Wednesday, June 01, 2022

RG.11- Good Things Come to Dashas Who Wait


For Dasha Kasatkina, today felt great. Even if, or maybe because, it was a long time comin'.




Kasatkina was a junior champion at age 17, winning in Paris in 2014. It didn't take her long to start to make a dent in the pro tour, either. In her first full WTA season in '16, she extended a run of slam 3rd Round results to four, getting so far in her debut at each event, as well as reaching the Olympic QF in Rio and at a pair of 1000 events (I.W./Canada). In '17, Kasatkina played into the second week of a major (US) for the first time, and won her first tour title (Charleston), recording three Top 3 victories (one over #1 Angie Kerber). In 2018, the Hordette hit her stride, posting seven more Top 10 wins (five vs. the Top 3, including #1 Caroline Wozniacki), winning on home soil in Moscow, and playing in the Indian Wells final on hard court before reaching back-to-back slam QF in Paris and London on clay and grass, en route to finishing in the Top 10. With her fighting spirit, superior defense and swashbuckling on-court style great things seemed right around the corner. To Fear the Kasatkina was a legitimate lifestyle choice.

But then things went awry.

Following her banner season, looking to go without a coach for a while, Kasatkina parted ways with Belgian Philippe Dehaes, who'd helped guide her throughout the '18 campaign. Things immediately took a bad turn, and she struggled for nearly two seasons to right her suddenly wayward course. She finished at 12-21 in '19, and over the next two seasons reached no finals, posted zero Top 10 wins and went on a nine-slam skid of 1r/2r results following her two final eight turns in '18. The Russian's ranking fell from Top 10 to #69 and #71 to end 2019-20. After having made a hasty decision in early '19 about her coaching situation, Kasatkina stuck with coach Carlos Martinez, who'd come aboard in the middle of the '19 carnage, throughout the stretch. Finally, the Hordette began to see the light at the end of the tunnel last season.

2021 was the site of Kasatkina's resurgence. Actually, it may have started in the closing weeks of '20, when she exited the U.S. Open with another sub-.500 season (10-11) that she slowly began to turn around as the pandemic-delayed clay court circuit finally began in the fall. Kasatkina went 8-3 in her final handful of events (6-2 on the dirt) and carried the momentum over to the next season.

Kasatkina's '21 comeback campaign saw her reach two singles finals (Phillip Island/Saint Petersburg) by March, winning both, and two more by the end of the summer. Her win over Iga Swiatek on the grass in Eastbourne was her first Top 10 victory since the '18 RG. She ended her run of early slam exits, as well, returning to the 3rd Round in Paris and New York while climbing back into the Top 25.

Kasatkina, now 25, didn't take a step back this season, either. Going 8-3 Down Under, she reached a pair of semis (Melbourne 2/Sydney), the AO 3rd Round, and notched her biggest match win (def. #3 Muguruza) since '18. She then used the good start as a jumping off point for the spring, reaching the Rome semis (her best big event result since her I.W. final) and adding two more Top 5 wins (Badosa and Sakkari), even while hinting that her season *could* have been even better if not for a series of bad draws, which included *three* matches vs. Swiatek. Coming into Paris, off her 7-3 clay ramp up, six of Kasatkina ten losses on the season had come against Top 10 players (w/ another vs. the Top 20).

Before the start of play at the year's second major, the Russian had returned to the Top 20 for the first time since her early '19 downturn.

At Roland Garros, while everyone has marveled (rightly so, most of the time) at Swiatak and all the constellations in the sky (apparently) in the men's draw, the #20-seeded Hordette's first second week slam trip in four years saw her bounding into today's QF against #29-seeded countrywoman Veronika Kudermetova without having lost a set and having dropped fewer games than anyone.

Kudermetova has virtually *defined* "under the radar" in '22, with her big doubles success (three 1000 finals, w/ a win in Rome) coming without an equal slam run, her three singles finals producing no titles and even two of her semifinal "wins" coming via walkovers.

In a battle to become the latest Hordette to crack the slam semifinal barrier, Kudermetova came armed with a more powerful arsenal than Kasatkina's collection of spins and artistry. But, as has always been the case for Kasatkina (both short, via long rallies and well-constructed points, and long term, as in the weaving path from 2018-22), today was about the completion of a journey. And it was *finally* Dasha's time to arrive.

Kudermetova grabbed the early break lead in the 1st set at 3-1, but Kasatkina broke back a game later. Kudermetova had a BP to re-take the edge, but Dasha held from 15/40 to knot the score at 3-3. Kudermetova rallied from 15/40 herself to hold a game later, but Kasatkina's break of serve in game #9 gave her the chance to serve out the set. She did so to move within a set of her maiden semifinal at a major.



The 2nd set saw server broken in each of the first three games, with Kasatkina taking a 2-1 lead after Kudermetova had failed to convert a GP. Meanwhile, Dasha had gotten the break on a point in which the chair umpire incorrectly overruled a line call that had given Kasatkina a point on BP. Kasatkina, perhaps with Kudermetova finally questioning what had just happened to her (she hadn't at the time), ran her streak to five points as she went up 40/love on serve and got the hold for a 3-1 lead. Kudermetova finally got the break back in game #8, but couldn't back it up a game later.



Tentative on serve, Kasatkina couldn't get the hold to close out the match, then Kudermetova rallied from 15/40 down, saving three BP, to take a 6-5 lead. Oddly, it was at this point, right as she'd wrestled some momentum away from her opponent, that Kudermetova chose to take a medical timeout to have her toe wrapped. Out of the timeout, Kasatkina held to force a tie-break.

Kudermetova donated five UE in the first seven points as Kasatkina raced to a 6-1 lead. With a handful of MP, Kasatkina saw her lead chipped away at over the next few minutes. Kudermetova held for two points, then Kasatkina failed to secure either of her own, though she still led 6-5. With Kudermetova threatening to force a 3rd set, Kasatina had one more chance to end things quickly. And she did, sort of... closing out the match in signature style, with a match-long 26-shot rally that ended with a Kasatkina drop shot. Burried behind the baseline, Kudermetova raced in to the net, but couldn't get the ball back.



Kasatkina's 6-4/7-5(5) victory makes her the second Russian in two years to reach the RG semis (w/ Pavlyuchenkova), and the 14th to get so far in a slam in the post-Soviet era. Up to #12 in the live rankings, Kasatkina has very nearly recovered all the rankings ground she lost four years ago after her career year in '18.

Maybe more importantly, she's proven correct the old axiom that states that good things come to those who wait.




=DAY 11 NOTES=
...meanwhile...



After her brief lapse two rounds ago, the her (sorta) dance with the dark side one round later, #1 Iga Swiatek was looking, first and foremost, for a drama and stress-free Wednesday against #21 Jessie Pegula, who even while not being fully threatened at times at this slam has managed to find drama between the lines when there probably wasn't much to be had (see 18 MP).

Largely, Iga got what she likely wanted. A mostly matter-of-fact affair, with no crazy-stressy moments in a workwomanlike and in-control performance that, though not spectacular, should allow her to steel herself for the final stretch of the first major at which she's been seeded #1.

Of course, she's still no "star," at least according to the tournament where she actually became one, but I suppose we'll have to see if winning *two* titles in Paris is enough to be treated like a relevent figure in the sport. We'll see... next year.

One day after her 21st birthday, Swiatek took out Pegula in straight sets today. She didn't bake up any bagels macarons, though. In fact, she dropped her first service game of the match. When she finally got back the break edge that she'd lost in game #2, Swiatek did so with a slide into a Pegula drop shot and a crosscourt flick just over the net and out of reach of the Bannerette. Thing is, the replay showed the ball had bounced twice before her racket touched it, a fact missed by both her (one suspects) and the chair umpire.

(Whew, it's a good thing she wasn't facing you-know-who... she'd already have been declared a cheater-for-life by the social media army.)

Swiatek would go on to take the 1st set 6-3, then maneuvered around a few potential sore spots in the 2nd. She saved a BP and held for 2-1, then at 4-2 fell behind 15/30 as Pegula seemingly had her last chance to get back into the set. Given a swing at a Swiatek second serve, Pegula overhit her backhand return. And just like like, her final chance went away. Iga got the hold for 5-2, and claimed six of seven points to reach MP on the Pegula serve. Giving a little bit of what she'd gotten last week, Pegula made Swiatek work to put the period on the end of the match's sentence, even after having to wait at one point for Iga to get into position to return serve because she was taking too long with her towel.

(If she'd been playing someone else, she'd surely been accused of "gameswomanship" -- well, "gamesMANship," more likely -- and been declared an enemy of the state of tennis by now).

Pegula saved three MP (one w/ an ace) in the game, as well as holding three GP, before finally missing a backhand down the line that closed out the 6-3/6-2 match, sending the world #1 into her third slam SF in the last seven majors.

Hey, it's no first-time slam QF, of course -- that gets you a night match in the star-packed men's draw at this slam -- but it's pretty darn good.



Swiatek's win breaks her tie with Justine Henin (on the former champ's 40th birthday -- yep, it's LPT Day) for the third longest women's winning streak this century, as her run is now at 33. She was 3-0 earlier this season (only one is counted in the streak) against Kasatkina, her semifinal opponent.



Pegula, as of now, would be set to make her Top 10 debut after Roland Garros, making her eighth active Bannerette to have done so, but a deeper run from Kasatkina could still push her down from #9, and a similar simultaneous one from Coco Gauff might still be enough to prevent Pegula from ending up higher than #11 after this weekend's action.

She's still got a shot to win a title at this slam, though. See below.

...the heart of the wheelchair draw took to the courts today, with all four of the seeded players advancing to the SF. Two matches went three sets, as #2 Yui Kamiji defeated contrywoman Momoko Ohtani, and #3 Aniek Van Koot took out Dana Mathewson to set up a meeting against each other. The other semi will feature #1 Diede de Groot, who dropped just three games to Angelica Bernal to run her winning streak to 49 matches, and #4 KG Montjane, who won 3 & 3 over Jiske Griffioen.

...the first final match-up of this RG has been set in the MX doubles. Norway's Ulrikke Eikeri & Joran Vliegen (BEL) defeated Nicole Melichar-Martinez/Kevin Krawietz in a 10-7 MTB, sending the 29-year old Eikeri to her first major final. She's posted the best results of her career over the past two seasons, going 1-1 in WTA doubles finals and reaching a pair of 1000 QF.

Their opponents will be #2-seeded Ena Shibahara (JPN) and Wesley Koolhof (NED), who defeated #3 Gaby Dabrowski/John Peers. It'll be Shibahara's first slam final, as well. She's been impressive in finals in her doubles career as a pro, going 16-5 at all levels (8-3 WTA, 1-1 125 and 7-1 ITF). She also won her only junior slam final in the 2016 U.S. Open girls' doubles.

...Pastry wild cards Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic are still alive in the women's doubles, reaching the semis with a victory over #13-seeded Xu Yifan & Yang Zhaoxuan. They'll next face #14 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Alona Ostapenko.



Garcia & Mladenovic were quite a successful duo in years past, winning the '16 RG crown and reaching the U.S. Open final the same year. They appeared in three 1000-level finals, winning in Madrid in '16. Of course, all that came before Mladenovic went full "Mean Girls" on her countrywoman after Garcia announced early in '17 that she wanted to focus on singles. In recent years, in an ironic turn, Mladenovic has often chosen to move beyond her super successful doubles career to play (often quite badly) more singles. As a result, former doubles #1 Mladenovic came into this slam as the #232-ranked player in WD, and #107 in singles (Garcia, also a disappointment in recent seasons, is the singles #79). Hence, the need for a wild card to get into the MD.

The two have seemingly made up since the big "LOL" mess, teaming in a few big events, including to clinch France's 3-2 Fed Cup final win over Australia in 2019. Their tourament pairings -- 2021 Olympics 1st Rd., 2022 AO 2nd Rd. -- haven't been very successful until this run.

Even while often turning her back on her best chance to be great in the sport, Mladenovic still claimed a 125 WD crown last month, and won her eighth career slam crown in Melbourne when she won the MX with Ivan Dodig.

The other SF will feature Madison Keys & Taylor Townsend against #8 Coco Gauff & Jessie Pegula (def. Bondar/Minnen) in an all-Bannerette contest for a berth in the final

...the final eight are set in the juniors, and the power of the Crush is still chugging along as three Czechs remain.

#13 Nikola Bartunkova pulled the big upset today, taking out #1 Petra Marcinko 7-6/7-5. She's joined in the last eight by #9 Lucie Havlickova and #10 Sara Bejlek. Only Dominika Salkova of the group lost today, falling to #14-seeded Hordette Mirra Andreeva.

None of the girls play each other in the next round, so a semis three-quarters full of Czechs is still on the table.




*WOMEN'S SINGLES SF*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. #20 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS
Martina Trevisan/ITA vs. #18 Coco Gauff/USA

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF=
#8 Gauff/Pegula (USA/USA) vs. (PR) Keys/Townsend (USA/USA)
#14 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT) vs. (WC) Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA/FRA)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
Eikeri/Vliegen (NOR/BEL) vs. #2 Shibahara/Koolhof (JPN/NED)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES SF=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. #4 KG Montjane/RSA
#3 Aniek Van Koot/NED vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF=
#1 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. x/x
x/x vs. #2 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA)

=GIRLS SINGLES QF=
#13 Nikola Bartunková/CZE vs. #12 Nikola Daubnerová/SVK
Solana Sierra/ARG vs. #6 Liv Hovde/USA
#9 Lucie Havlícková/CZE vs. Annabelle Xu/CAN
#10 Sara Bejlek/CZE vs. #14 Mirra Andreeva/RUS

=GIRLS DOUBLES QF=
#1 Bejlek/Havlickova (CZE/CZE) vs. #6 Marcinko/Svendsen (CRO/DEN)
#3 Hovde/Lopez (USA/USA) vs. #7 Ciric Bagaric/Costoulas (CRO/BEL)
Fontenel/Sierra (SUI/ARG) vs. #4 Bartashevich/Zaytseva (FRA/RUS)
#5 Shnaider/Vandewinkel (RUS/BEL) vs. #2 Bartunkova/Naef (CZE/SUI)







...GUESS WHAT DAY IT IS... ON DAY 11:




...IT'S BEEN INTERESTING... ON DAY 11:

...having Caroline Wozniacki doing commentary on Tennis Channel for this RG, just because of all the little sideways thoughts that come up. Sometimes because she was such a high-level active player so recently, but also because of her partners in the booth. Such as, and I was going to mention this earlier in the tournament, the occasions when she and Lindsay Davenport call matches together.

Whenever I think of the two, I'm always brought back to how Davenport would commentate matches when Wozniacki was still a #1-ranked active player who still hadn't won a major. Davenport actually finished multiple seasons as #1 in years she didn't win a slam, but she was still acutely rankled that the Dane was at the top of the rankings without a slam trophy on her mantle.

It always makes we wonder about the dynamic of having them sitting together all these years later, and whether Wozniacki even knows how doubting Davenport was of her at the time. And then today they were discussing whether Swiatek had been a "worthy" slam winner (Caro pulled out the "she came out of nowhere" business) when she won in Paris in '20 before "proving herself" this season.


...WELP... ON DAY 11:



And don't forget the much-anticipated Rune/Gaston tilt (on a day the dominant women's #1 was playing), or Medvedev/Cilic, featuring two former hard court slam champs on the day that former RG champ Iga faced the Chinese upstart in what was clearly the most intriguing match of the day, men or woman. (And does anyone get weak in the knees before a match featuring Cilic?)



It's sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy if you say that the women's tour's players aren't as well known, then do all you can to keep them under wraps (schedule them first-up *every single day*, and never in primetime), thereby not giving them the platform on which to become better known.



Of course, when you only schedule one night match in order to made as much money as possible by offering as little as possible, and start it too late for a second, you can't risk a 50-minute, best-of-two women's match that has everyone wanting a partial refund at the end. Spectators aren't going to complain if they have a ticket for Nadal, Djokovic or (now, I suppose) Alcaraz and, even in a bad match, get three sets.

The Roland Garros tournament/business plan is broken (at best), and an embarrassment (at worst)... but it's not unfixable. The other three majors don't have nearly as much difficulty getting this right with the same game pieces. Start the night session earlier, or maybe schedule just one men's match on most nights (at the same start time), but *two* women's (with a slightly earlier start) on other days.











MJ as The Scarecrow (1978), and Ne-Yo as The Tin Man (2015) in "The Wiz"











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*RECENT FIRST-TIME SLAM SF*
=2018=
AO: Elise Mertens/BEL
RG: -
WI: Julia Goerges/GER
US: Naomi Osaka/JPN (W), Anastasija Sevastova/LAT
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins/USA
RG: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Ash Barty/AUS (W), Marketa Vondrousova/CZE (RU)
WI: Barbora Strycova/CZE, Elina Svitolina/UKR
US: Bianca Andreescu/CAN (W), Belinda Bencic/SUI
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin/USA (W)
US: Jennifer Brady/USA
RG: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Iga Swiatek/POL (W)
=2021=
AO: Karolina Muchova, CZE
RG: B.Krejcikova/CZE (W), A.Pavlyuchenkova/RUS (RU), M.Sakkari/GRE, T.Zidansek/SLO
WI: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
US: Leylah Fernandez/CAN (RU), Emma Raducanu/GBR (W)
=2022=
AO: -
RG: Coco Gauff/USA, Dasha Kasatkina/RUS, Martina Trevisan/ITA

*FIRST-TIME SLAM SEMIFINALISTS AT RG SINCE 2000*
2000: -
2001: Clijsters (RU), Henin
2002: C.Fernandez
2003: Petrova
2004: Myskina (W), Suarez
2005: Likhovtseva
2006: Vaidisova
2007: Ivanovic (RU)
2008: Safina (RU)
2009: Cibulkova, Stosur
2010: Schiavone (W)
2011: -
2012: Errani (RU)
2013: -
2014: Halep (RU), Petkovic
2015: Bacsinszky
2016: Bertens
2017: Ostapenko (W)
2018: -
2019: Anisimova, Barty (W), Vondrousova (RU)
2020: Podoroska, Swiatek (W)
2021: Krejcikova (W), Pavlyuchenkova (RU), Sakkari, Zidansek
2022: Gauff, Kasastkina, Trevisan

*MOST CONSECUTIVE WINS, since 2000*
35 - Venus Williams (2000)
34 - Serena Williams (2013)
33 - IGA SWIATEK (2022) - active
32 - Justine Henin (2007-08)

*2022 - FIRST CAREER SLAM...*
=ROUND OF 16=
RG = Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (13th slam MD)
RG = Jil Teichmann, SUI (11th)
RG = Zheng Qinwen, CHN (2nd)
=QF=
AO = Alize Cornet, FRA (63rd)
RG = Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (13th)
=SF=
RG: Coco Gauff, USA (11th)
RG: Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (26th)
RG: Martina Trevisan, ITA (8th)
=FINAL=
AO = Danielle Collins, USA (17th)

*LOW-RANKED RG CHAMPION (OPEN ERA)*
#54 - Iga Swiatek, 2020
#47 - Alona Ostapenko, 2017
#33 - Barbora Krejcikova, 2021
#18 - Sue Barker, 1976
#17 - Virginia Ruzici, 1978
#17 - Francesca Schiavone, 2010
-
2022 SF: #20 Kasatkina, #23 Gauff, #59 Trevisan

**LOW-SEEDED RG SEMIFINALISTS - since 2000**
#31...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 2021 (RU)
#30...Timea Bacsinszky, 2017
#30...Samantha Stosur, 2009
#28...Andrea Petkovic, 2014
#26...Johanna Konta, 2019
#23...Timea Bacsinszky, 2015
#21...Samantha Stosur, 2016
#21...Sara Errani, 2012 (RU)
#21...Mary Pierce, 2005 (W)
#20...DASHA KASATKINA, 2022
#20...Dominika Cibulkova, 2009
#18...COCO GAUFF, 2022
#18...Genie Bouchard, 2014
#17...Francesca Schiavone, 2010 (W)
#17...Maria Sakkari, 2021

*USSR/RUS IN RG SF*
1974 USSR - Olga Morozova (RU)
1975 USSR - Olga Morozova
1988 USSR - Natasha Zvereva (RU)
2003 Nadia Petrova
2004 Elena Dementieva (RU), Anastasia Myskina (W)
2005 Elena Likhovtseva, Nadia Petrova
2006 Svetlana Kuznetova (RU)
2007 Maria Sharapova
2008 Svetlana Kuznetova, Dinara Safina (RU)
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova (W), Dinara Safina (RU)
2010 Elena Dementieva
2011 Maria Sharapova
2012 Maria Sharapova (W)
2013 Maria Sharapova (RU)
2014 Maria Sharapova (W)
2021 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RU)
2022 Dasha Kasatkina

*RECENT BEST U.S. WOMEN'S SLAM RESULTS*
=2017=
AO: Serena Williams (W)
RG: Venus Williams (4th)
WI: Venus Williams (RU)
US: Sloane Stephens (W)
=2018=
AO: Madison Keys (QF)
RG: Sloane Stephens (RU)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2019=
AO: Danielle Collins (SF)
RG: Amanda Anisimova (SF)
WI: Serena Williams (RU)
US: Serena Williams (RU)
=2020=
AO: Sofia Kenin (W)
US: Serena Williams and Jennifer Brady (SF)
RG: Sofia Kenin (RU)
=2021=
AO: Jennifer Brady (RU)
RG: Coco Gauff (QF)
WI: Coco Gauff and Madison Keys (4th)
US: Shelby Rogers (4th)
=2022=
AO: Danielle Collins (RU)
RG: Coco Gauff (in SF)

*2022 WTA SF*
8 - IGA SWIATEK, POL (5-2)
4 - DASHA KASATKINA, RUS (0-3)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Anett Kontaveit, EST (2-1)
3 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (2-1)
3 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (1-0 +WW)
3 - Paula Badosa, ESP (1-2)
3 - Simona Halep, ROU (1-2)
3 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1-2)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (1-0+L)
2 - MARTINA TREVISAN, ITA (1-0)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (1-1)
2 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (1-1)
2 - Madison Keys, USA (1-1)
2 - Camila Osorio, COL (1-1)
2 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-1)
2 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (1-1)
2 - COCO GAUFF, USA (0-1)
2 - Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS (0-2)
2 - Sorana Cirstea (0-2)

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
40 - Serena Williams, USA (33-7)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
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 (1-4)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Samantha Stosur, AUS (2-3)
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)
3 - Iga Swiatek, POL (1-1) *
2 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-1)
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 - CoCo Vandeweghe, USA (0-2)
1 (W) Andreescu,Fernandez,Krejcikova
1 (W) Pavlyuchenkova,Raducanu,Vondrousova
1 (-) Gauff *
1 (-) Kasatkina *
1 (-) Trevisan *
1 (L) Anisimova,Bencic
1 (L) Flipkens,Mertens,Muchova
1 (L) Petkovic,Pironkova,Podoroska,Sevastova
1 (L) Vesnina,Wickmayer,Zidansek
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF 2020-22]
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Iga Swiatek, POL (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 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-0)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-0)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1-0)
1 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-1)
1 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (0-0) *
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-1)
1 - Madison Keys, USA (0-1)
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Coco Gauff, USA (0-0) *
1 - Martina Trevisan, ITA (0-0) *
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 / 9 slams]
9 - USA (1)
4 - CZE
3 - AUS
3 - BLR
3 - POL (1)
2 - GRE
2 - JPN
2 - RUS (1)
1 - ARG,CAN,ESP,GBR,GER,ITA(1),ROU,SLO

[2022 RG SEMIFINALISTS - career RG SF]
2 - Iga Swiatek
1 - Coco Gauff
1 - Dasha Kasatkina
1 - Martina Trevisan






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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): xx
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): xx
=============================
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: Nominee: Trevisan, Kasatkina, Pegula
IT "TBD": Nominees: Trevisan (Italian), Gauff (teen)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominee: Kasatkina, Townsend (d), Garcia/Mladenovic
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: Nominees: Eikeri, Shibahara
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Stephens, Trevisan, (WC), Eikeri
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: Cornet vs. Ostapenko
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: A Crush of Czechs
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 Day 11. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 6:57 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Kudermentova's match turned at 4-4, 15-30. Blew a makeable shot and did not recover.

Swiatek has gone from 8 to 1 during her streak. Venus won 35, and went from 5 to 3.

Stat of the Day- 3- The number of participants left with a junior slam title.

While you get ready for Final Four stats, note junior success.

2014 RG- Kasatkina
2018 RG- Gauff
2018 W - Swiatek

Trevisan barely played, 2nd rd at Wimbledon in 2008-09 are her best results.

Swiatek will be #1 with any result.

Kasatkina will be 8-9 with final, 6 with title.

Gauff will be 13 with final, 8 with title.

Trevisan will be 19 with final, 11-12 with title.

Swiatek would be first Polish woman to win RG or any slam since herself in 2020.

Kasatkina would be first Russian to reach final since Pavlyuchenkova last year. First to win this or any slam since Maria Sharapova won here in 2014.

Gauff would be first American to reach final since Kenin in 2020. Would be first to win since Serena in 2015. First to win any slam since Kenin- Australian Open 2020.

Trevisan would be first Italian to reach final here since Errani 2012. First to win since Schiavone 2010, or any slam since Pennetta- USO 2015.

H2H:

Swiatek 3-1 Kasatkina/3-0 Clay
Swiatek 2-0 Gauff/1-0 Clay
Kasatkina 2-0 Gauff/1-0 Clay
Swiatek 2-1 Trevisan/1-1 Clay
Trevisan 1-0 Gauff/1-0 Clay

Kasatkina 0-0 Trevisan

Clay- Last 3 Years:

59-27 Trevisan
33-9 Swiatek
27-9 Gauff
22-11 Kasatkina

WTA Only:

21-10 Kasatkina
21-13 Trevisan

Top 10 Wins-Last 3 Years:

11- Swiatek/6 Clay
5 - Gauff/2 Clay
4 - Kasatkina/2 Clay
2 - Trevisan/2 Clay

70/30 Swiatek over Kasatkina. Kasatkina's win over Iga is on grass. She would need to play the perfect match, serving well, which she does on occasion, and throwing in the second serve as the first serve. Most likely, Iga dictates and wins from the baseline.

55/45 Trevisan over Gauff. Gauff has a negative H2H vs all 3 women left. Probably because they each play excellent defense. To combat that, Gauff will need 10 aces to win. If not, Trevisan will keep the ball in play long enough for errors to leak from Gauff's forehand.

Thu Jun 02, 01:41:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

It was a good thing Coco finally stopped, because I think she was flirting with getting the crowd on her back after the whole grunting discussion (well, maybe they wouldn't have been *against* her there, being the French fans) and questioning so many line calls (even that one not-close one).

Thu Jun 02, 01:02:00 PM EDT  

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