WTA WTA 2023

[Drummond]

Figured I’d get this up and running.

We have two WTA 250 tournaments starting this week with the Open6 Sens Metropole de Lyon and the Thailand Open. The tournament in France being indoor hard, Thailand outdoor hard.

Lyon draw:

• Linda Noskova plays her second round qualifying match tonight. This will be the last time in a while she’ll have to worry about qualifying for a 250 event. Hopefully she wins, she faces Kuzmova.
• Erika Andreeva faces young French talent and former junior world #1 Diane Parry. Tough, tough match in qualifiers.
• Former world #20 Ana Konjuh also in final round qualifying. Would be nice to see her make some strides this year.

Thailand draw:

• Bianca Andreescu took a WC and is the tournaments top seed. She needs some wins, she needs match play. She’s on track to face Marta Kostyuk who produced some strong tennis in Australia so if they do end up meeting I’d fancy Marta.
• Linda Fruhvirtova back at it, I wonder how she is after a mentally and physically exhausting AO. She faces Mattek-Sands who inexplicably received a WC.
• Two Aussies, Sharma and Perez, battle it out tonight in qualifying for a place in the MD.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Great write up

 

[Drummond]

Noskova and Andreeva both qualify easily, great results. The bad news is that they both have really tough opening rounds but I guess that’s to be expected. Noskova has Muguruza! It’s winnable for Linda given their respective form, but wow. Andreeva meanwhile has drawn 8th seed Anna Blinkova who was unlucky to get Keys first up in Melbourne but took a set off her. I’d probably take one getting through. Konjuh qualified also, and faces 6th seed Mayar Sherif.

In Thailand, Sharma won in straights and has drawn Zidansek. See how she goes. 8:30 tonight.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Noskova and Andreeva both qualify easily, great results. The bad news is that they both have really tough opening rounds but I guess that’s to be expected. Noskova has Muguruza! It’s winnable for Linda given their respective form, but wow. Andreeva meanwhile has drawn 8th seed Anna Blinkova who was unlucky to get Keys first up in Melbourne but took a set off her. I’d probably take one getting through. Konjuh qualified also, and faces 6th seed Mayar Sherif.

In Thailand, Sharma won in straights and has drawn Zidansek. See how she goes. 8:30 tonight.

I watched Blinkova in Hobart and she played very well. Very intense player.

The entry list of the Doha 500 was released the other day. It is packed more than Adelaide. Rybakina has to go qualify for it.

 

[Drummond]

I watched Blinkova in Hobart and she played very well. Very intense player.

The entry list of the Doha 500 was released the other day. It is packed more than Adelaide. Rybakina has to go qualify for it.

I saw that, absolutely insane field!! Women’s tennis might be unpredictable with no one dominating but it’s quietly loaded with a lot of depth. It’s heading in a very good direction IMO.

 

[Drummond]

So from Lyon overnight:

Konjuh retired. Her fitness is a major concern, got to wonder how long she’ll persist for.

Noskova dispatched of Muguruza, dropping only 5 games. Their careers are heading in opposition directions.

Osorio took care of local favourite Alize Cornet in a tight 3 setter. Andreeva is up first tonight on CC.

In Thailand, a massive (…) crowd saw Sharma go down easily and Boulter lost to an opponent who hadn’t won in about 16 years. Tonight will be better, Fruhvirtova is on CC (meanwhile seeded Kostyuk is on court 1), as is Andreescu.

 

[JamisonRun40]

Drummond thank you for the great write up and report. What the heck is going with Mugruza. In the space of 12 month she went from winning the EoY championship in 2021 then through 2022 not a lot was happening. Start of 2023 not great results.
I will try and do some write ups during the year since I watch a lot of tennis.

 

[Drummond]

Overnight noticeables:

Andreeva wins in 3, with Blinkova retiring down 4-0 third set. Andreeva now leads the H2H 3-0. There’s some talk about her future, her power etc. She is slightly underpowered, but she’s still young. Not super young though so she needs to hit the gym. She has a great all around game, can finish points at net, is a real fighter and will leave it all out there. Second serve needs work, can be targeted. I like her though and am keeping a close eye on her. Her 2R opponent is yet to be determined.

Osorio vs Niemeier should be a good match tonight, as will Noskova vs Sherif.

In Thailand, Andreescu won in straights. Schmiedlova lost despite being up a set and serving at 5-4. Oh dear.

Kostyuk was down a set and a break but thankfully survived. She has no business even being in that position.

Fruhvirtova destroyed Mattek-Sands as you’d expected. Still can’t believe that WC.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Schmiedlova lost despite being up a set and serving at 5-4. Oh dear.

That feels familiar.

 

[Drummond]

Drummond thank you for the great write up and report. What the heck is going with Mugruza. In the space of 12 month she went from winning the EoY championship in 2021 then through 2022 not a lot was happening. Start of 2023 not great results.
I will try and do some write ups during the year since I watch a lot of tennis.

Yeah great question. I heard something about a relationship and off court losing a bit of focus. I read though she’s happy to drop down to lower tournaments and play them, which she will definitely need to at this rate. I mean she’s was always a little inconsistent and now she’s getting older and the competition is heating up, I just think she’s nearing the end. If her ranking drops too much lower I wonder how much longer she’ll continue to play.

 

[Drummond]

Overnight results:

Noskova comfortably dispatched 6th seed Sherif. This girl is special, I’m sure of it. The serve, the steely determination, the backhand. She’s going to be a star. She faces fellow youngster Camila Osorio, who had a great win against Niemeier 7-6, 7-5. There’s a wave of young talent emerging and this QF is a prime example.

22 y/o (ancient lol) Alycia Parks beat veteran Petra Martić in 3 sets. Tonight Garcia is in action, as are the 2nd (Zhang), 5th (Potapova) and 7th (Kovinic) seeds. My interest is in Erika Andreeva’s 2R match against Paolini. Very winnable.

In Thailand, Kalinskaya went down to Tsurenko 6-4 in the third. She was down a set and 5-3 40-15 facing two match points, so she very nearly escaped. Fruhvirtova lost to Zidansek, also 6-4 in the third. She’s an incredible fighter, which combined with her course sense and groundstrokes make her super talented. But the serve. It’s so weak. Broken 8 times. It has to improve, and I’m sure it will given she’s 17. But it’s already the biggest aspect holding her back.

Kostyuk and Andreescu in 2R matches tonight.

 

[Drummond]

Anyone with beIN sports can view Kostyuk va Hibino. Fair to say not the greatest crowd, but what can you expect. Nice little venue to be honest.

 

[Drummond]

Kostyuk survives more than anything. Looking to be heading towards a fairly straightforward victory at 6-3, 5-3 and two match points on the Hibino serve, she then implodes on serve with three consecutive double faults, and had to save 2 set points in the tiebreak. In the end she gets it done in an hour long set to advance to the QF’s.

Next up is Maria vs Yastremska.

 

[Drummond]

Tatjana Maria wins 6-0, 6-4 over Yastremska. Can’t really describe what I just witnessed. The worst volleying display I think I’ve ever seen in all my life. Some of the missed volleys and smashes were seriously “fix” levels. She lost the first 9 games of the match then decided to finally be a little more patient and slow down the play, and it worked. But she was spraying errors all match. To me, Maria has the most hideous game in all the tour, just atrocious viewing with her forehand and backhand slices. Look, it worked today, but it’s just junk.

Some incredible stats from that one. Last 6 games all service breaks. 44 unforced errors from Yastremska. 1 winner from Maria. Yes, ONE.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Yastremska has really gone downhill since the invasion of Ukraine and her positive drug test

 

[Drummond]

Yastremska has really gone downhill since the invasion of Ukraine and her positive drug test

100%. I wonder where she goes from here. Ranking continues to decline, lost all confidence, at times late in the second set she looked shattered.

Quarter finals are set at both tournaments (predictions in bold):

Lyon:

Kovinic (7) vs Parks
Potapova (5) vs Zanevska
Garcia (1) vs Paoloni
Osorio vs Noskova

Thailand:

Wang (7) vs Watson
Zidansek vs Zhu
Tsurenko vs Maria
Andreescu (1) vs Kostyuk (5)

Both QF scheduled last are my pick of the bunch. Noskova vs Osorio, young talent time, I think Linda will be too good but it’ll be very hard fought. Andreeva lost in straights this morning, but at least she got 3 more games than their previous meeting. Improving slowly, but indoor hard isn’t ever going to be her preferred surface.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Good to see Kostyuk continues her lack of luck in draws.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Really is Andreescu title to lose here.

Up 2 breaks in the first set.

 

[Drummond]

Osorio up a set and a break, wow. She’s playing quite well but Noskova’s level is poor. She’s constantly got that look like nothing phases her, but you’d have to think this performance is. She looks super flat and doesn’t have any answers right now.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Really is Andreescu title to lose here.

Up 2 breaks in the first set.

was up 6-0, 5-1 before winning a TB.

I really think Andreescu needs to win this title. Would be only her first title since the US Open.

 

[Drummond]

was up 6-0, 5-1 before winning a TB.

I really think Andreescu needs to win this title. Would be only her first title since the US Open.

That’s an incredible stat. And I read something about last time since three wins in row, or time since last QF. Man, she’s really struggled for a while now hasn’t she. She does need this title for sure. Hers to lose.

 

[BobbyMorri]

Just when things are looking to turn around........

it is a shame. story of her career so far.

 

[Drummond]

Just when things are looking to turn around........

it is a shame. story of her career so far.

Just so disappointing. You’ve got to wonder about her career long term. Just so many injuries.

Garcia vs Parks in Lyon final. Watched Garcia vs Osorio, good tennis. Garcia played extremely well, served huge, and produced near flawless tennis at the end of both sets. I like Osorio and her future, think she’ll be a staple of the top 50.

 

[danstar]

Its been an interesting week, ive been following some of the Hua Hin tournament. Andrescu retiring is a bit sad, shes got potential but to often injured, hopefully she can get her body right

 

[Drummond]

Cracking start to the final in Thailand between Zhu and Tsurenko, quality ball striking. 4-3, with a breaks being exchanged early days.

The Abu Dhabi open starts tomorrow, another 500 event. Qualifying is currently underway. The field is immense, with some great 1R matches. Assuming she feels well rested, I’m liking Rybakina’s chances as her section of the draw feels like the easiest all things considered.



There‘s also Linz starting this week, indoor hard. Quite a weak field really which is disappointing, but I guess the money and points are in Abu Dhabi. The top seed is Sakkari, followed by Alexandrova. The draw hasn’t been released yet so without looking at it, I’m going to go for Noskova. She exited rather meekly in the QF in Lyon but without having to go through qualifying here, she might have a little bit more energy. Eva Lys received a WC, so that’s exciting!