Boys & Girls: 10th Junior Championships, Bahrain - hard - Grade 5 (Week 43)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Boys & Girls: 10th Junior Championships, Bahrain - hard - Grade 5 (Week 43)

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

I'm intrigued. What makes Hannah's game interesting?

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Mervatron2 wrote:
I'm intrigued. What makes Hannah's game interesting?

She may have changed some since I saw her (at least 18 months ago) but I remember her, at 12 years-old, as a tall girl with a very good serve for her age, and someone who loved going to the net. A very different style of play from the majority of 12 year-olds, especially girls. She had a slightly wristy forehand, and pretty poor footwork (not too surprising for her height) but it was an interesting game to watch and one that, depending how she grew, could be interesting for the future, I thought.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

The girls did well, with Ellie beating the second seed French girl (who's very young but a big deal in French tennis at the moment, as she won the 13/14 years old National championships this summer). And my not-so-little Hannah, see above, chalking up another easy win too, as well as Megan also beating a seed and a win for Jess DC.

Girls R2

Jessica DHOME-CASANOVA (GBR) [5] 6-3 5-7 6-1 Andra Izabella SIRBU (ROU)
Megan DAVIES (GBR) 4-6 6-4 6-4 Elif Sanem KARADAG (TUR) [7]
Hannah SMITH (GBR) 6-2 6-2 Saniya MASAND (IND)
Ellie ALDRICH (GBR) 6-3 3-6 6-3 Oceane BABEL (FRA) [2]

Boys R2:

Oliver RICHARDS (GBR) 6-3 6-1 Alexandre VER HULST (FRA)

Saud ALHAQBANI (KSA) [1] 4-6 6-2 6-1 Haruki OMORI COWIE (GBR)
Abd Elrahman HASSAN (EGY) 1-6 7-6(4) 6-3 Matthew RUTTER (GBR) [3]

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

My little fave Hannah is still going strong. As is Ellie. They will now play each other for a place in the final:

Girls QF:

Hannah SMITH (GBR) (born 2004) 5-7 6-3 6-3 Megan DAVIES (GBR)

Ellie ALDRICH (GBR) (born 2002) 7-5 6-3 Hrudaya SHAH (IND) [8]

Sanne SCHALEKAMP (NED) [4] 7-6(3) 6-2 Jessica DHOME-CASANOVA (GBR) [5]

In a nice way of sharing it out, though, it was Jessica and partner who beat Hannah and Ellie in the doubles. So she's got a finals place too:

SF Dubs: Nina DANISOVA (SVK) / Jessica DHOME-CASANOVA (GBR) [2] 6-2 7-6(5) Ellie ALDRICH (GBR) / Hannah SMITH (GBR)

Boys QF:

Victor PAGANETTI (FRA) 3-6 6-2 6-3 Oliver RICHARDS (GBR)

paulisi · Tennis legend

I quite like Ellie Aldrich as a player. I think age will be the dominant factor in the all GB match up.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
I quite like Ellie Aldrich as a player. I think age will be the dominant factor in the all GB match up.

It was close but age didn't help and the youngster did it

SF: Hannah SMITH (GBR) 5-7 6-0 6-3 Ellie ALDRICH (GBR)

Excellent run for young Hannah. Best of luck to her in the final.

In the doubles:

FINAL: Oceane BABEL (FRA) / Tuana TINAZTEPE (TUR) [1] 6-1 6-0 Nina DANISOVA (SVK) / Jessica DHOME-CASANOVA (GBR) [2]

paulisi · Tennis legend

Hannah was at Talbot Heath, but seems to have moved to a school in Bath and linked up with Team Bath.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Ouch, SO close, but in the end young Hannah loses out 5-7 in the third:

FINAL : Nina DANISOVA (SVK) [6] 2-6 6-3 7-5 Hannah SMITH (GBR)