RG.11- All Quiet on The Radwanska Front

And never the twain shall meet. Until now, that is. Again.

Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova spent the first ten days of this Roland Garros watching the WTA landscape shift and crack underneath the feet of every other top player on earth not named Samantha. Both had their own anxious moments, but went about their business. They never let on that they might have been keeping a watchful eye on the other throughout the proceedings, knowing from experience that even a good performance on their part hadn't necessarily been good ENOUGH to defeat the other when their paths had crossed a few times over the past year. When this RG began, no one was talking about a possible semifinal meeting between the two on a surface largely considered the "worst" for both. But, as it's turned out, nothing could stop this fateful clash from taking place. Not Serena nor Li, who didn't last long enough in Paris to get the chance. Not even The Radwanska.

As most of the rest of the field had melted away, Day 11 gave Kaia Kanepi and Yaroslava Shvedova the last chance to head off what probably should have been seen as the inevitable. But there was nothing -- other than the bad sides of themselves, that is -- that was going to prevent what has become THE marquee matchup on the WTA tour from adding another intriguing chapter. Both Sharapova and Kvitova's matches started at the same times on Chatrier and Lenglen Courts, respectively, but it was the Russian who took care of business first.

Her opponent, Kanepi, is a capable player, but lacks a game armed with the sort of "intangible" weapon that has traditionally frustrated the likes of Sharapova. In fact, both players are similar, with big first serves and groundstrokes, and with their court movement being their trait that is most exploitable by an opponent. As far as Sharapova was concerned, this was like a "Senior Skip Day" for a player who joked the other day about being "awful with game plans," as Kanepi utilizes none of the sort of frustratingly clever tactics -- pace-slowing spins, tricky drop shots, etc. -- that make a certain Pole with a mean-spirited Jekyll-esque alter ego such a headache-inducing nuisance. With such a straightforward opponent placed in front of her, Sharapova just had to play her version of the same game BETTER than Kanepi did. Being the better player under the same conditions, rather than worry about being rope-a-doped, the Russian needed only to beat the Estonian to the punch. And that's what she did.

Oh, she didn't blitz Kanepi. There's a reason Kaia's a four-time slam quarterfinalist, after all. In fact, just as occurred during Sharapova's Round of 16 match with Klara Zakopalova, this contest began with a string of three breaks of serve (servers won just three of the first fourteen points) that didn't end until Sharapova held for 3-1. Finally settled, though, she won the set 6-2. In the 2nd, Sharapova had a brief letdown, double-faulting on break point and falling behind 2-0. But she soon turned things around. She held at love for a 4-2 advantage with a blazing down-the-line forehand that a flat-footed Kanepi could only watch helplessly from the middle of the court.

Kanepi seemed to give up at that point, though she was only down one break and with Sharapova still capable of throwing in a few DF to give her a stepping stone back into the match. As a result, Kanepi was easily broken in the next game for 5-2. On Sharapova's serve one game later, Kanepi won an eighteen-shot really. But rather than celebrate, she shot an exasperated look to the Players Box and made some sort of comment about it being the "one point" that she'd actually played well all day. She ended up going up triple break point on Sharapova's serve and getting the break. If only she'd kept her concentration a few minutes before, it might have meant something.

But it didn't. Sharapova's big return game took care of things after that, and when Kanepi framed a backhand on the Russian's second match point it was finally all over, 6-2/6-3. After committing twelve double-faults in the heavy conditions of two days ago, Sharapova had just four today.

Kvitova, as is her wont, allowed her match with qualifier Shvedova -- at #142, the lowest-ranked player to reach the RG QF since 1983 -- to have a few more twists and turns.

While the Russian-turned-Kazakh played well, as usual, the match revolved around whether or not the Czech could find the court with her thunderous groundstrokes. Shvedova went up a break in the 1st, leading 3-0 before Kvitova came charging back with a string of winners to break for 3-2. Bouncing between "in" and "out" of form, Kvitova immediately gave the break back then, at 5-2 down, climbed out of a 15/30 service hole with a back-to-back-to-back winner-ace-ace combination punctuated by the little bark that means she's "feeling it." But it was too little, too late. Shvedova held for 6-3.

In the 2nd, Kvitova throttled eleven winners in four games to take a 3-1 lead and take the set 6-2. Her momentum carried over to the 3rd, as she went up a break at 2-0, then hit another bad patch and lost three straight games. Up 40/15 on Shvedova's serve, Kvitova committed four straight errors and found herself down 4-2. But that's when the "inevitable" aspects of today's results re-entered the equation.

As Shvedova's nerves began to cause her toss to go awry, Kvitova decided it was time to put her foot down. As she said after the match, she's "wasn't doing to let" the match get away from her. She went up quickly on the Kazakh's serve, whacking a forehand winner to knot the score at 4-4. After holding serve, she finally won her fourth straight game when Shvedova's backhand sailed long on the Czech's second match point. She won 3-6/6-3/6-4.

So, here we are. For the third time at the past four slams, the Russian and the Czech are once again set to attempt to bludgeon the other into submission from opposite sides of a tennis net. In their previous encounters over the last year, the reality of their matches have more than lived up to the hype, too. Kvitova beat down a not-playing-badly Sharapova in last year's Wimbledon final, but Sharapova is 2-0 against Kvitova this season because of her ability to play the biggest points of their matches better. Just a reminder:

Wimbledon Final -- Kvitova d. Sharapova
...6-4/6-4. Kvitova became the first slam champion born in the 1990s, and the youngest since Sharapova won at SW19 in 2004. The Czech didn't hit her first ace until match point (dramatic much?), but never gave an inch of ground to the aggressive Sharapova that afternoon, beating the Russian at her own game... sort of like what Sharapova did to Serena at Wimbledon to claim HER first major.

Australian Open SF - Sharapova d. Kvitova
...6-2/3-6/6-4. Sharapova played the big points far better, converting 5/5 break point attempts while Kvitova was just 3/14. Still, the difference in the match was miniscule. At 4-4 in the 3rd, with Sharapova down love/30, her long shot was overturned via a challenge. She ended up holding serve, then getting the break to win. In the end, Sharapova held an 86-84 advantage in points, with the overturned challenge -- on a point that would have given Kvitova a break point to get the opportunity to serve out the match -- preventing an 85-85 deadlock.

Stuttgart SF - Sharapova d. Kvitova
...6-4/7-6(3). Earlier this spring on red clay, Sharapova once again outdid Kvitova on big points. The Czech was 0/10 on break points until she finally converted BP #11 on MP to force the 2nd set tie-break. She fell down 3-0 there, and Sharapova won the semi and went on to take the title. This loss ended Kvitova's 27-match (31 unofficially) indoor winning streak.

What will the next chapter give us? Probably something good. Like Kanepi, Kvitova is a pretty straightforward player, too. But she's something else entirely. Unlike the Estonian, and most everyone else on tour, even if Sharapova executes her game tomorrow she can STILL be outhit by the Czech (see Wimbledon). As far as Kvitova is concerned, she can't expect her opponent's nerves to fray in the most tense moments of play, unlike with Shvedova today. It was precisely Sharapova's better play in those moments that prevented Kvitova from playing for the AO title in January, and allowed the Russian to kick off her great clay season with a title in Stuttgart, too.

As was the case in their three other meetings since last summer, it'l be a match of strength vs. strength, and the difference between winning and losing might come down to a few spare points.

Mmmmm. Tasty.



=DAY 11 NOTES=
...Sharapova's Final Four berth means that Hordettes have now appeared in 29 of the last 33 slams, including at every Roland Garros since Nadia Petrova accomplished the feat back in 2003.

...AWARDS: Samantha Stosur gets her second RG "Mademoiselle Opportunity" award to go along with the one she claimed two years ago.

...in Doubles, Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci reached the final by winning their 18th straight match, and 26th in a row on clay. They'll both be trying to win their first-ever slam title against a still-to-be-determined team. For a while, it looked as if 2011 RG champs Andrea Hlavackova & Lucie Hradecka were going to get a chance to defend their title, but then Maria Kirilenko & Nadia Petrova came back from a set and a break down to knot the match and send it to a deciding super-tiebreak that will be the first contest up on Chatrier on Day 12. Of note, and truthfully a little surprisingly, neither Kirilenko nor Petrova have even won a slam doubles title, so the chance remains for a final with ALL FOUR players looking for their maiden major crown.

The Mixed final won't feature the intriguing match-up of doubles partners Sania Mirza and Elena Vesina, and THEIR partners, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, former doubles partners who plain don't like each other. The all-Indian pair of Mirza/Bhupathi reached the final, but Vesnina/Paes were upset by Klaudia Jans-Ignacik & Santiago Gonzalez. Gonzalez and Jans-Ignacik have never won a slam title (Jans has never won a doubles title any bigger than a low-level WTA International event, in fact), while Mirza & Bhupathi shared the AO Mixed crown in '09. Overall, Bhupathi has won eleven slam crowns, three in Doubles with Paes and one with Max Mirnyi, and seven Mixed with seven different women, with his first coming all the way back in 1997.

Just in case you were wondering, here are the seven women that Bhupathi has won with: Daniela Hantuchova, Rika Hikari, Martina Hingis, Elena Likhovtseva, Mirza, Mary Pierce and Ai Sugiyama.

...the QF are now set in both singles and doubles junior play. #1-seeded Taylor Townsend (USA), who took nearly three hours to eject Carol Zhao (CAN) the other day, went another 2:00 today without the same successful result, as she lost to Anna Schmiedlova (SVK) 5-7/6-2/6-1. #12 Anett Kontaveit gave Estonian tennis SOMETHING to cheer about today, as she knocked out #7 Eugenie Bouchard (CAN). Both Townsend and Bouchard are still alive in the Girls Doubles QF, though.

Elsewhere, Germany's Antonia Lottner, who upset #4-seed Irina Khromacheva (RUS) the other day, continued her run with a win over Canada's Francoise Abanda to reach the QF.

In Boys play, Czech Adam Pavlasek, Kvitova's boyfriend, is alive in both singles and doubles. He'll face #1 Luke Saville (AUS), the AO Junior champ, next. Saville defeated Pavlasek in the Boys SF in Melbourne. Also, Max De Vroome (NED), brother of girls player Indy, advanced to the QF on Day 11, as well.

...meanwhile, in Wheelchair play, THERE WAS A SHOCKER as the #1-seeded Dutch player lost!!! No, it wasn't Esther Vergeer. Actually, it was #1 Men's seed Maikel Scheffers. Vergeer won her match over Yui Kamiji to reach the singles semis, and also advanced to the doubles final, where she'll go for her 21st slam doubles crown.


=MIDDLE-ROUND AWARDS - 3rd-QF Rounds (Days 6-11)=
TOP PLAYER: Samantha Stosur/AUS
...she's the woman with the most successful RG past still left in the draw, and she's yet to lose a set at this one.
RISERS: Sara Errani/ITA & Dominika Cibulkova/SVK
...combined, they knocked off two former RG champions, the winners of four slams, and the #1 seed. And the Italian next plays another slam champ for the right to face off with a woman who's either won three or one more slam in the final.
SURPRISES: Varvara Lepchenko/USA & Klaudia Jans-Ignacik/POL
...Lepchenko: naturalized, and hoping that loop holes and rules interpretations don't take away the Olympic berth she rightly earned in Paris. Jans-Ignacik: naturally, wondering whether a MIXED DOUBLES title for a Pole will satiate The Radwanska's hunger.
VETERAN: Klara Zakopalova/CZE & Kaia Kanepi/EST
...both matched their career-best slam results, AND left muttering under their breath about how they played against a certain Russian. Hmmm, could they be easy converts for a certain looking-for-recruitments purveyor of mahem?
FRESH FACES Sloane Stephens/USA & Arantxa Rus/NED
...even without an Olympic berth, Stephens could be a true star by the end of the summer. One year after knocking off Clijsters in Paris, Rus had a BETTER tournament this year.
COMEBACK: Yaroslava Shvedova/KAZ
...she didn't become the third qualifier to reach a slam SF in the Open era (and the first in 13 years), but her singles career seems to finally be back on an upward trajectory.
DOWN: Victoria Azarenka/BLR & Li Na/CHN
...the #1 seed and the defending champion didn't last to the Final 8. Now, NEITHER might hold those titles by the end of this weekend.
JUNIOR BREAKOUTS: Antonia Lottner/GER & Anna Schmiedlova/SVK
...hmmm, a German causing havoc in Paris. Not even going to TOUCH that one. Three of the Girls Final 8 have won ITF titles in 2012 -- including Anett Kontaveit & Annika Beck, both of whom have claimed one. Schmiedlova has won four, as many as any other player on the entire circuit, junior eligible or not.

*NOT A MASTERPIECE, but the most dramatic middle-round match*
4th Rd. - #2 Maria Sharapova/RUS d. Klara Zakopalova/CZE 6-4/6-7/6-2
...and The Radwanska sighed.

...LIKES FROM DAY 11:

-- a reason to like the French: the fans were decidedly rooting against Andy Murray early on in his QF match with David Ferrer, one of the more under-appreciated players on either tour and a more "worthy of admiration" FOURTH-best player in the world than the Scot.

...DISLIKES FROM DAY 11:

-- a reason to not like the French: many fans started rooting FOR Murray later in the match, when the prospect of him pushing the contest into a 5th set became possible. Thankfully, those fans didn't get their wish.

...and, finally, I'm not even sure what to say about the nickname Brad Gilbert hung on Kvitova today. Without a pause for dramatic effect, which was necessary just to prepare your eyes, he actually called her "K-Vitty" as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world.

How Chris McKendry kept a straight face when he said it is anyone's else. I surely couldn't.

Hmmm, now the real question: is that one better or worse than BG's "Dickie Gasket" moniker for Richard Gasquet?



*WOMEN'S SINGLES SF*
#6 Samantha Stosur/AUS vs. #21 Sara Errani/ITA
#4 Petra Kvitova/CZE vs. #2 Maria Sharapova/RUS

*MEN'S SINGLES SF*
#1 Novak Djokovic/SRB vs.#3 Roger Federer/SUI
#6 David Ferrer/ESP vs. #2 Rafael Nadal/ESP

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#4 Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA) vs. #7 Kirilenko/Petrova (RUS/RUS) or #5 Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE)

*MEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#1 Mirnyi/Nestor (BLR/CAN) vs. #14 Bracciali/Starace (ITA/ITA)
#10 Qureshi/Rojer (PAK/FRA) vs. #2 Bryan/Bryan (USA/USA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Jans-Ignacik/S.Gonzalez (POL/MEX) vs. #7 Mirza/Bhupathi (IND/IND)

*GIRL'S SINGLES QF*
Anna Schmiedlova/SVK vs. #5 Katerina Siniakova/CZE
Antonia Lottner/GER vs. Clothilde De Bernardi/FRA
#12 Anett Kontaveit/EST vs. #16 Allie Kiick/USA
#9 Chalena Scholl/USA vs. #2 Annika Beck/GER

*BOY'S SINGLES QF*
#1 Luke Saville/AUS vs. #11 Adam Pavlasek/CZE
Noah Rubin/USA vs. #5 Filip Peliwo/CAN
#8 Mitchell Krueger/USA vs. Max De Vroome/NED
#6 Kimmer Coppejans/BEL vs. Kyle Edmund/GBR

*GIRL'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Bouchard/Townsend (CAN/USA) vs. Arcangioli/De Bernardi (FRA/FRA)
#14 Abanda/Vickery (CAN/USA) vs. #6 Gonzalez/Haddad Maia (PAR/BRA)
Bencic/Vajdova (SUI/SVK) vs. Sasnovich/Vekic (BLR/CRO)
Danilina/Kan (KAZ/RUS) vs. #2 Gavrilova/Khromacheva (RUS/RUS)

*BOY'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Broady/Ward-Hibbert (GBR/GBR) vs. Couacaud/Favrot (FRA/FRA)
Kadhe/Panta Herreros (IND/PAR) vs. Harris/Kyrgios (AUS/AUS)
Gomez/Kwiakowski (MEX/USA) vs. Monteiro/Quinzi (BRA/ITA)
#7 Pavlasek/Safranek (CZE/CZE) vs. #2 Milojevic/Ferreira Silva (SRB/POR)




*RG MIDDLE-ROUND TOP PLAYER AWARDS*
2006 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2007 Justine Henin, BEL *
2008 Ana Ivanovic, SRB *
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS *
2010 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2011 Li Na, CHN *
2012 Samantha Stosur, AUS
==
* - won title

*WTA SEMIFINAL LEADERS*
[Career slam SF - active]
20...Serena Williams, USA (17-3)
19...Venus Williams, USA (14-5)
16...Kim Clijsters, BEL (8-8)
14...MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUS (6-7)
6...Jelena Jankovic, SRB (1-5)
5...Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5...Dinara Safina, RUS (3-2)
4...Ana Ivanovic, SRB (3-1)
4...SAMANTHA STOSUR, AUS (2-1)
4...Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4...PETRA KVITOVA, CZE (1-2)
4...Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (1-3)
[2012 WTA SF]
7...Agnieszka Radwanska, POL (3-4)
6...Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-0)
6...MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUS (5-0)
6...Angelique Kerber, GER (2-4)
5...SARA ERRANI, ITA (3-1)
4...PETRA KVITOVA, CZE (0-3)
[2012 WTA SF - by nation ]
13...ITALY
11...RUSSIA
8...Germany
7...Poland, Romania
6...Belarus, CZECH REPUBLIC, France
[2010-12 slam SF]
4...PETRA KVITOVA, CZE (2-1)
4...MARIA SHARAPOVA, RUS (2-1)
3...Serena Williams, USA (3-0)
3...SAMANTHA STOSUR, AUS (2-0)
3...Kim Clijsters, BEL (2-1)
3...Li Na, CHN (2-1)
3...Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-1)
3...Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (0-3)
[2010-12 slam SF - by nation]
8...RUSSIA
4...Belgium, China, CZECH REPUBLIC, United States
3...AUSTRALIA, Denmark, ITALY

*RG "MADEMOISELLE/MADAM OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2004 Anastasia Myskina, RUS & Elena Dementieva, RUS
2005 Mary Pierce, FRA
2006 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2007 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2008 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2009 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2010 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2011 Francesca Schiavone, ITA & Li Na, CHN
2012 Samantha Stosur, AUS

*RUSSIAN RG SEMIFINALISTS, since 2003*
2003 Nadia Petrova
2004 Elena Dementieva (RU), Anastasia Myskina (W)
2005 Elena Likhovtseva, Nadia Petrova
2006 Svetlana Kuznetsova (RU)
2007 Maria Sharapova
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina (RU)
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova (W), Dinara Safina (RU)
2010 Elena Dementieva
2011 Maria Sharapova
2012 Maria Sharapova

*RG WOMEN'S MOST OVERALL WINS - BY NATION*
[through QF]
15-9...RUS (w/ Sharapova)
15-12...USA
10-8...CZE (w/ Kvitova)
9-4...ITA (w/ Errani)
7-5...GER
7-6...ESP
7-12...FRA
6-4...AUS (w/ Stosur)
6-4...CHN

*RG JUNIOR QF - BY NATION*
[girls/boys]
4...United States (2/2)
2...Czech Repubilc (1/1)
2...Germany (2/0)
1...AUS(b),BEL(b),CAN(b),EST(g),FRA(g),GBR(b),NED(b),SVK(g)




TOP QUALIFIER: Kiki Bertens/NED
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Maria Sharapova/RUS
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Samantha Stosur/AUS
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1: #1q Kiki Bertens/NED d. Annika Beck/GER 6-1/4-6/9-7
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Virginie Razzano/FRA d. #5 Serena Williams/USA 4-6/7-6(5)/6-3
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #2 Maria Sharapova/RUS d. Klara Zakopalova/CZE 6-4/6-7/6-2
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST WINNER: #6 Samantha Stosur/AUS (def. Baltacha/GBR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #30 Mona Barthel/GER (lost 1st Rd. to Lauren Davis/USA)
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: France
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Romania (1-5 in 1st Rd; A.Cadantu double-bageled & 18 total points)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Yaroslava Shvedova/KAZ (QF)
LAST WILD CARDS STANDING: Claire Feuerstein/FRA, Melanie Oudin/USA & Irena Pavlovic/FRA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Mathilde Johansson/FRA (3rd Rd.)
IT: Sara Errani/ITA
MADEMOISELLE/MADAM OPPORTUNITY: Samantha Stosur/AUS
COMEBACK PLAYER: Yaroslava Shvedova/KAZ
CRASH & BURN: #5 Serena Williams/USA (lost 1st Rd. to Razzano/FRA; led 6-4 & 5-1 in 2nd set tie-break; was 46-0 in career slam 1st Rd. matches)
ZOMBIE QUEEN: #1 Victoria Azarenka/BLR (came back from down 7-6/4-0, BPs for 5-0, to Brianti/ITA in 1st Rd.; avoided earliest exit ever by RG women's #1 seed)
JOIE DE VIVRE: Virginie Razzano/FRA
DOUBLES STAR Nominees: Errani/Vinci (ITA/ITA), S.Mirza/IND, K.Jans-Ignacik/POL, Kirilenko/Petrova (RUS/RUS)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx




All for Day 11. More tomorrow.