Wow, quite strange seeing Smitkova currently ranked that low. I was in the crowd for her 2018 Ilkley final against Yastremska where she won a long, tight battle to secure her Wimbledon WC. I was going to say that their respective careers have gone in different directions since then, but then again, Dayana Y obviously hasn't helped herself.
Just checking and Smitkova was actually ranked 119 heading into the 2019 grass season before her 2018 grass points dropped off (has been as high as 57 previously), but her decline in results obviously came before pandemic set in, so she hasn't benefited as some others have who have had big downturns in their results.
Good for Lily, although she was actually the betting favourite here as You has now lost 9 matches in a row stretching back to March, only winning 2 sets as well. Most likely another Covid inflated ranking.
The semi finals for this are on a TV like stream, like Reims W25 was last year, so it would be interesting if she made it that far, but still a long way to go despite, on paper, the highest ranked player in her section out of the way.
A bright start to 2-0 30-0*, but then it goes to pot. Threatened a comeback right at the end, saving match points to break, but missed two game points which just might have given their opponents cause to wobble, and go out 6-3 6-3.
Really thought they had a shot this week, a disappointing one
-- Edited by PaulM on Wednesday 24th of February 2021 03:33:33 PM