Grass does strange things to people. For some, even the very best, it can reduce them to gibbering wrecks and render their otherwise unstoppable games both vulnerable and flimsy. And then there are others.
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Alison Riske falls into the 'others' category, especially this year. The new champion of the Libema Open in the Netherlands (of which more in a moment) had had a good start to the year (she was the runner up in Shenzhen) and then it all ground to a halt during the clay court season. But then her toes touched the green grass of Surbiton a couple of weeks ago. No one has been able to stop her since.