Week 2 - Australian Open - women's qualifying (hard) (in Dubai)

wales1994 · County player

Week 2 - Australian Open - women's qualifying (hard) (in Dubai)

PaulM · Tennis legend

Delighted to see Rebecca Marino back too

dodrade · Futures qualifying

How come Fran didn't play Battle of the Brits last summer? Injury?

brittak · Satellite level

Fran even made the mainstream lunchtime BBC news today which was good to see.

flamingowings · All-time great

dodrade wrote:
How come Fran didn't play Battle of the Brits last summer? Injury?

She spent some of her time "off" training and gaining fitness according to this article: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jan/11/british-tennis-francesca-jones-dubai-slam-qualifying-win

ROSAMUND · Futures level

wales1994 wrote:
Brilliant result Fran! I was pretty confident she would win, but I definitely didn't think it would be such a demolition scoreline - bravo!

When was the last time a British player's first slam MD came outside of Wimbledon? (Bedene excluded)

Still searching. After Jo Durie retired we went along time in the womens when we had no representative in Australia, France or the US.This is as bit doubtful as the player in question played for GB because her mother was born in GB and that was Monique Javer. She debuted in the 1988 Australian Open.

-- Edited by ROSAMUND on Wednesday 13th of January 2021 04:24:41 PM

Andy Parker · Club Coach

Due to annoying shift patterns, I just got home from work and missed Fran's superb win today (and then needed sleep, so didn't feel like posting), but having watched both of her previous matches, I am really enthused by the way Fran has played this week.

Some people are excited by the fact that Fran is moving up the rankings, but I am more upbeat about how she is actually playing, because she is genuinely outclassing those of a similar ranking. I thought that she and Emma (and hopefully Katie B) might be our biggest movers up the rankings this year, and nothing I have seen this week has altered that opinion. What I most liked about the match against Fett and her first round match, was the gritty determination she showed throughout. In the first set against Fett she was 1-3 and 15-40 down on her own serve, but she seemed to up a gear and dig in, with 'Come on Fran' audible as she pushed herself really hard, and every time she was broken or played a bad point, she seemed to just fight harder. These in themselves are signs that a player has the temperament and character, as well as the ability to really improve, I think.

Her win today is a serious statement, that will be noticed by lots of higher ranked players. It doesn't matter that her opponent was on paper one of the weaker ones - it is still a great score in a very important match.

Let's hope she gets a really good draw in the tournament proper, but already qualifying for a Grand Slam is a significant achievement, which will help build up her confidence and self belief. I think it is often very difficult for young players to actually believe that they belong in the top echelons of tennis, along with the big names that they have watched and idolised as they are growing up and turning professional. Beating any opponent 6-0 6-1 in the final qualifying round is a magnificent achievement, and hopefully a sign that she is really going places.

Well done Fran - brilliant and hoping this is just the start of a great year for you.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I think I read she is guaraanteed $100k Australian from this, that is a decent haul and will set her up nicely as a starter for 10.

Someone commented how they hope that she avoids the other Brits - I agree BUT it would be fascinating to see her play Jo, Heather or Katie B, it really would. She is slightly different to many of the women players, she plays a decent top spin game and is much more solid than others, and seems less frail mentally. I reckon she would have a decent shot at any of those 3 and , I reckon, possibly beat Katie B on current form and maybe even Heather

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Great result, so pleased for her, deserves every success she gets. Hits with enough power to make the top 100 as long as she stays injury free really hopeful this will give her real confidence to push on.

emmsie69 · Top national player

Bizarrrely I'd like to see her draw Gauff

DF · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
I think I read she is guaraanteed $100k Australian from this, that is a decent haul and will set her up nicely as a starter for 10.

She is guaranteed $ 100k Australian for the first round of the Main Draw and has earned $ 52,500 Australian for coming through Qualifying

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

DF wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
I think I read she is guaraanteed $100k Australian from this, that is a decent haul and will set her up nicely as a starter for 10.

She is guaranteed $ 100k Australian for the first round of the Main Draw and has earned $ 52,500 Australian for coming through Qualifying

Wow, nice

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

£86k approximately

ROSAMUND · Futures level

ROSAMUND wrote:
wales1994 wrote:
Brilliant result Fran! I was pretty confident she would win, but I definitely didn't think it would be such a demolition scoreline - bravo!

When was the last time a British player's first slam MD came outside of Wimbledon? (Bedene excluded)
Still searching. After Jo Durie retired we went along time in the womens when we had no representative in Australia, France or the US.This is as bit doubtful as the player in question played for GB because her mother was born in GB and that was Monique Javer. She debuted in the 1988 Australian Open.

-- Edited by ROSAMUND on Wednesday 13th of January 2021 04:24:41 PM

The other 2 cases I can find relate to players playing in the 1970's. Frances Candy played her only Grand Slam at the 1974 Australian Open. She has been active in seniors in recent years.Lindsay Blachford debuted in the 1973 Australian Open. She beat Sue Barker in Sue' s first Wimbledon in 1973. Of course in those days the competition was nowhere near as strong and most of the top players did not travel to Australia.It's a fair comment to say that the path to Grand Slams debuts for British women players is Wimbledon wild cards.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

JonH comes home wrote:
I think I read she is guaraanteed $100k Australian from this, that is a decent haul and will set her up nicely as a starter for 10.

Someone commented how they hope that she avoids the other Brits - I agree BUT it would be fascinating to see her play Jo, Heather or Katie B, it really would. She is slightly different to many of the women players, she plays a decent top spin game and is much more solid than others, and seems less frail mentally. I reckon she would have a decent shot at any of those 3 and , I reckon, possibly beat Katie B on current form and maybe even Heather

When did 2 British women last meet in the singles of the Australian Open ? Must be a long time ago. Will check to see when.