Week 18 - WTA International ($250K) Rabat, Morocco - Clay

ROSAMUND · Futures level

RE: Week 18 - WTA International ($250K) Rabat, Morocco - Clay

Peter too · Tennis legend

Oh dear! Jo had won the first set, looking good. I went out to do some shopping only to come back to find the match had just finished. cry

F: KONTA, Johanna (GBR) 7 47 lost to SAKKARI, Maria (GRE) 6 51 6-2 4-6 1-6

-- Edited by Peter too on Saturday 4th of May 2019 04:12:24 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Great effort to make a clay final but still stings

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Ace Ventura wrote:
That did escalate quickly, 10 of the last 11 games for Sakkari and Jo loses 6-2 4-6 1-6. Disappointing way to lose and the 2 year + wait for a GB WTA title goes on, but still a great week and obviously so much better than it could have been 3 MPs down against Wang Y in R1.

Well done Maria on her first title!

It may be a 2 year+ wait for a GB title but the record of finals from 2015 has been very good compared with the years from 1988 to 2012. Heather and Jo have provided us with at least either a winner or runner -up in all the years from 2015 onwards. In the years 1989 to 2011 the only finalists we had were Sarah Loosemore in Singapore and Jo Durie at Newport in 1990. We had 2 finalists in the autumn of 2012 with Laura and Heather. I would not have foreseen Jo ever reaching a WTA final on clay. It was also the first tournament that she has won 4 matches in a row apart from on grass and indoors in Moscow since her win in Miami. Although subject to confirmation I think it was the first time since Sue Barker in 1976 that a British player had contested any main WTA final on clay(this excludes Heather's win in a lesser event in Prague in 2014) Even if people quote Jo being a set and a break-up in the final as you mention above Wang Yafan had 3 match points. So Jo's hopes could have easily disappeared in round 1. Including the Fed Cup matches Jo had won 5 tough setters in a row. At least with not winning here people will not have her winning Paris !

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

Very pleased for Jo to have had an excellent week. And timely too, as, with Birmingham entries out next week, the higher ranking should reduce the possibility of missing the cut and needing a WC. Last year the original cut was #42, with just Keys withdrawing and an unused WC taking the final cut down to 51.

Nix · Futures level

ROSAMUND wrote:
Reckon the fact that Sakkari had spent 3 less hours on court than Jo caught up wifh Jo in the end.

I agree. Jo has shown considerable resilience recently but coming back again was probably a step too far. Let's hope she comes away with the confidence of her successes rather than the one disappointment.

Well done Jo.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Nix wrote:
ROSAMUND wrote:
Reckon the fact that Sakkari had spent 3 less hours on court than Jo caught up wifh Jo in the end.
I agree. Jo has shown considerable resilience recently but coming back again was probably a step too far. Let's hope she comes away with the confidence of her successes rather than the one disappointment.
Well done Jo.

And shes down to play in Madrid tomorrow 5th on after 11oclock. I wouldnt be surprised if she pulls out though.

flamingowings · All-time great

Some have been commenting about our lack of clay or other titles. At least we are not Greece - we have much to be lucky and thankful for.

Vicky Georgatou
@VGeorgatou

Sakkari is the first Greek female tennis player to win a title since Lena Daniilidou in 2008.
10:55 AM - 4 May 2019

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Julia Carrot wrote:
Nix wrote:
ROSAMUND wrote:
Reckon the fact that Sakkari had spent 3 less hours on court than Jo caught up wifh Jo in the end.
I agree. Jo has shown considerable resilience recently but coming back again was probably a step too far. Let's hope she comes away with the confidence of her successes rather than the one disappointment.
Well done Jo.
And shes down to play in Madrid tomorrow 5th on after 11oclock. I wouldnt be surprised if she pulls out though.

It seems a bit much to be in a final in Rabat and then get another match in Madrid within 24 hours with hardly any practice .Maria Sakkari is in the same boat. I think it would be a miracle to perform well in such circumstances.

Ian1314 · Lower Club Player

Great to read about Sarah Loosemore, who emerged at the same time as Sam Smith. Didn't realise that she had done quite so well.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes very tough schedule but Madrid is a mandatory counter and Jo's mandatories over the last year are already very poor points scorers for her. Don't really want 0 replacing 65. Though guess she could look at Halep probably waiting in R2 if she gets there and all in all consider a week off might still be better in the bigger picture.

Mandatories: 335 from 8
Other: 970, best 8 from her 15
Total: 1305

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Ian1314 wrote:
Great to read about Sarah Loosemore, who emerged at the same time as Sam Smith. Didn't realise that she had done quite so well.

Sarah Loosemore and Sam Smith were our young hopefuls of the late 1980's similar to Laura and Heather in more recent times. For some reason or other things never pan out as hoped for.

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Gutting for Jo in the final. But a great week. Hopefylly the march upwards continues and she manages to get a seeding for Wimbledon at least.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

I see Jo is now 1st alternate for Rome as Kuzmova got in with Sharapova withdrawing. Trying to work out who else might withdraw. Potentially through injury Giorgi and Andreescu and Serena Williams as never sure where she is actually playing these days.

flamingowings · All-time great

ROSAMUND wrote:
I see Jo is now 1st alternate for Rome as Kuzmova got in with Sharapova withdrawing. Trying to work out who else might withdraw. Potentially through injury Giorgi and Andreescu and Serena Williams as never sure where she is actually playing these days.

Any/all of those players are quite likely not to appear.