Week 1 - WTA International - Auckland, New Zealand

James · Satellite level

Week 1 - WTA International - Auckland, New Zealand

steven · Tennis legend

Yes!

Tiebreak ...

Peter too · Tennis legend

Phew that was a struggle, came back from a break down 3 times before winning the set.

wolf · Tennis legend

Yes! You're ahead now Anne, get in that driving seat. Nigel Sears said she needs to hit her first serve harder..quite right.

steven · Tennis legend

Fab return off 2nd serve, Anne wins it 7-6(3)

What an hour it's been for British women's tennis.

Andy's girlfriend's Dad on again. Why does she look so annoyed with life? Ah, it's the wind. Well, if you will choose to play in Auckland ... LOL

Great advice from Nigel. I don't agree with this on-court coaching thing in principle, but it's fascinating!

James · Satellite level

Well done Anne!

James · Satellite level

Vesnina, back from toilet break, serves first in 2nd set..

15-0: Long return
30-0: 1-2-3 punch. Big serve -> big fh dtl -> easy volley into open court
40-0: Long fh return at Vesnina's feet
Game V: Two big fhs lead to Keothavong skewing ball long and out

*0-1

Keothavong serving..

0-15: Keothavong slaps at fh, goes into middle of net
15-15: Big x-court fh - all but a winner, clips edge of Vesnina racquet
15-30: Crushing dtl fh return, little keothavong can do
30-30: BH return goes long
30-40: Despite controlled big return, Keothavong goes for a power volley but mis-hits it long
Game V: FH error from Keothavong, ball sails long

0-2*

Vesnina serving..

0-15: Low bouncing Keothavong return is netted [after several bounces]
15-15: Vesnina bh approach shot stays low and is netted, Keothavong can't quite scrape it up
30-15: Positive forward play from Vesnina, puts away mid-court fh
30-30: Net-cord stops Vesnina bh
40-30: A beautifully fluid fh is finished by Keothavong into Vesninas fh corner
40-40: Keothavong skews bh long after taking it late, powerful play from Vesnina
Adv K: Bh dtl winner for Keothavong, works her way into position after patient ralleying
40-40: Strange bounce kills ball's upward path, ball skims off the bottom of Keothavongs racquet, who all but swings at fresh air
Adv K: After sitting down for 3 course meal in between Vesnina's serves, Keothavong slams a fh winner dtl.
40-40: Scream of frustration from Keothavong, her on the run slice bh doesn't quite clear the net
Adv K: Flat bh return is fired long by Vesnina, despite plenty of knee-bend
Game K: Bh to bh rally, eventually ended when Keothavong sends to Vesnina fh, who duly dumps ball into net

*1-2

-- Edited by James at 02:03, 2009-01-09

James · Satellite level

Keothavong serving after breaking back..

0-15: Double-fault
15-15: Unexplainable long bh from Vesnina
30-15: After dominating rally, Keothavong punches fh into Vesnina bh corner for stunning winner. Goodall: "thats the best we've seen her"
30-30: Weak 2nd serve is punished, high return from Keothavong is slammed away
40:30: Net-cord favours Keothavong
40-40: Vesnina cuts Keothavong's defence wide open with x-court bh.
Adv V: Keothavong dumps fh dtl into net.
40-40: Crushing groundstrokes from both, Vesnina breaks down first - goes long. Big "come on" from Keothavong.
Adv V: x-court fh is too accurate and powerful for an off-balance Keothavong to even attempt to reach
Game V: Keothavong dominates rally leading to attempted drop-shot. Vesnina reaches and puts away x-court despite Keothavong lunge

1-3*

Vesnina serving..

15-0: Enthralling rally ends with Keothavong netting drop shot attempt after reaching opponents own drop shot
30-0: Screamer. Bh dtl from Vesnina is unreachable
40-0: Serve down the T is not returned
Game V: Keothavong goes for fh return but puts it long

*1-4

-- Edited by James at 02:16, 2009-01-09

wolf · Tennis legend

I really cannot stay awake much longer. I really hope that Anne wins and my prediction from earlier comes true; but I'm not confident. Goodnight.

James · Satellite level

Keothavong to serve..

0-15: Keothavong nets bh, textbook UE
15-15: Vesnina sprays fh dtl way wide
15-30: Series of deep fhs from both, Keothavong pushes a little hard and goes long
15-40: Vesnina bh skims off baseline and is promptly mis-hit and skewed out by bh of Keothavong
Game V: Keothavong nets bh

1-5*

Vesnina to serve for the set..

15-0: Well placed down the T serve is sliced into net
30-0: Serve to Keothavong bh is rewarded with error, ball into tramlines
40-0: Serve again to Keothavong bh, seems to come off racquet throat and flies out
Game & 2nd set V: Keothavong hits fh return long

1-6

Keothavong calls coach: "She played some very good games.. she is going to do that.. you've got to earn a final place.. forget about the score, it's one set.. your tennis is there, it's in the bank, you just need to keep control of yourself... work your way through it, one point at a time.. lets start this set afresh.."

-- Edited by James at 02:25, 2009-01-09

James · Satellite level

Vesnina receiving a medical time out. Physio is icing her hamstring area on both legs.

Peter too · Tennis legend

This could come down to survival of the fittest. Already 1 hr 45 mins.

steven · Tennis legend

Goodnight wolf, hope there's some good news for you to wake up to in the morning.

James · Satellite level

With score set at 7-5 1-6, Keothavong serves first..

0-15: After minor rally, Keothavong puts fh long
15-15: Inside out x-court fh from Vesnina goes wide and long
30-15: Poor movement from Vesnina, doesn't move feet after Keothavong fh lands right in front of her - bh goes long
40-15: Positive 2nd serve from Keothavong sets up rally - produces error from Vesnina bh
40-30: Serve lands right on the T, but despite weak return Keothavong pushes fh long
Game K: Vesnina makes it easy and slashes groundstroke [I missed which one.. =| ] long

1-0*

Vesnina up next..

15-0: Net-cord luck turns, Keothavong fh just fails to make it over
30-0: Looping dtl bh return falls long
40-0: Body serve produces a cramped and ultimately astray bh return
40-15: Double-fault
Game V: Keothavong goes long again, this time with the bh

*1-1

Keothavong serving..

15-0: Confident Keothavong x-court fh is slapped at by Vesnina but is nowhere near making it over the net
30-0: Umpire overrule judges Vesnina fh dtl to have gone long.
40-0: Upon approaching the net Vesnina finds the net-cord again
Game K: Vesnina plonks a looping fh mid-court, Keothavong eats it up and puts it away against a statue-esque Vesnina

2-1*

James · Satellite level

Vesnina serving..

15-0: Keothavong almost finds two lines in a row but her 2nd fh goes wide
30-0: A flat serve out wide is popped up be Keothavong and from the baseline Vesnina smashes it away x-court.
40-0: Keothavongs fh isn't hit hard enough to creep over once it has hit the net cord
Game V: Adventurous return fh from Keothavong is put long, accompanied by a loud sigh.

*2-2

Keothavong again at the plate..

15-0: Keothavong executes a dtl bh clinically, a shot set up perfectly by a kicking down the T second serve
30-0: Vesnina inside-out fh dtl winner attempt fails, ball sails long
30-15: Double-fault
40-15: Keothavong grinds away at the back of the court and upon recieving a mid-court ball gracefully finishes the point via a clever drop shot
40-30: Vesnina fh return clips the net, Keothavong loops fh long
Game K: Return error from Vesnina.

3-2*

-- Edited by James at 02:46, 2009-01-09