10SBALLS_COM HAS GLOBAL CHICK COVERING ALL THE BRITISH TENNIS SEASON, TENNIS NEWS FROM EASTBOURNE

Written by: Global Chick on 22nd June 2015

10SBALLS_COM HAS GLOBAL CHICK COVERING ALL THE BRITISH TENNIS SEASON, TENNIS NEWS FROM EASTBOURNE |

Photo by Lovey.

Oh We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside- Global Chick’s Eastbourne Diary

Oh it has been a bit of a trial to get from one side of the country to the other, as it turns out. Cars inexplicably decide to stop in the middle of motorways and then there is this pesky rain that gets in the way of everything.

That’s what happened on our first day coast-side where we arrived in time for the WTA All Access interviews (hurray for that) but during said interviews the rain was doing its hardest to break into the media centre itself.

The main news of the day of course was that top seed, and defending Wimbledon champion in-waiting Petra Kvitova withdrew from the tournament, with plan-induced sniffles. Maybe.

She gamely kept to her media obligations, but confirmed that she felt it was for the best not to go pout and play when she was feeling ropey. After all we have seen Serena Williams coughing and hacking her way through a Slam already this year, not to mention last year’s Roland Garros defending champion Maria Sharapova spluttering and sniffling her way out of the tournament.

Kvitova said: “I started to feel not well when I come here. Maybe from plane. I’m not really sure. I didn’t really feel the best. Like two days ago I really feel sore throat, and I was waiting what gonna happen. It’s not really much better. I didn’t need antibiotics so that’s a good sign. But I have to be in the bed and drink hot tea, I don’t know, just lying and resting.”

She will rest up (probably in a basket chair with a nice warm blanket, like many of the town’s residents) before heading up to London.

Photo by Lovey.

We did welcome the return of pocket rocket Dominika Cibulkova, who last played in Antwerp, when her Achilles flared up and sidelines her for the rest of the season thus far. There may have been few signs of rust in the first set, as she set about dismantling GB Wildcard Harriet Dart with ease, but the Brit enjoys a crowd and the pair traded breaks back and forth as Dart warmed to her task. At the end of the day experience counts for experience, as a few wild shots with the best of intentions took the Slovakian into the next round.

Matches were chopped and changed but those who stuck around and did not forsake Devonshire Park for a cozy fire and a pint were rewarded with clear skies and a decent run of play into the evening, with Heather Watson giving the crowd something to cheer as she booked her spot in the second round against Varvara Lepchenko.

We interrupt this schedule to praise the organisers for their policy on feeding the media animals. This year gone are the buffet plates and elbowing photographers out of the way. Now we have lunch and tea vouchers and… real hot food.

Better still, I found the chippy. Then again I need to use the gym at the hotel to run off a week of butterscotch crepes.

Topics: 10sballs_com, Eastbourne, global chick, Tennis News, Wta

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10sBalls_com says:

June 22, 2015 at 10:05 pm

-@10sBalls_com HAS GLOBAL CHICK COVERING ALL THE BRITISH #TENNIS SEASON, TENNIS NEWS FROM #EASTBOURNE- http://t.co/9wPUQChaIF