JonH wrote:

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Sorry I'm not in the know, who is Alex (surname)? Thanks

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 Alex Ward

Well the Dutch boys in the chief support () are really putting the main event on hold. Liam's conqueror took the first set on a TB (just 40 mins, so could have been longer, lot of quick games) and has come back from 1-5* to get it on serve at *4-5 in the second set - hopefully he will wrap it up in 2 so Jodie can get on, although it is a bit of a shame that it will fall when a lot are having their Sunday dinner.

Joking aside, it'll obviously be a big match for both Dutchmen, but the changes this year do seem to have made the women's 25k events much bigger, probably reflected in the respective activity between the 2 threads on here. Obviously Jodie and Vitalia both have circa 30 points in the bag no matter what happens (extra one for JB qualifying) and it's an extra 20 for winning the title (which would come in very handily), and 50 points is a really big return - it's not far off reaching a WTA international quarter final. I did notice on Diatchenko's post match SF interview with Abigail that she mentioned along the lines of 'knowing what she was doing playing at this level', probably a reference to being a clear favourite in every match, rather than potentially drawing a seeded Kerber or Muguruza in the 1st round of WTA Monterrey and more likely than not, leave with nothing, and having an easier chance of securing 30 or 50 points which along with her 80 points last week in the French W60, will likely have secured her place in the main draw of RG.

Into another TB in the men's match now.

And into a third they go...

 

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Sunday 7th of April 2019 11:19:54 AM

5 games in a row now for Vitalali 2-6 *0-1. She doesn't appear to be restricted physically which is a positive as far as next week is concerned and some of the games have been reasonably close and still on serve in the second, but there is a notable gap between their current levels as you might expect given she's in the top 100.

Mind, I'm pretty sure Jodie did drop the first set 2-6 last time they met before taking it into a decider, so here hoping.

But there's the break 0-2*.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Sunday 7th of April 2019 12:48:56 PM

Long way back now, Jodie had 1-2 *30-0, but lost the next 8 points so it's now *1-4.

Lost 2-6 2-6. Just the two holds throughout. Still an excellent week and I'd say her best week to date given the generally better opponents she beat here than in India earlier this year.

Hope she's fit for next week because she's in the main draw directly (which in itself shows the general weak field with Jodie ranked 350 and among the 13 direct entrants). Could easily draw that IR who Victoria easily beat or a lowly ranked GB WC and that could be the only match she'd need to play before the Thursday, plus she's not playing the week after. I guess she could wait for the draw to see who she faces and then decide, but watching that, I'd say she should probably be fine to compete.

I always watch these ITF streams on mute because of all the background rustling noises you here, or wind if outside, so didn't notice anything here, but a few on Twitter seem to be a bit hostile towards Diatchenko.

And it would be easy to police, a calibrated noise meter at the base of the net, not expensive, same for both players.