Au Revoir, Paris

Two Paris icons in one frame.. pic.twitter.com/NQAbCJG04N

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) June 5, 2022

=DAY 15 NOTES= ...before the formalities of the men's final (if a player won a women's slam 14 times it'd be only because of a lack of real competition, right?), the French fans (as undeserving as some are) got to help close out this generally poorly put together version of RG by basking in a bit of national sporting glory by watching two of their own lift the women's doubles trophy (named for Simonne Mathieu) as Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic picked up the title in the event some six years after having become the first French pair to win in Paris since 1971 (Gail Chanfreau/Francoise Durr), and the first all-French born duo since 1926 (Suzanne Lenglen/Julie Vlasto).

??????#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/bsLzkSEdaW

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022

Job done ?#RolandGarros | @CaroGarcia | @KikiMladenovic pic.twitter.com/NLtIkNXHmG

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022

The Pastries took out Bannerettes Coco Gauff (back for more after losing in the women's final yesterday) & Jessie Pegula 2-6/6-3/6-2, pulling ahead 4-0 in both the 2nd and 3rd sets and then finding their way to winning both after things (and nerves) tightened a bit down the stretch. Garcia/Mladenovic have gone from slam champions to feuding teammates and back again over a career that has seen both climb into the Top 10 in singles and reach slam quarterfinals, become historic French slam figures (though they surely won't one day get the send off akin to that for a French men's player who won't do half as much), and lead their nation to a then-Fed Cup title but, in recent seasons, have seen their singles fortunes take severe dips.

Mladenovic, especially, has always had doubles to fall back on. Over the course of her career, she's proven to be the best doubles player of her generation. Even while barely playing doubles in '22, for whatever her reasons (even if she's dealt with some injuries, it hasn't stopped her from regularly playing singles, usually not well), she's *still* managed to pick up a pair of slam titles this year, having added a MX crown at the Australian Open in February, as well. Their lack of WD play, though, have sunk both in the doubles rankings. After being #1 as recently as last year, Mladenovic came into RG at #232 and, after the pair's late decision to team up, needed a wild card to get into the MD (something for the FFT to pat itself on the back for... not that TPTB wouldn't hold to tradition and pretty much make up something -- i.e. fib -- in order to perform the obligatory function, anyway).

PURE. JOY. ??#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/tZ3RB6otkp

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022

.@CaroGarcia & @KikiMladenovic are the 2022 Roland Garros doubles champions pic.twitter.com/lJSIL2z0kX

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) June 5, 2022

The win is Mladenovic's fourth in Paris, having also won twice with Timea Babos (2019-20). In all, she's reached fifteen slam finals, going 6-4 in WD and 3-2 in MX. Her doubles ranking will now leap back into the Top 50, which begs the question, just how low a ranking and how few a number of WD events played can a player have and *still* be in contention for Doubles Player of the Year?

Meanwhile, Gauff moves up to #5 in *doubles* (Pegula #13), and Elise Mertens takes over the #1 spot from Katerina Siniakova (w/ partner Veronika Kudermetova at #2, despite them not having won a slam together).

...meanwhile, in the completion of the wheelchair doubles final, suspended yesterday at 4-4 in the deciding match TB due to rain, #1 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot pulled away from #2 Yui Kamiji/KG Montjane to win 10-8 and claim their fifth consecutive RG crown. This slam marks the tenth major of de Groot's career in which she's swept the singles and doubles titles, while Van Koot's win ties her with Esther Vergeer for the most slam women's WD titles in a career (21). De Groot now has 14 wins in both singles and doubles.

??????????????????@DiedetheGreat and @AniekVanKoot claim their fifth consecutive women's wheelchair doubles title on the clay overcoming Kamiji/Montjane 7-6(5), 1-6, 10-8#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/Nm1bIkurRi

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022

The five-year run of the Dutch duo is the most consecutive WC doubles titles won by a pair at a single event in slam history, besting the four-year dominance of Kamiji & Jordanne Whiley at Wimbledon from 2014-17 (Kamiji won a 5th straight at SW19 in '18 alongside de Groot).

...at the Surbiton $100K grass court challenger, Alison Van Uytvanck defeated Arina Rodionova to become the first big grass title winner of '22.

Lovely afternoon at the @SurbitonRFC tennis. Fantastic women’s final between @AlisonVanU and @arinarodionova. pic.twitter.com/x3tENyLHA4

— Steve Duffy (@MrSteveDuffy) June 5, 2022

In off-court news regarding the Belgian...

Alison Van Uytvanck finds new love and happily shares girlfriend photos with the world #Paris #rolandgarros #LGBT https://t.co/RiDmh4opPQ

— Women's Tennis Blog (@womenstennis) May 29, 2022

On the clay, Laura Siegemund won her first singles title since 2018, defeating fellow German Lena Papadakis 3 & 2 in the Annenheim (AUT) $25K final. And in the wake of countrywoman Ayumi Morita, 32, shining on the ITF circuit in recent weeks, Japan's Kurumi Nara, 30, picked up her first singles title in four years at the Changwon $25K in South Korea, defeating Han Na-lae.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL def. #18 Coco Gauff/USA 6-1/6-3

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA/FRA) def. #8 Gauff/Pegula (USA/USA) 3-6/6-3/6-2

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 Shibahara/Koolhof (JPN/NED) def. Eikeri/Vliegen (NOR/BEL) 7-6(5)/6-2

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN 6-4/6-1

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) def. #2 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) 7-6(5)/1-6 [10-8]

=GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
#9 Lucie Havlícková/CZE def. Solana Sierra/ARG 6-3/6-3

=GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 Bejlek/Havlícková (CZE/CZE) def. #2 Bartunková/Naef (CZE/SUI) 6-3/6-3

=LEGENDS FINAL=
Flavia Pennetta/Francesca Schiavone (ITA/ITA) def. Gisela Dulko/Gabriela Sabatine (ARG/ARG) 1-6/7-6(4) [10-5]

...ALL-WHITE IS IN AGAIN IN PARIS FOR IGA... ON DAY 15:

????@iga_swiatek and her second Grand Slam trophy pic.twitter.com/h3khpfnDBv

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) June 5, 2022

...(eyeroll)... ON DAY 15:

Here’s a thing that World Number One and freshly crowned French Open Champion Iga Swiatek was asked in her press conference today. Presenting without comment because there are no words. pic.twitter.com/rGCbA0Kc8k

— Catherine Whitaker (@CWhitakerSport) June 4, 2022

I'm trying really hard to like Swiatek, but there something unlikable about her, can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe that she talks too fast, not sure, no, it isn't that...??

— Rick Hernandez (@RickHernandez11) June 5, 2022

Venus doesn’t hold the record. Martina Navratilova does. Why do you insist on dismissing players from earlier generations?

— J Ad (@joodge64) June 4, 2022

...BILLIE JEAN GETS ALL THE HONORS... ON DAY 15:

An honor and a privilege.

Thank you, ?@EmmanuelMacron?, for the Ordre Legion dÕHonneur (Legion of Honor), France’s highest civilian honor. pic.twitter.com/ZE3Ibw3crp

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 5, 2022

2/2 My friends and family members (including my “tennis family”), and for the people in my hometown of @LongBeachCity, who supported me on this amazing journey.

And I am not done yet.

??: Fred Mullane/Cameraworks

More photos are on my Instagram.

— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) June 5, 2022

Forever a legend, @BillieJeanKing ??#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4u1CsvsOx4

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2022

...WWS TOP 10 TIME... ON DAY 15:

"There must be a factory in Prague" "If there were a trophy for rudeness" "Wheels on fire" "The big ones aren't always the best ones" "Hot Coco in Paris" "Allez!...again" "Iga the Dominator"
My French Open top 10 https://t.co/40qwJaOSer #RolandGaros #WTA

— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) June 5, 2022

...OKAY, NOW THE PRESSURE SHIFTS TO JOEY CHESTNUT... ON DAY 15:

The dog is now in Joey Chestnut’s court so to speak for battle of the all time ?? #RolandGarros #RafaelNadal?? https://t.co/MCkKP3p2gr pic.twitter.com/7LIe9d3TQj

— Mitchell Martinez (@DontMitchAtMe) June 5, 2022

?? The one thing that I’ve learned over these two years is...

?? Jedna wazna rzecz, jakiej nauczylam sie przez te dwa lata...#RolandGarros @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/pDOcv1mMJO

— Iga Swiatek (@iga_swiatek) June 4, 2022

*ALL-TIME WTA WINNING STREAKS*
74 - Martina Navratilova (1984)
66 - Steffi Graf (1989-90)
58 - Martina Navratilova (1986-87)
57 - Margaret Court (1972-73)
55 - Chris Evert (1974)
54 - Martina Navratilova (1983-84)
46 - Steffi Graf (1988)
45 - Steffi Graf (1987)
41 - Chris Evert (1975-76)
41 - Martina Navratilova (1982)
37 - Martina Hingis (1997)
37 - Martina Navratilova (1978)
36 - Martina Navratilova (1983)
36 - Chris Evert (1976)
36 - Monica Seles (1990)
35 - Venus Williams (2000)
35 - IGA SWIATEK (2022)
34 - Serena Williams (2013)
33 - Chris Evert (1982)
33 - Chris Evert (1981)
33 - Chris Evert (1975)
32 - Justine Henin (2007-08)
32 - Steffi Graf (1995)
32 - Steffi Graf (1994)

*RECENT WD SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2018]
AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
RG: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
US: Ash Barty/CoCo Vandeweghe (AUS/USA)
[2019]
AO: Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai (AUS/CHN)
RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Barbora Strycova (TPE/CZE)
US: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
[2020]
AO: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
US: Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva (GER/RUS)
RG: Timea Babos/Kristina Mladenovic (HUN/FRA)
[2021]
AO: Elise Mertens/Aryna Sabalenka (BEL/BLR)
RG: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
WI: Hsieh Su-wei/Elise Mertens (TPE/BEL)
US: Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai (AUS/CHN)
[2022]
AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova (CZE/CZE)
RG: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA/FRA)

*RECENT RG CHAMPIONS*
[Women's Doubles]
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2016 Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2018 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2019 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2020 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2021 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2022 Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA

*CAREER OVERALL SLAM TITLES - ACTIVE*
[singles/doubles/mixed]
39 - Serena Williams, USA (23-14-2)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (7-14-2)
9 - KRISTINA MLADENOVIC, FRA (0-6-3)
9 - Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA (0-5-4)
8 - Samantha Stosur, AUS (1-4-3)
8 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-4-3)
6 - Sania Mirza, IND (0-3-3)
6 - Katarina Srebotnik, SLO (0-1-5)

*CAREER WOMEN'S DOUBLES SLAM TITLES - active*
14...Serena Williams
14...Venus Williams
6...KRISTINA MLADENOVIC
5...Sara Errani
5...Bethanie Mattek-Sands
4...Timea Babos
4...Hsieh Su-wei
4...Samantha Stosur
4...Barbora Krejcikova
4...Katerina Siniakova

*RG WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[doubles]
2007 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Daniela Di Toro/Aniek van Koot, AUS/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Marjolein Buis/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2013 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2016 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2017 Yui Kamiji/Marjolein Buis, JPN/NED
2018 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2021 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED

*DIEDE DE GROOT SLAM s/d TITLE SWEEPS*
2018 Wimbledon
2018 U.S. Open
2019 Australian Open
2019 Roland Garros
2019 U.S. Open
2021 Australian Open
2021 Roland Garros
2021 U.S. Open
2022 Australian Open
2022 Roland Garros

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
21 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED [6-8-3-4]
17 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [5-3-6-3]
14 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [5-3-2-4]
14 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [2-5-2-5]

*2022 SLAM-WTAF/1000 CHAMPIONS*
[doubles]
Australian Open - Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
Doha - Coco Gauff/Jessie Pegula, USA/USA
Indian Wells - Xu Yifan/Yang Zhaoxuan, CHN/CHN
Miami - Laura Siegemund/Vera Zvonareva, GER/RUS
Madrid - Gaby Dabrowski/Giuliana Olmos, CAN/MEX
Rome - Veronika Kudermetova/Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS/RUS
Roland Garros - Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
Wimbledon - x
Canada - x
Cincinnati - x
US Open -x
WTAF - x

*RECENT RG "MADEMOISELLE/MADAM OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2015 Timea Bacsinszky, SUI & Alison Van Uytvanck, BEL
2016 Kiki Bertens, NED & Shelby Rogers, USA
2017 Simona Halep, ROU & Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2018 Simona Halep, ROU
2019 Ash Barty, AUS & Diede de Groot, NED (WC)
2020 Iga Swiatek, POL
2021 Krejcikova/CZE, Pavlyuchenkova/RUS, Sakkari/GRE & Zidansek/SLO
2022 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS and Martina Trevisan/ITA

*RG "KIMIKO CUP FOR VETERAN ACHIEVEMENT" WINNERS*
2015 Lucie Safarova, CZE
2016 Martina Hingis/SUI and Samantha Stosur/AUS
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands & Lucie Safarova, USA/CZE
2018 Latisha Chan, TPE
2019 Latisha Chan, TPE
2020 Petra Kvitova, CZE & Laura Siegemund, GER
2021 Anastasia Pavlyuchenova, RUS
2022 Flavia Pennetta & Francesca Schiavone, ITA/ITA (Legends)

*RECENT RG "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2015 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2016 Ekaterina Makarova/Elena Vesnina, RUS/RUS
2017 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2018 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2019 Johanna Konta, GBR
2020 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK & Alona Ostapenko/LAT
2021 Sloane Stephens, USA
2022 Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA

*RECENT RG "DOUBLES STAR" WINNERS*
2015 Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
2016 Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
2017 Gaby Dabrowski, CAN
2018 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2019 Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2020 Timea Babos & Kristina Mladenovic, HUN/FRA
2021 Desirae Krawczyk, USA
2022 Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED (WC)

TOP QUALIFIER: #2q Jule Niemeier/GER (slam MD debut; 7 games lost in 3 Q-matches)
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #18 Coco Gauff/USA
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): #1 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #10q Viktoriya Tomova/BUL def. Marina Melnikova/RUS 2-6/7-5/6-0 (trailed 6-2/5-1; reached MD as LL)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #21 Angelique Kerber/GER def. Magdalena Frech/POL (2-6/6-3/7-5; Kerber saves 2 MP, fans chant name)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #23 Jil Teichmann/SUI def. #15 Victoria Azarenka/BLR 4-6/7-5/7-6(5) (Azarenka 3-1 2nd, served for match in 3rd)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): Jr. SF - #9 Lucie Havlickova/CZE def. #10 Sara Bejlek/CZE 6-3/6-7(2)/7-5 (Bejlek served at 5-2 and 5-4 in 3rd)
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #26 Sorana Cirstea/ROU (def. Maria/GER)
FIRST SEED OUT: #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN (1st Rd. to Magda Linette/POL)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Fernanda Contreras/MEX, Elsa Jacquemot/FRA, Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Katie Volynets/USA
UPSET QUEENS: France
REVELATION LADIES: Czech Republic
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Hungary (0-4 1st Rd., Galfi 2 MP in loss)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Fernanda Contreras/MEX, Olga Danilovic/SRB, Aleksandra Krunic/SRB, Donna Vekic/CRO (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolita Jeanjean/FRA, Dasha Saville/AUS (3rd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Bianca Andreescu/CAN (2nd Rd.)
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Alize Cornet, Leolia Jeanjean, Diane Parry (all 3rd Rd.)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: Dasha Kasatkina/RUS and Martina Trevisan/ITA
IT "Teens": Leylah Fernandez/CAN, Coco Gauff/USA and Zheng Qinwen/CHN (2nd of last 45 slams w/ 3 teens in second week)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
CRASH & BURN: #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN (1st Rd. to Linette; Madrid W/Rome RU - previous three who reached both finals also reached RG final); #2 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (DC; 1st Rd. to Parry, led 6-1/2-0)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Sloane Stephens/USA (lost to #306 Nefisa Berberovic pre-RG; 1r: set and 4-4, sitter for love/30 vs. Niemeier; 2r: Cirstea led 6-3/2-0, Stephens 12 con. games; 4r: Teichmann 2-0, Stephens 12 con. games)
DOUBLES STAR: Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED (WC)
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Flavia Pennetta/Francesca Schiavone, ITA/ITA (Legends champs)
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: Cornet vs. Ostapenko
JUNIOR BREAKOUTS: A Crush of Czechs (Nikola Bartunkova, Sara Bejlek and Lucie Havlickova in GS semis, Havlickova title; all three in GD F, Bejlek/Havlickova win)
Légion de Lenglen HONOREE: Alize Cornet/FRA
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Diane Parry/FRA (one-handed backhand) and Iga Swiatek/POL (breaks win streak tie w/ Henin on LPT Day)






All for now. Backspin Clay Court Awards next.