Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

Steve J · Lower Club Player

Week 35/36 US Open New York Hard

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Steve J wrote:
Venus Williams lost 1&1. Difficult to see how tournaments can justify giving her wildcards.

Probably because the court had big crowds?

Loved the match of Kanepi v Strycova. Didn't watch it ( biggrin ) but two players, age 37 and 38, still out there, giving singles their best.....I'm glad there are both ends in tennis, the rising stars and the 'fading' stars

RJH1962 · Intermediate Club Player

LordBrownof wrote:
First set Jodie 6-3.

Conditions seem to be favoring Jodie's game, fast and warm but not too hot. Her groundstrokes are flying through the air. It's great to see her so positive and mentally dialed in.

My only concern (and not for tonight) is really the evolution of her game, which I've thought for a while now. She's got a big hitting game which in the Jodie 2.0 era she's managed to control and exploit, alongside improved mental toughness. But she is often a little predictable. In reigning in her game she now hits the ball she's supposed to hit, in the places she's supposed to hit it. You rarely see her go behind her opponent or surprise her opponent with a different look. I'd love to see her add that to her game. Feels to me that is what will take her to the next level.

Would love other thoughts on that. I've watched A LOT of Jodie matches in the last two years but I'd love other view points!

I also watch most of Jodies games and was thinking the same thing. She can be a little robotic and does need to vary her game occasionally. Having said that whatever change shes made in the last 18 months is obviously working and long may that continue. I couldnt watch her game l last night and this result was a great way to start the day. Well done Jodie!

Jan · Hall of fame

Well done Jodie!
What a first round! Have we ever had 7 British wins out of 7 in a grand slam R1??

PaulM · Tennis legend

Fantastic Jodie what a win. Looking forward to watching the highlights of that one.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just watched the first set back

So good to see Jodie take an early lead and then just calmly play it out

Mind you, the two easy shots Blinkova muffed when Jodie was serving for the set really helped - it was the first game she looked a little tense

But such solid hitting

Also, as an aside, really interesting what effect the automatic linecalls might have

In that very first game, Jodie clearly thought her backhand down the line was in, previously she'd have been thinking about whether to challenge, whether it was too early to use them up, looking at her coach, getting hot and bothered. But now she just had to accept that it was fractionally out, end of. And move on.

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Wow what results to wake up to.

Solidifying Jodies top 100 place. I know what you guys mean about Jodies game. I think its what she needs to work on moving forward. A little more variety a little less predictable. We still have to remember that 18 months ago Jodie wasnt even top 200. Its going to take time for her to level out at her right ranking which S things stand I think is circa 70-80.

the addict · Tennis legend

I haven't watched this yet (and don't nomally watch matches the next day, but will this one !). A great win for Jodie, and by all accounts she's got her head in the right place after so many ups and downs in matches in recent years. Such a pity she has to play Sabalenka next.

the addict · Tennis legend

I see Lissey and Liv are in New York - are they in with a chance of an alt spot in the doubles ?

Crispy · Strong Club Player

Hopefully she will end the year in the top 80, and feel incredibly proud of that achievement, and add a bit of variety in the off season, and have the chance to get direct entry to all of the slams next year. Well done! This forum has a history of being very disappointed in JB performances, and she was the only player to have the odds against her in the first round, but she has turned her career around significantly and very quickly indeed. She has all the talent to be top 50 and cause damage. Good luck to her, and enjoy the big court arena vs Sabalenka.

Nix · Futures level

LordBrownof wrote:
First set Jodie 6-3.

Conditions seem to be favoring Jodie's game, fast and warm but not too hot. Her groundstrokes are flying through the air. It's great to see her so positive and mentally dialed in.

My only concern (and not for tonight) is really the evolution of her game, which I've thought for a while now. She's got a big hitting game which in the Jodie 2.0 era she's managed to control and exploit, alongside improved mental toughness. But she is often a little predictable. In reigning in her game she now hits the ball she's supposed to hit, in the places she's supposed to hit it. You rarely see her go behind her opponent or surprise her opponent with a different look. I'd love to see her add that to her game. Feels to me that is what will take her to the next level.

Would love other thoughts on that. I've watched A LOT of Jodie matches in the last two years but I'd love other view points!

I'd say, just like Katie B they've rarely had a total run of say, a whole year without it being interrupted by injury. If I were her coach I wouldn't be working on everything at once (especially given that they're also regularly having to also prepare for different conditions/surfaces/and in their case level of player recently). I'd be focusing on eliminating her biggest weaknesses while working on her strengths. It seems to be paying off. She's not the youngest but she is young enough to still work on her total game and I'm sure her coach will now start fine-tuning.

I'm thrilled for both her and Katie. They seem to have been working so hard and been finally given enough of a platform of a good block of playing time to be able to show what they're capable of.

Lambda · Challenger level

Coup Droit wrote:

PS If Lily and Jodie have the same coach, then give that man a biscuit !

With 3 of his players here he doesn't have time for biscuits! Alexa Guarachi being the third one.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Lambda wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:

PS If Lily and Jodie have the same coach, then give that man a biscuit !

With 3 of his players here he doesn't have time for biscuits! Alexa Guarachi being the third one.

biggrin

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

This year we have 3 British women in the 2nd round and you have to go back to 1986 when we had 4. i.e. Hobbs, Croft, Durie and Gomer. Only Anne Hobbs progressed further where she lost to Helena Sukova in the last 16.The last time we had 2 women reach the 3rd round was 1991. Jo Durie reached the 4th round where she lost to Capriati and Sara Gomer lost in the 3rd round to Monica Seles. Seeing Katie's next opponent is Yafan Wang reminds me of when Wang played Jo Konta in the 1st round of Rabat in May 2019. Jo lost the 1st set and was 5-6 down in the 2nd set with Wang having 3 match points. Jo then won the next 5 points to force a tie break and won the tie break 7-0. Jo won 12 points in a row and went on to win the match. She reached the final in Rabat and lost to Maria Sakkari in the final. This was and still is the only singles title Sakkari has won on the WTA main tour. Even so she has had a very profitable career.

RJH1962 · Intermediate Club Player

the addict wrote:
I haven't watched this yet (and don't nomally watch matches the next day, but will this one !). A great win for Jodie, and by all accounts she's got her head in the right place after so many ups and downs in matches in recent years. Such a pity she has to play Sabalenka next.

I have tried to find it on sky but cant see it. Is it being shown elsewhere?