Monday, November 11, 2019

Wk.45- Liberté, Égalité and Fed Cup Fraternité

Throughout 2019, Ash Barty was at the festive center of the season's Fed Cup narrative. But at the final stage of the competition in Australia, a sometimes-fractious family of French stars -- once again headed up by Kristina Mladenovic -- stole the show, proving that the infighting that had overwhelmed the team the previous two years need not stand in the way of the liberté, égalité and fraternité that generally form the solid core of a championship nation.

But, oh, what a long, strange and oft-stormy trip it's been back to the winners' circle for the finally-triumphant Pastries.



Through Olympic eligibility rules, format changes and questionable actions by federations and captains alike, the Fed Cup has been, is and will continue to be about "team" and "nation," in whichever order happens to be appropriate and useful in the moment. Whether it be backing up a teammate or charge, cheering them on from the sidelines, making the necessary moves, or getting the desired results to make up for their previous disappointments in front of hostile and/or partisan crowds, strength has always been garnered through togetherness. Well, that and a deep pool of talent. That helps a lot, too.

Look no further than the recent runs by the Russians, Italians or Czechs for proof of such a reality, or how a tweak in leadership and sensibility (see the U.S. '17 title team) can make a world of difference.

Now, the 2016-19 French teams will forever take center stage in such a discussion. After spending two years weathering internal strife while maneuvering a weaving path through rocky terrain -- via both on and off-court drama -- as former partnerships devolved into public feuds, the Pastries found their path back to success with a combination of teamwork, tough love and personal support.

After having reached the FC final stage three years ago behind the leadership of captain Amelie Mauresmo, who'd brought the disparate parts of the team together and wrangled the best out of her most vocal and talented players (especially the difficult-to-fine-tune Caroline Garcia, though the likes of the unique-but-streaky Alize Cornet remained forever uncontrollable), the potential of the French squad has been known for years. Few teams this side of Romania, from a fan basis, travel as well or strike a nationalistic chord (the good kind) as strongly as the Pastries.

But the dark side of that coin was soon to be exposed, as the French tennis federation (FFT) attempted to install authoritarian tactics to force that nation's top FC and Davis Cup players to participate or face ultra-harsh repercussions. Additionally, a pregnant Mauresmo stepped away from Fed Cup after 2016, replaced by former slam champ Yannick Noah. At the same time, Garcia decided to focus on her singles career, then became the focus of attacks by her own teammates (led by Mladenovic, who at first led a social media charge that questioned the veracity of her initial claim of a back injury, snidely "LOL"-ing her reasoning) for what was viewed as either selfishness or a lack of patriotism (and that was before the comments became even *more* personal and unnecessary).

Against such a stressful backdrop, success proved elusive.

The French team persevered through the 2017-18 seasons with Mladenovic, slumping badly in her singles career, taking the sole leadership role. The competition provided her with some of her rare singles bright spots during the stretch, but France could not advance back to the final (losing in the 1st Rd. and semis).

Come 2019, Julien Benneteau was named the new captain, and along with him came a returning Garcia. While she hadn't publicly engaged with the attacks on her, and had seem to make up with a few of those involved (most notably Cornet, who more than any other participant appeared to have been unwittingly dragged into the LOL-ing mess by way of peer pressure or other such nonsense), though she and Mladenovic's paths had somehow managed to narrowly miss each other for two years.

In February, Garcia re-assumed the #1 singles position held by Mladenovic in her absence as the Pastries downed Belgium 3-1. Mladenovic never came off the bench due to what was described as a "captain's decision" seemingly not connected to health, but quite possibly was because of Mladenovic's disagreement with giving up her top spot to Garcia. In an era of "tough love" coaching (see Halep/Cahill) often proving to be the ingredient for greater success, the French captain's move may have changed Fed Cup history.

In the spring, France toppled Romania, with Garcia & Mladenovic joining forces for the first time since early '17 to win a deciding doubles match and return the Pastries to the final.

This weekend in Perth, everything came together. Facing an Aussie team led by 2019 player of the year and last week's WTAF champ Barty, undefeated in FC play (14-0) since 2017 and having had a hand in all six of AUS's points in two ties this season, the Pastries were the decided underdogs even with what could be seen as the *deeper* roster.

After Mladenovic (def. Ajla Tomljanovic 1 & 1) and Barty (love & love over Garcia) posted dominant singles wins on Saturday, the big moment came in match #3.

At the end of a long season that saw her win Miami, Roland Garros and the WTA Finals, while also finishing at #1 and putting the Australian team on her back, Barty faced the sort of pressure she'll likely encounter more often in 2020. For a while, she stayed a step ahead of the situation, taking the 1st set 6-2 and seemingly with the match on her racket deep into the 2nd. But after being broken when serving at 4-4, the script was flipped. Not only by Barty's tentativeness and suddenly error-heavy game, but by the reality of Mladenovic riding the sort of emotional wave that has at times made her the quintessential Fed Cup player of her generation (i.e. one who lifts her singles game to its greatest heights with a flag on her back or chest). Mladenovic got the break in game #9 and took the 2nd set, then got a similar break in game #9 in the 3rd, as well. Barty saved three BP at 5-5 in the deciding set, holding with a miraculous lunge volley, only to then be outplayed by the French woman in a 7-1 tie-break as France took a 2-1 lead.



With the Aussies' backs against the wall, Tomljanovic posted a 6-4/7-5 win over Pauline Parmentier (substituted for Garcia after her potentially soul-destroying performance on Saturday) to send things to the doubles, where Mladenovic would again team with her former doubles partner vs. Barty and veteran Sam Stosur, the latter looking to erase a career's worth of bad memories on Aussie soil (some ten months after she'd made a strong move in such a positive direction by winning the AO women's doubles).

The Aussies took an early lead, but it was short-lived.

Mladenovic was still in fine form, and while Garcia was better it was clear that she found something of a groove due to her partner's exceptional play. Again Barty dropped serve late in the set, broken for 6-4 to lose her third straight set. With Stosur never quite finding her top level after sitting all weekend, France took a 2-0 in the 2nd. In game #3, Australia had its last best chance to make a contest of things. But when down double BP, Garcia's back-to-back winning passes -- a backhand down the line past Barty, then a forehand crosscourt by Stosur at the net -- pulled the Pastries out of a hole. Mladenovic's block volley saved a third BP, then both stood shoulder to shoulder at the net to secure the hold for a 3-0 lead. They saved another BP in game #7, and by then the momentum that resulted in a 5-2 lead had already seemed impossible to overcome.

The Aussie saved two MP in game #8, holding to force Mladenovic to serve things out at 5-4. On MP #3, Garcia's stretch for a high ball sent back a shot that ricocheted off Barty at the net and then set off the French celebration.

Mladenovic fell to her back at the baseline, soon accompanied by a racing Garcia, who joined her there. Mladenovic rolled over and found that Garcia's torso made a good pillow, and then they braced themselves as the entire French team charged in piled on.



Said Mladenovic of the work done by Benneteau to bring the team together over the course of the year in his debut season as captain, "(He's a) pretty lucky dude."

Benneteau soon declared himself the "proudest man on the planet," and one who, for sure was "going to have a lot of beers" in the upcoming celebration.




And so told the final, multi-faceted chapter in the last season-long Fed Cup competition we'll likely to see for quite some time. A year from now, the FC champ will have long since been crowned, and likely forgotten, at the end of a week-long, 12-nation springtime competition in Budapest (which will follow the usual Fed Cup home ties in February that fill out the roster of competing nations) that will likely provide an interesting season highlight and *could* include more top players due to the lack of a season-long, multi-week commitment. Of course, it will also lack the cathartic season-closing crescendo that the now-dead format has provided for so long.

But before the Fed Cup marathon transforms into something more akin to a sprint, give a final salute to the French. They proved this year that Fed Cup success is as always a hard won outcome, but also something not only attainable by a group of individuals who hold hands and finish each other's sentences for years on end.

Aspiring and emotional families who fight a little along the way can have such a thing as a realistic goal, as well. As long as they put down their knives and sharp tongues to join forces once in a while, proving to be stronger as a group than they ever could be on their own.


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*WEEK 44 CHAMPIONS*
FED CUP FINAL (Perth, AUS/HCO)
#1: Mladenovic/FRA d. Tomljanovic/AUS 6-1/6-1
#2: Barty/AUS d. Garcia/FRA 6-0/6-0
#3: Mladenovic/FRA d. Barty/AUS 2-6/6-4/7-6(1)
#4: Tomljanovic/AUS d. Parmentier/FRA 6-4/7-5
#5: Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA) d. Barty/Stosur (AUS) 6-4/6-3


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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kristina Mladenovic/FRA
...as strong (and sometimes overbearing) as Mladenovic's personality is, she's at her best as part of an effort not soley her own. In doubles, both women's and mixed, as well as in Fed Cup, Kiki has shined her brightest throughout her career. While her athletic singles game has the potential to be amongst the sport's most electric, that extra bit of support and perhaps pressure-spreading collective effort has always made the difference.

At the end of a season that saw her experience her usual doubles brilliance (she won a major and hit #1), and put together at least a small up-turn in her singles results as she rose slightly (#44 to #40) and recorded two #1 wins (over Osaka and Barty) even while "being left at the altar" by short-term coach Sascha Bajin in the fall, what happened in Perth will be her biggest highlight. Both in 2019 as well as her career, at least until further notice.

Better yet, Kiki seemingly showed an ability to change and mature in '19. The old social media attacks seem to be in her past (hopefully), along with the oft-mean spirited defensiveness that so (too) often characterized the fall off the table that her singles prospects experienced not that long ago.

If Benneteau truly did give her a much-needed lesson in accountability back in February, what happened this weekend and what comes next in her career could very well owe him a debt of gratitude.


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RISER: Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS
...well, one may have surmised that Australia couldn't win the Fed Cup title without help from *someone* other than Ash Barty. As it turned out, even *with* a bit of assistance, it wasn't a reality to be played out. But at least Tomljanovic gave the team a chance.

After falling 1 & 1 to Mladenovic on Day 1, the Aussie faced a do-or-die situation vs. Pauline Parmentier on Day 2, with France leading 2-1. Despite a few rough patches, Tomljanovic prevailed in straight sets to get one of the most important wins of her career, no matter what would ultimately happen in the doubles.



Back-to-back finishes in the Top 51 signify Tomljanovic's successful recovery from 2016 shoulder surgery, and this weekend showed her mettle. Next up: a maiden tour singles title. She's gone 0-3 (twice dropping three-setters) in tour finals over the last two years.
===============================================
SURPRISE: Bianca Turati/ITA
...the 22-year old Italian took the title at the $25K challenger in Malibu, matching her biggest career crown with a three-set victory in the final over Katie Volynets after having previously posted wins over Jovana Jaksic and Claire Liu. Two weeks ago, she'd lost in a $15K final to fellow Texas Longhorn senior class member, teammate and (oh, yeah) twin Anna in Austin. It's Bianca's third title of the ITF season, and eighth of her career.


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VETERAN: Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove/NED
...while she finished outside the Top 200 for the first time since 2015, Kerkhove's '19 has surely been significant. The 28-year old not only got married this summer (to Dutch soccer player Edinho Pattinama), but just before her nuptials she played in only her second career slam MD (w/ '17 U.S.) after qualifying for Wimbledon with a win over the grass court-loving Sabine Lisicki in the final Q-round.

This week, Kerkhove notched her second ITF win of the year (7th career) at the $25K challenger in Hua Hin, defeating Eudice Chong 7-6(5)/5-7/7-5 in the final. She also reached the doubles final alongside vet Tamarine Tanasugarn.

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COMEBACK: Caroline Garcia/FRA
...on the whole, 2019 has not been kind to Garcia. After scratching the surface of great success in 2016 (FC final, winning RG doubles w/ Mladenovic), then focusing on singles success and finding it a year later (Wuhan and Beijing titles, Top 10) and at least managing a Top 20 finish in '18, the Pastry took a significant step back this season. While she did reach two finals and actually won one in Nottingham, she's seemed far less present than in previous seasons. Her ranking fell from #19 to #45 (below Mladenovic), and she came to Perth sporting a 5-12 mark in singles in recent months, without a multi-win event since Mallorca in June.

Her return to Fed Cup had been a saving grace, though. She was 3-1 in the France's two previous ties, and joined with old doubles mate Mladenovic to win the deciding doubles over Romania in the semifinals. Then she was double-bageled by Barty on Day 1 in Perth.



It seemed an impossibility that Captain Julien Benneteau could risk putting her back on the court in singles on Sunday, even with an inexperienced and/or questionable bench (Cornet/Ferro/Parmentier) behind her. Mladenovic's win over Barty made the #4 singles slot "less important," allowing Garcia to be saved for another deciding doubles match with the FC title on the line. While she was somewhat carried along by a super-in-form Mladenovic, Garcia held her own vs. Barty and Stosur and had her share of big moments (i.e. back-to-back passing shots to save big BP opportunities mid-way through the 2nd set) as the pair sought to reverse the deciding doubles result they had vs. the Czechs in the '16 final.

Garcia whispering is a tough job. Her father has often struggled with the task in the role of coach. Only former FC captain (and "part-time sports psychologist") Amelie Mauresmo has proven to be totally adept at it in the past, but Benneteau found a way to get the best out of her even on a weekend when she *wasn't* at her best, with an assist from what would have been an unlikely source (Kiki) a couple of years ago.

Ah, what a difference a day (or a few seasons) can make...



Now, can Garcia find a way to carry over this good feeling into 2020?
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FRESH FACE: Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA
...add Cocciaretto to the short list of Italians looking to compete for her nation's top spot alongside the likes of Camila Giorgi (who fell all the way down to #98 this season), Jasmine Paolini and Martina Trevisan. This weekend in Colina (CHI), the 18-year old banked her second $60K crown in two weeks. After upsetting top-seeded Allie Kiick in the semis, Cocciaretto took down Argentina's Victoria Bosio 3 & 4 in the final, adding a follow-up win to her victory over Sara Errani in last week's final in Asuncion, Paraguay.

The Italian is now 3-2 in challenger finals this season, and all four of her pro finals (she's 4-2) have taken place in the last twelve months. She's now the fourth-ranked Italian behind the aforementioned trio, but perhaps they should be watching their collective back come 2020.


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DOWN: Ash Barty/AUS
...the Aussie had a spectacular season, and is hands-down the tour's Player of the Year. Australia wouldn't have been *in* the final if not for her undefeated FC record in '19 heading into Perth. That said, no matter the level-headed spin Barty will rightly put on the situation from this day forward, it has to be sorely disappointing to end the year by losing two straight matches (after holding a good lead in the first) and four consecutive sets (all with Mladenovic on the other side of the net) as her nation's first Fed Cup title in 45 slipped through her/their fingers in what will almost surely be (with the format change) the only opportunity in her entire career to win the crown on Australian soil.


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ITF PLAYER: Zhu Lin/CHN
...fresh off a $60K title run and her first career Top 100 finish, Zhu won her biggest career crown at the $100K challenger in Shenzhen, posting victories over Timea Babos and Kurumi Nara before outlasting countrywoman Peng Shuai in the final. Peng, whose comeback campaign this season has returned her to the Top 100, retired down 6-3/1-3 in the match as Zhu got her first win in four tries in their career head-to-head. Peng had been seeking her second $100K title in three weeks.

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??3 ??Shenzhen

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JUNIOR STAR: India Houghton/USA
...in the Lima, Peru Grade 2 event, 17-year old Stanford recruit Houghton (#229 jr.) knocked off three seeds on her way to her biggest career title.


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DOUBLES: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
...through all their triumph, heartbreak and discord over the years, it's clear that the very best moments in the career of *both* Pastries have come with the other by her side.

While Mladenovic has since gone on to win a second Roland Garros title without Garcia, re-upping her longttime friendship/doubles partnership with Timea Babos, success for France (for all involved) has meant that Garcia & Mladenovic must be on good terms and on the court *together* with a common goal. They just missed out on a Fed Cup title in '16, but made up for it in Perth vs. the Aussies. Once again, there they were rolling around on the court together after a spectacular result that once again cements their names in their nation's tennis history.




It hasn't exactly been the preferred route to get (back) there, but it doesn't mean that the result isn't a sweet one. In fact, maybe it's even *sweeter* considering the fact that it was no fait accompli that both parties would ever find their way back to such common (and uncommonly successful) ground.
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WHEELCHAIR: Sabine Ellerbrock/GER
...the #2-seeded German vet claimed the title at the Series 2 Prague Cup indoor event, defeating Louise Hunt, #3 Lucy Shuker to reach the final, then top-seed Marjolein Buis once she got there. It's Ellerbrock's second title of the season.


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1. WTA 125 Houston Q - CiCi Bellis def. Alexa Glatch 6-4/6-3
WTA 125 Houston 1st Rd. - CiCi Bellis def. Ellen Perez 6-3/6-2
...at the coming week's WTA 125 Series event, Bellis finally played her first match since March 2018, after four wrist surgeries (the big scar on her forearm remains) left her promising career quite legitimately teetering on the edge of oblivion. She notched the single qualifying win to reach the MD, and had now advanced to the 2nd Round.




The Houston event features a number of participants of note looking to get some points and momentum heading into 2020, including Danielle Collins, CoCo Vandeweghe, Genie Bouchard, Taylor Townsend and Caty McNally.
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2. $25K Saint-Etienne FRA Final - Ana Bodgan def. Oceane Dodin
...walkover. It wasn't the way she'd have preferred to win it, but this was Bogdan's first title since May '16. The Romanian, who reached a pair of tour semis a few seasons ago, fell outside the Top 100 in 2019.
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1. $15K Antalya TUR Final - Shiho Akita def. MAGDALENA PANTUCKOVA
...6-2/6-4. The Czech reaches her second final in three fall events in Antalya, but misses out on '19 title #2. But her mom is still proud.


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2. $15K Sharm El Sheikh EGY Final - Lee Pei-chi/Ana Bianca Mihaila def. KASIA PITAK/OLA PITAK
...6-2/6-4. The British siblings fall in Egypt.


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3. $25K Malibu USA Final - BIANCA TURATI def. Katie Volynets
...4-6/6-4/6-4. While Turati got the win, it was the first pro final appearance by Volynets, the 2018 Easter Bowl and USTA International Hard Court Chsp. winner.
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6 day challenge ??

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Birthday Girl @anaivanovic ??????????

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Euro trip this off szn ?? next stop > Milano

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Where to next? ??

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*FED CUP FINALS*
1963 United States def. Australia 2-1
1964 Australia def. United States 2-1
1965 Australia def. United States 2-1
1966 United States def. West Germany 3-0
1967 United States def. Great Britain 2-0
1968 Australia def. Netherlands 3-0
1969 United States def. Australia 2-1
1970 Australia def. West Germany 3-0
1971 Australia def. Great Britain 3-0
1972 South Africa def. Great Britain 2-1
1973 Australia def. South Africa 3-0
1974 Australia def. United States 2-1
1975 Czechoslovakia def. Australia 3-0
1976 United States def. Australia 2-1
1977 United States def. Australia 2-1
1978 United States def. Australia 2-1
1979 United States def. Australia 3-0
1980 United States def. Australia 3-0
1981 United States def. Great Britain 3-0
1982 United States def. West Germany 3-0
1983 Czechoslovakia def. West Germany 2-1
1984 Czechoslovakia def. Australia 2-1
1985 Czechoslovakia def. United States 2-1
1986 United States def. Czechoslovakia 3-0
1987 West Germany def. United States 2-1
1988 Czechoslovakia def. USSR 2-1
1989 United States def. Spain 3-0
1990 United States def. USSR 2-1
1991 Spain def. United States 2-1
1992 Germany def. Spain 2-1
1993 Spain def. Australia 3-0
1994 Spain def. United States 3-0
1995 Spain def. United States 3-2
1996 United States def. Spain 5-0
1997 France def. Netherlands 4-1
1998 Spain def. Switzerland 3-2
1999 United States def. Russia 4-1
2000 United States def. Spain 5-0
2001 Belgium def. Russia 2-1
2002 Slovak Republic def. Spain 3-1
2003 France def. United States 4-1
2004 Russia def. France 3-2
2005 Russia def. France 3-2
2006 Italy def. Belgium 3-2
2007 Russia def. Italy 4-0
2008 Russia def. Spain 4-0
2009 Italy def. United States 4-0
2010 Italy def. United States 3-1
2011 Czech Republic def. Russia 3-2
2012 Czech Republic def. Serbia 3-1
2013 Italy def. Russia 4-0
2014 Czech Republic def. Germany 3-1
2015 Czech Republic def. Russia 3-2
2016 Czech Republic def. France 3-2
2017 United States def. Belarus 3-2
2018 Czech Republic def. United States 3-0
2019 France def. Australia 3-2
[MOST TITLES]
18 - United States
11 - Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia
7 - Australia
5 - Spain
4 - Italy
4 - Russia
3 - France
2 - West Germany/Germany
2 - Slovakia
1 - Belgium
1 - South Africa

*BACKSPIN FED CUP AWARDS*
*-non-title winning nation
[FED CUP PLAYER OF YEAR]
2005 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2006 Francesca Schiavone, RUS
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2013 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2016 Caroline Garcia, FRA*
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2019 Ash Barty, AUS*
[FED CUP CAPTAIN OF YEAR]
2015 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA*
2016 Paul Haarhuis, NED*
2017 Kathy Rinaldi, USA
2018 Kathy Rinaldi, USA*
2019 Julien Benneteau, FRA
[FED CUP FINALS MVP]
2002 Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
2003 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2004 Anastasia Myskina, RUS
2005 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2006 Francesa Schiavone, ITA
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2013 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2016 Barbora Strycova, CZE
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA

*FC FINAL - SINGLES CLINCHER VICTORY (current format)*
2002 Janette Husarova, SVK
2003 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2007 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2008 Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
2009 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2010 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2012 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2013 Sara Errani, ITA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE

*MOST TITLES AS PLAYER*
8 - Chris Evert, USA
7 - Billie Jean King, USA
6 - Rosie Casals, USA
6 - Petra Kvitova, CZE*
[captain]
6 - Petr Pala, CZE*

*WHEELCHAIR TENNIS MASTERS CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
1994 Monique Kalkman, NED
1995 Monique Kalkman, NED
1996 Chantal Vandierendonck, NED
1997 Maaike Smit, NED
1998 Esther Vergeer, NED
1999 Esther Vergeer, NED
2000 Esther Vergeer, NED
2001 Esther Vergeer, NED
2002 Esther Vergeer, NED
2003 Esther Vergeer, NED
2004 Esther Vergeer, NED
2005 Esther Vergeer, NED
2006 Esther Vergeer, NED
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 Esther Vergeer, NED
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2013 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2014 Aniek van Koot, NED
2015 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2016 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 Diede de Groot, NED
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019
[doubles]
2000 Daniela di Toro/Maaike Smit (AUS/NED)
2001 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2002 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2003 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2004 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2005 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2006 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2007 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer (NED/NED)
2010 Aniek van Koot/Sharon Walraven (NED/NED)
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven (NED/NED)
2012 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot (NED/NED)
2013 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley (JPN/GBR)
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley (JPN/GBR)
2015 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot (NED/NED)
2016 Diede de Groot/Lucy Shuker (NED/GBR)
2017 Marjolein Buis/Diede de Groot (NED/NED)
2018 Marjolein Buis/Aniek Van Koot (NED/NED)
2019
--
NOTE: Masters event held Nov.19-26 in Orlando



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All for now.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 3:50 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

"Are you a collection of individuals, or are you a team?" Unknown.

We have seen many instances in team sports where more than one alpha in a group can cause problems. France was the epitome of team this weekend at Fed Cup.

Start with Cornet playing the Liezel Huber role, cheering while never reaching the court. Add Garcia, being picked up by her teammates, after a sobering effort on Day 1. Parmentier, putting up a decent effort, which allowed Garcia to be fresh for doubles.

All which would have been for naught if Mladenovic had not stepped up. Got and easy Day 1 win, then didn't look too bad dropping a set to Barty. in hindsight, the tell that this would be trouble for Barty was the lack of agressiveness shown early. Even with winning points at the net, there were way too many slices, and Mladenovic's volleys, and overall game, got better and better.

Even with the Aussies only being down 2-1, you felt that their best chance was gone. So I can finally retire the no team without a current Top 20 player has ever won. Ironically, historically they were the deeper team, with 3 players that reached 11 or higher.

WTA.COM has redid their site. Graphically better, but statistically weaker.

Zhu Lin is #1 in the race. U.Radwanska is #20. Where these points matter more are the regular rankings, and players are still positioning themselves for the Australian swing. Take Stosur for instance. Ranked in the 90's, that will get her into AO, but not directly into any premier/slam until Roland Garros.

Miami and Indian Wells have 96 player fields, but take out the 8 WC and 8 Q, and you need to be at 80. One reason why Houston and Taipei are filled this week.

Speaking of team, nice to see Gavrilova and Birrell on the Aussie bench.

Stat of the Week- 16- The number of years since France had won Fed Cup.

In 2003, future Hall of Famers Amelie Mauresmo and Mary Pierce led the French squad to victory. Can you name the other two members? Emilie Loit and Stephanie Cohen-Aloro.

Quiz Time!
In France's Fed Cup history, who has the most combined wins?

A.Francoise Durr
B.Nathalie Tauziat
C.Amelie Mauresmo
D.Mary Pierce
E.Sandrine Testud







Answer!

The one that seems obviously not it is (E)Testud. She only had 9 wins total, but 2 of them came in the 1997 final vs the Netherlands, and that deserves mention.

(A)Durr is wrong, but had 31 wins. Probably would have had more, but the start of her career predated Fed Cup. 2nd in singles wins with 16.

(D)Pierce is not close overall, with only 18 wins, but is tied with Durr for 2nd with 16 in singles.

(C)Mauresmo was so close. Leading France with 30 singles wins, her 32 leaves her 1 short of (B)Tauziat, who had 33. Her 20 doubles wins is the most in their history, one which Mladenovic may lead one day, as she is now 2nd.

One area where she won't catch Tauziat? Years played. She played in 16 of them, way ahead of the next on the list at 11---Cornet.

Mon Nov 11, 05:09:00 PM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Quiz: ahh, I chose Durr. :(

WTA site: I will say, I *do* like that on the rankings page now you only have to click one button to see everything (from Barty to Torres Murcia) rather than inching along with 50-player pages.

Tue Nov 12, 10:29:00 AM EST  

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