WTA week of 4/15; Stuttgart 500 & Rouen 250

[spystud]

Porsche time, pretty loaded 28-player field.

Draw

Iga/Aryna/Coco/Elena get byes. Some fun matches...

Raducanu v. Kerber
Noskova v. Ostapenko
Zheng v. Cirstea
Shnaider v. Badosa


Rouen draw

Pavs/Garcia/Kalinina/Yuan lead the way. Sloane v. Peyton in R1.

 

[spystud]

Here you go @Uncle Ebeneezer, can talk about your girl Yuan here.

 

[No_Kwan_Do]

Kerber's not been feeling well last week, and Raducanu is playing well so provided she can maintain form, Raducanu in 2.

Noskova/Penko is a 50/50 for me, but I'll go Noskova in 3.

Zheng hasn't been impressive at all this year post-AO, but she's a good clay-courter so I back her to take out Cirstea in 2.

Badosa hasn't been good so far this year, but I'll back her to take out Shnaider in 3.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kalinskaya being top 30, Aus Open QFist and Dubai runner up losing to freaking Sara Errani in qualifying? That is utterly embarrassing. So glad she lost that Dubai final to Paolini.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Best 500 of the year on paper surely?

Someone asked on Twitter why Boulter isn't playing. Can only presume 27th isn't high enough!

 

[Uncle Ebeneezer]

Here you go @Uncle Ebeneezer, can talk about your girl Yuan here.

Thanks! Fingers crossed that I can actually see a bit of her match tomorrow but knowing TennisChannel they will probably be mostly fixated on Barcelona and Stuttgart.

 

[spystud]

Yeah, you’re gonna need a stream for Rouen.

3 & 4 for Paula.

 

[spystud]

Sloane beat Peyton in 3, only 1:41. Not many rallies there.

 

[spystud]

Karolina beat Polina Kudermetova, 7-5 in the the decider in Rouen.

 

[robyrolfo]

Kalinskaya being top 30, Aus Open QFist and Dubai runner up losing to freaking Sara Errani in qualifying? That is utterly embarrassing. So glad she lost that Dubai final to Paolini.

Can someone please explain this to me? First off, how is Kalinskaya (currently ranked 26th in the world) playing qualifying? Did she enter the tournament late or something?

And then yes, how is she losing to Errani? Ok, it's probably her first match on clay, but Errani has been dreadful for a few years now...

 

[spystud]

Tourney entry lists are usually 2-3 weeks out. 28 is a small field.

 

[spystud]

And there are 4 WCs; T. Maria, Emma, Angie, Siegemund.

https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/draws/2024/1051/MDS.pdf

 

[BenC]

Krecjikova was up 7-5, 4-3 with 3 break points at 0-40 on Kudermetova's serve, ends up losing 5-7 6-4 6-4. Oh ... well.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

Tourney entry lists are usually 2-3 weeks out. 28 is a small field.

It is and for WTA500 the tournament has impressive line-up of top players.

BUT, still Roby has a point. Kalinskaya was 25th(!!!) 3 weeks ago!?? She should've been ahead of Mertens, Potapova, Noskova, Vekic... and especially Badosa that must be some 'special exempel' as her her ranking nowadays is nothing much.
Something is not quite right here and I would have changed the tournament if I was her.

And almost 20 last years should have taught everybody - even AD - that underrating Errani - especially on clay - is an identifier of total fool.

 

[spystud]

 

[spystud]

Yuan won.

Paolini/Qinwen/Marketa all in straights.

 

[robyrolfo]

Tourney entry lists are usually 2-3 weeks out. 28 is a small field.

And there are 4 WCs; T. Maria, Emma, Angie, Siegemund.

https://wtafiles.wtatennis.com/pdf/draws/2024/1051/MDS.pdf

She must have messed up her entry then, because as Harvey pointed out, multiple players ranked lower are in the main field (Mertens, Vekic...)

As for her loss to Errani, well Paolini just beat here 1 and 0, so it's looking even worse now.

 

[spystud]

6-1, 4-6, 6-0 for Mertens. 3-setter in 1:45.

 

[spystud]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1780308971145859295

 

[spystud]

JO already hating the chair's calls on clay.

4-0 Linda early.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

Is Lindy playing great or Penko spraying all over? Or maybe both?

Anyway, go Lindy! Let her whine, complain and lose.

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Pavs playing a hometown French girl at the French tourney and no one in the stands.

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

JO already hating the chair's calls on clay.

4-0 Linda early.

Penko rarely takes the easy route.

 

[marc45]

Noskova again for Iga?

 

[spystud]

Paula gets Aryna again next too.

 

[HarveyPitnik]

Noskova again for Iga?

Both SHOULD survive their 2nd round matches, so that "rivalry" probably gets yet another part in this tournament.

Lindy's victory was so sweet - for once a favorite of mine wins and almost the least favorite loses (behind Ostapenko in my book is only Osaka)!

BTW, I "love" how in this discussion forum any kind of actual discussion is not supported by certain members but straight or indirect bullying of people that are trying to raise discussion is. But I guess I'm not just used to these American ways...

 

[Bill Lobsalot]

Pavlyuchenkova, seeded 1, easily won today in France. I really enjoy watching her play. Strong hitter, good attitude, no crying and screaming, attractive.
Surprised she doesn't get much love here.

 

[No_Kwan_Do]

So all of my picks came through from R1 so far in Stuttgart, and Raducanu vs Kerber is tomorrow and I backed Emma in 2.

 

[spystud]

Didn’t realize Naomi is in France.

 

[spystud]

She ain’t anymore, got worked by Trevisan.

 

[coolcamden]

She ain’t anymore, got worked by Trevisan.

Good.

 

[D-Lite]

Has anyone played one another more this year than Swiatek and Noskova? I know Ostapenko and Azarenka and also Stephens and Cirstea have played a fair few times already.

 

[D-Lite]

She ain’t anymore, got worked by Trevisan.

Trevisan R1 on clay is not an easy draw even if Trevisan isn't in form. A lot of out of form players seriously pick up their form when they play big name players. My issue with Osaka is she has never looked to take clay and grass preparation seriously. I feel like if she actually wants to get better on clay she needs to do some proper month long training blocks on the stuff or it will never happen for her.

 

[spystud]

Schmiedlova quit against Parry.

Kostyuk & Potapova won in 3.

 

[spystud]

Mirra beat Avanesyan in straights.

 

[ScottleeSV]

Has anyone played one another more this year than Swiatek and Noskova? I know Ostapenko and Azarenka and also Stephens and Cirstea have played a fair few times already.

I had deja vu a lot of times when I saw that draw. Badosa-Sabalenka keeps coming around as well, and I see Potapova is potentially Saba's L16 opponent (pretty sure she hammered Potapova in this tourny last year).

In the top half, I had an initial reaction of 'Oh no, possibly a repeat of Ostapenko running Raducanu around again from last year's Stuttgart'. That hasn't come to pass but it was close.

 

[D-Lite]

Schmiedlova quit against Parry.

Kostyuk & Potapova won in 3.

It was Parry who retired a set up.

 

[spystud]

Good catch, my eyes clearly weren't working then.

 

[spystud]

Sloane drilled Karolina.

Coco survived Vickery.

Emma v. Angie next.

 

[spystud]

Emma takes the opener at 2.

 

[zvelf]

The Raducanu-Kerber match has been pretty good. Both players are going for their shots. Unforced errors are because they are pushing hard, not because of careless play. Kerber is no longer in her prime of course, but Raducanu is looking good. She's finally displaying more defensive prowess and saving some difficult shots to keep the ball in play and she is hitting fewer unforced errors when going for winners.

 

[spystud]

Angie serving at 1-5, handshake time.

 

[spystud]

And that’s a wrap.

Aryna v. Paula next.

 

[No_Kwan_Do]

Good win for Raducanu. She looked a bit uncomfortable towards the end, but I imagine that weekend of BJK Cup action might still be in her legs. Her ground game, and her forehand in particular, looks like it's improved out of sight over the last couple of months.

Kerber just hasn't played enough tennis over the last week and she was always going to come in a little undercooked. She also looked pretty tired at the end.

Should be a good match against Noskova if both play well.

 

[coolcamden]

Saby is over hitting a ton.

 

[spystud]

Paula with the first break to 4-2.

 

[spystud]

Breaker time.

 

[spystud]

Aryna takes it. Could be a quick second now.

 

[spystud]

10 winners/5 unforced in the opener for Paula, 23/18 Tigress.

 

[spystud]

Paula was up 5-2, 5-4 now, off court for MTO.