[Steveg]

Singles

ONDRASKOVA d. SANCHEZ LORENZO 6-2 6-4
FOKINA d. BLAHOTOVA 6-2 7-5


Doubles

MIHALACHE / SYSSOEVA d. YAN / ZHENG 7-5 6-4
CROOK / SUN d. BELTRAME / HEIZ 6-3 7-6 (5)


Too bad Zi / Jie.

Well done Helen and Tian Tian. All the way now

 

[Martian KC]

Thanks Steve!
Oh no, Maria! Take the title Galina!!!

 

[Monica_Rules]

Well Done Helen good choice in partnership there!

 

[Steveg]

You're welcome KC .

Now I understand how you can post so many messages in one day : you are actually using several computers at the same time and you are an alien octopus .

I don't see otherwise how you could post so fast : I had just completed typing the scores.

I wonder also what the speed of your connection is . It must be pretty fast.

Don't forget to cheer for Tian Tian who is in doubles final .

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

way to go Galya

all the best tomorrow
use your lefty serve and spin her around girl

poor Maria Antonia , i wanna see her back in top 100 and hope she makes it.

 

[Steveg]

Monica_Rules, I could say the same to Tian Tian actually : good choice in partnership .

There seems to be some positive alchemy working here between the two players.

Would you have some more information about Helen, like how she usually performs in doubles, her style of play and how old she is?

If Tian Tian does not play with Nan Nan in Sutton, I hope that Helen and Tian Tian will play again together there. It seems to be working well!

 

[Alberto]

Maria Antonia

Ondraskova

Anyway Maria is getting her good form!!!

Vamos Maria!!!

 

[Steveg]

Definitely a good choice in partnership from Tian Tian .

Here is some information about Helen :

birth date: 20/11/71

Describe yourself in 5 words: Magnanimous, Objective, Empathetic, Creative, Humourous

Brief Career Overview: A late starter to tennis, Helen played her first national event at 17 yrs old. Reaching the quarter finals in 3 out of the 4 events showed her she could compete with the country's best. She earned all-american honours at the University of South Carolina, was one of ten national finalists in the prestigious NCAA woman of the year award and graduated with honors with a BA in Journalism. Turned pro in 1996 after university and quickly earned world rankings in singles and doubles. In 2000 she and regular partner, Victoria Davies won through the qualifying rounds of Wimbledon doubles to earn their place in the main draw. They also competed there in 96, 98, and 99. Helen now has 16 satellite doubles titles to her name. In this last year Helen has put in some of her best singles performances reaching semis of challenger events and finals of satellites. Sitting at her highest ranking at the age of 29 and with several wins over players in the top 200 there could still be more to come.


For sure, she is a great doubles player. I think she is also the type of person to get along well with Tian Tian. Great doubles team .

 

[Martian KC]

LOL, I have dsl!

 

[rated_next]

congrats to both finalists

 

[bluepastures]

I watched the semi-finals today (well, 3 of them).

Firstly Ondraskova's win. Sanchez Lorenzo didn't look fired up at all, and hardly ventured off the baseline during the match.
In comparison, Ondraskova showed great mobility around the court, indeed I heard a fellow spectator say "she's lightning quick! one of the fastest players I've seen".
Incidentally, the trainers were on the court three times in total, twice for Ondraskova (for a cut finger!) and once for Sanchez Lorenzo, who then at 3-4 down in the second set, took a time out and returned with strapping around one of her thighs.
I personally find it very hard to see Sanchez Lorenzo ever returning to the top 100, but who knows, I've been wrong before!
Fokina's win against Blahotova had less incident in it, with, the more powerful (both in her serve and her general play) Russian Fokina dominating the match almost throughout (aside from a lapse of concentration in the second set). Blahotova was slightly disappointing and didn't appear to possess any particular weapons
Annoyingly, the LTA now put the two doubles matches on simultaneously, so you can only watch one. I decided to watch the Syssoeva/Mihalache V Yan/Zheng match. It was a complete contrast of styles, with lanky Syssoeva and her partner Mihalache facing the diminutive but more mobile Chinese girls.
I actually thought winning in two sets was slightly unfair on Yan and Zheng, but in the end, the crucial factor for me was Syssoeva's booming serve, which caused Yan and Zheng many problems.

 

[Steveg]

Thanks for your report Bluepastures .

Will you also be watching the finals this Sunday?

 

[Randy H]

good win Galina, win the title

too bad for Olga, but good result

 

[rated_next]

Zuzana may be a player I like in the future. Good luck to her in the finals.

 

[Alberto]

Bluepastures, Maria Sánchez Lorenzo will return to the top 100 this year!!!...she is the best and she needs recover her place in the WTA

Vamos Maria!!!

 

[bluepastures]

Yes, I will be watching the finals tomorrow. I think Fokina might overpower Ondraskova in a close match.
As to the doubles, it is very hard to pick a winner out of Sun/Crook and Syssoeva/Mihalache. For me, it depends on which version of Syssoeva plays tomorrow!!!! She's not the most consistent of players.
In the UK, we have the $25,000 tournament in Sutton next week and then very little for a couple of months (until the $10,000 in Bournemouth). I'll be restricted to watching an occasional British tour event or junior events.

 

[anabel]

Antonia

 

[DutchieGirl]

Good luck Galya in the final!

 

[TheBoiledEgg]

Sarah ..... you cheering for Galya cos she is a younger version of Patty

anyway i don't mind why

We need more Patty clones, they are different to other players