Week 19 - ITF (W60) - Fukuoka, Japan - Carpet

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Week 19 - ITF (W60) - Fukuoka, Japan - Carpet

Julia Carrot · All-time great

They managed to pull the doubles back from the brink and got a win there too.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Great to see her winning a few matches again. Imagine if she did won another 5 over the next 10 days or so and sneak into Wimbledon directly from out of nowhere.

Kristie Ahn up next. Diyas is still involved as well, having won the W80 title last week.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 10th of May 2019 09:03:54 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

SF: (1) Naomi Broady & Heather Watson CR 186 (126+60) beat Haruka Kaji & Junri Namigata (JPN/JPN) CR 647 (288+359) 6-7(2) 7-6(3) [10-8]

******

FINAL: (1) Naomi Broady & Heather Watson CR 186 (126+60) vs Kristie Ahn & Alison Bai (USA/AUS) CR 503 (337+166)

Michael D · All-time great

SF: WATSON, Heather (GBR) [2] 119 vs AHN, Kristie (USA) [4] 185 (CH:105 Jan 18)

Diyas (KAZ) vs Marino (CAN) in the other SF. Ahn is also in the doubles final so she and Heather will see a lot of each other today.

Michael D · All-time great

Well Heather has made it to the final after Ahn retired at 2-2 in the SF. We will see how serious the problem is depending on whether she returns to contest the final, or this is conceded too to Heather and Naomi. Not the best way to win, but it's another final reached at last for Heather, and that's what really counts. It moves her up to 113 in the live rankings, just 3 behind Katie B who falls this week out of the top 100. Heather's potential final opponents are due to play next.

SF: WATSON, Heather (GBR) [2] 119 beat AHN, Kristie (USA) [4] 185 (CH:105 Jan 18) 6-3 2-2 retired

-- Edited by Michael D on Saturday 11th of May 2019 03:53:21 AM

Michael D · All-time great

Heather will play Diyas in the final. The advantage of being the 2nd seed is that Heather has avoided her until this stage.

F: WATSON, Heather (GBR) [2] 119 vs DIYAS, Zarina (KAZ) [1] 98 (CH:31 Jan 15)

Heather does lead the H2H 2-1, but the only relatively recent match she lost easily last year.

Year Tournament Nation Surface Round Winner Score
2018 Beijing CHN Hard Round 2 (Q) DIYAS 6-0 6-3
2010 Charleston USA Clay Round 2 (Q) WATSON 5-7 6-2 1-6
2008 Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships USA Hard SF WATSON 6-3 4-6 4-6

JonH · All-time great

Good week for heather on a surface to her liking. But v different from red clay. Is she expected to play anywhere next week or her some practice on the red stuff assuming shes playing qualies for Paris the week after?

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

Diyas had a lot of strapping on her legs today
https://www.facebook.com/FIWTennis/videos/291429288478283/ (40 sec clip)

And a clip of Heather, the handshake and how she's looking forward to tomorrow
https://www.facebook.com/FIWTennis/videos/1530647587071056/ (50 sec clip)

RedSquirrel · Satellite level

JonH wrote:

Good week for heather on a surface to her liking. But v different from red clay. Is she expected to play anywhere next week or her some practice on the red stuff assuming shes playing qualies for Paris the week after?

She's in Kurume for the final Japan 60K next week.

JonH · All-time great

JonH wrote:
Good week for heather on a surface to her liking. But v different from red clay. Is she expected to play anywhere next week or her some practice on the red stuff assuming shes playing qualies for Paris the week after?

I see heather is on outdoor carpet/ artificial grass again with naomi and Katy in Kurume, I wonder if she'll play rg qualies or go straight to grass and get ready for surbiton.

Babfive · Satellite level

Heather and Naomi take the doubles title after a walkover. Not the best way to do it, but a title is a title.

JonH · All-time great

RedSquirrel wrote:
JonH wrote:

Good week for heather on a surface to her liking. But v different from red clay. Is she expected to play anywhere next week or her some practice on the red stuff assuming shes playing qualies for Paris the week after?

She's in Kurume for the final Japan 60K next week.

Thanks , spotted it around same time ! Its clearly good practice on a proxy grass surface but nothing like clay, not sure if playing qualies at rg makes sense for her? Theres a British tour event on grass at north oxford WC first week of rg , I'd consider that as warm up for surbiton and onwards...

Michael D · All-time great

So Kristie Ahn couldn't make it back onto the court. A sad end to the tournament for her, and a trophy for the Brits without the joy of actually playing and winning it.

FINAL: (1) Naomi Broady & Heather Watson CR 186 (126+60) beat Kristie Ahn & Alison Bai (USA/AUS) CR 503 (337+166) walkover

Michael D · All-time great

JonH wrote:
RedSquirrel wrote:
JonH wrote:

Good week for heather on a surface to her liking. But v different from red clay. Is she expected to play anywhere next week or her some practice on the red stuff assuming shes playing qualies for Paris the week after?

She's in Kurume for the final Japan 60K next week.
Thanks , spotted it around same time ! Its clearly good practice on a proxy grass surface but nothing like clay, not sure if playing qualies at rg makes sense for her? Theres a British tour event on grass at north oxford WC first week of rg , I'd consider that as warm up for surbiton and onwards...

That's why the weekly entries are posted Jon biggrin wink