Week 14 - WTA250 - Bogata, Colombia Clay

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

RE: Week 14 - WTA250 - Bogata, Colombia Clay

Tanaqui · Club Coach

Well done, Fran

Nice to see her backing up her exploits of last week.

the addict · Tennis legend

L16:- Francesca Jones (GBR) WR214 v Laura Siegemund (GER) WR89 [7]

Doonan · Intermediate Club Player

I think this is the match where well see if Fran is our best clay counter, rather than a win against a fairly limited wildcard. I know shes had success in the past here, but I feel like more evidence is required that she is a wta standard clay courter. Hopefully we see it! And regardless, I hat she achieves week in, week out is exceptional.

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

I get what you mean.

This is a barometer of where she is at the moment. To be fair since her SF run here last year shes only been able t9 play a handful of events and needs to be playing these week in week out.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

Doonan wrote:
I think this is the match where well see if Fran is our best clay counter, rather than a win against a fairly limited wildcard. I know shes had success in the past here, but I feel like more evidence is required that she is a wta standard clay courter. Hopefully we see it! And regardless, I hat she achieves week in, week out is exceptional.

IIRC Katie has never won a WTA match on clay (indeed Jodie was making fun of her technique in training this week) so why not give Fran a chance?

Var · Satellite level

dodrade wrote:
Doonan wrote:
I think this is the match where well see if Fran is our best clay counter, rather than a win against a fairly limited wildcard. I know shes had success in the past here, but I feel like more evidence is required that she is a wta standard clay courter. Hopefully we see it! And regardless, I hat she achieves week in, week out is exceptional.
IIRC Katie has never won a WTA match on clay (indeed Jodie was making fun of her technique in training this week) so why not give Fran a chance?

Agree re Katie B. Only other one to have limited success on clay is Emma. Wishing Fran all the best, one of my favourite GB players, a real inspiration as to how she has managed to get to the top level despite the challenges she has faced.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Just my opinion, and not team-spirited, I'm afraid, but after Katie Boulter half killed herself in that BJK match and wasn't seen again for a year or so, I'd rather Fran gave a very wide berth to BJK

She hasn't got the robustness to go adding extra events, IMO, especially ones where you are far more likely to play 'through' an injury, not retire, carry on regardless

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 4th of April 2024 07:34:36 AM

DF · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Just my opinion, and not team-spirited, I'm afraid, but after Katie Boulter half killed herself in that BJK match and wasn't seen again for a year or so, I'd rather Fran gave a very wide berth to BJK

She hasn't got the robustness to go adding extra events, IMO, especially ones where you are far more likely to play 'through' an injury, not retire, carry on regardless

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 4th of April 2024 07:34:36 AM

I agree. Also she needs the points and the money that these tournaments offer her. More points drop off soon and although she might be able to use her special ranking to get into Roland Garros she needs to get her ranking as high as possible.

Lambda · Challenger level

DF wrote:

Coup Droit wrote:
Just my opinion, and not team-spirited, I'm afraid, but after Katie Boulter half killed herself in that BJK match and wasn't seen again for a year or so, I'd rather Fran gave a very wide berth to BJK

She hasn't got the robustness to go adding extra events, IMO, especially ones where you are far more likely to play 'through' an injury, not retire, carry on regardless

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 4th of April 2024 07:34:36 AM
I agree. Also she needs the points and the money that these tournaments offer her. More points drop off soon and although she might be able to use her special ranking to get into Roland Garros she needs to get her ranking as high as possible.

She can't use her SR to enter RG. She used it there last year so wouldn't be allowed to enter again with it, and she's used her SR in the maximum of 2 grand slams she's allowed to enter with it.

PaulM · Tennis legend

Yeah there's no benefit to Fran joining the BJK Squad at the moment to me. Stay in South America and pick up some points and (most of all) stay match fit.

Katie should be using it effectively as high level match practice so she can try and not have a total disaster over the clay swing proper. Zero expectations of any kind of serious results over the weekend.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

DF wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Just my opinion, and not team-spirited, I'm afraid, but after Katie Boulter half killed herself in that BJK match and wasn't seen again for a year or so, I'd rather Fran gave a very wide berth to BJK

She hasn't got the robustness to go adding extra events, IMO, especially ones where you are far more likely to play 'through' an injury, not retire, carry on regardless

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Thursday 4th of April 2024 07:34:36 AM
I agree. Also she needs the points and the money that these tournaments offer her. More points drop off soon and although she might be able to use her special ranking to get into Roland Garros she needs to get her ranking as high as possible.

Fran isn't entered anywhere next week but is playing in Tunisia the week after so going to France wouldn't put her out of her way.

9vicman · Satellite level

My guess would be that Olivia Nicholls will be added to the squad.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Var wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Doonan wrote:
I think this is the match where well see if Fran is our best clay counter, rather than a win against a fairly limited wildcard. I know shes had success in the past here, but I feel like more evidence is required that she is a wta standard clay courter. Hopefully we see it! And regardless, I hat she achieves week in, week out is exceptional.
IIRC Katie has never won a WTA match on clay (indeed Jodie was making fun of her technique in training this week) so why not give Fran a chance?
Agree re Katie B. Only other one to have limited success on clay is Emma. Wishing Fran all the best, one of my favourite GB players, a real inspiration as to how she has managed to get to the top level despite the challenges she has faced.

Emma has a record of 5 wins and 5 losses in Main draw WTA events. I don't think Katie has ever played a Main draw WTA match, she has played twice in the French Open once getting to Q2. Harriet has played several WTA events once getting to Q3 in the French Open. Heather undoubtedly has the best record on clay having reached R2 of WTA and the French Open on several occasions but not so much recently. On that basis on clay Heather is 1, Emma 2, Harriet 3 and Katie 4.

indiana · Tennis legend

Of course they are different players now than when their various clay results were achieved.

eg. Katie is generally clearly better than she was, at least on other surfaces, so hopefully will be better on clay, and Heather generally not as good as in the past. Emma's level very unclear.

The question is who next week will represent the best picks.