Heather plays Magda Linette next who triumphed over Kurumi Nara, Harriet's conqueror, when she retired after just 4 games. That will have Harriet champing...
Linette is interesting, a late bloomer like Jo. She is 27 now and has just reached her CH.
Heather managed to beat Qiang Wang which is something Jo has never achieved. That includes the match in Miami in March when having lead 4-2 in the 1st set Jo lost 10 games in a row. However after that defeat Jo started her rise up the rankings.
Did anyone think Heather would go further than Harriet at the start of this week!?
That's an interesting question fw and hard to answer. But what I would say is that it is definitely Heather who is more capable of pulling off surprises still (as today). Heather has a game when she strings it all together... Harriet's has potential, but she doesn't have Heather's collective weapons yet (when they're all firing). In particular Harriet has to make her serve more effective to be a real threat to better players.
Did anyone think Heather would go further than Harriet at the start of this week!?
That's an interesting question fw and hard to answer. But what I would say is that it is definitely Heather who is more capable of pulling off surprises still (as today). Heather has a game when she strings it all together... Harriet's has potential, but she doesn't have Heather's collective weapons yet (when they're all firing). In particular Harriet has to make her serve more effective to be a real threat to better players.
Excellent result - but can I ask, was Wang injured or under the weather? I know it sounds negative but it is such a dominating one sided score that it begs the question if she some sort of issue?
Did anyone think Heather would go further than Harriet at the start of this week!?
That's an interesting question fw and hard to answer. But what I would say is that it is definitely Heather who is more capable of pulling off surprises still (as today). Heather has a game when she strings it all together... Harriet's has potential, but she doesn't have Heather's collective weapons yet (when they're all firing). In particular Harriet has to make her serve more effective to be a real threat to better players.
Excellent result - but can I ask, was Wang injured or under the weather? I know it sounds negative but it is such a dominating one sided score that it begs the question if she some sort of issue?
Wang had a good win over Barty in the last16 of the US Open before being well beaten by Serena Williams. She looks like she's not recovered from that match. However a win is a win and is surely a confidence booster. It also might help Heather getting direct entry into next years Aussie Open.