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Post Info TOPIC: 2023 BJK Cup Qualifiers - GB v France, Coventry - 14-15 April


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


I was lucky enough to be there yesterday and got back quite late, a lot later than I expected.

Before I say anything about the tennis, if anyone read this and you are going today the doors only opened 1 hour before yesterday and the queue to get in was pretty slow and we had to wait in the rain for quite a while. I'd been to the Commonwealth Games at the same venue and the organisation this time seemed to be not that good. So try to get there as early as you can if you want to sample the pre tennis atmosphere.
The food choices in the venue are terrible if you are vegetarian or vegan and very limited and expensive otherwise. Also if you are tall you're going to be in for a cramped time leg-wise.

The tennis was just so dramatic and exhilarating even though we lost both matches. Katie played at a level I just didn't think she had right now. Even though Garcia was perhaps a little below her top level it really came down to just a few key moments though I thought Garcia really played those moments better and for the last 20 minutes Katie was hanging on but not making much impression on Garcia's serve so when it came to the final tie break I thought it likely Garcia would win as over the course of those last few games she seemed to be winning a greater proportion of the points and Katie seemed to be tiring just a little. At 3 hours 26 minutes I'm sure that is the longest women's tennis match I've witnessed live and will surely be one of the best matches of this year's BJK Cup. A privilege to have been there.

In some ways Harriet's match was the more frustrating. For as well as Katie played I never really felt she was going to win. Harriet on the other hand played well enough at times to really trouble Cornet and I felt she was doing enough to have won that match. Again it came down to a few points here and there that didn't go Harriet's way. To me it was clear we were seeing a player low on confidence and not used to winning a lot of matches lately. Whilst she was pumped up and positive at times at others she seemed quite down on herself. Some of the rallies were very good but the big issue for Harriet is her serve. The 1st serve is ok but she is rolling in the 2nd at 70-75 MPH and not doing anything with it. There's not kick or spin and it just sits there asking to be pummeled back which it generally was and though she did win points behind it she was always under pressure. With a better serve she would have won the first set and the match may have been different.

Both GB women did themselves proud and I guess it will have been a bit of a somber camp last night. It is hard to see past a French win and whether they play the final two matches I don't know.



-- Edited by HarryGem on Saturday 15th of April 2023 05:40:06 AM

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Thanks for the great report. Pleased for you that the queues, poor food and cramped conditions were at least offset (i hope) by the excellent close matches. Much closer than I anticipated at any rate and enjoyable viewing for the most part. To be there live would have been a great experience I imagine.

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Well that brings Katies risible efforts in France a few weeks ago into even sharper focus.

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Henman TID


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Most vegans carry a spare carrot in their pocket, so they shouldn't be that hungry.

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The Express (!) is digging up the dirt about Emma and the Billie Jean Cup

As said before, I think Emma was completely out of order not to go and support the team on any day in Glasgow and do a photo shoot at Harrods instead.

And now it's three on the trot she's not showed for. And she'd no idea when it was, or interest.

Porsche come first. Or so implies Anne K, rather bitterly:

www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/tennis/emma-raducanu-hung-out-to-dry-as-gb-captain-anne-keothavong-responds-to-brit-s-claim/ar-AA19Pv63

But (a) I don't really rate the BJC, (b) Emma - tbh - has done more than other GB player by far for the status of our nation's female tennis, in the past ten years say, and (c) I'm not a great fan of Anne K (in tennis politics) either



-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 15th of April 2023 10:53:37 AM

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Coup Droit wrote:

The Express (!) is digging up the dirt about Emma and the Billie Jean Cup

As said before, I think Emma was completely out of order not to go and support the team on any day in Glasgow and do a photo shoot at Harrods instead.

And now it's three on the trot she's not showed for. And she'd no idea when it was, or interest.

Porsche come first. Or so implies Anne K, rather bitterly:

www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/tennis/emma-raducanu-hung-out-to-dry-as-gb-captain-anne-keothavong-responds-to-brit-s-claim/ar-AA19Pv63

But (a) I don't really rate the BJC, (b) Emma - tbh - has done more than other GB player by far for the status of our nation's female tennis, in the past ten years say, and (c) I'm not a great fan of Anne K (in tennis politics) either



-- Edited by Coup Droit on Saturday 15th of April 2023 10:53:37 AM


As always, context is everything.  When Emma gave the response she was talking about how excited she had been for the start of the year, her rolled ankle really knocked her, she disappeared under a rock cutting social media etc etc.  He she said she had been so withdrawn that BJK hadn't really been in her thoughts I dont think it would have been such a big deal.  The way she expressed it.....didn't even know when the events was, appears to have irked Anne.

I feel for Emma a bit here.  Sure it could have been phrased better but she is being sniped at as a one hit wonder that is always injured and more interested in modelling but when she retreats and 100% focusses on her career....once again she messes up a bit.  I would have thought Anne was old and wise enough to handle her comments better.  She hasn't said much, but its all a bit clipped and veiled. 

Much as I expect more from Emma when representing her country (not just when an olympic place is on the line).....I also expect more from Anne as a Captain and Leader.  Her communication skills may be just fine, but her people skills???

 

 



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 Its really not as bad as they say :)



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Agree. All rather unnecessary from Anne. If Emma's agents negotiated a deal with Porsche that meant she couldn't miss the tournament then I doubt very much Emma knew the consequences of that - she's a teenager. Contracts get negotiated and fixtures get announced.

Anne has a responsibility both as a Captain and also as a British tennis leader to be protecting young players like Emma. Her response is at best immature.

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I 100% agree, Shhh

Yes, Emma's comment was a light, honest one, when put on the spot - 'sorry, I really don't know when it is, I haven't been looking at schedules etc, I'm just happy to be hitting a ball'

And, personally, I've no problem at all with any of them not playing if they're carrying slight niggles - Katie B half killed herself for a BJK match a couple of years ago - utter madness, IMO

Not going up to Glasgow to support, when you've got four days to choose from, and it's a home tie, and you've not got much else on, is another matter. But it's not a hanging offence.

After all, Emma's job is to play tennis. And she's the best Brit doing that at the moment.

Anne, as you say, should grow up a little. Taking everything very personally, and making snippy comments, is hardly what's called for. And, again, there's been various AELTC/LTA etc things where she's been involved in the politics and I haven't been impressed.

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Jan


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Commentator saying Harriet had a late finish yesterday, so a quick turnaround.
Is there any reason why they don't play the doubles first on the second day? A least then the singles players would get a bit more recovery time.


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Jan wrote:

Commentator saying Harriet had a late finish yesterday, so a quick turnaround.
Is there any reason why they don't play the doubles first on the second day? A least then the singles players would get a bit more recovery time.


 I think its because for many teams one or both of the doubles players might also be singles players and so they dont wish to detract from their ability to play singles later the same day. a la main tour where dounless get scheduled after singles in I think every case where a player is due to play singles and doubles on the same day. 

whether it is right or wrong is a different discussion , but that is almost certainly the reason. I guess the argument might be that if Harriet was tired detrimentally, then Heather could have come in and played? 



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Gosh Harriet just fills you with pride to be a British womens' tennis fan at times doesn't she?

I suspect Garcia will rebound in this third but to come out that incredibly scrappy tiebreak took so much guts.

1-6 7-6(10) 0-0*

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I remember Judy making a slightly narky comment one time Jo missed zonal ties after going deep at the Australian Open.

It was a bit OTT for me the remark, and I am not sure Emma playing would really have made difference to the overall result this weekend, and the crowd looks pretty full. She's putting herself at risk for Olympics eligibility so she'll really need to make herself available for the play-off when we lose this one.

Harriet 0-2*

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PS - re the venue. Please direct all complaints to the new stadium owner, Mike Ashley. As someone who suffers at that venue at least twice a year watching my beloved Sky Blues, I too would like better food choices!

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Done and dusted

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Harriet loses 6-1 6-7(10) 6-1

Some good performances, but a few frustrating moments where just a first serve here, a mistake not made there, could have seen us still in this.

Play off that must be won, and I'm fairly hopeful looking at how other ties are going. Suspect we might get an away tie though.

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