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WTA St.Pete 2018

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WTA St.Pete 2018

Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 1:50 am

Nothing but interesting R1/R2 matches today for me: each of the 5 matches include a player that I want to see: Garcia, Kvitova(R1), Ostapenko (vs Zvonareva, btw), Pavlyuchenkova(R1) and Kasatkina. #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#On paper, this event could have four great QFs...#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Last edited by Graveller on Jan Wed 31, 2018 1:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 1:54 am

Draw atm:

Wozniacki vs Potapova
Cornet vs Kasatkina

Mladenovic vs Cibulkova
Siniakova vs Makarova/Pavlyuchenkova

Goerges vs Vinci
Rybakina vs Garcia

Vesnina/Kvitova vs Begu
Zvonareva vs Ostapenko
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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 4:55 am

Interesting first set between Garcia and Rybakina. The better, more experienced player won that set 6-4 (Garcia), but a lot of potential to see in Rybakina. But needs to be further developed. A lot of power, and too uncontrolled at times. #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Rybakina had 6 winners in those first three games (where she broke Garcia), and ended with 14 winners in that set (vs 8 for Garcia)... But the wild shots did cost her the set (13 UE's vs 3 for Garcia).#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Looked her up on the internet after set 1:#ed_op#br#ed_cl#- russian (obviously)#ed_op#br#ed_cl#- not in the top 400#ed_op#br#ed_cl#- only 18 y old (I thought she was older as she has some fire-power)#ed_op#br#ed_cl#- reached SF in junior RG, QF at US Open, won Rome junior, and highest junior ranking #3.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#As she is still ranked very low, I do not expect to see her on the main WTA tour this year. But will keep half an eye on her in the next years.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#ps: she is now a break ahead in set 2: 4-6 2-0.
Last edited by Graveller on Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 8:40 am

I stopped watching the Rybakina vs Garcia match halfway set 2 when they were on-serve, so pleasantly surprised (but not totally shocked) to find out that Rybakina won the match (after two TB's 4-6 7-6 7-6)...#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#A result like this gives her a boost in the rankings. In the live ranking she is now #268.... Multiplied her WTA ranking points this week by a factor of 10. Another win and she is top 200.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#I guess a result like this makes it more likely that she gets a WC for some events.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#Maybe we will see her sooner than later in other main draws....
Last edited by Graveller on Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Ace2Ace » Jan Wed 31, 2018 8:47 am

another power player? Welcome.
Never heard of this one. Never seen her.

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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:02 am

#ed_op#font color="brown"#ed_cl#@ #ed_op#b#ed_cl#Ace2Ace#ed_op#/b#ed_cl#:#ed_op#/font#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl# #ed_op#br#ed_cl#First time I saw her too... her first top10 win (she came out of qualies and now has beaten Bacsinszky and Garcia in her first MD matches).#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#If I have to compare her with the '97 ers when they were 18yod, I would rather group her with Ostapenko/Gavrilova (and not with Kasatkina/Bencic). #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#I also think that - despite her good wins here - a lot of more work is needed to get into the top50.  #ed_op#br#ed_cl#Power was there, movement OK, some very nice rallies but sometimes too confident/aggressive/naive(?) and thus making errors that look clumsy and unnecessary.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#But her qualities were enough to beat Garcia.  And she does has a chance vs Vinci or Goerges in the QF. #ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Edit: stats are on Tennisforum in that match thread: 47 winners for Rybakina (but 44 UE's too). A quick read on TF and it seems that many agree with most of my comments ;-)  #ed_op#br#ed_cl#


Hard to read, but here some of my 2018-comments on Rybakina...
Last edited by Graveller on Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Post by Ace2Ace » Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:11 am

unfortunately, power players have hard time moving up in the ranking in general. It takes them longer than the perfect pushers. While Pushers sit back, take no chance and collect points they should lose, new power players, most of the time too aggressive, lose points they should win. They end up losing games or sets that were in their hands.

I just read the Match Point should have been a Replay.. But looking at the stat, 54 winners vs 24, the player that more than doubled the winners of her opponent should win the match. So the result is correct in my book. :)
Last edited by Ace2Ace on Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:21 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 9:49 am

Ostapenko - after a horrendous start with a double break down - now in full bully-mode... poor Vera... 7-6 3-0 Jelena, and serving for 4-0.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Could be over quickly. #ed_op#br#ed_cl#
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Post by Graveller » Jan Wed 31, 2018 10:11 am

Clean Ostapenko win in Set 2: 7-6 6-3.... Now a possible QF with Kvitova on friday...
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Post by Ace2Ace » Jan Wed 31, 2018 10:13 am

Heard Petra was deadly.
Should be a good match if she doesn't go back to her bad self.
Last edited by Ace2Ace on Jan Wed 31, 2018 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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