Week 12 - WTA1000 - Miami, USA Hard

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Week 12 - WTA1000 - Miami, USA Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

And Emma gets a break.

*4-3

Spireman · Club Coach

Heather 107 points to 90 points, quite a big margin for a match 7-6 in third with 4 and 3 sets before.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Jeez Emma. Horrible miss at 30-30 then a terrible double. Honestly that forehand what was she doing

5-5*

Jan · Hall of fame

Jan · Hall of fame

Sigh

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sad face.......

PaulM · Tennis legend

And a diabolical series of errors for *5-6. Broken to 15. Lost.

It's really a repeat of previous matches. Ahead but can't maintain the intensity to get it over the line. Gives her opponents the chance to get in and gives them confidence they are still in it rather than shutting them out. Still lots to learn, but she'll get there. I mean some of her tennis was still absolutely outrageous.

But my biggest worry is that every match she's making last 90 minutes longer than it should, win it lose. And she's injuring herself as a result. You could see by the end her leg was hurting again.

Disappointing.

christ · Futures level

How many first or second round exits before we have to grudgingly concede that the US Open may have been a one-off?

HarryGem · Club Coach

Well what a mixed day for GB.

Great win for Heather. Always thought she had a chance as Svitolina is really terrible right now.

As for Emma I'm sorry but that is yet another disappointing result to add to all the other ones since the US open which is starting to look like a different world right now.

Really hope she pulls out of the BJK Cup as she's clearly struggling for fitness again. She just seems to lack the mental strength to see out matches from a winning position. Winning the US Open is obviously a massive plus but right now I'd say it is holding back her development and forcing to play tournaments and players above what her current level of play is. At this stage in her career without that US open win she would probably be playing ITF60s and 80s not WTA 1000s.

-- Edited by HarryGem on Thursday 24th of March 2022 10:12:07 PM

Jan · Hall of fame

christ wrote:
How many first or second round exits before we have to grudgingly concede that the US Open may have been a one-off?

Let's hope not, still plenty of time.

But if it does end up that way, it's not a bad one-off to have on your cv!

PaulM · Tennis legend

I mean I think we can write off the clay. But she's got another 8-10 years of career if she wants it and stays healthy. Who knows. But clearly she's a top 75 player, which she was nowhere near a year ago. It's just hard with all the spotlight and expectation, she's not fit enough or strong enough physically or mentally for these battles yet, but can't go away and quietly do the development she now needs over the next 12-18 months.

She's got a good team around her. These losses will sting like heck, but it's also really clear what needs fixed. At least she's not been getting blitzed on these hard court swings.

-- Edited by PaulM on Thursday 24th of March 2022 10:14:39 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

PaulM wrote:
And a diabolical series of errors for *5-6. Broken to 15. Lost.

It's really a repeat of previous matches. Ahead but can't maintain the intensity to get it over the line. Gives her opponents the chance to get in and gives them confidence they are still in it rather than shutting them out. Still lots to learn, but she'll get there. I mean some of her tennis was still absolutely outrageous.

But my biggest worry is that every match she's making last 90 minutes longer than it should, win it lose. And she's injuring herself as a result. You could see by the end her leg was hurting again.

Disappointing.

On the other hand, you could say that she's protecting herself from injury by losing in the first round so doesn't have to play again cry

(To be honest, her leg seemed fine at 5-4)

NB I don't think the US Open was a one-off. She's 19, there's zillion more grand slams to come. And most of her tennis is amazing. But the US Open was certainly a surprise, a perfect storm, so to speak, and - because of the loaded way the rankings work - has given her a rather inflated ranking.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Agree CD. It's whether losing these matches (she's served for the match in her last three losses) starts to get into her head or if she can draw on the lessons without it impacting her confidence more than it has to.

indiana · Tennis legend

christ wrote:
How many first or second round exits before we have to grudgingly concede that the US Open may have been a one-off?

I personally continue to think that Emma will prove herself to be the real deal.

She got some breaks at the US Open but still won a lot of matches against top 50 players. It was no mirage, she did that from such a shallow base.

She's in a bit of a state of flux just now, not helped by some illness and injury issues, but mainly just on the rebound from the extraordinary events of past autumn. I did think this year was going to very unpredictable as to how she followed on.

I wish she was playing better and winning more but I 'm not hugely concerned for the longer term and I simply don't anywhere near share some folk's pessimism. She should come again, probably better than before. Too much talent not to