indeed and a sly smile of the face of a returning Serena. Making her return on International Womens Day is brilliant. Shes my favourite Sportsperson of all time and with everything shes achieved and coped with in life, cant think of a better example of a role model for any sports woman.

blob · All-time great

Vika looks in extremely good shape; leaner than in years.
A DF hands the break back to Hev thoough, so back on serve, with Heather, *4-5

blob · All-time great

Well... it's good to see Vika playing again.
She's taking charge now, rather.
Hev, 4-6 0-2*

Serena already returned with a 7-5 6-3 win over WR53 Diyas.
Ripples through the draw.

blob · All-time great

Heather is just an UE machine

Coach down, Hev looks dejected

blob · All-time great

Routine groundstrokes just go awry.
Also, those that do find the court: Hev is hitting the ball even higher over the nete than I can ever remember - even less penetration through the court.

Vika is very rusty, but all that talent is sufficing because Heather isn't really offering anything. Playing even remotely well she could win this match.

blob · All-time great

The contrast between our $25K girls and the WTA ones right now could hardly be more palpable