Friday, July 09, 2021

W.11- The Day Before the Day








=DAY 11 NOTES=
...after a day off yesterday, the women's doubles duos were back in action on Friday to set up the weekend's final match-up.

While it took a while for #3 Hsieh Su-wei & Elise Mertens to begin to click, dropping matches this summer in which they held 7 and 5 MP, they've come together quite nicely at SW19, where they'll play for their first title together (and Hsieh will seek to defend the crown she won in '19 w/ Barbora Strycova).

The duo won their semifinal today over #5 Aoyama/Shibahara, avoiding what might have been a big mess late in the contest when, with Mertens serving for the match, it took more than ten minutes to finish the game, five BP were saved, and Mertens DF'd on a MP before the pair put away MP #3 to win 6-4/1-6/6-3. Ultimately, though, the Japanese team won more points (79-73) in the match.



Mertens, who'll return to doubles #1 with the result, will be seeking her third slam title (after two w/ Sabalenka) and 3/4 of a Career Slam (having won the '19 US and '21 AO), while Hsieh is going for her third SW19 win (and fourth overall major).

Standing in the way will be Hordettes Veronika Kudermetova & Elena Vesnina, who followed up their 4-MP-saved QF vs. Krejcikova/Siniakova with another thriller against Dolehide/Sanders. The Russians trailed 5-2 in the 3rd, but Vesnina put her partner on her back and carried her along with her to her second slam final this summer (RG MX), saving three MP and sweeping the final five games of the match.



...only one of the MX semis was played today, and it took place on Kveta Peschke's 46th birthday.



Unfortunately for the Czech, she won't be playing to become the oldest slam title winner since Martina Navratilova (2006 US MX, at 49). Instead, Harriet Dart & Joe Salisbury will try to become just the second all-British duo ('87 Jo Durie/Jeremy Bates) to win the Wimbledon MX in the Open era. The only British women to take the crown have been Ann Haydon Jones (1969), Durie and Heather Watson (2016). Salisbury just won the RG mixed with Desirae Krawczyk, who'll play in the other semifinal tomorrow with another Brit, Neal Skupski vs. Zhang Shuai & John Peers.

...the junior QF saw #1 seeded Andorran Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva move to within a match of playing for her *second* girls slam crown ('20 AO), as she downed British wild card Alicia Dudeney in three sets. She'll face Germany's Nastasja Schunk, who defeated fellow unseeded Italian Matilde Paoletti.

#8 Linda Fruhvirtova is the only girl alive in both the singles and doubles semis, and today advanced past #15-seeded German Mara Guth, and will next face unseeded Spaniard Ane Mintegi del Olmo (def. #6 Kristina Dmitruk/BLR). A Fruhvirtova title run would make it back-to-back Czech junior slam champs (Noskova at RG), something which has never before happened despite all the great players in the nation's long and successful tennis history (both Pliskovas *did* win junior majors in same season in 2010, though). In fact, the last Czech to win at SW19 was Kristyna Pliskova eleven years ago.

Just one German (Barbara Rittner '91), and no Spanish or Andorran players have won in London.

...in wheelchair play, it was quite a day for Kgothatso "KG" Montjane, who not only became the first South African black player to reach a WC slam singles final, but she'll be playing for *two* titles at this Wimbledon after she and Lucy Shuker upset top seeds Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot in the semis today, sweeping the final two games to win a 7-5 3rd set over the Dutch duo after having seen their 5-2 lead slip away. This will be just the second time in eighteen slam WD draws that de Groot won't be playing for the title (and the first since the '17 RG).



Montjane/Shuker will face four-time Wimbledon champs (2014-17) Yui Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley in the final.

Earlier in the day, #1 de Groot defeated Whiley to reach her fourteenth career slam singles final (all in the last 16 majors), and will be seeking her 11th crown. She'll face first-timer Montjane, who outlasted Japan's Momoko Ohtani in her second straight three-setter at this Wimbledon. After her victory, Montjane put her head and arms back as she rolled toward the net, dropping her racket behind her.

Three years ago, the now 35-year old Montjane became her the black woman from South Africa to *play* in the Wimbledon WC event, and now she's one victory (albeit a big upset) from winning it. Twice.



...in the WTA event taking place in Hamburg this week, Dayana Yastremska's comeback event after her contested and abbreviated suspension for a failed doping test has her in the semis as the #1 seed. She'll face Romanian qualifier Gabriela Ruse. Yastremska's last final came in Adelaide in January '20, *very* early on in her short stint with coach Sascha Bajin (hmm, whatever happened to him?), with her last title over two years ago in May '19 in Strasbourg.



The other final with be an all-German affair, with Jule Nieimeier again flashing skills on the clay. In her second career tour MD this spring she reached the Strasbourg semis as a qualifier, and now she's in her second (in her 4th MD) as a wild card. She'll face Andrea Petkovic (Petko!!), who'll be playing to reach her first tour final since Antwerp in February 2015.








*LADIES' SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Ash Barty/AUS vs. #8 Karolina Pliskova/CZE

*LADIES' DOUBLES FINAL*
(PR) V.Kudermetova/Vesnina (RUS/RUS) vs. #3 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL)

*MIXED DOUBLES SF*
#7 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR) vs. #17 Sh.Zhang/Peers (CHN/AUS)
Dart/Salisbury (GBR/GBR) def. Peschke/Krawietz (CZE/GER)

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S FINAL*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. KG Montjane/RSA

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
Montjane/Shuker (RSA/GBR) vs. #2 Kamiji/Whiley (JPN/GBR)

*GIRLS SINGLES SF*
#1 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva/AND vs. Nastasja Schunk/GER
#8 Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE vs. Ane Mintegi del Olmo/ESP

*GIRLS DOUBLES SF*
#1 Dmitruk/Shnaider (BLR/RUS) vs. Brantmeier/Kalieva (USA/USA)
Costoulas/Hietaranta (BEL/FIN) vs. #2 L.Fruhvirtova/P.Kudermetova (CZE/RUS)






...WELL, ACTUALLY... ON DAY 11:




...CAN THE VICTORY TWIRL NOW BE CALLED DOING "A VENUS?" (you know, like how all the gymnastics moves are named after Simone Biles)... ON DAY 11:



Breaking the mold for what a "spelling bee kid" is...




...ELSA'S REVENGE... ON DAY 11:




...HEROES DON'T ALWAYS WEAR CAPES (sometimes it's t-shirts and shorts)... ON DAY 11:




...THE SHOT(s) THAT WOULD HAVE A 0% CHANCE OF DEFEATING A ROUTINE IGA DROPPER FOR "SHOT OF THE MONTH"... ON DAY 11:




...ALIZE IS *STILL* LIFE (and, for a bit, a living still life drawing)... ON DAY 11:







SW19 Memories (History Made)...


Virginia Wade is the last British woman to win the Ladies singles [1977]




Steffi Graf wins her first Wimbledon, and third leg of her Golden Slam [1988]... she goes on to win seven times in nine years




Venus & Serena Williams meet for the first time in a Wimbledon final [2002]... they also do it in 2003, '08 and '09




Garbine Muguruza becomes the first Spanish woman in 23 years to win Wimbledon, and is the first South American-born champ in 53 [2017]











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*WIMBLEDON #1 SEEDS SINCE 2010*
2010 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2011 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (4th)
2012 Maria Sharapova, RUS (4th)
2013 Serena Williams, USA (4th)
2014 Serena Williams, USA (3rd)
2015 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2016 Serena Williams, USA (W)
2017 Angelique Kerber, GER (4th)
2018 Simona Halep, ROU (3rd)
2019 Ash Barty, AUS (4th)
2021 Ash Barty, AUS...in final

*2021 WTA FINALS*
5 - ASH BARTY, AUS (3-1)
3 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (2-1)
3 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-1)
3 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2-1)
3 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (1-2)
2 - Iga Swiatek, POL (2-0)
2 - Sorana Cirstea, ROU (1-1)
2 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (1-1)
2 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (1-1)
2 - Elise Mertens, BEL (1-1)
2 - KAROLINA PLISKOVA, CZE (0-1)
2 - Anett Kontaveit, EST (0-1-1)
2 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (0-2)
2 - Viktorija Golubic, SUI (0-2)

*CAREER WTA GRASS TITLES - active*
8 - Serena Williams, USA
6 - Venus Williams, USA
4 - Petra Kvitova, CZE
3 - Angelique Kerber, GER
3 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2 - Ash Barty, AUS
2 - Kim Clijsters, BEL
2 - Caroline Garcia, FRA
2 - Simona Halep, ROU
2 - Madison Keys, USA
2 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
19 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8-11)
14 - 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 - KG MONTJANE, RSA (0-0)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)

*WIMBLEDON WHEELCHAIR WINNERS*
[singles]
2016 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 Diede de Groot, NED
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Aniek Van Koot, NED
2021 ?
[doubles]
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2013 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2016 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2017 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2018 Diede de Groot/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2021 ?

*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
WI: de Groot/NED vs. Montjane/RSA

*2021 WEEKS AT DOUBLES #1*
1/4: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
1/11: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
1/18: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
1/25: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2/1: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2/8: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2/15: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2/22: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
3/1: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
3/8: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
3/15: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
3/22: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
3/29: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
4/5: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
4/12: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
4/19: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
4/26: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
5/3: Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
5/10: Elise Mertens, BEL
5/17: Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
5/24: Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
5/31: Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
6/7: Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
6/14: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
6/21: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
6/28: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
7/5: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
7/12: Elise Mertens, BEL

*WIMBLEDON "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2004 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2005 Venus Williams, USA
2006 Severine Bremond, FRA
2007 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2008 Zheng Jie, CHN
2009 Elena Dementieva, RUS
2010 Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2012 Aga Radwanska, POL
2013 Kirsten Flipkens, BEL
2014 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2015 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2016 Elena Vesnina, RUS
2017 Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
2018 Julia Goerges, GER
2019 Simona Halep, ROU and Alison Riske, USA
2021 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR and KG Montjane, RSA (WC)






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TOP QUALIFIER: Ana Konjuh/CRO
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #25 Angelique Kerber/GER
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): 2nd Rd. - #25 Angelique Kerber/GER def. Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP 7-5/5-7/6-4 (3:19; wins on MP #2 1:20 after first MP)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #21 Ons Jabeur/TUN def. #11 Garbine Muguruza/ESP 5-7/6-3/6-2 (first Arab woman to reach Wimbledon QF)
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, Emma Raducanu/GBR
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: South America
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Canada - 0-2 1st Rd. (#5 Andreescu, Fernandez), while Bouchard (injured) DNP
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Maria Camila Osorio Serrano/COL (3rd Rd.) (LL 2r: Ahn)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Emma Raducanu/GBR, Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (both 4th Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Andrea Petkovic/GER, CoCo Vandeweghe/USA, Elena Vesnina/RUS (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Emma Raducanu (4th Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR and KG Montjane/RSA (WC)
IT "Teen Brit": Emma Raducanu/GBR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Angelique Kerber/GER ...Nominee: Vesnina
CRASH & BURN: #6 Serena Williams, USA & #10 Petra Kvitova, CZE (both 1st Rd;. won 6 of last 11 Wimbledon; Williams ret. for second career 1r slam exit)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (early-round): Kristie Ahn/USA (already a lucky loser, also saved MP vs. Watson/GBR in 1st Rd.)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON (mid/late-round): Nominees: V.Kudermetova/Vesnina (QF-4 MP vs. #1 Krejcikova/Siniakova; SF-down 5-2 in 3rd vs. Dolehide/Sanders, saved 3 MP)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Karolina Pliskova/CZE ...Nominee: Vesnina
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Mintegi del Olmo/ESP, Schunk/GER
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREES: Nominee: Ka.Pliskova (Czech wins maiden slam title at 29?)
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=
After two days of rain following a 715-day break since the last Wimbledon, the Day 3 schedule includes 39 women's (23 1r/16 2r) and 41 men's (27 1r/14 2r) singles matches. Slips and falls that led to back-to-back Centre Court retirements (including S.Williams) on Day 2 continued, and the day began with the unusual news that a pair of lucky losers -- Astra Sharma and Tsvetana Pironkova -- were being added to the draw three days into the event due to injuries (both former semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova and Astra Sharma lost, the latter after holding a 4-2 3rd set lead). In all, three Top 10 women's seeds (#4 Kenin, #5 Andreescu and #9 Bencic) were ousted, longtime Wimbledon "marathon" man John Isner *lost* a five-setter, and 41-year old five-time champ Venus Williams was defeated a day after her sister left the tournament due to injury (marking just the fourth time in their long slam history that neither reached the 3rd Round of a major, and the first time ever at Wimbledon, where Venus became the first Williams to make her debut 24 years ago).






All for Day 11. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:49 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Like the vintage pics that have been posted all week. Since you posted Wade, I saw a shocking stat, even knowing that this is the slam that skews veteran. Barty/Pliskova is the first Wimbledon with 2 first time Wimbledon finalists since Wade/Stove in 1977. Shows how much Evert/Navratilova/Graf/Williams 2x have dominated.

Last time before that? Smith(Court)/Moffitt(King) in 1963.

The other slams?

2021- RG- Krejcikova/Pavlyuchenkova
2020- AO- Kenin/Muguruza
2017- US- Stephens/Keys

Hope Niemeier gets USO WC. Unlikely, as Rybakina was 60 and didn't get in, but better her than Clijsters. Yeah, I said it.

Also unlikely that a surprise Olympic winner would need one. As of today, the only 3 Olympians not in likely US Open field are Sherif, Cepede Royg and Stosur.

65/35 Barty over Pliskova. As long as Barty does her thing, the match is on her racket. Pliskova obviously has a chance. To do so, she must- 1.Stay away from Barty's forehand. 2.Stay away from Barty's forehand. I kid, but that shot has been lethal. Jamming her and taking time away from her is her best choice of attack.

Stat of the Day- 2- Titles won by Richard Gasquet in the year after his suspension.

What could possibly send me in this direction? Yastremska's return!

To project what Yastremska might do in the next year, why not compare her to two other players that served suspensions?

Also gives me a chance to delve into the most brilliant and absurd defense ever. Gasquet claimed that he "kissed a woman that consumed cocaine" and actually got away with this. For throwing someone else under the bus, he missed 4 months.

Richard Gasquet
2008-09 W/L 35-22
Starting rank 9- Ending rank 23
1 F, 5 SF, 3 QF

2009-10 W/L 40-26
Starting rank 46- Ending rank 41
2 W, 2 F, 1 SF, 5 QF

Barbora Strycova
2012 W/L 18-30
Starting rank 44- Ending rank 90
1 F, 3 QF

2013-14 W/L 42-23
Starting rank 160- Ending rank 56
1 W, 2 SF, 4 QF

Dayana Yastremska*
2019-20 W/L 33-24
Starting rank 35- Ending rank 29
1 F, 3 QF

Due to the 5 month pandemic stoppage, 5 months in 2019 were used to get 12 full months.

Yastremska should be expected to do well. What happened with both Gasquet and Strycova is since their ranking dropped, they got in smaller events, but played in qualifying, while keeping previous level of play.

Yastremska is proving the point this week, reaching SF(so far) in a 250 event. Doing that multiple times in 2021 will set her up for a 2022 season in which the 500 and 1000 events will be back in play.

Sat Jul 10, 01:17:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Diane said...

When you consider what they did to Martina Hingis, Gasquet's Katy Perry defense becomes even more suspicious. Also, I used to work in a mandatory drug treatment program, and I can't tell you how many times I've heard that defense (and also in other, x-rated versions). It wasn't even original.

Sat Jul 10, 06:06:00 PM EDT  

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