Wednesday, January 26, 2022

AO.10 - Danimal Down Under

In the Australia Day opener, it was a case of it never being too late to try again vs. the plan to get knocked down seven times but get up eight (or whatever number is appropriate).




Both #27 Danielle Collins and Alize Cornet have traveled tough roads to get within a game of this Australian Open's semifinals. Cornet, in her 63rd try, was already the woman who'd had to play the most slams ever before reaching her maiden major quarterfinal; while Collins, at just 26, in recent years has had to deal with both a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis as well as surgery for endometriosis (she had a tennis ball-sized cyst removed from her uterus last April), recovering to have perhaps her best career stretch of results over the back-half of '21.

Both players have built careers known for drama (between the lines, but sometimes elsewhere, as well) and emotion, with Collins starring in college tennis before reaching the AO semis in '19, and Cornet often flashing in great moments (especially in individual matches in majors) but usually seeing them fail to be accompanied by follow-up accomplishments that would have altered the course of her career (hence the decade and a half drought of slam QF until this week).

Today's match-up didn't have the sort of drama that one might have hoped for, as it essentially was controlled by the power of Collins, with her only stumbling point being a sometimes-inaccurate first serve that allowed Cornet, perhaps still affected by her previous dance in the mid-day sauna against Simona Halep two days ago, to remain competitive. Once Collins closed that slightly-ajar door of opportunity, Collins (aka "Danimal") slammed it shut and ripped through the 2nd set en route to her second AO semifinal.



Once play began, around the same time in the 1st set that Halep had started to show the signs of being adversely impacted by the heat in their 4th Round match, Cornet this time faced an opponent who'd finally carved out an opportunity on her serve. It was in game #4 that the match's first break points popped up, with Collins stretching out four over a five-deuce, 11+ minute game that finally went her way with a big return and swing volley put-away backhand to take a 3-1 lead.

Throughout the set, whenever Collins got her first serve in she generally had an easier time of things (winning 93% of the time), but she only served at a 47% clip and won less than half of her second serve points, allowing Cornet to keep wiithin shouting distance.

Collins built up a 5-2 lead, but held only a single break advantage when she served for the set at 5-3. A handful of Collins unforced errors in the game gave Cornet her first BP of the match via a sprayed backhand by the Bannerette, who then netted a first-shot groundstroke off a Cornet return to drop serve as the set was back on serve.

In the twelfth game, Collins, leading 6-5, took a 15/30 lead on Cornet's serve, and reached her first SP when the French woman pushed a half-volley on the backhand side just wide. Cornet's backhand down the line forced a Collins error to save it. After missing out on another SP chance, Collins got a third via a big return and forehand down the line. The Pastry's forehand error gave the 7-5 set to Collins.

Collins quickly got a BP chance in Cornet's opening service game of the 2nd. She stepped in to whack a forehand return winner to take the 2-0 lead, then held to win her fifth straight game, out-hitting Cornet -- who often had to overplay to make up the difference -- with her big groundstrokes throughout the set. As the Australia Day jets criss-crossed over Laver, Collins fell behind 15/40 in game #5, but pulled the game back, firing an ace to get to deuce and then holding for 5-0 as Cornet netted a backhard return.



Cornet got on the board late, but it was simply a formality. Collins held to win 7-5/6-1 to advance to her second career slam semifinal three years after reaching her first in Melbourne.



Meanwhile, Cornet will now head back into the fold of the regular tour, then take *another* stab at all things slam-related a few months down the road. In Paris, London and then New York. But, hey, at least now she knows how "the other half" lives.






=DAY 10 NOTES=
...the final quarterfinal between #7 Iga Swiatek and Kaia Kanepi was the case of a young player still in the early stages of a potentially elite pro career, less than a year and a half past what might be her first of many slam title runs, facing off with a 36-year old veteran who has found a way to carve out a uniquely remarkable slam career (w/ QF runs at four majors as an unseeded player, as well as recording nine of her overall thirteen career Top 10 wins in majors, including one over #2 Aryna Sabalenka two days ago)

Swiatek has been remarkably consistent in majors since her RG title in the fall of '20, playing into the second week at all five held since (the only player to do so), but not yet having reached her second major semi. Kanepi had never gotten as far, either, but over the course of her six previous slam QF between 2008-17 had once held five MP for her maiden SF berth (vs. Petra Kvitova, against whom she led by a double-break in the 3rd, at the 2010 Wimbledon).

Kanepi would have a chance to right that "wrong" against Swiatek, only to once again come up short.

Throughout the 1st set, Kanepi held off Swiatek and was able to secure key holds. She saved a BP in game #2, two more in game #4 and another in game #6. Then in game #7, after letting a break lead slip through her grasp, Swiatek had two DF and an unforced error and found herself break down. Kanepi's return winner gave her the break and a 4-3 lead. Two games later, Kanepi had four SP chances on Swiatek's serve, but the 20-year old got the hold to end a 16-minute game. Serving at 5-4, the Estonian vet struggled to put away the set, but finally did on her ninth SP.

The two traded off breaks early in the 2nd, with Kanepi breaking to open the set, then Swiatek finally converting her first BP (on #6 in the match) a game later. Swiatek broke to take a 3-1 lead, and led 4-1. But in game #7, the Pole threw in a bad game that nearly sent her AO chances out the window. Two DF and a game-ending backhand UE put the set back on serve at 4-3. After Kanepi held for 4-4, Swiatek spiked her racket on the court in frustration. The set went to a tie-break, where Swiatek let slip an early mini-break lead, but pulled away down the stretch to win 7-2 and force a 3rd set.

Kanepi began to physically struggle through the final stretch, tiring and playing with a bloody blister on her hand, but she still managed to get back Swiatek's early break lead in the set, knotting the score at 2-2. But that was her last stand. Iga broke back a game later, than made it a double-break bulge on the scoreboard two games after that. With Kanepi serving to stay in the match at 5-3 down, Swiatek led love/40, then put together a defensive gem of a point on MP, getting back multiple Kanepi shots on both sides of the court to keep the rally alive, then winning it when Kanepi finally sent a ball outside the line, giving Swiatek a 4-6/7-6(2)/6-3 win in 3:01.



...meanwhile, the "interesting" scheduling of this AO continues as, in what seems like a clear plan to best serve Ash Barty's chances of becoming the first Aussie to be crowned the women's AO champ since 1978 (and *maybe* keep getting those good Australian TV ratings), the world #1 will play under the lights against Madison Keys tomorrow. For the record, that'll be a *fifth* night match in six rounds (and a win would make it six of seven in the final... even the U.S. Open wasn't *that* shameless in Serena's heyday), allowing Barty to avoid the blistering heat for pretty much the entire event (save for a :52 match vs. a qualifier on Day 3, before the real heatwave descended on the tournament).

Additionally, in an attempt to keep things "fair" (I guess), the Swiatek/Collins semi will follow that. So, if you're keeping score, that's *both* semifinals coming after 3:30 a.m. at Backspin HQ (and thereabouts for the home nation of half of the semifinalists involved, it should be noted).

From what I can tell (via AO court schedule summaries that go back to 2009, at least), not even *one* women's semifinal has ever been scheduled under the lights in Melbourne in the past, at least not in the last decade-plus.

Honestly, I'm not sure I'm going to watch either one. I'll just have to take look at the scores in the morning and take their word for it.

It looks, for me, like Day 11's big event is going to be the women's wheelchair final (maybe as it should be?).

...speaking of...



In the women's wheelchair doubles final, top-seeded Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot claimed their tenth major as a pair (Van Koot's 20th WD slam overall, de Groot's 13th) with a victory over #2 Yui Kamiji & Lucy Shuker to successfully defend their AO crown. The Dutch pair staged a comeback from 5-3 down in the 1st, winning the final four games, then after Kamiji/Shuker knotted the match, claimed a 10-2 match TB (they led 9-0, and were on top of Kamiji/Shuker from the first point on).



Since the start of 2021, de Groot/Van Koot have now won a pair of AO crowns, as well as Roland Garros, the U.S. Open, Paralympics and WC Masters. They won the season Grand Slam in 2019, as well.

De Groot and Van Koot will face off tomorrow in the women's singles final.

...in women's doubles, #1-seeded Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova advanced to the semis, as did #3 Veronika Kudermetova & (defending champ) Elise Mertens.

In MX, Kristina Mladenovic & Ivan Dodig will play in the final, with the Pastry going for her third MX slam ('13 WI/'14 AO) and eighth overall major crown (w/ 5 WD).







..WOW... ON DAY 10:



In the U.S., we can't even give awards for *athletes* to the athletes who deserve them.



..CANADIAN TENNIS STRIKES AGAIN ON DAY 10:




..HAPPY TO SAY I'VE BEEN ROOTING AGAINST HIS EGOTISTICAL ASS FOR *YEARS* ON DAY 10:



But *of course* he would think that that's the only reason. The most egotistical of asses never think they're an egotisitical ass, but do often think that they're the most persecuted person they know.

Fact is, the vaccination thing (and it was really more about the lying by omission because he didn't think anyone was smart enough to figure out his trickery than it was the lack of vaccination itself) was just the final confirming fact that proved what had been obvious for quite a long time.


...IMAGINE WHAT A YOUNG MONFILS WITH SUCH A MINDSET MIGHT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED...ON DAY 10:



It's not too late, though.





...PEGULA ON BARTY (hmmm, or Josh Allen on Patrick Mahomes?) ON NIGHT 9:










=WOMEN'S SINGLES SF=
#1 Ash Barty/AUS vs. Madison Keys/USA
#27 Danielle Collins/USA vs. #7 Iga Swiatek/POL

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF=
#1 Krejcikova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) vs. #3 V.Kudermetova/Mertens (RUS/BEL)
Danilina/Haddad Maia (KAZ/BRA) vs. #2 Aoyama/Shibahara (JPN/JPN)

=MIXED DOUBLES SF=
Hradecka/Escobar (CZE/COL) vs. (WC) Fourlis/Kubler (AUS/AUS)
#5 Mladenovic/Dodig (FRA/CRO) def. #2 Sh.Zhang/Peers (CHN/AUS)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Aniek Van Koot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) def. #2 Kamiji/Shuker (JPN/GBR) 7-5/3-6 [10-2]

=GIRLS SINGLES ROUND OF 16=
#1 Petra Marcinko/CRO def. Denislava Glushkova/BUL
Lola Radivojevic/SRB def. Angella Okutoyi/KEN
#13 Liv Hovde/USA def. #3 Ksenia Zaytseva/RUS
#6 Michaela Laki/GRE def. Dominika Šalková/CZE
Carolina Kuhl/GER def. Ekaterina Khayrutdinova/RUS
Charlotte Kempanaers-Pocz/AUS def. Tereza Valentova/CZE
#8 Sofia Costoulas/BEL def. #9 Celine Naef/SUI
#2 Diana Shnaider/RUS def. Qavia Lopez/USA

=GIRLS DOUBLES QF=
#1 Ngounoue/Shnaider (USA/RUS) vs. #8 Blokhina/Lovde (USA/USA)
Ma.Mushika/Mi.Mushika (JPN/JPN) vs. (WC) Kempenaers-Pocz/Preston (AUS/AUS)
Cross/Mboko (CAN/CAN) vs. Khayrutdinova/Sagandikova (RUS/KAZ)
#7 Guerva/Pridankina (RUS/RUS) vs. #2 Marcinko/Svendsen (CRO/DEN)









40 years ago this week, the Billboard #1 hit in the U.S. featured an Aussie. "Physical" has been played around the grounds in Melbourne quite a bit this past week and a half.




"Physical" was #1 for ten straight weeks on U.S. charts.

In the final week of January '82, the Go-Go's "We Got the Beat" debuted in the Top 100. It'd reach a high of #2 in April, spending three weeks there. Here's a 1982 German TV performance of the song...









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*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
40 - Serena Williams, USA (33-7)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
16 - Kim Clijsters, BEL (8-8)
8 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (5-3)
8 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-3)
8 - Angelique Kerber, GER (4-4)
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
5 - Madison Keys, USA (1-3) *
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Samantha Stosur, AUS (2-3)
4 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1) *
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
2 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-1) *
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Sabine Lisicki, GER (1-1)
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1-1)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (0-2)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-2)
2 - Iga Swiatek, POL (1-0) *
2 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA (0-2)
1 (W) Andreescu,Fernandez,Krejcikova
1 (W) Pavlyuchenkova,Raducanu,Vondrousova
1 (L) Anisimova,Bencic
1 (L) Flipkens,Mertens,Muchova,Peng
1 (L) Petkovic,Pironkova,Podoroska,Sevastova
1 (L) Vesnina,Wickmayer,Zidansek
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF 2020-22]
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (1-1) *
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (0-2)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Iga Swiatek, POL (1-0) *
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-0)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-0) *
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1-0)
1 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-1)
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-1)
1 - Madison Keys, USA (0-0) *
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbina Muguruza, ESP (1-0)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (0-1)
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF BY NATION 2020-22 / 8 slams]
8 - USA (2)
4 - CZE
3 - AUS (1)
3 - BLR
2 - GRE
2 - JPN
2 - POL (1)
1 - ARG,CAN,ESP,GBR,GER,ROU,RUS,SLO

[2022 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career AO SF]
2 - Ash Barty (2020,22)
2 - Danielle Collins (2019,22)
2 - Madison Keys (2015,22)
1 - Iga Swiatek (2022)

*LOWEST-SEEDED WOMEN IN AO SF, since 2015*
Unseeded - 2015 Madison Keys, USA
Unseeded - 2016 Johanna Konta, GBR
Unseeded - 2017 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
Unseeded - 2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
Unseeded - 2018 Elise Mertens, BEL
Unseeded - 2019 Danielle Collins, USA
Unseeded - 2020 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (RU)
UNSEEDED - 2022 MADISON KEYS, USA
#27 - 2022 DANIELLE COLLINS, USA
#25 - 2021 Karolina Muchova, CZE
#22 - 2021 Jennifer Brady, USA (RU)
#21 - 2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
#14 - 2020 Sofia Kenin, USA (W)
#13 - 2017 Venus Williams, USA
#10 - 2015 Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
#10 - 2021 Serena Williams, USA

**AO WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS**
2002 WC Classic 8's at AO: Esther Vergeer, NED
2003 WC Classic 8's at AO: Esther Vergeer, NED
2004 WC Classic 8's at AO: Esther Vergeer, NED
2005 WC Classic 8's at AO: Mie Yaosa, JPN
2006 WC Classic 8's at AO: Esther Vergeer, NED
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 Esther Vergeer, NED
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Korie Homan, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 Esther Vergeer, NED
2013 Aniek van Koot, NED
2014 Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
2015 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2016 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 ...
[doubles]
2004 WC Classic 8's at AO: Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2005 WC Classic 8's at AO: Florence Gravellier/Maaike Smit, FRA/NED
2006 WC Classic 8's at AO: Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2007 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Florence Gravellier/Aniek van Koot, FRA/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, 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 Marjolein Buis/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2017 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2018 Marjolein Buis/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2021 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
20 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED [6-7-3-4]*
17 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [5-3-6-3]*
14 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [5-3-2-4]*
13 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [3-4-2-4]*
12 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR [3-2-5-2]
7 - Sharon Walraven, NED [2-1-2-2]
5 - Korie Homan, NED [1-1-1-2]
5 - Marjolein Buis, NED [2-2-0-1]




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TOP QUALIFIER: Hailey Baptiste/USA
TOP EARLY ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Ash Barty/AUS
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): Madison Keys/USA
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - #8 Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS def. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva/AND 6-7(5)/7-6(8)/6-4 (VJK wins 1st from triple SP down; Rakhimova saves 2 MP in 2nd, winning 10-8 TB; 3:17)
TOP EARLY RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2r - Clara Tauson/DEN def. #6 Anett Kontaveit/EST 6-2/6-4 (breakout performance of early rounds)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3r- #8 Paula Badosa/ESP def. Marta Kostyuk/UKR 6-2/5-7/6-4
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #30 Camila Giorgi/ITA (def. Potapova/RUS)
FIRST SEED OUT: #18 Coco Gauff/USA (1r lost to Wang Qiang)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: (9) - Lucia Bronzetti/ITA, Jaqueline Cristian/ROU, Maddison Inglis/AUS, Nuria Parrizas Diaz/ESP, Gabriela Ruse/ROU, Wang Xinyu/CHN, Wang Xiyu/CHN, Maryna Zanevska/BEL, Zheng Qinwen/CHN
UPSET QUEENS: Romania
REVELATION LADIES: China
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Canada (0-2 1r, #23 Fernandez out; Andreescu/Bouchard DNP)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Hailey Baptiste/USA, Lucia Bronzetti/ITA, Martina Trevisan/ITA, Zheng Qinwen/CHN (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Maddison Inglis/AUS (3rd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Ash Barty (in SF)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT (Teen Stars-in-Waiting): Marta Kostyuk/UKR and Clara Tauson/DEN
COMEBACK PLAYER: Madison Keys/USA
CRASH & BURN: Emma Raducanu, GBR (2nd) and & Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1st) ['21 US F]
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Nominees: Anisimova (3r- saved 2 MP vs. Osaka); Keys (3r- set and break down vs. Q.Wang)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Alize Cornet/FRA and Kaia Kanepi/EST
LADY OF THE EVENING: Ash Barty/AUS
AUSTRALIAN LANGUARGE ARTS AWARD: Tennis Australia tries to push unvaccinated Novak Djokovic through Aussies borders, yet bans on-ground items featuring protests in support of Peng Shuai
DOUBLES STAR: xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Sofia Costoulas/BEL, Charlotte Kempanaers-Pocz/AUS, Angella Okutoyi/KEN, Meshkatolzahra Safi/IRA





All for Day 10. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 3:47 AM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

"Before I was having an out-of-body experience, it was so hot." Serena Williams.

You mentioned 2009. That was daytime, the infamous match in which Kuznetsova won the first set, then they stopped play to close the roof.

Real curious to see if this schedule becomes a thing.

Ranking notes from way down the list:

Bianca Fernandez, Leylah's sister, is 946.

Timea Bacsinszky, although retired, is at 955.

That is barely in front of Lia Karatancheva at 958.

She is Sesil's sister, who is actually still ranked at 974.

Is there a Czech backstory we are missing? A number skipped junior AO, but are healthy enough to have played ITF in the last 2 weeks.

Noskova- Manacor
L.Fruhvirtova- Andrezieux
B.Fruhvirtova- Monastir
Bejlek- Cairo
Bartunkova- Manacor
Palicova- Antalya

Nice to see Cornet and Kanepi getting notice for what they have done for most of their career, fight until the end.

Stat of the Day- 0- Amount of first time SF at the 2022 AO.

Time for the Final Four stats, but since there always seems to be a first time SF, this is a mild surprise. With RG next, Kontaveit is on the clock. Actually, because it is RG, everyone is on the clock.

Barty will be #1 with any result.

Swiatek will be 4 with final, 3 with title.

Collins will be 10 with final or title.

Keys will be 21 with final, 11-12 with title.

Barty would be first Aussie since Wendy Turnbull in 1980 to reach final. Would be first to win since Chris O'Neil in 1978. First at any slam since herself at Wimbledon last year.

Swiatek would be first Polish woman to reach AO final as Jadwiga Jedrzejowska reached other 3 once. First to win slam since herself at French Open in 2020.

Both Collins and Keys would be first from USA to win here since Kenin in 2020, which is the last US slam win.

H2H

Barty leads Collins 3-1/1-1 Hard
Barty leads Keys 2-1/2-0 Hard
Barty leads Swiatek 2-0/1-0 Hard
Swiatek leads Collins 1-0
Swiatek leads Keys 1-0/0-0 Hard
Collins tied Keys 1-1

Hard- Last 3 Years:

68-13 Barty
56-26 Swiatek
42-24 Collins
38-26 Keys

Only segments(16) with a losing record were Collins 2019(5-8) and Keys 2021(3-9).

Top 10 Wins- Last 3 Years:

18- Barty/15 Hard
6 - Keys/4 Hard
4 - Collins/4 Hard
4 - Swiatek/1 Hard

51/49- Keys over Barty. I can see this going either way. Barty has been the most consistent player, but Keys has been evoking 2016-17 memories. Keys will have to serve big, open up the court, then keep points short. Barty will probably use that short crosscourt slice to make Madison move. Should be fun if the crowd doesn't get too rowdy.

60-40 Collins over Swiatek. The fact that Collins has been here before is a plus. Their games are kind of similar, but one could argue that Collins is the better ball striker. With Swiatek's serve not as reliable as usual, Collins can just whack that second serve.

Fun fact: Collins' loss to Swiatek(via RET) was in the same event she beat Barty.

Wed Jan 26, 11:45:00 AM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

I've noticed that too about the young Czechs. But it's hard to tell is there's much to it, since a lot of times top juniors seem to not make the trip to Australia. And that was before the pandemic.

Maybe there was some sort of unofficial federation decision to play continuously through the early weeks of the season?

The impressive thing is how many of the Czechs are already able at such a young age to go en masse into pro events and compete and win.

Their numbers are reminiscent of the horde of young Russians that all came through at the same time two decades ago. And we know how that turned out.

Wed Jan 26, 05:48:00 PM EST  

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