US.7- New York Groove

As the second week begins at the U.S. Open, Elina Svitolina finds herself in a good position to finally succeed where she hasn't in the past. But how long will that last?

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Not that many seasons ago, Svitolina seemed to be the best player on tour not to have won a major. Ranking-wise, she's still in that conversation, but the U.S. Open's #5-seed has regressed in terms of being the "next in line." While she's managed to slip her way into a pair of slam semifinals (one a relative gift from her opponents, the other a more respectable run to be proud of) and won an Olympic medal, over the last three seasons the titles she's won have gotten smaller and her appearances in finals less frequent as the notion that she's on the cusp of something better has devolved from seemingly being her "inevitable" destiny to now seeming nearly a quaint, endangered notion from a bygone era.

Oh, Svitolina, somewhat under the radar during her initial rise, *has* managed to make a bigger name for herself in the last few seasons, but it's mostly been off the court due to social media posts and an over-publicized relationship-turned-marriage to Gael Monfils, one the biggest wastes of epic talent in many a tennis generation (oh, but he's *so exciting*... yeah, if actually winning and caring much about something other than putting on a show matters then, yes, I guess). It's been easy of late to scoff at Svitolina's major title prospects, as the days of "trusting the process" and having her results speak for themselves have been replaced by *saying* the right things about climbing the WTA ladder while never managing to show up when the stakes are at their highest.

At the recent Tokyo Olympics, Svitolina used the one-loss-and-you're-not-finished late-event format to grab a Bronze medal after having been thrashed 3 & 1 (pretty close to the scoreline by which she exits most majors) in the semis, climbing onto the medal stand when she was fortunate enough to be on the opposite side of the net during one of Elena Rybakina's parade of blown leads this summer. Still, Svitolina, given a second chance, rose to the occasion and won Ukraine's first tennis medal, and afterward said it'd inspire her to even bigger things once she got back on tour.

Then she lost her next two matches before picking up a small title in Chicago in a relatively poorly-populated event (as far as top-tier players are concerned, as the next seeded player in the draw was ranked #38, 32 spots below top-seeded Svitolina) heading into Flushing Meadows. While the win was an admirable one, it continued the recent "downward" title trend of her career.

Since her WTA Finals title nearly three years ago, which had been preceded by six Premier or higher wins, all three of Svitolina's titles have come at the tour's lowest event levels (International/250). After reaching twelve finals in the three-season 2016-18 timespan, Svitolina has played in just four in the time since with a pair of final-less stretches of over (or nearly) a year between those appearances.

The Chicago appearance, an oddity for a top-ranked player just days before the start of a slam, seems to have served its purpose, for she's been on top of her game in New York. Svitolina came into today's 4th Round match having not lost a set, and exited it the same way after a straight-sets win over a longtime rival, #12-seeded Simona Halep, against whom the Ukrainian has had a career series filled with match-ups that turned "on a moment," often leading to crushing come-from-ahead losses from both women.

Today it was Halep who took her turn in falling away in the middle of a tight contest. At 3-3 in the 1st, Halep failed to convert multiple break chances on Svitolina's serve, and her immediate and lingering frustration was evident. She slammed her racket (like the Simona of old), quickly dropped the next game and saw Svitolina routinely serve out the set at 6-3.

In the 2nd, though, Svitolina seemed prepared to exchange roles. Up a break at 2-1, and serving up 40/15, Svitolina saw the game slide to deuce, double-faulted, and then saw Halep nail a running backhand passing shot from well behind the baseline to get the break back. She'd win nine of eleven points, and seemed on the verge of edging ahead in the set. Halep saved two BP chance at 3-3, but wasn't able to do the same on a third. The moment passed. She never won another game, as Svitolina's reclaimed consistency carried her through to a 6-3/6-3 victory and her third U.S. Open quarterfinal.

Just about as good as it gets. ??@ElinaSvitolina sweeps Simona Halep in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to become our first quarterfinalist.
Read more: https://t.co/55EaHaYTty#USOpen pic.twitter.com/hsFM1WxKpu

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 5, 2021

If Chicago was meant as an opportunity for Svitolina to reclaim her dwindling momentum and buzz of good feelings coming out of Tokyo (and recent wedding), it's worked wonders. Or at least it has *so far.* Apparently, Svitolina has been able to convince herself that the Bronze and a trophy at the tour's lowest level was more "inspiring" than her WTA Finals win (2018), four Premier-level victories (2017-18), 7-1 record in Premier-or-better finals (2016-18), 29 Top 10 wins (from 2016-19) and six #1 victories (2016-18), all of which served to never provide her with the stepping stone to true slam contention as one might have expected.

But, unlike at the Olympics, the U.S. Open (like every other slam) doesn't come equipped with a "medal mulligan" that provides for a second chance after the clunker of a match that Svitolina always seems to provide somewhere around the stage (give or take a round) at which she currently finds herself at this major. Once she realizes how close she may be to having the opportunity to slay her slam demons, will the focus remain?

*That* moment has come for Svitolina many times in the past in majors, and that is always when the floor has suddenly dropped out beneath her feet. We'll see what happens this time.




=DAY 7 NOTES= ...next up for Svitolina won't be the three-time slam winner and former #1 Angelique Kerber, but will instead be the Open's latest teen sensation (well, at least the one with the biggest win today).

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18-year old Canadian Leylah Fernandez continues to ride the wave of her own doing at this U.S. Open, proving once more that one of the beauties of youth is the ability to not yet know what one is not yet supposed to be doing. We saw such things lead to title runs at this slam in 2018 and '19, but even those wins by Naomi Osaka and Bianca Andreescu were by players who'd shined en route to "breadcrumb-leaving" wins in Indian Wells earlier in the season in arguably the biggest non-slam regular tour event on the schedule. Fernandez won her maiden title early this season in the lower-level Monterrey event, and prior to her exploits at Flushing Meadows over the past week had yet to follow up that run with anything much to smile about. She'd gone just 9-11, and actually saw her ranking *slip* a bit over the months.

She's more than made up for it, though.

Already having upset an off-kilter Osaka in the 3rd Round (a situation that Fernandez's own game played a large part in, along with her on-court obliviousness to their ranking difference and personal expectations, as well as an overt confidence that her four-time slam winning opponent would be fortunate to possess one day), the Canadian teen found #16 Angelique Kerber, the '16 Open champ, in her sights today. Kerber's experience seemed to give her the edge in the match-up of lefties, and it *did* help her pull out a tight 1st set in which the teenager led 4-2 before the 33-year old swept the final four games.

Kerber led 4-2 in the 2nd, as well, but saw Fernandez surge and stoke a groundswell of crowd approval en route to holding a SP at 6-5 on the German's serve. Kerber got things to a tie-break, where the Canadian's momentum carried her to a 5-1 lead before the score closed to 5-4. Fernandez won 7-5, and she was off into the 3rd.

Rather than Kerber's big-match and big-stage history coming to the forefront in the decider, though, it was the lack of fear or worry from the diminutive kid with the surprisingly big shots that was the star. Fernandez got a break lead for 3-2 and never looked back. Living off the aromatic fumes of her own burgeoning confidence, the Canadian served for the match at 5-2. She had to save a pair of BP, but put away her first MP to burst into her maiden slam quarterfinal, winning 4-6/7-6(5)/6-2.

The point that made @leylahfernandez's quarterfinal dreams come true. pic.twitter.com/k49EQJbQwX

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2021

LEYLAH FERNANDEZ HAS DONE IT!

The ???? youngster rallies to stun former champion Angie Kerber in three sets. pic.twitter.com/4gRGVNKuw3

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 5, 2021

Fernandez is the first player with wins over a pair of former WTA #1's at the U.S. Open since 1975, and now is in the odd position of leading the way and staking out a path *for* -- rather than simply following in the footsteps of -- '19 champ Andreescu (who's still never lost in the event) to follow in this tournament. The #6 seed will play on Monday to join her countrywoman in the final eight.

While Fernandez is at the heart of the current "mood" of this slam, Svitolina will likely still be the favorite heading into the match. Or at least, considering the relative gulf of experience separating the two, she probably *should* be. Whether Svitolina comes to believe that, though, may be more important. The Ukrainian, based on her own history, would be wise to become the biggest Leylah fan around, for usually it's just when she *should* feel some sort of advantage, either by becoming the highest seed remaining or the veteran player judged to have an "edge" that she generally stumbles the hardest.

Fernandez might just exploit such a situation... or, you know, maybe simply throw her foot out and trip Svitolina and remove all those pesky variables in one fell swoop.

...another player in the "best without a slam title" conversation is Aryna Sabalenka, and the #2 seed did her part on Sunday, as well, handling sometime/former(?) doubles partner Elise Mertens 6-4/6-1 to reach her second consecutive slam QF after her belated semifinal breakthrough at Wimbledon earlier this summer.

In the late match on Ashe, #8 Barbora Krejcikova is set to face #9 Garbine Muguruza in a meeting of past RG champs for the right to face Sabalenka in the quarters.

...in ITF action, Poland's Magdelana Frech followed up her recent WTA 125 title in Concord with her biggest challenger title on the lower circuit. The 23-year old won the $60K tournament in Prague without dropping a set, defeating the likes of Linda Noskova, Diane Parry and Tereza Smitkova in a 6-2/6-1 final. It's Frech's fifth career title.

In Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland, Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia claimed her fourth '21 crown (and eighth over the past year, all since returning from suspension) at the $60K challenger there, defeating lucky loser Ipek Oz (TUR) in three sets.

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In the $25K in Vienna, Austria, Cristina Dinu claimed her circuit-leading sixth title of the season with a 3 & 4 win over 19-year old Austrian Sinja Kraus. The Romanian is currently on a 16-1 run in ITF challenger events.

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*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
Shelby Rogers/USA vs. (Q) Emma Raducanu/GBR
#11 Belinda Bencic/SUI vs. #7 Iga Swiatek/POL
#4 Karolina Pliskova/CZE vs. #14 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova/RUS
#17 Maria Sakkari/GRE vs. #6 Bianca Andreescu/CAN
#5 Elina Svitolina/UKR def. #12 Simona Halep/ROU
Leylah Fernandez/CAN def. #16 Angelique Kerber/GER
#9 Garbine Muguruza/ESP vs. #8 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
#2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. #15 Elise Mertens/BEL

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL) vs. Minnen/Van Uytvanck (BEL/BEL)
#11 Gauff/McNally (USA/USA) vs. #8 Jurak/Klepac (CRO/SLO)
(PR) Rodionova/Rodionova (AUS/AUS) vs. #15 Bouzkova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE)
Kostyuk/Yastremska (UKR/UKR) vs. #5 Dabrowski/Stefani (CAN/BRA)
#10 Dolehide/Sanders (USA/USA) def. #6 V.Kudermetova/Mattek-Sands (RUS/USA)
#14 Stosur/Zhang (AUS/CHN) vs. #3 Aoyama/Shibahara (JPN/JPN)
#7 Guarachi/Krawczyk (CHI/USA) vs. #12 N.Kichenok/Olaru (UKR/ROU)
Fernandez/Routliffe (CAN/NZL) vs. Niculescu/Ruse (ROU/ROU)

*MIXED DOUBLES QF*
Olmos/Arevalo (MEX/ELS) vs. (Alt.) Perez/Demoliner (AUS/BRA)
(Alt.) Yastremska/Purcell (UKR/AUS) vs. (PR) Shvedova/Martin (KAZ/FRA)
Pegula/Krajicek (USA/USA) vs. #3 Guarachi/N.Skupski (CHI/GBR)
#8 Schuurs/Gille (NED/BEL) vs. #2 Krawczyk/Salisburg (USA/GBR)

...AGREE ON DAY 7:

Not gonna lie I miss the excitement of challenges lol

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) September 4, 2021

The tennis challenge system, complete with the pregnant pause as everyone waited with bated breath to see the "replay" video, was always one of the most underrated best "moments of suspense" in the sport. It was a truly unexpected development. Leave it to tennis to screw that up. For all the human flaws in the system, linespeople play a role in the weird mix of what "works." Hopefully they'll return in the post-pandemic world.

This...

After watching @usopen for four days, electronic line calling sterilizes the game. BORING!!!!! No crowd involvment when a challenge comes up. Get rid of it!!

— Jeff Schaffer (@jschaff) September 5, 2021

But *this* is still BS...

You can count on clay to bring the controversy pic.twitter.com/aY7rQth2qN

— totspur (@totspur10) September 4, 2021

FADE IN:

”Book Club”

INT. LIVINGROOM
A fire is going in the fireplace of the rather cozy room. The Camera pans across a group of woman sitting in chairs arranged in a circle in the middle of the floor around a table filled with coffee cups and various snacks, some healthy but also some sweet. Each woman has a book in her lap and most are leaning forward into what is clearly an ongoing conversation.

WOMAN #1 When Cecilia burned the love letter written on the back of the road map it made me cry. I admit it!
WOMAN #2 Oh, I was dead when she did that!
WOMAN #3 (dryly) I would have just bought another map.
The group laughs. When there is a pause in the discussion, a German-accented female voice is heard.

FEMALE VOICE Actually, I believe that’s a case of the author utilizing a series of multiple metaphors for love.
The other women turn in the direction of the voice. It is seen to be that of Andrea Petkovic.

PETKOVIC The map represents that love is a journey, but that it’s also... fire.
She stresses the final word in a provocative way, with a wicked gleam in her eye. A round of “oohs” comes from the circle, as everyone nods in agreement with the notion.

PETKOVIC (while making circular motions with her index fingers) Discuss... while I re-stock the snack trays. A Book Club host has to be versatile, after all.
As the rest of the Book Club begins to talk amonsgst themselves, Petkovic hops up from her seat and heads toward the kitchen.

Halfway between the circle and the kitchen door, a row of Petko fans jump up from their seats lined up against the wall and begin to cheer. One holds up a large hand-drawn “Petko for book club President” sign above his head. As she soaks in the cheers, Petkovic does an abbreviated Petko Dance, grabs a Sharpie and gives a quick autograph on the side of an oversized tennis ball, then pulls off a wristband and tosses it into the small crowd, which immediately descends into semi-chaos as the entire half dozen fans all reach for the prize at once.

A few more steps and Petkovic reaches the swinging kitchen door, which she goes through and then casually begins to go about her business gathering up more cookies, fruit and crackers for her Book Club guests. As she does, the wrestling for the wristband seems to have spilled over from the “fan area” and the swinging door seems to be heavily bumped by the flailing around of (at least) two bodies on the floor outside it.

Petkovic pays no mind and continues to go about her task.

The screen fades to BLACK.

END.


To be continued...

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Copenhagen picture dump ?? pic.twitter.com/cQr7LxQloE

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) September 5, 2021

**U.S. OPEN UNSEEDED QF**
[since 32-seed draw in 2001]
2001 Daja Bedanova, CZE
2002 Elena Bovina, RUS
2004 Shinobu Asagoe, JPN
2007 Agnes Szavay, HUN
2009 Kateryna Bondarenko, UKR
2009 Kim Clijsters, BEL (WC) - won title
2009 Melanie Oudin, USA
2009 Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
2010 Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
2011 Angelique Kerber, GER
2013 Daniela Hantuchova, SVK
2013 Flavia Pennetta, ITA
2014 Belinda Bencic, SUI
2014 Peng Shuai, CHN
2015 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2015 Roberta Vinci, ITA - reached final
2016 Ana Konjuh, CRO
2016 Anastasija Sevastova, LAT
2016 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2017 Sloane Stephens, USA (PR) - won title
2017 Kaia Kanepi, ESP (Q)
2018 Lesia Tsurenko, UKR
2020 Victoria Azarenka, BLR - reached final
2020 Tsvetana Pironkova, BUL (PR)
2020 Shelby Rogers, USA
2021 Leylah Fernandez, CAN
-
NOTE: Rogers and Raducanu to play 4r

**BACKSPIN 2021 DOUBLES STAR-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN/FEB: Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN
AO: Mertens/Sabalenka, BEL/BLR
FEB: Guarachi/Krawczyk, CHI/USA
MAR/APR: Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN
1Q...AOYAMA/SHIBAHARA
APR: Melichar/Schuurs, USA/NED
MAY: Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
RG: Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2Q Clay Court...KREJCIKOVA/SINIAKOVA
JUN: Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN
WI: Hsieh/Mertens, TPE/BEL
2Q Grass Court...HSIEH/MERTENS
JUL: Bouzkova/Hradecka, CZE/CZE
OLYMPICS: Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
AUG: Jurak/Klepac, CRO/SLO
[2021 Weekly DOUBLES Award Wins]
5 - Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN
5 - Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
3 - Melichar/Schuurs, USA/NED
2 - Bouzkova/Hradecka, CZE/CZE
2 - Guarachi/Krawczyk, CHI/USA
2 - Jurak/Klepac, CRO/SLO
2 - Desirae Krawczyk, USA

Ladies and gentlemen, the brilliant editorial cartoonist Mr. Fish---> https://t.co/CX24lr9dGN

— Ann Telnaes (@AnnTelnaes) September 3, 2021

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TOP QUALIFIER: Rebecca Marino/CAN (first US MD since '11)
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #9 Garbine Muguruza/ESP
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3: Katie Boulter/GBR def. #8 Kristina Kucova/SVK 7-5/2-6/6-4 (from break down at 4-2, wins final 4 games to reach first U.S. Open MD)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #4 Karolina Pliskova/CZE def. Amanda Anisimova/USA 7-5/6-7(5)/7-6(7) - (Anisimova first on Ashe; Pliskova US reocord 24 aces; Anisimova up 5-2 in 3rd TB, Pliskova saves MP and wins on MP #2 9-7; no Top 20 seed def. in first two round)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Kristina Kucova/SVK (def. Li/USA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #31 Yulia Putintseva/KAZ (1st Rd./lost to Kanepi)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Valentini Grammatikopoulou/GRE, Rebeka Masarova/ESP
UPSET QUEENS: Russia
REVELATION LADIES: Greece
NATION OF POOR SOULS: USA (8-14 in 1st; Keys/Riske out; Serena/Venus/Kenin/Brady DNP; 3/4 '17 all-US SF out)
CRASH & BURN: #2 Naomi Osaka/JPN (3rd Rd. to Fernandez/CAN; served for match in 2nd set) and #1 Ash Barty/AUS (3rd Rd. to Rogers/USA; led 5-2, double-break in 3rd)
ZOMBIE QUEENS OF NEW YORK: Elise Mertens/BEL (1r vs. Peterson; down 6-3/5-3 and RP served twice for match; saved 5 MP in 2nd, 1 MP in 3rd) and Rebeka Masarova/ESP (1r vs. Bogdan; down 7-6/4-1; saved 2 MP in 3rd TB, on own 6th MP; first slam win) - simultaneously-played U.S. Open women's record 3:40 matches
IT ("xx"): Nominees: Fernandez, Raducanu
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: xx
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Emma Raducanu/GBR (in 4th Rd.) (LL 3r: Minnen, Rakhimova)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: none (went 0-8 in 1st Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: Shelby Rogers (in 4th Rd.)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominee: Andreescu
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Ka.Pliskova, Pavlyuchenkova
DOUBLES STAR: xx
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: xx
BROADWAY-BOUND: Nominee: Fernandez
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Canadians (Andreescu/Fernandez)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx







All for Day 7. More tomorrow.