Day 2 Tennis: Eastbourne

Welcome to Eastbourne. She has such good volleys. Top of the list for

Heather Watson. She is a set to the good. Lovely soft hands. Verities -

what a win for Heather Watson. She defeated the defending champion on

day one, Dominika Cibulkova. And this is day two. Today, British

number one and number five seed Johanna Konta looking to make it

through to the second round. Eastbourne got off to a sunny,

happy, shiny start yesterday, but 24 hours is a long time in weather, and

it was a cloudy welcome to Eastbourne for Novak Djokovic this

morning, although his mere presence here really has sprinkled stardust

on the seaside town. The crowds came first thing this morning to see him

practice, and we hope to speak to him a little later this afternoon.

Somebody here clearly has a sense of humour, because they have just

played Cruel Summer by Bananarama here. It is all about covers,

umbrellas, and it is generally miserable, and I'm afraid to say,

the forecast for the afternoon is not any better. Simona Halep, the

number two seed from Romania, she managed three games. There was a

break of serve either way, and then they were called off as well. Our

plan of campaign, if the weather relents, looks like this: We will

probably pick up the Simona Halep match, if it resumes. And then

Angelique Kerber plays Kristyna Pliskova, and Sorana Cirstea Place

Johanna Konta. -- plays Johanna Konta. Talking of things that are

not going to plan, Andy Murray has announced he will not play a

proposed exhibition match against Pouille of France tomorrow. It is

not inconceivable that Andy will find himself going to Wimbledon at

the start of next week to defend his title having only played one match

on grass this season, and that was the defeat at Queen's last week

against Jordan Thompson. We will update you and Matt -- on that as

and when. A new superstar of the women's game, Elaine a Ostapenko --

Elena Ostapenko. She played Navarro, an old campaigner and a tough

individual who was going to test her on the grass. It started at

tea-time, this match, and went late into the night. An enthralling

encounter. COMMENTATOR: The third meeting

between these two, the first since 2016. Andujar was there last meeting

-- Doha. A good love hold. All eyes will be

on Ostapenko, her first tournament since lifting the title on clay in

Paris, an incredible achievement. Yes, and the pundits, myself

included, we got it oh so wrong. It was just extraordinary, what she did

there. That was the last match she is ever going to play without any

pressure. In a way, her career effectively starts now. Now she is

the hunted. She's the French Open champion and everyone wants to beat

her. The weeks between then and here will be some of the most important

weeks in her career. We know there has been some

celebrating since she lifted the title in Paris. She pulled out of

Birmingham with a back injury, so it will be interesting to see how she

reacts to what was a life changing experience. This is a very important

match for her. And a tricky one at that. I was watching her practice

yesterday afternoon with a fairly new coach, who was a very good

player on the tour for many years. And their practice was all about the

transition from clay to grass, dealing with low balls, so she had

to get down. She kept saying, get down, get down. They spent an

enormous amount of time on the serve, which was a liability for her

through her young career so far. They spent hours on the practice

court trying to get it right. It has already improved, but there is a

long way to go. Someone said that her coach should

be nominated for coach of the year, because she had only been with

Ostapenko for up you months. Jelena was coached predominantly by her

mother. They were trying to bring someone in, trying a few different

academies, and I think it is interesting that they brought in

another female voice, because that is what she has been used to.

And while you won't get a player who adores the grass in Navarro, you

will get an awful lot of experience. But she is an old school Spaniard,

from those back in the day that thought that grass was for cows, and

she hasn't moved on into the modern world of tennis. She has some cut on

the serve, but she doesn't feel comfortable. Caught one is probably

the quickest court here. -- Court Number One.

Saying all that, a couple of service games in for the Spaniard and she

has yet to drop a point on serve. Sam, for those who may not have seen

a lot of Jelena Ostapenko, because she really rose to prominence at the

French Open, described her game for people thinking, what is it about

this young lady, just 20, that took heart to her first Grand Slam title?

I can't talk about her game for you without talking about her as a

person, because for me, that is so much of her recent success and why

she was a top junior, because Jelena, with these two on the

personality spectrum, Jelena is at one end. She was self-confident when

I saw her last year as a teenager. There was a brashness, and even

though she has just turned 20, there is a teenage temperament in there as

well. She backs herself in the manner of a Serena Williams or a

Maria Sharapova. She reminds me of Victoria Azarenka. There is hunger

and passion. Then add to that great ball striking. She has a wonderful

forehand - on orthodox, a little late and very flat. And she loves

grass. She hits the ball so big. The sound of the strings, which is

wonderful timing, beautifully balanced, wonderful footwork. She is

raw, mentally, emotionally and in her game. She won the junior title,

Jelena Ostapenko, in 2014. And there is Annabel. She still has

not officially retired. She retired from single three years ago after

the French, but she could still play doubles.

She could team up with Ostapenko on the doubles court. Might be good for

you Elena, actually. The ground are big and heavy. And they are

fearless. They are. I did not think they would hold up under the

pressure of the French Open final, but they did exactly that. And she

is unplayable sometimes. She enjoys coming forward, likes to work her

way to the net. And it is a really big game. Victoria Azarenka is the

closest, I would say. Four games played, just two points

dropped on serve. That was Ostapenko's first service game. Good

conditions - sun shining, blue sky, little whispery white clouds, a

perfect summer's day. Do they look quiet? Whispery white clouds? I

don't think they talk, but if they could, they would whisper. We

digress! Someone told me in Paris that clouds

had feelings. That was all so -- that was also something where I

didn't know where to take it. One of the problems players have

against Ostapenko, and they talk about it in the locker room, they

cannot read where she's going to put the ball, because she has a late

contact on the forehand, and you don't get any clues from the racket

as to where the ball is going. It is hard and flat, and it gets to you

super quickly. Little things like a late contact

point, will she have always done those things or is that taught? I

would say it is natural to her. I have a feeling she would have grown

up on clay courts in Latvia in the summer, but she would probably play

on the wooden floor of a school gymnasium. They are like greased

lightning, so you end up taking the ball slightly late. That is my best

guess, but I will ask her when I see her. Azarenka is like that as well.

We have a first break point of the match. Had not dropped a point on

serve in the first to make service games, but now looks to defend three

at 0-40. There it is, at the first time of

asking, Jelena Ostapenko gets the first break of the match, breaking

Suarez Navarro to love, takes the edge and goes ahead 3-2. The mental

strength that Ostapenko showed in Paris cinema all that attention, the

life changing experience, all the media out on court in the final, and

she just did what Jelena Ostapenko does. She seemed to handle it very

well. As I said, the real test is now. I was watching some of the

juniors in the second week of the French Open, which I feel is always

a real privilege to be able to do, and try and see who you think might

come through. There was a young Latvian kit out there. Jelena

Ostapenko had a semifinal the next day, and she sat with her mother,

watching the entire match in the Latvian camp, which I was pleased to

see. I don't think she was completely unaffected by what went

on. Now, reality has it, because she is a superstar back home. Think

Ernest Gold this has been well and truly moved over. There is a new

Latvian tennis star. -- Gulbis. It is only a population of 2 million,

so everything will be on Jelena. She loves the attention, she is a

performer, and I think she will take to this. There is a touch of the

Serena Williams about her, who is her idol. I think she is ready for

this. She was very quick at the start with

her service. So they were trying... She was speed serving as if she had

to finish the motion in 0.3 seconds. They are trying to extend it to

maybe 1.5 seconds now. They are also working on how she throws the ball a

long way to the left, way too far to the left. It is just the path of her

throwing hand that is taking it there, so they have spent hours

working on that. Have a look at where the ball is. It should be at

one minute to 12, but it is about ten minutes to 12 on the clock face.

She is also very expressive as a character, on court she let you know

how she's feeling. And she is exactly the same off court. I am

pleased to say that she must have skipped the media training module.

She'd bunked off that day! Good for her!

Love the return of serve from the Spaniard, gives her immediate break

back points on the Ostapenko serve. We are back on serve. The first

break point opportunity for Suarez Navarro, she takes it, we level up,

3-3 in the first set. Kala looks so uncomfortable on this

surface. -- Navarro looks so uncomfortable. She likes time to

really manoeuvre the ball, use that great racket work, and the ball gets

at her far too quickly. Players go hard and fast at her on

this surface, at her forehand. She doesn't really like it when it comes

at pace. And it is definitely going to come at pace if it is coming off

the racket of Jelena Ostapenko, who gives herself another couple of

opportunities to break and advance in this third set. In this third

meeting between the two. She rigger aims -- she regains the

break. I had a chat with Ostapenko in

Paris, and I think it was a quarterfinal match, where her coach

was there and her mother wasn't, and I asked if her mother was OK,

because she has been the primary coach. And she said, I told her not

to come. I asked if there was a particular reason, she said, just

pressure. I told her to stay in the hotel. I don't know if she literally

did that. Maybe she felt a little bit of pressure and was trying...

The mother came back for the semifinal and final, you couldn't

keep her away. But she is very much a person who knows her own mind,

what she wants and how she wants to do it. Yes, and I think this

transition, I don't know if it will be a partnership between mother and

Annabelle of whether there will be a transition. I think that might be

the way forward. There have been so many players who have been coached

by a parent who can't seem to bring someone into the team. Think of

Caroline Wozniacki. This is an important stage in her career and

has to be handled very carefully. Mum is not overbearing, she is very

quiet, chilled and happy just to let you later take the lead. It is an

interesting dynamic. -- to let Jelena take the lead. Three games

and three breaks will stop Ostapenko the advantage 4-3. -- three games

and three breaks. Ostapenko has the advantage, 4-3. A tough season for

Navarro, starting at number 12 in the world. She has dropped because

she has had a string of injuries that have curtailed her start to

2017. She does switch the ball and move it

so quickly. Yeah, the distribution is fabulous. You don't get to settle

against Ostapenko will stop she takes the ball early, she is upon

the baseline, the timing is unreal. IPlayer like Suarez Navarro, she

wants to ease into the match. It is very manana there. This is not her

cup of tea. The break is consolidated. A hell to

love for Jelena Ostapenko, moving her to within one game of the first

set. -- a hold to love for Jelena Ostapenko.

She had a good first round win against Makarova. I know Makarova is

not where she used to be, but that would have given Suarez Navarro

confidence on the grass. I raised an eyebrow at that result, I must

admit. Got a little caught there, but what

I love about her is that she hit a great shot, saw Navarro open the

racket face, knowing it would be a defensive shot, and she was already

moving up the court for the next one. It was a good defence by Suarez

Navarro there, and yell a nap either had to move more explosively forward

or just check back, and she did neither. -- year Lane -- year

and -- Jelena either had to move explosively forward... It is not

often you see a disgruntled Suarez Navarro. She is quite a cool

character. Jelena Ostapenko has quite a reputation for moving a lot

between first and second serves, and I have a feeling that is what is

upsetting Suarez Navarro. She is on the other end of the personality

spectrum, very quiet. It is so good, you almost can't

believe your eyes here. It really is. Set points, Ostapenko.

A lovely -- I love the disgust when she makes a mistake. There is either

a look at the shot, or the support camp, but usually it is a look at

Mum. It is her fault. And there it is. Tulane Ostapenko

picking up from where she left off in the French capital, showing no

fear, looking comfortable and taking that first set against Carla Suarez

Navarro by six games to three. STUDIO: As you might have noticed

from the latter are at the bottom of your screen, that is a replay from

yesterday. -- as you might have noticed from the letter R. The

situation is very frustrating today. It is rain and it is drivel...

Dribble?! That is me! Drizzle. British stoicism is undaunted, we

will stick it out for as long as is humanly possible, even though there

is no suggestion of play this afternoon. Undaunted, we will go

back to the second set from last night.

A good thing, and maybe a slightly frustrating thing from a coaching

point of view for us to panko, if she misses it she just goes again.

She could keep missing it, but it could work.

Lovely footwork. I find it fascinating batches the French Open

champion, I notice a packed schedule, but the French Open

champion on Court One. That is a surprise. And I think a lot of fans

will not follow tennis week in, week out, who will not know who she is.

Maybe that is still quite good for her. I think it is really good for

her. At Wimbledon it will be very different. I like that she did not

rush back into playing a tournament very quickly after the French Open.

Enjoy the moment. We have had lots of players who have made a big

breakthrough and have not sustained it, who have gone into meltdown.

A back injury was the reason she did not enter Birmingham, had to pull

out of that. This is her first match on grass this year. Suarez Navarro

with a very early break point. There it is, a gift from Fed. A fist

pump from Suarez Navarro. The Spaniard has the early break in the

second set. When you say that one of Carla Suarez Navarro's coaches would

say hang in there, she will miss, you were joking, but would that have

been part of the team talk? Just try to stay there? Carla struggles with

their intensity. I am not sure about these statistics, I thought she made

a lot more unforced errors. It is making balls and getting a little

bit more in the face of Ostapenko, which is something that Suarez

Navarro, with her quiet, shy and introverted personality, finds

difficult. But she has the skills to cause some problems.

If looks could kill! One day it will not be at home with the Kardashians

ayes, it will be at home with the Ostapenkos.

Ostapenko, even though she is 20, she is like a petulant, difficult

teenager and Annabel is the hardened professional who has been number two

years and will not not take any nonsense. -- the hardened

professional who has been on the tour four years and will not take

any nonsense. That is a much smarter serve. You

have to be very accurate with your deliveries against Ostapenko, if she

hits a tumult probably not see it for a while. -- if she hits it you

will probably not see it for awhile. Good news the Spaniard. She wins the

point and the game and, important for her, she consolidates 2-0 in the

early stages of the second set. When you get the looks that could kill

from Ostapenko it is in the stark contrast to the ballroom dancing

training she had for seven years. Ballroom dancers always have that

manic smile. She can do that but she can do the opposite. What she has

taken from ballroom dancing is performing. It has to be a show.

The face in the first set we saw the good and the hitting of the lines,

in this the ball is being spread everywhere.

There is not a B+ game, like Petra Kvitova there is not just a game she

can pull back from if everything is not going to plan. Even Serena

Williams can pull back these days. This is just class from Suarez

Navarro. She is so underrated as a player. That is so perfect,

technically. Lovely feathery hands. She could play well on grass, she

just has to believe. She had a lot of success in the doubles court. She

is a real tennis player, Carla Suarez Navarro. Double fault from

Ostapenko, incomplete contrast to what we saw in the first set now we

are seeing the ugly side of Ostapenko because Suarez Navarro has

raced to a double break 3-0 lead. Carla Suarez Navarro's tactic of

waiting to see if the mistakes come, that is currently paying off. She

has a little bit more Lens on her ball, using the sliced backhand

more. She has this gorgeous top-spin. Let's just listening. Lets

players are running longer, then see who is good in the point. OK? You

had to be ready. No rush. Then the knees, keep playing the point. --

bend the knees. When you have the opportunity, go for it. Let's see if

she can play that aggressive all the match. For you, it is easy, this

aggressiveness, because you are used to it. Let's see if she will be like

this all the match. No complaints, please. No complaints. It's OK. Come

on. UMPIRE: Time. A coaching time out for Elaine

Ostapenko, a double break down in September two. -- set number two.

I do enjoy these on Court coaching is with this particular scenario. I

am not a fan per se, but there was a very good one in Rome when Annabel

came on. The player calls the coach on, they cannot just one darn. --

cannot just wander on. Annabel comes on, delivers an very important

points and Jelena says it is this, I can't play, I am awful. Annabel

says, did you bring me on just to complain, or are you going to

listen? And that stopped any further conversation. It was great.

I like the well that Annabel said at the end, no complaining. Just no

complaining. She will not tolerate this. But is she said that, Jelena

was still complaining. It is handy for Jelena, as a fellow Spaniard she

knows Carla, she knows her traits and she knows that aggression is

difficult for her. She is playing with more impetus and

using the sliced backhand, which causes problems. A couple of

opportunities for the Latvian French Open champion to get one of the two

breaks that she is down back in the second set.

Oh, lovely shot! Her racket work is supreme. There is not another woman

on the planet who can hits a single hander like that. She does not get

enough credit how beautiful her gamers. -- game is.

She is currently the highest ranked woman with a single backhand.

That really looked long. It was not that far. That is a junior mentality

version of how far the ball was out. That was an immediate drop of the

racket. Like when you catch a tiny fish and you go, no, it is too big.

-- it is this big. Sadly for Ostapenko she was still on

the previous point, motioning once again by how much she thought the

previous ball missed. But the court stood, Suarez Navarro got on with

doing her own thing. To have Hawk-Eye, it costs a few quid to get

those cameras up there and process all the data. They just have it on

Centre Court. Mentally and emotionally, she is

spiralling. In her head there is a conspiracy against every shot she is

playing that it is out when it is in.

She might be out of this set but she needs to invest in it to get this

game ready for the decider. I think she has a case. I think that

was in. There is no way she will overrule on

that file line, but I do think she has a point. -- that far line. I am

not happy saying that because she has been complaining an awful lot,

but... Oh, my eyesight is appalling. That is so far out. I am quitting

now! I am going to ask for a refund from that laser eye surgery I had

all those years ago. Coalface a point for a triple break

the Carla Suarez Navarro. I think Ostapenko would be happy to see the

back of the second set. She has felt there has been a conspiracy against

with those line calls. Suarez Navarro, credit to her, is doing her

thing and doing it well. In what seems like a blink of an

eye, Carla Suarez Navarro has a triple break and leads the French

Open champion by five games to love in the second set. STUDIO: Just to

say that at that point Ostapenko had a medical time-out. If you're

wondering why we're watching this match from last night, it is still

raining at Eastbourne on Tuesday afternoon, this is from late on

Monday night. It is still raining here and they have announced a few

moments ago that there will definitely be no play here until

3pm. Ostapenko at 5-0 down in the second set had a medical time-out,

then they resumed play, here's what happened. COMMENTATOR: Back from the

medical time-out. I saw her flexing that right leg at the end of the

fifth game. And now, Sam Smith, it is heavily strapped? You tend to get

those sort of injuries when you switch surfaces. Also it is probably

coming from her back. There is probably some back tightness.

The injury time-out was not ideal for colour. It took the first set to

get to the required level of intensity for the match, not easy to

have to sit for five or so minutes. There is a touch of the drama queen

about Jelena. A very likeable young woman, but watch this space.

Three set points for Carla Suarez Navarro. Made the fourth round at

Wimbledon a couple of times, semifinal in Birmingham last year,

looking for her first last 16 place at Eastbourne. We are set for a

deciding set. There it is, a little bit of a late

call and a bit of a look from Jelena Ostapenko, but the call stands, as

does the point and the game, meaning back Carla Suarez Navarro, with a

triple break, there was a medical time-out for Ostapenko but the

Spaniard did what she needed to do, she has taken the second set 6-0 and

we are going into a decider. I just went later in the afternoon,

the early evening, I'm not sure what the cut-off is between late

afternoon, early evening, there is some moisture picking up. You just

saw Carla having a little scared. -- a little skid.

Tactically Ostapenko needs to aim to Rush Suarez Navarro on the forehand.

Playing Ostapenko, I imagine the problem is that the ball comes to

hard, fast and early but also Sidibe to the baseline, you do not have

time. I think a slightly injured Ostapenko

is an even more dangerous animal on the tennis court, she will probably

just swing. Looking back historically, she has lots of the

scorelines. She plays big momentum swings in her matches. -- lots of

these scorelines. If you looks back over the last few season, this is

only her third main year on the tour, the rise is extraordinary from

being the junior champion, she probably has more 6-0, 6-1 sets than

anybody else out there. Big ball striking seems to be back

from Ostapenko. Takes the points in the game. Under way in the deciding

set. A slight limp on the walk from Ostapenko. But she know she has a

reassurance and even if the movement is not quite there, how big flat she

can strike that on the surface. Some players like Dominika Cibulkova,

Simona Halep, Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki, they are so reliant on

their movement that if they are carrying an injury it is very

difficult for them to carry on. Ostapenko, this is the first set

summary, smashing so many winners. The second set, did not hit as many

and more errors. You always want to look at the error ratio with her.

Remember the early days of Serena Williams, she made lots of unforced

errors. You always looking up that numbers, that told exactly where she

was with her game. The winner of this match will face

either Johanna Konta or Cirstea. It is a pack revealed. -- packed field.

If it is Sorana Cirstea, they will have to reinforce the tennis balls

with those two! That is what is extraordinary, when

you get a close, the ball striking, the sound of it off the rackets,

they are using this updated equipment, the new strings which

gives so much more control so you can swing away and hardly miss, they

have taken full advantage of it. Ostapenko is back with us. The club

rather like the shower in my hotel room, scorching hot one moment,

touch the dials and it is freezing the next. I never quite know what

state my skin will be in from one second to the next!

There we go, the first break point opportunity in this deciding said.

Ostapenko takes her opportunity, breaks to love, leads by two games

to love. I would love you to interview her and compare her to the

shower in your hotel room, see where she goes with that! I will leave

that to you! When you prepare to play Ostapenko you might as well

practised your half volleys from the baseline, I cannot believe how many

Suarez Navarro has had to hit in this match.

Just gets a little quick with the action. If you think about a service

motion, it is very quick at the start, it builds and accept rates.

Hers starts off very quick and it quickens up. She does not have

anywhere to load the potential energy.

Did you ever have a side that you wanted your balls coming from? I was

happy that there was somebody to throw them at me. I spent a lot of

tournaments where I picked it my own balls! Particularly on Centre Court

at Eastbourne, you could not manage without the ball kids.

This venue is used to something called County Week, where the best

counties play each other, men and women, but you don't have ball boys

and ball girls, you pick your own balls up. Can you imagine, it goes

for miles. Matches take together, always tromping off to get the

balls! -- matches take forever. Suarez Navarro was practically on

Beachy head, she was so far back. She was four or five metres behind

the baseline. They do just need a camera following her facial

expressions. She will have her own reality TV show one day. The

Kardashians will be old hat very soon. At Home With The Ostapenkos

has a good ring to it! She has a brother who could get involved, her

father is a former football player, get involved.

Punishment of the short server. Suarez Navarro has broken back. 2-1

in the decider. And there is also a dog. The dog

could be At Home With The Ostapenkos. Sybil Clover has two

Yorkshire terriers who travel with her. Ostapenko's dog is a Yorkshire

terrier, she used to trouble but does not like flying. It is to stay

home. How does a dog tell you it does not like flying?! It is just

obvious, isn't it? Can't choose sedate nicely? Legally? From past

experience of flying with babies you can calm them. Can't do that with a

dog? This dog is her beloved dog. Players quite often travelled with

dogs, I think it started with Martina Navratilova, who had kadi,

Killer Dog,, it used to bite players. Martina used to have these

dogs and so did some others. Many players over the years have

travelled with dogs, they tend to be small. Handbag dogs. Serena has one.

You could not have a whopping great beast, it would need a seat. The

Ostapenko's Yorkshire terrier does not want to travel any more.

Aletta lover that stubbornness. -- a little of that stubbornness. Yes, a

family trait! If Carla can get hold of the ball,

the ideal would be to play it with an awful lot of width, because she

can play with angle, wants to get the ball low as well, just make life

uncomfortable for Ostapenko. I'm sure it's hard not to smile for

her coach. At times. You have to be more accurate with

your serving. Look at the way she got her body out of the way of the

ball. She just lets the racket head go through. I wish Heather Watson

would do that. Let those super powerful rackets do the work.

She is 100% trusts the racket. She has put all her faith in it when she

opens up and hits. Sometimes the racket face can be open, and that is

often via her ball flies long, because she hasn't had time to close

the face. Same again. Fought that point does, it means that Carla

Suarez Navarro levels up after getting the break back, so we are

locked at 2-2 in the deciding set. First match of the year on grass for

the French Open champion. Navarro suffered first-round exit on grass

in Majorca. It is not a surface that she loves particularly likes. --

that she loves or particularly likes.

There was a big screen set up in Riga in Latvia, in the town square,

for everyone to watch. Imagine, you have just turned 20 and a large part

of your country is watching you on a big screen.

It's a lot for these youngsters to take in. Simona Halep, when she

burst through a few years ago, became an overnight superstar in

Romania. That is why it is fingers crossed here for year Lane -- for

Jelena, that she can keep it together for the next few months and

get used to this status. I have a feeling that the way she has always

carried herself in juniors and her first two years on the tour, in her

head, she has always been a superstar. What is happening now is

just completely normal. It's... First little cry from Ostapenko

brings up game point. Carla Suarez Navarro is muttering to herself.

A lovely shot, that backhand from Carla Suarez Navarro. Sheepfold

Ostapenko beyond the singles tramline. -- she told Ostapenko.

There are not many places on the court where you think she cannot

pick a winner. Even if you hit the ball down the centre deep, she gets

her body out of the way so well, and she can hit winners from everywhere.

That is poor from Suarez Navarro. A rare foray to the net for Jelena

Ostapenko bears fruit. She holds serve, well and truly pumped up now.

3-2 she reads in the decider. A lot of the movement we touched on comes

back to the ballroom dancing training. Her footwork is so elegant

as she moves around the court. Balances not spoken about enough in

tennis, and how important it is. Think of Novak Djokovic, he was a

former skier, how balanced he is, and how important... Simona Halep is

another example. It has started to be more of a priority when you are

developing a young player. We have had players come from all sorts of

different sports. Angelique Kerber from swimming, Simona Halep was a

very good handball player. We have had volleyball players as well. Coco

Vandeweghe play basketball. And Carla Suarez Navarro is one of the

best football players on the tour, and a hand a basketball player. Who?

Carla Suarez Navarro. Someone had to break it to her that it might not

work out. That because of her height? She is five foot four. Yes.

It is awful to specialise too early. One player on the mend's tour played

so many sports in his teens, and it is so good to do these other things.

What would have been your sport other than tennis? Tennis was my

second sport. Swimming was my first. Oh... There have been quite a few

competitive swimmers who have had to choose. Curb had the same - swimming

and then tennis. -- Angelique Kerber. Especially when you're

younger, it is better to work on different sports because it works

different skills and areas. Being a swimmer gives your body a good

structure, and it is fantastic coordination as well. -- it is

fantastic for coordination as well. I like how Ostapenko is aggressive

on serve. She will step up, step in and say, if you drop anything

slightly short, I am on it. And she is always looking to get up the

court, very much a Venus and Serena trait. She steps forward and goes

after it, never takes a step backwards. It is a great brand of

tennis. But to play this way, you have got to back yourself, and there

is something within her, a great well of self belief, and I don't

know where that comes from, but she has got it.

A little bit of a slip, as later in the day the grass gets a little you

on it. -- a little dew on it. That is why it is good to have a long

grass court season coming into Wimbledon, because by then, your

foot pattern is right and you will make smaller steps. There is the

point and a break for Jelena Ostapenko. She got up very early

break in this second game of this deciding set. She was immediately

broken back, but as you heard, she regained the advantage and a break,

and leads 4-2. Another thing with Jelena, like all the top players,

the ones that are very comfortable at the top, she is a fantastic front

runner, loves being ahead. She doesn't quite stay with a

backhand long enough. Think of how long Novak Djokovic stays on the

ball with his arms - she is a little quick through the shop. She is a

Grand Slam champion and she is so raw still, so much to work on. And

it was her first tour- level title. Imagine when she is older - friended

you win your first title? Hers was in the French capital and it was a

Grand Slam. And her ranking tells you a lot as well, how quickly she

has moved up. They year she won the juniors at

Wimbledon, 2014, she was ranked 300 in the seniors. One year later, she

finished inside the world top 80. In her second year, top 50, and her

third year, she will be in the top ten. And we might really be looking

at a multiple slam winner here, a potential world number one. All the

big names have all progressed on that kind of trajectory.

I just love the racket drop, the absolute horror from Ostapenko - did

I do that? How could I do that? Give her 18 months, and I have a feeling

that most of that will be gone. I want it to stay. She needs to lose

that whole junior tennis gig. She has got to get that ball past is

sorted. It is so far left, she has to kick it. -- that ball toss.

Navarro said, have that, Ostapenko said, have this. That had to be a

winner. It needed to be another one metre, right over to the line,

because she was so overcommitted. That is good anticipation from

Ostapenko. Another opportunity for the Spaniard.

Another cry from the Latvian. I know we touched on the junior tennis

aspect, racket dropping, getting knocked out of her game, but we

talked about this with Nick Kyrgios in the mend's tour, how much you

knock out and how much you keep, because you have to be careful not

to lose too much of the personality, because a little bit of that is

Jelena Ostapenko. Which, in many ways, is why it has been so good

that her mother has overseen her development, because no one knows

you better than your parents, and that is absolutely key - be mother

would know how much to get onto her and how much to pull back, but she

is at an age where it will be detrimental to her tennis, and it

will be upset the locker room, and it already has. How much does that

matter? It really does matter. You don't want to have players who

really want to beat you because they think you are a pain. It doesn't

help you at all out there, and you want to have good relations so that

you players to play doubles with, to practice with as well. It is her

coping mechanism, that's all. When she is under stress, she looks to

blame the umpire, the line call, something else, someone sitting in

the stands. I don't think they will have to crack down on that too much,

and I take your point - you don't what to lose what is good. I think

it will gradually ease. -- you don't want to lose what is good. Carla

Suarez Navarro missed a couple of tournaments early in the year, hence

the dropping down in the rankings. Serving to stay in the tournament

now. Navarro has been hammered on that

area, but it has been an issue for most of her career. That serve is

just sitting up. Suarez Navarro does what she needed to do to hang on in

there summer but now a chance for the French Open champion,

20-year-old Jelena Ostapenko, to serve her way into the final 16.

That is seven double faults now for Ostapenko. Under pressure, that very

quick chin gets more jerky and speeds up -- that very quick action

gets more jerky and speeds up. What she does do when she makes big

mistakes is, she has a little complain, looks at Mum or Annabelle,

and then she resets very well. She does reset very quickly, puts things

in the past. A couple of break points for Carla

Suarez Navarro to get her back on serve, keep this match alive,

second-round encounter here in Eastbourne, Ostapenko with Rabbi in

the first round, as did the top 16 seeds, and she is number ten.

There we go, a little bit of a helping hand from Jelena Ostapenko,

but Carla Suarez Navarro will keep that because she is not heading back

to her bench to pack up her bags. She is going to take a break and

then wait to see what she can do, because we're back on server 5-4.

This guy speaks very quickly in Spanish, so he is hard to pick up.

HE SPEAKS SPANISH because you stop Jon Rahm... Keep

playing -- you stop your arm. Keep playing the point. Once you hit the

ball, close and accelerate. Chica, come on. I quite like it when the

coach leaves before the umpire calls time, because I feel that you have

to have 10-20 seconds to process what they have said, and just have

some time for yourself. Very good words from Annabel. She is

impressive. How about your Spanish? I think it was about being

aggressive and intense. That's my best guess! We're back on serve,

4-5, Suarez Navarro. Ostapenko would love to close here

will stop there is a difficult shadow on the court now, and it is

difficult when the ball comes out of the shade and into the light.

Punishing the Suarez Navarro serve once again. Whatever the scoreline,

whatever the momentum was, she just backs herself. This is such an

important match for Ostapenko, on the back of the French Open win. Her

first grass match, her first match since winning the title in Paris.

We have a first match points -- our first match points of the contest,

on the Spaniard's serve. Disappointment for Carla Suarez

Navarro, concedes the contest with a double fault, meaning the French

Open champion in her first match since winning the title in the

French capital moves on to the round 16. The final score, 6-3, 0- six,

6-4. You had us all really worried. What

is up with your like, how you doing? I am fine but during the second set

I pulled a muscle a little bit, I think. I started to feed it. It was

tough today because I did not play for a couple of weeks after the

French, and it is the first match on grass, I am really happy that I won.

Mentally, how did you reset for that third set? You are not feeling

physically great, given the second set. What did you say to yourself?

Carla is a great player and was fighting for every ball, I was

trying to fight and play every point. Obviously you had great

success at Roland Garros, we are dying to know, how did you

celebrate? Did you buy at handbag, go shopping, what? I did some

shopping and spent time with family and friends and did a celebration,

then I had to get ready for grass. It is now the grass court season,

how did you take yourself away from the win at Roland Garros mentally

and refocus for those couple of weeks? It is a completely different

servers, I think my game fits grass because I play aggressive. I just

prepared and now I am looking forward to my next match. When you

walk onto the court each time, you always have earphones in. What were

you listening to when you walked on? Some Russian music. I always listen

almost to the same song before the match, if I keep winning I keep

listening to that song. It is a lucky charm right now? Yes. Many

congratulations Jelena. Ladies and gentlemen, your lane Ostapenko!

STUDIO: The camera lies, that was last night. Blue skies. It was

barmy, fantastic. This is how it is now, it is just grim. There is a

carpet of grey hanging over Eastbourne at the moment, rain

falling down and the chances of us seeing any more played today, I

think, is pretty limited. That sounds a bit downbeat but we were

hoping to have seen Jo Konta in action, Angelique Kerber, this is

how the top half of the draw looks at the moment. As we move onto the

second quarter, some big names still to enter the fray. I suspect they

are all back at their hotels waiting for the call at the moment, but they

might think it will be tomorrow at the earliest. Without wishing to add

gloom, the forecast for tomorrow is not much better. We are not

downtrodden, we are upbeat and hoping we will see these big names

at some point over the next 48 hours or so, it is worth saying that the

women's draw here is the best I think it has ever been in the

history of the Egon classic at Eastbourne. As far as the men's

draw, it was given an unbelievable shot in the arm when Novak Djokovic

chip announced that because of the recent travails he was having, he

would play here. He has sprinkled some stardust on Eastbourne, the

crowds were out in force at first thing this morning to see him

practice. He went on court against Vasek Pospisil of Canada but only

played one game before the rain came down. He has been talking to Russell

Fuller about what it is like to be in Sussex by the sea.

Normally at this sort of time we might expect to see you at

Wimbledon, practising for the Championships next week, why have

you change your schedule and country Eastbourne? I wanted to change

things around a little bit. Challenge my routine. As you have

said, for the last seven years I have not had any leader tournament

to Wimbledon, I have had that privilege to have lots of success on

the clay courts and play a lot of matches coming into grass court

season. The decision was always to skip the Queen's or the other one

because they were too close to the end of Roland Garros. The schedule

has changed a little bit in the last couple of years, we gain an extra

week. I thought it was too early for me to play Queen's and I wanted more

time to spend with my family and to rest. But I still wanted to have a

couple of matches coming into Wimbledon. That is why I have

decided to country Eastbourne. It is not far from London, it is very

close. Playing on grass is completely different from any other

surface, it takes time to readjust your movement on the court and

everything happens very quickly. Service is probably the most

important element. I came here a bit earlier to get some practice

sessions on the surface, get myself adjusted as much as I can. I am

excited to be in a new place, I don't often get to do that. We have

pretty much the same schedule every single year over and over, it is

great to visit new places. It is a small town but everybody is excited

to come out on the courts and supports the tennis players. It is a

combined event, lots of matches on the outside court, so you can feel

the great vibe around the court. How are you feeling about your game in

general? You have been used to having so much success that we sit

up and take notice when you only make the quarterfinals at Roland

Garros, but did that defeat to Dominic Thiem affect your

confidence? It is normal to say that I am not

playing looking at my results in the last five or six months, I am not

playing at my best, I am aware of it. I had to stay positive about

myself and my game, I have to trust my capabilities to get back to the

level that I want to be in, to be able to compete for the biggest

titles in the sport. Honestly I have never experienced this particular

situation since I started playing professional tennis. I was very

fortunate to experience and upwards direction in terms of results and

improving the game. For the first time now in a stretch of seven or

eight months I have not won any big tournaments. I have been struggling

with the level of tennis. It had to happen sooner or later, I am really

glad it did because it made me start asking myself certain questions,

seeing things that may be over the last couple of years I had so much

success but I went with my head to the wall many times when I felt so

confident and I ignored the signals from my body and mind to take a bit

of a rest and be able to be rational with myself, I was not. I had lots

of success, I can't complain. I am very, very content with that. But

sooner or later I hoped it would not come, but it came, now I have to

deal with it and figure out the way, figure out all the roles in my life

and how to balance things around, how to get back on the desired

level. I am looking for the best version of myself at the moment, the

process will probably take a little bit of time and I will try to be

patient. I am not sure Eastbourne could cope with Novak Djokovic and

Andre Agassi in the same week, is there any prospect of him coming

here or, more importantly, will he be at Wimbledon? He will be in

London for Wimbledon and I look forward to spending time with him.

It is fantastic to have him as part of my team, part of my life. He is

an extraordinary person, someone that cares a lot about this sport

and about values in life, about the character features that he has been

building and nurturing for so many years. He is trying to always

emphasise the importance of knowing who you are and working on those

character features and trying to be the best version of yourself outside

and inside of the tennis lines. Every day is a lesson learned with

Andre. I have tried to use those eight or nine days we spent in

Roland Garros as best as I could, we got to know each other, shared lots

of nice things. I look forward to growing in that relationship even

more and we will see what awaits us on the court. A thoughtful, pensive

and philosophical Djokovic. Listening to that was one of the

giants of the press room of tennis for the last... I hate to think how

many decades, Richard Evans, the voice of tennis on BBC radio for so

many years. When you listen to Djokovic talking it is amazing to

think that 12 months ago he came to Wimbledon master of surveyed, almost

untouchable and unbeatable, 12 months and he seems as vulnerable on

court is off. How do you rationalise that? He achieved a lifetime

ambition, won his fourth slam, not numerically, but all four by winning

the French, which he always thought would be the most difficult. I think

it was like popping a balloon, I have done that. But then a few

personal problems crept in and he lost it mentally. Those who sat in

his press conferences like you do, month after month, we suddenly found

ourselves talking to a different guy. No longer the hard-nosed game.

He was philosophical and going off at tangents and the focus had gone.

I think he was trying to get that back that he has not yet. If he has

issues, has Andy Murray? He lost at Queen's in the first round, he

announced he would have a hip injury so he will not be playing in the

exhibition match. He might be fine but he might not. He might be going

to Wimbledon next week having played just one game of grass court tennis

of any merit since the end of last year. Where do you think he is at

the moment? He has pricked a few balloons as well. We are not sure

about Andy He looks back to his best in Paris, he was one tie break away

from getting to the French Open final, meaning he is playing good

tennis. But then the first-round loss at Queen's was a major setback

for him, I think and a shock to him. He had shingles, that is not easy to

get over. Again, after that amazing last six months of last year when he

won practically everything there was to win apart from the US Open,

including Wimbledon and retaining his gold medal in Rio, that takes so

much out of you, not just physically. The concentration and

the travelling, winning one week in Beijing, next week Shanghai, next

week Vienna. Try the travel, that would ruin most people. In between

he is getting off these aeroplanes and playing the best tennis of his

life month after month, that leaves its mark and he realises that now.

Whether he can refresh himself, I don't know, he got a hip injury. Our

colleague Kathryn Whittaker has just been speaking to Grigor Dimitrov,

who has practised with him a lot, including in December in Miami, he

says it is nothing to worry about. No one knows about Andy Murray's

body except for Andy Murray. There is a chance he can click back into

gear at Wimbledon, if he gets a couple of wins and his belt, who

knows? Talking about reinvention, Halys Roger Federer the bookmakers

favourite to win Wimbledon this year for the eighth time? It is

extraordinary. I tell you is most astounded when he won the Australian

Open, Roger Federer. He was off court for six months, he came back

and in his own mind he said it make the quarterfinals I will be doing

well. He ended up not only winning but beating Nadal over five sets in

the final, which is something he had never done before and he always felt

he could not beat Nadal over five sets. He started off in a rush

against Nadal, that is where Ivan Ljubicic, his coach who has been him

for the last year, was very good. He said to him before that match, get

rid of the mindset that you have to start fast. You can't beat this guy

in five sets. Believe it. And he did, from a break down in fifth. I

don't know if you saw it, I was common trading on Australian Open

radio, it was 4-3 with a to Nadal, certainly within ten minutes it was

the reserves... Reverse, Federer had the break. Then to win Indian Wells

and Miami, the start was unbelievable. We can't get you here

without talking about your extraordinary career in the media

watching tennis, and elsewhere, mind you. Your first Wimbledon was when?

1960, Neale Fraser beat a young redhead who had not won yet, Rob

Lever. And the best final you ever saw? Federer against Nadal? The most

intriguing, fascinating, intriguing match I saw was Arthur Ashe beating

Jimmy Connors in 1975, not just because they were in litigation,

Jimmy Connors was saving the ATP and Arthur Ashe is president of the ATP

personally, Connors was beating everybody, the locker room was

saying he was unbeatable, he had always beaten Arsenal. Arthur got

together with his team the night before and said we have got to do

something different, Arthur went out in the most important match of his

life, he knew he would never get another chance to win Wimbledon, and

he played contrary to his entire style. Instead of wham, bam, thank

you ma'am, which was his style, he's soft bald Connors to death. He gave

him a droopy drop shots and lobbed him and took all the pace off the

ball, Connors was lost because Connors fed off the pace of others.

He had such an eye that he could feed off the pace of others, when

you took that away he was helpless. It was an astounding intellectual

exercise, also being able to do it. It is not easy to go pitter patter

when you are used to hitting the ball is 100 mph. Arthur Ashe's place

in the pantheon of tennis game changers is pretty significant. I

thought we would move on to talk about the women's game, here is an

archive piece about one of the most influential women in all of sport.

How are you, good to see you? I am Fed. Wimbledon, tradition and

innovation. Combining this two gives the texture. There is something

magical about that place. I grew up dreaming and reading about

Wimbledon. I love the history, I knew every champion in singles,

doubles and mixed. When I was 17 they sent me for my first time, I

loved the intimacy and beat symmetry, I had dreams about this

since forever. I immediately fell in love with it and I thought, this is

just happen. That Centre Court is divine. My very

first match ever at Wimbledon was on Centre Court.

The fun part is when you open the doors and you start to see the

people to your left. If you look to go back, you see the Royal box. You

turn your corner and you go, that is beautiful. The worst was when you

had to turn around to the service line and do the curtsy. My God, both

of us would go, I am glad that is over.

Let's talk fashion. To see Fred Perry, he gave me four shirts and

two skirts, that is always a big deal. If you talk to the Americans,

I want to get Fred Perry! I love him, I knew he had won three

Wimbledons in a row, I know all about them. Gave me the clothes, but

the initials, we thought we had gone to heaven. You had some serious

glasses when you first came over. I still do! You only had about two

traces in the 60 's. I didn't like them but it was all they had!

I was sitting on the same court with him, still playing a little. There

was a sense of intensity to my right, I look over and it is this

kid. I go back to the fence whether coaches are sitting, what is the

name of this kid? Boris Becker. I said, I think he has got something

extra. There he is, two years later he wins

the men's singles, I could not believe it, I saw him when he was 15

and he was amazing. That is just part of a documentary

that is on Sunday at 5:20pm. 90 years on the BBC, goodness! And you

have been there for everyone, Richard! Almost. 50 years next year,

Billie Jean was at the heart of what happened as the game went from being

amateur to being open. How symbolic was that, sociological ER and

politically and how has it transformed the sport we have now?

Totally, 100%. The BBC was complicit in the whole thing, the head of BBC

sport at the time wanted to have an outdoor broadcast in colour, he went

to Herman David, chairman of the All-England Club in 1967 and

Hermannsson don't really want to get the professionals here, which was a

revolutionary thought, because the professionals were not allowed in

the gate. Jack Kramer had been signing up all the great champions.

The head of BBC sport said if you put in a professional tournament in

August, I will televise it on the BBC in colour, it will be an

experiment for us to see how it goes. Herman said, OK. He spoke to

Jack Kramer and others involved in the professional tour, they all said

yes. He got 16 of them, the best professional players who had not

been seen at Wimbledon for five, ten or 15 years, they put on a

professional tournament in August. Herman David wanted to see of the

crowd would come. Centre Court was full, Rob Lever won

it, it was amazing. Herman David had the courage to say to the tennis

world, sorry, guys, you can argue about it for as long as you like

that in 1968I am throwing the doors open to anybody who is good enough,

anybody can play at Wimbledon, and the professionals arrived, including

Billie Jean King and people we had not seen for years. It was

monumental for the game. Then, of course, things followed, as I

mention in the book. The Roving Eye. Once you start Richard, he does not

stop. We will have to stop in a moment. Top of the head, greatest

female player you have ever seen? Serena Williams, with Martina

Navratilova very close. And the men? Roger Federer, before him Lou Hope,

who gets forgotten because he was one sets... Two sets away from doing

the Grand Slam when he allowed Ken Rosewood to come back and beat him

in the final at Forest Hills. He could do anything on the tennis

court. But Roger Federer is the best all-round tennis player. You could

make a case for Rafa Nadal, for Novak Djokovic, who we have just

seen, is that how much they have won, but as a pure tennis player,

Roger Federer is unbelievable. Great to see you again, thank you so much

for coming by. Let's tell you what has been happening with Wimbledon

qualifying over last couple of hours or so. Harriet Dart of Great

Britain, it's rained when they were one set all, this happened they few

moments or so ago, the match still to be completed. If rain relents in

SW19, I think Roehampton is still south-west London? Postcodes are

very important. But it is on the BBC Apple and the website. It is on the

red button as well. Sadly one British player had a chance to

complete a much before the rain came, that was Katie Swan, who went

out in three sets, as you can see. It is all building up to next week.

Well, Britain's Jo Konta should have played this afternoon but it looks

like even though 12-macro of the covers are coming down at the

moment, even so they say no play for at least an hour, and she is a match

and a half away from coming on, so I think it is unlikely she will play.

She comes here as British number one, the fifth seed, firmly

established in the top ten of the world game. These are her thoughts

coming back to her hometown. I had been fortunate enough to have

played this tournament a few years now, I have been able to stay at

home for a few years in a row, I feel very lucky with that. I think

to be able to play in front of a home crowd and Centre Court, the

crowd Dann court is beautiful, so I'm looking forward to the

experience. I have had five great matches in Nottingham, two great

matches in Birmingham, so I feel pretty fortunate with my time on the

surface. We will be looking to stay in Eastbourne for as long as

possible. I am going into the Championships

looking to do the best that I can. I definitely will hope to make it a

full two weeks, but most importantly I will be looking to produce the

best level that I have and to really compete every single match that I

get to play. Hopefully it will be seven, that would be very nice to be

able to content with. First and foremost, it is always important to

take it one match at a time, once we get to Wimbledon Nurse my mind has

to be in Eastbourne at the moment but when we get there it will be

looking to prepare for my first round. Can you profit from the fact

there is no Serena and the field is so open? Her presence is missed, she

is a massive force in the sport, but it is important to remember that

have been Grand Slam champions alongside her over last couple of

years, it is important to give credit to those women who have been

Grand Slam champions in the last couple of years. Obviously there are

new faces this year. The depth in women's tennis is truly remarkable,

I have said that for quite some time. It showcases the level of our

sport in a really great way and shows that this is the 100 best

women at this sport in the world, that is a very positive thing to

see. For me personally, I am looking to compete well each week. Going

into every single match that we are playing I will be faced with a tough

opponent. Everyone can play at an incredibly high level on any given

day, keeping that in mind, I need to make sure that I keep improving and

I keep maximising everything that I have.

Sam Smith has replaced Richard Evans. Do you think Jo Konta might

win a Grand Slam one day? I do, and I think it might come very soon. How

soon? I think she could win the US Open. All the top players, while

Serena is away, she probably will not be back until next Wimbledon,

they are scrambling, she is out for a while, let's go for it! I

genuinely feel she can win the US Open this year. How much is her

serve the key element? Which is on form, very few people can live with

serve the key element? Which is on form, very few people can live with

her? And it is the second serve as well, it sets up the first ball. She

has great ground strokes. That is her best service for me. She is

growing in confidence, the movement is improving, the all-round game. I

think she has lots of capacity to improve quite a few aspects which

will show upon the grass, sometimes the net play is not as good as the

best in the world. It is also her, how hard-working she is and how

devoted she is to winning a slam and becoming world number one. I don't

know if you heard Richard, he said he thought Serena Williams was

probably the greatest woman tennis player of all butter might be nip

and tuck whether she would beat Martina Navratilova. Would you go

with that? On a grass court, Martina in her heyday, I was lucky or

unlucky enough to play her one of the year she win Wimbledon, it was

pretty formidable. I would love to see

pretty formidable. I would love to pretty formidable. I would love to

see that battle. Maybe some computer-generated... These days you

can do that kind of thing. Away from grass? Serena wins on...? On hard

court, I would say. It is for certain we will be back tomorrow at

1pm on BBC Two, but exactly what we will do between now and then, we are

in the lap of the gods. If the rain suddenly relents and the sun comes

back we might have some play for you, but we might not. In terms of

what this does for the draw, is this playing at anybody's hands? You

don't want to get backed up so close to Wimbledon, you know the situation

here if you are a top player, you come here and get on with it, try to

find indoor courts if you can, you relax and you deal with what is in

front of you. But then it becomes a problem if you get Tambe in Baghdad.

You might have to play two matches in a day. Get on with it! I wonder

what Novak makes of this?! I am so glad I went to... What was that

place called again?! We will be back when we are back, I am not quite

sure. As things stand at the moment, we might be back today, we might

not, but we will definitely see you tomorrow at 1pm.