Week 45 - WTA250 - Linz, Austria Hard

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Week 45 - WTA250 - Linz, Austria Hard

Pancho P · Lower Club Player

Maybe court surface is the main reason. Shots that were easy winners in US are now being returned, and sometimes with interest. But, as they say abroad she still wanna the big one.

indiana · Tennis legend

I just think the main thing is that Emma's head still isn't in the place it was in the lead up and then especially at the US Open.

I don't think that's any great surprise either, such a shock and so monumental was the achievement.

Yes, there was an almost perfect storm at the US Open with the speed of the courts and how the draw played out. But I do think for now it's having a kind of detrimental effect.

But for sure she had a great game during these weeks and that game is surely still there. Give her more time and space and in particular a good close season with a new coach and she can reset and - Go !

Peter too · Tennis legend

I still get the impression that Emma is a momentum player. If so then she needs to start 2022 with some easy tournaments, maybe a W125 or even W80 or W100 to get some matches under her belt, and then wind it up to the bigger events when she is confident and match fit.

Shhh · Challenger level

Peter too wrote:
I still get the impression that Emma is a momentum player. If so then she needs to start 2022 with some easy tournaments, maybe a W125 or even W80 or W100 to get some matches under her belt, and then wind it up to the bigger events when she is confident and match fit.

Much as I agree with this, I do not think her management will play her that low(?) I am sure she will take most of the opportunities that she quailfies for but I would rather see her her play W125 or W250's

What is for certain is that she'll be lining up for the Aussie Open. Not just a momentum player....she could be an occasion player too? she has been at her best at both of the slams she has played, how do the courts play out there? Just playing the her seeding there would be a big achievement and getting something solid behind her like that would go a long way to helping her belong at the level she has elevated herself to.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

The Aussie courts are fast - this is from ESPN after last years event - however , the many warm up events on the same courts made them quicker than normal

A CPI rating of 29 or lower is considered a "slow court," while anything above 45 is graded as "fast."

According to Hawk-Eye, the average CPI at the Australian Open over the past five years is 41, making it consistently a "medium-fast" surface, and still clearly the quickest of the four Slams. However, this year, the CPI has been measured at 50, confirming players' comments about just how fast the courts are playing.

Another factor which has led to quicker courts in 2021 is simply the amount of tennis played on them. Unlike previous years, in which Australian Open warm-up and lead-in events are played around the country, COVID-19 and restrictions around the virus forced the majority of tennis to be played at Melbourne Park, including the Great Ocean Road Open, Murray River Open and ATP Cup. As a result, a fortnight of tennis in Melbourne quickly blew out to more than a month.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Shhh wrote:
Peter too wrote:
I still get the impression that Emma is a momentum player. If so then she needs to start 2022 with some easy tournaments, maybe a W125 or even W80 or W100 to get some matches under her belt, and then wind it up to the bigger events when she is confident and match fit.
Much as I agree with this, I do not think her management will play her that low(?) I am sure she will take most of the opportunities that she quailfies for but I would rather see her her play W125 or W250's
What is for certain is that she'll be lining up for the Aussie Open. Not just a momentum player....she could be an occasion player too? she has been at her best at both of the slams she has played, how do the courts play out there? Just playing the her seeding there would be a big achievement and getting something solid behind her like that would go a long way to helping her belong at the level she has elevated herself to.

Yes, very good point, Shh. I don't see Emma as a momentum player - as you say, her run at Wimbledon came out of absolutely nowhere and then San Jose and Landsville weren't that much, to lead up to that amazing run at the US (its true there was the final in Chicago, but that was a 125k and there was only that).

An occasion player might be a far better and quite different tag.

And, yes, the Aussie Open will be very interesting in that regard.

I thought her movement has looked a bit off since the US. Not in terms of injury. But just speed of reaction, and speed around the court - she often seemed a step late (and hence had a far more tricky shot). And yet could get up fine to short balls. Which implies to me that there's a touch of physical or mental fatigue - i.e. you can run fine when you absolutely have to (short ball) but the real bounciness you need, all the time, in order to push off quickly to get going for normal balls, (which requires a lot of physicality and mental commitment) was lacking.

Crispy · Strong Club Player

A lot to learn for Emma, and I'm glad her season is over. It's so easy for all of us to move on and forget the triumphs of the Summer. Rest up Emma, and look forward to seeing you compete in the new year!

Steve J · Lower Club Player

Peter too wrote:
I still get the impression that Emma is a momentum player.

I would say that it seems that she takes a while to get used to the conditions.

I was of the opinion that she should skip the Aus Open and spend January in Florida with her new coach preparing for the North American hardcourt swing, but if the Aus Open warm ups are going to be on the same courts as the Aus Open itself, then maybe all the travel and other hassle involved in going to Melbourne would be worth it.

Christine · Intermediate Club Player

I wonder also whether she has enough information about how her opponents play, without a coach to research this there's a lot to learn on the hoof

PaulM · Tennis legend

She's still learning. But a Top 20 player should under no circumstances be playing a 125 or ITF event. We'd be going nuts if one turned up in a 60k with our girls in the draw lol!

She's basically defending absolutely nothing until the next US Open. She's got some growing to do, especially in her upper body where she needs more strength, learning about life as a full time pro on the tour. She'll win big matches in big events and lose to players ranked outside the top 75 in 250s. All to be expected, and what matters is continuing to set the foundation for a long and successful career at the top of the game.

Looking forward to seeing how she gets on with her new coach. Strikes me as a good hire.

Steve J · Lower Club Player

Ms. Wang lost 3&5 to Alison Riske in the quarters.

Neil Gee · Club Coach

Steve J wrote:
Ms. Wang lost 3&5 to Alison Riske in the quarters.

To be fair Wang had a decent second set was 30 love at 5-2 at one point to take it into a third set but generally she was a couple of levels down to how she played against Emma.

Peter too · Tennis legend

I was just looking at Emma's record. She started playing on the womens' circuit in March 2018. Since then she has won four tournaments, two $15Ks a $25K and the US Open. She had to qualify to get into the main draw of three of them, the 1st $15K, the $25K and the US Open. She had a 15 month gap between March 2020 and June 2021. So, due to Covid, her career has been in two phases, mainly $15K and $25Ks in 2018 and 2019 and then a run of $100K and upwards since June this year. Since the US open she has played six matches, winning three. So due to Covid she pretty much missed out on the more usual development phase from winning $25Ks to holding her own in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

flamingowings · All-time great

Peter too wrote:
I was just looking at Emma's record. She started playing on the womens' circuit in March 2018. Since then she has won four tournaments, two $15Ks a $25K and the US Open. She had to qualify to get into the main draw of three of them, the 1st $15K, the $25K and the US Open. She had a 15 month gap between March 2020 and June 2021. So, due to Covid, her career has been in two phases, mainly $15K and $25Ks in 2018 and 2019 and then a run of $100K and upwards since June this year. Since the US open she has played six matches, winning three. So due to Covid she pretty much missed out on the more usual development phase from winning $25Ks to holding her own in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

It wasn't just covid - she was studying for A Levels too. So even in a normal non covid year, she might have played limited events.