Tuesday, June 29, 2021

W.2- Venus' 90/90 Vision

And on Day 2, Wimbledon caught up with an old a longtime friend.




Twenty-four years ago, a 17-year old Venus Williams made her much-anticipated debut at the All-England Club. It took a while. Rain dominated the first week and she didn't play her 1st Round match until the weekend, losing to Poland's Magdalena Grzybowska. No matter, she'd go on to become a dominant force at the event. Overall, over two-plus decades, she's reached nine singles finals, lifted the (appropriately named) Venus Rosewater Dish five times while also taking home the doubles crown six more (and again at SW19 in the 2012 London Olympics). From 2000-09, Williams was 56-5 in singles, and has compiled a 45-3 mark in doubles (w/ Serena) on the grounds in her career.

If not for her little sister, against whom she lost three times in finals, Venus may have gone down as *the* dominant figure in the tournament's history. Twenty years after making her debut, she reached the women's final in 2017, coming up short against Garbine Muguruza.

While Williams' days of being a title threat appear to be a thing of the past, Venus carries on. Now 41, Williams made her 23rd 1st Round appearance today at Wimbledon with her 1st Round match against Mihaela Buzarnescu on Court Three (?!?!). Currently ranked #111, she'd initially been given a wild card into the MD by the All-England Club, but eventually made it into the field via her ranking due to the early withdrawals of others.

The match proved to be a close affair, with the score knotted at 5-5 in the 1st set before Williams held and broke the Romanian to take the lead in the match. Buzarnescu took the 2nd, making one wonder if Williams would again exit a major after just one match, as she had lost her last eight three-set matches (her last win came in September '19 vs. Strycova). But the former champion rose up and prevailed, finally serving things out in a long final game (3 BP saved) to win 7-5/4-6/6-3, ending a career-long six-match losing streak. It's just the third match won by Venus in her last nine slam appearances (and just her third win overall in the '21 season). Like a blast from the past, Williams fired ten aces on the day.



In her 90th slam MD appearance (a record), the victory gives Venus 90 MD wins at SW19, making her the fourth woman to crack that particular barrier, following in the footsteps of Martina Navratilova, Serena and Chris Evert. With overall slam win #271, Williams is just seven wins behind Steffi Graf for fourth place on the all-time Open era women's list.

While her numbers at Wimbledon don't look quite as imposing over the past decade, it's still a remarkable feat that *since* turning 30 she's posted a far-more-than-respectable 26-9 mark even while her days of dominating the field (save one) were getting smaller and smaller in her rearview mirror.

Still a draw after all these years (after being part of a WD team in Paris with Coco Gauff, she'll likely be part of *the* MX duo to watch at SW19 alongside Nick Kyrgios), Williams' future in the game will continue to play out on her own timetable. Thankfully, we seem to have passed through the period where she's being incessantly questioned about the "r" word and seemingly being rushed out the door to make room for others. It's become clear that, win or lose, Williams will persist for as long as she wishes. Just a little -- even a single win, especially in her forties -- goes a long way when it comes to pleasing fans and bolstering her legendary status.

This is all quite simply because she's still, and will forever be, Venus. And, by this point, that's a lot.






=DAY 2 NOTES=
...while Venus continues to bull her way through, later in the day her sister Serena had less say in the matter. Wrapping up the day on Centre Court, following a match ended via retirement when a men's player had slipped on the slick surface behind the baseline, Williams ultimately met the same fate, ending her most recent quest for slam #24. Whatever else it might end, or change the course of, will have to be determined later.



Already playing with a large wrap on her leg, Williams stumbled behind the baseline at 3-1 against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She immediately went off court for a medical time out, later returning with halting footwork. Then, serving in the 3-3 game, Serena went down to her knees screaming in agony at the baseline. It was immediately clear that the match would end right there, and she tearfully (and gingerly) walked to the net to shake the Belarusian's hand.

Williams soon after left the court with a trainer to warm applause from a crowd that no doubt wondered if an era may have unceremoniously come to an end right before their eyes.



As far as history goes, it's just Serena's second 1st Round exit at a major in her career, joining the 2012 Roland Garros upset at the hands of Virginie Razzano. It's her second in-match retirement, coming twenty-three years after the other (vs. Virginia Ruano Pascual) in the 3rd Round of her Wimbledon debut.

One hopes this won't prove to be an unfortunate pair of bookends to her career at the event.



...earlier in the day, with rain continuing to wreak havoc with the schedule, the AELTC organizers were busy trying to keep one step ahead of the reaper. On that theme...

#8 Karolina Pliskova allowed coach Sascha Bajin to breathe a sigh of relief that will last at least a few more days, as the Czech rallied from an early 1st set deficit against Roland Garros surprise semifinalist Tamara Zidansek to win in straight sets on Tuesday. The Slovenian led 5-2 in the 1st, and seemed prepared to challenge for a second consecutive slam with an opening round Top 20 upset. Zidansek has especially shined in slam opening round matches of late, defeating Bianca Andreescu in Paris and two years ago at Wimbledon knocking off Genie Bouchard (8-6 3rd set) in her SW19 debut.

But the Czech strung together five straight games to take the opener today, and went on to win 7-5/6-4. Pliskova didn't advance past the 2nd Round in her first six Wimbledon appearances, but reached the Round of 16 in her last two in 2018-19.

...aside from Pliskova, Day 2's early action saw a flurry of vets take the court. Most soon exited the draw, as #28 Alison Riske's injury-plagued '21 campaign failed to be ignited by the grass as the '19 quarterfinalist lost to the ever-improving Tereza Martincova (she of the now 7-2 grass record this season, with two tour-level QF this month) 6-2/4-6/6-1. I'm sure Riske will still make a visit to the Last Eight Club, though, before she leaves... if it's actually open this year, that is.

Meanwhile, wild card (and Berlin champ) Liudmila Samsonova defeated 36-year old Kaia Kanepi 6-4/6-2, extending her winning streak to eight matches. Kanepi's SW19 history, of course, goes all the way back to her 2006 debut and includes a pair of QF runs, including one in '10 vs. Petra Kvitova in which she held 5 MP against the Czech, who'd go on to lose to Serena Williams in the SF a year before picking up her maiden crown at the AELTC in '11.

Shelby Rogers defeated Samantha Stosur, 37, in three sets. 36-year old Vera Zvonareva completed her Day 1 match against Marie Bouzkova, winning in straights to notch her first SW19 MD win since 2014. The Russian reached the final in 2010 (loss vs. Serena), her first of back-to-back slam finals that season (w/ U.S. vs. Clijsters). She followed up with a third straight major SF the following January in Melbourne (losing again to Clijsters).

...of the four matches suspended on Day 1, two of them them finished up today with extended final sets. Qualifier Claire Liu had led Misaki Doi 5-4 in the 3rd when the match was called due to darkness, and her break of serve today in the 3rd set's 15th game paved the way for a 2-6/6-3/9-7 win.

In the other match, Madison Brengle had already survived Christina McHale yesterday leading 5-3 and serving for the match in both the 2nd and 3rd sets, holding four MP, before being suspended with Brengle up 7-6. McHale came out hot again today, winning back-to-back games and serving for the match a third time at 8-7. She was broken at love, and never won another game. Brengle (aka "Brenglefly" back in the day at Backspin HQ) won 3-6/7-5/10-8.

After trying in vain for years to qualify for majors (going 0-for-27 in her attempts, then being 0-4 as a MD wild card before finally getting her maiden slam win at the '14 U.S. Open), Brengle has now played in 27 straight slam MD. Her win today gives her at least one win in the last four Wimbledons, and four of the last five majors played. McHale has been ousted in the 1st Round of all three slams this season, and in ten of her last eleven major MD from 2018-21 (w/ three qualifying attempts that came up short during that stretch, as well).

...the first match to hit the court from the originally-scheduled-for-Day-2 top half of the draw featured #1 Ash Barty, as the Aussie filled in for injured '19 Wimbledon winner Simona Halep in the Centre Court opener generally reserved for the women's defending champ. She faced off with Carla Suarez Navarro, making another stop in her extended farewell tour after returning to action after battling cancer last year.



Barty entered with an injury question looming over her head, as an arm injury had curtailed her RG preparation and a hip had prevented her from playing a grass court tuneup event the last two weeks. She seemed fine today in a match that had to be stopped in order for the roof to be closed to keep out the rain just four games in. As CSN did in Paris vs. Sloane Stephens, she battled to force a 3rd set, but Barty prevailed 6-1/6-7(1)/6-1 to win her 13th straight slam 1st Round match.



Barty is a former Wimbledon girls champ (2011), but has yet to reach the QF in the Ladies competition. She *has* improved her results in each of her last three appearances, though, putting up 1r-3r-4r finishes.

...with play on the outer courts stopped due to the rain, Eastbourne champ Angelique Kerber was fortunate enough to have been scheduled to play on the roofed Court 1. The #25-seeded German, a two-time finalist (and '18 champ), took out Serbian Nina Stojanovic 4 & 3 to win her sixth straight match (she's 7-1 on grass after having started 8-9 on hard courts and clay in '21).

...later in the day, when play had resumed on the outer courts, #25-seeded RG champ Barbora Krejcikova extended her winning streak to thirteen matches with a straight sets victory over Clara Tauson. It was the Czech's singles MD debut at Wimbledon, after having previously won the girls doubles (2013) and WD (2018) crowns alongside Katerina Siniakova.

Elena Vesnina defeated Martina Trevisan in the 2016 semifinalist's first match at SW19 since 2017. The Russian had been out since mid-2018, becoming a mother in '19, until earlier this season. She reached the 3rd Round in her return to Roland Garros earlier this month.

Lastly, #17 Kiki Bertens became the fifth seed to exit the 1st Round so far (not country Konta's pre-event w/d), falling to teenager Marta Kostyuk in what will be her final appearance at Wimbledon. The Dutch vet is set to retire at the end of this season. She reached the SW19 QF in 2018, and will finish with a 9-8 career mark in the event.

...one match (Hibino/Pera) was suspended today and set to resume with the 3rd set tomorrow, when the remaining twenty-two unplayed 1st Round matches are scheduled to (finally) be contested.





...LIKE... DAY 2:




...WHO SAYS ESPN NEVER LEARNS ANYTHING?... ON DAY 2:

Taking a cue from NBC shuttling matches exclusively to its Peacock streaming service, today ESPN -- which has always used ESPN+ as an *additional outlet* for continuing match coverage for regular MD matches which might or might not get a live network airing if circumstances warranted -- made Venus/Buzarnescu an ESPN+ *exclusive* and proceeded to pretty much completely ignore the existence of the match during its regular live covarage (save for about five seconds, likely because they were getting social media complaints about disrespecting Venus, in order to explain her absence from air).

Of course, with same breath, the commentators love wasting time talking about whichever soccer team that whichever player is supporting in whatever the big soccer thing is that is taking place in Europe right now. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


...ONE MORE SLAM STOP TO GO... ON DAY 2:




...A VERY RAD DAY-like DAY 2:







SW 19 Memories...




19-year old Evonne Goolagong becomes the second Aussie women to win Wimbledon, defeating the first (Margaret Court, 1963/65/67) in the final [1971]



Nine years later, Goolagong becomes the first mother to win Wimbledon in 66 years. It's the last of her seven career slam wins. [1980]
















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*SERENA WILLIAMS at THE SLAMS - Rd.-by-Rd.*
77-2...1st ['12 RG: Razzano; '21 WI: Sasnovich ret.]
74-2...2nd ['98 AO: Venus; '14 RG: Muguruza; '20 RG Pironkova w/o]
64-10..3rd
54-9...4th
40-14...QF
33-7...SF [1-Venus/Henin/Clijsters/Vinci/Ka.Pliskova/Azarenka/Osaka]
23-10..Final
[2-Kerber/Venus, 1-Sharapova/Stosur/Muguruza/Osaka/Halep/Andreescu]
--
Walkover L: 4r 2018 RG (Sharapova); 2r 2020 RG (Pironkova)
Retirement L: 3r 1998 WI (Ruano-Pascual); 1r 2021 WI (Sasnovich)


*"RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY" HISTORY*
=2013 (inciting event)=
June 26 (Wimbledon Day 3)
"The Radwanskian Massacre" - 7 former #1's lose, w/ 4 additional walkovers and three ret. on day filled with falls, slips and stumbles

=2014=
June 26 (Wimbledon Day 3)
First unofficial commemoration of The Radwanskian Massacre. With the Radwanskian Threat Level meter in place and all on guard and vigilent, calm prevails.

=2015=
June 26 (official)
Aga Radwanska & the seagull (in Eastbourne, bird swoops at Radwanska as she serves... one day later, she loses in the singles final)
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
The hottest day ever recorded in Wimbledon history (35.7 C / 96 F), fire alarm evacuates Centre Court.

=2016=
June 26 (official)/Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
The wet London weather rains... err, reigns. 74 singles and doubles matches are scheduled: 41 are cancelled, 15 interrupted and 18 completed. Only 6 matches were both started and finished solely on Day 3, with 4 of those played under the Centre Court roof. But Aga Radwanska opens the Centre Court schedule and wins without incident and, in a previously unscheduled C.C. match, Radwanska's '16 RG conqueror, Tsvetana Pironkova, loses.

=2017=
June 26 (official)
Eastbourne defending champ Dominika Cibulkova loses in opening match to WC Heather Watson; 4 LL's win MD matches (one LL vs. LL match-up); LL Tsvetana Pironkova advances to 2nd Rd. w/ 1st Rd. bye when Petra Kvitova withdraws, gets 2nd Rd. win
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
It's "Flying Ant Day" as the newly-emerged insects swarm the AELTC grounds. Meanwhile, six women's seeds fall, including two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

=2018=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, Aga Radwanska, playing in her first event in two months, saves 2 MP vs. Dasha Gavrilova (both via DF), wins a 2nd set tie-break, then takes the 3rd set at love. Gavrilova has 17 DF on the day.
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
As insects swarm the AELTC grounds on Flying Ant Day, reigning AO champ #2 Caroline Wozniacki falls on the infested Court 1 to Ekaterina Makarova, becoming the sixth Top 8 seed to fall in the tournament's first three days. Aga Radwanska flirts with staging a comeback from a set and 5-1 down and force a 3rd set (after having saved 6 MP in the 1st Rd.), saving a MP vs. Lucie Safarova before the Czech staves off a total of seven BP in an 11-minute game to hold and secure the win. It's Aga's first career "Rad Day" defeat (and she never plays at Wimbledon again after retiring at the end of the season). Later, rain interrupts play for the first time in the fortnight.

=2019=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, a day after her first Top 10 victory in over a year (and first consecutive wins in back-to-back events since last grass season), '18 Wimbledon semifinalist (and former SW19 girls champ) Alona Ostapenko is forced to retire from her 3rd Round match with a hip injury.
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
Margarita Gasparyan, having overcome three knee surgeries and missing most of two years between 2016-18, comes within two points of defeating #8-seeded Elina Svitolina at 7-5/5-4. Five minutes later, she serves and lands awkwardly on her "bad" leg and immediately doubles over in pain. She is treated for cramping, and ultimately, in tears, retires while still leading 7-5/5-6, with an 82-81 points edge and 42-15 lead in winners.

*"ALTERNATE" RAD DAYS?*
=2015 (Jr. Radwanska Day) - Day 7/July 6=
Three of the Top 4 junior girls lost in the 1st Rd.: #1 Marketa Vondrousova (Roehampton RU), #3 Dalma Galfi (Roehampton W) and #4 Anna Kalinskaya (RG Girls RU)

=2016 (Day 4/June 30)=
#2 seed/RG champ/'15 RU Garbine Muguruza loses; #3 Aga Radwanska saves 3 MP, one on a net cord, as Ana Konjuh rolls her ankle after stepping on a ball, and Aga wins a 9-7 3rd set; eleven women's (and seven men's) seeds fall, as well as Heather Watson vs. Annika Beck (Watson had three MP, out early one year after two points from upset of Serena Williams in '15 3rd Rd.)

=2017 (Day 4/July 6)=
In muggy conditions, four women's seeds (and four men's) fall, including "favorite" #3 Karolina Pliskova, as no Czech woman reach the 3rd Round for the first time in eight years. Players slip and fall with controversial court conditions. Bethanie Mattek-Sands suffers a devastating knee injury. Aga Radwanska saves two MP vs. Christina McHale to advance.

=2018 (Days 1 & 2/July 2 & 3)=
On Day 1, the #4 (Sloane Stephens), #5 (Elina Svitolina) seeded players, and a '17 semifinalist (Magdalena Rybarikova) all lose, while Aga Radwanska saves six MP vs. Elena-Gabriela Ruse and survives. CoCo Vandeweghe, Venus Williams and Victoria Azarenka fall on the slippery courts. On Day 2, former champions Petra Kvitova (the pre-tournament favorite) and Maria Sharapova (in the 1st Round for the first time ever at Wimbledon) lose, as does #6 Caroline Garcia as four of the Top 8 women's seeds are out before the 2nd Round for the first time in Wimbledon history. Ten total women's seeds lose in the 1st Round, the same number as on the men's side.

=2019 (Day 2/July 2)=
Former slam winners Maria Sharapova (ret.), Garbine Muguruza, Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova (and former finalist Genie Bouchard) all lose.

=2021 (Day 2/June 29)=
Adrian Mannarino and Serena Williams both slip on slick Centre Court grass and retire in back-to-back matches.






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TOP QUALIFIER: Ana Konjuh/CRO
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - Lesley Pattinama Kerhkove/NED def. Jule Niemeier/GER 6-4/2-6/9-7 (saved 2 MP)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): xx
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (def. Niculescu - first official match at AELTC in 715 days)
FIRST SEED OUT: #10 Petra Kvitova/CZE (1st Rd.-Stephens)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove/NED, Maria Camila Osorio Serrano/COL
UPSET QUEENS: xx
REVELATION LADIES: xx
NATION OF POOR SOULS: xx
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: In 2r: Kerkhove, Liu, Osorio Serrano (LL win: Ahn)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: In 2r: Boulter, Samsonova
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: In 2r: Petkovic, Vesnina
LAST BRIT STANDING: In 2r: Boulter
Ms./Miss OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "...": xx
COMEBACK PLAYER: xx
CRASH & BURN: Nominee: #10 Kvitova (1r-Stephens; second 1r loss in 3 app.); #6 S.Williams (1r-Sasnovich ret.; first 1r exit at Wimbledon)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (early-round): Nominees: Ahn (LL; 1r saved MP vs. Watson); Brengle (1r-McHale 4 MP and served for match three times)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (mid/late-round): xx
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREES: xx
RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY malevolent activity notes...
June 26 official: all quiet, but on 25th Ula Radwanska loses in final qualifying round and on 27th top-ranked Brit Konta w/d due to COVID quarantine
Day 3 observed: xx






All for Day 2. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:55 PM 

3 Comments:

Blogger tennisings said...

Hey Todd, I don’t think Stosur got a wildcard - probably a protected ranking instead?

Tue Jun 29, 06:37:00 PM EDT  
Blogger colt13 said...

23 first round matches left, and someone probably will reach the 3rd before all are completed.

Jones outplayed her ranking. Hope she can get into one of next week's events.

This was one of the more emotional days this early in a slam. Sadness that Bertens' last slam match went under the radar.

Bertens confirmed for Luxembourg in September. Eye opening, because that part of the schedule has not been confirmed, plus Luxembourg is normally in October. I assumed that they moved because their week would conflict with Indian Wells.

Then Venus wins, though that last game literally was the match. Had it got to 5-4, it think Buzarnescu would have won.

Loved Venus' interviews.

Then you have Suarez Navarro, complete with mom taking video. Barty is probably the perfect opponent for this situation.

Mannarino falls.

Then Serena. In 3 of the last 4 slams, she has tweaked something, then lost. Just a hollow ending.

Stat of the Day- 1- Number of titles for Anne White.

Why would I bring up Anne White? Because of Madison Brengle.

Brengle, known for rocking black leggings, and possibly not having a clothing contract, wore NB- New Balance, complete with white leggings. Unclear if it was suggested, but she also wore white shorts over them.

With changing weather and lots of rain, leggings might be a smart option for the next 2 weeks.

Back in 1985, it wasn't. Anne White wore a bodysuit, white of course, but was discouraged from wearing it due to club policy.

White did have some success on tour, reaching a career high of 9 in doubles and 19 in singles. Her best slams were 4th rds at the US Open in 1983, then the French Open in 1984.

Her 1 singles title was the Virginia Slims of Arizona.

She had 27 slam wins, and Brengle might catch her. Today's win is her 19th.

Tue Jun 29, 08:32:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

T-
Yep, you're right. And I'd had her listed everywhere with "PR" earlier, too. Grrr. :/


C-
No matter what, though, White will only ever be remembered for that one day.

At this point, it looks as if the thought was right that 2020 was when the clock for Serena winning #24 would hit 00:00. Unfortunately, circumstances took Wimbledon away and turned the season upside down.

She'll likely be back, but it'll probably take a perfect storm now.

Wed Jun 30, 12:04:00 AM EDT  

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