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

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

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

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

*3-2 Dart

First Hold for Birrell to 30 with a couple driven winners. Harriet had won a lovely double handed backhand down the line into the corner. Both playing well with the winners here.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

3-3*

Pressure from Birrell again putting away a couple of volleys and earning BP with a shot hitting the line that Harriet thought was out. Harriet goes wide on BP and we are back level.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

*4-3 Dart

Another break by Harriet, she earns two BP after Birrell goes long twice in a row and hits a fantastic cross court winner that she had no right to get, great stuff!

5 breaks from 7 games here so far as predicted, and the serving has generally been decent.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

5-3* Dart

Birrell reading the Dart second serve well here and forces BP. Saves it with an ace and a couple of decent first serves in and she takes it to be near the first set line. Id say Harriet should go for her second serve more as Birrell attacks any tame returns.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 *0-0

Harriet applies some pressure and forces a couple of errors to Deuce, a DF from Birrell and more pressure and its into the net, first set in the bag in 47 minutes.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Birrell leaves the court for a toilet break and this confuses Harriet who checks with the umpire that its her serve to start the set. :/)

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-4 1-0* Dart

Harriet races to 40-0 but Birrell forces a couple of errors and then hits her own whizzing cross court winner that Harriet cant return and its very quickly Deuce. More Birrell pressure forces a Harriet shank and its break point. Birrell again attacks the second serve and only just goes long. Both then make errors wide for another Deuce. Harriet goes long again under pressure for another break point. Poor return from Birrell into the net however and its saved. Harriet gets to game point but goes for the winner and misses. An ace brings up game point, but again Harriet goes wide with a slice. Another ace again brings game point again and at the 7th time of asking she nails it.

Big game that one you feel, Harriets first serve getting the job done. 4 aces so far.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 *1-1 Dart

Long rally at 30-30 and Harriet nets. Scuffs her racket on the court in rage. Channels the rage by blasting a cross court forehand winner for Deuce. Short return however is slapped back for a winner for game point Birrell and Harriet goes long.

GBJ · Club Coach

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Birrell leaves the court for a toilet break and this confuses Harriet who checks with the umpire that its her serve to start the set. :/)

Probably harder to remember who served last in a match like this where returning for the set probably feels like serving for it!

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 1-2*

First DF for Harriet and she tamely throws/drops her racket in frustation on the first point. Some powerful returning from Birrell and its Deuce again. Birrell then finds the corner of the court and its break point. Harriet does a Novak (but shes vaccinated) and smashes the ball in anger towards the courtside. Earns herself a warning and rattles her enough on break point which Birrell takes. Harriet muttering to herself at the changeover lets hope she uses the rage in a good way.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 *2-2

After working hard to earn the break Birrell tamely gives Harriet two BP. Harriet goes long and wide on the first after working herself into the point but takes the second after forcing Birrell to net.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 2-3*

Birrell not going away here and forces two BP at 15-40. Attacking the Dart serve again goes long with the first.
Longest rally of the match with some moonballs and smashes and Harriet shanks it into the tramlines for yet another break of serve.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 *3-3 Dart

The pace has gone off both players serve but then its 30 degree sunshine with no wind. A ripping forehand winner down the line an error from Birrell causing a shriek, and another Harriet winner gives her 0-40 3 BP. Cant return the first and Birrell works hard to save the second with an open court winner. Harriet takes her third however with another poor error from a soft return and we are back on serve again.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

6-3 4-3* Dart

Finally a hold, better service game from Harriet and she takes it quickly to 15, sealed with an ace