Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs - GB vs Mexico 16-17th April 2021

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Billie Jean King Cup Play-offs - GB vs Mexico 16-17th April 2021

PaulM · Tennis legend

I'd have played Harriet on day 1 with the pre-plan to bring in Katie for day two if needed for one of them (given Heather/Harriet is the clear best choice for doubles if we end up in a real mess).

I thought Harriet did very well on the clay against Slovakia last year, but Katie has had a couple of good wins on the Tour this year in between the rest.

Anyway, looking forward to this. Shame none of us can be there.

indiana · Tennis legend

Hopefully they are a good team together. I just have had the impression that Judy was better at integrating everyone, playing or non playing. I think it was Gabi that looked rather left out one time under Anne?

emmsie69 · Top national player

PaulM wrote:
I'd have played Harriet on day 1 with the pre-plan to bring in Katie for day two if needed for one of them (given Heather/Harriet is the clear best choice for doubles if we end up in a real mess).

I thought Harriet did very well on the clay against Slovakia last year, but Katie has had a couple of good wins on the Tour this year in between the rest.

Anyway, looking forward to this. Shame none of us can be there.

I would've played Harriet and Katie and left Heather for the doubles. Heather has won 2 matches this year and one of those was a battle against Jodie so clealy not in form.

-- Edited by emmsie69 on Thursday 15th of April 2021 03:46:30 PM

the addict · Tennis legend

So the published matches are as follows:-

Katie Boulter WR291 vs Marcela Zacarias WR285
Heather Watson WR68 vs Giuliana Olmos WR434

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Bet365 are going Katie 1/4 vs 11/4, Heather 2/11 vs 7/2, so a clear enough favourite in both matches, as you would expect, but had those odds have been last week at the UK Pro Series, they would have been considered relatively close matches. I'd have personally gone with Heather and Harriet tomorrow, but I prefer watching Katie out of the three of them, so there's that.

Some nice matches tomorrow. Serbia vs Canada, and Romania vs Italy (now that Halep is out) look really close to call. A lot of decent youngsters involved like Fernandez, Kostyuk, the Wangs, Danilovic, and some big names as well like Svitolina, Bertens, and Ostapenko. Podoroska vs Putintseva and Rybakina (separate days) should be interesting, although you'd think Pod would need to win both, and hope they can nick something elsewhere, but plenty going on all day.

I'm going to sign up to a BJK Cup round pass for £7.

-- Edited by Ace Ventura on Thursday 15th of April 2021 06:18:17 PM

dodrade · Futures qualifying

Coup Droit wrote:
Bagel wrote:
indiana wrote:
indiana wrote:
It certainly looks as if Katie will have to show up very much better in practice than she did in Sharm to usurp Heather or Harriet from the singles spots.
She must have indeed showed up well. I'm a bit surprised but hopefully all will be good.
LTA's favouritism for Boulter shown again.
Well, it half killed her last time - I'm not sure it's the sort of favouritism you really want....
I think Anne is very conservative in her choices and views; always has been.

Surely given the rankings Harriet would have been the conservative choice? She clearly has a lot of faith in Katie B who's been very bullish about her form in recent interviews despite mixed results so far this year.

Heather presumably still ought to have too much for her opponent despite her disappointing form recently.

Not convinced by Anne's claim she could have picked any of the squad for Day 1 given Jodie's late arrival and leaving Katie S on the bench. I hope one or both might still play if GB can wrap things up early.

They all seem a close knit bunch which should help but being too cliquey could be a problem when (if?) Jo comes back or Fran gets a call up.

Glad we are getting Red Button coverage after all (but only day 1). Perhaps Prince Philip is to blame. wink

-- Edited by dodrade on Thursday 15th of April 2021 07:50:57 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

the addict wrote:
So the published matches are as follows:-

Katie Boulter WR291 vs Marcela Zacarias WR285
Heather Watson WR68 vs Giuliana Olmos WR434

What do folks think? 3-2 to Britain? 4-1? Or better? Or will Mexico spring a surprise?

the addict · Tennis legend

Update to Mexico team rankings as of this week.

the addict · Tennis legend

If Katie gets off to a good start, then I see this as being an easy 3-0 win, with the last two matches irrelevant.

Zacarias hasn't played much this year, and has lost to Volynets and Olmos recently, so her ranking looks about right.
As we know, Katie is much better than her ranking, and Bet365 have as 4/1 on against 11/4 so a firm favourite.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

the addict wrote:
If Katie gets off to a good start, then I see this as being an easy 3-0 win, with the last two matches irrelevant.

Zacarias hasn't played much this year, and has lost to Volynets and Olmos recently, so her ranking looks about right.
As we know, Katie is much better than her ranking, and Bet365 have as 4/1 on against 11/4 so a firm favourite.

As long as her back holds up GB ought to be ok.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Zacarias playing nicely, hits a bigger ball than I remembered

3-4*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Who's this commentating with Naomi Cavaday?

Katie striking the ball a little better. Zacarias has been mostly absorbing the pace well, but a couple more errors creeping in.

5-4*

PaulM · Tennis legend

Did well to get out that game.

6-5*

Jan · Hall of fame

PaulM wrote:
Who's this commentating with Naomi Cavaday?

Yaz Clarke apparently.