2023 BJK Cup Qualifiers - GB v France, Coventry - 14-15 April

RainDelay · Pro player

RE: 2023 BJK Cup Qualifiers - GB v France, Coventry - 14-15 April

RainDelay · Pro player

Well it was a good effort. A far cry from recent months

indiana · Tennis legend

Efficiently won TB by Caroline

7-6(2) 6-7(4) 6-7(2)

But yes, what a different level by Katie today. How she can play against how she has been playing recently.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Harriet had a point for 5-3* but it's 4-4*

Cornet heavily strapped on both thighs. Harriet playing a decent level but second serve being demolished as usual.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Two point from the set at *5-4 but can't get it done.

5-5*

French just better in the tight moments across both matches really. Which you'd expect.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Good effort to save a set point. And a second.

Couple of decent first serves and it's another tiebreak.

PaulM · Tennis legend

France take the tiebreak 8-6

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.

PaulM · Tennis legend

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.

6-7(6) 6-7(3)

Crispy · Intermediate Club Player

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!

PaulM · Tennis legend

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.

Was always going to be incredibly tough.

markymc1983 · Club Coach

Id play Heather against Garcia instead of Harriet, Hev has a positive h2h (albeit from a few years ago)

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

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.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

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

dodrade · Satellite level

indiana wrote:
Efficiently won TB by Caroline

7-6(2) 6-7(4) 6-7(2)

But yes, what a different level by Katie today. How she can play against how she has been playing recently.

She always seems to raise her game for GB, wasn't surprised Annie picked her ahead of Hev.

Pretty frustrating but given how tight both matches were perhaps all hope is not quite lost just yet.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Five tie breaks and we won only one.