Week 17 - WTA1000 - Madrid, Spain Clay

Var · Pro player

Week 17 - WTA1000 - Madrid, Spain Clay

PaulM · Tennis legend

Outdoor clay at a bit of altitude after a couple of intense weeks against an 'its in her veins' clay courter. I'll not lose much sleep over that one, as poor as she was. Onwards.

Nix · Futures level

Helen40 wrote:
nicofrance wrote:
I really dont buy this excuse from Raducanu .

She played last Friday and now Wednesday . You really should be fit enough to cope with that .
I'm assuming it's mental fatigue too. I know that that is more energy zapping than physical for me - and fed cup would have taken it out of her. I think that she is still so new and inexperienced in knowing what she's capable of, plus having pushy parents (?) and an inconsistent team. I'm not expecting that she'll get her balance right any time soon re what she can manage. For me that's a big part of it, not just the raw talent and physical fitness side, although of course those need to be in place.

I agree with all of this. It's not fair to expect players to play brilliantly in all their matches. We don't always know what's going on for them. It also must be harder to come back after long term injury.

Emma practically won us the BJK tie with support from Katie. I'm guessing that was quite emotionally draining and then she's having to get straight back into two big tournaments. She probably would have ducked at least one of them if she could if they weren't mandatory or she wasn't contractually obliged to. Even before her injuries she'd had a number of niggles throughout her career so has rarely been able to play consistently to build up the physical and mental stamina you require to produce near your best from tournament to tournament.

I tend to look at people's progress over the year rather than on a tournament by tournament basis because there are bound to be dips.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

agreed, they are just human - if I think about my own working week, I have dips where my productivity or my creativity are much lower and I would go out in the first round, other weeks were I am on my game and there is no doubt I will be challenging for the title.

We see it all the time over the season were players win one week, lose early the next, back on it a few weeks later.

9vicman · Satellite level

There is an over analysis of Emma's results methinks. Presumably she might have to play qualies at Rome, so let's see how she plays there. Ultimately she should be judged on a year's performances.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Emma is still on course to be back in the top 100 before the end of the year. If she continues accumulating ranking points at the same rate as she is now she will be ranked about 80 when she has completed 18 tournaments. Of course she will be significantly higher if she continues improving and even higher if she is able to fit in a few extra tournaments before the end of the year. Top 100 by the end of the year seems a reasonable target at this stage of her comeback.

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Apparently Emma said she really missed Nick Cavaday not being there "it sucks" she said. Sounds like she was pretty upset about that.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Seems like Cav is having a real impact, good to see I think .

the addict · Tennis legend

R1/L32:- Katie Boulter (GBR) / Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) CR1217 (1151/28 + 66/7) def Eri Hozumi (JPN) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) CR92 (45/870+47/UNR) 7-6(7) 6-0

9vicman · Satellite level

the addict wrote:
R1/L32:- Katie Boulter (GBR) / Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) CR1217 (1151/28 + 66/7) def Eri Hozumi (JPN) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) CR92 (45/870+47/UNR) 7-6(7) 6-0

I know we often talk about whether two singles players are better than two doubles players. I wonder if this is the case of Katie and Marketa having too many big guns. Surely it will help Katie's game and court craft if she even plays a little bit more doubles.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Vondrousova has just announced she's getting divorced - maybe she's a little distracted from all the press it's attracted ?

PaulM · Tennis legend

Carle followed up her win over Emma with a good straight sets victory over Kudmertova.

9vicman · Satellite level

PaulM wrote:
Carle followed up her win over Emma with a good straight sets victory over Kudmertova.

That's four straight sets wins in a row for Carle, who's up to career high live ranking of No. 71. Emma didn't play well, but her opponent has clay court credentials.

the addict · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
the addict wrote:
R1/L32:- Katie Boulter (GBR) / Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) CR1217 (1151/28 + 66/7) def Eri Hozumi (JPN) / Makoto Ninomiya (JPN) CR92 (45/870+47/UNR) 7-6(7) 6-0
I know we often talk about whether two singles players are better than two doubles players. I wonder if this is the case of Katie and Marketa having too many big guns. Surely it will help Katie's game and court craft if she even plays a little bit more doubles.

At the moment I'm happy to see any wins, singles or doubles, as they are a bit thinon the ground at the moment. Plenty of losses today.

LordBrownof · Futures level

Katie practicing for Olympic mixed perhaps?