US.3 - Open Interruptus

Well, it looks like it'll be another two-post day at the Open. Not necessarily because of the matches, but because of the lack of them during the course of the day.

Yes, Mother Nature has now intruded onto two of the first three days at this slam.



=DAY 3 NOTES=
...there were a few matches completed before the rain began to play havoc with the schedule (see, a little forethought in the past and we wouldn't have to wait a few more seasons before they get some roofs at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center). In all, four women's matches were completed in the early going of Day 3.

Li Na took out Sofia Arvidsson, and Carla Suarez-Navarro defeated Coco Vandweghe.

And -- wouldn't you know it -- a Radwanska got her match finished before the rains came (while her sister is still scheduled to play later tonight, so she's hasn't been inconvenienced, either). Hmmm. Well, speaking of the older sister...

Try as she might, #3-seed Aga Radwanska wasn't able to duplicate either Serena Williams or Vika Azarenka's nearly-successful and on-target, respectively, quests for double-bagel wins at this Open. She won the 1st set at love against Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor, but then lost her serve to open the 2nd. A-Rad led 5-3 before things got a bit sticky, as the Spaniard saved two match points and served to push things to a 2nd set tie-break. It didn't happen, though, as Radwanska finished her off 6-0/7-5.

So Aga was off for the rest of the day, and didn't have to pace around the locker room wondering if she'd get back on the court.

(Biting my nails now.)

...in wild card news, WC Ashleigh Barty fell to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, leaving Americans Sachia Vickery and Alison Riske to still play their 2nd Rounders, with a shot to end up the Last Wild Card Standing when they hit the court on Day 4 (well, maybe).

...LIKE FROM DAY 3:

-- umm, not much so far. Watching those mechanical contraptions, squeegees and towel persons try to dry courts isn't exactly a sight for sore eyes.

...DISLIKE FROM DAY 3 (eventually... I'm sure of it):

-- when ESPN2 came on the air today, there was Hannah Storm on the set... with L.C. Granderson! Noooooooo!!!!! This combination cannot be allowed to happen. It might just be an early sign of the (latest) coming apocalypse. I'm SURE the Mayans must have mentioned something about this at some point, right?

...and, finally, as ESPN2 is now running a video about Arthur Ashe, it looks like I'll be back later once some actual matches worth talking about have taken place.

And maybe the weather in Washington won't rain out Stephen Strasburg's latest start for the Nationals tonight, either.

We'll see... on all fronts.




*BACKSPIN 2013 SURPRISE-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS*
[Monthly/Quarterly winners]
JAN: Maria Joao Koehler, POR
FEB: Paula Ormaechea, ARG
MAR: Reka-Luca Jani, HUN
1Q=PAULA ORMAECHEA, ARG
APR: Stefanie Voegele, SUI
MAY: Romina Oprandi, SUI
2Q/CC=STEFANIE VOEGELE, SUI
JUN: Ashleigh Barty/Casey Dellacqua, AUS/AUS
2Q/GC=KARIN KNAPP, ITA
JUL: Lisa-Maria Moser, AUT
AUG: Reka-Luca Jani, HUN
[2013 Weekly Surprise Award Wins]
5...Paula Ormaechea, ARG
4...Silvia Soler-Espinosa, ESP
2...Ashleigh Barty/Casey Dellacqua, AUS/AUS
2...Jarmila Gajdosova, AUS
2...Romina Oprandi, SUI
2...Stefanie Voegele, SUI




TOP QUALIFIER: Michelle Larcher de Brito/POR
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3: Chanel Simmonds/RSA d. (WC) Taylor Townsend/USA 2-6/6-2/7-5
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF/Doub.): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
TOP ASHE NIGHT SESSION MATCH: xx
=============================
FIRST WINNER: Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP (def. Davis/USA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Magdalena Rybarikova/SVK (lost to LL Mayr-Achleitner/AUT)
UPSET QUEENS: xx
REVELATION LADIES: xx
NATION OF POOR SOULS: xx
CRASH & BURN: #11 Sam Stosur/AUS - '11 champ, lost 1st Rd. to Duval/USA, 17-yr. old qualifier in second career slam match
ZOMBIE QUEEN: Nominees: #15 Stephens/USA def. Minella/LUX after being down break at 4-2 in 3rd; (Q) Duval/USA down set and 4-2 vs. Stosur/AUS in 1st Rd.
AMG SLAM FUTILITY UPDATE: lost 1st Rd. to Mladenovic/FRA, once again failing to reach a slam QF in her career (so Anna Smashnova still has a buddy)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: 2nd Rd. wins: six still to play
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: In 2nd Rd.: Barty/AUS (L), Riske/USA, Vickery/USA
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: 2nd Rd. wins: nine still to play
IT: Nominee: V.Duval/USA
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: xx
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Kleybanova/RUS - first slam win/appearance since AO '11, prior to Hodgkin's diagnosis; A.Wozniak/CAN
BROADWAY-BOUND: xx
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominee: V.Duval/USA
DOUBLES STAR xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx




All for now. More soon.