Week 39 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.7M) - Wuhan, China Hard

Peter too · Tennis legend

Week 39 - WTA Premier 5 ($2.7M) - Wuhan, China Hard

flamingowings · All-time great

Oh dear. As great as Tokyo was as a R1 draw, the same cannot be said here.

Based on both players form this year, Ash has this in the bag (but will be very happy if this turns out to be wrong!)

flamingowings · All-time great

Laura's doing some commentary with BT Sport

TomTraubert · Futures level

ash was compleatly shatered against vika this week
looked slow and tired after her long sucessfull year playing a lot of big matches on big stages
her thinking was also "slow" she normal is great with point construction but the tirednes has made her lose a yard or so in the head to and as the smart play is key to her game she looked vulnerabel not thinking clear
vika was clearly injured and took care of ash quite easy

if ash is running on fumes jo has a chance but the right jo has to show up
jo didnt fall out with wim neither they just got all they could off each other in a short time

joyce has jo playing like she did in 2008-2014 fh is now exact same as back then and that what always stoped her reaching her potenshul
lovely person jo high strung but real lovely

hoots · Intermediate Club Player

flamingowings wrote:
Laura's doing some commentary with BT Sport

Jobs for the girls?

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Jo is also playing doubles with Shuai Zhang and playing against K.Christian and S. Santamaria in the 1st round.

indiana · Tennis legend

Certainly difficult one on the face of it but that could probably have been said for rather a lot of players for Jo at the moment.

So while Ash may have good memories ( and maybe conditions she likes ) as runner-up here last year she is the lowest seed Jo could have been bracketed with in one of the first 2 rounds. Barty then Zheng Saisai or Danielle Collins is far from the worst looking potential first couple of rounds that Jo could have faced. Then err potentially Kerber in the L16.

And Tom gives some encouragement re Barty's most recent outing.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Jo lost the first set 5-7

But is a break up in the second, *3-2

flamingowings · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Jo lost the first set 5-7

But is a break up in the second, *3-2

She lost the break and is on the verge of going out

JonH · All-time great

Out she goes. Oh dear.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Oh well

the addict · Tennis legend

I must admit, the score was closer than I expected, even if Ash has been struggling.

Michael D · All-time great

R1: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 43 lost to BARTY, Ashleigh (AUS) 16 17 CH=16 29/1/18 5-7 4-6 cry

LordBrownof · Futures level

Oh Jo. Time to call it a season, fire Joyce and regroup / refocus on the basics - return and serve.

AliBlahBlah · All-time great

I'll be surprised if she plays after the mandatory appearance in Beijing.
Although, as others have noted, she still has one International appearance she can make, and so may wish to try and chase a few points in Luxembourg - the fast indoor courts might suit her.
Next year she'll have a free schedule, fewer mandtory counters, but to counter that, will need to probably qualify for P5 in at least some instances.

She is still about as high as any player we've had for 30 years except Laura for one year, which, given how badly she's played at times is somewhat remarkable.