Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RE: Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

PaulM · Tennis legend

I actually thought Emma was extremely poor?

Cornet was alright, she absolutely loves these matches and was in for a fight, but it's not hard to "scramble" when the put away ball from Raducanu is going three quarter length, a foot over the net with spin and nowhere the corner... And Cornet has such good touch that she can pull off those drop shots and tricky angles so easily when she's not facing a difficult ball off the ground.

Emma made it far too easy for Alize to play her game and take control. I don't think Alize had to work all that hard last night or come up with any magic like she has against the giants in the past. She was just way better, Emma served poorly, didn't construct the points well, didn't keep the acceleration through the short balls, didn't deal with the wind. It was just all very meh. Even when she went ahead in the second you never felt she was going to settle, she just handed it straight back.

Anyway, this was nailed on and better it's to a highly experienced respected player that everyone goes 'yeah, that result makes sense' than her losing to someone in the 80s or, even, a player younger than her.

I, like CD, think she has the prospect of a pretty decent autumn indoors.

She'll be fine. But needs to sort out the serve and change her grip back, it's moved round too much and the way her groundstrokes are now hit make no sense to me from a technical, injury prevention, or tactical sense. Maybe someone with more expertise can explain why she's now got a more extreme grip!

And I would love Alize to have a run here, like others have said she's good fun and a real character.

-- Edited by PaulM on Wednesday 31st of August 2022 08:48:10 AM

jb288 · Satellite level

I thought Alize played great - she is so fun to watch. Emma did not look either solid or aggressive to me last night - so many balls she gave back near the service line, without a lot of pace. There were flashes of brilliance, but there didn't seem to be much freedom or strategy. But I'm 100% confident they now this albatross is off her neck she will flourish again.

Crispy · Strong Club Player

Shame, but I think relief will be the overall feeling. Funny what pressure will do to you... I wonder if Emma will draw a seed like Kasatkina, Anisimova or Teichmann in her next tournament, and I wonder how they would all react when the pressure tables are turned.

Jaffa · Challenger level

Alize played well but you won't win any matches with over 30 unforced errors in 18 games.

I think this will be good for her. Pressure is off now, as much as she says the right things in the press about history and legacy it can't be easy for her to have the world on her.

Steve J · Lower Club Player

In non-Raducanu news, Ostapenko, Osaka, Rybakina and Halep also went out in the first round.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
Jaggy1876 wrote:
All this means Harriet has the pressure perhaps of winning her next match to take the GB number 1 spot. Another prediction of mine post US Open.
I'm sorry, Jagster, but as of Jan 1st 2022, this was your prediction for the year-end:
Raducanu 28
Boulter 77
Dart 92
Watson 98
Jones 131
Swan 148
Burrage 190
Grey 240
Murray-Sharan 242
Mutavdzic 268

Res: Moore 320
I don't see no Harriet as number one and you can't cover it with I predicted something else at some other point...
Of course, you might have thought Harriet would be number one post US Open, and will be back to number three at the end of the year, as Emma has a resurgence, that's perfectly possible but.....

I think if you check my posts again from a couple months ago after seeing Emmas early year results I did. The ranking comp is done in December and I didnt give it much thought if Im honest cant even tell you what my picks were.

So I can easily cover it and you are wrong. I have never even discussed the rankings competition thing. So sadly and I say sadly here because I want Emma to do well, I DID predict this would happen way back.

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, Jaggy, as you say I think it was indeed just about a couple of months ago at most that you predicted Harriet to be #1 post the US Open.

And at that point, on forward projections, taking off US Open and other points, it very much looked between two clear close candidates and you plumped for one, ànd even now we await Harriet's R2 result to see if you will be right or wrong. I recall at the time I said I'd go with Emma. Anyway, whatever, hardly Lazarus as a passer by might have thought.

And I take all our initial year end predictions as folk's true thoughts at the time, not to be later cast idly aside. Much as I might myself like to with my Emma WR 12 and Harriet WR 148 predictions, I'm afraid I own them. I suspect we would hear plenty about it if you were winning the predictions contest

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Jaggy1876 wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Jaggy1876 wrote:
All this means Harriet has the pressure perhaps of winning her next match to take the GB number 1 spot. Another prediction of mine post US Open.
I'm sorry, Jagster, but as of Jan 1st 2022, this was your prediction for the year-end:
Raducanu 28
Boulter 77
Dart 92
Watson 98
Jones 131
Swan 148
Burrage 190
Grey 240
Murray-Sharan 242
Mutavdzic 268

Res: Moore 320
I don't see no Harriet as number one and you can't cover it with I predicted something else at some other point...
Of course, you might have thought Harriet would be number one post US Open, and will be back to number three at the end of the year, as Emma has a resurgence, that's perfectly possible but.....
I think if you check my posts again from a couple months ago after seeing Emmas early year results I did. The ranking comp is done in December and I didnt give it much thought if Im honest cant even tell you what my picks were.
So I can easily cover it and you are wrong. I have never even discussed the rankings competition thing. So sadly and I say sadly here because I want Emma to do well, I DID predict this would happen way back.

I never said that you didn't predict it, Jaggy

I simply said that your prediction at the start of the year didn't have that - in fact, it had something very different

Obviously, changing it later to reflect new poor results makes sense but that's a lot easier and it doesn't have quite the same impact....

HarryGem · Club Coach

Coup Droit wrote:
the addict wrote:
Everyone who entered predicted Emma to be GB#1 at the end of the year - and at the moment JonH is the closest on ranking at WR55. Most people expect Harriet to end the year at GB#3

I wasn't surprised at the result overnight - pretty well the scoreline I was expecting. Caro has been in great form in recent months. (Alizé?)
Er, think I've got Emma at WR55 too - and I'm happy with that - unless she decides to withdraw from competitive tennis till the new year, which is possible, I think there's a reasonable chance she will have a decentish autumn - certainly better than last year

Well she's going to be about 80 after the US open. She's next entered for the 250 in Seoul on 19th September as the current number 1 seed. Though the entry list isn't currently that strong I'm not sure this is the right thing for her at this moment. Does she really want to be the number 1 seed in such tournaments and the pressure that comes with? Could this be an agent led publicity attempt to cash in on her profile in that part of the world?

I think she needs to do what Heather did in 2019 and drop down to the ITF level to see if she can gain some confidence and momentum though I suspect her agents won't want that as it lowers her profile.

I didn't think Emma was too bad last night but the gulf in ability was pretty wide. She needs to sort out the coach and stick with a plan over the winter and into the new year. The last 12 months though have been what can only be described as a bit of a disappointment. She seems to have completely lost that fizz and pace to her game and doesn't really seem to have any weapons to challenge the best. the wins over Serena and Azarenka really just papered over the issues and both were very very poor on the day. Some time out of the spotlight will hopefully be beneficial.

Good luck to Harriet who has a real chance to progress today. Though quite what having Harriet Dart as GB number 1 says about the state of the top end of our women's game I'm not so sure.

Rich2310 · County player

I wonder how Emma feels today when she wakes up in her hotel room. I hope she doesn't look too much at social media. The comments on some sites are disgusting. If I were a young lad of her age I would want to hide away from that. She always smiles and looks happy but is she underneath it all. She must like everyone think things to herself and about herself. We all know she is a good player. If she wasn't she would not have won in New York last year. Fluke or one off, you still have to be good enough to do that and she did. But the pressure imo just intensified then overnight. She went from a good upcoming player to a grand Slam Champion overnight. I doubt even she can answer how all that really happened but it did. I don't believe all the media pressure and other publicity has not got to her in some way. We all have mental health. Look at Osaka and her time out. Thankfully that has not happened to Emma. But, like others have said here, now those points are off and her ranking has dropped maybe she can feel less pressure and start to regroup. Actually if you take away her victory last year and it had never happened then being world no 80 I think is a very good position for a player of Emma's age. Many players would happily have that ranking. She has never had the time and space to work her way up like Jack Draper for example. Jack has won 4 challengers this year and worked his way up the rankings and probably feels that he belongs there now. His game has grown. Plus he would not have the same amount of media pressure. Poor Emma has had every detail and movement of her life looked over and dissected because of the social media age we now live in. I don't think for a single moment she should ever wish New York had not happened. It's her victory for evermore. But the fact she was taken from just the beginnings still of her adult career and found herself overnight thrown straight into the very top of the game. It's a lot for most to handle. So I salute her and hope she is feeling alright. I hope she is happy with her coaching set up and can re group. Maybe play some WTA 125's as well as the 250's. Just work on her game, get some wins and as long as she ends the season in the top 100 she knows she is into Australia in Jan. I believe she will slowly work her way back up. She might win more slams. She might never win another slam. But given time this girl has the ability to settle and have a great career at the upper part of the game. And finally if she stopped playing tomorrow she has done what no other British woman had done for decades. Win a major slam and put her name in history. Emma will be back. There is something about her. I just hope she can have the time and space to settle and truly find her game. I salute all those out there who handle todays world and the pressures it can heap on you if you are in the public spotlight. Chin up Emma. Just turn the page and begin a new chapter.

Pancho P · Lower Club Player

Nice post. Yes, a few weeks ago on TF some prize spark said about Emma " good riddance " after a defeat...... Lovely !

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I would imagine Emma has some good people in her camp and will be aware of what is to follow. As I said earlier the majority of people who comment on Tennis on the socials and the media (including some of the journalists), dont have as much knowledge or interest as the die-hards on here for example, mainly because its harder to follow Tennis than Football which is easier to keep track of because of the media.

Im sticking by what I said in terms of her ability at the moment in that I think her overall game is better than last year. Im trying not to discredit last years amazing win but the stars all aligned for her more than anything I would say. The wee niggles and learning her game was always going to mean there would be a setback. Shes still a teenager but I doubt shes seen as that now due to her star status. Cornet would have beaten almost anyone on the tour playing like that yesterday especially in the second set.

Shell be back and will be back as our number 1 player next year, Id be fairly certain of that, if she stays fit of course. Difficult to see any player other than Emma being top 50 in the next year or two. Time will tell.

Rich2310 · County player

Just laughing at the BBC news who are saying that Emma will now drop down to the lowly obscure ranks of about 80. Doesn't seem to matter that being no 80 in the world gets you direct entry into all the slams and other tour level events. If Emma is obscure at 80 then what does that say for anyone ranked 300 or lower. Just wish they would report correctly on these things. She is still a top 100 player who could go to her next two events, win them and suddenly be back in the top 50.

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

Problem with the BBC is they dont know of any players ranked below 80 unless they have a story to tell. The likes of Ryan Peniston and Sonay Kartal are quietly working their way up yet I doubt the BBC have heard of them.