Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open, Women's Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Outdoor, Hard

wales1994 · County player

Weeks 3-4 - Australian Open, Women's Main Draw - Melbourne, Australia - Outdoor, Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

Huge hold to start the third.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Emma breaks then loses track of score, walking to the chair when it's only 40-15. Holds to 30.

3-0*

Aberdaberdonian · Club Coach

Just seen the score.....this match is certainly topsy turvy smile

And Emma just breaks again to lead 4-0 in the 3rd

-- Edited by Aberdaberdonian on Tuesday 18th of January 2022 12:40:41 PM

emmsie69 · Top national player

Typic WTA scoreline here so far

PaulM · Tennis legend

4-0 *40-0 becomes deuce...

Another game point missed. Stephens clinging tough. Nice winner there.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 18th of January 2022 12:43:52 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Misses a fifth but fortunately Sloane makes a howler of a miss with a volley 6 ft long when she had an open court, and nets another volley.

5-0*

The first set was as one sided as the scoreline, this one is actually quite tight. Small margins.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Ooh Emma had a great chance at a pass at 15-0*. Loops it long. Sloane holds.

*5-1

PaulM · Tennis legend

Yes! Wow. So impressed. What a star she is. Currently projected at Number 12 in the live rankings!

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 18th of January 2022 12:56:31 PM

Peter too · Tennis legend

R1: RADUCANU, Emma (GBR) 18 =CH def STEPHENS, Sloan (USA) 67 (CH=3 2018) 6-0 2-6 6-1
R1: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 94 (CH=38 2015) def SHERIF, Mayar (EGY) 62 (CH=61 2021) 6-3 5-7 6-2
R1: DART, Harriet (GBR) Q 123 (CH=120 2021) lost to SWIATEK, Iga (POL) (7) 9 (CH=4 2021) 3-6 0-6

R1: RADUCANU, Emma (GBR) 18 =CH v KOVINIC, Danka (MNE) 98 (CH=46 2016)
R1: WATSON, Heather (GBR) 94 (CH=38 2015) v ZIDANSEK, Tamara (SLO)(29) 29 =CH
They met earlier this year in Adelaide with Tamara winning in a 3rd set tie break.

Crispy · Strong Club Player

Hugely impressed. In fact - I think a 3 set victory, and finishing as strongly as she did, will do her a world of good! Well done!

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

A nervy match. A lot of errors from both. All a bit cautious. Worried, even. And some little bits that shone.
But Emma deserved it.
Really well done to her

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Oh my goodness, that was desperately worrying at times. I was thinking I really should give up watching tennis LOL. Thank you Emma for making my day, in the end X

paulisi · Tennis legend

I thought Emma played well in general. Her levels dropped in set 2, but Sloane wasn't as bad as the scoreline suggested.

kundalini · Specialist Reporter + Intermediate Club Player

Courts playing a lot slower late in the evening. Add in Sloane's athleticism meant plenty of good shots from Emma went unrewarded.

First set sensational, though helped by Sloane's errors. 2nd set Sloane played some good tennis but Emma was rubbish. 3rd set Emma did just about enough to win 5 games in a row, despite a few careless mistakes.

Needs to tighten up a few things: first serve wasn't doing enough damage, 2nd serve too many double faults, passing shots missed too often.