Thursday, June 06, 2019

RG.12- Amanda-Rambled!

For Simona Halep, today had an eerily familiar feel to it. So, while she's publicly declared her intention to remain "positive" in the wake of the end of her reign as the champion of Roland Garros, pardon her if over the next few days she has a spare moment that could reveal something that might be described as a "get off my lawn!" disposition, considering she's now experienced being bossed around by a pair of kids in her own backyard during two of her last three trips to Paris.



Three years ago, a 14-year old Amanda Anisimova was playing in the girls final at Roland Garros. She didn't win it (Rebeka Masarova did), but the next two years she saw Halep play in back-to-back women's finals for the right to kiss the Couple Suzanne Lenglen. The Romanian lived her dream in 2018, winning her first major. But in 2017, well, that was something different. On that final Saturday, Halep was sometimes left a spectator by a just-turned-20 year old Latvian who, as Timea Bacsinszky described (after having lost to her in the semis), "eats pressure" rather than feels it.

*That* was the player the now 17-year old Bannerette channeled on Chatrier court today against the three-time RG finalist, for the New Jersey native knew, just like Alona Ostapenko before her, that she had nothing lose. This RG was, after all, just the fourth slam in which she's appeared in the main draw. Sure, she'd already knocked off three seeded players in those majors and posted Round of 16 and (coming into the day) QF results as bookends surrounding her maiden tour title run (in Bogota) and climb up the rankings into nearly the Top 50, but stressing about the whole thing wasn't going to get her anywhere. She was just going to play, and play hard, and just see how things worked out. It was a winning formula for Ostapenko, who was ranked #47 when she ran away with the women's title two years ago. So why wouldn't it be a fine mental strategy for the current world #51?

Turns out, it was perfect.

With a sleek, untroubled look and demeanor on court, Anismova's game on this (delayed) quarterfinal Thursday was one festooned with smooth groundstrokes that swept the ball from one side of the court to the other, dragging the chasing Halep with it from sideline to sideline and giving her little time to formulate a plan to make it stop. Later, Halep admitted to possibly feeling a bit of the tension in her legs in the moment that Anisimova did not in any part of her body. The combination helped the teenager to be at her best early in the match, and then again later when the most was as stake.

Anisimova took her game to the champ early, breaking her for a 4-2 lead in the 1st set and then staving off a break point one game later. Up love/40 on Halep's serve at 5-2, the U.S. teen officially claimed the set. She won 23 of 27 First Serves in the opening stanza, and only faced that single BP.

Up a break at 3-0 in the 2nd, she seemingly still had all the answers. But she's human, and saw a handful of errors creep into her game with the finish line in sight. After being 0-for-5 on BP chances on the day, Halep made #6 count, getting the break to close to 4-3, the holding to knot the scoreboard at 4-4. The Romanian even held a BP in game #9, but netted a forehand without even being forced to chase down a ball into the sidelines. It angered her (shades of the "old Simona," or simply "new Simona" realizing how important the point was against an opponent who didn't look ready to back down?) and the feeling lingered. Halep immediately fired her return long, and Anisimova, her game now cleaned up again after a minor bit of spillage, got the hold for 5-4 soon after.

Serving to stay in the match, Halep double-faulted to fall down MP at 30/40. Anisimova's backhand down the line -- fittingly, as it was her *most* lethal shot on this day -- ended the match. Anisimova's 6-2/6-4 win propels her into another realm of tennis existence, and one that could grow exponentially larger over the next few days.




Anisimova thus becomes the youngest slam semifinalist since Nicole Vaidisova in 2007 (AO), and the youngest U.S. player to reach the stage since Venus Williams in 1997 (US). She's the youngest Bannerette to get this far in Paris since Jennifer Capriati in 1990. With fellow semifinalist Marketa Vondrousova (18), it's the first time two teens are in the final four in a slam since the 2009 U.S. Open (Wozniacki and "Wick-mayer... yeah, it was the Open of Pam Shriver's on-court interview faux pas), and the first time at Roland Garros since 2001 (Clijsters and Henin).

As Anisimova stands one win from a major final, the Amanda-rama ride *still* hasn't resulted in her losing her first set at this tournament.



Halep will fall to #8 in the rankings, but this was still a good run for her as defending champ.

Though she had a chance to get back into the match in the 2nd set due to Anisimova's lone (and brief) dip in play, there wasn't much Halep could do on her own today to turn things around. As was the case against Ostapenko in the '17 final, the result was simply on the racket of the bigger hitting player, and she just wasn't missing, nor rarely slowing down even a little.

"I feel sad, because every time when I lose, I'm sad," Halep said, noting, "And I'm a little bit upset because I couldn't make my game. I couldn't move normally. I think she played great. I think that I have done everything I could today and this tournament, I'm happy with the result.”

She said she felt nerves "a little bit" and was stressed "because I felt that I'm playing well, and maybe my expectations for myself were big today. Maybe I couldn't handle the tension in my body so I couldn't play my best and I couldn't move at my best level.”



Calling 2019 a "chill" year for her after her dream results of a season ago, Halep said, "I feel okay, and I'm looking forward to a new day tomorrow."

Anisimova, thanks to her greatest performance thus far in a career that could very well have many, will be doing the same thing. Only the stakes will be a lot higher.

Hmmm, I wonder if she'll notice?




=DAY 12 NOTES=
...the other semifinal, naturally played at the same time as Halep/Anisimova, and as early in the day as humanly possible, (maintaining the horrid scheduling at this RG -- threat or rain in the afternoon or no threat of rain in the afternoon -- for pretty much any and everyone who cares but has zero say in things), saw Ash Barty continue to add to her Player of the Year resume.

Against #14 Madison Keys, a semifinalist at RG a year ago, #8 Barty won 6-3/7-5 to make it four straight slams at which she's matched and then improved upon her career best result in a major, making her slam results during the span look like this: 3r-4r-QF-SF (so far).



After wishing for the grass season to get here at the start of the spring, Barty's variety-filled game has actually proven to be a good fit to the surface, and she's slowly but surely learning to adapt to a change in perception. It could change her entire career over the next few days.

So, we have what might have been viewed a short time ago as a "bizarro semifinal" quartet: three first-time slam semifinalists, two teenagers, a Brit and an Aussie who doesn't like clay. They were a combined 3-12 for their careers at Roland Garros before going 20-0 over the last twelve days. None have ever reached a slam final. Thus, as the 2010's began in Paris with first-time finalists Francesca Schiavone and Samantha Stosur facing off for the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen), the decade will end with a similar match-up, culminating with the sixth maiden slam champ being crowned in the ten tournaments held in Paris this decade.

...the doubles semifinals field was completed today, as #6 Elise Mertens (who could still be the doubles #1 after this RG) & Aryna Sabalenka defeated Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko.

The mixed final will feature #2 Gaby Dabrowski & Mate Pavic against defending champs Latisha Chan & Ivan Dodig, who defeated #1-seeds Nicole Melichar & Bruno Soares today. The last repeat Roland Garros MX champs were Margaret Court & Ken Fletcher, who won three straight between 1963-65, before the start of the Open era. The most recent successful title defense at the slam level was the 1986-87 Wimbledon run from the brother/sister pair of Cyril & Helena Sukova.

...meanwhile, the juniors action was heavy (with some players going twice in singles *and* throwing in some doubles, too). Thus, the Round of 16 field shrunk to the semifinal four, with five seeds falling over the course of the day. In the end, #1 Leylah Annie Fernandez survived (dominated, actually, losing just two games in her two matches), and will face #3 Maria Camila Osorio Serrano for a spot in the final. Canadian LAF was runner-up to Clara Tauson in the AO girls final in January, while Columbia's MCOS reached the semis at the U.S. Open last year.

The other semi will pit #8 Emma Navarro (USA) against #5 Zheng Qinwen (CHN).

A Navarro title run would make it three straight years of Bannerettes winning in Paris (following Whitney Osuigwe and Coco Gauff in the last Roland Garros competitions). Zheng is trying to make it two Chinese champs in the last three slams, following in Wang Xiyu's footsteps from the U.S. Open. The last Canadian junior slam champ was Genie Bouchard in 2012 (Wimbledon), while the most recent South American winner was Argentina's Maria Emilia Salerni winning both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2000. No Colombian has ever won.




...wheelchair singles play began today, with #1 Diede de Groot (def. KG Montjane) and #2 Yui Kamiji (def. Giulia Capocci) moving a round closer to their third straight slam final match-up, the sixth in the last seven majors. De Groot will face countrywoman Aniek Van Koot (or "Aniet," as she was listed on the RG draw cards yesterday) in the semis, while Kamiji gets yet another Dutch player, Marjolein Buis.







...LIKE ON DAY 12:



Steve Weissman, though maybe sometimes a tad bit *over* enthusiastic at times, has been a good addition to the TC set.

...SOMEWHERE ON THE GROUNDS OF ROLAND GARROS ON DAY 12: Aryna Sabalenka saw that Halep/Anisimova score and thought, "See, it wasn't just about me."

...TRY AND FAKE IT ON DAY 12: I'm SHOCKED -- SHOCKED! -- that the women's semifinals won't be played on the tournament's biggest court. Why, who has ever heard of- ... yeah, it's just not worth it.



...LIKE ON DAY 12: Beep-beep.

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=WOMEN'S SINGLES SF=
#8 Ash Barty/AUS vs. Amanda Anisimova/USA
#26 Johanna Konta/GBR vs. Marketa Vondrousova/CZE

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF=
#15 Flipkens/Larsson (BEL/SWE) vs. Duan/Sai.Zheng (CHN/CHN)
#6 Mertens/Sabalenka (BEL/BLR) vs. #2 Babos/Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
L.Chan/Dodig (TPE/CRO) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Pavic (CAN/CRO)

=GIRLS SINGLES QF=
#1 Leylah Annie Fernandez/CAN def. Elsa Jacquemot/FRA
#3 Maria Camila Osorio Serrano/COL def. #11 Anna Charaeva/RUS
#5 Zheng Qinwen/CHN vs. (LL) Caijsa Wilda Hennemann/SWE
#8 Emma Navarro/USA vs. Daria Snigur/UKR

=GIRLS DOUBLES QF=
#1 Kawaguchi/Parry (JPN/FRA) vs. #5 H.Black/L.Ma (USA/USA)
#4 Charaeva/Tikhonova (RUS/RUS) vs. #6 Bartone/Selekmeteva (LAT/RUS)
Beck/Navarro (USA/USA) vs. Pachkaleva/Q.Zheng (RUS/CHN)
#7 Nagy/S.Park (HUN/KOR) vs. Nahimana/HYC Wong (BDI/HKG)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES SF=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Aniek Van Koot/NED
Marjolein Buis/NED vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES=
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Capocci/Kamiji (ITA/JPN)
Famin/Montjane (FRA/RSA) vs. #2 Buis/Ellerbrock (NED/GER)
















*FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS SINCE 2013*
=2013=
AO: Sloane Stephens/USA
RG: -
WI: Kirsten Flipkens/BEL
US: Flavia Pennetta/ITA
=2014=
AO: Genie Bouchard/CAN
RG: Simona Halep/ROU (RU), Andrea Petkovic/GER
WI: Lucie Safarova/CZE
US: Ekatarina Makarova/RUS, Peng Shuai/CHN
=2015=
AO: Madison Keys/USA
RG: Timea Bacsinszky/SUI
WI: Garbine Muguruza/ESP (RU)
US: Roberta Vinci/ITA (RU)
=2016=
AO: Johanna Konta/GBR
RG: Kiki Bertens/NED
WI: Elena Vesnina/RUS
US: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (RU)
=2017=
AO: CoCo Vandeweghe/USA
RG: Alona Ostapenko/LAT (W)
WI: Magdalena Rybarikova/SVK
US: -
=2018=
AO: Elise Mertens/BEL
RG: -
WI: Julia Goerges/GER
US: Naomi Osaka/JPN (W), Anastasija Sevastova/LAT
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins/USA
RG: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Ash Barty/AUS, Marketa Vondrousova/CZE

*MOST WTA SF in 2019*
5 - Kiki Bertens, NED (2-3)
4 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (4-0)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (3-1)
3 - ASH BARTY, AUS (2-0)
3 - JOHANNA KONTA, GBR (2-0)
3 - MARKETA VONDROUSOVA, CZE (2-0)
3 - Bianca Andreescu, CAN (2-1)
3 - Simona Halep, ROU (2-1)
3 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (1-2)
3 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (1-1+L)
3 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (1-2)
3 - Angelique Kerber, GER (1-2)
3 - Donna Vekic, CRO (1-2)
3 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-3)

*GRAND SLAM SF - 2010-19*
19...Serena Williams (17-2)
10...Maria Sharapova (6-4)
7...Angelique Kerber (4-3)
7...Victoria Azarenka (4-3)
6...Simona Halep (4-2)
6...Li Na -ret. (4-2)
6...Petra Kvitova (3-3)
6...Caroline Wozniacki (2-4)
5...Venus Williams (2-3)
5...Aga Radwanska - ret. (1-4)
4...Garbine Muguruza (3-1)
4...Samantha Stosur (2-2)
4...Madison Keys (1-3)
3...Kim Clijsters (2-1)
3...Sloane Stephens (2-1)
3...Vera Zvonareva (2-1)
3...Genie Bouchard (1-2)
3...Sara Errani (1-2)
3...Karolina Pliskova (1-2)
3...JOHANNA KONTA (0-2)

*GRAND SLAM SF - ACTIVE CAREER*
36...Serena Williams (31-5)
23...Venus Williams (16-7)
20...Maria Sharapova (10-10)
7...Angelique Kerber (4-3)
7...Victoria Azarenka (4-3)
7...Caroline Wozniacki (3-4)
6...Simona Halep (4-2)
6...Petra Kvitova (3-3)
-
ALSO: Jankovic (1-5)

*MULTIPLE UNSEEDED IN SLAM SF (OPEN ERA)*
[3]
1978 Australian - C.O'Neil,D.Evers,C.Matison
1976 R.Garros - R.Tomanova,F.Mihai,V.Ruzici
[2]
2019 R.Garros - Anisimova, Vondrousova
2017 Australian - Lucic-Baroni,Vandeweghe
2010 Wimbledon - Kvitova,Pironkova
2010 Australian - Henin(WC),Zheng
2009 US Open - Clijsters(WC),Wickmayer
1999 Wimbledon - Stevenson(Q),Lucic
1994 Wimbledon - McNeil,G.Fernandez
1983 R.Garros - Jauvosec,Durie
1975 Australian - Chmyreva,S.Barker
1971 Australian - L.Hunt,W.Shaw
1971 R.Garros - M.Schaar,H.Gourlay

*ACTIVE PLAYERS WITH EXACTLY ONE SLAM SF*
AMANDA ANISIMOVA, USA
ASH BARTY, AUS
Kiki Bertens, NED
Danielle Collins, USA
Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
Julia Goerges, GER
Elise Mertens, BEL
Peng Shuai, CHN
Andrea Petkovic, GER
Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
Anastasija Sevastova, LAT
Elena Vesnina, RUS
MARKETA VONDROUSOVA, CZE
Yanina Wickmayer, BEL

*LOW-SEEDED RG SEMIFINALISTS - since 2010*
unseeded...Kiki Bertens, 2016
unseeded...Alona Ostapenko, 2017 (W)
unseeded...AMANDA ANISIMOVA, 2019
unseeded...MARKETA VONDROUSOVA, 2019
#30...Timea Bacsinszky, 2017
#28...Andrea Petkovic, 2014
#26...JOHANNA KONTA, 2019
#23...Timea Bacsinszky, 2015
#21...Sara Errani, 2012 (RU)
#21...Samantha Stosur, 2016
#18...Genie Bouchard, 2014
#17...Francesca Schiavone, 2010 (W)
#13...Madison Keys, 2018
#13...Lucie Safarova, 2015 (RU)
#11...Marion Bartoli, 2011

*UNSEEDED RG FINALISTS IN OPEN ERA*
1971 Helen Gourlay, AUS
1976 Renata Tomanova, TCH
1977 Florenta Mihal, ROU
1983 Mima Jausovec, YUG
2017 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (W)
-
TO PLAY: Anisimova, Vondrousova

*RG "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2007 Patty Schnyder, SUI
2008 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2009 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2010 Kimiko Date-Krumm, JPN
2011 Casey Dellacqua, AUS
2012 Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ
2013 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2014 Andrea Petkovic, GER
2015 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2016 Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
2017 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2018 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2019 Johanna Konta, GBR

*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
2013 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2014 Simona Halep, ROU
2015 Timea Bacsinszky, SUI & Alison Van Uytvanck, BEL
2016 Kiki Bertens, NED & Shelby Rogers, USA
2017 Simona Halep, ROU & Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2018 Simona Halep, ROU
2019 Ash Barty, AUS
-
NOTE: D.de Groot or Y.Kamiji could still win share of award

*RG "IT" WINNERS*
2006 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2007 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2008 Dinara Safina, RUS
2009 Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
2010 Ons Jabeur, TUN (Jr.)
2011 Caroline Garcia, FRA
2012 Sara Errani, ITA
2013 [post-Vergeer WC champ] Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
2014 [Spaniard] Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2015 [Swarmette] Andreea Mitu, ROU
2016 [Turk] Cagla Buyukakcay, TUR
2017 [Teen] Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2018 [NextGen Hordette] Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
2019 [GenPDQ Teens] Amanda Anisimova/USA, Iga Swiatek/POL, Marketa Vondrousova/CZE

*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS*
=2011=
AO: Venus Williams (3rd)
RG: Vania King & Bethanie Mattek-Sands (3rd)
WI: Serena Williams (4th)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2012=
AO: Serena Williams (4th)
RG: Sloane Stephens (4th) & Varvara Lepchenko (4th)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2013=
AO: Sloane Stephens (SF)
RG: Serena Williams (W)
WI: Sloane Stephens (QF)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2014=
AO: Sloane Stephens & Serena Williams (4th)
RG: Sloane Stephens (4th)
WI: L.Davis, M.Keys, A.Riske, S.Williams, V.Williams (3rd)
US: Serena Williams (W)
=2015=
AO: Serena Williams (W)
RG: Serena Williams (W)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (SF)
=2016=
AO: Serena Williams (RU)
RG: Serena Williams (RU)
WI: Serena Williams (W)
US: Serena Williams (SF)
=2017=
AO: Serena Williams (W)
RG: Venus Williams (4th)
WI: Venus Williams (RU)
US: Sloane Stephens (W)
=2018=
AO: Madison Keys (QF)
RG: Sloane Stephens (RU)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins (SF)
RG: Amanda Anisimova (in SF)

*RECENT TEEN SLAM CHAMPIONS*
1997 Australian Open - Martina Hingis (16)*
1997 Roland Garros - Iva Majoli (19)*
1997 Wimbledon - Martina Hingis (16)
1997 U.S. Open - Martina Hingis (16)
1998 Australian Open - Martina Hingis (17)
1999 Australian Open - Martina Hingis (18)
1999 U.S. Open - Serena Williams (17)*
2004 Wimbledon - Maria Sharapova (17)*
2004 U.S. Open - Svetlana Kuznetsova (19)*
2006 U.S. Open - Maria Sharapova (19)
--
* - first-time champion
--
NOTE: Ostapenko was 20y,2d when won '17 RG
--
STILL IN DRAW: Anisimova (17), Vondrousova (19)

*RG MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF) TOP PLAYER AWARDS*
=[w/ final result]=
2006 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE [SF]
2007 Justine Henin, BEL [W]
2008 Ana Ivanovic, SRB [W]
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS [W]
2010 Samantha Stosur, AUS [RU]
2011 Li Na, CHN [W]
2012 Samantha Stosur, AUS [SF]
2013 Serena Williams, USA [W]
2014 Genie Bouchard, CAN [SF]
2015 Lucie Safarova, CZE [RU]
2016 Serena Williams, USA [RU]
2017 Simona Halep, ROU [RU]
2018 Garbine Muguruza, ESP [SF]
2019 Johanna Konta, GBR
==
* - won title




TOP QUALIFIER: #22q Elena Rybakina/KAZ
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Karolina Pliskova/CZE
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #26 Johanna Konta/GBR
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3: #1q Bernarda Pera/USA def. #21q Kaja Juvan/SLO 6-4/1-6/7-6(1) [Juvan up break three times in 3rd, served at 5-4]
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #1 Naomi Osaka/JPN def. Victoria Azarenka/BLR 4-6/7-5/6-3 (down 6-4/4-2, BP for 5-2)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #12 Anastasija Sevastova/LAT def. Elise Mertens/BEL 6-7(3)/6-4/11-9 (saved 5 MP; 3:18)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #31 Petra Martic/CRO (def. Jabeur/TUN)
FIRST SEED OUT: #5 Angelique Kerber/GER (1st Rd./Potapova)
UPSET QUEENS: Russia
REVELATION LADIES: Russia
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Italy (0-2, none in RG 2nd Round for first time since 1982)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Aliona Bolsova/ESP (4th Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Lauren Davis/USA, Priscilla Hon/AUS, Diane Parry/FRA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Carolina Garcia, Krisinta Mladenovic & Diane Parry (all 2nd Rd.)
MADEMOISELLE OPPORTUNITY: Ash Barty/AUS [NOTE: de Groot or Kamiji could also be honored]
IT "??": Generation PDQ Teens (Amanda Anisimova/USA, Iga Swiatek/POL and Marketa Vondrousova/CZE)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Johanna Konta/GBR
CRASH & BURN: Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1st Rd.; zero RG wins before/after '17 title)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Anna Blinkova/RUS (Q2: trailed 6-3/3-1 vs. Kalinina; Q3: trailed Glushko 3-0 in 3rd; 1st Rd.: trailed Gaspayarn 4-0 in 3rd; 2nd Rd.: trailed Garcia 3-0 in 3rd)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Mladenovic, Babos/Mladenovic, Mertens/Sabalenka, L.Chan
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: L.Chan, Flipkens, Buis
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominee: Osorio Serrano, Navarro, Q.Zheng, Parry (young MD winner since '09)
Légion de Lenglen HONOREE: Court Simonne-Mathieu
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Simona Halep/ROU (awarded on LPT Day/June 1, Henin's birthday)





All for Day 12. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 4:22 PM 

4 Comments:

Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Pretty good timing, as it's turned out: the 2017 Decade's Best will be posted this evening. ;)

Thu Jun 06, 05:02:00 PM EDT  
Blogger colt13 said...

Anisimova/Halep felt like Osaka/Halep at IW last year. Halep didn't even play bad, but spent half the time in the doubles alley, and that is bad news for her. Also means Anisimova should be a bad matchup for Barty, if her nerves don't betray her.

Larsson would be the first Swedish woman to win a doubles slam.

Stat of the Day- 9- Total number of WTA titles combined for the Final Four.

4-Barty
3-Konta
1-Vondrousova
1-Anisimova

The neophyte Anisimova is the only one with a clay title.

Being that this is the numbers edition, let's get to it, because these numbers are a lot different that the 2017 Australian, which had veterans Serena, Venus, Coco, and Mirjana.

Ostapenko may have blown up the model, but the four supposedly unlikely Semifinalists all fit the old pattern on how to pick a winner.

1.Pick a player with a clay title that season-Anisimova.
2.Pick a player with a clay final that season-Vondrousova, Konta.
3.Pick a player with a title that season-Barty.

When I made the joke about Miami playing like a clay court, should be noted that the singles and doubles champions are still alive, plus another former winner in Konta.

Miami Career records:
Konta 12-3
Barty 9-2
Vondrousova 4-2
Anisimova 2-3

H2H
3-1 Barty leads Konta
2-0 Barty leads Vondrousova
1-1 Konta ties Vondrousova, Konta leads 1-0 on clay

Anisimova 0-0 vs all three.

Clay Record last 3 Years:
36-9 Vondrousova*
26-8 Anisimova*
21-10 Barty
18-11 Konta

25-8 Vondrousova WTA only
12-5 Anisimova WTA only

Last year, Halep had the big numbers and won, so Vondrousova should have an edge. One of the reasons Anisimova's numbers are so low is that due to injury, she missed the clay season last year. Also grass.

Vondrousova would be the first Czech to win here since Mandlikova in 1981, first at any slam since Kvitova, Wimbledon 2014.

Konta would be the first Brit to win here since barker in 1976, first at any slam since Wade, Wimbledon 1977.

Barty would be the first Aussie to win here since Court in 1973, first at any slam since Stosur, USO 2011.

Anisimova would be the first US to win here since S.Williams in 2015, first at any slam since Stephens, USO 2017.

Top 10 Wins-Last 3 years:
13-Konta- 3 on clay
10-Barty- All 10 on hard
2-Anisimova- 1 on clay(Halep)
2-Vondrousova- 1 on clay(Halep)

Normally, you would dismiss the 17 yr old, as the Vaidisova, Lucic types normally don't make the final, but the matchups seem to say youth. Even though Konta has a win over Vondrousova, Martic should have been a tougher matchup for her than anybody left. Thinking Vondrousova over Anisimova in the final, but this is a golden opportunity for all four.



Thu Jun 06, 05:08:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Diane said...

I think Konta is a bit of a wild card here. She returned from her slump with the serve from hell (she must have seen that movie, The Education of Angie Kerber, in which the protagonist actually travels about and learns to overcome her flaws) and is now to be feared.

Thu Jun 06, 05:30:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

C-
Didn't realize that about Larsson. For some reason I would have thought there had been one, though I don't know who it would have been.

The near-disintegration of Swedish tennis is one of those "what happened?" mysteries in the sport. How do you go from an era with Borg, Edberg and Wilander to now virtually nothing of note? Soderling was potentially a game changer (see Rafa at RG), but he, too, dropped off the face of the earth after getting sick.

One of these days someone is going to do a documentary (maybe a 30-for-30 like thing for TC?) about him where they posit the theory that he was actually just a myth and never really existed at all in our reality. :D

D-
That Konta has now made the semis at three of the four majors (the same as Kerber) is the sort of thing that sneaks up on you.

Thu Jun 06, 08:49:00 PM EDT  

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