Week 13 - ITF ($25K) - Canberra, Australia - Clay

Strongbow · All-time great

RE: Week 13 - ITF ($25K) - Canberra, Australia - Clay

Michael D · All-time great

And I've only just woken up and started to watch, in time only to see Gabi talking to the trainer, but at this point her bags were packed and ready to go. However whatever it was was a reoccurrence of whatever issue she had right at the beginning of the tournament, because now I 'm sure that the double MTO that occurred right at the beginning of her first match was hers too.

Only hope it is not too serious, but not a good way for Gabi to end her hugely successful Australian swing... and now just wonder when (and where) we will see her next?

Peter too · Tennis legend

QF: TAYLOR, Gabriella (GBR) 1 178 lost to HIVES, Zoe (AUS) 6 262 5-5 Ret.

blob · All-time great

From gestures made and signals with the officials and medical staff, I'd tentatively suggest it seemed derived from sickness/illness rather than injury.

Michael D · All-time great

That's also possible that it has been ailing her all week. Does the livestream get posted to youtube later? If so, it may be possible to see what happened later. Were you watching at the time blob?

blob · All-time great

She just walked to the net after she was broken serving to the set, spoke to the umpire, called the doctor, very quick consult, Hives, thought there was a chance to continue, then it was over.

Tennis has no sympathy for the fallen player, there's always a new match to take the attention; Katy has started with a break, *1-0

indiana · Tennis legend

Must hope it is nothing too serious. She was of course out for much of the second half of last year with glandular fever.

blob · All-time great

Move along, folks. Nothing to see here. We'll be done in a jiffy, 1-6

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Well that's been a pretty awful 90 mins. Hearing that it may have been an injury picked up in a long rally and then Katy losing 6 games straight. Poor end to a largely very successful tour.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

The disaster is complete. Katy loses 12 games in a row and goes down 1-6 0-6. That's the second time in just over a week where she has lost by that scoreline to a seeded player. Not good.

Peter too · Tennis legend

QF: TAYLOR, Gabriella (GBR) 1 178 lost to HIVES, Zoe (AUS) 6 262 5-5 Ret.
QF: DUNNE, Katy (GBR) 5 236 lost to HOZUMI, Eri (JPN) 2 180 1-6 0-6

Priesty · Challenger level

Gabi has played a lot more matches lately than she's used to, maybe it all just caught up with her. Sad way to end the tour for both her and Katy in different ways.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I think managing your body is one of the biggest challenges for tennis players. We have seen colossal improvements in terms of the way elite cricket now manages quick bowlers with the main test playing nations notably England taking time to remodel some players actions to minimise injury. I am not so sure we have the same biomechanical understanding of what does and doesn't induce injury, it should be right up at the top of the ATP and WTA's agenda along with the long term sequelae of drug use.

It is very difficult for a rapidly improving young player to know when to stop particularly when doing well. Both of our most recent promising juniors in transition ie Kyle and Katie Swan have had to take a step back on occasions or specifically work on conditioning so hopefully Gabi's injury is nothing serious and just increases or maintains awareness of the importance of conditioning and rest.

Rodge I think has finally got it right and made a conscious decision not to play on clay. Not I feel because clay is particularly bad, Indeed I think that loss of traction and slide actually protect joints hinge joints from repetive perpendicular movement to the direction of movement of the joint but more based on the effort he would have to expend with his game to win on that surface relative to the other surfaces.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Very good points, Oakie.

Just generally, nothing to do with Gabi which might be anything, but "I am not so sure we have the same biomechanical understanding of what does and doesn't induce injury, it should be right up at the top of the ATP and WTA's agenda along with the long term sequelae of drug use" is spot on.

Lisa Whybourn's technique, for instance, was practically 100% going to lead to shoulder/neck/top of back injury. You couldn't do what she was doing, in a repetitive movement, tons of times a day, and not do damage. Physios and understanding of biomechanics is essential. I wonder how much of the coaching courses that are run cover it?

Hope Gabi is OK.

PS Agree completely about Rog too. Clay is brilliant for the middle aged and elderly club player - so nice on the joints. But, at the top end, the torque that is needed, and the length of the points/matches, puts a huge strain, particularly on backs.

Priesty · Challenger level

Good news - Gabi has just tweeted that it's only a minor injury and that she'll be back soon wink