Category: French Open 2018

Elina Svitolina, French Open 2018, Roland Garros, Tennis, Wimbledon, Wimbledon 2018, WTA, WTA Birmingham, WTA Birmingham 2018Leave a comment

Svitolina’s latest losses has shown an uncertainty to go forward

iainfordyce

Just a couple of weeks ago I watched Elina Svitolina live in Birmingham. I missed her match against Donna Vekic to begin the week but was impressed with her win against Alize Cornet in the following round. On the Thursday she came up against Mihaela Buzarnescu and despite being strong from the baseline the struggle was going to the net and this was something I saw against Cornet in the previous round. Elina is so good at the baseline; whether she is pulling that excellent backhand or forehand she is strong there hence 8 of her 12 titles coming on … Continue reading Svitolina’s latest losses has shown an uncertainty to go forward

Coaching / Analysis, French Open, French Open 2018, Madison Keys, Roland Garros, Tennis, WTA, WTA Birmingham, WTA Birmingham 2018Leave a comment

Is Madison Keys “too nice” to win a Grand Slam?

iainfordyce

This was actually a question asked at a press conference the other day. Are you too nice to win a Grand Slam? I think because she’s down to earth and never shows a gritty side this assumption has been made. I don’t think she is too nice to win a Grand Slam but her tennis against Sloane Stephens was too nice and it lacked a ruthlessness and this is something that she will need to improve on. You don’t make it to a semi-final of Roland Garros and a US Open final by fluke, she has worked hard to get … Continue reading Is Madison Keys “too nice” to win a Grand Slam?

French Open, French Open 2018, Roland Garros, Simona Halep, TennisLeave a comment

Simona Halep’s journey summed up in one photo

iainfordyce

The first time I watched Simona Halep was back in 2013 at Wimbledon. I remember Li Na taking her apart dropping just two games in the first and third set combined. I liked the way she played, she was a fighter and she just picked herself up. Remember here she was only 21 years old. She went on to win titles in that year, 4 in fact following Wimbledon finding herself ranked top 15. It didn’t end there and that was just the beginning. The top 10 wins increased and the title wins increased, suddenly Roland Garros final in 2014! … Continue reading Simona Halep’s journey summed up in one photo

Alexander Zverev, Daria Kasatkina, Diego Schwartzman, Dominic Thiem, French Open, French Open 2018, Jelena Ostapenko, Karolina Pliskova, Maria Sharapova, Maximilian Marterer, Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros, Simona Halep, Sloane Stephens, TennisLeave a comment

Rating their Roland Garros – who impressed and who didn’t?

iainfordyce

The second major of the year has come to an end. The season is over the half way point but how did some players rank over the course of their stay in Paris? Simona Halep – 10 There is nowhere else to start than with Halep. The tennis has been stunning and the mental strength she has shown has been out of this world. A true testament to hard work, determination and never giving up! Novak Djokovic – 7.5 I think Novak had a good tournament and after his defeat by Cecchinato the dissection of his performance was unfair in … Continue reading Rating their Roland Garros – who impressed and who didn’t?

Dominic Thiem, French Open, French Open 2018, Rafael Nadal, Roland Garros, TennisLeave a comment

La Undecima En Paris

iainfordyce

Rafa’s day once again. Well, Rafael Nadal has had a lot of days at Roland Garros. Infast the world number one today played his 88th match on the red clay in Paris winning his 86th match to win his 11th title and incredible win percentage of 97.7%! Rafael was in control early on, the key for Rafa to get through this one was to the stay aggressive from behind the baseline which he did so well. If you look at the score line of 6-4 6-3 6-2 then you think it was pretty straight forward that is at a disrespect … Continue reading La Undecima En Paris

French Open, French Open 2018, Roland Garros, Simona Halep, Tennis, WTA2 Comments

Simona Halep, Roland Garros Champion!

iainfordyce

Simona Halep is a Grand Slam champion. The journey to this moment has been incredible. The heartbreak, disappointment and tears have always been toppled by her determination, fight and that mental strength which has grown inside her. I’ve been watching Halep since 2013 and it feels so special when moments like these are achieved. Simona Halep found herself in a spot of bother yesterday afternoon. She was down a set and a break and we can only imagine what she was thinking at this point. She said after the match she thought it was going to happen again. In sport … Continue reading Simona Halep, Roland Garros Champion!

Coaching / Analysis, French Open, French Open 2018, Maria Sharapova, Roland Garros, Tennis, WTA, WTA Birmingham, WTA Birmingham 2018Leave a comment

Sharapova’s second serve – ranked at 112 in the world, trust, double faults, challenging at the top and Birmingham!

iainfordyce

Prior to Roland Garros former world number one Maria Sharapova had played 19 matches this season. In those 19 matches she had hit 93 aces and 115 double faults which on average is 4.8 aces a match but also 6 double faults a match. The win percentage behind second serve for the year is 44.2% over 20% lower than her first serve. This second serve is ranked at 112 in the world. People will turn around and say well she is almost top 20 now but the difference between just a top 20 player and at the very top is … Continue reading Sharapova’s second serve – ranked at 112 in the world, trust, double faults, challenging at the top and Birmingham!