Interesting. My reaction too was that Naomi shouln't have got involved so much and that that wouldn't impress the WTA community. But clearly she has been shown support by M'lady and others.

On the particular incident, I think disqualification would have been overharsh. The racket certainly didn't slip, but it was more half thrown / half dropped in an exasperated but non violent way, apparently ( we didn't see ) inadvertantly hitting the ball boy. A code violation seemed to me appropriate and in general it seemed pretty well handled.

-- Edited by indiana on Thursday 7th of January 2016 04:09:34 AM

Naomi is 3rd on Centre Court after a 12.15 start, which means her match is likely to be about 2.15 am UK time.

This has just been tweeted.

If you can't stay up to watch @NaomiBroady tonight, there's a replay scheduled for tomorrow morning at 8am on @btsport 1

After 2 long matches Naomi is up in just a moment now.

Naomi big serving holds to 15 1-0*

Sloane holds to 15 1-1

Naomi gets herself in trouble with 2 poor forehands into the net then saves 2 bps with super volleys. Missed her first serve 6 times in a row after the first 2 points. 2-1*

Sloane easy hold to 15 2-2

Naomi struggling to land her first serve right now but getting unreturned 2nd serves, holds to 15 3-2*

Sloane holds to 15 3-3

Naomi again missing too many first serves but Sloane with an astonishing volley/low smash error long at 30-30, lets Naomi escape to 30 4-3*

Naomi super play wins the first 2 points but wastes a chance at 15-30 as Sloane holds to 30 4-4

Naomi recovers from 0-30 to hold to 30 thanks to four unreturned serves 5-4*

Sloane holds to 30 despite 2 super winners from Naomi 5-5

Naomi down 0-40 through a poor error and a df, saves all 3 bps, one forehand winner then 2 unreturned first serves, another unreturned first serve and an aggressive backhand make it 5 points in a row 6-5*

A super backhand pass winner and an aggressive forehand get Naomi to 15-30. An incredible miss from Sloane gives Naomi set point 30-40 but her 2nd serve return doesn't do any damage, allowing Sloane to fire a forehand winner to escape 6-6

Tiebreak: No minibreaks until Naomi's deep backhand gets her set point *6-5. Naomi misses her first serve for the first time in the tiebreak then dumps a poor forehand in the net. Another missed first serve and forehand just wide hands Sloane set point which she takes with a big first serve 6-7

 

-- Edited by kundalini on Thursday 7th of January 2016 05:06:27 PM

The serve got better as the set went on, and the general level of play from Naomi is competitive at this level, which is encouraging.
There are clear deficiencies in her game, but she works around them better now than ever before in her career.

Naomi had a set point in game 12, but into the TB it went, and Naomi was unlucky.
She got to *6-5, and served what was a probable winner which was called a fault, and immediately overruled. Without the bad call, she would have taken the set.
As it was though, she missed both 1st serves, and lost the next three points, and with it the set.

6-7(6)

Nice to see Anna Smith sitting courtside with Fitzy in Naomi's corner.

Naomi playing rather well now, having traded breaks.
Has another BP but Sloane saves with a wrong footing FH, and holds.
6-7(6) *2-3

Very sloppy service game, and Sloane gratefully accepts the present, and Naomi is broken
The steam seems to have gone out of Naomi all of a sudden as Sloane holds in a hurry.
Naomi looks weary, but will need to repeat the heroics of yesterday.
6-7(6) *2-5

-- Edited by insomniacfolder on Thursday 7th of January 2016 06:39:32 AM