Was particularly impressed by Bartunkova: big serve, big forehand, good athlete. But only took one of 13 break points. Fair play to Sun for soaking up the pressure and taking her chances.
Have to say I'm very impressed by Heather's approach to this stage of her career. The decision to drop down a level or two and the commitment to play in these tournaments is very admirable indeed. I'm sure she doesn't really need the money but hopefully the points gained will get her back towards the top 100. Great to see her winning again and playing with a smile on her face too.
It is an approach Emma Raducanu and her team would do well to take notice of.
This is exactly how I feel about Heather. She goes where she needs to in order to chase the points she needs. Always smiling and happy. Always a genuine delight whatever level of event she is playing.
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
Big fan of Bartunkova, although I expected her to win this one. Looking forward to seeing more in the coming months and years. Good to see Heather in the final and agree re the mention of Emma R.
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Emma got into a winning frame of mind in 2021, the more she played the better she got and the more matches she won at whatever level she played. The winning momentum just carried her higher and higher. That ended after the US Open and she has never quite recovered it. I remember saying at the time that I feared that win would become a millstone round her neck for the next year and so it proved. Being the US Open made it hard to drop down a level to recover that winning momentum. Maybe she will now drop back, win a few events at the levels she skipped due to Covid and recover the state of mind that carried her through 2021.
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Personally not a lot of points for Heather, her level is better than a W50 in 2024 IMO. As for Emma, I couldnt see her dropping down to a W50. Maybe a W100 and a well judged W250, but this isnt a perfect science. Just because a tournament has less points doesnt mean to say it might not be stacked with top playersdepends where it is in the calendar relative to slams and W1000s. But yes she could be a bit smarter and strategic in tournament selection. How much she is influenced byIMG who knows. .
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Personally not a lot of points for Heather, her level is better than a W50 in 2024 IMO. As for Emma, I couldnt see her dropping down to a W50. Maybe a W100 and a well judged W250, but this isnt a perfect science. Just because a tournament has less points doesnt mean to say it might not be stacked with top playersdepends where it is in the calendar relative to slams and W1000s. But yes she could be a bit smarter and strategic in tournament selection. How much she is influenced byIMG who knows. .
There are no W100s coming up only a run of W75s, however there is a run of WTA125s which I think could provide Emma with the much needed match practice.
-- Edited by Peter too on Saturday 17th of February 2024 06:39:17 PM
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Personally not a lot of points for Heather, her level is better than a W50 in 2024 IMO. As for Emma, I couldnt see her dropping down to a W50. Maybe a W100 and a well judged W250, but this isnt a perfect science. Just because a tournament has less points doesnt mean to say it might not be stacked with top playersdepends where it is in the calendar relative to slams and W1000s. But yes she could be a bit smarter and strategic in tournament selection. How much she is influenced byIMG who knows. .
There are no W100s coming up only a run of W75s, however there is a run of WTA125s which I think could provide Emma with the much needed match practice.
-- Edited by Peter too on Saturday 17th of February 2024 06:39:17 PM
The 125s in March are intended for players that lost in the 1st week of Indian Wells and Miami. They have different entry rules to standard 125s in that any player ranked outside the top 10 can enter (though I don't expect many of the top 40 will enter) so are likely to stronger than the usual 125 and may be more of a 250 standard.
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Personally not a lot of points for Heather, her level is better than a W50 in 2024 IMO. As for Emma, I couldnt see her dropping down to a W50. Maybe a W100 and a well judged W250, but this isnt a perfect science. Just because a tournament has less points doesnt mean to say it might not be stacked with top playersdepends where it is in the calendar relative to slams and W1000s. But yes she could be a bit smarter and strategic in tournament selection. How much she is influenced byIMG who knows. .
There are no W100s coming up only a run of W75s, however there is a run of WTA125s which I think could provide Emma with the much needed match practice.
-- Edited by Peter too on Saturday 17th of February 2024 06:39:17 PM
The 125s in March are intended for players that lost in the 1st week of Indian Wells and Miami. They have different entry rules to standard 125s in that any player ranked outside the top 10 can enter (though I don't expect many of the top 40 will enter) so are likely to stronger than the usual 125 and may be more of a 250 standard.
Thanks Lambda, cant keep up with these tournaments!. I looked at the socials for upcoming tournaments and I saw some really excellent top 30 entrants in the 125s, it isnt going to be easy which ever way she goes.
-- Edited by Var on Saturday 17th of February 2024 07:31:59 PM
Emma Raducanu would indeed do well to take notice of this and drop down a level in order to get a lot of matches in. If you take away Emma's US Open victory what else does she really have on her tennis cv if you compare her to Watson, Dart and Boulter.
She did win a few more titles leading up to the US Open.
Titles Age
US Open 18
W25 Pune 17
W15 Antalya 15
W15 Tiberias 15
JNR Grade 2 Siauliai 15
JNR Grade 2 Biotehnos 15
JNR Grade 2 Delhi 15
JNR Grade 3 Chandigarh 15
JNR Grade 4 Oslo 14
JNR Grade 4 Hamburg 14
JNR Grade 5 Liverpool 13
She also got to R4 at Wimbledon and reached the final of a WTA125
However because of Covid she did pass rather rapidly from winning a W25 to winning the US Open, bypassing most of the higher ITF events and lower WTA events.
Personally not a lot of points for Heather, her level is better than a W50 in 2024 IMO. As for Emma, I couldnt see her dropping down to a W50. Maybe a W100 and a well judged W250, but this isnt a perfect science. Just because a tournament has less points doesnt mean to say it might not be stacked with top playersdepends where it is in the calendar relative to slams and W1000s. But yes she could be a bit smarter and strategic in tournament selection. How much she is influenced byIMG who knows. .
Agree not a lot of points for Heather even if she wins, but at the same time good that she is able to back up her performance in Abu Dhabi which surely will give her confidence.
Until her performance in Doha this week, nothing wrong with Raducanu's schedule so far. However she can't expect to get unlimited wild cards, so will need to plan her schedule accordingly. There are no gimme events at W250, W125 and W100 level, so she will still need to beat decent players to climb the rankings. But she has already shown this year thar she is competitive.
Emma can get back up the rankings quickly by doing what she did once before and that is to reach the latter stages of a Grand Slam. There are so many ranking points available for this achievement .
I notice there is a Kaya Stojsavljevic at the top of the 11U LTA rankings. I assume she is Mika's sister? Is she as good a prospect as Mika and as her results suggest?