Week 8 - ITF (W25) Sunderland, GBR Hard

Michael D · All-time great

Week 8 - ITF (W25) Sunderland, GBR Hard

emmsie69 · Top national player

Not very good scheduling for watching but fairer to the women with only 24 hours between the semi and final.

Michael D · All-time great

Both on court now, Sam warming up, Emma broke to win first game.

Long rallies already between Tauson and Emma. Tauson also hits the ball cleanly and has a good service return. It could be a lengthy match. 1-1 now

-- Edited by Michael D on Saturday 29th of February 2020 12:11:16 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

and got broken right back

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara

Michael D · All-time great

Coup Droit wrote:
Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara

Yes 2 DFs by Emma in that last service game. Perhaps a bit too anxious at the moment.

Spireman · Club Coach

Coup Droit wrote:
Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara

Have been meaning to comment for a while that from watching women's and girls tennis breaks seem to almost outnumber holds in many matches. A 7-5 set with three breaks to two is common, it seems many players especially juniors and younger adults are better at returning than serving. If only they can get first serve % up and probably work on serving in general a lot of players results could really improve. The flip side are the very tall men whose whole game is built on being almost unbreakable on serve!

Michael D · All-time great

Tauson's return of serve is actually VERY good. She's giving Emma no free points on even her first serve. Both players serve well and quite powerfully (for 17 yr olds), but each has good return skills.

Emma's first hold, after being taken to deuce is on one of the few clear chances Tauson has given her of hitting a winner following Tauson's return of serve.

Michael D · All-time great

The last three games have all been holds now, Tauson doing so rather more easily. It is Emma more on the defensive at the moment and she will have to dig deep to stay in this set.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Tauson has a big forehand and Emma is trying to play to the backhand.
I'd forgotten how good Emma was around the net and surprised she doesn't play much doubles.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Spireman wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara
Have been meaning to comment for a while that from watching women's and girls tennis breaks seem to almost outnumber holds in many matches. A 7-5 set with three breaks to two is common, it seems many players especially juniors and younger adults are better at returning than serving. If only they can get first serve % up and probably work on serving in general a lot of players results could really improve. The flip side are the very tall men whose whole game is built on being almost unbreakable on serve!

One thing that frustrates me is that many of the women dont seem to have much movement on serves ie kick 2nd serves or wide slices. Often very flat and easier to read if no power. I'm wary to ask if this is physiological, ie lack of wrist or arm strength to do it. A good kicking serve and wide to backhand or slice out right to body asks so many more questions and I'm always surprised it doesn't appear many of the women use those techniques.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Spireman wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara
Have been meaning to comment for a while that from watching women's and girls tennis breaks seem to almost outnumber holds in many matches. A 7-5 set with three breaks to two is common, it seems many players especially juniors and younger adults are better at returning than serving. If only they can get first serve % up and probably work on serving in general a lot of players results could really improve. The flip side are the very tall men whose whole game is built on being almost unbreakable on serve!

Yes, but there's nothing new there.

Firstly, juniors often break serve as much as hold serve - the serve is a technical thing, especially difficult if you're not that tall (tennis is one of the sport's where kids play on the same size court and same height net as adults, it's not 'right') Kids are usually taught the 'proper' technique yet it doesn't really work for their height so they often end up with bad habits that are actually quite effective but have to be changed as they grow.

And women's serves are obviously less powerful so will get broken more often (their returns are less powerful too but the difference in the serve makes far more difference in terms of points). The return is a far easier shot. And 'free' points on the serve are so helpful for momentum too.

I don't think one can really say 'if only they could serve better'..... they all know it, their coaches know it, they work on it day in, day out. But it ain't easy....

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
Spireman wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Four serves - four breaks

for Emma and Clara
Have been meaning to comment for a while that from watching women's and girls tennis breaks seem to almost outnumber holds in many matches. A 7-5 set with three breaks to two is common, it seems many players especially juniors and younger adults are better at returning than serving. If only they can get first serve % up and probably work on serving in general a lot of players results could really improve. The flip side are the very tall men whose whole game is built on being almost unbreakable on serve!
One thing that frustrates me is that many of the women dont seem to have much movement on serves ie kick 2nd serves or wide slices. Often very flat and easier to read if no power. I'm wary to ask if this is physiological, ie lack of wrist or arm strength to do it. A good kicking serve and wide to backhand or slice out right to body asks so many more questions and I'm always surprised it doesn't appear many of the women use those techniques.

I know you're on delicate ground but, yes, the French coaches I know say that - for whatever reason - girls in general find it far more difficult to use slice, in general, or on their serve. Doesn't apply to everyone - of course - but just as a generalisation, based on their groups of kids, teenagers, adults, at all levels.

Top spin is less of a problem. But even so girls generally prefer to hit a flat ball.

Michael D · All-time great

Emma has the crucial break now and will serve for the set... In that long, long service game Tauson started to look more frazzled and Emma was packing more power on her shots.

paulisi · Tennis legend

Emma really getting after the second serve and breaks as Tauson is getting frustrated and struggling with her ball toss.