Week 8 - WTA1000 - Dubai Hard

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

RE: Week 8 - WTA1000 - Dubai Hard

Julia Carrot · All-time great

Who is the guy now sitting with Jane 0D and Emma's fitness coach?

-- Edited by Julia Carrot on Sunday 16th of February 2025 05:10:38 PM

indiana · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Am I correct in thinking Emma regularly gets ahead with an early break in the opening set and then has a tendency to get pegged back? Like today seems to be going?

Or is that perception wrong?
Maybe this season, however she was renowned as a slow starter previously

Yes, she definitely got the reputation for working players out in-match and coming good. It was pretty impressive in her early days.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
paulisi wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
Am I correct in thinking Emma regularly gets ahead with an early break in the opening set and then has a tendency to get pegged back? Like today seems to be going?

Or is that perception wrong?
Maybe this season, however she was renowned as a slow starter previously
Yes, she definitely got the reputation for working players out in-match and coming good. It was pretty impressive in her early days.

No, I know - I was thinking more recently but its only a perception

the addict · Tennis legend

R1:- Emma Raducanu (GBR) WR60 [WC] def Maria Sakkari (GRE) WR29 6-4 6-2

*****

R2/L32:- Emma Raducanu (GBR) WR60 v Karolina Muchova (CZE) WR17 [14]

seagull · Hall of fame

That was a great second set. Well played Emma. Much better.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Well, wasn't that pleasant, and uneventful

Peter too · Tennis legend

Emma was attacking more today and that made the difference, she kept her opponent under pressure for most of the points.

-- Edited by Peter too on Sunday 16th of February 2025 05:38:29 PM

Var · Satellite level

Coup Droit wrote:
Well, wasn't that pleasant, and uneventful

Spot on CD!

DF · Tennis legend

Coup Droit wrote:
Well, wasn't that pleasant, and uneventful

wink

Julia Carrot · All-time great

DF wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
Well, wasn't that pleasant, and uneventful

Yes, and I switched my phone and desktop to 'do not disturb'.... bliss !!!

B00thy · Lower Club Player

Peter too wrote:
Emma was attacking more today and that made the difference, she kept her opponent under pressure for most of the points.

-- Edited by Peter too on Sunday 16th of February 2025 05:38:29 PM

Seems to me she's slowly getting the match time she needs. Because she's taking wild cards into high ranking tournaments she's playing good opponents, and as she has been lacking that match sharpness, she's lost matches that could have gone either way. Anyhow she is hitting a higher percentage of deeper shots regularly now, so gradually sharpening up. Still too many central, "nothing" shots for my liking, which these better opponents handle easily which is why, for me, she loses quite a lot of longer rallies she really should be killing off.

-- Edited by B00thy on Sunday 16th of February 2025 06:30:29 PM

PaulM · Tennis legend

Yes that was much better, and it helps this is a match up that suits her so from early on it felt like Emma was in control. Hopefully settled a few nerves and resolved some pressure and she can play more freely from here on in.

Good win.

HarryGem · Club Coach

Good to see Emma win and playing some decent tennis.
The serve was still a bit of an issue and I think a more inform player than Sakkari would possibly have beaten Emma.

Though Emma still has some issues to sort out and can play better, she's in a far far better place than Sakkari who looks devoid of confidence. Nothing to lose for Emma in the next round where she will be the underdog by some way I would imagine.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

However things go with Muchova Emma has proven herself worthy of a WC this week.

It seems bizarre to me given her achievements that Emma is treated much more harshly on this forum than any other player. We wouldn't expect anybody else in her position to look a gift horse in the mouth and refuse a wild card, why should Emma? Of her recent defeats only the Busca match was one she ought to have won (and almost did). Frankly I suspect a lot of people saying she should play qualifying instead regard Emma as a fluke rather than a legitimate Top 100 player and simply want her to fail.