Week 21 - French Open (Roland-Garros) - Paris, France (clay)

Neil Gee · Club Coach

Week 21 - French Open (Roland-Garros) - Paris, France (clay)

HarryGem · Club Coach

Ace Ventura wrote:
Noskova did get better as it went on, but that will definitely feel like a set that got away.

Not for the first time this year either. Emma will struggle to win this now.

paulisi · Tennis legend

I'm not sure it was a weak tie break by Emma, just that the other girl upped her levels considerably.

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Neil Gee wrote:
I might be wrong but I can't remember a match that Emma has won after losing the opening set

Had to check, but Hercog at Cluj not long after the US Open was the last, and Gorgodze just before the US Open if we're including ITF 100s, but yeah, it's few and far between stuff.

Neil Gee · Club Coach

Ace Ventura wrote:
Neil Gee wrote:
I might be wrong but I can't remember a match that Emma has won after losing the opening set
Had to check, but Hercog at Cluj not long after the US Open was the last, and Gorgodze just before the US Open if we're including ITF 100s, but yeah, it's few and far between stuff.

Thank You Ace Ventura

LordBrownof · Futures level

PaulM wrote:
Heather clung on for as long as possible in miserable conditions but it was the French girls day. Couldn't escape the *3-4 game despite saving 5 break points, then wasted 2 of her own in the final game to lose 3-6 3-6. The wildcard totally deserved it.

Emma making a total hash of things, she should be miles clear, wasting a lot of chances with bad play.

Just woeful from Heather. She's always been hard to watch but the spark seems to have gone.

Worth noting that it looks like she recently broke up with her boyfriend, which obviously could be a factor.

PaulM · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
I'm not sure it was a weak tie break by Emma, just that the other girl upped her levels considerably.

Noskova is hitting some great winners, but it helps when the ball is being bit 3/4 length into your strike zone which is what Emma has spent most of the last 40 minutes doing and then seeming puzzled when the ball flies past her.

I did say it was a bad draw! 1-2*

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

PaulM wrote:
paulisi wrote:
I'm not sure it was a weak tie break by Emma, just that the other girl upped her levels considerably.
Noskova is hitting some great winners, but it helps when the ball is being bit 3/4 length into your strike zone which is what Emma has spent most of the last 40 minutes doing and then seeming puzzled when the ball flies past her.

I did say it was a bad draw! 1-2*

Sorry, this is not a bad draw.

And Noskova is playing well, but no more.

The pace of her balls, and placement, are decent but Emma is barely playing.

Come back, Mr Richardson !

Peter too · Tennis legend

Noskova just can't miss with that backhand, hit it onto the tape on her backhand and she returns it down the line onto the tape at the other end.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Sorry CD when I said 'bad' I meant purely in the comparative context of the qualifier placements in terms of who could have came out the hat. There were only 3 possible opponents who gave me any concerns and Linda was one of them that I would have preferred her to avoid. But I agree, it's not bad out of all the draws she could have had obviously, and she should still be getting through this comfortably.

Emma is, as you say, just shuffling the ball about and making it really quite simple for Linda to smash it away for glory every time. Just a very, very, flat performance.

-- Edited by PaulM on Monday 23rd of May 2022 05:31:13 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, Noskova may indeed be the 17yo reigning RG junior champion with a JCH 5.

But other than a France M60 title where she beat Paquet WR 104 and Kerkhove WR 138 along the way she really hasn't done a lot this year in seniors and appears to have had some bad losses.

It looks an absolutely fine draw and probably better than most. And simply isn't really taking that much to be getting the better of Emma.

Edit: Ah, noted Paul re qualifier placements. I''m not sure where she would / should rank amongst these.

-- Edited by indiana on Monday 23rd of May 2022 05:34:21 PM

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Sorry, PaulM, I misunderstood. And, yes, well possible re qualifiers. As far as that goes, if you're top 20 yourself.... :(

But, honestly.....

PaulM · Tennis legend

Emma had it at 5-4 30-0* and played 4 dreadful points.

*5-5

Ace Ventura · Tennis legend

Noskova definitely seems to be getting the bulk of the crowd support here, and they are into it. Not sure how many times in Emma's young career she would have had that - BJK Cup recently I suppose, but then you'd naturally expect that.

Peter too · Tennis legend

The big difference is whether Emma's first service is going well or not. It went walk about from the middle of the first set to the middle of the 2nd. There is now some sign that it might be returning. If so it should give her more confidence for the rest of her game.