Girls: 2024 Wimbledon (Week 28)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Girls: 2024 Wimbledon (Week 28)

9vicman · Satellite level

Although disappointing that the 'big 3' all lost, also encouraging that two other girls, Flora and Hep, are through. The more strength in depth the better. Must admit I'd never heard of Flora before this week.

But Mika came close to beating the Roehampton champion, and Hannah's conqueror beat both Mika and Tyra Grant last week. I don't think anything to worry about. Tis a marathon not a sprint.

DF · Tennis legend

Mika and Mimi had a different attitude in the doubles. Both were trying to win and did not look bored or' tired'.

Nix · Futures level

9vicman wrote:
Although disappointing that the 'big 3' all lost, also encouraging that two other girls, Flora and Hep, are through. The more strength in depth the better. Must admit I'd never heard of Flora before this week.

But Mika came close to beating the Roehampton champion, and Hannah's conqueror beat both Mika and Tyra Grant last week. I don't think anything to worry about. Tis a marathon not a sprint.

Yes. I really thought she was going to win that. She looked the stronger player for a lot of the match and her opponent was throwing her arms up a lot at her team. It should be a good experience at learning to get matches over the line and not being distracted by breaks, poor umpiring etc. Watching a lot of tennis recently makes me realise that players will use anything to get an advantage, including long breaks, medical time outs, breaking rackets, and it's good to learn how to handle that early on.

TW18 · Lower Club Player

Nix wrote:
9vicman wrote:
Although disappointing that the 'big 3' all lost, also encouraging that two other girls, Flora and Hep, are through. The more strength in depth the better. Must admit I'd never heard of Flora before this week.

But Mika came close to beating the Roehampton champion, and Hannah's conqueror beat both Mika and Tyra Grant last week. I don't think anything to worry about. Tis a marathon not a sprint.
Yes. I really thought she was going to win that. She looked the stronger player for a lot of the match and her opponent was throwing her arms up a lot at her team. It should be a good experience at learning to get matches over the line and not being distracted by breaks, poor umpiring etc. Watching a lot of tennis recently makes me realise that players will use anything to get an advantage, including long breaks, medical time outs, breaking rackets, and it's good to learn how to handle that early on.

Like footballers - and their coaches (footballers) encourage them to do so.

Nix · Futures level

TW18 wrote:
Nix wrote:
9vicman wrote:
Although disappointing that the 'big 3' all lost, also encouraging that two other girls, Flora and Hep, are through. The more strength in depth the better. Must admit I'd never heard of Flora before this week.

But Mika came close to beating the Roehampton champion, and Hannah's conqueror beat both Mika and Tyra Grant last week. I don't think anything to worry about. Tis a marathon not a sprint.
Yes. I really thought she was going to win that. She looked the stronger player for a lot of the match and her opponent was throwing her arms up a lot at her team. It should be a good experience at learning to get matches over the line and not being distracted by breaks, poor umpiring etc. Watching a lot of tennis recently makes me realise that players will use anything to get an advantage, including long breaks, medical time outs, breaking rackets, and it's good to learn how to handle that early on.
Like footballers - and their coaches (footballers) encourage them to do so.

Yes absolutely: diving, tactical fouls, time-wasting, trying to get players booked or sent off and lots of other things prevalent in football too. You can't let them distract you too much.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Might be a bit slim pickings, but Mimi & Mika got a doubles win

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And another one in R2, 11-9 in the MTB

DavidC · Tennis legend

Mimi/Mika wobbled having been up a set and 5-3 in round 2 and had to save a matchpoint before sneaking through to face the defending champions

R3

(10) Jeline Vandromme (BEL) d. (WC) Flora Johnson 6-1 6-4
Monika Stankiewicz (POL) d. (WC) Hephzibah Oluwadare 6-2 6-3

Doubles R1 (L32)

(7) Stojsavljevic/Xu d. Valdmannova/Zhenikova (CZE/GER) 6-3 6-1

R2

(7) Stojsavljevic/Xu d. El Allami (MAR) / Sartz-Lunde (MAR/NOR) 6-1 5-7 [11-9]
Pastikova/Stusek (CZE/GER) d. Oluwadare/Paskauskas 6-3 6-3
(2) Grant/Jovic (USA) d. Piani/Smart 6-3 6-4

QF

(1) Kovackova/Samson (CZE) v (7) Stojsavljevic/Xu

9vicman · Satellite level

One doubles quarterfinal (two if you count the boys) was not the return I was expecting in the juniors events. But maybe it's good that we have raised expectations.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

9vicman wrote:
One doubles quarterfinal (two if you count the boys) was not the return I was expecting in the juniors events. But maybe it's good that we have raised expectations.

Yes. You've got to believe that the LTA are pretty disappointed with these results

Particularly in the girls - we have two top-10 girls, and they both lost in the L32

(and Roehampton was poor too)

Sometimes you can argue that it's always harder to do well at the home slam and players do better at a foreign slam (Emerson Jones may be about to be a good indicator of this)

But our girls did poorly at Roland Garros too !

Hardly a catastrophe - but there's not much in the way of positives from the main girls this week (even if Mimi & Mika win the doubles) and there's no point pretending

The boys seemed to me more in line with expectations, and exceeded it in places. It's very rare for a boy three years young (like Mark) to really challenge for the title - he did really very well for his age. Great show. (And the boys' coaches at LTA can still sit pretty from last year )

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Mika & Mimi have had 7 break points in just two games - and not taken one - they've hit second serves well out, hit soft volleys .... Mika plays doubles as though it's singles ..... they've obviously got the tennis to do well (otherwise they wouldn't have the break points in the first place) ... but really ...

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

And, despite a change of breaks, finally, on BP #10, they get the important one and the first set

As the commentator is saying, it's almost helped Mimi that Mika has basically been having a bit of a 'mare - it's made Mimi really have to up her game - be more active at the net, a little more aggressive on returns, basically to shore up Mika who's leaving a lot of balls and needs to get her confidence back

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I do so hope that Mika (and her coach) listens back to the commentary - they've really given a very deep analysis of her game (and, in particular, how it applies to doubles) - and it is SO on the money - really insightful and useful (if they bother to listen)

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Very pleased for them

Overall, they deserved it - Mimi should be Billie Jean King captain or something like that

She was the dynamo behind that win

(Although I think the commentators could probably stop all the criticism of Mika now - it's getting a little OTT)