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feather_ghyllSo, women are back playing competitively at Queen’s club for the first time in 52 years, so whoever wins will be a trailblazer, in a way. Apparently they will be getting less in prize money than the men next week – boo! And I say that as someone who doesn’t believe in equal prize money at the slams, because I think there should be some fractional recognition that the men’s singles are five sets, even if women were probably barred from playing five because of past sexism. Oh, sorry, ‘the schedule’. (Do they run a shorter distance in a marathon?) But here, what’s the excuse? All the matches will be best of three! Wanting women to prove themselves? The ticket sales have been good, (and the attendance and support will be a boost after the issues at the French.) I wonder what state the courts will be at the end of the week, and if that will throw the men - oh well, they'll be financially compensated for it, won't they?
Is it a bit rough that a 500 event is being held straight after a grand slam? Admittedly, the turnaround between surfaces is notoriously quick at this time of the year, and so it looks as though they’ve had a strong field, because players want time on the grass, and Queen’s will be less windy than Eastbourne.
They’ve renamed the centre court Andy Murray arena. First on it were Petra Kvitova and Beatrice Haddad Maia, two tall lefties who know how to play well on the grass, although Kvitova has the better record, obviously.
I joined it at 1-1 in the second set, with Kvitova having won the first set, and found out that she hasn’t been around on tour because she’s been having her first child. Kvitova is someone you want all the best for. She was looking to win her second match since her return, but Haddad Maia was more in it in the second set, although her recent record hasn’t been great for a top 25 player. (In a couple of later matches, the commentators would cite a lower ranked player’s top 20 win, and it would be against BHM.) The longer the match went on, the more it went against Kvitova, who showed flashes of her easy power, but Haddad Maia was a bit more consistent in the last two sets, defending her breaks.
I saw all of the next match, between Daria Kasatskina, reigning Eastbourne champion and just outside the seeds, and Sonay Kartal, now world no. 50. It was the first time I’ve seen the latter play, I think, and she looked like she belonged on the WTA tour. She was playing within herself, while Kasatkina had not settled, and Kartal was soon up a double break. Kasatkina started getting her eye in, winning her first game at the end of the first, and was much better and more in control in the second. But Kartal’s movement was good, and the longer the points went on, the more likely she seemed to be to win them. A few exchanges of breaks in the third, but Kartal was up and served it out for her best win yet.
She’d be facing the winner of the next match between British wildcard Jodie Burrage and no 8 seed here, Amanda Anisimova. Burrage came out to play – she served really well throughout – and the higher ranked opponent was very inconsistent. Burrage broke early and looked the better player.
But a world no. 15 is going to find her way, and Anisimova did, winning the second set and the third (although Burrage put up more of a fight in the third), by going big on second serves and using the forehand slice. She was still erratic, though, and it looked as though bringing her forward would be a good tactic against her.
Day two, still round one, and Katie Boulter was playing against Alia Tomljanovic, who I think is coming back from knee surgery. Boulter took until the second game to settle, and the first set was topsy turvy, with the Brit eking out the last two points to win. I didn’t follow the second set as closely, but Tomljanovic fought back to win it relatively easily. The third set was, again, topsy turvy, with several breaks that nobody could consolidate until Boulter was steady enough to win the last game.
Emma Raducancu next, playing Critina Busca, a qualifier (although I was reminded she’d been on of the medal-winning Spanish women’s doubles players at the Olympics.) Perhaps because Raducanu had already lost to her in three sets this year, she came out strong, securing a double break and looking like the much better player. To her credit, she maintained her level, although Busca was ever so gradually improving, and Raducanu went down 0-30 in a couple of her service games, but won them anyway. It was nice to see a match won in two sets for a change!
I dipped in and out of the next match, on the one hand Barbora Kreijikova was the no. 6 seed and the defending Wimbledon champion. On the other, she’s coming back from spinal injury. Her opponent, Rebecca Sramkova, was new to me, but is a top 40 player and (serving in the early stages of the match aside) was taking this as a golden opportunity to beat the higher ranked player, despite having hardly any experience on grass. She was by far the more consistent, Kreijikova could only show flashes of her best and is badly needing match fitness.
The top four seeds had byes in the first round and will appear today.
Is it a bit rough that a 500 event is being held straight after a grand slam? Admittedly, the turnaround between surfaces is notoriously quick at this time of the year, and so it looks as though they’ve had a strong field, because players want time on the grass, and Queen’s will be less windy than Eastbourne.
They’ve renamed the centre court Andy Murray arena. First on it were Petra Kvitova and Beatrice Haddad Maia, two tall lefties who know how to play well on the grass, although Kvitova has the better record, obviously.
I joined it at 1-1 in the second set, with Kvitova having won the first set, and found out that she hasn’t been around on tour because she’s been having her first child. Kvitova is someone you want all the best for. She was looking to win her second match since her return, but Haddad Maia was more in it in the second set, although her recent record hasn’t been great for a top 25 player. (In a couple of later matches, the commentators would cite a lower ranked player’s top 20 win, and it would be against BHM.) The longer the match went on, the more it went against Kvitova, who showed flashes of her easy power, but Haddad Maia was a bit more consistent in the last two sets, defending her breaks.
I saw all of the next match, between Daria Kasatskina, reigning Eastbourne champion and just outside the seeds, and Sonay Kartal, now world no. 50. It was the first time I’ve seen the latter play, I think, and she looked like she belonged on the WTA tour. She was playing within herself, while Kasatkina had not settled, and Kartal was soon up a double break. Kasatkina started getting her eye in, winning her first game at the end of the first, and was much better and more in control in the second. But Kartal’s movement was good, and the longer the points went on, the more likely she seemed to be to win them. A few exchanges of breaks in the third, but Kartal was up and served it out for her best win yet.
She’d be facing the winner of the next match between British wildcard Jodie Burrage and no 8 seed here, Amanda Anisimova. Burrage came out to play – she served really well throughout – and the higher ranked opponent was very inconsistent. Burrage broke early and looked the better player.
But a world no. 15 is going to find her way, and Anisimova did, winning the second set and the third (although Burrage put up more of a fight in the third), by going big on second serves and using the forehand slice. She was still erratic, though, and it looked as though bringing her forward would be a good tactic against her.
Day two, still round one, and Katie Boulter was playing against Alia Tomljanovic, who I think is coming back from knee surgery. Boulter took until the second game to settle, and the first set was topsy turvy, with the Brit eking out the last two points to win. I didn’t follow the second set as closely, but Tomljanovic fought back to win it relatively easily. The third set was, again, topsy turvy, with several breaks that nobody could consolidate until Boulter was steady enough to win the last game.
Emma Raducancu next, playing Critina Busca, a qualifier (although I was reminded she’d been on of the medal-winning Spanish women’s doubles players at the Olympics.) Perhaps because Raducanu had already lost to her in three sets this year, she came out strong, securing a double break and looking like the much better player. To her credit, she maintained her level, although Busca was ever so gradually improving, and Raducanu went down 0-30 in a couple of her service games, but won them anyway. It was nice to see a match won in two sets for a change!
I dipped in and out of the next match, on the one hand Barbora Kreijikova was the no. 6 seed and the defending Wimbledon champion. On the other, she’s coming back from spinal injury. Her opponent, Rebecca Sramkova, was new to me, but is a top 40 player and (serving in the early stages of the match aside) was taking this as a golden opportunity to beat the higher ranked player, despite having hardly any experience on grass. She was by far the more consistent, Kreijikova could only show flashes of her best and is badly needing match fitness.
The top four seeds had byes in the first round and will appear today.
