Weeks 22 & 23 - French Open, Paris - Clay

Michael D · All-time great

Weeks 22 & 23 - French Open, Paris - Clay

nicofrance · Intermediate Club Player

Sadly not to be .

Konta will never get a better chance to get to a Slam final and to be blunt she gifted this win to her opponent . Shes had a good run but will feel she blew this .

Jan · Hall of fame

What a missed opportunity. Sadly not at the same level today. Semi is a great achievement though. Not sure my nerves would have coped with a final tomorrow.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Oh no. She really did blow it I'm afraid. Should not be walking off court a straight sets loser. I'm not sure she will get a better chance

paulisi · Tennis legend

Jo's first serve went missing at the end of each set. Otherwise she played very well

Status Quo · Intermediate Club Player

seagull wrote:
I'm sorry but that was an epic choke.

You know, I don't believe you're sorry about saying it at all.

3 SF at 3 different Slams, and each time the same result. Needs somehow to clear that final hurdle.

A clay campaign that no one expected and that far surpassed the hopes of even those of us long-standing followers of Johanna with hazy memories of her 2012 dirt exploits in Plantation could have dreamed.

Hope she can transition into a pre-Wimbledon grass campaign somewhere in line with 2017's, and if so she'll be in very good shape at all.
It's frankly been a bit weird, and very wonderful to be so involved in WTA tennis at this time of the year which is usually a graveyard of activity for GB hopes.

Well done Johanna, onwards!

Hoping for a true Barty Party in the final to cap off one of the best redemptive stories in sport.

flamingowings · All-time great

Disappointed as it was all in Jo's favour, leads in both sets but couldn't close it out when it mattered the most. Hope she and her team can work on that so it doesn't happen next time.
Excellent clay season and great to see Jo 2.0 overall - may she bring this form to the rest of the year.

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

Oh well, it's only a game, as they say. JoKo didn't control her emotions in that first set, and that was the key to what followed. She dominated the first set, and lost it. A mixture of brilliant winners and overhit unforced errors. Vondrousova on the ropes, really just trying to extend the rallies. A cool head from Jo, keep the ball in the court, and force the win, that was what she needed to do. Tennis, it's all in the mind, and emotional play doesn't win tournaments. Still, despite today, JoKo has done really well overall this last 4 months, so no reason to be too down about things. We can still be proud of her, and she's the justifiable leader of our British women's tennis squad. She'll hopefully be back to Roland Garros next year, with a bit more experience, and have another good run.

PaulM · Tennis legend

That drive volley on the first set point will haunt me in my dreams.

Funny sport tennis eh. If she'd lost in the QF to Stephens we wouldn't have blinked an eye and said it had been a brilliant tournament. But she was just so good, and the draw had opened up so nicely, that this one feels a big blow

seagull · Hall of fame

Status Quo wrote:
seagull wrote:
I'm sorry but that was an epic choke.
You know, I don't believe you're sorry about saying it at all.

Believe what you like. I was desperate for her to win.

But 3 SF's reached and no sets won is not great, and this was by far the best opportunity.

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah what a pity

A player may think they are in a very good place but still nerves, choking if you will, can strike at the very biggest most important moments. Jo is far from the first and will be far from the last. Whether that's something to be condemned for I tend to a no.

But most of the very best do cope with these moments ( a few thrive on them ) and hopefully after the initial no doubt huge disappointment she can learn something(s) to help her for another time.

It was a great opportunity for at least the final, even more so how the match went, for in fact I had seen it as very much a match that could go either way even with Jo playing and executing pretty well.

Very well done to her on such an unexpectedly good clay season culminating in the French Open. Just was a sad way to end.

I hope that she can pick herself up fairly quickly given the form that she has been showing.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

seagull wrote:
Status Quo wrote:
seagull wrote:
I'm sorry but that was an epic choke.
You know, I don't believe you're sorry about saying it at all.

Believe what you like. I was desperate for her to win.
But 3 SF's reached and no sets won is not great, and this was by far the best opportunity.

Re SF's and no sets won ,since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977 we have had 7 lady semi finalists in Grand Slams and only 1 set has been won.

flamingowings · All-time great

ROSAMUND wrote:
seagull wrote:
Status Quo wrote:
seagull wrote:
I'm sorry but that was an epic choke.
You know, I don't believe you're sorry about saying it at all.

Believe what you like. I was desperate for her to win.
But 3 SF's reached and no sets won is not great, and this was by far the best opportunity.
Re SF's and no sets won ,since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977 we have had 7 lady semi finalists in Grand Slams and only 1 set has been won.

Technically not true as Heather won a mixed doubles slam!

I think everyone is over-analysing. I don't think it matters if Jo has or hasn't won a set in SF (yet). Realistically this is the only match she could've/should've won and quite frankly given she hadn't won a match at RG before I am impressed with Jo and hope the rest of the year is just as good.

JonH · All-time great

flamingowings wrote:
ROSAMUND wrote:
seagull wrote:
Status Quo wrote:
seagull wrote:
I'm sorry but that was an epic choke.
You know, I don't believe you're sorry about saying it at all.

Believe what you like. I was desperate for her to win.
But 3 SF's reached and no sets won is not great, and this was by far the best opportunity.
Re SF's and no sets won ,since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977 we have had 7 lady semi finalists in Grand Slams and only 1 set has been won.
Technically not true as Heather won a mixed doubles slam!
I think everyone is over-analysing. I don't think it matters if Jo has or hasn't won a set in SF (yet). Realistically this is the only match she could've/should've won and quite frankly given she hadn't won a match at RG before I am impressed with Jo and hope the rest of the year is just as good.

well said - at start of RG, most were forecasting a 3rd round finish for Jo, so semis is well beyond that and a great clay season to boot. Great platform for the rest of the season, I see she has by passed Nottingham now (not good for her grass court wins voters sadly!) and will no doubt come out firing at Edgbaston!

Jan · Hall of fame

Jo's form definitely dipped from her previous matches - her first serve wasn't firing as it had been earlier in the week (possibly due to the conditions, possibly not...but conditions were the same for both).
I'm sure that at the start of the tournament we'd have been delighted with a SF place - she has far exceeded everyone's expectations here.
We were all so desperate for her to win (well, I assume we were!), and it was definitely a winnable contest. But she's not a robot, and can have not-so-good days.
Let's hope she can recover over the next few days and have a fabulous grass season.