CHARLESTON OPEN:KUDERMETOVA VS STEPHENS

This is the first time watching Veronika Kudermetova. She thoroughly deserved her place in the last 4 in Charleston. Veronika(yes with a K) has a mighty big forehand especially playing it to her opponent’s right. It took Sloane a while to warm up to the match in the first set but it was too late by that time. The Russian Kudermetova built a 3-0 lead early. I was standing up and applauding the…

CHARLESTON OPEN:BARTY VS ROGERS

Shelby gave red hot Ash Barty a run for her money in this one. All three sets were very close.Rogers in all earnest should have closed out the game in two sets, her failure to build on the early break in the first set her undoing. The first 3 games of that set totally belonged to the American. Watch the forehand winner and drop shot on break point(adv Barty) at 2-1. Patience is one of the…

CHARLESTON OPEN:KEYS VS STEPHENS

Madison Keys has had a slow start to the 2021 season and she failed to buck the trend against fellow American Sloane Stephens in the round of 32. Keys failed to make Sloane work hard to hold serve. Keys on the other hand had to dig deep to hold serve right from almost right from the off. Clay court tennis is about who has the stamina to last the distance in the long rallies. I am afraid Sloane…

CHARLESTON OPEN:GAUFF VS PIRONKOVA

The WTA tour moved to Charleston, South Carolina for the Volvo Open which is the oldest US tournament. Coco should have won both sets for the loss of no games easily. At 4-0 in the first set up 40-15 on Pironkova’s serve she allowed her opponent to come back to win that game. Imagine what it would have done for her confidence to win both sets to love. Coco impressed once again with her…