Heather playing very well and Swiatek showing how inexperienced she is on grass. Basically looks like she has given up. Doesn't look comfortable on grass at all.
This is brutal. Heather playing so well and has a point for 5-3* but Swiatek is just so good, reads the game so well. The work Heather has to do just to win a point now is insane.
4-4*
It has a bit of a feel of that match against Serena where she did everything right but the Champion just did what champions do - escape...
Well. Heather's level has dropped, too many unforced errors. Swiatek looks a novice on grass yet somehow has the advantage. Heather needs her first serves now. Can she mentally keep it together?
I know there will be the usual, but I really can't see how that could be claimed a choke. I don't think Heather got tight, she's not stopped doing the things she was doing, Swiatek has just gone from checked out to absolutely checked in. Almost as if going 40-0 up in that *4-1 game was a problem, letting Iga almost say **** it and just go all out. That service game at *4-5 was so brave. She played a couple of poor return games in that section but Iga had got her serve together after going totall AWOL.
I thought she might nab that break point at 5-5* but not to be.
I feel so sad for Heather, she gave it absolutely everything, played brilliantly, and it wasn't quite enough. I hope she can play this well next week and get a kind draw, and not let it blow her confidence.
-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 22nd of June 2021 05:52:25 PM
I know there will be the usual, but I really can't see how that could be claimed a choke. I don't think Heather got tight, she's not stopped doing the things she was doing, Swiatek has just gone from checked out to absolutely checked in. Almost as if going 40-0 up in that *4-1 game was a problem, letting Iga almost say **** it and just go all out. That service game at *4-5 was so brave. She played a couple of poor return games in that section but Iga had got her serve together after going totall AWOL.
I thought she might nab that break point at 5-5* but not to be.
I feel so sad for Heather, she gave it absolutely everything, played brilliantly, and it wasn't quite enough. I hope she can play this well next week and get a kind draw, and not let it blow her confidence.
-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 22nd of June 2021 05:52:25 PM
I wouldn't call it a choke either but it was a collapse. I'd like to see the stats for the games after the 4-1 40-0 but Heather's level seemed to drop a bit at that crucial point and though she picked up towards the end she never got back in the groove.
Overall I didn't think the match was that good though each played some decent stuff at times. I wasn't impressed with Swiatek's demeanor on court and she looked completely lost at times on the surface and was reacting like a spoilt brat at times. Also I'm surprised more wasn't made of what I though was a deliberate and quitle loud racket tap in mid rally in one of the games late in the 3rd set.
Shame for Heather but considering her form this year it was a good effort.