Sunday, February 23, 2020

Wk.7- The Clarion Call of "Si-mo-na!"

What to make of Simona Halep's run to her second Dubai championship? Well, maybe quite a bit.

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When you win your 20th title ???? @ddftennis

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Almost immediately in the desert this past week, the Romanian was, quite simply, in her element. As in, she played this event like it was a major, and rode that style all the way to the title, ultimately resulting in her being spread eagle on her back after converting match point in the final after conclusively taking down the tour's latest superweapon -- 20-year old Elena Rybakina -- in a three set title match that appropriately takes its place as the early season WTA Match of the Year.

Well, at least that match sits atop the tour heap for now. It's worth noting that Halep's opening 2nd Round victory over Ons Jabeuer -- when she lost a 4-1 lead and failed to convert three MP in the 3rd before ultimately being forced to *save* one on the Tunisian's racket in a dramatic, shotmaking battle -- was likely the MOTY "clubhouse leader," too, until the Romanian's path led her into another instant classic by the weekend.

In many ways, Halep's turn in Dubai was similar to many of her slam runs, whether they ended with her lifting the championship trophy or not, so it was fitting that this was her first final *and* title since defeating Serena Williams in last year's Wimbledon final in a gameday performance that may go down as her *greatest* ever. Halep's 20th career win, which ties her with Vika Azarenka and Aga Radwanska for 26th on the all-time tour list, had many of her requisite slam hallmarks, including a by-the-skin-of-her-teeth early win (vs. Jabeur), followed by an experience-laden never-sweated-it-for-a-moment triumph over a tough fellow seed (Aryna Sabalenka), then a near-perfect take down (2 & love over Jennifer Brady in the semis) leading into a concluding three-set marathon in which all her work to hone her how-to skills (to gradually separate her opponent from a victory with stunning defensive skills and resounding big point prowess), while also managing her own temper before it suddenly elbowed her over those fabled (and now rarely visited, thankfully) "Cliffs of Simona," proved to produce the glorious fruit of a career full of labor.

And that she did all this during a week in which Darren Cahill was unable to make the trip to the UAE says a great deal about where Halep was, is and could soon be again.



While her long-awaited slam title run in Paris two years ago is rightfully pegged as the ultimate feat in the Romanian and Aussie's long-time collaboration, her ability to maintain her position in the game *and* win a second major title in '19 was about the place -- both psychological and with her actual game -- that Halep had reached after a sometimes-treacherous trek to get there. A place that, to be clear, she'd finally *allowed* herself to be, after fighting her own darkest instincts for so long. Now, with Cahill back aboard for 2020, this new season was always going to be something of a proving ground for everything she's been and done, and where she'd go next. Would she slip back into her "old clothes" after having taken her experiences and proven to be able to be just as effective "on her own" (though no tennis player is ever *truly* alone in the battle, accept for between their ears), or feed off her own independence *combined* with Cahill's calming presence and become something maybe even "better?"

Dubai may have provided that answer.

Her semifinal result in Melbourne, where she looked like the *best* player in the draw until she ran into an in-form Garbine Muguruza, was a very good sign, but this title run adds fuel to a 2020 fire that may be only beginning to warm up.

As the "Si-mo-na! Si-mo-na!" chants were echoing through the stadium during the final, a Romanian-fueled clarion call that Halep answered with her usual til-death-to-us-part gusto, one couldn't help but think this won't be the last time a similar sound is heard in the heat of battle, late in the day, deep into a big event draw before this year is out. After looking like a safe bet a month ago to possibly soon be three-quarters of the way to a Career Slam, maybe it'll just be the venue that changes for such an accomplishment as the season progresses. Or maye it'll just be the stakes that change (it is an Olympic year, after all, and Halep has made no bones about what her next big career goal is), or maybe she'll just return to a site of former glory and rekindle old memories by making new ones in Europe on her way to adding to her career rankings resume (her Top 10 streak became the tenth longest in tour history this week) by climbing *back* atop the WTA pyramid.

Watching her wind her way from edge-of-defeat to brilliantly classic victory in Dubai, it almost feels like a dare to challenge someone to come up with a solid reason why it *won't* be the case at some point (or maybe on multiple occasions) over the next nine months.

After all, after finishing off her title run on Saturday, Halep said she was only feeling "pretty dead." So, you know, I guess that means there was still a little *more* she had to give.

Can't wait.




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*WEEK 7 CHAMPIONS*
DUBAI, UAE (Premier/Hard Court Outdoor)
S: Simona Halep/ROU def. Elena Rybakina/KAZ 3-6/6-3/7-6(5)
D: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova (TPE/CZE) def. Barbora Krejcikova/Zheng Saisai (CZE/CHN) 7-5/3-6 (10-6)

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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Simona Halep/ROU
...after her loss in Melbourne, naturally, any talk of Halep getting three-quarters of the way to a Career Slam (yes, it was a Blowout prediction, so I'm obligated to suss out the possibilities until summertime) *must* center on the U.S. Open. Is it possible she could win there? Maybe. It's surely been her toughest slam, maybe because of it coming in the point of the season at which she's often winding down after a physically demanding schedule, and in the last two years coming *after* wins in Paris and London. *This* year's Open will come after the Olympics, so... who knows.

That said, Halep *has* reached the semifinals in New York, though it was five year ago. She's had 1r-1r-2r finishes the last two years, falling prey to bad draws (1st Rd. vs. Sharapova and Kanepi) and one out-of-her-shoes (Townsend) heroic career-best performance. She *did* reach the QF in 2016, losing to Serena in three sets.

So stay tuned.
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RISERS: Jennifer Brady/USA and Ons Jabeur/TUN
...an intriguing "tough-out" or "one-big-upset-and-out" presence in recent seasons, Brady has assumed a better consistency and higher level of threat since bringing aboard Michael Geserer as coach last fall. While wins over Maria Sharapova and Ash Barty, as well as a tough opening set vs. Simona Halep in the 1st Round in Melbourne, spoke to a "step up" for the Bannerette in January, Dubai was the sort of result she needed to confirm her ability to ascend.



After making her way through qualifying with victories over Kristyna Pliskova and Hsieh Su-wei, Brady charged into the main draw. She destroyed two-time champ Elina Svitolina 1 & 2 in the 1st Round for her second Top 10 win of the season, then came back from a set and a double break down to defeat Marketa Vondrousova before outlasting Garbine Muguruza in three sets to advance into her first Premier semifinal. Brady once again failed to get past Halep, losing quickly in straights in maybe the Romanian's best played match since her Wimbledon final win, but the confidence she should gain from the week could be an enormous boost as the North American hard courts that she's always favored might offer the new world #45 (a career high) a chance to grab a proverbial elevator to yet *another* tour level next month.



Jabeur, too, saw her Dubai journey ended by eventual champ Halep. But not until she put up quite a fight. After notching a win over Alison Riske, Jabeur rallied from 4-1 down in the 3rd vs. the Romanian, saving three MP and even reaching MP herself before being turned back and ultimately losing a 9-7 TB. Chalk it up as a learning experience, as the recent AO quarterfinalist said...



Jabeur has already opened her run in Doha with a 1st Round win over Katerina Siniakova.


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SURPRISE: Kim Clijsters/BEL
...well, here we go.



In her first official match since losing to Laura Robson at the 2012 U.S. Open, Clijsters faced off with Garbine Muguruza in the 1st Round in Dubai (the first appearance there ever by the Hall of Famer). Muguruza won the 1st set 6-2, and led 3-0 in the 2nd, but the match was much closer than the score would indicate. And as Clijsters gradually found her way, she flipped the momentum in her favor and took the Spaniard into a tie-break as the defense (yes, with a few splits) and laser groundstrokes that made her a four-time slam champ were in evidence *and* increasingly effective. A resolute Muguruza finally closed out the win in two, but suddenly the notion of Clijsters actually having an impact on tour in 2020 isn't only an optimistic, fairy tale story better left to tales with giants, sword fights and storming the castle. Well, at least if she can stay healthy. Her comeback was already delayed by over a month due to an injury in training, and the level of play she displayed in her first match pretty much confirms that it won't be whether her game "still plays" that determines what comes next, but her durability (or lack thereof) at nearly age 37 after close to a decade off tour.
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semifinal feels! ????????????

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VETERAN: Petra Martic/CRO
...the 29-year old Croat reached her first career Premier semi in Dubai, posting wins over Hsieh Su-wei and Barbora Strycova (both in singles), as well as Anett Kontaveit, all in straight sets. She had as good a chance as anyone has in '20 of "solving" the Elena Rybakina riddle, serving for both the 1st and 2nd sets (and holding SP in both) vs. the Kazakh, only to lose and become one of the survivors left to "tell the tale," falling in straights in a pair of tie-breaks. She'll still see her ranking bump up one spot, allowing her to match her career high of #14 this week. Of course, there's Rybakina breathing down her neck *again* at #17.
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COMEBACKS: Katerina Siniakova/CZE and Kristina Mladenovic/FRA
...while she didn't last deep into the Dubai draw, and even missed out on playing doubles with Barbora Krejcikova (who reached the final w/ Zheng Saisai), Siniakova had her best singles week in ages in the desert. The Czech qualified with wins over Zheng (hello, irony), Giulia Gatto-Monticone and Alison Van Uytvanck, then bounced fellow Maiden Karolina Muchova in the 1st Round (w/ a love 3rd set) before falling to Elena Rybakina. This weekend in Doha, she once again qualified with victories over Han Xinyun and Timea Babos. Siniakova had come into Dubai on a six-match losing streak and without a win since defeating Alona Ostapenko in early October in Beijing.



Siniakova dropped her 1st Round match in Doha to Ons Jabeur on Sunday.

Meanwhile, while she also didn't follow up in Doha (losing in the 1st Round on Sunday to Veronika Kudermetova), Mladenovic qualified in Dubai with wins over Jasmine Paolini, Dasha Kasatkina and Polona Hercog. She then took out Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the 1st Round prior to being ousted by Karolina Pliskova in the 2nd Round.

While she didn't play doubles in Dubai, Kiki returns to the #1 WD ranking this week since Hsieh's title defense is worth less in '20 (as a Premier event) than in '19 (a Premier 5, as the alternate-years honor flips over to Doha this season).

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3 quality wins ????? @ddftennis (??????)

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FRESH FACES: Elena Rybakina/KAZ and Veronika Kudermetova/RUS
...another week, another magnificent run from Rybakina. Alas for her, also another title-free week.



Still, the 20-year old's appearance in her *fourth* final of the 2020 (no one else has more than one) in Dubai was another example of the nerve-less, big-hitting/serving, surprisingly-willing-to-offer-some-variety and move forward in the court game that is proving to be difficult for *everyone* to figure out. Rybakina was previously worn down a bit by the time she reached and lost finals in Shenzehn and Saint Petersburg, but after taking down AO champ Sofia Kenin in three in the 1st Round last week, she matter-of-factly "breezed" into the championship match without losing another set. Wins over Katerina Siniakova, Karolina Pliskova (at #3, the biggest -- figuratively, and maybe literally, too -- to so far fall by Rybakina's hand) and Petra Martic (even w/ the Croat serving for the 1st and 2nd sets, and holding SP's) set up the battle with Simona Halep. It took everything the Romanian had to figure out a way to win (the massive value of the accomplishment was seen in her flat-on-her-back relief when it was all over), and even *that* might not have happened had Rybakina not had a brief error-prone stretch during which she lost eight straight points mid-way through the 2nd set after she'd claimed the 1st.



Rybakina, up to another new career high of #17 this week, now stands at 19-4 on the season (31-9 since the U.S. Open).



After getting off to an encouraging start in January with back-to-back QF and SF results in Brisbane and Hobart, Kudermetova was blindsided by her 0-2 Fed Cup tie performance vs. Romania that nearly prevented Russia's advancement into the title-deciding Fed Cup event in April. She's come back with a vengeance, though. A week ago, she upset Yulia Putintseva in Saint Petersburg, then backed it up with a qualifying run in Dubai. Surging back from a double-break 3rd set deficit, she caught and defeated Dayana Yastremksa in the 1st Round. She took Garbine Muguruza to three sets before losing to the Spaniard in 2:25, and has kicked off her week in Doha with a win over Kristina Mladenovic, the same player she'll swap rankings positions with on Monday, as she returns to her previous career high of #38.


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DOWN: Elina Svitolina/UKR
...ranking aside, Svitolina sure hasn't been playing like a Top 5-8 player (more like #15-25, or maybe not... considering that's where the likes of Rybakina resides). Not last year, despite a few top-end results, and surely not in 2020. A two-time champ in Dubai (2017-18, with a 16-3 event mark and SF-W-W-SF finishes the last four years w/ three Top 10 wins), Svitolina was once again resoundingly bounced early from a main draw, this time via a 1 & 2 score by Jennifer Brady in the 1st Round. Svitolina is finally admitting there is an issue, saying, "Something is not right" following the latest in a series of blowout straight sets defeats -- 1/1, 1/2, 4/2, 2/1 -- this season (she's 4-4 on the season in tour-level events), as well as a lackluster Fed Cup effort (2-1) and potential tie-clinching loss to Anett Kontaveit during Ukraine's otherwise brilliant week in zone play a short time ago.

While the numbers aren't *completely* comparable because we're only two months into the new season, the recent drop off in Svitolina's efforts is stark:

=2016-18=
10-2 finals...6 #1 wins...16 Top 5...18 Top 10...
136-51 WTA/OLY (.727)
=2019-20=
0-1 finals...0 #1 wins...2 Top 5....4 Top 10....
43-26 WTA (.544)

Hmmm, maybe Svitolina should consult Gael Monfils? The Frenchman, unlike the now-title-free-for-fifteen-months Svitolina, has seen his results and consistency swing the opposite way since the two became a couple. He's gone 3-0 in finals in 2019-20, including two titles runs already this season. He was 3-10 in finals from 2012-18.

So, I guess it's not the "The Process" that's the issue, and it's just a matter of properly employing it.
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ITF PLAYER: Marta Kostyuk/UKR
...while countrywoman Svitolina's results have turned downward (and maybe inward, if she's lucky), the now healthy Kostyuk's are once again looking up. The '17 Australian Open junior champ who also reached the women's 3rd Round (at age 15, before... you know) in Melbourne in '18 in her only slam MD appearance, posted MD wins in Brisbane last month over Bernarda Pera and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, then joined Dayana Yastremska for Ukraine's deciding doubles win over Estonia to advance to the upcoming Fed Cup Playoffs.



This week in Cairo, the 17-year old swept the titles at a $60K challenger, winning the doubles with Kamilla Rakhimova and then grabbing her third and biggest singles title (her first in two years). Unseeded, Kostyuk upset #2 Varvara Gracheva, #7 Isabella Shinikova and fellow Ukrainian teen Daria Snigur to reach the final without dropping a set. Rather than fall off vs. #3-seeded Aliona Bolsova, she ramped things up another notch, obliterating the 22-year old Spaniard 1 & love. Kostyuk will rise 27 spots in the new rankings to #141, her highest ranking since last January.
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JUNIOR STAR: Solana Sierra/ARG
...the 15-year old Argentine, the #14 seed at the Grade B1 Brasilia event in Brazil, had her biggest week on the junior circuit. The #14 seed, Sierra upset the top three seeds in the event -- #1 Dana Guzman in the 3rd, #3 Guillermina Grant in the SF, and #2 Mell Elizabeth Reasco Gonzalez in the final in a 3rd set TB -- to grab her third career ITF girls title.


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DOUBLES: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova, TPE/CZE
...Strycova is still *scheduled* to retire in the near future, but one has to wonder if she might stick around the tour a little longer than anticipated just to avoid wasting the good thing she's found with Hsieh. Since the duo paired up out of necessity at Indian Wells two years ago and ended up winning the title (their only event together that season), then reformed to impromptu partnership after last year's Australian Open, they've been one of the best doubles teams on tour. They've both reached #1 over the past year (Hsieh entered the week atop the rankings, having replaced #2 Strycova after the AO), reached a pair of slam finals (winning Wimbledon, falling this year in Melbourne) and after their title run this week in Dubai (a successful title defense) they've gone 49-11 over the course of their doubles relationship, including a 13-1 mark in '20 and appearances in the finals of their last four events (starting with last fall's WTAF).

After surrendering just seven total games to Han/Peng and Kenin/Mattek-Sands in Dubai, reaching the final without dropping a set, Hsieh/Strycova outlasted Barbora Krejcikova & Zheng Saisai in the final, taking a 10-5 match tie-break to claim their seventh title as a duo (second this season). They're the first team to win multiple events this season (Krejcikova has both a WD and MX win), and lead the tour with six over the last two seasons.

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DUBAI CHAMPIONS!!!! ??

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WHEELCHAIR: Jordanne Whiley/GBR
...Whiley maintained her early season momentum after taking the Australian Open doubles title with Yui Kamiji. Back home in England, she swept the titles at the Series 2 event in Bolton, winning the singles with victories over Viktoriia Lvova (QF) and Huang Hui Min (F). Whiley and countrywoman Lucy Shuker won the doubles with a straight sets win over Katharina Kruger & Dana Mathewson in the final. After finishing last year at #9 after missing 2018 and much of '17 while becoming a first-time mother, Whiley is up back up to #5 in the singles rankings.


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1. Dubai Final - Simona Halep def. Elena Rybakina
...3-6/6-3/7-6(5). A whale of a match. Faced with the task of figuring out how to attack/survive Rybakina's big game, Halep scurried around the court for nearly two and a half hours, but eventually found a way to prevail.

Rybakina's hard-to-read serves were a problem for Halep all match long, but it was the Romanian's inability to put away a basic shot that cost her the 1st set. After leading 40/15, she failed to end a rally with a forehand at the net, then dumped another forehand into the net on her next shot. She dropped serve and Rybakina grabbed a break lead at 4-2. Serving at 5-3, the Kazakh saved a BP with an ace and finally served out the set on SP #3 in a game that saw her control the action with two aces, two DF and two volleys (one successful to claim a point, one not).



Halep took advantage of a brief string of Rybakina errors to take an early lead in the 2nd, going up 3-1 while winning eight straight points. Rybakina barely kept a shot inside the lines (Halep didn't move toward the ball, which at first seemed headed decidedly out before curling back) while down 40/love on Halep's serve. She then pushed the game to deuce before Halep held for 4-1. After turning away two BP in game #6, Rybakina broke to get things back on serve at 4-3. In a 10-minute game, Halep outlasted the Kazakh in perhaps the key game in the match, retaking a break lead by converting on BP #4 to take a 5-3 lead. She then served out the set.

Halep's first serve had continual issues throughout the 3rd set. Two DF in game #4 handed Rybakina a break lead at 3-1. But Rybakina's own DF put her down 15/40 a game later, leading to Halep getting things back on serve. At 4-4, the Kazakh began her service game with a DF, but ultimately held thanks to a backhand reach volley that she essentially blocked back over the net with just the frame of her racket.




At 5-5, Halep leveled the game at 30/30 with one of several forehand passes down the line that helped her overtake Rybakina in the 3rd. While Rybakina's admirable ability to pull off of her big shots (otherwise known as an unAlona-type tactic) just enough to offer her opponents unexpected variety -- making her normal hard groundstrokes even more effective because of the additional options to think about on the other side of the net -- perhaps offers the key to why she's 19-4 vs. a variety of differently-skilled opponents in '20 and a bear to handle no matter the situation, her otherwise admirable willingness to move forward toward the net often cost her vs. Halep in this match as it offered the Romanian a chance to line up a handful of crucial passing shots that prevented the match from ever truly getting out of her reach.

Halep broke to take a 6-5 lead, only to see Rybakina's second net cord dribbler in a matter of minutes put her down love/30 a game later. Another forehand pass down the line leveled the game, but the Kazakh reached BP with a clean backhand winner, and she got a second BP chance with a return winner. Rybakina whacked a slow Halep second serve that resulted in an error from the Romanian, and she got the break back to force a deciding TB.

Rybakina's return winner gave her a mini-break lead at 4-3, and she led 5-4 with a successfully overturned line call (Halep's deep shot had landed long). After exchanging 6-3 sets, the two were tied 5-5 in the TB, as the match was about as even as possible.

Halep reached MP at 6-5, as chants of "Si-mon-na! Si-mo-na!" echoed throughout the stadium, and Rybakina's long backhand finally allowed Halep to celebrate a 7-5 TB win. As if she'd just won a major, she went to the court and was soon spread eagle on her back, staring up into the night sky before clenching her fists and celebrating a truly Herculean effort to take down the 20-year old.



Afterward, the smiling Romanian used the sort of language she often does (sort of) after winning such a match. "I'm pretty dead," she said. But alive *enough* to win the Match of the Year (so far), probably the most even and best-played contest of the season's first two months.



How even? Well, the stats surely prove it out, as just a handful of shots made the difference. Halep led in aces (!) 3-2, and the pair were even with five DF each. Rybakina led 30-28 in winners, while having just two more unforced errors (25-23) than the Romanian. Halep converted 4-of-11 BP, while Rybakina was 4-of-7. Halep led 113-106 in points.
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2. Dubai 2nd Rd. - Simona Halep def. Ons Jabeur
...1-6/6-2/7-6(7). What would have been the Match of the Week/Year in Dubai if not for, you know (see #1).

In a match-long display of shotmaking and will in front of vociferous fans of both players, Halep rebounded from losing the 1st set by upping her aggression in the 2nd. The result was a 3-0 lead as she won the set 6-2. She held another 3-0 edge in the 3rd, and led 4-1. Jabeur closed the gap, and saw Halep two points from the win at 5-4, before seeming to turn the match in her favor. The Tunisian grabbed the lead and served for the match at 6-5, only to be broken at love. Halep raced to a 6-3 lead in the TB. She saw her second MP (converted) overturned via replay, then Jabeur fired an ace to close to 6-5. On MP #3, Halep just missed on an ace of her own, and a point later Jabeur suddenly found herself at MP (something Halep later said she didn't realize). But back-to-back forehand errors from Jabeur handed the Romanian a lifeline, and she held on tight, quickly converting MP #4 and the never losing the rest of the week.



Both women broke serve five times in the match, and in the end Halep held just a three-point (95-92) advantage. But it turned out to be so much more. They say if you're going to take a shot at the King/Queen, you'd best kill 'em. Well, Queen Simona lived... and the rest was history.
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3. Dubai 1st Rd. - Elena Rybakina def. Sofia Kenin
...6-7(2)/6-3/6-3. Rybakina's win over the AO champ improved her (then) mark in three-setters to 7-0 in 2020 before the Halep loss. Likening her mindset going into the match vs. such an in-form player to being that of undertaking a helpful "training session" in which she didn't put any pressure on herself to win, Rybakina's post-match reaction looked just like that. Of course, that seems to simply be her way.



Imagine how another transplanted-Russian Kazakh might have reacted to such a win. Putintseva's acrobatics after converting MP might have made Simone Biles blush.
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4. Dubai 2nd Rd. - Jennifer Brady def. Marketa Vondrousova 4-6/6-4/6-1
Dubai QF - Jennifer Brady def. Garbine Muguruza 6-7(5)/6-3/6-4
...Brady, like Halep, had to rally to pull off her excellent week. She was a set and double-break down at 4-1 to Vondrousova before winning 11 of 12 games. After blowing a 5-2 lead vs. Muguruza in the 1st, Brady charged back to win in three over the Spaniard for her third straight Top 20 victory.
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5. Dubai SF - Elena Rybakina def. Petra Martic
...7-6(5)/7-6(2). Martic was so close. She served for the 1st, and had SP. She served for the 2nd, too, and also held SP. The difference between winning and losing is *so* small on tour right now.


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6. Dubai 1st Rd. - Veronika Kudermetova def. Dayana Yastremska
...5-7/6-3/7-6(2). It says a great deal about the quality of the matches in Dubai that this one is listed this far down. Kudermetova was down a double-break in the 3rd.
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7. Dubai 1st Rd. - Anastasia Pavluchenkova def. Belinda Bencic
...1-6/6-1/6-3. Bencic is lucky Svitolina is off to such a rocky start. No one is noticing her own early-season slip. The defending champ in Dubai, Bencic won the first nineteen points of the match (she was five points from a Golden Set), but still found a way to lose convincingly.
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8. Doha 1st Rd. - Laura Siegemund def. Yaroslava Shvedova
...6-3/6-3. Did someone say "Golden Set?" Yes, Shvedova is (finally) back, in her first action since Roland Garros in 2017. She's had a baby since she last played, and was just named the Kazakhstan Captain for this April's Playoff tie vs. Argentina after the resignation of Dias Doskarayev.
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9. Dubai Q1 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands def. Ajla Tomljanovic
...6-4/3-6/7-6(7). Tomljanovic held a 4-1 3rd set lead, and reached MP at 5-4, then 6-3 and 7-6 in the deciding TB.
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10. Dubai Q2 - Ana Bogdan def. Zhang Shuai
...3-6/6-4/7-6(10). Bogdan saved a MP, and finally converted on MP #8.
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11. Dubai 2nd Rd. - Sofia Kenin/Bethanie Mattek-Sands def. Kveta Peschke/Demi Schuurs
...0-6/6-0 (10-1). Oh.So.Close. After dropping the 1st at love, Kenin/BMS won the 2nd at love and led the match TB 8-0. Unfortunately, Peschke/Schuurs got a point and "ruined" the scoreline.
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12. Dubai 2nd Rd. - Aryna Sabalenka def. Elise Mertens
...6-4/6-3. Singles sometimes makes for strange doubles bedfellows. Sabalenka leads the head-to-head 3-2. They're 4-2 as doubles partners in 2020.
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HM- $25K Glasgow SCO Final - Clara Tauson def. Viktoriya Tomova
...6-4/6-0. Tauson wins her first post-Wozniacki title, taking career challenger #7.


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1. Dubai 1st Rd. - Garbine Muguruza def. Kim Clijsters
...6-2/7-6(6). Muguruza led 6-2/3-0, but the closer-than-it-looked comeback match for Clijsters saw the Hall of Fame Waffle's game suddenly click *hard* as she battled back into the set and actually led 6-5. Muguruza, as she's done often in '20, dug down and got things done in the tie-break, firing a big serve to close out the match. In many ways, this was a good result for both, as Muguruza proved her rediscovered mettle, while Clijsters showed she *may* be more than just a novel nostalgia act before the season is over.



Muguruza improved to 6-2 in three-setters this season with a 1st Round win over Dasha Kasatkina on Sunday in Doha.


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2. Dubai QF - Elena Rybakina def. Karolina Pliskova
...7-6(1)/6-3. "I'm always calm," said the-queen-of-understatement (Rybakina, not Pliskova), after she locked down her second Top 10 win of the week, and her biggest ever. The Kazakh both out-winnered (33-20) and out-aced (11-3) the Ace Queen, saving 10 of 11 BP, including 6 in a row in the first half of a crucial stretch in the 2nd set. Pliskova had led 4-2 in the 1st before Rybakina turned things around, then raced to a 6-0 lead in the TB before taking control of the match.
===============================================
3. Dubai Final - Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova def. Barbora Krejcikova/Zheng Saisai
...7-5/3-6 (10-5). Hsieh/Strycova are now 7-3 in finals as a pair.
===============================================
4. $60K Kyota JPN Final - Erina Hayashi/Moyuka Uchijima def. Hsieh Yu-chieh/Minori Yonehara
...7–5/5–7 (10–6). Su-wei's younger sister didn't make it a two-title weekend for the Hsiehs.
===============================================
5. Dubai 2nd Rd. - Alison Riske/Desirae Krawczyk def. Chan Hao-ching/Latisha Chan 3-6/6-3 (10-7)
Dubai 2nd Rd. - Hayley Carter/Luisa Stefani def. Karolina Pliskova/Kristyna Pliskova 6-4/6-4
Dubai QF - Gaby Dabrowski/Zhang Shuai def. Lyudmyla Kichenok/Nadiia Kichenok 6-2/6-4
...whole lotta sister acts runnin' around in the desert this week.
===============================================
HM- Dubai 1st Rd. - Petra Martic def. Hsieh Su-wei 6-4/6-3
Dubai 2nd Rd. - Petra Martic def. Barbora Strycova 6-3/6-3
...WD champs Hsieh and Strycova had very similar experiences in Dubai. Those of Petra Martic were quite varied.


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Tofu will probably never become a lifeguard ??

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**2018-20 WTA FINALS**
10 - 3/6/1...Ash Barty (7-3)
10 - 4/5/1...Kiki Bertens (6-4)
10 - 6/3/1...SIMONA HALEP (5-5)
9 - 5/4/0...Petra Kvitova (7-2)
9 - 3/5/1...Karolina Pliskova (7-2)
8 - 4/4/0...Aryna Sabalenka (5-3)
6 - 3/3/0...Naomi Osaka (4-2)
6 - 3/3/0...Julia Goerges (3-3)
6 - 0/2/4...ELENA RYBAKINA (2-4)
6 - 2/3/1...Serena Williams (1-5)

**CAREER WTA FINALS - active**
98...Serena Williams, USA (2020:1)
83...Venus Williams, USA
60...Kim Clijsters, BEL
59...Maria Sharapova, RUS
42...Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS
37...SIMONA HALEP, ROU (1)
37...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
36...Petra Kvitova, CZE
30...Angelique Kerber,GER
30...Vera Zvonareva, RUS
28...Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1)

**2020 WTA CHAMPIONS FROM MP DOWN**
Brisbane: Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1 MP vs. Osaka, SF)
Dubai: Simona Halep, ROU (1 MP vs. Jabeur, 2r)
[junior slams]
Australian Open: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND (3 MP vs. Delai, 3r)

**2020 YOUNGEST WTA WS FINLALISTS**
19 - Leonie Kung, SUI (Hua Hin-L)
19 - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (Adelaide-L)
20 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (Shenzhen-L)
20 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (Hobart-W)
20 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (Saint Petersburg-L)
20 - ELENA RYBAKINA, KAZ (DUBAI-L)

**2020 WTA WD FINALS**
3 (2-1) = HSIEH SU-WEI
3 (2-1) = BARBORA STRYCOVA
2 (1-1) = BARBORA KREJCIKOVA (+MX win)
2 (0-2) = ZHENG SAISAI

**2019-20 WD TITLES - DUOS**
6...HSIEH/STRYCOVA (4/2)
4...Babos/Mladenovic (3/1)
4...Chan/Chan (4/0)
3...Aoyama/Shibahara (2/1)
3...Krejcikova/Siniakova (2/1)
3...Melichar/Peschke (3/0)
3...Mertens/Sabalenka (3/0)
2...Gauff/McNally (2/0)

**2020 OLDEST WTA WD FINALISTS**
38 - Serena Williams, USA (Auckland-L)
35 - Darija Jurak, CRO (Adelaide-L)
34 - HSIEH SU-WEI, TPE (Dubai-W)
34 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (AO-L)
34 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (Brisbane-W)
34 - Peng Shuai, CHN (Hobart-L)
34 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (AO MX-L)
33 - BARBORA STRYCOVA, CZE (DUBAI-W)
33 - Barbora Strycova, CZE (AO-L)
33 - Barbora Strycova, CZE (Brisbane-W)

**CAREER WTA WD TITLES - active**
42...Sania Mirza, IND (2020: 1)
39...Katarina Srebotnik, SLO
34...Kveta Peschke, CZE
33...Latisha Chan, TPE
29...BARBORA STRYCOVA, CZE (2)
27...Sara Errani, ITA
27...Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
27...Andrea S.-Hlavackova, CZE
26...HSIEH SU-WEI, TPE (2)
26...Samantha Stosur, AUS

**CONSECUTIVE TOP 10 WEEKS - active streaks (Feb.24)**
318 - Simona Halep, ROU
181 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE
145 - Elina Svitolina, UKR
77 - Naomi Osaka, JPN
73 - Kiki Bertens, NED
48 - Ash Barty, AUS
35 - Serena Williams, USA
25 - Bianca Andreescu, CAN
25 - Belinda Bencic, SUI
4 - Sofia Kenin, USA
[all-time longest]
1000...Martina Navratilova
746...Chris Evert
625...Steffi Graf
508...Gabriela Sabatini
458...Pam Shriver
429...Arantxa Sanchez Vicario
421...Hana Mandlikova
333...Lindsay Davenport
319...Conchita Martinez
318...SIMONA HALEP

**WTA ALL-SISTERS DOUBLES TITLES**
22 - Serena & Venus Williams, USA
14 - Chan Hao-Ching & Latisha Chan, TPE
3 - Karolina & Kristyna Pliskova, CZE
3 - Alona & Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
3 - Lyudmyla & Nadiia Kichenok, UKR
1 - CHRIS & JEANNE EVERT, USA
1 - Katerina Maleeva/Manuela Maleeva, BUL
1 - Cammy & Cynthia MacGregor, USA
1 - Aga & Ula Radwanska, POL
1 - Adriana & Antonella Serra-Zanetta, ITA






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Ever hear of "Molly of Denali?" Neither had I until I just happened to stumble upon the title in the a.m. TV listings for PBS a few weeks ago, and with a catchy title like that I just had to check it out. Turned out, it had a theme song that's hard to get out of your head (you know it's a bit of an earworm when out of nowhere you just suddenly blurt out, "Molllly... of Denali" for no good reason.


Anyway, I ended up truly enjoying this little show. Of course, it's essentially a kids program, but it's actually not a bad watch for adults. Focusing on what is the first indigenous Alaskan main character for any animation series, you can't help but learn something along with the characters (who often search online and in books to answer questions) in every episode, whether it be about Alaskan culture or history in general (in between the two 11-minute stories in each episode, actual footage of people doing the things talked about in the first segment are introduced by "Molly"). On some level, with all the native characters and accents, much of the show makes me think of the old Alaska-based "Northern Exposure" (at it's best, one of my favorite shows ever), with 10-year old Molly sort of being a cross between Oprah Winfrey (at least w/ some of her speaking patterns) and Ariel Tweto (who was part of a show called "Flying Wild Alaska" that used to air on Discovery, and who made some hilarious appearances on the "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" a few years ago).

I've sort of been mildly obsessed with this thing for a few weeks, DVRing episodes on PBS if I haven't seen them, along with the new ones currently airing. And now I've discovered they have all the early episodes, which first aired last summer, on YouTube. So, I supposed I'm about to dive in a little deeper.

I guess I just bring it up here because -- haha -- I want *one* person to be struck with the same illness I have (i.e. with the symptoms being a sudden blurting out of the theme song... and laughing about it every time)...



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"Lil' Ritz"


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All for now.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 9:46 PM 

7 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

The brain surgery clip is amazing on both ends.

Broady (:

Navratilova spent 1000 weeks? That's like 14 + years!

Mladenovic back to doubles #1. Groenefeld still at #11.

Shvedova lost, but still on IW list for singles.

Halep- Conflicting thoughts. This felt like her Wimbledon run, as she faced 3 of this seasons best in Jabeur, Brady, and Rybakina. As impressive as it was to watch, Andreescu is still the only Top 10 win she has since Wimbledon.

On the other hand, the Blake Snell of the WTA, aka Rybakina is at it again. 2018 Cy Young Award winner Snell famously had to learn other pitches on the way up, because his fastball didn't top 90 mph. Then got older and stronger and added that to his arsenal.

Rybakina was a tall finesse player as recently as 2 years ago. Now has the strength to go with it, and is almost like a young Venus, without the net play. Arguably only had her "B" game all week, and still took out Pliskova, Kenin, and was 3 points away from taking out Halep.

Stat of the Week- 20- The amount of WTA tournaments in 2019 that had byes.

All byes are not created equal. Some tournaments like Indian Wells and Miami have 32, while some of the smaller ones have as few as 2.

9 times last year, someone with a bye won a title. 9 other women with byes reached a final. But there are 2 women that stood out, for totally different reasons.

The first is Karolina Pliskova. Somewhat of a red flag in terms of slams, both in regards to results and fitness, in that 4 of the 5 finals she reached were tournaments in which she had a bye. The one that wasn't? Week 1.

The other is Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Only reached 2 finals last year, but did not have a bye in either one. But that is her M.O. Even having reached finals in her career as the #1 seed, all 20 of her career finals have been without a bye.

Quiz Time!
Kiki Bertens won St. Petersburg in back to back years, which should make her an honorary Russian. Which would fit, as she is better on hard than clay now. Since Maria Sharapova won the 2014 French Open, which Russian has the most titles on clay in singles?

A.Maria Sharapova
B.Daria Kasatkina
C.Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
D.Anastasia Potapova


Interlude- I was going to put the clip of Zavatska & Kostyuk singing, but can't find it in a timely manner.




Answer!

The old days. Myskina. Dementieva. Safina. Sharapova. Kuznetsova. When Russians were a threat to win on clay every week. That is now few and far between.

(A)Sharapova is wrong, but on the list as she did win a title in 2015- Rome. That leaves her close to the top of this list.

(D)Potapova is both the answer farthest away, and the one that came the closest. In only her 3rd WTA MD, she reached a final on clay, in Russia. Alas, she lost to Olga Danilovic. Unfortunately, she never got a second chance as the tournament moved to Latvia, who then had their own countrywoman in Sevastova walk away with the title.

With only 2 choices left, (B)Kasatkina is out. Even with a game that should translate to clay, she only has 1 title- Charleston 2017. That leaves (C)Pavlyuchenkova with a whopping 2 titles as the answer. 2017 Morocco and 2018 Strasbourg.

Mon Feb 24, 07:32:00 AM EST  
Blogger colt13 said...

5 On the Up Side- Sunday start edition.

1.Pavlyuchenkova- Doha pick. Have to go with somebody from the Svitolina/Bertens section, so why not her. Has reached finals in 9 of the last 10 years and doesn't have a bye.
2.Schmiedlova- Acapulco pick as all 5 of her career finals have been internationals. In a top heavy draw which has a bottom half that is so wide open with 3 PR and 4 Q that a qualifier could reach the finals.
3.Bertens- 10 finals in the last 2 calendar years. Outside chance for her be the first woman this season with multiple titles. Part of it is due to the amount of spin she is getting.
4.Rybakina- Jazz. Marble. Satin. Elena. Name things that are smooth. There is an ease to her game that is refreshing. Not expecting much in Doha if she stays in, but this looks like a special year. On the short list at IW, because look at the last 2 years.
5.Ka.Pliskova- On this list because she has a bye, but I could have just flipped a coin, with Ostapenko, Jabeur, and Kvitova in the same section. Another Match of the Year might come from this group.

Mon Feb 24, 07:44:00 AM EST  
Blogger colt13 said...

5 On the Down Side.

1.Barty- More of a sideways. Was initially shocked to she her in this draw, as she has never played Doha or Dubai before. Then realized that the last 3 years, she has played a Fed Cup tie at the beginning of the month. #1 through at least Miami, curious as to what form she is in.
2.Gracheva- 3 match losing streak, 4 counting ITF results. Tactical error in that with Acapulco's cutoff being 108, she would have made it into MD. Instead, she went to Doha, and lost in Q, in which she has played all 7 of her WTA matches this year.
3.Mexico- Up for the tournament, down for the players. I have to give credit to Acapulco for being around for 20 years, even with a situation tougher than Tashkent. They at least had a Top 20 player in Tulyaganova. But Acapulco has run this event for 20 years without ever getting a player directly in the main draw. And none have ever made it through qualifying. Renata Zarauza gets WC for the 4th year running. She also is the last to have won a match back in 2018. Last to have reached 3rd rd? Melissa Torres Sandoval in 2007.
4.Andreescu- Only in terms of ranking. If she doesn't play Indian Wells, she will probably be around 11. But winning a slam means that she can pull a Serena, as she will stay Top 20 until after US Open.
5.Kasatkina- Renewed one of the best rivalries in tennis vs Muguruza. For the 4th time in 5 matches, they went 3 sets. But with another loss, the question needs to be asked- like Bouchard's 2014, is Kasatkina's 2018 an outlier, or can she get back to the form that made her a joy to watch?

Mon Feb 24, 07:58:00 AM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

You know, aside from her being, well, "Martina" and all that meant at the time (such like "Serena" now), Navratilova never really had significant injuries.

Speaking of that, Kerber dropped out of the Top 20 again today. :/

Sheesh, I'll have to add that to Mladenovic's section. I didn't even think to check if that was possible since she didn't play WD and Hsieh/Strycova defended Dubai. Hmmm, I guess it was because Dubai was worth fewer points *this* year since Doha is the desert Premier 5 for 2020. I see now.

Hmmm, so I guess ALG isn't taking her name out of the rankings. I *guess* she's played her last match, right?

Well, Halep has only played a Top 10 player since Wimbledon at WTAF (1-2), and the win *was* a great match vs. a then-healthy Andreescu. Beyond that, I think she was just looking to get to the offseason at the time. She *is* 5-1 vs. The Top 20 this season, though.

Oh, another blowout loss by Svitolina today (3/3 to Anisimova).

Pavlyuchenkova... forever making everyone turn their head to the side in that confused canine way. ;)

Quiz: I knew Potapova hadn't yet won a title. Wanted to say Pavlyuchenkova, but it seemed *too* obvious since you'd just mentioned her, so I went w/ Dasha. Grrr.

Like the Rybakina description. :) Right down to her outfit, too... she literally doesn't look like she ever sweats. You're probably onto something about Indian Wells.

At least Olmos made the WD final in Acapulco last year. She's back in the doubles draw this year as the #2 seed w/ Krawczyk. If they win... in the 2nd Round they could face the *only* other home players (Zacarias/Zarazua) in the draw. Well, at least it'd be a featured match.

Mon Feb 24, 01:31:00 PM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Added Kostyuk's Instagram post to her ITF PoW section. Love the look of the trophy.

Mon Feb 24, 01:41:00 PM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Here I was going to say earlier, after Rybakina lost the 1st set vs. Cirstea, that it might be "good" for her to lose early to get some rest before IW/Miami. Then, of course, she rips through the 2nd/3rd sets and wins 6-3/6-1. (Throws up hands) ;)

Mon Feb 24, 02:12:00 PM EST  
Blogger colt13 said...

Pavlyuchenkova pulled out, yet Rybakina wins again. Agree, wouldn't mind a walkover next match. Also, Pliskova may turn out to be a bad pick since the heat is causing issues.

OT-#8 got overshadowed by a 42 year old kidney transplant survivor.

Still fitting that he is the 8th player to have reached 700. And you get to brag about ex-Cap Gartner, as he is next to be passed.

Mon Feb 24, 02:23:00 PM EST  

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