WTA Eastbourne

[kskate2]

Petra finally comes through in the breaker 7-4

 

[rubydo]

I spent a good portion of the day at Eastbourne at Centre Court, watching little Camila wow the crowd with some dazzling shots in her 3 set victory of Vika. The crowd was totally behind her, on a day of bright sunshine and warm temperatures at the Devonshire park grounds. I was surprised how much power the little Italian demonstrated against what you would think would be a very powerful oppenent in her own right. Well deserved victory. I have some super pics of the match, which I will forward to you guys when I return to Vancouver Island.Witnessed Flavia's easy win, delight to watch, Lauren Davis again caught my attention, with her heavilly tapped right leg, seemingly not to bother her too much. She is a real dogged little player, never really on my radar screen before, but she deserves applause for her fighting spirit, good shots of her too! Hantchukova, Makarova and a couple of others got captured on my camera as well. Left around 4 to get back to London as yesterday was a very long day. Had a superb interview with Julien Benneteau after his win at Centre Court today as well. A real French gentleman, was priviledged to do the interview in the players restaurant which is very rare! Perhaps my bottle of Canadian Maple syrup for Charlotte James, who is the media liason person at Devonshire Park, paid off today! She thought it was "very sweet" of me to bring her some, I know I am digressing here but she had just run out of Canaidan Maple syrup a few days ago, sent by some other Canadian friends too. Hope to interview Elena Vesnina tomorrow, will not leave the grounds until I get said interview!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good win from Heather Watson (w) over Pironkova who was my DH in the tournament 36 75 62

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

WTA Eastbourne: Day 2

I have complete scores, heavy casualties from seeded players. 3 out of 5 lost.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014

SINGLES - FIRST ROUND
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d [Q] Francesca Schiavone (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 3 |
[2] Petra Kvitova (CZE) d Lucie Safarova (CZE) | 6 - 1 | 5 - 7 | 7 - 6 (4) |
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) d Shuai Zhang (CHN) | 5 - 7 | 6 - 4 | 6 - 1 |
[6] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d [Q] Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Madison Keys (USA) d [3] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d Roberta Vinci (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 1 |
[Q] Lauren Davis (USA) d [7] Sara Errani (ITA) | 7 - 6 (5) | 6 - 2 |
[WC] Johanna Konta (GBR) d [Q] Belinda Bencic (SUI) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |
Camila Giorgi (ITA) d [4] [WC] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 7 - 5 |
[WC] Heather Watson (GBR) d Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) | 3 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 6 - 2 |

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just looking at the playing schedule for tomorrow,

Woznicacki v Stephens....I hope Sloane puts in a better performance against Caroline than she did when these two players met in Miami....Sloane's performance was just woeful.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

By Now, Caro should be in Sloane's head, just a bit.
H2H is 4-0 in favor of Woz.

Order of play:

CENTRE COURT

13:00 - SLOANE STEPHENS (USA) V [8] CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN)
15:00 - [6] FLAVIA PENNETTA (ITA) V HEATHER WATSON (GBR)

COURT 1

11:00 - ALIZE CORNET (FRA) V [5] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER)
16:00 - VARVARA LEPCHENKO (USA) V [2] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE)
18:00 - LIEZEL HUBER / LISA RAYMOND (USA / USA) V MARTINA HINGIS / FLAVIA PENNETTA (SUI / ITA)

COURT 2

11:00 - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA) V JOHANNA KONTA (GBR)
13:00 - ANASTASIA PAVLYUCHENKOVA (RUS) V EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS)
15:00 - ELENA VESNINA (RUS) V MADISON KEYS (USA)

COURT 3

11:00 - LAUREN DAVIS (USA) V DANIELA HANTUCHOVA (SVK)

---

Look who is playing doubles!

 

[Si Si Simona]

This match is a typical Petracoaster. Serving for the match at 6-5, she is broken. Now we'll have a final set TB.

Exactly. Turns out her problems are in the head not in her physical shape. I thought she will change but its hard to heal a brain injury
Petra looked unbeatable in 1st set.

 

[RJD11]

I have complete scores, heavy casualties from seeded players. 3 out of 5 lost.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014

SINGLES - FIRST ROUND
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d [Q] Francesca Schiavone (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 3 |
[2] Petra Kvitova (CZE) d Lucie Safarova (CZE) | 6 - 1 | 5 - 7 | 7 - 6 (4) |
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) d Shuai Zhang (CHN) | 5 - 7 | 6 - 4 | 6 - 1 |
[6] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d [Q] Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Madison Keys (USA) d [3] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d Roberta Vinci (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 1 |
[Q] Lauren Davis (USA) d [7] Sara Errani (ITA) | 7 - 6 (5) | 6 - 2 |
[WC] Johanna Konta (GBR) d [Q] Belinda Bencic (SUI) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |
Camila Giorgi (ITA) d [4] [WC] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 7 - 5 |
[WC] Heather Watson (GBR) d Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) | 3 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 6 - 2 |

Vichka, Piro, Errani, JJ, and maybe Frankie. Kinda Odd, all of them

losing this early ....... Also @ Top Shelf Cibby, Petco, and Genie

 

[Si Si Simona]

I have complete scores, heavy casualties from seeded players. 3 out of 5 lost.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014

SINGLES - FIRST ROUND
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d [Q] Francesca Schiavone (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 3 |
[2] Petra Kvitova (CZE) d Lucie Safarova (CZE) | 6 - 1 | 5 - 7 | 7 - 6 (4) |
Varvara Lepchenko (USA) d Shuai Zhang (CHN) | 5 - 7 | 6 - 4 | 6 - 1 |
[6] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d [Q] Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Madison Keys (USA) d [3] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) d Roberta Vinci (ITA) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 1 |
[Q] Lauren Davis (USA) d [7] Sara Errani (ITA) | 7 - 6 (5) | 6 - 2 |
[WC] Johanna Konta (GBR) d [Q] Belinda Bencic (SUI) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 2 |
Camila Giorgi (ITA) d [4] [WC] Victoria Azarenka (BLR) | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 | 7 - 5 |
[WC] Heather Watson (GBR) d Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) | 3 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 6 - 2 |

Vichka, Piro, Errani, JJ, and maybe Frankie. Kinda Odd, all of them

losing this early ....... Also @ Top Shelf Cibby, Petco, and Genie

They want to be in Wimby party on Thursday. Stacey should fine all of them

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Another infuriating match from Sloane Stephens. She doesn't have the patience to play to with Wozniacki for more than a few shots and therefore she'll always lose that match up. Until she decides to dedicate herself to working the point, that match up will always be a problem. Still, today it just seemed she was a little off. Just here and there. A slightly long ball here. A slightly wide ball there. But then quite a few shots into the net. And while that's what generally happens with her against Wozniacki, today seemed a bit worse. Until she started competing in the second set quite well. But it was already too late by then. Wozniacki broke in the first game of the second set. And broke to win the match, after Sloane just got frustrated she couldn't get the break. Once again, that's a patience problem.

She's got pace and power and the shots, just not quite enough to blow Wozniacki off the court, like a Serena can. And therefore Wozniacki can absorb that pace and redirect it like she always does so well. Something the commentators mentioned multiple times (as they did with some of the stuff I've already said), mostly Martina, that is Martina Navratilova, was talking about Sloane's oft poor footwork. And she was definitely right. Sloane just didn't always get behind her shots and hit the ball moving forward. And part of that may be because of the transition to grass, because it skids just a bit more, and stays low. But it definitely seemed like she was just letting the ball come through the court (as Martina said) too often. Especially when she's got the speed to be able to move up and take it early. I don't know. She's so frustrating.

If she doesn't defend her quarterfinal at Wimbledon she'll lose points (actually she'll lose point even if does defend it but only makes the quarters because the WTA has reduced the point values for all the rounds in all the tournaments except for the winner) and could maybe fall out of the top 20. But then again, she didn't play any of these warm ups last year. So her quarterfinal appearance in Birmingham and this R16 performance will give her some points that will help to make up for her lost points at Wimbledon should she fail to make the quarters. And I won't be surprised if she fails to defend. But I won't be surprised if she goes off and makes the semis either. But it will be more difficult because now that she's out of the top 16 she can play one of the top 4 and top 8 before the round of 16.

I guess I'll be rooting for Giorgi tomorrow. Still can't stand Wozniacki. And I definitely hate to see her beat Sloane. Which she's done every time they've played which is now at 4 or 5 times I think.

 

[Hoergren]

Another fine win for Wozniacki over Stephens. Stephens are too erratic and impatient and gets irritated when balls keep coming back. Here is the stats below:

Next up Camila Giorgi who had a tough match against Konta

 

[Si Si Simona]

Welldone Caro and I expected this win
Heather is a real dangerous player and I totally expect her to become top 50 and top 30 soon!
She will have a good chance against the Petra stress house. Heather keeps her nerve and can beat Petra.

About Sloane the hot topic - she starts Wimby ranked #20 after erasing last year points. Petko and Makarova will have more points next monday when the event starts. I counted.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

WTA Eastbourne: day 3

Scores:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2014

SINGLES - SECOND ROUND
Camila Giorgi (ITA) d [WC] Johanna Konta (GBR) | 1 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 7 - 5 |
[8] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) d Sloane Stephens (USA) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
[Q] Lauren Davis (USA) d Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |
Madison Keys (USA) d Elena Vesnina (RUS) | 7 - 5 | 7 - 6 (9) |

[WC] Heather Watson (GBR) d [6] Flavia Pennetta (ITA) | 6 - 7 (6) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 2 |
[2] Petra Kvitova (CZE) d Varvara Lepchenko (USA) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 4 |
[5] Angelique Kerber (GER) d Alize Cornet (FRA) | 7 - 5 | 1 - 6 | 7 - 6 (3) |
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) d Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 3 |

Defending Champion is out, so is #6 seed.

 

[tented]

Wow, look at Sloane's winners/errors: 18-32.

Annacone will be busy.

Caroline's 1st serve percentage is really high again: 79%. And her break point conversation rate is terrific: 3/4.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I suppose the only bright side for Sloane in this match is she wasnt bagled like last time she met Caroline in Miami..back to the drawing board Sloane.Good win for Caroline....good stats.

Good win from Maddie taking the defending champion out.I watched her match yesterday and Maddie played with more controlled aggression....which was a good sign.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

Next up Camila Giorgi who had a tough match against Konta

I still remember what happened last time, Caro got outgunned by Camila in the US Open.
Lets see how it goes this time.

Order of play here:

CENTRE COURT

13:00 - CAMILA GIORGI (ITA) V [8] CAROLINE WOZNIACKI (DEN)
15:00 - HEATHER WATSON (GBR) V [2] PETRA KVITOVA (CZE)

COURT 1

11:00 - EKATERINA MAKAROVA (RUS) V [5] ANGELIQUE KERBER (GER)
16:00 - LAUREN DAVIS (USA) V MADISON KEYS (USA)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A important factor for Caroline in her game against Camila tomorrow is she can't let Camila stand her ground at the middle of the baseline and dictate.Caroline must keep moving Camila around the baseline.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

big win for heather Watson. needs a few more of those and get her rank up.

 

[tented]

big win for heather Watson. needs a few more of those and get her rank up.

Agreed, but I worry about her getting past Kvitova. Fingers crossed she does. I like Watson, and can't stand Kvitova.

 

[Si Si Simona]

Prediction time:
Caro, Heather, Makarova, Keys in semis.
All matches are hard to predict and I may get zero results correct. No one is a clear favorite.

Side note:
I may not be on the forum as much as I did in last days because of personal issues like work, etc.
It has nothing to do with me liking the forum or not. Just a situation in my life. See you later.