AO.12 - The Day Before the Day
?? Women's singles final locked in ??
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 18, 2021
???? @jennifurbrady95 ?? @naomiosaka ????
This is going to be good ??#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/P1uUEhQX9x
Championship smiles ????@SabalenkaA x @elise_mertens ??#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/20xj5AIyZU
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 19, 2021
With the win, Mertens & Sabalenka replace Hsieh Su-wei as the new co-#1's in doubles (though that could change, as there is some debate about whether the current ranking system will lift only Sabalenka to #1), though they won't be a regular doubles team the rest of the year.
End of an era?
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) February 19, 2021
Australian Open champs Elise Mertens and Aryna Sabalenka confirm that they will put their hugely successful partnership on partial hold.
Sabalenka wants to focus on singles, conserve her energy. But the duo will play a few 1000/500 events together. #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/IqCwJzEnap
Krejcikova still has a shot at a title at this AO. She'll be going for her third straight MX title in Melbourne, having advanced to the final alongside Rajeev Ram, with whom she won the crown in '19. Last year, she won with Nikola Mektic. On the other side of the net will be Aussie wild card duo Samantha Stosur & Matthew Ebden, who won their SF today. Stosur will be seeking her eighth overall slam crown (1-3-3), and her first AO MX crown since 2005. She won the WD in Melbourne in '19 with Zhang Shuai.
...at the Phillip Island event in Melbourne, Dasha Kasatkina's two-plus year struggle to reclaim her former place on tour (a year-end Top 10 player in '18, a season in which she reached the Indian Wells final, notched seven Top 10 wins and reach the RG and WI QF) looks to truly have found its groove. The Hordette improved to 10-3 on the new season with a 4-6/6-2/6-2 win in the final over Marie Bouzkova, giving Kasatkina her first tour singles title since she won Moscow in October '18.
3??rd career title!@DKasatkina outlasts Bouzkova 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to claim the Phillip Island Trophy title! ??#PhillipIslandWTA pic.twitter.com/LIR4ZpcFhn
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2021
Congratulations to @DKasatkina! She's the Phillip Island Trophy champion ????#PhillipIslandWTA pic.twitter.com/4vEq2qaMUn
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2021
Ankita Raina & Kamilla Rakhimova picked up the first career tour-level doubles crown for both, defeating Russians Anna Blinkova & Anastasia Potapova 2-6/6-4 [10-7].
Kamilla Rakhimova/@ankita_champ secure the Phillip Island Trophy doubles title ????
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2021
They defeated Blinkova/Potapova, 2-6, 6-4, [10-7].#PhillipIslandWTA pic.twitter.com/gRkfGZPybr
...CZECH-SEE-CZECH-DO (watch Siniakova) ON DAY 12:
It's celebration time ??@elise_mertens x @SabalenkaA ????#AusOpen | #AO2021 pic.twitter.com/Uo6NoNZJRm
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 19, 2021
"New York Groove" at the U.S. Open, La Divine at Roland Garros... and "Waltzing Matilda" at the Aussie Open. Yes, it's that time of slam again. This year, it's THE WIGGLES! Now-now, calm down. But, really, what better song is there to be performed for kids than one about a sheep thief who drowns himself in order to avoid capture by the law? Sure, before 2020 such a notion would have seemed weird, and maybe a tad offensive. In 2021, not so much.
#22 Jennifer Brady/USA vs. #3 Naomi Osaka/JPN
#2 Mertens/Sabalenka (BEL/BLR) def. #3 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) 6-2/6-3
(WC) Stosur/Ebden (AUS/AUS) vs. #6 Krejcikova/R.Ram (CZE/USA)
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN 6-3/6-7(4)/7-6(10-4)
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) def. #2 Montjane/Shuker (RSA/GBR) 6-4/6-1
When you wake up and remember you're a women's doubles champion at #AO2021 ??@SabalenkaA | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/2tgYxhauWb
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 19, 2021
2009 Serena Williams / Venus Williams, USA/USA
2010 Serena Williams / Venus Williams, USA/USA
2011 Gisela Dulko / Flavia Pennetta, ARG/ITA
2012 Svetlana Kuznetsova / Vera Zvonareva, RUS/RUS
2013 Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2014 Sara Errani / Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands / Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Martina Hingis / Sania Mirza, SUI/IND
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands / Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2018 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Samantha Stosur / Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Timea Babos / Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2021 Elise Mertens / Aryna Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
*RECENT WD SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2018]
AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
RG: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
US: Ash Barty/CoCo Vandeweghe (AUS/USA)
[2019]
AO: Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai (AUS/CHN)
RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova (TPE/CZE)
US: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
[2020]
AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
US: Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva (GER/RUS)
RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
[2021]
AO: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
*WON SLAM TITLE AFTER SAVING MATCH POINT - list from Tennis28.com*
[Open era]
1986 U.S. Open - Martina Navratilova (3 vs. Graf in SF)
1991 Aust.Open - Monica Seles (1 vs. MJ.Fernandez in SF)
2002 Aust.Open - Jennifer Capriati (4 vs. Hingis in Final)
2003 Aust.Open - Serena Williams (2 vs Clijsters in SF)
2004 R.Garros - Anastasia Myskina (1 vs. Kuznetsova in 4th)
2005 Aust.Open - Serena Williams (3 vs. Sharapova in SF)
2005 R.Garros - Justine Henin-H. (2 vs. Kuznetsova in 4th)
2005 Wimbledon - Venus Williams (1 vs. Davenport in Final)
2009 Wimbledon - Serena Williams (1 vs. Dementieva in SF)
2014 Aust.Open - Li Na (1 vs. Safarova in 3rd)
2016 Aust.Open - Angelique Kerber (1 vs. Doi in 1st)
2018 Aust.Open - Caroline Wozniacki (2 vs. Fett in 2nd)
[pre-Open era]
1923 Aust.Open - Margaret Molesworth (1 vs. Sylvia Lance SF)
1935 Wimbledon - Helen Wills Moody (1 vs. Helen Jacobs F)
1946 R.Garros - Margaret Osbourne (2 vs. Pauline Betz F)
1956 Aust.Open - Mary Carter (1 vs. Thelma Long F)
1962 R.Garros - Margaret Smith (Court) (1 vs. Lesley Turner F)
*RECENT NON-MP DOWN COMEBACKS TO WIN SLAM*
2007 AO: S.Williams saw Petrova (3rd Rd.) and Peer (QF) serve for the match
2007 WI: V.Williams saw Morigami (3rd Rd.) serve for the match, 2 pts. from loss vs. Kudryavtseva (1st Rd.)
2009 AO: S.Williams saw Kuznetseva (QF) serve for the match
2010 AO: S.Williams trailed 6-4/4-0 in QF vs. Azarrenka, who served for the match twice
2011 RG: Li trailed Kvitova 3-0 in 3rd (4th Rd.)
2012 US: S.Williams down 5-4 in 3rd w/ Azarenka serving for match (Final)
2013 AO: Azarenka down a break in 3rd vs. Hampton (3rd Rd.)
2013 RG: S.Williams down break in 3rd vs. Kuznetsova (QF)
2015 RG: S.Williams trailed Bacsinszky 6-4/3-2 w/ break (SF), 2-0 in 3rd vs. Safarova (F)
2015 WI: S.Williams down 3-0 w/ 2 breaks in 3rd vs. Watson (3rd Rd.), served at 5-4 and 2 pts. away
2016 WI: S.Williams down break in 3rd vs. McHale (2nd Rd.)
2016 US: Kerber trailed Ka.Pliskova 3-1 in 3rd (Final)
2017 RG: Ostapenko trailed Halep 6-4/3-0 & 3 BP for 4-0 (Final)
2017 US: Stephens trailed Sevastova 3-1 in 3rd (QF)
2019 AO: Osaka down 7-5/4-1 vs. Hsieh (3rd Rd.)
2019 RG: Barty down 7-6/3-0 vs. Anisimova (SF)
2020 US: Osaka down 6-1/2-0, GP for 3-0 vs. Azarenka in (F)
*BACK-to-BACK US/AO TITLES OVER TWO SEASONS - Open era*
1969-70 Margaret Court, AUS
1970-71 Margaret Court, AUS
1988-89 Steffi Graf, FRG
1989-90 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991-92 Monica Seles, YUG
1992-93 Monica Seles, YUG
1993-94 Steffi Graf, GER
1997-98 Martina Hingis, SUI
2002-03 Serena Williams, USA
2003-04 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL
2008-09 Serena Williams, USA
2010-11 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2014-15 Serena Williams, USA
2018-19 Naomi Osaka, JPN
--
1982 - Chris Evert, US Sept./AO Dec.
1983 - Martina Navratilova - US Sept/AO Dec.
*BEST U.S. WOMAN SLAM RESULT*
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins (SF)
RG: Amanda Anisimova (SF)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin (W)
US: Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady (SF)
RG: Sofia Kenin (RU)
=2021=
AO: Jennifer Brady (in final)
*REACHED #1 IN WTA DOUBLES - w/ year first reached #1*
1984 Martina Navratilova, USA (former TCH)
1985 Pam Shriver, USA
1990 Helena Sukova, TCH
1990 Jana Novotna, TCH/CZE
1991 Gigi Fernandez, USA
1991 Natalia Zvereva, USSR/BLR
1992 Larisa Neiland, LAT (former USSR)
1995 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, ESP
1997 Lindsay Davenport, USA
1998 Martina Hingis, SUI
1999 Anna Kournikova, RUS
2000 Corina Morariu, USA
2000 Lisa Raymond, USA
2000 Rennae Stubbs, AUS
2000 Julie Halard-Decugis, FRA
2000 Ai Sugiyama, JPN
2002 Paola Suarez, ARG
2003 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2003 Virginia Ruano Pascual, ESP
2005 Cara Black, ZIM
2006 Samantha Stosur, AUS
2007 Liezel Huber, RSA/USA
2010 Serena Williams, USA
2010 Venus Williams, USA
2010 Gisela Dulko, ARG
2011 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2011 Kveta Peschke, CZE
2011 Katarina Srebotnik, SLO
2012 Sara Errani, ITA
2012 Roberta Vinci, ITA
2014 Peng Shuai, CHN
2014 Hsieh Su-Wei, TPE
2015 Sania Mirza, IND
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
2017 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2017 Latisha Chan, TPE
2018 Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
2018 Elena Vesnina, RUS
2018 Timea Babos, HUN
2018 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2019 Barbora Strycova, CZE
2021 Elise Mertens, BEL
2021 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
*AO "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS*
2006 Yan Zi & Zheng Jie, CHN/CHN
2007 Liezel Huber, USA
2008 Alona & Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR/UKR
2009 Sania Mirza, IND
2010 Cara Black, ZIM
2011 Gisela Dulko & Flavia Pennetta, ARG/ITA
2012 Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
2013 Jarmila Gajdosova, AUS
2014 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Martina Hingis & Sania Mirza, SUI/IND
2017 Abigail Spears, USA
2018 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2019 Astra Sharma, AUS
2020 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
2021 Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
Cat is so mad his parents brought a stray cat home, he destroys their wedding picture ???? @ViralHog pic.twitter.com/UQF4ialenA
— The Dodo (@dodo) February 18, 2021
She’s more jealous than my ex!?? pic.twitter.com/z41XxdXGRf
— Animal Life (@animalIife) February 18, 2021
TOP EARLY ROUND (1r-2r): #3 Naomi Osaka/JPN
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #10 Serena Williams/USA
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3: Whitney Osuigwe/USA def. #22 Mihaela Buzarnescu/ROU 2-6/7-6(1)/6-2 (trailed 6-2/5-2)
TOP EARLY RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #2 Simona Halep/ROU def. Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS 4-6/6-4/7-5; 2:34; trailed 5-2 in 3rd, Tomlj. for match; won last 5 games
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #3 Naomi Osaka/JPN def. #14 Garbine Muguruza/ESP 4-6/6-4/7-5
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): Nominee: WC Final - #1 de Groot/NED def. #2 Kamiji 6-3/6-7(4)/7-6(10-4)
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Naomi Osaka/JPN (def. Pavlyuchenkova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #23 Angelique Kerber/GER (1st Rd.-Pera/USA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Olga Danilovic/SRB, Mayar Sherif/EGY, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS, Nina Stojanovic/SRB
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: Estonia
NATION OF POOR SOULS: China (1-5, 2 seeds out 1r & all 3 Top 50; Wang Xiyu w/d with COVID)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Sara Errani/ITA, Kaja Juvan/SLO (both 3rd Rd.) + (LL: Schmiedlova-2r)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Dasha Gavrilova/AUS, Samantha Stosur/AUS (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Ash Barty (QF)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Jennifer Brady/USA and Karolina Muchova/CZE
IT (Egyptian): Mayar Sherif/EGY (1st Eqyptian slam MD win)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Rebecca Marino/CAN (first GS win in 10 yrs.; battled depression)
CRASH & BURN: Sofia Kenin/USA (2nd Rd. to Kanepi; earliest AO DC exit since 2003)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Simona Halep/ROU (2nd Rd.- down 5-2 in 3rd vs. Tomljanovic, sweeps final 5 games)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Hsieh Su-wei/TPE (first career WS slam QF at age 35)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Simona Halep/ROU
"G'DAY/GOOD ON YA, MATE" AWARD: nominees: Osaka & the butterfly; Day 7 bottom half Rd. of 16: combined 51 slam titles (7 players), 460 weeks at #1 (5 players), 70 slam finals (all 8 players), 183 combined WTA s/d titles (all 8); Stosur alive for 8th career slam title (1 WS-3 WD-3 MX) in AO MX
DOUBLES STAR: Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (reached WD and MX finals)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: [jr. event to be held later in '21]
posted by Todd.Spiker @ 3:13 AM
2 Comments:
What a difference a week makes. Kasatkina, Bouzkova and Collins end up with good weeks, and anybe more, if they play Adelaide. Even more for Raina, who wasn't one of the original 6 LL, but was added once there were withdrawals before arrival.
Love Siniakova's jump.
Stat of the Day- 21- Number of years for the defunct Philadelphia event.
Non consecutive, as the first edition was in 1971, the last in 2005.
If you wonder why Philadelphia is on my mind, Jennifer Brady is from Pennsylvania. One of 3(Li, Riske) in this year's draw, it is likely that Brady and Riske could have been inspired by this event.
One of 18 Virginia Slims events in 1971, their record is somewhat similar to Miami. Every winner reached a slam final. The 4 that did not win a slam? Casals, who won that first edition, Morozova, Turnbull, and Huber.
Graf and Mauresmo were the biggest winners, each lifting the trophy 3 times. Mauresmo won the last 3.
1971 was when the sport was growing, so that only had a 16 player field. In 2005, it was 28, including 3 women in this year's AO draw. Any guesses? You may get 2, but would be shocked at the third.
1.Samantha Stosur
2.Vera Zvonareva
3.Russian WC in her first WTA MD......
Yaroslava Shvedova. Ranked 378, she beat Hana Sromova for her first win, then lost to Nadia Petrova in the 2nd rd.
I was watching live when Siniakova did that. Laughed out loud.
I guessed Shvedova with the clue! ;)
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