Wednesday, September 30, 2020

RG.4- The Tennis Gods Must Be Crazy

The Match. The Myth. Bertens vs. Errani.




What to make of the match on Court 14 between #5 Kiki Bertens and qualifier Sara Errani? Both are former Top 5 players (one is still in the Top 10), one is a former Roland Garros finalist (Errani '12) and the other a semifinalist (Bertens '16). The story of what happened on the court between them today will be a tale told second, third and fourth hand -- sometimes in long form and others in short -- for years.

So perhaps it's appropriate that I never got to see any of today's match actually play out live. (Thanks, Tennis Channel, for proving that, apparently, slams aren't slams in 2020 unless you ignore the exciting stories and instead focus on Rafa Nadal blowing a scrubjay U.S. man off the court while the sky is falling elsewhere on the grounds.) Oh, I was watching the scoreline as *that* crazyiness played out, but wasn't following along on social media (not the Roland Garros Twitter feed, mind you, as it didn't offer a peep about what was happening, anyhow) in real time to know just how nutty it *truly* was. But I did some backtracking, so...

First off, this was the *winner* after the match:



As for (some of) the rest...

Errani held a 5-0 head-to-head edge over the Dutch woman, but that didn't prevent Bertens from scrambling from a 4-2 deficit in the 1st set to win a tie-break. Errani won the 2nd set to force a 3rd, when things got really hairy on the scoreboard.

In the meantime, the match went forth while Errani's ability to toss the ball to serve often left her completely. At one time, she missed *six* tosses in a row. In the 1st set, at 6-5, she failed on two straight and lost a point, then aborted a third attempt. So instead she served underhanded, and lost the point. She got a warning from the umpire after two bad toss attempts, and served underhanded again. Errani pulled it out in the tie-break, as well.

Oh, but that wasn't all. Or so I'm told.

As things went along, Bertens was dragging herself around the court while severely cramping, doubling over in pain, yet sometimes was able to burst toward Errani's drop shots. Such instances caused the Italian to shoot Bertens the evil eye, not "buying it" for second, even though it was clear that if Bertens were "faking" she should immediately be entered in the race for the Academy Awards (she won't be because she wasn't faking... and, you know, she won't be, anyway). At some point, Errani's exultatations began to echo throughout the grounds, and she began to mock Bertens' twisting reactions to pain.

At least this is what I hear (and now see).



On the scoreboard in the 3rd set, the two woman combined for *ten* consecutive breaks of serve. Errani took a break lead *five* different times, and served for the match *three* times. She held a MP at 5-4. Finally, Bertens mercifully held for 8-7. Serving, Errani fell behind love/40, then saved three MP to get to deuce. On MP #4, Bertens leaped to put away a backhand volley winner that ended the match, giving her a 7-6(5)/3-6/9-7 victory in 3:11.

Bertens collapsed on the court, convulsively sobbing as an infuriated Errani quickly grabbed her gear, gave a curt nod (but no racket tap, as she'd already packed it away in the bag slung over her shoulder) as she raced past Bertens, who hadn't even yet walked hobbled to the changeover area. As she exited, Errani bellowed "Vaffanculo!!!!" for everyone in Paris (and maybe Italy, too) to hear.

(It's an Italian word that everyone today learned means exactly what you think it means, either "f*** you!" or "f*** off!" or "Go f*** yourself!"... take your pick, though I think I prefer the latter option for some reason, but maybe that's just Presidential Debate hangover talking.)



As Bertens squirmed in the chair (and Errani was likely thinking other curse words elsewhere, maybe in one of those 24 other languages that Kiki Mladenovic knows), her thigh was quickly treated by a trainer. Eventually, she was given a wheelchair and, after screaming in pain after sitting down, she was carried off on her shield finally wheeled off the battlefield terre battue, her new-found legend story complete for future generations.



At least I think that's what happened. (Again, thanks Tennis Channel.)






=DAY 4 NOTES=
...clearly, the Tennis Gods are out of control and drunk on power. How else do you explain Day 4?

Aside from the 2020 Poster Child match that was Bertens/Errani, early on Wednesday, #6 Serena Williams exited the tournament without having ever lost a point in her scheduled 2nd Round match with Tsvetana Pironkova.



Though Serena showed no signs of issues in her 1st Rounder against Kristie Ahn (or as the Tennis Channel crew calls her, forever "Kristieahn"), it's hard to say that this was a huge surprise. Actually, I raised a bit of an eyebrow before the tournament started when Williams' Achilles' heel injury from the U.S. Open semis didn't seem to be a lingering topic of conversation. As I said then, the way she reacted when she pulled up during her match with Vika Azarenka, I feared that she might have ruptured her Achilles, as she was hurt without seemingly taking a step, and then bent over and reacted in the "whoa, something is really weird and wrong here" way that football players do when they suffer the injury (which often leads to up to close to a year out). Even her ginger, post-injury walk was similar.

At nearly 40, and not being able to sacrifice such a long injury recovery time if she's going to accomplish her remaining career goals (and play in the '21 Olympics, too), she really can't afford to take a chance. Especially on a surface where, even taped-up, the feet and ankles tend to get twisted (or worse, see Dasha K.) while maneuvering along the surface of the clay. In her press conference, Williams said she found herself with a bit of a limp against Ahn, and this morning was having trouble walking.

If those aren't the sort of signs that *have* to be listened to with that sort of injury, then there are no such things as warning signs. You know, like when someone responds to being called the puppet of a dictator with the brilliant retort, "I'm not the puppet. You're the puppet!" Like that.

So, Serena is not only out of this slam, but the rest of the '20 season (that was probably going to be the case, anyway, though), with 4-6 weeks of "doing nothing" and a few more weeks of work after that before even having a chance to play at all. If you're adding that up in the calendar in your head, that takes her into (at least) early (and probably mid-) December, and around New Year's (or just before) she'll have to be making the decision on whether to travel half-way around the globe to begin the '21 campaign. So, it's probably safe to say that the Australian Open isn't a *given* for Serena, either. We might not see her again for five months, just before the '21 U.S. spring hard court campaign. I mean, assuming 2021 isn't even worse than 2020 has been. (Ooh, did I just put that out into the universe? Sorry.)

This is just the second walkover given by Serena in her slam career, but her second in the last three years in Paris. Maria Sharapova, in her only advancement past Williams following those two wins in 2004, was given a pass into the QF at the Roland Garros in 2018 (her first major back after having a baby) due to Serena's pectoral muscle injury.

This is the third time that both Sisters exited a major before the 3rd Round (all three times have been in Paris), and the sixth time (fourth at RG) where neither reached the Round of 16.

So, in a round-about way, Pironkova "strikes again." While it's not another win over a seed, she'll still advance past another for the fourteenth time in her slam career (four times at the expense of a Williams). She won't get the chance to do it again in the 3rd Round, though, as her potential seeded opponent, #32 Barbora Strycova, fell today to countrywoman Barbora Krejcikova, who advances to her first career *singles* 3rd Round at a major. The Czech is already a four-time slam champion, having won two women's doubles (RG/WI) and two mixed (both AO) crowns.

...meanwhile, why not Schmiedy?

So many interesting and/or comebacks stories have been floating around the two Restart slams over the past month or so, I guess it should come as no surprise that Anna Karolina Schmiedlova has now put herself into the center of one. I mean if Pironkova can return from three years out and reach a slam QF (or two?), why can't AKS' story add another chapter or two (or three or four)?

1. 2012: RG Girls Final
2. 2014: Upset Venus
3. 2015: Top 30
4. 2015: Two Tour Titles
5. 2016: 16 Straight Losses
6. 2018: Comeback Title
7. 2019: Knee Surgery
8. 2020: The Comeback II
9. 2020: Upset Venus Again...the Vika, too
10. ????


View this post on Instagram

2nd round win at RG??????@rolandgarros

A post shared by Anna Karolina (@akschmiedlova) on



Honestly, though, it was hard to foresee today's result, as #161-ranked Schmiedlova's stellar play was combined with a very off day from #10-seeded Victoria Azarenka. The Slovak's 6-2/6-2 win was a complete one, as she served out the victory without having ever been broken. And, remember, she was playing *Vika*, so that's *extra* impressive. Schmiedy even fell in the backcourt (a year after knee surgery!) and had to call a trainer in the middle of battle to look at her knee. After having lost twelve straight slam MD matches, then recording her second career slam win over Venus Williams, she's now won back-to-back outings in Paris over two former #1's with a combined nine slam singles titles between them. This is Schmiedlova's first 3rd Round at a major since the 2015 U.S. Open, and first at RG since '14.



Azarenka had 38 errors, and was 0-for-5 on BP opportunities. She recognized that even after all these years, she's got more to learn.

"The lesson I need to learn is that sometimes when things don't work for me, the way I was playing today... was to be willing to adjust a little bit more and not think at the end of the match to finally start changing my game," Vika said. "I felt like I was trying a lot, trying different things, but today things were not working. I felt like nothing really was working, but I still had to find a way to win, and I didn't."

"So it's a lesson for me to learn how to be more courageous, to go for more. And I will learn it, for sure."

...#3 Elina Svitolina's journey into the 3rd Round at this Roland Garros happened as anticipated today, but it was far more scenic (or sweaty and stomach-tightening, at least) than the usual afternoon walk through Paris.

Her opponent was qualifier Renata Zarazua (#178), looking to become the first Mexican woman to reach the 3rd Round in Paris since 1968 (Elena Subirats). She threatened to do just that, too. After Svitolina took the 1st set, Zarazua took advantage of a hail of errors from the Ukrainian, who won just 35% of her 1st serves in the set, committing 16 UE in what was a love set loss (!!).



After an early exchange of breaks in the 3rd, Svitolina pulled it together and won 6-3/0-6/6-2. But, as noted in the video, the look on her face at the net after converting match point wasn't exactly reminiscent of a potential eventual champion two weekends from now.



...elsewhere, #27 Ekaterina Alexandrova's win over lucky loser Astra Sharma puts a Russian woman into the 3rd Round of a slam for the 79th time in the last 81 majors. Dasha Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova are still to play 2nd Round matches tomorrow.



Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska upset #23-seeded Yulia Putintseva in three sets, 6-3/1-6/6-2 to reach her maiden slam 3rd Round. The last woman representing Argentina to reach the Round of 16 in Paris was Gisella Dulko in 2011.

Of course, Putintseva wasn't to be *totally* outdone at the end of the match.



Podoroska's win adds her name to the list of the other remaining players in her section of the draw: Pironkova, Schmiedlova and Krejcikova. Let the battle for a QF spot begin.

Caroline Garcia, who at least for a day leapfrogged both Kristina Mladenovic (who'll stay behind her) and Fiona Ferro to once again become the top-ranked Pastry in the live rankings, advanced past Aliaksandra Sasnovich to the 3rd Round, winning 7-6(5)/6-2.



Pastries Fiona Ferro, Alize Cornet and Clara Burel play on Day 5. A year ago, no French women made it out of the 2nd Round for the first time since 1986.

...Canadian wild card Genie Bouchard (good job by the FFT w/ WC for this RG, by the way, when it comes to non-French players) reached her first 3rd Round at a major since the 2017 Australian Open (and her first in Paris since her '14 semi) with a three-set win over Dasha Gavrilova.



Bouchard lost a 4-1 1st set edge to the Aussie, who took the lead and finally served out the set (in her second attempt) at 7-5. The Canadian only dropped seven *more* games in the 2nd and 3rd sets, though, winning 5-7/6-4/6-3. She's now 10-3 on all levels in the Restart.

Next up is Iga Swiatek, who reached the Round of 16 last year in Paris. Today the 19-year old Pole ousted Hsieh Su-wei 6-1/6-4, choosing (I guess) an unoffered *fourth* option put on the table by the veteran.



...while most of last year's semifinalists from Paris either didn't show up this year or were shown the door in the 1st Round, #25 Amanda Anisimova is still kickin' up dust in Paris. A lot of it. Again.

The Bannerette took out countrywoman Bernarda Pera 6-2/6-0 today (in a match quickly moved to Chatrier due to Serena's withdrawal), surrendering the same measley two games in the match that she loss in the 1st Round to Tamara Korpatsch. As one would expect, that's the fewest games dropped through two rounds at this RG so far.

Things will get a bit more complicated in the next round, as she'll once again face the player she defeated in *last* year's quarterfinals. Her name is Simona. Simona Halep. Perhaps you've heard of her.

The #1-seeded Romanian faced fellow Swarmette Irina Camelia Begu in her 2nd Rounder. After Halep jumped to a 3-0 lead, Begu's play improved and she made Halep earn her win. Begu got things back on serve at 4-3 before Halep broke back and then served out the set. A similar scenario played out in the 2nd set. After an early Halep break, Begu got back on serve a game later and she kept things interesting until the '18 RG champ broke for 5-4 and then served out the victory, winning 6-3/6-4 and extending her career best winning streak to 16 matches (12-0 Restart).

Halep's win vs. Begu is her 14th consecutive over a countrywoman (on all pro levels, MD+Q's), a winning streak that goes back over a decade. Overall, she's 30-4.

=HALEP vs. ROMANIANS - ITF/WTA Q+MD=
2006: 2-1...WWL (Agnes Szatmari, $10K Bucharest QF)
2007: 3-0...WWW
2008: 7-1...WWWWLWWW (Sorana Cirstea, $50K Bucharest QF)
2009: 3-1...WLWW (Liana Ungur, $25K Monteroni 1r)
2010: 2-1...WLW (Sorana Cirstea, Cincinnati Q2)
2011: 1-0...W
2012: 3-0...WWW
2013: 1-0...W
2014: 1-0...W
2015: 1-0...W
2016: 2-0...WW
2017: -
2018: 1-0...W
2019: 1-0...W
2020: 2-0...WW
-
OVERALL: 30-4 (14 consecutive, 2010-present)




...late in the day, after beginning with Serena's withdrawal, the women's Day 4 competition ended with Coco Gauff falling in a hail of double-faults (19) against Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan.



Even with the poor serving, Gauff was amazingly in the thick of the match deep into the 3rd set. When Trevisan seemed to briefly lose concentration after losing a disagreement with the chair umpire about a line mark, Gauff held to stay in the match at 5-5. But two games later, Trevisan got the break to end the match, winning 4-6/6-2/7-5 to reach her first career slam 3rd Round.



After going 8-3 in her first three major appearances, Gauff has now gone 1-2 in her last two. Both came in the Restart, of course, following a very intense shutdown stretch for the 16-year old during the summer protests/riots in the U.S. during which she assumed a far more public role (along w/ Naomi Osaka) than any other tour player, so one would probably be wise to give the kid a proper period of preparation before reading too much into such results. After winning three straight matches in her return in Lexington in August, Gauff has since gone 2-5. She's 9-7 on the season.

...meanwhile, some housecleaning is necessary.

Nation of Poor Souls: I was set to hand this to Ukraine, with Svitolina's love 2nd set loss to Zarazua serving as the decorative parsley on the plate. But with Serena's exit, four of the seven seeded U.S. women failed to get out of the 2nd Round. Additionally, unseeded U.S. quarterfinalist Shelby Rogers, U.S. semifinalist Jen Brady, and Venus Williams all failed to win a match, then Gauff was bounced in the 2nd Round with 19 DF today. And, let's be honest, giving the U.S. the "Nation of Poor Souls" dishonor is about as *on-brand* for 2020 as anything could *ever* be, right?

Zombie Queen of Paris: Bertens. She made it easy.

Crash & Burn: not the 2019 RG semifinalists (largely because Konta going out in the 1st Round isn't exactly earth-shattering), but the 2020 U.S. Open final four. Naomi Osaka didn't make the trip. Then Brady lost in the 1st Round, Serena withdrew and Vika lost all within a 24-hour window.

...the doubles started on Wednesday. Nothing really big to note, but U.S. Open champs (#12 seeds) Laura Siegemund & Vera Zvonareva defeated the all-Pastry duo of Cornet/Parmentier, and #6 Peschke/Schuurs defeated the Japanese team of Ninomiya/Hibino.

In case you're wondering, Siegemund/Zvonareva can't meet Babos/Mladenovic until the final.

...all right, one of my "unnamed semifinalists" fell today in #10 Azarenka. Though I will say that I was questioning that pick (Vika in the semis... in Paris?) even as I made it, believing it to be more based on her somewhat surprising clay form in Rome than anything, and probably should have pushed her QF opponent past her.

Oh, well. I still have seven of eight QF picks, 3/4 of the SF (including a maiden slam semifinalist) and both finalists alive, though.





...WHERE WE ARE ON DAY 4:

Dana Bash made my jaw drop last night, though I totally agreed.





...GOVERNOR, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CEASED TO EXIST STARTING IN 2016 ON DAY 4:


As I've said many times over the last four years: this is a two-party system, but nothing says one of the parties has to be the GOP.


...SIGH... ON DAY 4:


A "correction" wouldn't mean anything, anyway, because it won't be the last time, and any past "corrections" are always overturned within 48 hours via the official Twitter feed or in a rally to roars of approval.


..."STAND BACK AND STAND BY" DAY 4:

If that horrific example of humanity gets re-elected, or is allowed to steal this election with lawsuits, lies, intimidation and armed standoffs, we're all doomed, right? And I don't mean just the United States, either. (Just checking.)


...TAKING A BREATH ON DAY 4:


...LIKE ON DAY 4:


...LIKE ON DAY 4:


Why we *can* still have nice things, though we aren't assured of them. It's an easy choice.


...QUESTION ON DAY 4:

=TRANSLATION=
Pauline Parmentier: "My career looks like me with ups and downs, but I am proud of everything I have done. I have experienced very beautiful emotions, I have met fabulous people. I only remember the happiness and the positive of all these years "




"Bravo," "Au revoir" or LOL?


...OH, AND... ON DAY 4:








The only athlete to have a street named in their honor in Paris...













kosova-font




















kosova-font

*VENUS & SERENA'S WORST COMBINED SLAMS*
[Both lost on same day]
2004 RG Day 9 (June 1: Capriati d. Serena, Myskina d. Venus)
2008 RG Day 6 (May 30: Srebotnik d. Serena, Pennetta d. Venus)
2011 WI Day 7 (June 27: Bartoli d. Serena, Pironkova d. Venus)
2014 RG Day 4 (May 28: Muguruza d. Serena, AK.Schmiedlova d. Venus)
Both out before the 3rd Round: 2012 RG, 2014 RG, 2020 RG
Both out before the 4th Round: 2006 AO, 2008 RG, 2012 RG, 2014 RG, 2020 AO, 2020 RG
Defeated both in same slam in singles: Hingis '01 AO, Henin '07 US, Clijsters '09 US (all reached final, Henin/Clijsters won title)

*RG "IT" WINNERS*
2006 Nicole Vaidisova, CZE
2007 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2008 Dinara Safina, RUS
2009 Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
2010 Ons Jabeur, TUN (Jr.)
2011 Caroline Garcia, FRA
2012 Sara Errani, ITA
2013 [post-Vergeer WC champ] Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
2014 [Spaniard] Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2015 [Swarmette] Andreea Mitu, ROU
2016 [Turk] Cagla Buyukakcay, TUR
2017 [Teen] Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2018 [NextGen Hordette] Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
2019 [GenPDQ Teens] Amanda Anisimova/USA, Iga Swiatek/POL, Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
2020 [New Dane on the Block] Clara Tauson, DEN

*RG "CRASH-AND-BURN" WINNERS*
2008 Serena Williams, USA (3rd Rd.)
2009 Elena Dementieva, RUS (3rd Rd.)
2010 Dinara Safina, RUS (1st Rd.)
2011 Kim Clijsters, BEL (2nd Rd.)
2012 Serena Williams, USA (2nd Rd.)
2013 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (2nd Rd.)
2014 Serena Williams, USA (2nd) & Li Na, CHN (1st/AO champ)
2015 Simona Halep, ROU (2nd Rd.)
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER (1st Rd./AO champ)
2017 Angelique Kerber, GER (1st Rd., earliest RG #1 ever)
2018 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1st Rd., earliest RG DC since '05)
2019 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1st Rd.; zero RG wins before/after '17 title)
2020 2020 U.S. Open SF (Osaka DNP; Brady 1r, Serena w/d, Azarenka 2r out within 24 hrs. on Day 3/4)

*RG "NATIONS OF POOR SOULS"*
2012 ROU (1-5 in 1st Rd.; Cadantu double-bageled)
2013 CZE (2-8 in 1st Rd.)
2014 CHN (0-4 in 1st; Sh.Zhang "1st Loss" & #2 Li, AO champ)
2015 USA (4-13 in 1st Rd.; most players in draw)
2016 ITA (Quartet 0-3 in 1st Rd.; Pennetta retired)
2017 GER (2-5 1st Rd.; #1 Kerber out)
2018 LAT (both DC Ostapenko & Sevastova out 1st Rd.)
2019 ITA (0-2; first none in RG 2nd Rd. since 1982)
2020 USA (4/7 seeds no reach 3r, Serena w/d 2r, US QF/SF Rogers & Brady 1r, Venus 1r, Gauff 2r w/ 19 DF)

*RG "ZOMBIE QUEENS OF PARIS"*
[2008]
Dinara Safina, RUS (2 MP down in 4r, 2 MP down in QF; reached final)
[2009]
Victoria Azarenka, BLR (down 7-5/4-1 in 3r, match susp./darkness; reached QF)
[2010]
Samantha Stosur, AUS (down MP in QF; reached final)
[2011]
Maria Sharapova, RUS (down 6-3/4-1 in 2r; reached SF)
[2012]
Victoria Azarenka, BLR (down 7-6/4-0 in 1r; avoided earlier #1 exit; reached 4r)
[2013]
Marion Bartoli, FRA (down break 3 times in 1st & 2 MP in 3rd in 1r; 4-1 1st & break in 2nd set in 2r)
[2014]
Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (down 3-1 in 3rd set, opp.served for match twice in 3r; to QF)
[2015]
Elina Svitolina, UKR (down 6-1/3-0, 4-1 in 3rd set in 2r; wins 9-7)
[2016]
Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL (down 6-2/3-0 vs. A-Rad 4r; wins 1st 10 games two days later)
[2017]
Kristina Mladenovic, FRA (1st Rd.: down 3-0 in 3rd to Brady, wins 9-7; 3rd Rd. - down 5-2 in 3rd, wins 8-6 vs. Rogers; to first RG QF)
[2018]
Yulia Putintseva, KAZ (3rd Rd.: down 6-1/4-1 & 2 MP, 3-0 in 3rd, vs. Wang Qiang; to second career slam QF)
[2019]
Anna Blinkova, RUS (Q2: trailed 6-3/3-1 vs. Kalinina; Q3: trailed Glushko 3-0 in 3rd; 1st Rd.: trailed Gaspayarn 4-0 in 3rd; 2nd Rd.: trailed Garcia 3-0 in 3rd)
[2020]
Kiki Bertens, NED (2nd Rd.: injured; Errani up break 5 times in 3rd, served for match 3 times, 1 MP at 6-5; collapses and wheeled off court after 9-7 win)

*BEST 2020 SLAM RESULTS - w/ PROTECTED RANKING*
US QF - Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
AO 3rd Rd. - CiCi Bellis, USA
RG - Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK [to play 3rd Rd.]
US 2nd Rd. - Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
US 2nd Rd. - Vera Lapko, BLR
RG 2nd Rd. - Dasha Gavrilova, AUS

*PIRONKOVA CAREER SLAM WINS OVER SEEDS*
2006 AO 1st Rd. - #10 Venus Williams (in slam debut)
2006 WI 1st Rd. - #13 Anna-Lena Groenefeld
2010 WI 4th Rd. - #11 Marion Bartoli
2010 WI QF - #2 Venus Williams
2011 WI 3rd Rd. - #2 Vera Zvonareva
2011 WI 4th Rd. - #23 Venus Williams
2013 WI 1st Rd. - #21 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
2015 RG 1st Rd. - #22 Barbora Strycova
2016 RG 1st Rd. - #16 Sara Errani
2016 RG 3rd Rd. - #19 Sloane Stephens
2016 RG 4th Rd. - #2 Aga Radwanska
2020 US 2nd Rd. - #10 Garbine Muguruza
2020 US 3rd Rd. - #18 Donna Vekic
2020 RG 2nd Rd...#6 Serena Williams (walkover)





TOP QUALIFIER: Mayar Sherif/EGY (first EGY woman in slam MD)
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1: #17q Barbara Haas/AUT def. Diana Snigur/UKR 6-0/5-7/7-5 [Haas led 6-0/5-0 40/30, then DF; won on 4th MP on 5th attempt to serve out match]
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): Nominee: 1st Rd.- (Q)Tauson d. #21 Brady - 6-4/3-6/9-7 (slam debut; saved 2 MP, wins on #5)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS (def.Rogers/USA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #17 Anett Kontaveit/EST (1st Rd./Garcia)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Bara/ROU, Burel/FRA, Paolini/ITA, Podoroska/ARG, Rakhimova/RUS, Tauson/DEN, Trevisan/ITA, Zarazua/MEX
UPSET QUEENS: Australia
REVELATION LADIES: Romania
NATION OF POOR SOULS: United States (4 of 7 seeds failed to reach 3r, Serena w/d 2r, US QF/SF Rogers & Brady 1r, Venus 1r, Gauff 2r w/ 19 DF)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: In 2r: Bara, Errani(L), Podoroska(W), Rakhimova(L), Tauson, Trevisan(W), Zarazua(L) (+LL Sharma-2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: In 2r: Bouchard(W), Burel, Pironkova(w/o W)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: In 2r: Gavrilova(L), AK.Schmiedlova(W)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: In 2r: Burel, Cornet, Ferro, Garcia(W)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "New Dane on the Block": Clara Tauson/DEN
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominee: Schmiedlova, Bouchard
CRASH & BURN: 2020 U.S. Open semifinalists (Osaka DNP; Brady out 1st Rd., Serena w/d 2nd Rd., Azarenka upset 2nd Rd. within 24 hrs. on Day 3/4)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Kiki Bertens/NED (2nd Rd.: injured; Errani up a break 5 times in 3rd, served for match 3 times, 1 MP at 6-5; 3:11; collapses and wheeled off court after 9-7 win)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
Légion de Lenglen HONOREE: Nominee: Chatrier court roof; Parisian "winter fashion scene"; Kristina Mladenovic (it's always *something*)
LADY OF THE EVENING: potential award in first year where night tennis possible
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Simona Halep/ROU [not able to be awarded on LPT Day/June 1, Justine Henin's birthday -- but Halep wins on Day 1 on *her* own birthday]




All for Day 4. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:29 PM 

4 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Serena didn't look too hampered vs Ahn. She walks gingerly anyway, so I figured she has 2 or 3 rounds left.

Schmiedlova, Bouchard, Pironkova all a win away from 2021 AO seeding.

La Salle just dropped tennis. They don't have a football team to blame it on.

TC has Gauff's match up, but not Bertens/Errani. Hopefully will be up tomorrow.

Parmentier was supposed to be today's stat, but gets bumped. Dechy was on the short list because of the hindrance visor vs Ivanovic.

Stat of the Day- 108- Unforced errors for Daniela Hantuchova at the 2003 French Open.

Well, you know why that stat is relevant. Because we have a match that will join the pantheon of wildest matches in recent French Open history. Bertens/Errani.

There are 4 that come to mind, and Harkleroad/Hantuchova(9) is first. Harkleroad blew a 5-1 3rd set lead, but won 9-7 with 16W/69UW. Topped by the insane 42W/108UE for Hantuchova.

Then comes Diatchenko/Johansson 2009. The only match of the 4 with unseeded players, Johansson literally could not make a serve down the stretch, ending up with 16 DF, and losing 10-8.

Zvonareva(3)/Lisicki 2011 had it's own madness, with Lisicki blowing a 5-2 lead and losing 7-5, then getting carried off on a stretcher, as opposed to a wheelchair, which actually happened at the US Open. Numbers were a respectable 35W/40UE.

For today's tilt, Errani's numbers were 38W/54UE, 14 DF, which for a match of this length, is an improvement over the last couple of years. That slap serve is similar to Siniakova, but without power. And the screaming, underarm serves, and other histrionics were not just in the 3rd set.

Bertens was 61W/63UE, and feels like she is on borrowed time. However, she has given us a match that was both exhilarating and excruciating.

Wed Sep 30, 08:37:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Rajendra Parihar said...

Correction: Hingis DID NOT win title at AO 01. Please check.

Wed Sep 30, 11:35:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Rajendra Parihar said...

Also please note: Pironkova did not get a WIN over Serena. It is a walkover. Stop adding it as a career defining win in pironkova's resume. STOP.

Wed Sep 30, 11:37:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

C-
Yeah, I figured some colleges and universities might use the pandemic as an excuse to cut teams "for cost," then hope people forgot later on and accept the "new normal" of not having those teams.


R-
You're right on the Hingis AO '01 note. She reached the final that year, but lost. I had it listed that way on another recent list, but for reason it got changed on this one. Just fixed that. Thanks. ;)

Yes, by definition a walkover isn't a "win," and that's why I noted this year's 2nd Rounder as such in the list, but I want to record Pironkova's advancement past another seed (Serena) so I'll keep that with the already attached note.

Thu Oct 01, 10:17:00 AM EDT  

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