Some good hitting including a great volley at *4-5, followed by a super winner after a lung busting rally gave her set point at 6-5*. She went for the right forehand winner down the line but just missed it. Got to the short ball but angled the slice wide (should have gone down the line) then couldn't make a Cornet drop shot.
Cornet huffed and puffed and hobbled about but came up with the goods.
In the end it was really down to a couple of mistakes, a bad double at *3-3 didn't help. Second serve just leaves her too vulnerable at this level.
I never thought we'd end today anything other than 2-0 down, but it actually feels a little unfair to be so. The girls did great.
Harriet had good opportunities on Cornet's opening two service points in the second set tiebreak, but went wide with a forehand down the line and netted the drive volley. A millimetre wide hands the Frenchwoman a mini break and then it runs away. If she'd stuck those three points, who knows, as Cornet would have struggled in a third set and I imagine will be replaced by Burel tomorrow if comes to it.
Shame. If we lose the time, Im quite happy in some ways. I think some of our players could be playing bigger ITFs at the end of the year instead of these ties I mean Im just trying to see the upside!
It's a shame it's Harriet v Garcia first up, as I think Katie could have beaten either Burel or Cornet which would at least have put Caro under stress (which we know she can struggle with). But that's the way it shakes out.
A pity that things didn't go our way, 2 close matches. Actually both matches paired players with quite similar game styles, so then it becomes a very physical tussle.
Great credit to the girls who played today and just hope they somehow find that form to take back on tour. I hope Katie B tries to avoid clay and get points on some faster courts ahead of the grass where we know she can do well