Yes darn indeed - I really thought she was going to win that - right up until the last point. Despite the lateness and the effort I thought she looked as though she was really enjoying that match which probably explains why she played so well.
Excellent match. Never seen 32 service holds in a row in a women's match before. Unfortuntely, JoKo was broken in the first and last game of the match either side. Encouragment for a better year this year, for sure.
Wonderful performance. I really hope she can take this form into the North American hard court swing. Big points on offer and a chance to climb and be seeded in Paris & Wimbledon.
But it certainly bought out the best in her, best we've seen her play for a long time. I agree about the physical bit for athletes, but mentally (which is half the game) the middle of the night is often the best time to write your novel, finish that assignment, complete your work of art, do yoga, meditate etc, as many will testify.
Tennis, at it's best, has elements of yoga.
The world is less busy at a subtle level, it's easier to focus and avoid distraction.
She was excellent today, both of them were. Masters/mistresses of their craft.
What interested me was that Jo hasn't changed her style of tennis at all. No plan B or C or anything else. Just playing the way she has since she started her charge up the rankings the other year. And it is suddenly working again. There just seemed to be a complete lack of tension in her which meant that instead of missing by a few inches, most shots were going over and in. Has the new coach put her in a more relaxed frame of mind? Life off court in a better place? No idea, but I think it puts paid to the theory a lot of us held on here that her recent struggles were due to the fact that everyone had worked out how to play her.....