Week 42 - ITF W100 Shrewsbury, Great Britain - Indoor Hard

Sheddie · administrator

RE: Week 42 - ITF W100 Shrewsbury, Great Britain - Indoor Hard

Rich2310 · County player

Worked out so good to see the final between Hev and Sonay.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Sheddie wrote:
Jajon wrote:
For some reason this final has randomly reminded me of when Heather played Laura Robson in 2011(?) in Barnstaple(?) and Sky Sports News sent a journalist there who would say things like could we see this same match in a grand slam final in the future. Ah. What a moment haha

Either way, good luck to both of them, probs rather Heather win tomorrow!

I remember that hype too - it was billed by the media as though both of them were certs for the top 10. While Hev had won the US Open juniors, I always felt that Laura had the much higher ceiling in terms of firepower. It's still mad that match-up never happened again on the tour.

It was Barnstaple October 2011. In the first round Laura played Jo Konta . Jo won the first set and then retired in the 2nd set. As with Laura and Heather, Laura and Jo never met on a tour singles match again. Anne Keothavong went on to win the tournament. Another young player there who went on to have a successful career was Caroline Garcia.

Sheddie · administrator

GAMEOVER wrote:
Sheddie wrote:
Jajon wrote:
For some reason this final has randomly reminded me of when Heather played Laura Robson in 2011(?) in Barnstaple(?) and Sky Sports News sent a journalist there who would say things like could we see this same match in a grand slam final in the future. Ah. What a moment haha

Either way, good luck to both of them, probs rather Heather win tomorrow!

I remember that hype too - it was billed by the media as though both of them were certs for the top 10. While Hev had won the US Open juniors, I always felt that Laura had the much higher ceiling in terms of firepower. It's still mad that match-up never happened again on the tour.
It was Barnstaple October 2011. In the first round Laura played Jo Konta . Jo won the first set and then retired in the 2nd set. As with Laura and Heather, Laura and Jo never met on a tour singles match again. Anne Keothavong went on to win the tournament. Another young player there who went on to have a successful career was Caroline Garcia.

Just shows how tough it can be to predict the kind of career, a player will end up having. I remember watching a 16 year old Jo Konta lose in the second round of an ITF 10K in Redbridge back in late 2007. There was already a bit of chatter about whether she might switch from Aus to GB, and I remember noting that she had the makings of a decent serve, but nothing to suggest she'd ultimately become a world no.4 and make the semis of three slams.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

If Sonay wins her ranking will rise to 89 whereas if Heather wins she will rise to 122.

Grachka · County player

Heather playing a lot better this week than I've seen for a long time - despite starting *1-4 down here. Much more positive/aggressive. Though whether she sticks to that at the business end...

The two played a great, long point which Heather won with a stop(ish) volley serving at *0-3 that really showed how confident both are feeling.

Good match so far.

[3] Sonay Kartal GBR 4-1* Heather Watson GBR

Mervatron2 · Challenger qualifying

Some great points so far but also a few sloppy errors.

That long point that Heather won was phenomenal.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Sonay won the 1st set 7-5,

Sheddie · administrator

Sonay wins!

Heather unfortunately retired at 7-5, 4-1 down

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Great week for Sonay

Nice for Hannah to know she lost to the eventual winner

And Mimi, of course

Nice for the others that Sonay is not playing Glasgow

She can sit back and bask in the glory of being predicted WR 91 (or whatever she ends up actually being) on Monday

Var · Pro player

Sheddie wrote:
Sonay wins!

Heather unfortunately retired at 7-5, 4-1 down

Hope Hev is OK for Spain?

Priesty · Challenger level

What is Sonay doing to her opponents this week??!

Shame for Hev but great to see Sonay continuing to build on her Wimbledon success and get further ensconced in the top 100. Long may it continue.....

Vetiver · Social player

Well done.
Very good week for GB all round

Since 2000, for GB women's ITF singles titles at or above $25K/W25/W35 level:

GB's 6th W100/$100K victory.
Konta with 2 titles, the only one to have more than one. Baltacha, Broady, Kartal, Watson all with one.
If you include W100+H/$100K+H then this is GB's 9th such title. Baltacha, Keothavong, Watson all won a singular title each of that type.

With her 11th ITF title this level, Kartal joins Baltacha as the joint second most successful such ITF title winner.
Keothavong leads Brits with 13 such titles.

2024 has now already delivered 12 titles in this category, more than any other year this millennium. Our previous best was 11, in 2022 (and was the only other time we had reached double figures).

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Ranah playing a blinder so far
Hannah looking a little like a rabbit in the headlights
Mimi well into it
Millie going for placement

DF · Tennis legend

Millie is on fire.