Saturday, May 29, 2021

Wk.18- Czeching the Final Boxes Before Roland Garros

Launching in 3, 2, 1...








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*WEEK 18 CHAMPIONS*
STRASBOURG, FRANCE (WTA 250/Red Clay Outdoor)
S: Barbora Krejcikova/CZE def. Sorana Cirstea/ROU 6-3/6-3
D: Alexa Guarachi/Desirae Krawczyk (CHI/USA) def. Makota Ninomiya/Yang Zhaoxuan (JPN/CHN) 6-2/6-3


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PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
...while Krejcikova had already jumped nearly 30 spots in the rankings since the start of the year, cracking the Top 40, reaching a WTA 1000 finals (in singles) and posting her first career Top 10 win, the Czech came into Strasbourg spinning her wheels a bit this spring on clay (having gone 3-3). Perhaps it was the French air, or the memory of the Round of 16 last fall at Roland Garros at a time when she was languishing outside the Top 100 and still something of a question mark as a solo contender, as the 25-year old found her groove again just in time to begin the season's second major in an anything-can-happen frame of mind.

Wins over Pastries Oceane Dodin and Caroline Garcia, as well as Hordette Ekaterina Alexandrova, set up a semifinal match-up with German revelation Jule Niemeier. After dropping the opening set, Krejcikova swept past the newcomer and then did the same in the final on Saturday over veteran Sorana Cirstea, claiming her first WTA singles title and providing herself with tangible evidence -- actual *hardware*, in fact -- of her mid-career dreammaking surge. I mean, other than a new career high of #33 in the new rankings, as she attempts to defend her '20 4th Round points in Paris and maybe grab a seed a few weeks later at Wimbledon.

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RISERS: Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
...already having won eleven slam doubles titles together, and reunited following Whiley's long pregnancy break and climb back up the wheelchair rankings, the best friends are back and winning all over again. The most dominant WC doubles duo -- when Whiley has been available -- for most of the past decade (they won their first major in 2013, and won a Grand Slam in '14), they claimed two of the three WC majors (AO/US) contested last year.

In their first pairing of the year at the Series 1 Open des Hauts-de-France in Le Touquet, France, they claimed the title with wins over Angelica Bernal & Lucy Shuker (SF) and Macarena Cabrillana & Aniek Van Koot in a 6-3/6-3 doubles final. They've won four of the last five events in which they've teamed up dating back to late '19, falling only in last year's RG final to de Groot/Van Koot.

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SURPRISE: Arantxa Rus/NED
in Strasbourg, the 30-year old Dutchwoman reached her first tour-level QF since her Monterrey SF result in February of last year, knocking off Jessica Pegula and Harmony Tan (ret. 2nd set) before falling to sudden upstart Jule Niemeier.

With a career high of #61 set nine years ago in 2012, Rus came into the event at #84. She's failed to get any higher than #67 (last year) since that '12 season and finished every year from 2014-19 ranked outside the Top 90. Her week in Strasbourg briefly leveled off her '21 record (all levels, w/ her $60K a few weeks ago included) at 11-11 before her QF loss knocked her back under .500 on the year.

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VETERAN: Sorana Cirstea/ROU
...with Simona Halep's season having been an "incomplete" one so far (she's 11-5, but four wins came at the AO and she's exited two events via walkover/retirement, and now will miss RG), Cirstea has been the leading Romanian on tour to this point in 2021. After reaching her first tour final since 2013 in Istanbul (her first title in more than a dozen years) last month, Cirstea reached her second of the season in Strasbourg.

After posting her first career win over a Williams (Venus, against whom she'd been 0-3, the same as she was vs. Serena), Cirstea knocked off Zhang Shuai and then was gifted a birth in the semis when Bianca Andreescu pulled out of the tournament two days before her potential QF opponent had even been decided. The 31-year old Romanian staged a comeback from a set down to defeat Magda Linette and reach the final, where she fell in two to Barbora Krejcikova.

14-7 on the year, after having closed out the '20 calendar year with a 5-win $100K title run in December (she defeated both Krejcikova and her doubles partner Katerina Siniakova in singles), Cirstea will move up to #53 in the new rankings. Having reached a high of #21 in 2013, Cirstea hasn't cracked the Top 50 since 2018, but it seems only a matter of time before she knocks down that wall all over again.

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COMEBACK: Magda Linette/POL
...the 29-year old's 2021 campaign put her right behind the proverbial 8-ball from the start. A knee injury she'd been nursing for weeks suddenly got worse in January, causing her to miss the Australian swing. She didn't begin her year unti Miami, and came into Strasbourg sporting a 1-5 mark. She'd lost five straight, including going 0-4 on clay this spring.

But the Pole turned things around in good order in France, putting up three wins over the likes of Nao Hibino, Alize Cornet (ret.) and Yulia Putintseva to reach the SF. She fell to Sorana Cirstea in three sets, but Linette's run was her first SF since pre-shutdown Hua Hin last season, as well as only her second three-win effort since her appearance in the Seoul final in September '19.

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FRESH FACES: Jule Niemeier/GER and Emma Navarro/USA
...another week, another breakout performance. This time it came from 21-year old German Niemeier, who reached the Strasbourg semifinals in just her second career tour-level MD appearance.

After qualifying (def. Petkovic), #216 Niemeier notched her first career MD win over Diane Parry, then took out Shelby Rogers in a match that stretched out over two days due to rain delays. Niemeier led 6-4/2-1 before the suspension of play, then survived to win in straights by taking a 2nd set TB the next day. Later in the afternoon, she defeated Arantxa Rus to reach the semis. She grabbed the opening set against Barbora Krejcikova in their final four match-up, but the Czech put everything together to sweep the final two sets.

Niemeier, a winner of a $25K event earlier this month (her third career ITF crown, and matching her biggest title to date), will jump all the way to #170 in the next rankings.



University of Virginia freshman Navarro, the #3 seed in the women's event, joined Danielle Collins (2014 & '16 champ) as the only women from U-Va. to be crowned NCAA women's singles champions. After a victory in the semis over #1-seed Sara Daavettila (UNC), Navarro took out #2 and defending champ Estela Perez-Somarriba (Miami, 5th-yr. senior) 6-3/6-1 in the final. Perez-Somarriba had been the only player to defeat Navarro during the regular collegiate season.

Navarro was the Roland Garros girls runner-up to Leylah Fernandez in 2019, and won the girls doubles title at that same event with Chloe Beck (now at Duke).

Perez-Somarriba had staged a comeback from 7-6/5-0 down in the QF, saving a MP, en route to her return to the final, but fell short of becoming the first repeat singles champ since Nicole Gibbs (Stanford) in 2013.

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DOWN: Jill Teichmann/SUI
...Teichmann and Roland Garros just don't mix well. At least it seems that way.

Much of the Swiss' pro success -- two tour titles in '19, all six of her ITF crowns and even all five in doubles -- have come on the surface, but she's yet to win a MD match in Paris. She fell in RG qualifying from 2017-19, then lost in the 1st Round last fall. In a season in which she cracked the Top 40 and started 10-5, 2021 seemed to maybe be set to change that. But now, with her 2nd Round Strasbourg retirement after just two games, she's injured less than a week before Day 1. If there will even be a Day 1 in Paris for her, that is.

Teichmann began this clay season having to come back from injury, having retired in the 1st Round in Miami with a thigh injury. This retirement, even with her career-best tying comeback win over #5 Elina Svitolina in Madrid, gives her just a 2-3 mark on the dirt this spring.
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DOUBLES: Alexa Guarachi/Desirae Krawczyk, CHI/USA
...Guarachi and Krawczyk have proven to be a success with many different doubles partners, but seem to have found something special when they join forces. Finalists at last year's Roland Garros, their title run in Strasbourg improved their mark in WTA finals together to 4-1.

The #1 seeds in the event, the duo won a pair of match TB -- including an 11-9 escape vs. Panova/Wachaczyk -- en route to the final, where they defeated Makota Ninomiya/Yang Zhaoxuan 2 & 3. It's the pair's second title of '21 (w/ Adelaide). Krawczyk has six in her career, while Guarachi has five (three this season, as she also won Dubai w/ Darija Jurak).

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WHEELCHAIR: Yui Kamiji/JPN
...at the Series 1 Open des Hauts-de-France in Le Touquet, France, Kamiji followed up her loss last week to Diede de Groot in the Barcelona Open final with a sweep of the singles and doubles crowns.

The world #2 went three sets against Jordanne Whiley to win the singles in a 6-0/2-6/7-5 contest, and teamed up with the Brit in the doubles final.

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1. Strasbourg Final - Barbora Krejcikova def. Sorana Cirstea
...6-3/6-3. Krejcikova makes it eight first-time champs out of twenty-three winners (in 24 events) this season, and the sixth player with both a singles and doubles title in '21. She the *only* to also win a MX crown.

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2. Strasbourg 1st Rd. - Shelby Rogers def. Christina McHale
...7-5/6-7(6)/7-5. Rogers survives the wild swings of momentum in the 3rd. After going up 4-1, Rogers saw McHale win four straight to take a 5-4 lead, but then rebounded to claim the final three games.

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3. Strasbourg SF - Barbora Krejcikova def. Jule Niemeier
...5-7/6-3/6-4. Niemeier's run to the semis is the best on tour by a player in just her second WTA MD since Leonie Kung reached the Hua Hin final early last season. Since 2015, three players -- Nao Hibino, Marketa Vondrousova, Olga Danilovic -- have won a title within their first two MD appearances, with an additional one (Katarzyna Kawa) reaching a final.
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4. NCAA Chsp. SF - Estela Perez-Somarriba/MIAMI def. Abbey Forbes/UCLA
...6-7(5)/7-5/6-3. In a three-hour bit of drama, defending NCAA champion Perez-Somarriba stages a comeback from 7-6/5-0 down, saving a MP. She'd return to the final, but lose to freshman Emma Navarro.

Still, Perez-Somarriba is just the seventh three-time NCAA Championships semifinalist (third in the last three decades), and 17th to reach two finals.

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5. Strasbourg 1st Rd. - Yulia Putintseva def. Rebecca Peterson
...6-4/3-6/7-6(2). After fumbling away so many potential wins in '21, Puntintseva finally wins one she probably shouldn't have, as Peterson twice served for the match in the 3rd set (at 5-4 and 6-5). The Kazakh ultimately reached her second QF of the season, thanks to Teichmann lasting just two games against her in the 2nd Round.
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6. Strasbourg 1st Rd. - Bianca Andreescu def. Andrea Lázaro García
...6-1/6-2. Enjoy her while you can, for you never know how long she'll be around to enjoy. Andreescu returned for the first time since her retirement in the Miami final to play her first match on clay in nearly two years. After winning her opener, then a 2nd Rounder over Maryna Zanevska, the Canadian withdrew from the event citing ab discomfort.



Andreescu made her slam qualifying debut in Paris in 2017 at age 16, losing to Tereza Smitkova in three in the opening round. She's only appeared in one RG main draw match, a win over Marie Bouzkova in '19, which preceded her walkover (as the #22 seed) to Sofia Kenin a round later.
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7. Strasbourg 2nd Rd. - Magda Linette def. Alize Cornet
...7-6(2)/3-0 ret.. Perhaps with her RG participation in the front of her mind (she's played in 56 consecutive MD in majors, within striking distance in '22 of Ai Sugiyama's women's record of 62), Cornet calls it a day.

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8. $15K Sibenik CRO Final - Petra Marcinko/Natalia Szabanin def. Nefisa Berberovic/Nicole Fossa Huergo
...6-4/3-6 [10-4]. A week after winning their first pro doubles titles together in Sibenik, juniors Marcinko and Szabanin make it two in a row. After reaching the singles QF last time out, Marcinko made the semis this time.
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1. Strasbourg 1st Rd. - Sorana Cirstea def. Venus Williams
...6-1/2-6/6-1. Another three-set loss (that's 8 in a row) and yet another five-match losing streak, tying for her career-long drought with two other losing skids that took place over the last two seasons. Venus also lost four straight in 2019.

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2. Strasbourg QF - Yang Zhaoxuan/Makoto Ninomiya
...6-2/2-6 [10-5]. The Chan sisters sat out the remainder of the '20 season once tour the tour shutdown was enacted, after having reached the Australian Open semis in January, their best slam result as a duo. In 2021, they've reached the Gippsland final, their 22nd on tour (14-8), but with their QF exit this week are now just 7-6 on the season.

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A look back at the Roland Garros qualifying rounds in Paris...






*TOP Q-PLAYERS*
1. Varvara Lepchenko, USA (35, #170)
...now the 26th-ranked U.S. woman, Lepchenko is the oldest qualifier to reach the RG MD. She knocked off two seeds (#25 Rakhimova, #7 Friedsam) to get there, successfully going the Q-route for a third straight year in Paris. In 2012, Lepchenko had her slam breakout at RG with a Round of 16 run (matched three seasons later at the U.S.) that included wins over Jelena Jankovic (2nd) and '10 champ Francesca Schiavone (3rd). She hasn't won a MD slam match since the 2017 Wimbledon (0-8 MD, w/ 3 unsuccessful Q-attempts).

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2. Aleksandra Krunic, SRB (28/#212)
...arriving directly off winning the Belgrade doubles, Krunic opened qualifying with a win over #3 seed Liudmila Samsonova, then ended it with a win over #27 Olga Govortsova to reach her first slam MD since 2019. Krunic has been stuck outside the Top 200 since the shutdown, and is only 1-3 in RG MD matches in her career.
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3. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK (26/#121)
...rallied from a set and 5-1 down (and 3-1 in the 3rd) in the final qualifing round vs. #1 seed Vera Zvonareva; AKS matched her career best slam result with a 3rd Round at the '20 RG.


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4. Hailey Baptiste, USA (19, #164)
...a win over #20 Claire Liu (a $60K and $100K clay champ this spring) was followed up by a comeback final round win over Julia Grabher after trailing 6-3/4-1. The Washington D.C. native made her slam debut at last year's U.S. Open, and won the Charleston 250 doubles this spring.

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5. Ana Konjuh, CRO (23, #144)
...one of the comeback stories of the season, Konjuh rebounded from retiring in last weekend's Belgrade final by winning three qualifying matches in Paris (Q2 over #4 Babos) without dropping a set. It'll be her first slam MD since the 2018 Wimbledon.
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*OTHER RG QUALIFIERS*
Lara Arruabarrena, ESP (29/#84) - three of the Spaniard's four WTA singles finals have come on clay, but Arruabarrena has had precious little success at RG. She'll get her sixth MD shot in Paris (1-5 so far) in what will be her first slam MD appearance since the 2019 AO.
Irina Bara, ROU (26/#122) - having already reached a $100K final this month, the Romanian qualifies for the second time at a major (out of 14 tries). A year ago at RG, also as a qualifier, Bara reached the 3rd Round in her slam debut.




Ekaterine Gorgodze, GEO (29/#222) - after eight straight attempts to qualify for a major back to 2018 (DNP '20 US) ended with a loss, she finally reaches her maiden slam MD; conversely, the Georgian has gone 8-0 in ITF finals since 2017




Anhelina Kalinina, UKR (24/#139) - a two-time challenger winner this month, Kalinina finally reaches the RG MD in her fifth attempt to qualify in Paris; she's played in two other slam MD (US 2018/20) along w/ 14 Q attempts that came up short
Liang En-shuo, TPE (20/#295) - the '18 AO girls s/d champ reaches her maiden slam MD in her seventh qualifying attempt; didn't lose a set, but got past #6 seed Caty McNally in Q1 when she retired five games into the match
Greet Minnen, BEL (23/#125) - a two-time '21 slam qualifier, this will give her five straight MD in majors (3 as a Q)
Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, COL (19/#98) - the '19 U.S. Open junior champ, a new Top 100 player on tour after winning Bogota champ and posting 3 con. WTA SF+ results, still had to qualify. She did, without losing a set, to improve to 16-2 on the clay this spring.
Storm Sanders, AUS (26/#161) - one of most improved players of '21, Sanders is still looking for her maiden slam MD win. This will be her first try outside of Melbourne, where she's gone 0-4 in the 1st Round.




Stefanie Voegele, SUI (31/#131) - the Swiss vet's best career slam result was a 3rd Round in Paris back in 2013. Her last slam MD appearance was at the AO in '17.
Wang Xiyu, CHN (29/#145) - Wang finally gets into a '21 slam with a Q3 win over #9-seed Cocciaretto. She'd been awarded a WC slot for the AO but was forced out after a positive COVID test. The '18 U.S. Open junior champ, this will be her second slam MD appearance (w/ '19 US).
Katarina Zavatska, UKR (21/#129) - 0-2 in slam MD (including a three-set loss to Bertens at last year's RG), Zavatska avenged her last tour-level MD loss (Saint Petersburg in March) to Anastasia Gasanova by defeating the Russian in the Q3 in Paris. She hasn't won a MD WTA match since her September '19 run to the Tashkent semis (losing 9 straight).




*RG LUCKY LOSERS*
Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA (20/#113) - qualified for her two previous slam MD app. (AO 2020-21)
Olga Govortsova, BLR (32/#138) - in her second slam MD since 2016 ('20 US 2r)

*RG WILD CARDS*
Oceane Babel, FRA - slam MD debut for the 17-year old; current junior #7
Clara Burel, FRA - second con. RG WC; '21 AO qualifier; '20 RG 3rd Rd.; '18 jr. #1
Oceane Dodin, FRA - 1-5 in RG MD; last slam MD win was at '17 U.S.
Elsa Jacquemot, FRA - second consecutive RG WC for '20 RG girls champ
Chloe Paquet, FRA - five consecutive RG WC (only 1r win was in '17)
Diane Parry, FRA - three consecutive RG WC for 2019 junior #1
Astra Sharma, AUS - reached '20 RG MD as LL; 2 con. slam WC; won Charleston 250 in April
Harmony Tan, FRA - three consecutive RG WC (0-3 in slam MD)

1. RG Q2 - Jaqueline Cristian def. #13 Mayar Sherif 7-5/5-7/7-6(1)
...Cristian wins a 3-hour plus topsy-turvy affair. The Romanian won the 1st set, then rallied from 3-1 down in the 2nd to lead 7-5/5-3. She served for the match two games later and held two MP, only to see Sherif, who last year in Paris became the first Egyptian to play a slam MD singles match, sweep the final four games to force the decider.

In the 3rd, Cristian led 3-0 and again served for the match at 5-3. Sherif broke and forced a TB, where the Romanian commanded the court with a 7-1 win.
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2. RG Q3 - #18 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova def. #1 Vera Zvonareva 2-6/7-5/6-3
...Schmiedy stages a pair of comebacks against the top qualifying seed, from 6-2/5-1 down, then 3-1 in the 3rd as the Russian got lost in the moment (as was often her downfall in "the old days") down the stretch, falling in the RG final qualifying round for a second straight season. AKS had lost to Zvonareva 2 & 1 in Madrid qualifying a few weeks ago.

The Russian has played just one MD match (2019) in Paris since 2011, yet once reached the QF (2003) and is still 18-9 at RG for her career. Zvonareva, a two-time slam finalist, has posted just a single slam MD win ('18 US) since 2015.
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3. RG Q3 - Hailey Baptiste def. Julia Grahber 3-6/7-5/6-3
...Baptiste rallies from 6-3/4-1 down. After failing to serve things out in the 3rd at 5-2, and not converting two MP, Baptiste reaches the MD when Grabher DF's on MP #3.
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4. RG Q2 - Nuria Parrizas Diaz def. Sara Errani 6-4/4-6/6-2
...the veteran Errani, a former RG finalist, had had a successful clay season (QF in Bogota and Parma, with two wins over Sorribes Tormo), but she's upended by the Spaniard, who made her tour MD at age 29 a few weeks ago in Bogota, reaching the QF as a qualifier.
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5. RG Q2 - Susan Bandecchi def. #10 Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4/2-6/6-3
...what's the bigger moment for the #219-ranked Swiss? Defeating Pironkova, getting the chance to reveal to an inquisitive umpire the *correct* pronunciation of her name, or that the umpire thought enough to ask in the first place?

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6. RG Q1 - Julia Grabher def. #2 Aliona Bolsova 6-2/6-3
...Bolosva had a surprise run the RG Round of 16 in 2019, but hasn't won a match in Paris since. She lost in the 1st Round last fall, and then in her opening qualifying match this week.
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7. RG Q1 - #1 Vera Zvonareva def. Francesca Jones 6-1/6-2
...Jones was a big story in AO qualifying, but the Brit falls early to the top-seeded Hordette.
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8. RG Q1 - (PR) Liang En-shuo def. Caty McNally 4-1 ret.
...another pre-RG injury situation with the potential to scuttle some things in Paris, as Parma WD champ (w/ Gauff) McNally retires just five games into singles qualifying against Liang, the 2018 Australian Open girls singles and doubles champ. Liang went on to qualify for her maiden slam MD.
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*ROLAND GARROS "Q-PLAYER OF THE WEEK" WINNERS*
2006 Julia Vakulenko, UKR
2007 Timea Bacsinszky, SUI & Raluca Olaru, RO
2008 Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, ESP & Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
2009 Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ
2010 Kaia Kanepi, EST
2011 Sloane Stephens, USA
2012 Kiki Bertens, NED
2013 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK
2014 Grace Min, USA
2015 Veronica Cepede Royg, PAR
2016 Viktorija Golubic, SUI
2017 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
2018 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2019 Elena Rybakina, KAZ
2020 Mayar Sherif, EGY
2021 Varvara Lepchenko, USA



*YOUNGEST 2021 SLAM...*
=WC=
RG - Oceane Babel, FRA (17)
RG - Elsa Jacquemot, FRA (18)
RG - Diane Parry, FRA (18)
RG - Hailey Baptiste, USA (19)
AO - Destanee Aiava, AUS (20)
RG - Clara Burel, FRA (20)
=Q=
AO - Whitney Osuigue, USA (18)
AO - Clara Burel, FRA (19)
AO - Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA (19)
AO - Olga Danilovic, SRB (19)
RG - Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, COL (19)
AO - Francesca Jones, GBR (20)
AO - Kaja Juvan, SLO (20)
RG - Liang En-shuo, TPE (20)
RG - Wang Xiyu, CHN (20)
=LL=
RG - Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA (20)
=PR=
RG - Liang En-shuo, TPE (20)-Q
AO - Katie Boulter, GBR (24)
RG - Ivana Jorovic, SRB (24)

=OLDEST 2021 SLAM...=
=WC=
AO - Samantha Stosur, AUS (36)
AO - Arina Rodionova, AUS (31)
AO - Dasha Gavrilova, AUS (26)
=Q=
RG - Varvara Lepchenko, USA (35)
AO - Sara Errani, ITA (33)
AO - Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL (33)
RG - Stefanie Voegele, SUI (31)
AO - Rebecca Marino, CAN (30)
RG - Lara Arruabarrena, ESP (29)
RG - Ekaterine Gorgodze, GEO (29)
AO - Valeria Savinykh, RUS (29)
=LL=
AO - Mihaela Buzarnescu, ROU (32)
RG - Olga Govortsova, BLR (32)
AO - Ysaline Bonaventure, BEL (26)
AO - Margarita Gasparyan, RUS (26)
AO - Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK (26)
=PR=
AO - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (36)
RG - Elena Vesnina, RUS (34)
RG - Mihaela Buzarnescu, ROU (33)
RG - Andrea Petkovic, GER (33)
AO - Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ (33)
AO - Mona Barthel, GER (30)
AO - Rebecca Marino, CAN (30)-Q

=MAKING SLAM MD DEBUTS=
=AUTOMATIC ENTRY MD=
AO - none
RG - none
=WC=
AO - none
RG - Oceane Babel, FRA
=Q=
AO - Olga Danilovic, SRB
AO - Francesca Jones, GBR
RG - Ekaterine Gorgodze, GEO
RG - Liang En-shuo, TPE
RG - Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, COL
=LL=
AO - none
RG - none
=PR=
AO - none
RG - Liang En-shuo, TPE (Q)

=LOW-RANKED 2021 SLAM QUALIFIERS=
#312 - Rebecca Marino, CAN (AO)
#295 - Liang En-shuo, TPE (RG)
#241 - Francesca Jones, GBR (AO)
#236 - Clara Burel, FRA (AO)
#225 - Valeria Savinykh, RUS (AO)
#222 - Ekaterine Gorgodze, GEO (RG)
#212 - Aleksandra Krunic, SRB (RG)
=LL=
#138 - Mihaela Buzarnescu, ROU (AO)
#138 - Olga Govortsova, BLR (RG)
#125 - Magarita Gasparyan, RUS (AO)
) #122 - Ysaline Bonaventure, BEL (AO)

=2021 SLAM QUALIFIERS BY NATION=
[24 diff. nations]
-
3 - USA [1/2]
2 - BEL [1/1], FRA [2/0], ITA[2/0], RUS[2/0], SRB[1/1], UKR[0/2]
1...AO: BUL,CAN,EGY,GBR,HUN,JPN,SLO
1...RG: AUS,CHN,COL,CRO,ESP,GEO,ROU,SUI,SVK,TPE



I'm not really sure that I like these picks, as I've thought about changing them since they were made. But they're what I thought *at the moment*, so they are what they are. Upsets, upset, upsets... but are they really? I was bound and determined to pick another first-time champ, so I think I sort of set the board to make that happen. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


4th
#24 Gauff def. #1 Barty
Krejcikova def. #18 Muchova
#17 Sakkari def. #28 Pegula
#8 Swiatek def. #22 Martic
#11 Kvitova def. #26 Kerber
#3 Sabalenka def. Kuznetsova
#6 Andreescu def. Kasatkina
#33 Badosa def. #20 Vondrousova
QF
#24 Gauff def. Krejcikova
#8 Swiatek def. #17 Sakkari
#11 Kvitova def. #3 Sabalenka
#33 Badosa def. #6 Andreescu
SF
#24 Gauff def. #8 Swiatek
#23 Badosa def. #11 Kvitova
FINAL
#33 Badosa def. #24 Gauff


















=STRASBOURG, FRANCE=



=PARIS, FRANCE=







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So... will she reconsider if everyone promises -- and crosses their heart and hopes to die -- to only ask her nice, fanboy and fangirl questions that won't accidentally cause her to contemplate her navel, tell her how wonderful she is, and don't intrude upon her "safe space?" Askin' for the great unwashed.




















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*2021 WTA FIRST-TIME CHAMPIONS*
Lyon - Clara Tauson, DEN (18/#139)
Guadalajara - Sara Sorribes Tormo, ESP (24/#71)
Monterrey - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (18/#88)
Bogota - MC Osorio Serrano, COL (19/#180)
Charleston - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (23/#38)
Charleston 2 - Astra Sharma, AUS (25/#165)
Belgrade - Paula Badosa, ESP (23/#44)
STRASBOURG - BARBORA KREJCIKOVA, CZE (25/#38)

*WON SINGLES/DOUBLES TITLES IN 2021*
Ash Barty, AUS (3/1)
Coco Gauff, USA (1/1)
BARBORA KREJCIKOVA, CZE (1/2)+MX
Elise Mertens, BEL (1/2)
Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2/1)
Astra Sharma, AUS (1/1)

*2021 WTA FINALISTS/CHAMPIONS BY NATION*
5 (4) - AUS
5 (3) - ESP,RUS
5 (2) - CZE
3 (2) - BLR
3 (1) - CAN,USA
3 (0) - SUI
2 (2) - POL
2 (1) - BEL,ROU
2 (0) - EST
1 (1) - COL,DEN,JPN
1 (0) - CHN,CRO,MNE,SLO,TUN
-
w/ 1 DNP: USA/EST

*2021 FIRST-TIME WTA SEMIFINALISTS*
Abu Dhabi - Marta Kostyuk, UKR
Melb.Grampians - Ann Li, USA (RU)
Lyon - Clara Tauson, DEN (W)
Guadalajara - Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA
Bogota - MC. Osorio Serrano, COL (W)
Bogota - Harmony Tan, FRA
Bogota - Viktoriya Tomova, BUL
STRASBOURG - JULE NIEMEIER, GER

*2021 LOW-RANKED SEMIFINALISTS*
#216 - JULE NIEMEIER, GER (STRASBOURG)
#190 - Harmony Tan/FRA (Bogota)
#188 - Ana Konjuh/CRO (Belgrade)-RU
#180 - Maria Camila Osorio S/COL (Bogota)-W
#165 - Astra Sharma/AUS (Charleston 2)-W
#146 - Viktoriya Tomova/BUL (Bogota)
#145 - Vera Zvonareva/RUS (Saint Petersburg)
#144 - Genie Bouchard/CAN (Guadalajara)-RU

*RECENT EARLY-CAREER NON-SLAM BREAKOUTS*
2015: Nao Hibino wins Tashkent (2nd WTA MD, age 20)
2016: Rebeka Masarova to Gstaad SF (WTA MD debut, age 16)
2017: Jana Fett to Hobart SF (WTA MD debut, age 20)
2017: Marketa Vondrousova wins Biel (2nd WTA MD, age 17)
2017: Mihaela Buzarnescu to Linz SF (2nd WTA MD, age 29)
2018: Olga Danilovic wins Moscow River Cup (1st WTA MD, age 17)
2018: Anastasia Potapova to Moscow River Cup F (3rd WTA MD, age 17)
2018: Tamara Zidansek to Moscow River Cup SF (3rd WTA MD, age 18)
2019: Bianca Andreescu to Auckland F (4th WTA MD, age 18)
2019: Maria Camila Osorio Serrano to Bogota QF (2nd career WTA MD, age 17)
2019: Iga Swiatek to Lugano F (3rd WTA MD, age 17)
2019: Astra Sharma to Bogota F (3rd WTA MD, age 23)
2019: Martina Di Giuseppe to Bucharest SF (1st WTA MD, age 28)
2019: Katarzyna Kawa to Jurmala Final (1st WTA MD, age 26)
2019: Liudmila Samsonova to Palermo SF (4th WTA MD, age 20)
2019: Coco Gauff wins Linz (5th WTA MD, age 15)
2020: Leonie Kung to Hua Hin F (2nd WTA MD, age 19)
2021: Clara Tauson wins Lyon (3rd WTA MD, age 18)
2021: Linda Fruhvirtova to Charleston 2 QF (2nd WTA MD, age 15)
2021: Jule Niemeier to Strasbourg SF (2nd WTA MD, age 21)
[slams]
2014: Genie Bouchard to Australian Open semis (4th career GS MD, age 19)
2014: Genie Bouchard to Wimbledon Final (6th career GS MD, age 20)
2017: Alona Ostapenko wins Roland Garros (8th career GS MD, age 20)
2018: Naomi Osaka wins U.S. Open (11th career GS MD, age 20)
2019: Danielle Collins to Australian Open SF (6th career GS MD, age 25)
2019: Amanda Anisimova to Roland Garros SF (4th career GS MD, age 17)
2019: Marketa Vondrousova to Roland Garros SF (9th career GS MD, age 20)
2019: Bianca Andreescu wins U.S. Open (4th career GS MD, age 19)
2020: Sofia Kenin wins Australian Open (12th career GS MD, age 21)
2020: Nadia Podoroska to Roland Garros SF (2nd career GS MD, age 23)
2020: Iga Swiatek wins Roland Garros (7th career GS MD, age 19)
2021: Karolina Muchova to Australian Open semis (9th career GS MD, age 24)

*MOST WTA DOUBLES FINALS, DUOS - 2020-21*
5 - 5/0...Hsieh/Strycova, TPE/CZE (4-1)
5 - 2/3...Carter/Stefani, USA/BRA (1-4)
4 - 1/3...Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN (4-0)
4 - 1/3...Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE (3-1)
4 - 2/1...GUARACHI/KRAWCZYK, CHI/USA (3-1)
3 - 1/2...Melichar/Schuurs, USA/NED (3-0)
3 - 3/0...Melichar/Xu, USA/CHN (1-2)
[individual]
7 - 3/4 (4-3) = DESIRAE KRAWCZYK, USA
6 - 4/2 (4-2) = Nicole Melichar, USA
6 - 3/3 (1-5) = Luisa Stefani, BRA
5 - 2/3 (4-1) = ALEXA GUARACHI, CHI
5 - 5/0 (4-1) = Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
5 - 2/3 (4-1) = Demi Schuurs, NED
5 - 5/0 (4-1) = Barbora Strycova, CZE
5 - 2/3 (3-2) = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
5 - 2/3 (3-2) = Katerina Siniakova, CZE
5 - 2/3 (1-4) = Hayley Carter, USA

*NCAA WOMEN'S TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS*
[recent singles winners]
2010 Chelsey Gullickson, Georgia (USA)
2011 Jana Juricova, California (SVK)
2012 Nicole Gibbs, Stanford (USA)
2013 Nicole Gibbs, Stanford (USA)
2014 Danielle Collins, Virginia (USA)
2015 Jamie Loeb, North Carolina (USA)
2016 Danielle Collins, Virginia (USA)
2017 Brienne Minor, Michigan (USA)
2018 Arianne Hartono, Mississippi (NED)
2019 Estela Perez-Somarriba, Miami (ESP)
2021 Emma Navarro, Virginia (USA)
[recent doubles winners]
2010 Hilary Barte / Lindsay Burdette (Stanford)
2011 Hilary Barte / Mallory Burdette (Stanford)
2012 Mallory Burdette / Nicole Gibbs (Stanford)
2013 Kaitlyn Christian / Sabrina Santamaria (USC)
2014 Maya Jansen / Erin Routcliffe (Alabama)
2015 Maya Jansen / Erin Routcliffe (Alabama)
2016 Brooke Austin / Kourtney Keegan (Florida)
2017 Francesca Di Lorenzo / Miho Kowase (Ohio State)
2018 Jessica Golovin / Eden Richardson (LSU)
2019 Gabby Andrews / Ayan Broomfield (UCLA)
2021 Makenna Jones / Elizabeth Scotty (North Carolina)
[overall singles champions by school]
14 - Stanford
4 - Florida
3 - Georgia, Virginia
2 - California, Duke, Miami
1 - Baylor, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Mississippi, San Diego, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest
[most singles titles]
2 - Sandra Birch, Stanford
2 - Danielle Collins, Virginia
2 - Patty Fendick, Stanford
2 - Nicole Gibbs, Stanford
2 - Laura Granville, Stanford
2 - Amber Liu, Stanford
2 - Lisa Raymond, Florida



**RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS**
2018 AO: Caroline Wozniacki, DEN*
2018 RG: Simona Halep, ROU*
2018 WI: Angelique Kerber, GER
2018 US: Naomi Osaka, JPN*
2019 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 RG: Ash Barty, AUS*
2019 WI: Simona Halep, ROU (2)
2019 US: Bianca Andreescu, CAN*
2020 AO: Sofia Kenin, USA*
2020 US: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2020 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL*
2021 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN (4)
--
* - first-time slam champ

**ACTIVE SINGLES PLAYERS - FIRST SLAM FINAL**
1997 U.S. Open - Venus Williams
1999 U.S. Open - Serena Williams (W)
2001 Roland Garros - Kim Clijsters
2004 U.S. Open - Svetlana Kuznetsova (W)
2010 Roland Garros - Samantha Stosur
2010 Wimbledon - Vera Zvonareva
2011 Wimbledon - Petra Kvitova (W)
2012 Australian Open - Victoria Azarenka (W)
2012 Roland Garros - Sara Errani
2013 Wimbledon - Sabine Lisicki
2014 Roland Garros - Simona Halep
2014 Wimbledon - Genie Bouchard
2015 Wimbledon - Garbine Muguruza
2016 Australian Open - Angelique Kerber (W)
2016 U.S. Open - Karolina Pliskova
2017 Roland Garros - Alona Ostapenko (W)
2017 U.S. Open - Sloane Stephens (W)
2017 U.S. Open - Madison Keys
2018 U.S. Open - Naomi Osaka (W)
2019 Roland Garros - Ash Barty (W)
2019 Roland Garros - Marketa Vondrousova
2019 U.S. Open - Bianca Andreescu (W)
2020 Australian Open - Sofia Kenin (W)
2020 Roland Garros - Iga Swiatek (W)
2021 Australian Open - Jennifer Brady

**ACTIVE SINGLES PLAYERS - WON IN FIRST SLAM FINAL**
1999 U.S. Open - Serena Williams
2004 Wimbledon - Maria Sharapova
2011 Wimbledon - Petra Kvitova
2012 Australian Open - Victoria Azarenka
2016 Australian Open - Angelique Kerber
2017 Roland Garros - Alona Ostapenko
2017 U.S. Open - Sloane Stephens
2018 U.S. Open - Naomi Osaka
2019 Roland Garros - Ash Barty
2019 U.S. Open - Bianca Andreescu
2020 Australian Open - Sofia Kenin
2020 Roland Garros - Iga Swiatek

*ROLAND GARROS #1 SEEDS*
2010 Serena Williams (QF)
2011 Caroline Wozniacki (3rd Rd.)
2012 Victoria Azarenka (4th Rd.)
2013 Serena Williams (W)
2014 Serena Williams (2nd Rd.)
2015 Serena Williams (W)
2016 Serena Williams (RU)
2017 Angelique Kerber (1st Rd.)
2018 Simona Halep (W)
2019 Naomi Osaka (3rd Rd.)
2020 Simona Halep (4th Rd.)
2021 Ash Barty

*RG FINALS - active*
4...Serena Williams (3-1)
3...Simona Halep (1-2)
2...Kim Clijsters (0-2)
2...Svetlana Kuznetsova (1-1)
1...Ash Barty (1-0)
1...Garbine Muguruza (1-0)
1...Alona Ostapenko (1-0)
1...Iga Swiatek (1-0)
1...Sara Errani (0-1)
1...Sofia Kenin (0-1)
1...Sloane Stephens (0-1)
1...Samantha Stosur (0-1)
1...Marketa Vondrousova (0-1)
1...Venus Williams (0-1)

*RECENT RG SEMIFINALISTS*
2015 S.Williams (W)/Safarova (RU); Bacsinszky/Ivanovic
2016 Muguruza (W)/S.Williams (RU); Bertens/Stosur
2017 Ostapenko (W)/Halep (RU); Ka.Pliskova/Bacsinszky
2018 Halep (W)/Stephens (RU); Muguruza/Keys
2019 Barty (W)/Vondrousova (RU); Anisimova/Konta
2020 Swiatek (W)/Kenin (RU); Podoroska/Kvitova

*UNSEEDED RG FINALISTS IN OPEN ERA*
1971 Helen Gourlay, AUS
1976 Renata Tomanova, TCH
1977 Florenta Mihal, ROU
1983 Mima Jausovec, YUG
2017 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (W)
2019 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
2020 Iga Swiatek, POL (W)

*LOW-SEEDED RG SEMIFINALISTS - since 2010*
un....Kiki Bertens, 2016
un....Alona Ostapenko, 2017 (W)
un....Amanda Anisimova, 2019
un....Marketa Vondrousova, 2019 (RU)
un....Iga Swiatek, 2020 (W)
Q.....Nadia Podoroska, 2020
#30...Timea Bacsinszky, 2017
#28...Andrea Petkovic, 2014
#23...Timea Bacsinszky, 2015
#21...Samantha Stosur, 2016
#21...Sara Errani, 2012 (RU)
#18...Genie Bouchard, 2014
#17...Francesca Schiavone, 2010 (W)
#13...Madison Keys, 2018
#13...Lucie Safarova, 2015 (RU)

*EARLIEST EXIT BY RG #1 SEED*
2017 1st Rd. - Angelique Kerber (lost to Ekaterina Makarova)
2004 2nd Rd. - Justine Henin (lost to Tathiana Garbin)
2014 2nd Rd. - Serena Williams (lost to Garbine Muguruza)

*RECENT ROLAND GARROS GIRLS FINALS*
2007 Alize Cornet/FRA d. Mariana Duque-Marino/COL
2008 Simona Halep/ROU d. Elena Bogdan/ROU
2009 Kristina Mladenovic/FRA d. Dasha Gavrilova/RUS
2010 Elina Svitolina/UKR d. Ons Jabeur/TUN
2011 Ons Jabeur/TUN d. Monica Puig/PUR
2012 Annika Beck/GER d. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova/SVK
2013 Belinda Bencic/SUI d. Antonia Lottner/GER
2014 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS d. Ivana Jorovic/SRB
2015 Paula Badosa/ESP d. Anna Kalinskaya/RUS
2016 Rebeka Masarova/SUI d. Amanda Anisimova/USA
2017 Whitney Osuigwe/USA d. Claire Liu/USA
2018 Coco Gauff/USA d. Caty McNally/USA
2019 Leylah Annie Fernandez/CAN d. Emma Navarro/USA
2020 Elsa Jacquemot/FRA d. Alina Charaeva/RUS

*FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS AT ROLAND GARROS*
[Open Era]
1971 Evonne Goolagong, AUS
1974 Chris Evert, USA
1976 Sue Barker, GBR
1977 Mima Jausovec, SLO
1978 Virginia Ruzici, ROU
1987 Steffi Graf, GER
1989 Arantxa Sanchez, ESP
1990 Monica Seles, YUG
1997 Iva Majoli, CRO
2003 Justine Henin, BEL
2004 Anastasia Myskina, RUS
2008 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2010 Francesca Schiavone, ITA
2011 Li Na, CHN
2016 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2017 Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2018 Simona Halep, ROU
2019 Ash Barty, AUS
2020 Iga Swiatek, POL
--
NOTE: Ann Haydon-Jones won first career slam at '61 Roland Garros, before Open era began in '68

*ROLAND GARROS CHAMPIONS...*
[youngest]
16y,6m - Monica Seles, 1990
17y,5m - Arantxa Sanchez, 1989
17y,11m - Steffi Graf, 1987
[oldest]
33y,10m - Zsuzi Kormoczy, 1958
33y,8m - Serena Williams, 2015*
31y,8m - Serena Williams, 2013*
31y,6m - Nelly Landry, 1948
31y,5m - Chris Evert, 1986*
--
*-Open era

*BACK-TO-BACK AO/RG TITLES - Open era*
1969 Margaret Court, AUS
1970 Margaret Court, AUS
1973 Margaret Court, AUS
1980-81 Hana Mandlikova, TCH
1988 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991 Monica Seles, YUG
1992 Monica Seles, YUG
2001 Jennifer Capriati, USA
2015 Serena Williams, USA

*RECENT RG CHAMPIONS*
[Women's Doubles]
2010 Serena Williams & Venus Williams, USA/USA
2011 Andrea Hlavackova & Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
2012 Sara Errani & Roberta Vinci, ITA/ITA
2013 Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
2014 Hsieh Su-Wei & Peng Shuai, TPE/CHN
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2018 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2019 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2020 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
[Mixed Doubles]
2010 Katarina Srebotnik & Nenad Zimonjic, SLO/SRB
2011 Casey Dellacqua & Scott Lipsky, AUS/USA
2012 Sania Mirza & Mahesh Bhupathi, IND/IND
2013 Lucie Hradecka & Frantisek Cermak, CZE/CZE
2014 Anna-Lena Groenefeld & Jean-Julien Rojer, GER/NED
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Mike Bryan, USA/USA
2016 Martina Hingis & Leander Paes, SUI/IND
2017 Gaby Dabrowski & Rohan Bopanna, CAN/IND
2018 Latisha Chan & Ivan Dodig, TPE/CRO
2019 Latisha Chan & Ivan Dodig, TPE/CRO
2020 DNP
[Girl's Doubles]
2010 Timea Babos & Sloane Stephens, HUN/USA
2011 Irina Khromacheva & Maryna Zanevska, RUS/UKR
2012 Daria Gavrilova & Irina Khromacheva, RUS/RUS
2013 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2014 Ioana Ducu & Ioana Loredana Rosca, ROU/ROU
2015 Miriam Kolodziejova & Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE/CZE
2016 Paula Arias Manjon & Olga Danilovic, ESP/SRB
2017 Bianca Andreescu & Carson Branstine, CAN/CAN
2018 Caty McNally & Iga Swiatek, USA/POL
2019 Chloe Beck & Emma Navarro, USA/USA
2020 Eleonora Alvisi & Lisa Pigato, ITA/ITA

*RG WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 Esther Vergeer, NED
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 Esther Vergeer, NED
2013 Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
2014 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2015 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2016 Marjolein Buis, NED
2017 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2018 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 Yui Kamiji, JPN
[doubles]
2007 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Daniela Di Toro/Aniek van Koot, AUS/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Marjolein Buis/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2013 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2016 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2017 Marjolein Buis/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2018 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED

*FRENCH WOMEN IN RG ROUND OF 16*
[since last French finalist]
1994 Mary Pierce (RU), Julie Halard, Alexia Dechaume-Balleret
1995 Mary Pierce
1996 -
1997 Mary Pierce
1998 Sandrine Testud
1999 Julie Halard-Decugis
2000 Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce
2001 Sandrine Testud
2002 Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce
2003 Amelie Mauresmo
2004 Amelie Mauresmo
2005 Mary Pierce
2006 Amelie Mauresmo
2007 Marion Bartoli
2008 -
2009 Virginie Razzano, Aravane Rezai
2010 -
2011 Marion Bartoli
2012 -
2013 -
2014 Pauline Parmentier
2015 Alize Cornet
2016 -
2017 Alize Cornet, Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic
2018 Caroline Garcia
2019 -
2020 Fiona Ferro, Caroline Garcia

**SLAM TITLES AFTER AGE 30**
10..Serena Williams, USA (age 30-35)*
3...Martina Navratilova, USA (age 30-33)
3...Margaret Court, AUS (age 30-31)
2...Billie Jean King, USA (age 30 & 31)
2...Chris Evert, USA (age 30 & 31)
1...Flavia Pennetta, ITA (age 33)
1...Virginia Wade. GBR (age 31)
1...Ann Haydon Jones, GBR (age 30)
1...Angelique Kerber, GER (age 30)*
--
*-active

**OLDEST WOMEN'S SINGLES SLAM CHAMPIONS - OPEN ERA**
Serena Williams (35y/125) - 2017 Australian
Serena Williams (34/283) - 2016 Wimbledon
Serena Williams (33/285) - 2015 Wimbledon
Martina Navratilova (33/263) - 1990 Wimbledon
Serena Williams (33/254) - 2015 Roland Garros
Flavia Pennetta (33/201) - 2015 U.S. Open
Serena Williams (33/127) - 2015 Australian

**OLDEST WOMEN'S SINGLES SLAM FINALISTS**
Serena Williams (37,347d) - lost '19 US to Andreescu
Serena Williams (37,291d) - lost '19 WI to Halep
Martina Navratilova (37y,258d) — lost '94 WI to C.Martinez
Venus Williams (37,28d) - lost '17 WI to Muguruza
Serena Williams (36/347) - lost '18 US to Osaka
Serena Williams (36/291) - lost '18 WI to Kerber
Venus Williams (36/226) — lost '17 AO to S.Williams
Serena Williams (35/125) — '17 AO, def. V.Williams

**OLDEST FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS**
33y,199d - Flavia Pennetta, 2015 U.S. Open
29y,346d - Francesca Schiavone, 2010 Roland Garros
29y,275d - Jana Novotna, 1998 Wimbledon
29y,154d - Kerry Melville-Reid, 1977 Australian Open
29y,98d - Li Na, 2011 Roland Garros
28y,277d - Marion Bartoli, 2013 Wimbledon
28y,12d - Angelique Kerber, 2016 Australian Open

**MOST SLAMS BEFORE FIRST TITLE**
49 - Flavia Pennetta (2015 U.S. Open)
47 - Marion Bartoli (2013 Wimbledon)
45 - Jana Novotna (1998 Wimbledon)
43 - Caroline Wozniacki (2018 Australian Open)
39 - Francesca Schiavone (2010 Roland Garros)
34 - Samantha Stosur (2011 U.S. Open)
33 - Angelique Kerber (2016 Australian Open)
32 - Simona Halep (2018 Roland Garros)
32 - Amelie Mauresmo (2006 Australian Open)

**TEEN SLAM CHAMPS - since 1997**
1997 Martina Hingis, 16 (AO)*
1997 Iva Majoli, 19 (RG)*
1997 Martina Hingis, 16 (WI)
1997 Martina Hingis, 16 (US)
1998 Martina Hingis, 17 (AO)
1999 Martina Hingis, 18 (AO)
1999 Serena Williams, 17 (US)*
2004 Maria Sharapova, 17 (WI)*
2004 Svetlana Kuznetsova, 19 (US)*
2006 Maria Sharapova, 19 (US)
2019 Bianca Andreescu, 19 (AO)*
2020 Iga Swiatek, 19 (RG)*
--
* - first-time slam winner

**BIGGEST AGE DIFFERENCE IN SLAM FINAL**
18y,263 - Andreescu (19) d. S.Williams (37) = '19 U.S.
17y,45d - Seles (17) d. Navratilova (34) = '91 U.S.
16y,20d - Osaka (20) d. S.Williams (36) = '18 U.S.
15y,180d - Martinez (22) d. Navratilova (37) = '94 WI
14y,175d - Graf (18) d. Evert (33) = '88 AO
13y,113d - Muguruza (23) d. V.Williams (37) = '17 WI

**LOW RANKED IN SLAM FINAL - Open era**
NR - Evonne Goolagong, 1977 Australian (W)
NR - Kim Clijsters, 2009 US Open (W)
NR - Justine Henin, 2010 Australian
#181 - Serena Williams, 2018 Wimbledon
#111 - Chris O'Neil, 1978 Australian (W)
#83 - Sloane Stephens, 2017 US Open (W)
#81 - Serena Williams, 2007 Australian (W)
#78 - Betsy Nagelson, 1978 Australian
#68 - Barbara Jordan, 1979 Australian (W)
#66 - Venus Williams, 1997 US Open
--
LOW-RANKED RG WINNER: #54 Iga Swiatek, 2020

**FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS SINCE 2013**
=2013=
AO: Sloane Stephens/USA
RG: -
WI: Kirsten Flipkens/BEL
US: Flavia Pennetta/ITA
=2014=
AO: Genie Bouchard/CAN
RG: Simona Halep/ROU (RU), Andrea Petkovic/GER
WI: Lucie Safarova/CZE
US: Ekatarina Makarova/RUS, Peng Shuai/CHN
=2015=
AO: Madison Keys/USA
RG: Timea Bacsinszky/SUI
WI: Garbine Muguruza/ESP (RU)
US: Roberta Vinci/ITA (RU)
=2016=
AO: Johanna Konta/GBR
RG: Kiki Bertens/NED
WI: Elena Vesnina/RUS
US: Karolina Pliskova/CZE (RU)
=2017=
AO: CoCo Vandeweghe/USA
RG: Alona Ostapenko/LAT (W)
WI: Magdalena Rybarikova/SVK
US: -
=2018=
AO: Elise Mertens/BEL
RG: -
WI: Julia Goerges/GER
US: Naomi Osaka/JPN (W), Anastasija Sevastova/LAT
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins/USA
RG: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Ash Barty/AUS (W), Marketa Vondrousova/CZE (RU)
WI: Barbora Strycova/CZE, Elina Svitolina/UKR
US: Bianca Andreescu/USA (W), Belinda Bencic/SUI
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin/USA (W)
US: Jennifer Brady/USA
RG: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Iga Swiatek/POL (W)
=2021=
AO: Jennifer Brady/USA (RU)

**CAREER SLAM #1 SEEDS - active**
20...Serena Williams
6...Simona Halep
4...ASH BARTY
3...Victoria Azarenka
3...Angelique Kerber
2...Naomi Osaka
2...Karolina Pliskova
1...Kim Clijsters
1...Venus Williams

**EARLIEST EXIT BY SLAM #1**
[pre-Open era]
1962 Wimbledon 1st Rd. - Margaret Court (lost to Billie Jean Moffitt)
[Open era]
1979 Australian Open 1st Rd. - Virginia Ruzici (lost to Mary Sawyer)
1994 Wimbledon 1st Rd. - Steffi Graf (lost to Lori McNeil)
1999 Wimbledon 1st Rd. - Martina Hingis (lost to Jelena Dokic)
2001 Wimbledon 1st Rd. - Martina Hingis (lost to Virginia Ruano Pascual)
2017 Roland Garros 1st Rd. - Angelique Kerber (lost to Ekaterina Makarova)
2018 US Open 1st Rd. - Simona Halep (lost to Kaia Kanepi)

**RECENT SLAM JUNIOR CHAMPS**
[2017]
AO: Marta Kostyuk, UKR
RG: Whitney Osuigwe, USA
WI: Claire Liu, USA
US: Amanda Anisimova, USA
[2018]
AO: Liang En-shuo, TPE
RG: Coco Gauff, USA
WI: Iga Swiatek, POL
US: Wang Xiyu, CHN
[2019]
AO: Clara Tauson, DEN
RG: Leylah Annie Fernandez, CAN
WI: Daria Snigur, UKR
US: Maria Camila Osorio Serrano, COL
[2020]
AO: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
US: DNP
RG: Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
[2021]
AO: POSTPONED






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All for now.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 3:37 PM 

4 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Summer Sanders? Well, it is an Olympic year.

Krejcikova actually struggled most of the week, but got what was expected at the beginning of the clay season. A title!

Niemeier reminds me of Groenefeld. She might get WC for Berlin, but not Bad Homburg, as she is now in Wimbledon Q.

10 On the Up Side- The Madness Edition.

1.Bencic- Am I really picking Bencic? Realistically no, but if you go by the numbers, don't sleep on her. At a slam that has had 5 consecutive first time slam winners, and 4 of those 5 being first time winners on clay, Bencic is the highest ranked player in need of both.
2.Barty- The traditional pick. At the start of the clay season, Halep and Muguruza were head of the class, with Barty and Swiatek trying to prove that they were not one hit wonders on clay. She's did what she was supposed to do, the only question is her health. Doing this the Serena way, in that she isn't defending champ, but won last time she played.
3.Sabalenka- NHL fans know that here is hockey...and there is playoff hockey. In a similar vein, everything is magnified at a slam, and can Sabalenka bring her regular tour play, or BJK Cup for that matter, to a slam? What doesn't help matters is a draw that is trickier than it seems.
4.Zhang- Need a darkhorse? Zhang is one of only 7 women to have a win here in each of the last 5 years. The other 6 are Muguruza, Bertens, Svitolina, Halep, Kasatkina, Garcia.
5.Keys- Need another one? She may be on a 1-5 stretch, but has a game made for clay. Should have taken a set off Swiatek. Only 4 players have more wins that Keys' 13 the last 5 years-Halep-23, Muguruza-20, Svitolina-15, Stephens-14.
6.Swiatek- Only this low because of history. Can I really pick a teen to go back to back here? The last was 16 yr old Seles, who won in 90, 91, and 92. Technically, that may not even matter, as the 19 yr old turns 20 on Monday.
7.Kudermetova- 13-3 on clay, her only losses are to Barty, Kvitova and Mertens. Already having won this season, it would not be a shock to see this seed go deep.
8.Osorio Serrano- Badosa. Barty. Serrano. Name the only players to be QF or better in every clay event they entered. Osorio did all of hers in 250 events, so no illusion that she will do so here. That isn't the goal, as this is her first slam MD. The goal is to reach the 3rd rd, like fellow Colombian Duque Marino did in 2017.
9.Vesnina- The Simonne Mathieu Cup winner? Vesnina is 0-5 vs seeds in singles, but is teaming up with Kudermetova for doubles in a draw that has the potential to be wild. With this written before that draw comes out, Krejcikova/Siniakova seem to be the favorites, but if they fall, there are 20 other teams that could take this.
10.Sharma- No real thought of her going deep, but her getting a WC makes her the first to have won that season since Parmentier got one in 2018 for winning Istanbul.

Sat May 29, 05:33:00 PM EDT  
Blogger colt13 said...

10 On the Down Side.

1.Osaka- Does she really want to be here? Her not doing press hurts the low ranked players on tour, not her, cause her sponsors won't leave while she's winning. Truth is, her draw is made for a QF run, if she is inspired. That is a big hole on her resume, once you realize that there are 44 active players that have reached the QF here, 16 in the last 2 years. Fun fact-Venus(2006) does not have the longest QF drought, that is Zvonareva(2003). But don't sleep on the 00's. One of those has a title this season-Cirstea(2009).
2.Juvan- Winner of the worst draw goes to Juvan. On the other list until the draw came out, she gets BFF Swiatek. She actually has a similar game, but her problem is a propensity for lazy errors. She can hit 9 good shots to set up a winner, then miss it badly. Time for her to get that long awaited WTA QF, but unlikely it will be this week.
3.Putintseva- Not playing real well, but still worth the price of admission. Please put her on a show court. Trying to play from 10 ft behind the baseline has been hit or miss.
4.Ferro- Best on clay, she reached SF in Lyon, but missed almost all of the clay season-RET in Istanbul. Goes from QF threat to 2nd rd.
5.Muguruza- Reached back to back finals in Doha and Dubai. If healthy, she would be one of the favorites. Most likely gets to the seeds, and her 7 losses have been to players ranked higher than 32. Lowest loss? Putintseva-31, by RET.
6.Mertens- This is the place that she does less than expected. 1 4th rd, 3 3rd rds means she probably goes out there again, even though she is good enough to reach SF.
7.Flipkens- 33 slam streak ends here. Never been past the 2nd rd in 12 attempts in singles, but reached doubles SF in 2019.
8.Konta- Along with Bertens is the only Top 20 player not to have reached QF this year. No back to back wins since Cinci 2020, hasn't beat a higher ranked player since #3 Pliskova at 2019 USO.
9.Riske- Pulled out, as did Teichmann, but is on this list because she is the only Top 30 player without a win this season. Though I mean singles, she doesn't have one in doubles either. She will be banned from this page until further notice.
10.Kenin- 4 match LS, 1-6 in last 7. Real curious if her rush back from surgery is one of the reason she fired dad as coach. Will hold on to her finals points until October, but no real belief that she makes it to the second week.

Sat May 29, 05:54:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Diane said...

So my first dark horse pick was Sorribes Tormo, and--while I'm not ruling her out--she's lost a lot of steam lately. My second (now my first) dark horse pick was Badosa.

If she plays like she did in Charleston, Kudermetova can go far. She has everything going for her--the serve, the groundstrokes, the volleys, the head.

WTA players don't tend to defend a major title the year after they win it, but if anyone can do it, it's Swiatek. It wouldn't surprise me. Nor do I rule out Barty--ever. And, considering her level of play lately, it could also be time for Muguruza to pop up and win another one.

Sat May 29, 05:54:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

C-

Haha. Mind/muscle/finger memory, I guess. Always liked Summer Sanders. ;)

If we're going to see another first-timer, Bencic is as good possibility as most, I guess.

There's hockey, playoff hockey, and whatever it is the Capitals have been doing for decades. :/

(2018 excluded, of course... which sort of gives them a "pass." But still.)

So, McNally's injury gives of Coco/Venus in doubles. Not a bad "replacement partner." :)

D-

Of course, we've likely cursed Badosa now. Oh, well. :)

I like the Kudermetova pick (esp. after def. Anisimova).

Sun May 30, 12:44:00 PM EDT  

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