2-3* (from 0-3)

Good game to break but Emily still not been able to hold her serve yet.

Alja in particular looks a better doubles player than I anticipated.

2-1*

I think Vivian has more trouble dealing with the pace of the balls coming at her, so harder to defend the net, and hence Em's serve is under pressure. It's pretty competitive though.

Oh Em that smash on break point at 3-4*

No fairytale ending sadly. Easy to play 'what if', and whilst they really should have broken Riske's serve at least once in the second (and that smash miss at 40-30* in the 8th game will no doubt haunt Em tonight), their opponents did look the better pair and I suspect would have found a higher level to go to.

 

But whatever else, making it into a Grand Slam is a big achievement, and one both Em and Vivian should be proud of. Hopefully the prize money helps too. If they want to keep trying this partnership (and it's a bit difficult to assess at the level they've been playing at on a surface neither has as their preference) there are the indoor French ITFs coming up but they are looking to be absolutely stacked for 25ks.

 

So that's us for the ladies. Hope for better when the French rolls around again in the Spring!

-- Edited by PaulM on Wednesday 30th of September 2020 07:48:37 PM

For the record

R64 : Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) & Heather Watson CR 239 (80+159) LOST TO Greet Minnen & Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL/BEL) CR 223 (120+103) 2-6 3-6
R64:- Alison Riske (USA) / Ajla Tomljanovic (USA) CR221 (73+148) def Vivian Heisen (GER) / Emily Webley-Smith (GBR) CR336 (178+158) 6-2 6-3

Jaggy1876 wrote:

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I believe a new record could be on the cards and not a good one. Never before has a player gone a full year losing every singles and doubles match they have played.

---

 

Leaving aside the fact it's been an abbreviated season, that's not actually true though, is it? There are plenty of players who only play a few tournaments a year and lose them all! Some have gone years popping up in tournaments not winning a match.

 

I'm not disputing it's been a disappointing year (a couple of thr matches in the States at the start of the year really should have been won), but I don't think making up statistics to knock players further is really necessary.

 

I think the more relevant stat is this will be the first year since 2011 Em hasnt won a title, assuming something doesn't come out the bag in the winter.

-- Edited by PaulM on Thursday 1st of October 2020 09:08:34 AM