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Post Info TOPIC: Week 7 - WTA 1000 - Doha, Qatar Hard
Rich2310


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RE: Week 7 - WTA 1000 - Doha, Qatar Hard
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Helen40 wrote:
korriban wrote:

Watched the second set - which by all accounts was immeasurably better than the first - and it was hit and miss to say the least. A few screaming winners, particularly on the forehand today - but many many more unforced errors of all shapes and varieties. Quite a few weak backhands where Emma appeared to be too close to the ball, which meant she netted each time. It was windy and lots of shadows on the court, but I dont think thats a fair excuse as the other player appeared to be fine.

Her post match analysis/presser was somewhat concerning as she said she was struggling on her serve, return, forehand and backhand! And that playing outdoors was quite a challenge, as was playing back to back tournaments! Not sure what you can say to that, as thats a description of playing on the professional womens tennis tour, really.

You only have to look back on her US Open run to see that for those 3 weeks, her tennis was almost unplayable - power, precision, aggression, minimal unforced errors and an unerring match temperament. Im fairly certain on that form and for those 3 weeks she would have beaten ANY opponent put in front of her. So the secret ingredients are all there that very few other players on the tour have, or ever will have. What I now see is unrecognisable compared to that. How to rediscover that magic? I have no idea really - just hope she stumbles across the right catalyst one day - because at the moment it seems a lifetime away. Fingers crossed!!

 Thanks for the set report. I don't often get to watch her matches, so am always grateful for reports.

It sounds like her love of the game and the fact that to climb the rankings you have to be consistent have escaped her. I only hope that she gets into a consistent schedule so she can climb up again.

She's still young, but I can't help wondering if she'll go the way of Robbo.

 That is my fear also with Emma. I am not yet totally convinced that she is 100 percent committed to the task ahead. She doesn't have to play for the money and she will forever be a Grand Slam Champion. But after her defeat yesterday she said something about needing to learn how to play better outdoors or something. I might be wrong but don't understand. Surely she already has a good understanding of everything from her junior days. She said she need to get used to the tour schedule which seems logical. But I just wonder now if she will disappear for a few weeks and then turn up for Indian Wells and Miami where she could so easily be out in the first round and no chance of getting matches under her belt. It's always said that there is nothing better than winning to breed winning. So I will support her wherever she plays but still personally would like to see her drop down to whatever level just so she can get a run of matches going. I can't right now feel the full commitment that you get from someone like Harriet for example. We all know she got a little bit lucky with the draw at her US Open victory. But I take nothing away from that. She still won. She has the game. We know that. But is that desire, hunger and determination there in her belly to want to really get right back up near the top. I feel the jury can't yet reach a verdict on that.



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Rich2310
Rich2310


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I also for got to say and many have maybe already said this. But imo the first worst thing to happen after her US victory was getting rid of Andrew Richardson. There was a connection there. We will never know what might have been if he had stayed as her coach. from that moment onward it feels like Emma has been in freefall tbh.

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Rich2310
Coup Droit


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Rich2310 wrote:

I also for got to say and many have maybe already said this. But imo the first worst thing to happen after her US victory was getting rid of Andrew Richardson. There was a connection there. We will never know what might have been if he had stayed as her coach. from that moment onward it feels like Emma has been in freefall tbh.

 This



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JonH comes home


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Rich2310 wrote:

I also for got to say and many have maybe already said this. But imo the first worst thing to happen after her US victory was getting rid of Andrew Richardson. There was a connection there. We will never know what might have been if he had stayed as her coach. from that moment onward it feels like Emma has been in freefall tbh.

 Agree with this. I also think her team are approaching it all wrong, as befits a management agency and not where she is in tennis terms.

They are treating her like a US Open champion to be rolled out at the big events and be monetised. She is a US Open champion, but that was a shock and hasn't been repeated (for lots of reasons) so far by her, anywhere near.

She really is a player ranked sub 200 in the world with the talent and potential to be higher but not yet with the game craft etc. So forget monetising her. Play her in events where the number 200 in the world would play or maybe the level higher and rebuild her craft and harden her game. I don't know if that is ITF events like this week where Heather is playing, in Roehampton mixed with a combo of WTA 125 / 250 events but it surely isnt putting her out at the 1000 level events. 

It must frustrate everyone around her to see her keep losing after one match - Kyle is building back up through ITF and Challengers; Paul Jubb the same; Andy dipped down for a while (and maybe should again).

So should Emma    



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the addict


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Looking further ahead the grass-court season would seem ideal for Emma. A steady buildup - take your pick from Surbiton, Nottingham, Ilkley, Birmingham, and on to Eastbourne and Wimbledon.

But as others have said she really should be looking to play lesser events before Indian Wells and Miami for the match practice - or face the possibility of a tough draw and first round exit from both.

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JonH comes home


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ooh, seeing her at Ilkley would be nice!!

Tickets for the Lexus Challengers (or whatever the current badge is) go on sale March 12th for the riff raff like me (ie non LTA Advantage + members) so keeping my eye out for those

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jb288


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I think we should avoid catastrophising, but I think anyone sensible would agree on a drop down at this point (and since the WTA have little interest in providing lower level events, that means ITFs). There's a nice Japanese swing coming up (50,50,100,100, with a two week break in the middle) which would lead nicely into the grass.

One thing that worries me is her saying she used to take 4-5 days off after a loss because she was upset or had a niggle and now she doesn't take so long...that seems like problem where the player is too much in charge. We would all take 5 days off work after a bad day if we could, but we don't because our boss would stop us. So it's good she's come to that realisation, but it feels like someone should have stopped that a long time ago.

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Var


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I would say perspective might be better. She clocked around 10 points for round 1 in Doha. Where she is in the ranking a few points make a difference so a few50s would do her no harm.

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VRoberts
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I realise it is clickbait for trolls but this type of thing doesnt help the perspective

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-13077893/emma-raducanu-naomi-campbell-dubai-hotel-qatar-open-tennis.html

Dubai of course is quite close to Doha, it is only an hours flight; but if she went down Sunday to Doha, there wasnt much time to practice before a match Monday; and she commented that she didnt know about the court speed.

Maybe I am unfair, but it feels like right now, surely she should have considered getting to Doha earlier (she went out of Abu Dhabi well before the weekend) and getting real practice in on the courts there for a couple of days extra?

Maybe I am wrong, don't know

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Lambda


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It might be perhaps worth noting on 2024 points alone, Emma was ranked 65 at the beginning of the week ahead of Jodie (67) but behind Katie (33) and Harriet (41).

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Shhh


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JonH comes home wrote:

I realise it is clickbait for trolls but this type of thing doesnt help the perspective

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-13077893/emma-raducanu-naomi-campbell-dubai-hotel-qatar-open-tennis.html

Dubai of course is quite close to Doha, it is only an hours flight; but if she went down Sunday to Doha, there wasnt much time to practice before a match Monday; and she commented that she didnt know about the court speed.

Maybe I am unfair, but it feels like right now, surely she should have considered getting to Doha earlier (she went out of Abu Dhabi well before the weekend) and getting real practice in on the courts there for a couple of days extra?

Maybe I am wrong, don't know

I feel Emma has often been quite mature about her commitments, she knows her own mind and walks her own path.  She just couldn't seem to catch a break.  This time though, mainly because of the dour performance, its harder to defend. 

Bursting onto the scene in the way she did, not just at the US Open but at Wimbledon and the Hard Court swing that followed, she has not really got close to.  Its time to start to deliver a little more on the court now for sure and though I believe she works very hard.....that 100% burning single minded commitment is essential too and if she is a fraction below that, she'll will get exposed in the way it did, regardless of her talent.

Emma talks of dropping down a level or coming through qualies (something we are crying out for on here) but so far hasn't done so.  I'll be keen to see what comes next, if you learn from this things it can be a positive after all.



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Peter too


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There is a WTA125 coming up in Mexico where the top three entries Schmiedlovask, Townsend and Wickmayer are ranked 77, 80 and 81 and a WTA250 in USA where the top three entries Kalinina, Azerenka and Stephens are ranked 32, 33 and 39. I think her choice could be to play one of those or alternatively skip the WC and play qualifiers in a WTA500 or WTA1000.



-- Edited by Peter too on Tuesday 13th of February 2024 03:37:55 PM

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GAMEOVER


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Kalinina won all of 3 games against Ostapenko in the next round. Where seriously does that put Emma?



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Var


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GAMEOVER wrote:

Kalinina won all of 3 games against Ostapenko in the next round. Where seriously does that put Emma?

 Yes but Ostapenko is in sparkling form so far this year, curre No 3 in the WTA race.



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VRoberts
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Var wrote:
GAMEOVER wrote:

Kalinina won all of 3 games against Ostapenko in the next round. Where seriously does that put Emma?

 Yes but Ostapenko is in sparkling form so far this year, curre No 3 in the WTA race.

 I never take seriously the she beat her and they beat you, therefore she would thrash you type of stuff - doesnt play out in real life. form on day, game style, motivation etc all play too big a part. 



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