British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Weeks 27 & 28 - The Championships, Wimbledon (Womens') (grass) - main draw

Blue_Belle · County player

JonH comes home wrote:
With Sonay still in, and realising Katie let a golden chance go, to have 3 girls all around 40s in the world and heading higher, and to have Jack top 5, cam and Jake in that 40s region as well, Id say having 6 players in the top 100 or so players in the world isnt a bad place for Britain to be in.

And that's just the singles players you're talking about. Women's doubles is scarce in the same ballpark but mens doubles isn't

Helen40 · Grand Slam Champion

Coup Droit wrote:
I thought Emma played extremely well

She was stubborn about certain things - she was losing all those crosscourt forehand rallies but kept going for them - but that can also be because she didn't feel she would make the down-the-line shot, or the middle shot would be too short i.e. players may go for shots that are not the 'right' shots but are the easier shots for them, at least they're making good shots, coz they know that if they went for the 'right' shot, they'd fluff it so there's no point

To me, the key point was that Sabalenka played her cr*p points/games when it didn't really matter (the game where got broken in the second set was just horrendous but it was early in the set)

And at the important points/games, Sabalenka really locked in, no faults, agressive tennis

Emma played her more entreprising, free tennis (and lovely tennis it was) at the less important moments (start of each set) and then looked a little more tight at the key moments - although it was also because Sabalenka made it so hard at the key moments - two sides of the same coin

Yeah Sabalenka certainly played the clutch points better.

I was happy that Emma got more used to Sabalenka's power and could stay with it, as I was initially afraid that she would be blown off court.

Hopefully with more experience at higher levels Emma will play better clutch tennis too, which for me would have made a huge difference.

She was holding her back at some moments after her slip though. so hope that hasn't antagonised her injuries.

wimbledont · Intermediate Club Player

Dont understand how Emma can be accused of playing the big points badly when she saved 7 set points in a single game at the end of set 1.

HarryGem · Club Coach

markymc1983 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
That was agonising! Emma did us proud. I sure hope someone can knock the Russian off her perch between now & the final.
Sabalenka is Belarusian and has openly took a stance against her governments support of Russia so this is a very unnecessary comment. I personally think she has a great personality and a great game, so hats off.
Well done Emma, did yourself proud and proved what standard you can have

Whilst I think there may well be some fairly well known support for the Belarussian government in the past it does seem she has at least made public anti war statements so perhaps we should leave politics there.

Have to say I find her quite annoying and her screaming to be completely unacceptable. I'm frankly amazed no one has complained as it must be borderline hinderance.

She's the big favourite to win the whole thing now but I really hope she doesn't.

HarryGem · Club Coach

Coup Droit wrote:
I thought Emma played extremely well

She was stubborn about certain things - she was losing all those crosscourt forehand rallies but kept going for them - but that can also be because she didn't feel she would make the down-the-line shot, or the middle shot would be too short i.e. players may go for shots that are not the 'right' shots but are the easier shots for them, at least they're making good shots, coz they know that if they went for the 'right' shot, they'd fluff it so there's no point

To me, the key point was that Sabalenka played her cr*p points/games when it didn't really matter (the game where got broken in the second set was just horrendous but it was early in the set)

And at the important points/games, Sabalenka really locked in, no faults, agressive tennis

Emma played her more entreprising, free tennis (and lovely tennis it was) at the less important moments (start of each set) and then looked a little more tight at the key moments - although it was also because Sabalenka made it so hard at the key moments - two sides of the same coin

Excellent spot on summary. I'd also add that the other issue for Emma is that she doesn't possess a real weapon. She can't just summon up a really monster serve or massive forehand when she needs to. I'd like to see her develop the type of slice Barty used to such good effect.

indiana · Tennis legend

RJH1962 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
That was agonising! Emma did us proud. I sure hope someone can knock the Belarusian off her perch between now & the final.

-- Edited by Stircrazy on Friday 4th of July 2025 09:29:30 PM
Emma played really well. Not many would beat her. Perhaps needs to work on her net game to get to the very top end
I maybe the only one but I actually like Sabalenka and other than Sonay hope she wins.

You're not remotely the only one, as shown say in posts before yours from markymc and Jon, and I too generally rather like her personality and quirkiness and like having her around the top of the women's game.

She was pretty close to making the final 8 out of 128 starters in the Favourite International Player poll Jon ran in April, after being joint top with Tiafoe in her initial group.

Though as can be seen in this thread and elsewhere there are other thoughts.

indiana · Tennis legend

GAMEOVER wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Great to see Sonay and Emma play so well. Mark Petchey seems the ideal coach for her but I worry what happens when he has to go back to Tennis Channel. On the other hand I'm worried Jeremy Bates may stick around Sonay!
Has any player ever achieved anything with Jeremy Bates as a coach?

I pretty much asked the same question a month or so ago. It was met with a wall of silence.

Brendan F · Intermediate Club Player

Bloody hell BBC! They've got 3 channels and yet none of them are showing the only live match in favour of 2 repeats and a celebrity love-in.

indiana · Tennis legend

I see that Dayana Yastremska, Coco Gauff's R1 conqueror, has been beaten in R3 by Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. I see that the 22 yo is WR 62 but I must admit her name has passed me by until now.

Elegant Point · Futures qualifying

indiana wrote:
RJH1962 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
That was agonising! Emma did us proud. I sure hope someone can knock the Belarusian off her perch between now & the final.

-- Edited by Stircrazy on Friday 4th of July 2025 09:29:30 PM
Emma played really well. Not many would beat her. Perhaps needs to work on her net game to get to the very top end

I cant believe some of the negative comments about Emma on SM, hope she doesnt bother to read it. hmm
Winning a grand slam is something many can only dream of.Thoroughly enjoyed watching her match yesterday with a group of tennis friends!! Petch seems to be good for her performance.

Sonnay seems to be having a blast smile

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
I see that Dayana Yastremska, Coco Gauff's R1 conqueror, has been beaten in R3 by Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. I see that the 22 yo is WR 62 but I must admit her name has passed me by until now.

We must be on the same wavelength biggrin

10 minutes ago I saw the result and had exactly the same reaction: Jessica? Jessica who? Who the flip are you?

Danny1312 · Strong Club Player

Elegant Point wrote:
indiana wrote:
RJH1962 wrote:
Stircrazy wrote:
That was agonising! Emma did us proud. I sure hope someone can knock the Belarusian off her perch between now & the final.

-- Edited by Stircrazy on Friday 4th of July 2025 09:29:30 PM
Emma played really well. Not many would beat her. Perhaps needs to work on her net game to get to the very top end

I cant believe some of the negative comments about Emma on SM, hope she doesnt bother to read it.
Winning a grand slam is something many can only dream of.Thoroughly enjoyed watching her match yesterday with a group of tennis friends!! Petch seems to be good for her performance.
Sonnay seems to be having a blast

It's always the same reason! Jealousy, well also attention! She was brilliant, there's always things to improve on, which makes it even more exciting! aww

PaulM · Tennis legend

Tauson just put out Rybakina in straight sets. Maybe Hev taking a set was even more impressive than we realised ha

Var · Futures qualifying

Sonay kicks off on centre tomorrow.