- NICOLE VAIDIŠOVÁ [7,EF] lt. Olga Govortsova, 2-6 4-6
Another disappointing loss for Nicole, as her groundstrokes (particularly her forehand) misfired again and again, and she was unhappy with her serve. At least she played twice as well as when she lost to Bethanie Mattek at Birmingham, and judging by my photos, she looked pretty upset when she lost, rather than "happy because she's in love" (as Iveta Benešová had commented at the French Open).
Her fellow 19-year-old, Govortsova, put in an impressive performance, but the standard of women's tennis is so high these days that those in a slump can get left behind very quickly. Govortsova seemed very confident throughout the match, knowing that Nicole was slumping, and that the pressure was on Nicole as the higher-ranked player.
An exchange of three breaks at the start of the match left Nicole behind, though she had her chance to get back into the first set with a break-point at 2-3*. After failing to convert it, she was broken again, and ended up losing the set 6-2.
Nicole served better in the second set, but she couldn't put any pressure on Govortsova's serve - just one deuce (in the second game) and one 0/30 (in the eighth game). Nicole had one bad service-game at 4-4, and Govortsova had no problems serving out to love for the match.
Govortsova looked like a monster at the time, but now that I've processed my photos, I realise that she actually looked very nice: tall, blonde, and pretty in pink.
VAIDIŠOVÁ @ * 2 GOVORTSOV @ @* *@* 6
The match was second on Centre Court. Nicole won the toss and elected to serve, and play started at 13:15 BST.
Nicole serving 0-0: Govortsova ran down a dropshot, and hit an off-backhand virtual winner. 0/15. Ace out wide. 15/15. Govortsova hit a crosscourt forehand winner just inside the sideline. 15/30. Nicole netted a forehand. 15/40. Nicole hit a forehand long to go a break down at the start of the match.
Govortsova serving 1-0: Govortsova played a good spreading rally, and hit a backhand dropshot-winner. 15/0. Nicole hit an off-forehand return-winner. 15/15. Govortsova netted a backhand. 15/30. Nicole hit an error-forcing crosscourt backhand volley. 15/40 (BP #1). Serve + crosscourt forehand winner on the sideline. 30/40 (BP #2). Service-winner. 40/40. Nicole crosscourt forehand winner. Ad Nicole (BP #3). Nicole netted a backhand off a low ball from Govortsova. Deuce #2. Govortsova on the third stroke hit an off-forehand wide. Ad Nicole (BP #4). Govortsova dumped a forehand halfway up the net, giving Nicole the break back immediately.
Nicole serving 1-1: Nicole on the third stroke hit a forehand long. 0/15. Double fault (second serve long). 0/30. Nicole on the third stroke netted a forehand. 0/40. Govortsova netted a backhand return. 15/40. Govortsova reinstated her break with an off-forehand winner back behind Nicole.
Govortsova serving 2-1: Govortsova hit a crosscourt backhand winner onto the sideline. 15/0. Nicole crosscourt forehand wide. 30/0. Govortsova backhand long. 30/15. Nicole's deep return forced Govortsova to chop a forehand into the net. 30/30. Nicole mishit a backhand halfway up the net. 40/30. Govortsova crosscourt backhand wide. 40/40. A good serve forced a weak return, and Govortsova hit a well-held off-backhand winner into the corner. Ad Govortsova. Service-winner out wide gave Govortsova the first hold of the match.
Nicole serving 1-3: Ace out wide. 15/0. Serve + crosscourt forehand winner. 30/0. Govortsova hit an awkward high backhand volley just wide. 40/0. Nicole held serve with a forehand winner down Govortsova's forehand-line.
Govortsova serving 3-2: Nicole forehand long. 15/0. Nicole crosscourt forehand wide. 30/0. Nicole netted an off-backhand return. 40/0. Govortsova backhand long. 40/15. Nicole crosscourt forehand winner. 40/30. Govortsova crosscourt forehand just wide. 40/40. Govortsova forehand smash + crosscourt backhand volley-winner. Ad Govortsova. Nicole went to the net behind a down-the-line backhand, and hit a crosscourt backhand drop-volley winner. Deuce #2. Govortsova crosscourt backhand wide. Ad Nicole (BP). Govortsova saved it with a backhand pass-winner down the line. Deuce #3. Govortsova spread Nicole, and Nicole retrieved well, but Govortsova hit a crosscourt forehand winner. Ad Govortsova. Service-winner out wide.
Nicole serving 2-4: Nicole came to the net, but a low ball from Govortsova forced her to hit a backhand volley wide. 0/15. Govortsova on the fourth stroke painted the baseline with a down-the-line backhand winner. 0/30. Nicole hit a wrong-footing crosscourt forehand virtual winner. 15/30. Double fault (second serve just long). 15/40 (BP #1). Nicole hit a down-the-line forehand winner that was going wide, but the netcord guided it to land just inside the sideline! 30/40 (BP #2). No such luck for Nicole on the second break-point, as she hit a short-angled crosscourt forehand wide to go two breaks down.
Govortsova serving 5-2: Nicole netted a backhand. 15/0. Govortsova hit a big crosscourt backhand just long/wide. 15/15. Nicole netted a forehand return. 30/15. Govortsova's crosscourt backhand forced Nicole to earth a backhand. 40/15 (SP #1). Service-winner: Nicole's backhand return went long. Govortsova won the first set 6-2 at 13:45 (30 minutes).
VAIDIŠOVÁ * * * * 4 GOVORTSOV * * * *@* 6
Nicole serving 0-0: Nicole forehand just long. 0/15. Service-winner out wide. 15/15. Govortsova crosscourt backhand just wide. 30/15. Nicole on the third stroke hit a wild forehand long and wide. 30/30. Short-angled ace out wide: on the sideline. 40/30. Nicole's short sliced backhand forced Govortsova to hit a backhand wide.
Govortsova serving 0-1: Govortsova on the third stroke hit a forehand just wide. 0/15. Nicole netted a cheap backhand return. 15/15. Nicole dumped a forehand return into the net. 30/15. Govortsova netted a forehand. 30/30. Nicole netted a backhand. 40/30. Govortsova off-forehand wide. 40/40. A long rally ended with Nicole hitting a crosscourt forehand just wide - off a short ball from Govortsova. Ad Govortsova. Her depth forced Nicole to hit a backhand wide.
Nicole serving 1-1: Nicole on the third stroke netted a backhand. 0/15. Nicole off-forehand winner just inside the sideline. 15/15. Govortsova netted a forehand. 30/15. Service-winner out wide. 40/15. Serve out wide + crosscourt forehand winner back behind Govortsova.
Govortsova serving 1-2: Govortsova hit a down-the-line forehand winner back behind Nicole, who said "aoh". 15/0. Nicole's deep crosscourt backhand forced Govortsova to net a backhand. 15/15. Govortsova crosscourt forehand just wide. 15/30. Nicole's backhand floated long. 30/30. Nicole netted a backhand return. 40/30. Virtual ace out wide.
Nicole serving 2-2: Govortsova painted the sideline with an off-forehand winner. 0/15. Govortsova netted a backhand return. 15/15. Govortsova off-backhand winner. 15/30. Forehand return long. 30/30. Serve + crosscourt forehand winner. 40/30. Govortsova forehand smash-winner. 40/40. Govortsova forehand long. Ad Nicole. Govortsova hit another forehand long.
Govortsova serving 2-3: Govortsova backhand long. 0/15. Ace down the middle. 15/15. Nicole crosscourt forehand winner into the corner. 15/30. Service-winner out wide. 30/30. Govortsova's deep, low-bouncing backhand down the line forced Nicole to earth a forehand. 40/30. Another low-bouncing ball from Govortsova induced Nicole to dump a forehand halfway up the net.
Nicole serving 3-3: Nicole crosscourt forehand wide. 0/15. Nicole off-forehand winner. 15/15. A good serve out wide, just inside the sideline, forced Govortsova to hit a forehand return long. 30/15. Govortsova down-the-line backhand just wide. 40/15. Govortsova's crosscourt backhand forced Nicole to earth a backhand. 40/30. Ace out wide.
Govortsova serving 3-4: Govortsova forehand just long. 0/15. Govortsova forehand long. 0/30. Service-winner out wide. 15/30. Nicole on the fourth stroke netted a forehand, and said "aww". 30/30. Nicole crosscourt forehand wide. 40/30. Ace out wide.
Nicole serving 4-4: Govortsova cracked a crosscourt forehand return-winner off a first serve! 0/15. Nicole crosscourt forehand just wide. 0/30. Nicole on the third stroke netted a forehand. 0/40 (BP #1). Service-winner out wide. 15/40 (BP #2). Forehand return long. 30/40 (BP #3). Nicole hit an off-forehand winner onto the sideline... but it was called wide by the umpire (and there's no Hawk-Eye at Eastbourne), giving Govortsova the only break of the second set.
Govortsova serving 5-4: Nicole dumped a backhand return halfway up the net. 15/0. Serve out wide + off-forehand winner back behind Nicole. 30/0. Nicole netted a backhand. 40/0 (MP #1). Nicole retrieved a low one-handed backhand off an off-forehand from Govortsova, but Govortsova sealed victory with a forehand winner down the line. Govortsova won 6-2 6-4 at 14:19 (second set 34m, match 1h04m).
Govortsova's on-court interview: "I didn't do well at Birmingham, but now I feel a lot better. Playing someone higher ranked gives me confidence."
First Round Wraps Up; Petrova First Into QFs
http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/1/newsroom/stories/?ContentID=2347
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The first round came to a close and the second round kicked off on the second day of play at the International Women's Open on Tuesday. The seeds went 1:1, with Nicole Vaidišová falling but Nadia Petrova winning a three-setter.
Vaidišová, seeded No.7 and coming off a quarter-final finish in her first grass-court event of the year at Birmingham, was ousted by Olga Govortsova in straight sets: 6-2 6-4. While she won two rounds to get to where she did in Birmingham, Vaidišová had suffered through a six-match losing-streak before arriving there, and has now lost eight of her last 10 matches.
With her win over the No.18-ranked Vaidišová, Govortsova now has four top-twenty wins in her young career, having beaten Shahar Pe'er at Stanford last summer and at Memphis in February, and Marion Bartoli at Amelia Island in April.
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Petrova prevails, South stumbles
http://www.lta.org.uk/News/All-news-items/WC16-06-08/Petrova-prevails-South-stumbles/
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Olga Govortsova of Belarus upset No.7 seed Nicole Vaidišová 6-2 6-4 in their first-round match. The 19-year-old from Belarus took one hour and four minutes to defeat the world No.18, getting 75% of her first serves in, and winning 69% of points off the first serve.
Vaidišová was disappointed with her performance following her quarter-final appearance at the DFS Classic in Birmingham. "I had a pretty good week last week, so I expected a little more from myself today," said the 20-year-old from the Czech Republic. "It wasn't my day today. Everything felt flat. My serve wasn't working and that is a major part of my game, and she used her opportunities more."
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