Coup Droit wrote:

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Two problems:

She stands a long way back on clay

And she tends to resort to slicing the ball too quickly in defence

So she's a sitting duck for good dropshots

(And although she's very athletic, and moves side to side very well, she actually is a touch slow going forward)

But there was some good stuff there too - just McNally knew exactly what to do and when - it was a very slick performance (and even she had a bit of a nightmare with double faults in the second set)

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 Speed from back of court to front might be relatively simple to fix. When I watched her at Wimbledon she looked a little flat footed so presumably easily coachable. Tendency to slice too readily needs to be nipped in the bud 

B00thy wrote:

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Coup Droit wrote:

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Two problems:

She stands a long way back on clay

And she tends to resort to slicing the ball too quickly in defence

So she's a sitting duck for good dropshots

(And although she's very athletic, and moves side to side very well, she actually is a touch slow going forward)

But there was some good stuff there too - just McNally knew exactly what to do and when - it was a very slick performance (and even she had a bit of a nightmare with double faults in the second set)

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 Speed from back of court to front might be relatively simple to fix. When I watched her at Wimbledon she looked a little flat footed so presumably easily coachable. Tendency to slice too readily needs to be nipped in the bud 

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 Yes, a touch flat-footed going forward would be a good description

I also wonder if it's partly to do with morphology. She was a very skinny, leggy 13 year-old and has grown, quite quickly, into a very athletic, far stronger, bigger physique. It takes a little time to grow into your body.

And although she does still slice too readily (IMO), she's been doing it less, I think, than earlier in the year.

My main problem, though, is the same thing that plagued me with Emma Raducanu for quite a long time - the tendency (learnt from the coach, I assume) to stand back, to play a percentage game, to attack as Nadal would attack, letting the ball drop low and trying to generate speed by forearm and whip. When both players (Emma very demonstrably) have the naural timing and can step in, take time away from the opponent, hit a flatter shot, less wrist work.  

Not saying that this has to be the go-to all the time but Hannah barely did it once, barely even tried it once, in her last match - not even on weak second serves 

I thought it a little worrying, for instance, that Hannah said her favourite player, in terms of style, was Mirra Andreeva and that she modeled herself on Mirra. Now I like Mirra - but she's rather an exception and Hannah is way more mainstream and basically has a completely different tennis profile to Mirra. Now, Mirra doesn't stand miles back and let the ball drop really low, I realise, so maybe Hannah is confused , but by wanting to be a counterpuncher, with great defence, using the other's speed, and messing things up, but then being way behind her line, she's not really playing to her strengths, indeed, she IS pretty confused (IMHO) 

Anyway, got that off my chest...... good luck to her this week !!!! #alwaysaHannahfan

indiana wrote:

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What's Hannah's coaching set-up?

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I don't know what the balance is but it seems to be Ben Haran sometimes and the LTA squad a lot of the time (there's a woman who is often courtside but I don't know her name)

Just me, and hardly relevant, I realise, but I've got a lot of time for Ben and Hannah seems to play well when he's there (Wimbly qualis). But ever since she's moved to the NTC fulltime (i.e. Jan 2024), and been based more there than at Reeds, she's changed her style and I'm not convinced. And the LTA team she had with her in March courtside were awful (again just me). 

However, I do realise that the truth is in the details and I don't know those so might be completely barking up the wrong tree .... 

the addict wrote:

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Hannah is on the LTA Pro Scholarship Programme, along with Mimi, Ella and some of the bigger names. So she has coaching from the LTA Performance Team

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 Thanks, exactly, the 'LTA 'squad' 

Do you think Loughborough/Mark Taylor (Mika's lot) have a wry smile?  

Coup Droit wrote:

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Great first set, Jodie

No sign of any injury for Polina, after yesterday's MTO

Jodie's backhand is being taken really early, generating so much pace

6-3

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 Which Jodie would that be CD ?