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Post by Paean on Oct 16, 2011 9:21:37 GMT -5
yeah, I'm not sure whether ITF is too keen on organizing mixed competitions on the challenger level. I am not betting on them making the cut at Grand Slams.
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Post by Paean on Oct 18, 2011 2:36:20 GMT -5
It's tragic that we don't have any draws from the Lagos tournament. This Nigerian fortnight is the highlight of the Challenger season for me.
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Post by janie on Oct 18, 2011 6:40:44 GMT -5
Ha! Yes, that's a shame, but after all it's only Tuesday. Maybe by Thursday or Friday we'll get a draw. But yeah, it's the one time of year for bagel girls to collect a couple of ranking points.
Meanwhile, for a 25K, Rock Hill, SC, USA has a darned good field:
(1)Romina Oprandi (NON-STOP) v Q MEP (CAN) v Q Roxane Vaisemberg (BRA) v Q (5)Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) v (wc)Vasilisa Bardina (RUS)
(3)Jamie Hampton (USA) v (wc)Alexandra Kiick (USA) (wc)Danielle Rose Collins (USA) v Q Alize Lim (FRA) v (wc)Jacqueline Cako (USA) (6)Ashley Weinhold (USA) v Q
(7)Timea Babos (HUN) v Madison Brengle (USA) Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) v Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) Chanel Simmonds (RSA) v Q (4)Camila Giorgi (ITA) v (SR)Gabriela Paz (VEN)
(8)Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) v Q Madison Keys (USA) v Olga Puchkova (RUS) Lauren Davis (USA) v Q (2)Mirjana Lucic (CRO) v Amanda Fink (USA)
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Post by janie on Oct 18, 2011 13:55:21 GMT -5
Anointed future GOAT Caroline Garcia unimpressive in Limoges. r1:Q RAMIALISON, Irina (FRA) def. GARCIA, Caroline (FRA) 6/3 6/4
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 19, 2011 3:16:03 GMT -5
LOL @ that photo of Garcia. She played genuinely incredibly in the Sharapova match. But if it wasn't for that one match, no one would be talking about her at all...not one of her results before or since merits it. What's baffling is that she somehow conjured up that level of play there. Generation Wack Following their hostilities of the other week, the Sema sisters are now top seeds...in different 25Ks Bet Yurika loves getting away from little sis.
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Post by Iorix on Oct 19, 2011 4:56:40 GMT -5
LOL @ that photo of Garcia. She played genuinely incredibly in the Sharapova match. But if it wasn't for that one match, no one would be talking about her at all...not one of her results before or since merits it. What's baffling is that she somehow conjured up that level of play there. Generation Wack Generation Slut, actually. Most of that legendary match was Martha being awful. But I noticed that there's a lot of stuff The Only Caroline That Matters can do - whip up a heavy topspin FH Ã la Stosur (impressive for such a toothpick), serve big, take the ball fairly early and return aggressively. She just doesn't do any of it often enough. But above all she has absolutely no idea about how to win matches. Worst. Match Player. Ever.
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Post by janie on Oct 19, 2011 6:20:30 GMT -5
That's the most frustrating type of player of all. Like everybody, I had high hopes for this kid after watching that Sharapova match, and though I found her failure to close out that match out annoying, it was understandable under the circumstances. But following her struggles through *junior* Wimbledon pretty much drove those high hopes away for me. I always hope these players who don't know how to win matches can learn that, the way young choker Henin learned to do after a while. But then they don't all have her fanatical work ethic or her iron will, nor do they have Carlos Rodriguez who clearly played the role of sports psychologist as well as coach with his charge. Still, I'm holding out some hope that CG can get it together in the next few years because she was a lot of fun to watch, that one time, at least for a set. (I know, I know: I should look at Paszek, Pironkova, even Oudin, etc etc etc)
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Post by Brinyi on Oct 19, 2011 10:16:59 GMT -5
Anointed future GOAT Caroline Garcia unimpressive in Limoges. Ha! Muzza judges talent about as well as he wins slams.
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Post by janie on Oct 21, 2011 11:02:04 GMT -5
Rock Hill r1 & r2:(1)Romina Oprandi (ITA) d. (Q)Nicola Slater (GBR) 62 63 (Q)Jennifer Elie (USA) d. MEP (CAN) 63 61 (Q)Maria Abramovic (CRO) d. Roxane Vaisemberg (BRA) 63 76(3) (5)Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) d. (wc)Vasilisa Bardina (RUS) 76(6) 62 (wc)Alexandra Kiick (USA) d. (3)Jamie Hampton (USA) 64 26 63 (wc)Danielle Rose Collins (USA) d. (Q)Romana Tedjakusuma (L&T) 64 63 Alize Lim (FRA) d. (wc)Jacqueline Cako (USA) 75 62 (Q)Krista Hardebeck (USA) d. (6)Ashley Weinhold (TTR) 76(4) 63 Madison Brengle (USA) d. (7)Timea Babos (HUN) 62 64 Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) d. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) 63 64 (Q)Shelby Rogers (USA) d. Chanel Simmonds (RSA) 60 75 (4)Camila Giorgi (ITA) d. (SR)Gabriela Paz (VEN) 63 75 (Q)Grace Min (USA) d. (8)Michelle Larcher De Brito (THE FALL OF) 64 64 Madison Keys (USA) d. Olga Puchkova (RUS) 26 62 62 Lauren Davis (USA) d. (Q)Amra Sadikovic (SUI) 75 62 (2)Mirjana Lucic (CRO) d. Amanda Fink (USA) 63 62 2:(1)Romina Oprandi (RAMPANT) d. (Q)Jennifer Elie (USA) 62 62 (5)Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) d. (Q)Maria Abramovic (CRO) 75 64 (wc)Danielle Rose Collins (USA) d. (wc)Alexandra Kiick (USA) 57 61 64 (Q)Krista Hardebeck (USA) d. Alize Lim (FRA) 75 10 Ret. Sesil Karatantcheva (KAZ) d. Madison Brengle (USA) 75 62 (4)Camila Giorgi (ITA) d. (Q)Shelby Rogers (USA) 63 64 (Q)Grace Min (USA) d. Madison Keys (USA) 64 62 Lauren Davis (USA) d. (2)Mirjana Lucic (CRO) 60 76(5) oh my
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Post by janie on Oct 22, 2011 17:30:33 GMT -5
Barnstubble, UK 75K: q draw: Raise your hand if you knew that MJ Koehler has a higher ranking than IRO. Or that IRO ranks 11th among the ROUs. (1)Kristina Kucova (SVK) v Francesca Stephenson (GBR) Isabella Shinikova (BUL) v (wc)Harriet Dart (GBR) Carolina Betancourt (MEX) v Karen Barbat (DEN) (7)Ioana-Raluca Olaru (ROU) v (wc)Sophie Watts (GBR) (2)Marta Domachowska (POL) v (wc)Alicia Barnett (GBR) Malou Ejdesgaard (DEN) v (wc)Francesca Lewis (GBR) Justine Ozga (GER) v Barbara Sobaszkiewicz (POL) (6)Maria Joao Koehler (POR) v Lucy Brown (GBR) (3)Sarah Gronert (GER) v Anais Laurendon (FRA) Michaela Honcova (SVK) v Nigina Abduraimova (UZB) Elixane Lechemia (FRA) v Lenka Jurikova (SVK) (5)Marta Sirotkina (RUS) v Alexandra Walker (GBR) (4)Stephanie Vogt (LIE) v (wc)Aimee Gibson (GBR) Emma Laine (FIN) v (wc)Eden Silva (GBR) Lesley Kerkhove (NED) v Johanna Konta (AUS) (8)Lina Stanciute (LTU) v Tetyana Arefyeva (UKR)
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Post by janie on Oct 22, 2011 17:38:01 GMT -5
Rock Hill match report c/p'd fr TF
(Q)Grace Min (USA) d. (4)Camila Giorgi (ITA) 61 63
"Gasquetrules" says: I watched the match. Camila did not play poorly. Actually, she played well, overall. She committed a few double faults late in the match, but by that time it didn't really matter. She was trying to win points off her serve because Min was playing unbelievable defensive tennis. Giorgi would typically have to hit three or four winning shots (against anyone else) to get a clean winner on Min. The girl has incredible wheels and great eye-hand coordination. She's one of those players whose shots always seem to land in the court, even when mishit, and usually barely inside the baseline. She got to almost everything Giorgi threw at her, and it all came back deep and usually well struck, and she would eventually force an error from Giorgi. Most of the rallies were long and physical. I got a sense that late in the second set Min was starting to tire somewhat. She finally began to make an occasional error. This allowed Giorgi to win a couple extra games, but it was too little and too late. Giorgi fought off five match points before finally succumbing.
Giorgi wins her points by forcing her opponent out of position with hard groundstrokes, creating an opening and then hitting the winner the other way. But basically Giorgi's game does not match up with Min's game. Min is so fast and so strong she can cover almost anything Camila can hit. And she is so consistent on the low-bouncing balls Camila typically hits. She absorbs Camila's pace and sends it back at her. Min is fairly short with powerful legs, and she gets incredibly low when necessary to play her defensive magic. She also has a pretty strong serve that doesn't give the returner many opportunities to attack. The only weakness I saw was against balls that were high and deep. Giorgi won some free points on her serve when she hit good kick serves out wide to Min's backhand. So I suspect that a player who could just get the ball deep with a lot of spin that would kick up high might find some errors from Min. But that's not happening with Camila's stroke production.
I would like to see the final between Oprandi and Min, but won't make the trip tomorrow just for that. Romina has a lot of variety. But I have to believe from what I saw of Grace and Romina today that a lot of the Italian's variety won't work against the American. Min is so quick that drop shots would have to be PERFECT to be effective. And Min is short and powerful and I don't think Oprandi's slice will bother her at all. Again, she gets down low balls better than anyone I've seen at this level and she has great hands and feel and good power. Good drop shots backed up with perfect lobs might get the job done. Oprandi displayed that tactic several times in her match today. And perhaps she has the variety to take the pace off her shots and kick them high and deep forcing something short in return and then attacking.
Oprandi loafed through her semi-final, winning effortlessly [she beat her bumpkinette opponent 61 61], putting together all sorts of soft touchy shots in combinations as though she were just practicing against her opponent. In contrast, the level of play in the Girogi-Min match was at a far higher standard. Again, the rallies were long and all the shots were struck with amazing pace and both players showed themselves to be incredibly fit and fast with loads of stamina. So it's hard to predict what will come in the final. But I am sure for Oprandi to win she will have to take her game to a level I haven't seen in any of the three matches she has played that I have watched this week.
Grace Min may just be 17, but after watching her I can say she does not play like a kid -- much more like someone who can win on the WTA level. She is strong and very fit and very fast. The fist four or five games she and Camila played were incredible tennis. And most of the crowd was behind Camila. She has become very popular with the fans in Rock Hill. But after six games it was obvious nothing was going to change. Grace Min is Camila's kryptonite. The patterns of play would persist and the outcome was not in doubt after Camila went down the second service break
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Post by DBBN on Oct 22, 2011 19:58:54 GMT -5
I can't take a report extolling the SEWTA-saving virtues of GRACE MIN seriously.
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 23, 2011 5:54:44 GMT -5
I know right? Bearing in mind she was playing CAMILA GIORGI, too.
Min has lost this year to: Stevenson, Pegula, Boserup, Elie, Mueller, McDowell, Gibbs, Rolle and Karatantcheva twice.
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Post by Paean on Oct 23, 2011 6:36:39 GMT -5
Su Wei Hsieh won that 25k tournament in Seoul, losing only 3 games in the SF and F against Me, You and You-rika.
Translation can be found on the ITF homepage.
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Post by Iorix on Oct 23, 2011 8:45:49 GMT -5
Henin [...] her iron will Punked out of the game because she couldn't handle losing twice. I can't take a report extolling the SEWTA-saving virtues of GRACE MIN seriously. Plus it reads as if it was written by Shvedbarilescu.
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Post by janie on Oct 23, 2011 12:28:15 GMT -5
Henin [...] her iron will Punked out of the game because she couldn't handle losing twice. Yes, dear. We're familiar with your refrain. As for Min, she sounds like another Oudin to me, but for now I prefer her to the flag-waving Falconi, at least. I'll be disappointed in Romina if she doesn't beat Min, but OTOH Romina's been playing week after week non-stop and has to run out of steam at some point. Doesn't she?? Though it sounds like she sleep-walked through her SF, in fine Dropshot Dame style.
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Post by janie on Oct 23, 2011 14:51:41 GMT -5
(1)Romina Oprandi (ITA) d. (Q)Grace Min (USA) 75 61 -- that makes 5 finals, 3 titles in recent weeks. Romina hearts the NA challenger circuit!
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Post by janie on Oct 23, 2011 17:16:18 GMT -5
Barnstubble qualies r2: (1)Kristina Kucova (SVK) d. Isabella Shinikova (BUL) 61 63 Karen Barbat (boo!!!) d. (7)Ioana-Raluca Olaru (ROU) 75 76(2) UGH (2)Marta Domachowska (POL) d. Malou Ejdesgaard (DEN) 63 62 *(6)Maria Joao Koehler (POR) d. Barbara Sobaszkiewicz (POL) 62 62 (3)Sarah Gronert (GER) d. Nigina Abduraimova (UZB) 64 64 (5)Marta Sirotkina (RUS) d. Lenka Jurikova (SVK) 75 62 (4)Stephanie Vogt (LIE) d. Emma Laine (FIN) 62 61 Johanna Konta (AUS) d. Tetyana Arefyeva (UKR) 75 63 *MJK squeaked by Brit Lucy Brown 76 in the 3rd in qr1. I don't even know why I root for this girl; I think I miss Neuza Silva and she's the nearest substitute
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Post by janie on Oct 23, 2011 17:28:51 GMT -5
Su Wei Hsieh won that 25k tournament in Seoul, losing only 3 games in the SF and F against Me, You and You-rika. Translation can be found on the ITF homepage. Please move out of 25K-land, Su-Wei. CHR of 78, what are you doing?
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 24, 2011 3:45:31 GMT -5
Koehler has some horrifically rude fans at TF. You know, the kind who perpetually yell for scores even when it's obvious no one has them. If I was a mod that'd be a banning offence. I hoped Abduraimova would be a good player but it looks like that's just not happening
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Post by janie on Oct 25, 2011 6:53:44 GMT -5
Koehler has some horrifically rude fans at TF. You know, the kind who perpetually yell for scores even when it's obvious no one has them. If I was a mod that'd be a banning offence. Ha, yes, some of the newer Portuguese fans there are annoying. But I was obnoxious when I was 12 years old, too.
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 25, 2011 12:50:37 GMT -5
They all seem to expect live scores for Challengers now! Honestly. Helloooo, it's a tiny ITF, NOC. They need to sit the fuck down.
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 25, 2011 12:55:08 GMT -5
Oh, and in the Barnstaple 75K, FINALLY Robson and Watson get to play each other!
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Post by DBBN on Oct 25, 2011 14:03:02 GMT -5
They all seem to expect live scores for Challengers now! Honestly. Helloooo, it's a tiny ITF, NOC. They need to sit the fuck down. I remember the time when MAYBE you'd get to see every singles main draw score in the newspaper the next day...MAYBE. It's a different world.
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Post by janie on Oct 25, 2011 16:25:06 GMT -5
I know. I remember watching the entire hour of Sportscenter waiting for the 30 seconds when they MIGHT mention the most important US Open results from the day before (because the late scores didn't appear in the paper). And also watching their ticker at the bottom for tennis scores ... only the ticker back then didn't stop during commercials, so you'd see the word "ATP" and then the commercial would come on and when they returned the ticker had moved on past tennis and you had to wait for it to go round again, but then the next go-round, they'd skip tennis. And now they want not only live scores for 10Ks, but livestreams, too. But man I love TF for that Challenger forum. Despite the more annoying kids, it's AMAZE. I love the fact that Meelis so reliably posts all the results every day for years on end -- who is he, God? And I also love that practically every player with a ranking or even no ranking has her own little fan base there, weeping in despair over yet another Qr2 loss in a 10K. I mean, I posted on an Amina Rakhim (KAZ) fan thread there a couple years ago. Amina Rakhim! How does this exist in the world? How can we not love this? Gosh, I think maybe I had too much caffeine to make this trip home; I am really wired and seriously enthusing over Teen Forum!
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Post by janie on Oct 25, 2011 20:10:05 GMT -5
Oh, and in the Barnstaple 75K, FINALLY Robson and Watson get to play each other! And Skysports will allegedly be streaming it. It's Wimbledon II for the UK! (1)Mona Barthel (GER) d. Karin Knapp (ITA) 63 63 Mandy Minella (LUX) d. Caroline Garcia (MURRAY'SGOAT) 46 76(6) 64 oops! Yvonne Mooseburger (AUT) d. (wc)Anna Fitzpatrick (GBR) 63 63 (8)Michaella Krajicek (NED) d. Tatjana Malek (GER) 61 61 (3)Anne Keothavong (GBR) d. Kiki Bertens (NED) 64 62 Jill Craybas (USA) d. Arantxa Parra-Santonja (ESP) 76(3) 64 Stefanie Voegele (SUI) d. (Q)Kristina Kucova (SVK) 61 57 62 Elitsa Kostova (BUL) d. (6)Eva Birnerova (CZE) 36 64 64 (LL)Maria Joao Koehler (POR) d. (5)Alexandra Cadantu (ROU) 61 30 Ret. (wc)Tara Moore (GBR) d. Kathrin Woerle (GER) 64 63 (Q)Marta Domachowska (POL) d. Olga Savchuk (UKR) 63 64 (4)Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) d. Alison Riske (USA) 62 64 (wc)Naomi Broady (GBR) d. (7)Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) 67(6) 64 76(5) Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) d. (Q)Marta Sirotkina (RUS) 63 62 Laura Robson (GBR) d. (Q)Johanna Konta (AUS) 36 32 Ret. (2)Heather Watson (GBR) d. (wc)Amanda Elliott (GBR) 60 61
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Post by Paean on Oct 26, 2011 3:26:15 GMT -5
[/img] But man I love TF for that Challenger forum. Despite the more annoying kids, it's AMAZE. I love the fact that Meelis so reliably posts all the results every day for years on end -- who is he, God? [/quote] He also posts all kinds of results, news and statistics in other sports related threads on TF. If you're not sure about the 64th best result in a 100m race ask him, he knows (or can find)! At some point I was certain that he's a computer program and not a real human. Also because his posts look very formal.
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Post by janie on Oct 26, 2011 10:00:21 GMT -5
Yet with all that, he still has time to play the 10K game over there. Nice to see he's winning it again.
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Post by janie on Oct 27, 2011 6:26:51 GMT -5
Barnstubble.r2:(1)Mona Barthel (GER) d. Mandy Minella (LUX) 61 75 (8)Michaella Krajicek (NED) d. Yvonne Mooseburger (AUT) 62 61 (3)Anne Keothavong (GBR) d. Jill Craybas (USA) 62 60 Stefanie Voegele (SUI) d. Elitsa Kostova (BUL) 64 63 (LL)Maria Joao Koehler (POR) d. (wc)Tara Moore (GBR) 76(6) 63 (Q)Marta Domachowska (POL) d. (4)Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) 36 64 63 Ekaterina Bychkova (RUS) d. (wc)Naomi Broady (GBR) 63 67(4) 64 Laura Robson (GBR) d. (2)Heather Watson (GBR) 61 36 63 Poitiers:r1: Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) d. Vesna Dolonts (RUS) 64 36 63 r2: Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) d. (4)Marina Erakovic (NZL) 64 63
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Post by lexpretend on Oct 27, 2011 7:24:13 GMT -5
Robson followed that much-hyped battle up with...a straight-sets loss to Bychkova
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