WTA 2017. Premier 5 Wuhan & Int. Tashkent

[Aussie Darcy]

So either; Cornet, Sakkari, Garcia or Makarova will be in a Premier 5 final.

Big points on offer for one of them. Hoping it's Garcia who's been on fire lately!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Well this is adorable.

Kvitova posted this to twitter saying:

I couldn't leave Wuhan without saying hi to my Li Na

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Wimbledon v RG champ tomorrow. Pretty juicy QF compared to say Lepchenko v Sakkari..

This will be the first time this year we have two 2017 slam champs playing eachother.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

With Cibulkova's loss to Garcia, she officially can't qualify for the WTA Finals where she would have been the defending champion.. Huge blow. Will lose 1250 points there.

 

[Mainad]

With Cibulkova's loss to Garcia, she officially can't qualify for the WTA Finals where she would have been the defending champion.. Huge blow. Will lose 1250 points there.

This means that neither the men's nor the women's champions at the 2016 year end finals will be present to defend their titles.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

This means that neither the men's nor the women's champions at the 2016 year end finals will be present to defend their titles.

At least Murray won a title this year though and probably would've qualified if not for the injuries.
But it actually looks like both the winner and runner up on both tours won't be present. Murray and Djokovic for the mens due to injuries and Cibulkova and Kerber due to form slumps. Kerber is currently #18 in the race with just 1,978 points. Can't see her qualifying from there. In fact, she's only 73 points ahead of Domi in the race so perhaps it's mathematically impossible for her to qualify as well..

 

[I Am Finnish]

Looks like another seed is going out

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty up a break in the 3rd set on Pliskova. Wow!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Just as I post, Pliskova breaks. Back on serve.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty breaks to love. Up a break once again, 4-3 in the 3rd.

Barty on absolute fire this week.
Bellis, Konta, Radwanska and now possibly Pliskova.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Just too good and Barty holds for 5-3.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Pliskova with 2 really bad errors in this game but still game point for her 40-30.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

LOL. Pliskova serves an ace, it's called a fault but Barty just walks to her chair as it was game point Pliskova and she doesn't challenge so the game goes to Pliskova. Ball was definitely in, no overrule though.

Haven't seen that before.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty serving for the match.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Nerves getting to Ash and she blows triple match point. Deuce..

 

[Aussie Darcy]

BLISTERING return from Pliskova and she has break point. Damn.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Damn, disappointment for Barty there and she blows triple match points and Pliskova breaks back. 3-3.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

These rallies are fantastic.

Barty just so good. 0-15, needs to break again after blowing that!

Ace Pliskova. 15-15.

Unforced error from Barty. 30-15.Crowd roaring when Pliskova wins points, big Karolina fans?

Big serve again. 40-15 Pliskova.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Pliskova leads for the first time this set. 6-5. Barty serving to stay in it after earlier serving for the win and having triple MP..

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty coming undone and crowd cheering her unforced errors. 0-30

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Oh wow Barty steps it up. 30-30. Needs to hold here...

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Game point Barty.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

YES! Barty holds and a deciding tiebreak is coming. Fingers crossed Barty takes it after having 3 MP's.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

These two have played 5 sets in 2 matches and 4 of the 5 have gone to tiebreaks, wow.!

Barty gets a minibreak!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Pliskova with a lucky netchord. 2-2.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

YES. So good by Ash. Back up a minibreak again, 3-2.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

So deep! Ash 4-2.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty holds both times. Up 5-2. Ah my heart can't handle this!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

STUNNING! Barty up 6-2 in the tiebreak. 4 match points!

BARTY WINS!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Stunning stuff and Aussie Ash Barty continues her amazing run and knocks out 3rd seed Pliskova.

Into her first Premier 5 SF in Wuhan. Another top 10 win this week. Her run so far: Bellis, #5 seed and world number 7 Konta, #9 seed Radwanska and now #3 seed and world number 4 Pliskova.

AMAZING!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty with a 14/3 W/L record since Wimbledon. Her year has been stunning in both singles and doubles. This girl is the real deal, been saying it for some time and it's great to see her making strides on the biggest stage.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty now plays the winner of Muguruza/Ostapenko. Far out she's had a tough run, compared to the bottom half that has Cornet/Sakkari/Garcia/Makarova.

So good still.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Also: this result means Muguruza retains the #1 ranking no matter what. Halep and Pliskova were in with a shot but both bow out.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty skyrockets up the live rankings to #26 in the world.

Currently ranked #37 which was her previous best, now jumps 11 spots.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Barty skyrockets up the live rankings to #26 in the world.

Currently ranked #37 which was her previous best, now jumps 11 spots.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Garcia wins the 1st.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Makarova led 2-0 and had game point for 3-0 but now Garcia leads with a set and break 3-2 in the 2nd.

 

[Mainad]

At least Murray won a title this year though and probably would've qualified if not for the injuries.
But it actually looks like both the winner and runner up on both tours won't be present. Murray and Djokovic for the mens due to injuries and Cibulkova and Kerber due to form slumps. Kerber is currently #18 in the race with just 1,978 points. Can't see her qualifying from there. In fact, she's only 73 points ahead of Domi in the race so perhaps it's mathematically impossible for her to qualify as well..

Yet another indication of how different this season has been for so many of the top players for various reasons compared to last year.

 

[NothingButNet]

Getting ready to fly with Caro

 

[NothingButNet]

https://imgur.com/a/RuAyA

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Garcia wins in straight sets and is into the SF.

Up to a new career high #17. Next plays either Cornet or Sakkari. Good chance to make the final for her.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

The contrast between Garcia's and Mlady's careers right now is hilarious.

 

[NothingButNet]

The contrast between Garcia's and Mlady's careers right now is hilarious.

Nah, M'Lady's little slump is not something she'll be stuck in for long - that's all it is, a little slump. Her career's gonna be just fine, she's got all the ingredients to hang around the top 25 at least for years to come. At least.

Garcia I like a lot and she's got a terrific mindset. That focus is the only reason people are quick to pit her against the other female Frenchies, but that's not fair at all in my view.

 

[NothingButNet]

Good God, help us with Miss Alize 'Fistpump on every UE' Cornet

Always want to root for her, but difficult

 

[Aussie Darcy]

The contrast between Garcia's and Mlady's careers right now is hilarious.

Yup. And I for one am loving it It's funny because all the focus was on Mladenovic at the French because she made the QF... but so did Garcia.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Nah, M'Lady's little slump is not something she'll be stuck in for long - that's all it is, a little slump. Her career's gonna be just fine, she's got all the ingredients to hang around the top 25 at least for years to come. At least.

Garcia I like a lot and she's got a terrific mindset. That focus is the only reason people are quick to pit her against the other female Frenchies, but that's not fair at all in my view.

Not really something any of us can guarantee. We thought the same for Bouchard, Bencic, Schmiedlova (remember her guys!) and a bunch of others.. didn't really get back on track. Bencic had the injury excuse at least but not all of it was. A bunch have the meteoric rise and then plummet.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Nah, M'Lady's little slump is not something she'll be stuck in for long - that's all it is, a little slump. Her career's gonna be just fine, she's got all the ingredients to hang around the top 25 at least for years to come. At least.

Garcia I like a lot and she's got a terrific mindset. That focus is the only reason people are quick to pit her against the other female Frenchies, but that's not fair at all in my view.

I meant in contrast to what M'lady had been saying.
I also think she's got the game to hang around the top 20 in the world for the next few years, no problem.

 

[FakeEmpire]

Oh, silly me for thinking I'd actually get to see a good chunk of the Alona/Mugu match, because it would land right at my lunch time... And with Cornet playing right now, my chances are looking even dimmer. Back to the my ongoing lamentations of "Why? Why didn't he kick the freakin' ball? We were so close to getting a draw against Barcelona...".

Well, at least, Bencic has won her very first tournament after being sidelined for 5 months due to a wrist injury. I haven't lost my faith on her yet. But I'm also afraid she may become the next Del Potro, with all these injuries.
http://www.wtatennis.com/news/bencic-makes-winning-comeback-st-petersburg

 

[NothingButNet]

Yup. And I for one am loving it It's funny because all the focus was on Mladenovic at the French because she made the QF... but so did Garcia.

That's cuz Kiki's got the flair, but Caroline likes to flyyyy...below the radar

 

[NothingButNet]

Not really something any of us can guarantee. We thought the same for Bouchard, Bencic, Schmiedlova (remember her guys!) and a bunch of others.. didn't really get back on track. Bencic had the injury excuse at least but not all of it was. A bunch have the meteoric rise and then plummet.

No guarantees for sure, but Bencic was riding a wave, got into a slump and then got injured...my intel reports suggest she's currently on her way right back, too!