Week 5 - Fed Cup Qualifier - Slovakia vs GB - Bratislava (Indoor Clay)

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

Week 5 - Fed Cup Qualifier - Slovakia vs GB - Bratislava (Indoor Clay)

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

foobarbaz wrote:
Dabin Kim won Lexington, thrashing her semi-final US opponent, and walking the final. I never used the words 'Foul Play', you must have taken that meaning from my comments. I know what I saw in that tournament, I can't vouch for what happened since to that player.

https://britishtennis.activeboard.com/t65752485/week-31-itf-w60-lexington-usa-hard/?page=7

To be honest I thought Kim would walk away with the title after the first few games against Swan. Kim really didn't have to break sweat in the final. I'm sorry to say I think there's something strange going on.

https://britishtennis.activeboard.com/t65752485/week-31-itf-w60-lexington-usa-hard/?page=6&sort=oldestFirst

Things not often seen anymore : unicorns, non-avian dinosaurs, penny-farthing bicycles, level playing fields, .....etc

Far be it for me to suggest an element of staying under the radar has been practised, but I am inclined to imagine wool being pulled over eyes.

Fair enough, I thought you were insinuating that Kim might have been on something during that tournament. Wasn't really sure what you were meaning with those bolded parts.

Jan · Hall of fame

Even though she lost, what I saw of Harriet's match was really encouraging.

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

Ace, you're really pulling out all the stops today with your mastery of references past. Good job you're doing there.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Ace Ventura wrote:
Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM

Big chance the new finals will miss out on Osaka, Andreescu and quite possibly Halep. 3 of the games biggest names would be missing.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM
Big chance the new finals will miss out on Osaka, Andreescu and quite possibly Halep. 3 of the games biggest names would be missing.

Yeah, I got to see all the Osaka-Sorribes match earlier, and she was so bad, and was in tears towards the end. They'll have to do so well to turn that around, but I don't really see it.

It's kind of a case of the luck of the draw regarding Canada, because on paper when the draw was made, that looks extremely tough, Andreescu in 2 singles rubbers and she could even team up with doubles specialist Dabrowski in the doubles, and they'd have a very good chance of winning 3 rubbers against most nations, but with her getting injured at the WTA Finals, it looks like she was just there for a bit of training, and not ready for the singles yet, and they ended up going with the youngster Fernandez and Dabrowski in the singles, which isn't anything like as daunting - I'd probably have fancied GB to get 1 or 2 wins from that if we drew them.

Halep was the highest profile player to (completely) skip this, so that's kind of self inflicted, but she was against the new changes, so probably sticking to her principles.

That's kind of why it's a bit disappointing GB drawing Slovakia, but still not likely to make it, as Kuzmova, Schmiedlova, Cepelova etc. don't really add much to it from a marketing perspective, nor is it a big tennis nation with a big media presence, whereas had we drew Japan, and lost, at least Osaka would have been there to give the finals a bigger feel.

There should be plenty of decent players there - Barty, the Czech's (whoever they pick, same applies with the US if they get past Lativa), Bencic, Bertens OR Sabalenka, maybe Muguruza if sh plays, but yeah, in terms of star power, and general fan base in Halep's case, they certainly are 3 of the biggest / most exciting names in the women's game, so would be a bit of a shame if most of them missed out.

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

Ace, I just checked my comments from Lexington, and it seems you have done the emboldening in your quoting of my words. I think that is out of order, because you don't make it clear that's what you've done. If I'd wanted to embolden those words, I would have done so at the time. Furthermore, gathering up some of my comments, and then putting them on this discussion, away from the context of the specific tournament discussion thread where they were made, before you subsequently go on to imply that I meant by those words that a player was doing something improper .... Well I think you shouldn't have done that. If you aren't sure of my meaning, you only need ask, and I can choose to explain further or not, as the case may be.

-- Edited by foobarbaz on Friday 7th of February 2020 11:15:53 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

It is what is I guess.

At least the tennis authorities and /or sponsors aren't finding ways to WC in the 'big' draws.

I know that Halep was against the changes but this stage is obviously home & away ties ( and home for Romania ) which is the element she said that she loved confuse

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM
Big chance the new finals will miss out on Osaka, Andreescu and quite possibly Halep. 3 of the games biggest names would be missing.
Yeah, I got to see all the Osaka-Sorribes match earlier, and she was so bad, and was in tears towards the end. They'll have to do so well to turn that around, but I don't really see it.
It's kind of a case of the luck of the draw regarding Canada, because on paper when the draw was made, that looks extremely tough, Andreescu in 2 singles rubbers and she could even team up with doubles specialist Dabrowski in the doubles, and they'd have a very good chance of winning 3 rubbers against most nations, but with her getting injured at the WTA Finals, it looks like she was just there for a bit of training, and not ready for the singles yet, and they ended up going with the youngster Fernandez and Dabrowski in the singles, which isn't anything like as daunting - I'd probably have fancied GB to get 1 or 2 wins from that if we drew them.
Halep was the highest profile player to (completely) skip this, so that's kind of self inflicted, but she was against the new changes, so probably sticking to her principles.
That's kind of why it's a bit disappointing GB drawing Slovakia, but still not likely to make it, as Kuzmova, Schmiedlova, Cepelova etc. don't really add much to it from a marketing perspective, nor is it a big tennis nation with a big media presence, whereas had we drew Japan, and lost, at least Osaka would have been there to give the finals a bigger feel.
There should be plenty of decent players there - Barty, the Czech's (whoever they pick, same applies with the US if they get past Lativa), Bencic, Bertens OR Sabalenka, maybe Muguruza if sh plays, but yeah, in terms of star power, and general fan base in Halep's case, they certainly are 3 of the biggest / most exciting names in the women's game, so would be a bit of a shame if most of them missed out.

I think my point was that the first finals probably needs the big names, not sure womens tennis has real draw names beyond these 3 I mention, and then Barty and USA players , as in box office.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM
Big chance the new finals will miss out on Osaka, Andreescu and quite possibly Halep. 3 of the games biggest names would be missing.
Yeah, I got to see all the Osaka-Sorribes match earlier, and she was so bad, and was in tears towards the end. They'll have to do so well to turn that around, but I don't really see it.
It's kind of a case of the luck of the draw regarding Canada, because on paper when the draw was made, that looks extremely tough, Andreescu in 2 singles rubbers and she could even team up with doubles specialist Dabrowski in the doubles, and they'd have a very good chance of winning 3 rubbers against most nations, but with her getting injured at the WTA Finals, it looks like she was just there for a bit of training, and not ready for the singles yet, and they ended up going with the youngster Fernandez and Dabrowski in the singles, which isn't anything like as daunting - I'd probably have fancied GB to get 1 or 2 wins from that if we drew them.
Halep was the highest profile player to (completely) skip this, so that's kind of self inflicted, but she was against the new changes, so probably sticking to her principles.
That's kind of why it's a bit disappointing GB drawing Slovakia, but still not likely to make it, as Kuzmova, Schmiedlova, Cepelova etc. don't really add much to it from a marketing perspective, nor is it a big tennis nation with a big media presence, whereas had we drew Japan, and lost, at least Osaka would have been there to give the finals a bigger feel.
There should be plenty of decent players there - Barty, the Czech's (whoever they pick, same applies with the US if they get past Lativa), Bencic, Bertens OR Sabalenka, maybe Muguruza if sh plays, but yeah, in terms of star power, and general fan base in Halep's case, they certainly are 3 of the biggest / most exciting names in the women's game, so would be a bit of a shame if most of them missed out.
I think my point was that the first finals probably needs the big names, not sure womens tennis has real draw names beyond these 3 I mention, and then Barty and USA players , as in box office.

Yeah, I was agreeing with you in a long winded, round about way, I just want the finals to work, so I was adding those other names to try and paint it more positively, but there's no doubt that no Andreescu and Osaka will be a blow, should Canada and Japan not turn their respective ties around tomorrow. I love Ostapenko, but the finals could really do with Serena and Gauff involved, and I guess Kenin as well to a lesser extent, as she would be going in as the most recent slam champ, which adds attention.

Barty is kind of more niche. She comes across as nice, and she seems popular within the tennis community, and while I'm not really a fan, her game does differentiate her from a lot of the younger players, but unless she becomes the absolute dominant force (which I don't really see happening), I don't think she'll crossover into the more mainstream.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Ace Ventura wrote:
Anyway, if anyone wants to follow the second days action, the UK times are as follows (at least they were yesterday when I checked the Fed Cup website and scribbled them down):

Slovakia vs Great Britain
2-0
Sat: 3pm

USA vs Latvia (first day starts at 3.30am, which is a shame as it's one of the better ties IMO)
Sat: 11.30pm

Swizerland vs Canada
2-0
Sat: 12pm

Netherlands vs Belarus
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Spain vs Japan
2-0
Sat: 10am

Belgium vs Kazakhstan
1-1
Sun: 12.30pm

Romania vs Russia
1-1
Sat: 12pm

Brazil vs Germany
0-2
Sat: 1.30pm

I think tomorrow's BBC red button coverage starts after Final Score, so it'll likely have to be online prior to that. No UK TV coverage of the other ties, but they were all on Bet365 today.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Friday 7th of February 2020 10:14:19 PM
Big chance the new finals will miss out on Osaka, Andreescu and quite possibly Halep. 3 of the games biggest names would be missing.
Yeah, I got to see all the Osaka-Sorribes match earlier, and she was so bad, and was in tears towards the end. They'll have to do so well to turn that around, but I don't really see it.
It's kind of a case of the luck of the draw regarding Canada, because on paper when the draw was made, that looks extremely tough, Andreescu in 2 singles rubbers and she could even team up with doubles specialist Dabrowski in the doubles, and they'd have a very good chance of winning 3 rubbers against most nations, but with her getting injured at the WTA Finals, it looks like she was just there for a bit of training, and not ready for the singles yet, and they ended up going with the youngster Fernandez and Dabrowski in the singles, which isn't anything like as daunting - I'd probably have fancied GB to get 1 or 2 wins from that if we drew them.
Halep was the highest profile player to (completely) skip this, so that's kind of self inflicted, but she was against the new changes, so probably sticking to her principles.
That's kind of why it's a bit disappointing GB drawing Slovakia, but still not likely to make it, as Kuzmova, Schmiedlova, Cepelova etc. don't really add much to it from a marketing perspective, nor is it a big tennis nation with a big media presence, whereas had we drew Japan, and lost, at least Osaka would have been there to give the finals a bigger feel.
There should be plenty of decent players there - Barty, the Czech's (whoever they pick, same applies with the US if they get past Lativa), Bencic, Bertens OR Sabalenka, maybe Muguruza if sh plays, but yeah, in terms of star power, and general fan base in Halep's case, they certainly are 3 of the biggest / most exciting names in the women's game, so would be a bit of a shame if most of them missed out.
I think my point was that the first finals probably needs the big names, not sure womens tennis has real draw names beyond these 3 I mention, and then Barty and USA players , as in box office.
Yeah, I was agreeing with you in a long winded, round about way, I just want the finals to work, so I was adding those other names to try and paint it more positively, but there's no doubt that no Andreescu and Osaka will be a blow, should Canada and Japan not turn their respective ties around tomorrow. I love Ostapenko, but the finals could really do with Serena and Gauff involved, and I guess Kenin as well to a lesser extent, as she would be going in as the most recent slam champ, which adds attention.
Barty is kind of more niche. She comes across as nice, and she seems popular within the tennis community, and while I'm not really a fan, her game does differentiate her from a lot of the younger players, but unless she becomes the absolute dominant force (which I don't really see happening), I don't think she'll crossover into the more mainstream.

And maybe andreescu is like Barty currently. I think Halep, particularly in eastern Europe, has real draw, Osaka is a star, if you look at the earnings stats, she is massive due to the asian market and if she misses the finals, it will be a massive problem. William's and Gauff are big, clearly, not so sure Kenin is yet. All slams may be equal but the two big slams are W and USO in terms of exposure and then FO and AO last, so theres recognition but not yet real star status. Osaka matters and the USA guys in particular, but they need competition and hence Halep is a key.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:

And maybe andreescu is like Barty currently. I think Halep, particularly in eastern Europe, has real draw, Osaka is a star, if you look at the earnings stats, she is massive due to the asian market and if she misses the finals, it will be a massive problem. William's and Gauff are big, clearly, not so sure Kenin is yet. All slams may be equal but the two big slams are W and USO in terms of exposure and then FO and AO last, so theres recognition but not yet real star status. Osaka matters and the USA guys in particular, but they need competition and hence Halep is a key.

I personally think Andreescu has got a lot more star power than Barty. There are some similarities within their game, but their personas are a lot different. Bianca craves the limelight, and will get in opponents face, with her loud screams of 'yes' and 'let's go', even when in the opponents backyard, and it's like there's no f's given and she's so sure of herself. Plus although now it does seem she is unfortunately injury prone, she used to always take MTO's in her early matches which I know annoyed many on tennisforum, but gave her a different dimension. But you just need compare a standard post match thread on TF, and whether people love her or don't like her, there'll usually be a lot more traffic than a typical Barty match - she just needs to hopefully get on the court more to keep getting her name out there.

Agree with Osaka and her endorsements, and while she won her first slam in awkward and unfortunate circumstances, there's no doubt the whole Serena and Ramos saga got her name out to a much wider market. She'll also be one of the faces of the Olympics, which is great for women's tennis.

Halep certainly does seem to have a big fan base, and seems to have her si-mo-na guys wherever she goes, and her slam record is one of the most consistent over the past 4 or 5 years, with numerous deep runs, which obviously helps.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

USA lead Latvia 2-0. Kenin seemingly routined Sevastova, and Serena won 7-6 7-6 against Ostapenko. It's Kenin vs Ostapenko at 11.30pm tonight in the 3rd rubber.

Spain vs Japan starting in 20 mins, but Japan have replaced Osaka with Nara to face Saurez Navarro, so it's even more difficult to see Japan coming back now, so almost certainly no Osaka in Hungary.

flamingowings · All-time great

Well the risk paid off for Canada as Fernandez beats Bencic.