Sunday, June 06, 2021

RG.8- The Grand Reintroduction of Elena Rybakina

It took a short while for her to make it a reality, but we're finally being treated once again to the calm, clean-hitting and routinely-winning version of Elena Rybakina that we saw and were so thrilled by early last year. In 2020, one longed to not just *envision* seeing the young Kazakh take a slam draw by storm, but to actually see it happen *for real* on a truly big stage.

Well, say hello to Roland Garros 2021, and another of the tour's young guns simply *demanding* (in her characteristically understated way) to be acknowledged. Sure, there are many members of the GenPDQ set whose bigger and/or quirkier personalities call more addition attention to their results, but few have games as big or bigger than Rybakina's in full flow.



After Rybakina opened last season as the hottest player on tour, bigger things seemed right around the proverbial corner. After reaching two finals in '19 (winning her maiden crown in Bucharest in her first try), she reached four *more* in the opening two months of '20. Then the pandemic-related shutdown took place. When tennis began again, though she reached a tour-leading fifth final, the 21-year old wasn't quite the same. The machine-like flow to her power game sometimes sputtered with an inconsistency that hadn't been there before the months-long break. She exited in the 2nd Round of both the U.S. Open and RG, then got off to a slow start in '21 that was in direct opposition to her blazing one twelve months earlier. Rather than 21-4, Rybkina was 8-9, and dealing with injuries and health issues after coming out of hard quarantine in Melbourne to exit in the 2nd Round of another major.

After a string of seven events without notching more than one victory, Rybakina took three weeks off to practice heading into Roland Garros. The time away in another sort of "bubble" seems to have done her a world of good, and it all came to the forefront when the #21-seed faced off for the first time against #7 Serena Williams today on Chatrier Court.

With the stage big, and the opponent even bigger, one wasn't precisely sure how Rybakina would react. After all, before this week she hadn't brought her best game to a major, and for all the finals she reached in '20 she still only picked up a single title. Even in the "next-level-down" WTA 1000 events, the Kazakh has advanced to a QF just once in her career.

But as has been the case when she was dropping just 14 total games in her first three matches in Paris this week, the no-nonsense Rybakina that opened so many eyes in the past was present and accounted for in her first career slam Round of 16 match.

Rybakina quickly took a break lead on Williams in the 1st, jumping ahead 3-1 while Serena was slow to find her way into the match. Serving at 5-3, the Kazakh failed to convert three SP, but then secured the set on #4 when Williams missed long on back-to-back passing attempts that, had they landed in, might have turned the tide of the match's opening stanza.

Rybakina broke in the first game of the 2nd, as well, before Williams turned her game up a notch. She broke back with a return winner, then held at love. The surge knocked Rybakina slightly off balance, and she did seem to be playing on her heels after finally feeling the full force of the aura of the legend on the other side of the net. But she didn't play that game for long. A more emotional player may have gotten caught up in Williams' sudden flurry of activity, but the calm exterior that the Kazakh displays on a regular basis between the lines seemed to serve her well on this occasion. She regained her footing, and returned to her slug-it-out gameplan.

At 3-3, with the Serena Surge abated, Rybakina took a love/40 lead on Williams' serve. After nearly being hit with a shot at the net on BP #1, Rybakina took control of the BP #2 rally with her forehand, putting away the break with a winner fired behind Williams on the baseline. Ill-timed back-to-back wide forehand errors from Rybakina turned a 30/30 service game into a Williams break of serve a game later, but Rybakina didn't alter course. Instead, at 5-5, she jumped on the Serena serve, taking a love/30 lead. Williams' DF gave her triple BP. An angled crosscourt backhand return of a second serve was a shot that Williams couldn't get back, allowing Rybakina to claim the game and serve for the win.

The Kazakh pulled out her own big serve and held at 15 to close out the 6-3/7-5 victory, giving Rybakina her first Top 10 win since Dubai last year before the shutdown changed everything. Her usual, nonchalant, no-reaction reaction to her first slam QF belied the impact of the result, which not only assures that a first-time slam finalist will emerge from the bottom half of this RG's draw, but that this is also a case of Rybkina herself throwing down -- quietly, but firmly -- a gauntlet that declares *her* to be just as much of a threat as anyone to suddenly make Paris the site of her official grand slam coming out party next weekend.



Of course, not twenty-four hours after Williams was being touted as a possible/probable finalist against a field of players who *hadn't yet* advanced deeply into a slam draw, her exit will surely be at least partly ascribed now to her continued need for a leg strapping and her somehow not being at her best. Fact is, though, save for a brief period at the start of the 2nd set, Rybakina outplayed her from start to finish. For all the usual talk of SW24 come the middle stages of a major, Williams wasn't going to win this slam. Even if she'd emerged from the bottom half, her likely final opponent would have been one obstacle too many. Remember, even in a remarkable career, Williams has only won in Paris when she was either in full-on sprint mode (2002 and 2015, during Serena Slam I and II) or had the perfect opponent in the final ('13 vs. Sharapova... so you knew how that was going to go after '04). If #24 ever comes, it'll either be on grass on hard court.

Meanwhile, Rybakina hits hard and carries on in this event. She arrived in Paris with five slam MD wins to her name, and she's now reeled off four in a row without dropping a set.

Roland Garros has crowned five straight maiden slam champions, and Rybakina is just the sort of the-timing-is-perfect player who could make it six.




=DAY 8 NOTES=
...last year, qualifiers Nadia Podoroska and Martina Trevisan put together unexpected QF runs in Paris, while this year the player who has stepped into the sudden spotlight is Tamara Zidansek. Today the #85-ranked player became the first Slovenian to reach the final eight at a major.

After crashing down the door with her 1st Round upset of #6 Bianca Andreescu, the 23-year old has so far surpassed her previous slam history (3-8 in MD, never reaching the 3rd Rd.) by a long shot. Today, after an exchange of 1st set breaks was followed by ten straight holds, Zidansek took a 7-4 TB from Sorana Cirstea (seeking her first RG QF since '09), then never looked back. She ran off to an uncatchable 5-0 lead in the 2nd, winning 7-6(4)/6-1.



...in the match-up between #14 Victoria Azarenka and #31 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, *someone* was going to turn back the clock. Azarenka was seeking her first QF in Paris since 2013 while Pavlyuchenkova hadn't been their since 2011. With the Belarusian having dealt with a lingering back injury, and Pavlyuchenkova playing through a knee, neither were particularly good bets for deep second week runs.

But last summer Azarenka proved that, when healthy, she's still able to compete with the best on tour, reaching the U.S. Open final. And Pavlyuchenkova, always the flashing-hot-and-cold type, has reached the final eight at all four slams over the course of the her career, though she's yet to reach a semi.

The wonder (and frustration) that is Pavlyuchenkova was on full display today, as she often ping-ponged between brilliant and careless, grabbing leads with great play before immediately giving them back. In the 1st set, the Russian led 3-1, 30/love only to drop serve, then saw Azarenka hold at love. Knotted at 5-5, Azarenka broke and served for the set. Pavlyuchenkova carved out two BP chances, but committed return errors on both. On her second SP, Azarenka put away the set at 7-5.

Pavlyuchenkova pulled out her multiple weapons and opened the 2nd with another brilliant run, going up a break at 2-0. She led 40/15, didn't convert on her first GP and then missed on a drop shot attempt (off the top of the tape) from the baseline on the second. Azarenka got the break with a Pavlyuchenkova error. The Russian broke back again a game later, but again failed to consolidate the advantage. Azarenka held for 3-3 with an ace. But, come game #8, Vika DF'd to open her service game, then DF'd to end it, as well. Up a break for a third time in the set, Pavlyuchenkova served to knot the match and led 40/love. Azarenka edged to 40/30, but a long backhand error handed the 6-3 set to the Russian.

In the 3rd, Pavlyuchenkova finallly found her elusive consistency, pulling away on the scoreboard by playing aggressively while Azarenka's game trended downward. She took the set 6-2 to return to the QF in Paris for the first time in a decade.



...six years ago, #20 Marketa Vondrousova and #33 Paula Badosa met in Paris in the juniors. Badosa won and went on to win the girls title. The two met there again today, but this time with a slam quarterfinal berth on the line.



As she has been all clay season, Badosa proved to be ready for her moment against the '19 RG finalist. After a tight opening set, Badosa got the late break of the Czech and then served out the 6-4 set. Vondrousova rallied to force a 3rd, but Badosa again didn't flinch. With the Spaniard having already saved MP in this event (3r vs. Katerina Siniakova), won her maiden title this spring (Belgrade), posted her first Top 10 win (over #1 Ash Barty, no less) and reached at least the semifinals in all three clay events she played coming into Paris, it seems only natural that she'll now play one more match to reach yet another semi. This time at Roland Garros. Her 6-4/3-6/6-2 win today improved her mark this spring to 17-2 on clay.



...the women's doubles produced the comeback of the tournament so far, as #14-seeded Bethanie Mattek-Sands/Iga Swiatek trailed top-seeded Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens 5-1 in the 3rd set. Over the next four games, Hsieh/Mertens held MP in each game -- 2 at 5-1, 3 at 5-2, 1 at 5-3, and another at 5-4 -- but couldn't hold off BMS/Iga. After having been unable to convert any of seven MP, Hsieh/Mertens held GP in game #12 to extend the set but were broken to drop the 3rd 7-5. The Court Simonne-Mathieu marathon lasted 3:11.



...junior action began on Sunday, with winners including top-seeded Victoria Jimenez Kastinseva (AND), the '20 AO girls champ, and #11-seeded Czech Linda Fruhvirtova, who caused a splash on the WTA tour this spring with a QF run in Charleston at age 15 in her second career tour-level MD appearance. Fruhvirtova has since turned 16.

...in the quickest (and earliest) turnaround that I can remember for a slam wheelchair competition, RG has already crowned its singles champion. Not shockingly, it's #1-seeded Diede de Groot, who (also not shockingly) faced off with #2 Yui Kamiji in their tenth major final clash. De Groot won 6-4/6-3, securing her second singles title in Paris and tenth overall slam singles crown. De Groot is now 8-2 in the ten slam finals against Kamiji, winning the match-up seven times in a row. She's 4-1 in their head-to-head this season, as well.



Both de Groot (w/ Aniek Van Koot) and Kamiji (w/ Jordanne Whiley) also advanced to the doubles final. The Dutch pair will be seeking their fourth consecutive RG crown, while Kamiji/Whiley will be looking to win their third as a pair after taking the title in Paris in 2014 and '16.

If de Groot gets the title sweep (it'd be her seventh at a major in her career) she'd be four-for-four in slam title competition this season after having such an "off" year in '20 (winning "only" one each in singles and doubles), but she won't be able to complete the Double Grand Slam that just eluded her (7 of 8 titles) in '19 since, due to the Paralympics, the U.S. Open won't have a WC event in '21.

...in ITF action, Argentina's Maria Lourdes Carle (Univ. of Georgia), not long off her BJK Cup heroics, won her eighth career title (8-1 in finals since Sept.'17) at the $25K in Santo Domingo, Domenican Republic, defeating Swiss Conny Perrin 6-4/6-0.

In Antalya, Turkey, Hurricane Tyra Black won a 2-6/6-4/6-4 final over Italy's Federica Bilardo to take the $15K title. It's the 20-year old's maiden pro singles crown.






*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#25 Ons Jabeur/TUN vs. #24 Coco Gauff/USA
Sloane Stephens/USA vs. Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
#4 Sofia Kenin/USA vs. #17 Maria Sakkari/GRE
Marta Kostyuk/UKR vs. #8 Iga Swiatek/POL
#21 Elena Rybakina/KAZ def. #7 Serena Williams/USA
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova/RUS def. #15 Victoria Azarenka/BLR
Tamara Zidansek/SLO def. Sorana Cirstea/ROU
#33 Paula Badosa/ESP def. #20 Marketa Vondrousova/CZE

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
#14 Mattek-Sands/Swiatek (USA/POL) def. #1 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL)
#11 Jurak/Klepac (CRO/SLO) vs. #6 Chan/Chan (TPE/TPE)
Begu/Podoroska (ROU/ARG) def. (WC) Burel/Paquet (FRA/FRA)
#9 Fichman/Olmos (CAN/MEX) vs. Martic/Rogers (CRO/USA)
Linette/Pera (POL/USA) def. #10 Hradecka/Siegemund (CZE/GER)
Pavlyuchenkova/Rybakina (RUS/KAZ) vs. #3 Melichar/Schuurs (USA/NED)
Pliskova/Pliskova (USA/USA) def. #12 Niculescu/Ostapenko (ROU/LAT)
#2 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) def. Dabrowski/Fernandez (CAN/CAN)

*MIXED DOUBLES QF*
#1 Krejcikova/Polasek (CZE/SVK) vs. Olmos/Cabal (MEX/COL)
Krawczyk/Salisbury (USA/GBR) def. Jurak/Fraah (CRO/COL)
#3 Schuurs/Koolhof (NED/NED) def. Guarachi/N.Skupski (CHI/GBR)
(PR) Vesnina/Karatsev (RUS/RUS) vs. #2 Melichar/Ram (USA/USA)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN 6-4/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. #2 Kamiji/Whiley (JPN/GBR)






...THE 2016 OLYMPICS WERE SO LONG AGO (and even more so now)... ON DAY 8:




...I'M SHOCKED!! Yeah, not really... ON DAY 8:






In 1931, Cilly Aussem became the first German, male or female, to win the singles at the French Championships, three years before Gottfried Van Cramm and four prior to Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling. She'd achieve the same honor at Wimbledon that year.



1928 Helen Wills Moody/USA
1929 Helen Wills Moody/USA
1930 Helen Wills Moody/USA
1931 Cilly Aussem/GER
1932 Helen Wills Moody/USA

Born into a wealthy family to a successful businessman and a domineering and ambitious mother, Aussem first started taking tennis lessons while attending boarding school in Geneva. With her talent recognized, her mother found her a proper tennis coach (Willy Hanneman) in Germany and by 1925 she was the nation's junior champion. Two years later, at 17, she won her first senior German Championships.

Still, even with her early accomplisments, the small in stature Aussem was described as a "psychologically sensitive girl" who was surely "incapable" of withstanding the mental and physical pressure of world-class competitive sport.

While traveling to the French Riviera during the family summer's vacation, Aussem's mother asked top men's player Bill Tilden for advice. Looking over the shy girl, Tilden replied, "My dear lady, Cilly will become a great champion if you take the next train back to Germany!" Becoming Aussem's coach, Tilden helped to build her into a world champion whose signature shot was a big, flat forehand, with her best qualities said to be her precision of shots, conditioning and fighting spirit. She was often described as graceful and as a "dancer" on court.



In 1928, Aussem's mother claimed that rival player Paula von Reznicek had twice beaten Cilly by using hypnotism. The accusation led to a lawsuit in which Von Reznicek filed charges of defamation of character, and Aussem's mother being charged with "insulting assault."

Playing MX doubles together, Aussem and Tilden won all the titles on the Riviera in 1930, then took French Championships title. At Wimbledon that summer, Aussem's semifinal against Elizabeth Ryan ended when the German Aussem stumbled over a tennis ball, fell, twisted her ankle and lost consciousness. From that point on, health problems were a constant hindrance the remainder of her career, as she had liver problems, appendicitis and issues with her eys, which became more light sensitive, forcing her for a time to spend hours in a darkened room before her matches.


Aussem injured at 1930 Wimbledon


In 1931, Aussem swept the French, Wimbledon and German Championships titles, but a liver inflammtion following a trip to South America forced her into surgery. She didn't return until the '33 season, and was never quite the same. Falling to players she'd formerly defeat, she quit tennis at age 25 after the 1934 season.

Aussem married an Italian Earl in 1936, moving to Africa. While there she contracted malaria. Ultimately, nearly blind due to the infection, she spent much of the rest of her life in her husband's castle in Portofino, Italy. In 1963, she underwent another liver surgery. She didn't recover, and died in March 1963 at age 54.



German tennis player and writer Roderich Menzel wrote: "Everywhere where she swang her racket and warmed the spectators hearts with her magic smile, she unknowingly inspired young girls to play tennis the way she did. If we remember her today, we feel deep love in our hearts. And we confess proudly: She was our mistress of tennis."

Since 1965, the Junior Championships of the German Tennis Association have been called the Grosse Cilly Aussem Spiele (Big Cilly Aussem Games).



To be continued...















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*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
2021 Diede de Groot, NED

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
19 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (8-11)
13 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (10-3)
13 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3-10)
6 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4-2)
1 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR (1-0)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)

*de Groot vs. Kamiji Slam Finals*
2017 US - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED
2018 AO - #2 Diede de Groot/NED def. #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2018 RG - #1 Yui Kamiji/JPN def. #2 Diede de Groot/NED
2018 US - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2019 AO - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2019 RG - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2019 US - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2020 US - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2021 AO - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
2021 RG - #1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN
--
de Groot leads 8-2

*RECENT WC SINGLES SLAM FINALS*
[2017]
AO: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Jiske Griffioen/NED
RG: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Sabine Ellerbrock/GER
WI: Diede de Groot/NED def. Sabine Ellerbrock/GER
US: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Diede de Groot/NED
[2018]
AO: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
RG: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Diede de Groot/NED
WI: Diede de Groot/NED def. Aniek van Koot/NED
US: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
[2019]
AO: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
RG: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
WI: Aniek Van Koot/NED def. Diede de Groot/NED
US: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
[2020]
AO: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Aniek Van Koot/NED
US: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
RG: Yui Kamiji/JPN def. Momoko Ohtani/JPN
[2021]
AO: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN
RG: Diede de Groot/NED def. Yui Kamiji/JPN

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM SINGLES TITLES*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-x-6]
10 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [3-2-2-3]*
8 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [2-4-0-2]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*
3 - Aniek van Koot, NED [1-0-1-1]*
3 - Monique Kalkman, NED [0-0-x-3]

*UNSEEDED/WC/Q in SLAM QF IN 32-SEED DRAW*
[began w/ 2001 Wimbledon]
01 WI - -
01 US - Bedanova
02 AO - Ad.Serra-Zanetti
02 RG - C.Fernandez,Pierce,Suarez
02 WI - Likhovtseva
02 US - Bovina
03 AO - Ruano-Pascual,Shaughnessy
03 RG - Pierce
03 WI - -
03 US - -
04 AO - -
04 RG - -
04 WI - Sprem
04 US - Asagoe
05 AO - -
05 RG - Karatantcheva
05 WI - -
05 US - -
06 AO - Hingis(wc)
06 RG - -
06 WI - Bremond(q)
06 US - -
07 AO - Safarova,S.Williams[W]
07 RG - -
07 WI - -
07 US - Szavay
08 AO - -
08 RG - Kanepi,Suarez-Navarro(q)
08 WI - Tanasugarn,Zheng(wc)
08 US - -
09 AO - Dokic(wc),Suarez-Navarro
09 RG - Cirstea,Sharapova
09 WI - Lisicki,Schiavone
09 US - K.Bondarenko,Clijsters(wc)[W],Oudin,Wickmayer
10 AO - Henin(wc)[RU],Kirilenko,J.Zheng
10 RG - Shvedova
10 WI - Kanepi(q),Kvitova,Pironkova
10 US - Cibulkova
11 AO - -
11 RG - -
11 WI - Lisicki(wc),Paszek
11 US - Kerber
12 AO - Errani,Makarova
12 RG - Shvedova(q)
12 WI - Paszek
12 US - -
13 AO - Kuznetsova
13 RG - Kuznetsova
13 WI - Kanepi
13 US - Hantuchova,Pennetta
14 AO - -
14 RG - Muguruza
14 WI - Zahlavova-Strycova
14 US - Bencic,Peng
14 AO - Keys
15 RG - Van Uytvanck
15 WI - Vandeweghe
15 US - Mladenovic,Vinci[RU]
16 AO - Konta,Sh.Zhang(q)
16 RG - Bertens,Pironkova,Putintseva,Rogers
16 WI - Shvedova,Vesnina
16 US - Konjuh,Sevastova,Wozniacki
17 AO - Lucic-Baroni,Vandeweghe
17 RG - Ostapenko[W]
17 WI - Rybarikova
17 US - Kanepi(q),Stephens[W]
18 AO - Bertens,Suarez-Navarro
18 RG - Putintseva
18 WI - Cibulkova,Giorgi
18 US - Tsurenko
19 AO - Collins,Pavlyuchenkova
19 RG - Anisimova,Vondrousova[RU]
19 WI - Muchova,Riske,Strycova,Sh.Zhang
19 US - -
20 AO - Jabeur,Muguruza[RU]
20 US - Azarenka[RU],Pironkova,Rogers
20 RG - Collins,Podoroska,Siegemund,Swiatek[W],Trevisan
21 AO - Hsieh,Pegula
21 RG - Zidansek
-
NOTE: Stephens, Krejcikova and Kostyuk to play 4r

*Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING*
2020 Martina Trevisan, ITA
2021 Serena Williams, USA vs. Irina-Camelia Begu, ROU







TOP QUALIFIER: Varvara Lepchenko/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #8 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: Jaqueline Cristian/ROU def. #13 Mayar Sherif/EGY 7-5/5-7/7-6(1) (Sherif saves 2 MP in 2nd, rallies from 5-3 in 3rd, but Cristian ends 3-hr. match w/ TB win)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Tamara Zidansek/SLO def. #6 Bianca Andreescu/CAN 6-7(1)/7-6(2)/9-7 (3:20; Andreescu broke for 5-4 lead in 3rd)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Ana Bogdan/ROU (def.Cocciaretto/ROU)
FIRST SEED OUT: #26 Angelique Kerber/GER (1st Rd./Kalinina)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Hailey Baptiste/USA, Tereza Martincova/CZE, Harmony Tan/FRA
UPSET QUEENS: Slovenia
REVELATION LADIES: Czech Republic
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Germany (0-3 in 1st Rd.; Kerber FSO 2 con GS/2 of 3 RG; Siegemund 1r)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Hailey Baptiste/USA, Anhelina Kalinina/UKR, Varvara Lepchenko/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Astra Sharma/AUS and Harmony Tan/FRA (2nd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Mihaela Buzarnescu/ROU (2r), Elena Vesnina/RUS (3r)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Fiona Ferro, Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic, Harmony Tan (all 2nd Rd.)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: Nominee: Zidansek
IT "...": Nominees: Badosa, Gauff, Kostyuk, Rybakina, Zidansek
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Pavlyuchenkova, Stephens
CRASH & BURN: Ash Barty/AUS and Naomi Osaka/JPN (#1 seed ret. 2r; #2 seed w/d 2r; second time in Open era top two out before 3r)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS (early-round): Katerina Siniakova, CZE (2nd Rd.: down 5-1 in 3rd vs. V.Kudermetova, saved 2 MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS (mid/late-round): Nominees: Badosa (3rd Rd.-MP vs. Bogdan); Mattek-S./Swiatek (3rd Rd.-5-1 down in 3rd, saved 7 MP vs. #1 Hsieh/Mertens)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Pavlyuchenkova, Mattek-Sands
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: Serena Williams/USA vs. Irina-Camelia Begu/ROU (first official night session match)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
Légion de Lenglen HONOREE: Naomi Osaka/JPN (press drama and tournament withdrawal)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Carla Suarez Navarro, ESP (June 1 - returned after '20 cancer diagnosis)






All for Day 8. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 4:38 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Hypnotism? Aussem's story is interesting.

Wheelchair normally starts the second week of a slam, going Wed-Sat or Sun. Don't know why they did it so early.

Pavlyuchenkova/Rybakina play the 2nd doubles match tomorrow.

Serena lost on court. She could have easily skipped this to prepare for Wimbledon like Federer, but gave it everything she had. Even nearing 40, she went farther than most.

Zidansek/Cirstea could have gone either way. Zidansek played the tiebreak better, then it was over.

Nottingham started today and the grass looks beautiful. Oh, how I have missed it.

Stat of the Day- 13- Wins for Serena vs Kazakh players.

With Rybakina winning, the record is now 1-13.

Serena didn't play anybody from Kazakhstan until 2009, when she played Shvedova for the first time.

Serena vs Kazakhstan:

5-0 Yaroslava Shvedova
3-0 Yulia Putintseva
3-0 Zarina Diyas
2-0 Galina Voskobeova
0-1 Elena Rybakina

Sets won by Kazakhstan:

2- Rybakina
1- Shvedova
1- Putintseva

The odds were stacked in Serena's favor. The fact that she rarely plays 250 events meant that all of the matchups were in big events.

Venues:

3- USO
3- IW
2- RG
2- Miami
1- Wimbledon
1- Rogers Cup
1- Madrid
1- Rome

They got the best of her, finally they got in the win column.

As for Rybakina? Mathematically, we could have all 8 QF be slamless. That is unlikely, but the whole bottom half of the draw is playing with house money.

Sun Jun 06, 08:30:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Yeah, her mother sounds like a piece of work. I guess "tennis parents" -- from Lenglen to Aussem to today -- are a tradition.

Still not quite sure the hypnotism was supposed to have been "enacted." At the net before the start of the match?

And, considering all his history with Lenglen and Mallory, Tilden sure does find his way into a lot of women's tennis stories.

Mon Jun 07, 01:46:00 AM EDT  

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