WTA 500 Doha 2/13 - 2/18 2023

[ponchi101]

Gotta admit that it was a majestic jinx. Not only did Iga trash Danielle, Belinda then withdraws.
I am going to Vegas and apply for a job as a cooler.

[Deuce]

Belinda wins another tough come from behind match. Her first win vs Azarenka actually.

Interested to see how she does vs Swiatek on this kind of court.

We will not find out, as Bencic has pulled out of the tournament citing fatigue

What?!

As I've said several times - if you can't commit to playing through a tournament until you either lose, or you win the tournament, or you get injured to the point where you can't play, you should not enter the tournament.
If you enter the tournament and at some point decide that you don't want to continue in the tournament (without injury), and you withdraw from the tournament, you should be punished. Personally, the punishment I would choose is something like banning the player from the next tournament they've entered.

Some might say that fatigue is like an injury. It is not. Fatigue is far more predictable than an injury. In this case with Bencic, fatigue was very predictable, after her run to the tournament win last week.
She knew how much she played last week - and so, if she was not ready to commit to playing another entire week, knowing that there could be some long, difficult matches included, then she should not have entered this tournament, period.
A player must assume that he/she will make it to the final day of the tournament, and assess whether he/she is willing to play all of the scheduled matches along the way. If not, do not enter the tournament.

Because entering a tournament, and deciding part way through that it's no longer comfortable and/or convenient to continue playing is bush league. It would be fine, I suppose, if you live in a vacuum, where no-one but you is affected by your decisions. But in the real world, where fans, tournament administrators, opponents, and the sport itself will all be negatively affected by your deciding that it's no longer comfortable and/or convenient to continue playing, it is unacceptable and should be punished.

[ponchi101]

I truly can't remember Chrissie, Martina, Steffi, Monica or Serena ever retiring due to fatigue, at the QF stage of a tournament. Or any stage of a tournament.

[ti-amie]

We will not find out, as Bencic has pulled out of the tournament citing fatigue

What?!

As I've said several times - if you can't commit to playing through a tournament until you either lose, or you win the tournament, or you get injured to the point where you can't play, you should not enter the tournament.
If you enter the tournament and at some point decide that you don't want to continue in the tournament (without injury), and you withdraw from the tournament, you should be punished. Personally, the punishment I would choose is something like banning the player from the next tournament they've entered.

Some might say that fatigue is like an injury. It is not. Fatigue is far more predictable than an injury. In this case with Bencic, fatigue was very predictable, after her run to the tournament win last week.
She knew how much she played last week - and so, if she was not ready to commit to playing another entire week, knowing that there could be some long, difficult matches included, then she should not have entered this tournament, period.
A player must assume that he/she will make it to the final day of the tournament, and assess whether he/she is willing to play all of the scheduled matches along the way. If not, do not enter the tournament.

Because entering a tournament, and deciding part way through that it's no longer comfortable and/or convenient to continue playing is bush league. It would be fine, I suppose, if you live in a vacuum, where no-one but you is affected by your decisions. But in the real world, where fans, tournament administrators, opponents, and the sport itself will all be negatively affected by your deciding that it's no longer comfortable and/or convenient to continue playing, it is unacceptable and should be punished.

[ti-amie]

Day 6 Order of Play Center Court

Starts at 03:30 PM

CHN Z. YANG/RUS V. ZVONAREVA vs UKR L. KICHENOK/LAT J. OSTAPENKO (2)
UPCOMING
USA C. GAUFF (4) vs RUS V. KUDERMETOVA (8)
UPCOMING
BRA B. HADDAD MAIA vs USA J. PEGULA (2)
UPCOMING
GRE M. SAKKARI (5) vs FRA C. GARCIA (3)

Grandstand 1
Starts at 06:00 PM

USA C. GAUFF/USA J. PEGULA (1) vs MEX G. OLMOS/CHN S. ZHANG (4)

[Deuce]

Strange match between Gauff and Kudermetova...
Kudermetova won the 1st set rather convincingly, 6-2. Gauff played better in the 2nd set, while Kudermetova's level fell, and Gauff won 6-3.
You'd figure that Gauff has some momentum at this point.
But Kudermetova raced out to a very quick 5-0 lead in the 3rd set, and won it 6-1.

It was quite windy out there, and that certainly had a significant effect... but still, that was a strange match.

[ashkor87]

This court is too slow for Coco...she doesn't have the power to hit winners on it, and her speed doesn't help much ...even against Kvitova she only had 4 winners off the ground..on this kind of court, Kudemetova is really the better player, and unfortunately, courts are getting slower all over .a dim prospect ...

[ponchi101]

Courts are getting indeed slower for years, and it is all over. At the level that the players are reaching, it is impossible for anybody to pass the opponent.
One of the multiple reasons why S&V is gone, and something that affects the health of the players. When you have a match with 25 rallies that each lasted 20 strokes, the pounding is severe.

[ashkor87]

Swiatek is back to monster mode .nobody will beat her on a slow hard court except by sheer luck.

[Suliso]

Do we think Gauff reaching her first GS final on clay was more of a fortunate draw? If not it would argue against her not liking slower courts.

[ponchi101]

Do we think Gauff reaching her first GS final on clay was more of a fortunate draw? If not it would argue against her not liking slower courts.

Indeed. It would seem her greatest achievement has been on a slow court.
(BTW: her path at RG: Marino-Van Uytvanck-Kanepi- Mertens- Stephens-Trevisan- Swiatek. Not that easy).

[Suliso]

If that's not an easy path what is? One would struggle to find an easier path to this stage of a GS.

[meganfernandez]

I truly can't remember Chrissie, Martina, Steffi, Monica or Serena ever retiring due to fatigue, at the QF stage of a tournament. Or any stage of a tournament.

Fatigue could be a euphamism for "something personal I don't want to discuss." Or it could mean "I don't know why I am this exhausted, but regardless, I shouldn't play." I guess it could mean "I'm afraid of playing Iga right now, on a low tank." Who knows.

[ponchi101]

If that's not an easy path what is? One would struggle to find an easier path to this stage of a GS.

I would say Kanepi and Mertens are good clay court players. Stephens reached the RG final. Trevisan has made it to the RG semis twice.
Ok, not a murderers' row, but also not a sleep walk. She had to break some sweat.

[ponchi101]

I truly can't remember Chrissie, Martina, Steffi, Monica or Serena ever retiring due to fatigue, at the QF stage of a tournament. Or any stage of a tournament.

Fatigue could be a euphamism for "something personal I don't want to discuss." Or it could mean "I don't know why I am this exhausted, but regardless, I shouldn't play." I guess it could mean "I'm afraid of playing Iga right now, on a low tank." Who knows.

Sure. It could mean a lot of things. It could also mean "fatigue".
The point being made (and you understand it) is that it was truly a disservice to the tournament. Especially because she is not an unknown, and that IGA/BELINDA match would have been top billing.
Remember, I am the old guard. When I see somebody citing fatigue, I remember the old days of players playing week in, week out, wielding a 15-ounce wood racquet for every stroke. And never pulling out from a tournament citing fatigue.
(Skating is fetching the "old man yells at clouds" meme right now. I know)