Tuesday, July 02, 2019

W.2- The Queen of Cool

Make way for the new Queen of Cool?



Well, at least for now, it *seems* that way.

It hasn't even been a full month since Ash Barty was crowned a grand slam champion, and less than two weeks since she rose to #1. And while it's still a little "different" to see her name atop the WTA rankings (hey, at least *you* probably heard about it when it happened... which is more than Serena could say a few days ago, which is, like, either the greatest or the most unintentionally disrespectful thing ever -- I think which one it is depends on the direction of the wind after tossing a few blades of grass into the air), as of today it *does* feel right. I suppose we can thank Naomi O., by means of comparison both on and off court, for removing any remaining scintilla of doubt yesterday.

As the #1 seed, playing in her first match as the new #1, in the first match up on Court 1 on Day 2 (awwl, I guess *everything* can't line up perfectly), Barty took to the lawn to take the first steps in righting a rather odd personal "wrong" at the All-England Club. After years of viewing the clay court season as a necessary bridge to cross en route to her chosen destination (so I guess lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen was akin to finding a cache of priceless diamonds while out taking an afternoon hike), she now has some work to do, for while the Aussie has never been shy about professing her love for grass court tennis, her increasing success in the majors over the past year -- thanks to 4r-QF-W results at the last three -- has managed to make Wimbledon the "worst" slam for the 2011 SW19 girls champ. The best she's done in London is her 3rd Round finish from a year ago, which at the time was actually tied for her *best* major result.

My, what a difference a year can make.

Dressed in a modified (but still predominantly-white) version of the "candy striper" Fila outfit she wore in Melbourne earlier this year (essentially, the pink stripes are replaced by pink trim), Barty faced off with China's Zheng Saisai. After Barty got out to a break lead at 3-0, Zheng tightened the set to 3-3. At 4-4, Barty found herself challenged on serve, coming within two points (at 30/30 and deuce) of seeing Zheng get the opportunity to serve out the set. The Aussie came into the day having won fourteen straight sets dating back to her Roland Garros title run, with a 1st set semifinal tie-break loss to Amanda Anisimova (in a set which Barty had been dominating) being her only dropped stanza in her last eighteen.

But Barty kept her cool, employed her array of slices and well-timed moves of aggression to put pressure on Zheng at just the right time to make her crack. After controlling a slice-heavy rally, Barty came in to the net behind a particularly well-angled groundstroke and elicited the error that got the hold for 5-4. The moment seemed to take the wind out of Zheng's sails. Barty broke at love to win a 6-4 1st.

After what had been a mostly tight 1st set on the scoreboard, the 2nd was close to routine. In workwomanlike fashion, the Aussie went about her business as Zheng's game receded. On serve, especially, it was as if Barty was just having a leisurely hit with an athletic pal, working on all the shots she was going to utilize in her *actual* match a little bit later. After breaking Zheng for 2-0 in a three-deuce game, Barty won 12 of 13 points on serve in her next two service games (16/18 in the set) to lead 5-2, then closed things out with a break, finishing the day with a volley winner to win 6-4/6-2.



The win is her 13th straight, officially moving her into sole possession of the top spot on the season's long winning streak list. So... one more check in the column of what has been "The Year of Barty." Of course, there are still quite a few potential "gets" to be had.

For example, the only player to win back-to-back titles in Paris and London since the turn of the century? Serena Williams, in 2002 and '15. Sure, Ash *could* do that. The last woman to win a major in which they were the #1 seed for the first time in their career? Justine Henin in 2004. Until it's proven otherwise, Ash could do that, too.

Of course, things could change (we've been fooled before, after all). But, as of today, Barty wears the #1 ranking quite well, thank you very much, and (theoretically) nothing is out of reach. It appears as if taking a mental sabbatical to get her priorities and perspectives straight, and then returning to the sport as more of an actual adult (while still a teenager) than she had been when she left (as a still-formulating teenager, though one with enough presence of mind to recognize that she needed to take a step back before moving forward) has set her up well for sustained success at the top of the sport.

Cool is as cool does, after all.




=DAY 2 NOTES=
...while Barty was winning on Court 1, defending champ Angelique Kerber was doing so in the traditional Day 2 slot on Centre Court reserved for the previous year's Ladies champion.



For a while, countrywoman Tatjana Maria stayed even with Kerber, as the two were tied 4-4 in the 1st. But once Kerber broke to take a 5-4 lead, she took control for a 6-4/6-3 win, her eighth straight at Wimbledon and her 17th in her last 21 grass court matches.

The last non-Williams to win back-to-back titles at the All-England Club? Kerber's fellow German Steffi Graf in 1995-96. Since then, Serena has done it three times, and Venus twice.

...of course, there was the *other* side of the results coin, as well.

Naturally, *that* involved former SW19 champ Garbine Muguruza.

Against Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia, Muguruza consistently faltered when it was most important to stand up to the pressure. She held a break lead early in the 1st, but Haddad got things even at 4-4, and soon broke to take the set 6-4. The 2nd was tight throughout, then Muguruza again was broken to end things, losing 6-4/6-4.



If Barty is "The Queen of Cool," Muguruza is the antithesis of such. When she's "cool" it's the exception rather than the rule. The #26 seed here, obscenely low for player of her caliber, she has a career Wimbledon results line that looks like this: 2r-1r-F-2r-W-2r-1r.

Could something be more "oh-so-Mugu" than that?

Meanwhile...

"Seasons don't fear the Reaper...Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain."


Maria Sharapova didn't fear The Rad, but her tennis future might well look out for The Tennis Reaper. After all, it is and forever will remain undefeated.



While it's a misnomer that Sharapova's post-suspension time on tour has been a disaster, as she's won a title, clocked five Top 10 wins and reached a slam QF and three other Round of 16 stages (two in the past year), it seems as if she's spent far *more* time getting injured, recovering from an injury and losing matches because of issues with injury. Today she covered two of those in a single match against Pauline Parmentier.

Sharapova led the Pastry 6-4/5-3 and had a chance to serve out the match, but what resulted were DF's, a key service break, a medical time out for a forearm/wrist injury, and then a long, slow creep toward an eventual retirement at 4-6/7-6(4)/5-0 that sends her out of the 1st Round at Wimbledon for a second straight year. The All-England Club long ago ceased to be the site of the slam at which Sharapova is at her best, or will be best remembered (save for that one glorious run a decade and a half ago), but it's still concerning to see her seemingly-constant stop-and-start comeback attempts. And when they occur on the grounds of the tournament where first made her name, it somewhat distorts the image of what she once was there without leaving open an easy road to what she might be able to be before she finally brings down the curtain on this part of her life.

You wonder if it's even possible for her to have one more big slam run in her, though the notion that she still could is likely why she's still out there trying to catch lightning in a bottle for (maybe) one final time.



Two seasons ago, Sharapova's fellow Hordette, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova put up her second slam QF result in less than a year in Melbourne, completing a Career QF Slam at the four majors since she reached her first two back in 2011. Today she fell very routinely to #13 Belinda Bencic, 6-2/6-3.

Immediately after that AO quarterfinal run, the Russian posted 2r-1r-1r-2r-2r-1r-1r results in majors. Rather than using the '17 result as a springboard, it served as the high point of a rollercoaster ride leading into a *big* dip. She reached the QF again in Melbourne this past January. Naturally, Pavlyuchenkova had to "even things out" after that... so, back-to-back 1st Round slam exits have come since.

Still with twelve career titles, Pavlyuchenkova -- without a win in '19 -- is one away from joining Elina Svitolina as the only two players in tour history with 13+ while having never reached a slam semifinal. I mean, if there's a list that Pavlyuchenkova was born to be on, *that* is it. Come on, Anastasia, let's get #13.

2014 finalist Genie Bouchard has never been quite the same... (take your pick)... either after she was demolished by Petra Kvitova in the SW19 title match, or since her slip-and-concussion-and-lawuit-fight at the U.S. Open the following year.

It says something about the diminished expectations that Bouchard loss today to Tamara Zidansek can *almost* been seen as a positive because she showed good comeback fight and *nearly* won, even while also faltering in the closing games of a 6-3/5-7/8-6 defeat.

The match featured 19 breaks of serve, and Zidansek twice held a double-break lead, at 3-0 in the 2nd and 4-1 in the 3rd. But Bouchard battled back to force a 3rd, where she led 6-5, 30/15 at one point. In the end, though, the Slovenian swept the final three games, holding a 109-107 points edge at the final whistle.

It's Bouchard's sixth straight defeat (she hasn't won since February in Dubai). Still the Canadian #2, the distance her and Canadian #1 Bianca Andreescu is more like a gulf despite both being in the Top 80 (BA #25, EB #79 coming into SW19). The Indian Wells champ has played just one match since the end of March, but she's still got more wins than Bouchard over the same period.

Another Slovenian, 18-year old Kaja Juvan, who finally learned how to escape a pickle in the qualifying rounds (after squandering a few leads in recent weeks), posted her first career slam MD win on Tuesday over Kristyna Pliskova. After the Czech pushed things to a 3rd set, Juvan broke to start the set. Serving for the match at 5-4, she finished off Pliskova with an ace on MP. It gave her seven aces on the day, the same number as Pliskova, the only player in tour history with three matches with 23+ aces in her career (including the all-time mark of 31 three years ago at the AO, and 24 vs. her twin Karolina in Birmingham in June).



The 6-4/2-6/6-4 win isn't *totally* a "Player Whose Name You'll Know..." solidifying result, but it's surely a big moment along the way. Juvan will play another tennis sister in the 2nd Round. Someone named Serena.

...elsewhere, Svetlana Kuznetsova, one of several former slam champs unseeded at this Wimbledon (Vika, Venus, Sharapova, Stosur...) was taken out of SW19 in the 1st Round of a second straight year (and in her fifth straight appearance in a major, after having sixth such losses in 46-slam stretch prior to that), falling to Alyson Van Uytvanck 6-4/4-6/6-2.

Hmmm, today was something of an "Alternate Rad Day," with former slam winners Sharapova, Muguruza, Stosur *and* Kuznetsova (and former finalist Bouchard, too) all going out.

#9 Sloane Stephens posted her first Wimbledon win since 2016 (def. Timea Bacsinszky), while British wild card Harriet Dart record her first career slam MD win with a victory over Christina McHale.



Dart's win, combined with those of Heather Watson (Day 1) and #26 Johanna Konta today has produced one of the best opening round SW19 performances by the home nation in quite a while. And that was with Katie Boulter M.I.A., too. Well, that's not *totally* true. She was pallin' around with a Duchess on the tournament grounds today (see below).

Lauren Davis, with her defeat of Kateryna Kozlova, became the second lucky loser to post a 1st Round win.

...and, of course, the two faces of Wimbledon in the 2010's were also in action on this Day 2, as #11 Serena Williams and #6 Petra Kvitova played and won in their first matches since Roland Garros.



Kvitova, who remained the draw after battling an arm injury, prevailed 4 & 2 over Ons Jabeur, who at least was able to play this week after having to withdraw from the Eastbourne semis after injuring her ankle. Williams defeated qualifier Giulia Gatto-Monticone in an up and down performance, as she took a quick 5-0 lead, lost concentration for a few games, then got through a tight 2nd set, closing it out with a flourish to avoid having to go three. Though, at this point, match play is as much *her* friend as it might be quite the opposite for everyone else in the draw should she round into the sort of form she's shown in this event in the past.







ROYAL WATCH ON DAY 2:





MIXED DOUBLES NEWS ON DAY 2: Does it come with a signed agreement that, umm, *someone* won't pull out of the competition three-quarters of the way through the event? Because, you know, that's been known to happen. Just askin'.




UNSUNG HEROES ON DAY 2: Imogen and Rufus




LIKE ON DAY 2: Conchita, still waiting on that Hall of Fame call.



Garbi should have never let her get away to Pliskova, either.


COMPARISONS... ON DAY 2: Naomi Osaka should take note. Sometimes you have to swallow hard and just do it.





COMPARISONS, Pt.2... ON DAY 2:



Well, obviously, Pauline knows classy. I guess.


"SCORE!" ON DAY 2: Haha.




LIKE ON DAY 2: BJK herself should read this... I bet she'd be proud of the honor.




QUESTION ON DAY 2: Asked on ESPN: "Is Nick Kyrgios good for the game?/Is Nick Kyrgios professional enough to ever win a major?" And then a discussion about his lack of rankings progress, trick shots and physical breakdowns.

Hmmm, sounds familiar. Tell me, why has a similar on-air conversation never centered around a certain French man, rather than his career-long lack of seriousness (which is contagious, apparently) often celebrated and/or brought up as an amusement or coming attraction? (Oh, in case you missed it, *he* retired yet *again* from a major yesterday.) Shocking, I know.


BRAVO ON THE MASKS ON DAY 2: And an unfortunate nod to the truth of how the U.S. presidency is now rightfully viewed.




WHATEVER... ON DAY 2: ESPN (still) just doesn't get it. Why, why, why... does a match involving a seed (#22 Donna Vekic) and a Bannerette (Alison Riske) that is moved to Court 1 late in the day, that is the final match being played on Day 2, that gets dramatic late in the 3rd set *AND* ultimately becomes the first MD match contested (from 5-5 in the 3rd) under the new roof (after some shaky moments when the roof, well, just stopped moving mid-closure) NOT get aired live on the network? Fine, it was able to be viewed on ESPN+, but it shouldn't *have* to be (and it isn't as if Vekic/Riske is a "calling card" match for the streaming service to attract viewers, ala the not-shown-on-ESPN Nadal match earlier in the day).

This is still a tournament, and a slam is the *entire* experience. ESPN has just never understood that. Some of the best viewing experiences in a major are the unexpected "extras," not just the matches involving the big names.

While the Vekic/Riske match was going on, ESPN was showing highlights and having the usual nimrods (Darren Cahill gets excluded from that characterization, of course... you know why) droning on.

In the match, Vekic, after having won the 1st set, led 4-1 in the 3rd set, only to drop three straight games and ten straight points. In a long service game at 4-4, the Croat got a six-deuce hold (on GP #5, after saving 2 BP) to edge ahead. Riske knotted it at 5-5, then the roof was closed and they had a short warmup period.



Riske dominated the conclusion of the match, as Vekic had another of her (by now nearly patented) heartbreaking exits. The most recent one before this was... hmmm, when Riske saved 5 MP and defeated her in the Rosmalen final a few weeks ago, and Vekic broke down during the trophy ceremony.

Yep.

While Riske had converted just 3 of 17 BP in the match, Vekic DF'd on #18 to fall behind 5-6. Riske then held serve at 15, ending the match with an ace to win 3-6/6-3/7-5 in 2:29.

Holding to form, after ESPN *had* directed viewers to ESPN+ for the final match (without even saying which players were in it!) before going off air, the post-interview with Riske was cut off (literally) mid-answer and the streaming event abruptly ended.



Time for a few awards, as the 1st Round is complete.

UPSET QUEENS: Slovenia. Finally. Prior to this slam there have been 120 UQ/RL awards given to nations, regions, age groups, etc. Never has one been claimed by the Slovenians. Until now. As the nation's talent group has started to swell the last couple of years, it's nice to finally have some tangible evidence of such in a major. In the 1st Round, Polona Hercog staged a comeback to defeat Viktoria Kuzmova, Tamara Zidansek outlasted Genie Bouchard and Kaja Juvan out-hit Kristyna Pliskova.

REVELATION LADIES: These these (usually) nation-based awards were dominated by either the U.S. or Russia in the season's first two slams. And with Slovenia getting one nod, it really came down to the Bannerettes and Hordettes again, with the Maidens (Siniakova, Muchova and Bouzkova) providing some slight competition. Though the likes of Kenin, Anisimova, Davis (LL), Gauff, Townsend, Riske and Collins were bolstered by additional wins from their countrywoman to give the U.S. the most players (11) in the 2nd Round, not to sound like *another* individual currently living the Washington D.C. area, I'm going to go with Russia. While the veterans Hordettes didn't account for themselves very well at this major, the next generation did. While seven Russians fell in the 1st Round, far more than any nation other than the U.S. (8), the likes of Margarita Gasparyan, Veronika Kudermetova, Anastasia Potopova and Varvara Flink all won to reach the SW19 2nd Round for the first time.

This in the seventeenth time Russia has claimed on one of these two awards over the years.

NATION OF POOR SOULS: Belarus. There were a few contenders. Belarus went 1-3, the same as Spain, the other real contender. But while the seeded Suarez-Navarro got a win, three-quarters of the Belarusian "Dream Team" -- #10 Sabalenka, Sasnovich and Lapko -- all lost. Only the big-named (but unseeded) Vika Azarenka advanced.


=1ST ROUND STATS=
[most in 2nd Round]
11 - United States (11-8)
6 - Czech Republic (6-3)
4 - Belgium (4-1)
4 - Russia (4-7)
3 - China (3-2)
3 - Germany (3-4)
3 - Great Britain (3-1)
3 - Romania (3-3)
3 - Slovenia (3-1)
[worst 1st Round records]
0-2 = Italy
0-1 = CAN,JPN,LUX,SWE,THA,TUN
1-3 = BLR,ESP
1-2 = SVK















*WIMBLEDON "CRASH & BURN" WINNERS*
2008 Maria Sharapova, RUS (2nd Rd.)
2009 Maria Sharapova, RUS (2nd Rd.)
2010 Francesca Schiavone, ITA & Samantha Stosur, AUS (1st; RG finalists)
2011 Jelena Jankovic, SRB (1st Rd.)
2012 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (1st Rd.)
2013 Nadia Petrova, RUS (1st Rd.)
2014 Sloane Stephens, USA (1st Rd.)
2015 Genie Bouchard, CAN & Simona Halep, ROU (both 1st Rd.)
2016 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (RG champ; 2nd Rd.)
2017 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1st Rd; 7 MP)
2018 Petra Kvitova, CZE (1st Rd.)
2019 Naomi Osaka, JPN (1st Rd.)

*WIMBLEDON "REVELATION LADIES" NATIONS*
2006 Serbia
2007 France
2008 Russia
2009 Italy (veterans)
2010 Romania
2011 Great Britain
2012 Netherlands
2013 Australia/New Zealand
2014 Czech Republic
2015 Switzerland
2016 Russia
2017 Great Britain
2018 Great Britain
2019 Russia

*WIMBLEDON "UPSET QUEENS" NATIONS*
2004 Great Britain
2005 United States
2006 Great Britain
2007 Austria
2008 Russia
2009 Germany
2010 Czech Republic
2011 Russia
2012 United States
2013 Czech Republic
2014 United States
2015 United States
2016 Germany
2017 United States
2018 United States
2019 Slovenia

*WIMBLEDON "NATIONS OF POOR SOULS"*
[2010]
GBR (0-6 1st Rd.)
[2011]
AUS (1-3 1st Rd., Stosur & Dokic losses)
[2012]
SVK (1-3 in 1st Rd.; all 3 w/ WTA titles lost)
[2013]
GBR (1-6 in 1st Rd.)
[2014]
SVK (1-4 1st; grass champs Hantuchova/Rybarikova 1st Rd.)
[2015]
ITA (Pennetta "FSO," Vinci/Schiavone 1st Rd., Knapp ret.)
[2016]
CHN (1-4 1st; only win by LL Duan)
[2017]
CZE (0-6 2nd Rd., Kvitova/Pliskova lose; no CZE in 3r since '09)
[2018]
UKR (1-4 1st/2nd Rd., Svitolina/1st Rd. worst major result since 2014)
[2019]
BLR (1-3 1st; 3/4 of "Dream Team" lose, #10 Sabalenka FSO)

*ROEHAMPTON CHAMPS, w/ WIMBLEDON JR. RESULT*
1996 Amelie Mauresmo = won Wimbledon Jr. title
1997 Brie Rippner = lost Wimb.Jr. F (won by C.Black = Roe.QF)
1998 Jelena Dokic = lost Wimb.Jr. SF (won by Srebotnik = Roe.DNP)
1999 Lina Krasnoroutskaya = lost Wimb.Jr. F (won by Tulyagnova = Roe.3r)
2000 Aniko Kapros = lost Wimb.Jr. QF (won by Salerni = Roe.2r)
2001 Gisela Dulko = lost Wimb.Jr. 3r (won by Widjaja = Roe.QF)
2002 Vera Dushevina = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2003 Allison Baker = lost Wimb.Jr. QF(won by Flipkens = Roe.RU)
2004 Michaella Krajicek = lost Wimb.Jr. SF (won by K.Bondarenko = Roe.QF)
2005 Caroline Wozniacki = lost Wimb.Jr. 1r (won by A.Radwanska = Roe.DNP)
2006 Kristina Antoniychuk = lost Wimb.Jr. 3r (won by Wozniacki = Roe.DNP)
2007 Petra Kvitova = lost Wimb.Jr. 3r (won by U.Radwanska = Roe.DNP)
2008 Melanie Oudin = lost Wimb.Jr. 2r (won by Robson = Roe.RU)
2009 Kristina Mladenovic = lost Wimb.Jr. F (won by Lertcheewakarn = Roe.SF)
2010 Kristyna Pliskova = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2011 Indy de Vroome = lost Wimb.Jr. SF (won by Barty = Roe.2r)
2012 Genie Bouchard = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2013 Belinda Bencic = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2014 Alona Ostapenko = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2015 Dalma Galfi = lost Wimb.Jr. 1r (won by Zhuk = Roe.3r)
2016 Anastasia Potapova = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2017 Claire Liu = won Wimbledon Jr. title
2018 Coco Gauff = lost Wimb.Jr. QF (won by Swiatek = Roe.DNP)
2019 ?

*"SPIRIT OF JANA" RING OF HONOR*
Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2018)
Nicole Melichar, USA (2018)
Donna Vekic, CRO [Good Donna] (2018)



TOP QUALIFIER: Coco Gauff/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #20 Kaja Juvan/SLO def. Basak Eraydin/TUR 4-6/7-6(3)/6-3 (trailed 6-4/4-1 40/15)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Madison Keys/USA (1st Rd. def. Luksika Kumkhum/THA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #10 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (lost 1st Rd. to Rybarikova/SVK)
UPSET QUEENS: xx
REVELATION LADIES: xx
NATION OF POOR SOULS: BLR (1-3 1st; 3/4 of "Dream Team" lose, including #10 Sabalenka)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: In 2nd Rd.: Flink,Gauff,Haddad,Juvan,Wickmayer (LL wins: Bouzkova,Davis)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: In 2nd Rd.: Dart,Niculescu
LAST BRITS STANDING: In 2nd Rd.: Dart,Konta,Watson
IT ("??"): xx
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: xx
COMEBACK PLAYER: xx
CRASH & BURN: #2 Naomi Osaka/JPN (1st Rd. - lost to Putintseva/KAZ)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: xx
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Nominee: Vekic (Bad Donna)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominee: Gauff
RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY malevolent activity notes...
June 26 official: In Eastbourne, a day after her first Top 10 victory in over a year (and first consecutive wins in back-to-back events since last grass season), '18 Wimbledon semifinalist (and former SW19 girls champ) Alona Ostapenko is forced to retire from her 3rd Round match with a hip injury.
Day 3 observed: xx




All for Day 2. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:36 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Obviously the section with Stephens needs editing.

The Stephens Bowl was won by Riske, as she and Vekic are the women who had defeated Stephens in the 1st rd the last 2 years.

Parmentier had not won a match a Wimbledon since 2011, the year Sharapova reached the final.

With Venus out, guaranteed a first time Wimbledon finalist from the bottom half. 3 winners of other slams still alive, 4 Wimbledon SF also.

With the first round done, time to look at the rankings. Wimbledon's completion, along with Bastad(125K), and other ITF events, lock in the US Open entry list as we will only be 6 weeks out, 4 for Q.

After Round 1:
214-Gauff
172-Boulter
167-Larsson
163-Makarova
129-Stosur
127-Rybarikova
106-Kuznetsova
91 -Gavrilova
79 -Ostapenko
75 -Sharapova
61 -Giorgi
37 -Kasatkina
28- Muguruza

Muguruza's loss doesn't hurt her too badly, Kasatkina needs work, or will be unseeded in NY. Ostapenko and Gavrilova drop to where regular tour events are a problem, but are safely in a slam field. Kuznetsova would be out. Makarova is probably a month out from PR, so expect her to pull out. Boulter would have to play her way in, and Gauff is now in Q, and depending on the next month, might earn a mdwc.

Stat of the Day-49- the number of titles for Venus Williams.

At her presser, she seemed a little shocked that she lost to a 15 year old. Who can blame her, since she has been doing this so long, that her first final(1997 USO) was 22 years ago, and her first title(1998 US National Indoor) was 21.

It doesn't look like she will ever get to 50 titles, and that is ok, it isn't like she has her Hall of Fame based on total of titles. She's getting in. This isn't the LGPA.

The LPGA however, has an antiquated point system, which has left one of the great golfers of all time in Laura Davies, on the outside, looking in.

Baseball fans know that Ichiro is an all time MLB great, but know that his numbers would be more impressive is you counted his 9 years in Japan. Davies is similar, having 87 titles on 6 tours, but only 20 in the LPGA.

Davies is 2 pts short, and has been for 18 years. You get 1 pt for a win, and 2 for majors. This all or nothing penalizes solid players. Taking majors alone, Birdie Kim, who won the 2005 US Open for her only career win, finished T41/MC/DNP in her other 3 majors that year. But that got her 2 points. Fun fact? The one hit wonder missed the cut at the last 15 majors she played.

Then take Inbee Park's 2018 majors, of which there are 5 now. No titles, but 3 Top 10's. That gets you nothing.

Ironically, Davies needed 2 wins, and won 2 majors in 2018(out of 2). But they were on the LPGA Senior Tour, and thus do not count.

Thankfully if Venus stays at 49, she wont have that to worry about.

Tue Jul 02, 06:51:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Haha, yeah just a little. I guess I wrote that early on when Sharapova was up and looked like she was about to win, then forgot that I had it there. Fake news.

Tue Jul 02, 09:01:00 PM EDT  

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