dodrade wrote:

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DF wrote:

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the addict wrote:

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Zheng continues her run with a 3-set win over Kucova #1 WR109. Makes Katie's performance look a bit better

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 Zheng was hopeless against Katie. She had no control over her serve. However Katie did not want to be here.

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 You think Katie tanked it?

Lissey has had a great year in doubles even when playing without Olivia.

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I've finally got around to watching the Swan vs. Zheng match on the link that Lambda posted on page 2 of this thread. Zheng is a powerful and tall player with a heavy serve. However on the evidence of the first two sets Katie gave a good account, winning the 1st set comfortably with a strong finish to wrap it up on Zheng's serve. Unfortunately Katie played a poor service game at the start of the 2nd set, and that meant she was chasing Zheng from then on in the set. However she was able to create break point opportunities, and got steadily stronger as the 2nd set went on. In the 10th game, at 5-4 to Zheng, Katie hit some glorious winners off her opponents serve and had advantage break point. Then on the next point, there was a rubbish line call to a Zheng forehand that was clearly out (on the video at least), and that Katie queried to the umpire. That would have made it 5-5, and the way Katie was playing she could well have gone on to win the 2nd set from there, and the match by 2sets to nil. Instead, Zheng won the game, from deuce, and it was 1 set all. On the evidence of the first 2sets, Swan appeared to be doing her best to win the match.

Katie has won 2 W25 finals this year, and could easily have won 2 more. She lost to eventual tournament winner Harrison by a whisker (over 3 sets) in a SF earlier in the year (having not played for several weeks due to injury), and now very narrowly lost to Zheng (in 3 sets) who has gone on to win this tournament. On top of that she has qualified for Wimbledon, beating top quality players in qualifying at least one of whom was subsequently given a main draw place in the US Open, whilst Katie was overlooked for qualifying in that tournament. I reckon she's done well, tennis-wise, and it appears to me that her tennis game is improving steadily.