WTA week of 1/8; Adelaide 500 & Hobart 250

[spystud]

Good ol' week before a Slam.

Adelaide draw

Rybakina is top seed, will she stay in? Play starts in about 80 minutes.


Hobart draw

This one ain't strong. Navarro will look to stay hot.

Top seed Mertens gets Collins in R1.

 

[spystud]

Quite the Wheel of Fortune puzzle there.

 

[spystud]

L. Fruhvirtova v. Rus & Stearns v. Gracheva underway in Hobart.

 

[spystud]

This Hobart side court looks like a local park.

 

[spystud]

Peyton blew that set.

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

This Hobart side court looks like a local park.

I noticed that too. Where's Vekic? She's not playing this week?

 

[spystud]

Rain is already screwing with Hobart.

 

[spystud]

Kostyuk gets the first W of the week.

 

[spystud]

Pavs follows suit over BHM.

 

[spystud]

Schmiedlova beats Osorio in a long 3.

Damn, she was down 1-5 in the decider.


Mertens v. Dani next.

 

[spystud]

Tsurenko withdrew from Adelaide, Boulter is 3-all with Bogdan now instead.

 

[spystud]

Of course Katie promptly loses 3 straight.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

I missed that Badosa has a wildcard into Adelaide.

Will be nice to see Paula back in action for the first time since Wimbledon.

This day last year she was #11 in the world. Now #74.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Krejcikova is just so entertaining to watch. Seeing her set a trap in points with that fluid ball redirection and all-court attack is a lot of fun.

She’s still not back to her best, though. She is locked in an epic battle with Kalinskaya, who might be too much of a baller and is forcing Krej to press too much.

 

[spystud]

Kalinskaya upsets 4-seed Krejcikova in another long 3-setter.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Of course Katie promptly loses 3 straight.

Flicking over to this now that the Krejcikova match has finished. What has the level been like?

 

[spystud]

^ Only FlashScore for me on that one.

 

[spystud]

Looks like Dani even lost her Waterdrop sponsor this year.

 

[spystud]

Elise takes the first at 2.

 

[spystud]

I noticed that too. Where's Vekic? She's not playing this week?

Practicing with Caro in Melbourne.

 

[spystud]

Katie out in straights.

 

[spystud]

Dani is as well in only 74 minutes.

 

[ScottleeSV]

That's a disappointing one for Boulter after all the good results.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Badosa is Back! F&$& yeah. Looking bigger and stronger, too. I bet she has been doing a heap of back rehab work and it shows.

 

[Subway Tennis]

That's a disappointing one for Boulter after all the good results.

I know Bogdan’s favourite surface is clay and she hasn’t had great hardcourt results, but I think she has gotten better on fast surfaces lately. Last year she has some really good results during grass season. I’m not massively surprised that she ended up winning that match against Boulter.

 

[spystud]

I dig Pera’s Lacoste kit too.

 

[Subway Tennis]

This is a good test of Badosa’s level. Pera is a top 30 player with a clear ceiling whereas Badosa is a top 5 calibre player who hasn’t yet reached her ceiling.

If Badosa is anywhere near back to her best level (tough ask given she has only just come back) she should win this possibly in straights.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Practicing with Caro in Melbourne.

How is it that Wozniacki looks 10 years younger than Vekic despite having had 2 kids? Damn.

 

[spystud]

Not looking good for straights, serving at 2-5 now.

Good crowd though.

 

[spystud]

To a decider we go.

 

[spystud]

Pera reels off 5 straight from 1-3 for the W. Paula understandably ran out of steam a little.

 

[Subway Tennis]

Not looking good for straights, serving at 2-5 now.

Good crowd though.

Pera brought it. Not even a hint of nerves closing it out either.

We got the answer on Badosa’s level. Quite a bit off her best but no shame in that so early in the comeback.

 

[sportsfan1]

Kalinskaya upsets 4-seed Krejcikova in another long 3-setter.

That was a great win in a tight match, held her nerve there. Anna k plays a great match once in a while but then disappears. We would all like to see more of her more often haha.

How is it that Wozniacki looks 10 years younger than Vekic despite having had 2 kids? Damn.

Vekic probably cut down her weight too fast. The camera angles and makeup perhaps played a part in this pic. But vekic has always been the better looker.

 

[spystud]

Tomljanovic/Kerber/Potapova/Tsurenko all out of Adelaide.

 

[Purestriker]

Tomljanovic/Kerber/Potapova/Tsurenko all out of Adelaide.

That’s a lot of withdrawals. Pota injury didn’t look good again Rybakina, so not surprising on that one.

 

[Purestriker]

How is it that Wozniacki looks 10 years younger than Vekic despite having had 2 kids? Damn.

Covering the forehead helps.

 

[spystud]

Sorana v. Jelena underway in Adelaide.

 

[spystud]

As is Sofia v. Minnen in Hobart.

 

[spystud]

Can't watch, but appears Sorana took that set easy.

 

[spystud]

Sofia takes the first at 3.

 

[Purestriker]

Sofia takes the first at 3.

I’ve been flipping back and forth. Was a beat down. Now Stenko on the move.

 

[spystud]

In another fun Scrabble matchup, Putintseva ate a bagel from Cocciaretto.

 

[Purestriker]

In another fun Scrabble matchup, Putintseva ate a bagel from Cocciaretto.

Wow.

 

[spystud]

Jelena answers with a breadstick to force 3.

 

[spystud]

3 & 3 for the American blonde.


Quite the frumpy kit though.

 

[Purestriker]

In another fun Scrabble matchup, Putintseva ate a bagel from Cocciaretto.

Puts in boots might be done. She’s been struggling lately.

 

[Purestriker]

Jelena answers with a breadstick to force 3.

Typical Jalena.

 

[spystud]

She pulled out the W. Poor Sorana.

 

[spystud]

Sloane dropped the first to Yuan.

 

[flyingboris]

Sloane dropped the first to Yuan.

Against all odds I’m hoping for a Slam Stephens sighting in the coming weeks.