Week 42 - WTA ($220K) Luxembourg - Hard

Stircrazy · Tennis legend

RE: Week 42 - WTA ($220K) Luxembourg - Hard

DavidC · Tennis legend

A strong love game from Anne was just what was needed

1-3*

DavidC · Tennis legend

Anne hits 3 great forehands at 30-30 to set up another breakpoint, saved theatrically. A second is saved with a precision backhand. A fine drop shot sets up a third which Monica misses

2*-3

ROCK3 · Lower Club Player

A big struggle for that game but she held on.

Come on, Anne, you can do it

DavidC · Tennis legend

Anne plays an aggressive point to save a breakpoint. Anne saves 4 more (largely created by Anne's errors) before eventually and animatedly holding a mammoth game

3-3*

DavidC · Tennis legend

Monica shrugs off the disappointment of all the missed breakpoints and holds to love

5-7 6-4 3*-4

DavidC · Tennis legend

A horrible game out of the blue gifts Niculescu a love break

3-5*

ROCK3 · Lower Club Player

Niculesco serving for the match

DavidC · Tennis legend

Sadly Anne is unable to apply pressure and Monica holds to 15

GSM Niculescu 7-5 4-6 6-3

ROCK3 · Lower Club Player

Shame.

However she did better during this tournament than anyone expected.

Well done Anne

indiana · Tennis legend

Ah, real pity.

I thought after that really gritty save of service for 3 - 3 if she could just have got some pressure going on Monica's following serve it would have been interesting to see how Monica coped.

But fair play to Monica, she showed good initiative in the last 3 games, and won well at the end, and Anne if anything was a bit passive latterly plus one or two careless mistakes.

But it's been a great week for her, and hope she can hold this improved form through the rest of the year and into next year.

Peter too · Tennis legend

Anne played really well. The only weakness seemed to be on the "put away" shot whether it was a smash or placing a ball into an empty space she made a few too many errors. The difficult balls Anne played really well it was the shots that should have been easy that caused unforced errors. It was a great match to watch though.

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Shame, but a good run.

PockyTastic · Futures level

I really have to echo everyone else's sentiments.

For the past few months I have been worrying about Anne having to defend these big points, but she powered her way through qualifying and managed to gain a few points. Gutted for her to lose, but such a welcome return to form after a patchy 9 months. Maybe she should seek out all of the indoor hard tournaments possible... Copenhagen instead of Edgebaston next year?

indiana · Tennis legend

Yes, as I mentioned before there used to much more of a string of European indoor tournaments late in the season, but these have been hugely reduced, particularly by the Asian swing. Looks as if that's maybe a pity for Anne.