Sunday, September 04, 2022

US.6- Mid-day in the Meadows of Garbi and Petra


When Kvitova met Muguruza, only one could win. And it turned out that while Petra may not have always pojd'ed best, she most certainly pojd'ed last.




On Saturday, #9 Garbine Muguruza and #21 Petra Kvitova opened play in the first match on Armstrong of this Labor Day weekend in New York. It was an appropriately juicy match-up, with the two having combined to win four majors and reach seven slam finals in their careers. Kvitova is a Czech (Fed) Cup legend, while Muguruza is the only player to have defeated *both* Williams sisters in slam singles finals. A decade apart, both have claimed WTAF titles, but they're only combined to hold the #1 ranking for four total weeks (all by Muguruza in 2017). Kvitova has come within a single victory of taking the position on several occasions during the career, but always come up just short.

But when she hasn't come up short over the years has been when she's faced Muguruza. The Czech came into the day with a five match winning streak (including at the U.S. Open five years ago) against the Spaniard, whose only win over Kvitova came in 2015.

Kvitova has experienced an up and down season on the court, highlighted by a grass title at Eastbourne and Cincinnati final last month, while seemingly finding her groove off it (she was recently engaged) as the 32-year old has started her preparations for her post-tennis life (whenever it begins). Muguruza, on the other hand, came into this Open seeking something -- anything -- to provide a beacon that she might point toward in the season's closing months as she tries to avoid a near total washout in '22 just one season after producing one of her most consistently successful campaigns. Her only QF this year came back in February, and while Kvitova's '22 slam results (1r-2r-3r) had been wanting coming into NYC, Muguruza's (2r-1r-1r) were even worse.

Only one could reach the second week and provide herself with a slam season life raft, and *both* had their chances on Day 6 to find a path to safety. As it turned out, Muguruza -- the player who, by comparison, needed the win the *most* of the two -- was left to wonder the "what if?" aspects of a loss that, somewhat encouraging even in defeat, will either point her toward a resurgent fall, or will seal her fate and cause her to immediately take an early look at 2023 for a "refresh," whatever such an outlook might mean for her in the season's closing months.

Early on, Muguruza looked fit to continue her pattern of collecting her things and moving forward in this tournament. After having won 2nd set TB in both of her first two matches to avoid having to play three-setters, the Spaniard pulled back a 4-2 Kvitova edge in the 1st. After getting back on serve -- and then serving down 4-5, 15/30 -- Muguruza swatted a low swing volley into the sun that just caught the corner of the service box to prevent handing Kvitova a pair of SP. She got the hold, and a game later Kvitova's day-long service inconsistency saw back-to-back DF give Muguruza a 15/40 lead, then a third on BP #2 give her a break edge.

Serving at 6-5, Muguruza led 30/love. Kvitova got the game to 30-all, and saved a SP, but on Muguruza's second SP chance the Czech directed a backhand down the line and caught the highest part of the net. The ball bounced out and Muguruza took the 1st 7-5.

Kvitova led 4-2 again in the 2nd, and again Muguruza threatened to get the set back on serve, taking a love/30 lead on the Czech's serve before errors on back-to-back points (the second when she couldn't successfully return a less-than-challenging second serve) led to Kvitova getting the hold. She served out the 6-3 set two games later, setting up what turned out to be a wonderful 3rd in which both woman fought to within an inch of victory to stay alive.

Kvitova was "pojddddddding!" early on, but Muguruza climbed out of a love/30 hole to hold for 2-1. When Kvitova suddenly missed on four consecutive first serves, the Spaniard took a 15/40 lead and got the break for a 4-2 edge. Down love/30 again, Muguruza battled back to hold for 5-2. She served for the match at 5-3, getting to within two points of the win at 30/30 -- missing on a short forehand -- before dropping serve as Kvitova stayed alive.

Both took 40/love leads on serve in games 11 and 12. Muguruza got an easy hold, while Kvitova danced with potential defeat. A Muguruza deep deuce point return of a Kvitova second serve produced an error that gave her a MP. The Czech saved it with an ace down the T, only to DF on the next point and give Muguruza another chance. She didn't convert it, either. A Kvitova DF on GP extended the game, but she got the hold to force a deciding match TB.

Muguruza was the first to assume a mini-break lead at 4-3, but gave it back a point later. A forehand winner gave Kvitova an 8-5 lead, with the match on her racket as she served two. Muguruza took both to get the breaker back on sreve.

Kvitova reached her first MP at 9-5, and on her second MP saw Muguruza fire back a big return of one the Czech's lefty serves, then follow up with a forehand winner to tie the score at 9-9. With both women (twice) a point away from MP in the closing moments, Muguruza never saw a third MP.

Meanwhile, Kvitova's ace gave *her* MP #3, but the two were soon tied again at 10-10. Kvitova's forehand winner gave her a fourth MP chance at 11-10, and it was the one to finally be converted as Muguruza's netted forehand halted a rally that ended with Kvitova being victorious by a 5-7/6-3/7-6(10) scoreline.



Kvitova's sixth straight win over Muguruza drops the Spaniard to 1-6 in three-set matches in '22 and keeps her well below .500 (11-15) for the year even as she'll end this U.S. Open *still* ranked inside the Top 15, needing to pick up some significant points *somewhere* over the next month and a half (back in Guadalajara in the new 1000 event there, maybe?) in order to avoid a *huge* ranking drop when she's unable to defend her '21 WTAF crown.

Whether Muguruza will take encouragement from this week's labor, or all the possible love will have been lost in the defeat will, once more, give an accurate late-year accounting of her current state of "Mugu-ness" (be it the good or bad variety) in the closing weeks of 2022.

Meanwhile, Kvitova reaches her 22nd career slam Round of 16, but only her second at Flushing Meadows since her '17 QF run (w/ '15 her best result in the event). Overall, it's her first 4th Round-or-better at a slam since the pandemic Roland Garros in fall 2020.

And don't think she doesn't appreciate it.






=DAY 6 NOTES=
...U.S. #1 and New York state native Jessie Pegula continues to be shut out in terms of night session slots on the show courts, but at least the #8 seed made her Ashe debut at this Open on Day 6. (While Danielle Collins has played 3 of 3 under the lights... though it was hard to argue against her 3rd Rounder vs. Alize Cornet *belonging* there.)

Against qualifier Yuan Yue, the big-hitting 23-year old from China who had looked quite impressive in the opening rounds of her Flushing Meadows debut, Pegula took control of the match in the early going, but soon found herself down 4-1 in the 2nd and fighting to avoid having to go three sets. But the woman from Buffalo upped her aggression and got the set back on serve with a break and love hold combo to knot the score at 4-4. The two played into a TB, where Pegula held a MP at 6-5. But Yuan surged last to sweep the final three points and take the set.

Pegula quickly regained control in the decider, as Yuan -- playing in her sixth match since the middle of last week -- tired down the stretch. Yuan took just 5 of 29 points in the set, and lost 12 of the first 13. Pegula claimed the set at love to win 6-2/6-7(6)/6-0, advancing into the second week of a third 2022 slam and for the fourth time since the start of last season. In that stretch, Pegula has gone a combined 21-7 in majors.

...with her complicated -- for many reasons -- match with Marta Kostyuk behind her, #26 Victoria Azarenka was clear-headed and lethal in her 3rd Round match-up with Petra Martic on Saturday, dispatching the Croatian vet 6-3/6-0 to reach her 27th career slam Round of 16. The only "active" players with more are Serena Williams (if she's still considered "active"), Venus (for at least a while longer) and Sveta Kuznetsova (who hasn't played all season long).



Vika's seventh trip into the second week at Flushing Meadows is her second such slam result (w/ AO) in '22, and her 8 MD wins thus far in this season's majors (in only *three* events, mind you... see the Marta-related topic) are her most in a single season since 2015.

...the majority of the women's 3rd Rounders were pushed into the evening, as after missing the AO due to injury, falling in the 2nd Round in Paris and London, and (so far) failing to reach a final for the first time since 2012, #22 Karolina Pliskova today continued to post some of her best results in New York.

The 30-year old Czech joined countrywoman Kvitova in the 4th Round by rallying after dropping the 1st set to #13 Belinda Bencic to defeat the Swiss in three, reaching the second week at the Open for the sixth time in the last seven years. Pliskova was a '16 finalist, and three-time quarterfinalist in 2017-18 and '21.



World #1 Iga Swiatek finally made her night session debut (on Armstrong, not Ashe), sending Bannerette Lauren Davis out 6-3/6-4. Swiatek had her string of six straight slam Round of 16 appearances snapped at Wimbledon by Alize Cornet, but her 10th major 4th Round result in 15 career slam MD is still pretty, pretty good. Her 9-of-11 run since the start of 2020 is even better, and is the most by any player on tour over the last three seasons.



Swiatek now stands one win from more history, as no Polish woman has reached the U.S. Open QF in the Open era.

Following up her QF result in her Wimbledon debut, 23-year old German Jule Niemeier is now one win away from doing the same in her first U.S. Open. In a match-up that we very well could see in the *second* week of a major next year (and many after), only with both players with seeds by their names, #108 Niemeier handled fellow unseeded 19-year old Zheng Qinwen 6-4/7-6(5), erasing a 4-1 2nd set deficit to win in two and improve to 7-2 in her slam career.

#6 Aryna Sabalenka, fresh from climbing out of a 6-2/5-1 hole and saving 2 MP vs. Kaia Kanepi, dropped just two games to qualifier Clara Burel, winning 6-0/6-2 to move a bit closer to defending her '21 U.S. semifinal (she didn't get the chance to do the same at Wimbledon). Sabalenka has now reached at least the Round of 16 in five of the last seven slams she's played.

#19 Danielle Collins and Alize Cornet wrapped up the night on Ashe, with the Bannerette winning 6-4/7-6(9), taking a fabulous TB to end the match. In the 20-point drama, played after neither player dropped serve in the set, Cornet held two SP before Collins finally put away the match on her second MP with her 52nd (! -- in two sets) winner on the night.



Collins' fourth career slam 4th Round (all on hard courts, including at the '19 AO semi and '22 final) is her first in her home slam, and gives the U.S. four players in the Final 16.




*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. Jule Niemeier/GER
#21 Petra Kvitova/CZE vs. #8 Jessie Pegula/USA
#26 Victoria Azarenka/BLR vs. #22 Karolina Pliskova/CZE
#19 Danielle Collins/USA vs. #6 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
Zhang Shuai/CHN vs. #12 Coco Gauff/USA
#17 Caroline Garcia/FRA vs. #29 Alison Riske-Amritraj/USA
#5 Ons Jabeur/TUN vs. #18 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS
Liudmila Samsonova/RUS vs. Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
Flipkens/Sorribes Tormo (BEL/ESP) vs. #13 Guarachi/Klepac (CHI/SLO)
#10 Melichar-Martinez/Perez (USA/NZL) vs. #8 Danilina/Haddad Maia (KAZ/BRA)
#3 Krejickova/Siniakova (CZE/CZE) vs. #15 Aoyama/H-c.Chan (JPN/TPE)
#9 Muhammad/Shibahara (USA/JPN) vs. #5 Dabrowski/Olmos (CAN/MEX)
#7 Xu/Yang (CHN/CHN) vs. #12 Dolehide/Sanders (USA/AUS)
#14 Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA/FRA) vs. #4 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT)
#6 Krawczyk/Schuurs (USA/NED) vs. #11 Kostyuk/Sh.Zhang (UKR/CHN)
McNally/Townsend (USA/USA) vs. Galfi/Pera (HUN/USA)

*MIXED DOUBLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR) vs. (WC) McNally/Blumberg (USA/USA)
Ostapenko/Vega Hernandez (LAT/ESP) def. #7 Perez/Venus (NZL/NZL)
#4 Sanders/Peers (AUS/AUS) vs. (WC) Pera/Withrow (USA/USA)
Fernandez/Sock (CAN/USA) vs. Dabrowski/Purcell (CAN/AUS)
Stosur/Ebden (AUS/AUS) def. #5 Pegula/Krajicek (USA/USA)
(PR) Flipkens/Roger-Vasselin (BEL/FRA) def. Melichar-Martinez/Krawietz (USA/GER)
(PR) Shibahara/Skugor (JPN/CRO) def. (PR) Hradecka/Kubot (CZE/POL)
(WC) Keys/Frantangelo (USA/USA) vs. #2 Sh.Zhang/Pavic (CHN/CRO)







...A BRILLIANT USE OF TWITTER ON DAY 6:




...THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME ON DAY 6:




...AS WELL AS SAMSONOVA HAS BEEN SERVING THE LAST TWO WEEKS... ON DAY 6:




...PART 2... ON DAY 6:












The late, great Robert Palmer, with "Bad Case of Loving You" (1979) and, of course, "Simply Irresistible" (1988; performed in 1997).

I don't really have to say it, right?












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*BEST 2022 SLAM RESULTS*
[qualifiers]
US 3rd Rd. - Clara Burel, FRA
US 3rd Rd. - Yuan Yue, CHN
AO 2nd Rd. - Hailey Baptiste, USA
AO 2nd Rd. - Lucia Bronzetti, ITA
AO 2nd Rd. - Martina Trevisan, ITA
AO 2nd Rd. - Zheng Qinwen, CHN
RG 2nd Rd. - Fernanda Contreras, MEX
RG 2nd Rd. - Olga Danilovic, SRB
RG 2nd Rd. - Aleksandra Krunic, SRB
RG 2nd Rd. - Donna Vekic, CRO
WI 2nd Rd. - Maja Chwalinska, POL
WI 2nd Rd. - Catherine Harrison, USA
WI 2nd Rd. - Mai Hontama, JPN
WI 2nd Rd. - Katarzyna Kawa, POL
WI 2nd Rd. - Yanina Wickmayer, BEL
US 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa, ESP
US 2nd Rd. - Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
US 2nd Rd. - Viktoria Kuzmova, SVK
US 2nd Rd. - Daria Snigur, UKR

**RECENT U.S. OPEN "LAST QUALIFIER STANDING" WINNERS**
=2015=
Johanna Konta/GBR
Anett Kontaveit/EST (4th Rd.)
=2016=
CiCi Bellis/USA (3rd Rd.)
=2017=
Kaia Kanepi/EST (QF)
=2018=
Karolina Muchova/CZE (3rd Rd.)
=2019=
Taylor Townsend/USA (4th Rd.)
=2021=
Emma Raducanu/GBR (W)
=2022=
Clara Burel/FRA and Yuan Yue/CHN (3rd Rd.)
[2022 slams]
AO: Baptiste/USA, Bronzetti/ITA, Trevisan/ITA, Q.Zheng/CHN (all 2r)
RG: Contreras/MEX, Danilovic/SRB, Krunic/SRB, Vekic/CRO (all 2r)
WI: Chwalinska/POL, Harrison/USA, Hontama/JPN, Kawa/POL, Wickmayer/BEL (all 2r)
US: Clara Burel/FRA and Yuan Yue/CHN (3rd Rd.)

**BACKSPIN 2022 FRESH FACE-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Zheng Qinwen, CHN
AO: Clara Tauson, DEN
FEB: Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
MAR: Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
1Q...ZHENG, CHN
APR: Anastasia Potapova, RUS
MAY: Kaja Juvan, SLO
RG: Coco Gauff, USA
2Q Clay Court...GAUFF, USA
JUN: Katie Boulter, GBR
WI: Jule Niemeier, GER
2Q Grass Court...NIEMEIER, GER
JUL: Olga Danilovic, SRB
AUG (pre-U.S.): Sara Bejlek, CZE
[2022 Multiple Weekly FRESH FACE Award Wins]
5 - Coco Gauff, USA
5 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN
4 - Amanda Anisimova, USA
4 - Diane Parry, FRA
3 - Kaja Juvan, SLO
3 - Jule Niemeier, GER
3 - Anastasia Potapova, RUS
3 - Wang Xiyu, CHN
2 - Hailey Baptiste, USA
2 - Jodie Burrage, GBR
2 - Olga Danilovic, SRB
2 - Brenda Fruhvirtova, CZE
2 - Marta Kostyuk, UKR
2 - Linda Noskova, CZE
2 - Katrina Scott, USA
2 - Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS
2 - Jil Teichmann, SUI

**BACKSPIN 2022 JUNIOR-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
AO: Petra Marcinko, CRO
FEB: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
MAR: Sofia Costoulas, BEL
1Q...MARCINKO, CRO
APR: Sofia Costoulas, BEL
MAY: Celine Naef, SUI
RG: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
2Q Clay Court...HAVLICKOVA, CZE
JUN: Liv Hovde, USA
WI: Liv Hovde, USA
2Q Grass Court...HOVDE, USA
JUL: Linda Noskova, CZE
AUG (pre-U.S.): CZE ITF 14u Team
[2022 Multiple Weekly JUNIOR Award Wins]
7 - Sofia Costoulas, BEL
4 - Liv Hovde, USA
3 - Victoria Jimenez Kastinseva, AND
3 - Victoria Mboko, CAN
2 - Mira Andreeva, RUS
2 - Nikola Bartunkova, CZE
2 - Sara Bejlek, CZE
2 - Kayla Cross, CAN
2 - Brenda Fruhvirtova, CZE
2 - Lucie Havlickova, CZE
2 - Charlotte Kempanaers-Pocz, AUS
2 - Linda Klimovicova, CZE
2 - Petra Marcinko, CRO
2 - Celine Naef, SUI
2 - Angella Okutoyi, KEN
2 - Taylah Preston, AUS
2 - Lola Radivijevic, SRB
2 - Ella Seidel, GER
2 - Diana Shnaider, RUS
2 - Luca Udvardy, HUN
2 - Tereza Valentova, CZE




*2022 US WOMEN'S FINAL 16*
[by ranking]
#1 - Iga Swiatek, POL
#5 - Ons Jabeur, TUN
#6 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
#8 - Jessie Pegula, USA
#17 - Caroline Garcia, FRA
#12 - Coco Gauff, USA
#18 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS
#19 - Danielle Collins, USA
#21 - Petra Kvitova, CZE
#22 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE
#26 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR
#29 - Alison Riske-Amritraj, USA
#35 - Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
#36 - Zhang Shuai, CHN
#46 - Ajla Tomljanovic, AUS
#108 - Jule Niemeier, GER
[by age]
18 = Gauff
21 = Swiatek
23 = Niemeier, Samsonova
24 = Sabalenka
25 = V.Kudermetova
28 = Collins, Garcia, Jabeur, Pegula
29 = Tomljanovic
30 = Ka.Pliskova
32 = Kvitova, Riske-Amritraj
33 = Azarenka, Zhang
[by nation]
4...USA (Collins,Gauff,Pegula,Riske-A.)
2...BLR (Azarenka,Sabalenka)
2...CZE (Kvitova,Ka.Pliskova)
2...RUS (V.Kudermetova,Samsonova)
1...AUS (Tomljanovic)
1...CHN (Zhang)
1...FRA (Garcia)
1...GER (Niemeier)
1...POL (Swiatek)
1...TUN (Jabeur)
[by career slam Round-of-16's]
27 - Azarenka
22 - Kvitova
13 - Ka.Pliskova
10 - Swiatek
7 - Garcia
6 - Gauff,Jabeur,Sabalenka
4 - Collins,Pegula,Riske-A.,Tomljanovic,Zhang
2 - V.Kudermetova,Niemeier,Samsonova
[w/ consecutive slam Round of 16's]
2 - Garcia
2 - Jabeur
2 - Niemeier
2 - Tomljanovic
1+1 - V.Kudermetova (2 con. app. = RG/US)
[w/ multiple career US Round of 16's]
7 - Azarenka, Kvitova
6 - Ka.Pliskova
3 - Sabalenka
2 - Riske-Amritraj, Swiatek
[w/ consecutive US Round of 16's]
2 - Ka.Pliskova
2 - Sabalenka
2 - Swiatek
[WTA career slam Round of 16's - active]
64...Serena Williams
50...Venus Williams
32...Svetlana Kuznetsova
27...Victoria Azarenka
23...Angelique Kerber
22...Simona Halep
22...Petra Kvitova
17...Madison Keys
16...Garbine Muguruza
16...Vera Zvonareva
15...Sloane Stephens
13...Karolina Pliskova
13...Elina Svitolina
12...Elise Mertens
12...Samantha Stosur
10...Kaia Kanepi
10...Iga Swiatek
[WTA slam Round of 16's since 2020 (of 11) - active]
9 - Swiatek
7 - Mertens
6 - Halep, Jabeur
5 - Badosa, Gauff, Krejcikova, Sabalenka, Sakkari
4 - Azarenka, Kenin, Kerber, Kvitova, Pegula
3 - Anisimova, Collins, Cornet, Garcia, Keys
3 - Muchova, Muguruza, Pavlyuchenkova, Ka.Pliskova
3 - Rogers, Rybakina, Svitolina, Tomljanovic, S.Williams
2 - Brady, Cirstea, Fernandez, Kontaveit
2 - V.Kudermetova, Martic, Niemeier, Osaka
2 - Raducanu, Riske-A., Samsonova, Stephens
2 - Trevisan, Vondrousova, Sh.Zhang
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - youngest]
18 - Coco Gauff (RG)
17 - Coco Gauff (US)
19 - Zheng Qinwen (RG)
19 - Leylah Fernandez (RG)
20 - Amanda Anisimova (AO)
20 - Amanda Anisimova (RG)
20 - Iga Swiatek (AO)
20 - Iga Swiatek (RG)
20 - Iga Swiatek (US)
20 - Amanda Anisimova (WI)
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - oldest]
36 - Kaia Kanepi (AO)
34 - Tatjana Maria (WI)
33 - Zhang Shuai (US)
33 - Victoria Azarenka (US)
32 - Victoria Azarenka (AO)
32 - Alize Cornet (WI)
32 - Alize Cornet (AO)
32 - Petra Kvitova (US)
32 - Alison Riske-Amritraj (US)
31 - Irina-Camelia Begu (RG)
31 - Sorana Cirstrea (AO)
30 - Camila Giorgi (RG)
30 - Simona Halep (WI)
30 - Simona Halep (AO)
30 - Petra Martic (WI)
30 - Heather Watson (WI)
30 - Karolina Pliskova (US)
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - unseeded]
AO (5) Anisimova,Cirstea,Cornet,Kanepi,Keys
RG (5) Begu,Sasnovich,Stephens,Trevisan,Q.Zheng
WI (8) Bouzkova,Cornet,Garcia,Maria,Martic,Niemeier,Tan,Tomljanovic, Watson
US (4) V.Kudermetova,Niemeier,Tomljanovic,Zhang
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - 1st-time GS 4th Rd.]
AO - (0) none
RG - (3) V.Kudermetova, Teichmann, Q.Zheng
WI - (5) Bouzkova, Maria, Niemeier, Tan, Watson
US - (0) none
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - completed "Career Round of 16 Slam"]
AO - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (8th slam MD)
AO - Kaia Kanepi, EST (53rd slam MD)
RG - none
WI - none
US - Caroline Garcia, CZE (42nd slam MD)
US - Coco Gauff, USA (13th slam MD)
US - Ons Jabeur, TUN (22nd slam MD)
US - Zhang Shuai, CHN (41st slam MD)
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - lowest-ranked]
#121 - Heather Watson (WI)
#115 - Kaia Kanepi (AO)
#115 - Harmony Tan (WI)
#108 - Jule Niemeier (US)
#103 - Tatjana Maria (WI)
#97 - Jule Niemeier (WI)
#80 - Petra Martic (WI)
#74 - Zheng Qinwen (RG)
#66 - Marie Bouzkova (WI)
#64 - Sloane Stephens (RG)
#63 - Irina-Camelia Begu (RG)
#61 - Alize Cornet (AO)
#60 - Amanda Anisimova (AO)
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's]
3 - Anisimova (AO/RG/WI)
3 - Mertens (AO/RG/WI)
3 - Pegula (AO/RG/US)
3 - Swiatek (AO/RG/US)
2 - Azarenka (AO/US)
2 - Badosa (AO/WI)
2 - Collins (AO/US)
2 - Garcia (WI/US)
2 - Gauff (RG/US)
2 - Halep (AO/WI)
2 - Jabeur (WI/US)
2 - Keys (AO/RG)
2 - V.Kudermetova (RG/US)
2 - Niemeier (WI/US)
2 - Sabalenka (AO/US)
2 - Tomljanovic (WI/US)
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - by nation]
14 = 4/5/1/4 = USA
5 = 2/1/-/2 = BLR
5 = 1/0/3/1 = FRA
4 = 1/0/1/2 = CZE
4 = 2/1/1/0 = ROU
4 = 0/2/-/2 = RUS
3 = 1/0/1/1 = AUS
3 = 1/1/1/0 = BEL
3 = 0/0/2/1 = GER
3 = 1/1/0/1 = POL
2 = 0/1/0/1 = CHN
2 = 1/0/1/0 = ESP
2 = 0/2/0/0 = ITA
2 = 0/0/1/1 = TUN
1 - AO: EST,GRE
1 - RG: CAN,SUI
1 - WI: CRO,GBR,KAZ,LAT
1 - US: -
[2022 slam Rd. of 16's - by region]
25 (5/5/10/5) - Western Europe/Scandinavia
15 (4/6/1/4) - North America/Atlantic
15 (5/4/2/4) - Eastern Europe/Russia
6 (1/1/2/2) - Asia/Oceania
3 (1/0/1/1) - Africa/Middle East/Mediterranean
0 (0/0/0/0) - South America





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TOP QUALIFIER: Sara Bejlek/CZE (16; youngest in MD)
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): Serena Williams/USA (PR/#413; def. #2 Kontaveit; into 3rd Rd. at age 40) and Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (off back-to-back titles; def. '21 RU Fernandez 2r; 12 con. wins/14 con. sets)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - #28 Clara Burel/FRA def. #7 Misaki Doi/JPN 2-6/6-4/7-6(10) - Doi led 6-2/3-1, Burel up 4-2 in 3rd; Burel saves 4 MP at 5-6 down in 3rd (rain before MP #1) and 5th in TB before winning 12-10
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - (Q) Daria Snigur/UKR def. #7 Simona Halep/ROU 6-2/0-6/6-4 (#124-ranked qualifier gets upset in slam debut)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Anna Kalinskaya/RUS (def. Peterson/SWE)
FIRST SEED OUT: #7 Simona Halep/ROU (1st Rd./lost to qualifier Snigur/UKR in slam MD debut; 3rd 1r U.S. exit in last five app.)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Cristina Bucsa/ESP, Linda Fruhvirtova/CZE, Elli Mandlik/USA, Daria Snigur/UKR, Yuan Yue/CHN
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Evgeniya Rodina/RUS (2r), Serena Williams/USA (3r)
UPSET QUEENS: China
REVELATION LADIES: Ukraine
NATION OF POOR SOULS: GER veterans (Maria/Petkovic/Siegemund 0-3, pregnant Kerber DNP; Petkovic to retire)
CRASH & BURN: #7 Simona Halep/ROU (1r- lost to #124-ranked qualifier Snigur/UKR in slam MD debut)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Nominees: Sabalenka (2r- trailed Kanepi 6-2/5-1, Kanepi twice for match and 2 MP in 2nd set TB); Ka.Pliskova (1r- trailed Linette 4-1 3rd; 7-2 MTB lead to 7-8 down, wins 10-8); Kvitova (3r- saved 2 MP vs. Muguruza, won 12-10 MTB on MP #4)
IT ("??"): x
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Clara Burel/FRA and Yuan Yue/CHN (both 3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elli Mandlik/USA (2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in 4r: Collins, Gauff, Pegula, Riske-A.
COMEBACK: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Nominees: Davis, Mandlik, "Danielle After Dark"
BROADWAY-BOUND: Nominee: Cornet (63rd con. slam; def. DC Raducanu 1r)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Serena Williams: The End
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x







All for Day 6. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 1:30 AM 

3 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

One slight nit pick, Kvitova's 2020 RG run was after USO.

Zheng lost, but picture what she will be at this time next year. Her mission, should she choose to accept it, is to reach a final. Her best is a SF at Melbourne 1, in which she defeated Niemeier.

Samsonova/Tomljanovic might turn out to be a night match, which they deserve.

With Wertheim putting out that the finals might be in Fort Worth, it should be noted that TCU's most famous tennis alum might be Canadian Rene Simpson, who competed back in the 90's. Reaching a career high of 32 in doubles, and 70 in singles, she became Canada's Fed Cup captain for a decade.

Irina Falconi telling the story of her getting a scholarship at Georgia Tech only because Rebecca Marino decommitted is the stuff I am here for.

Good catch on Swiatek/Poland. Radwanska fell in the 4th rd 5 times. Jadwiga Jedrzejowska did reach the final in 1937, losing to Anita Lizana from Chile, which I will use religiously if Guarachi reaches a slam final.

52 winners? In 2 sets?

Stat of the Day- 12- Number of the final 16 with a title on hard.

Titles on Hard:

20- Azarenka
19- Kvitova
10- Pliskova
9 - Sabalenka
4 - Garcia
4 - Swiatek
3 - Zhang
2 - Samsonova
2 - Riske-Amritraj
1 - Gauff
1 - Collins
1 - Pegula

Last Title on Hard:

Pegula- 2019 Washington
Gauff- 2019 Linz
Pliskova- 2020 Brisbane
Azarenka- 2020 Cincinnati
Sabalenka- 2021 Abu Dhabi
Collins- 2021 Silicon Valley
Kvitova- 2021 Qatar
Riske-Amritraj- 2021 Linz
Zhang- 2022 Lyon
Swiatek- 2022 Miami
Garcia- 2022 Cincinnati
Samsonova- 2022 Cleveland

Tomljanovic- 2019 Hua Hin RU/2011 ITF Clearwater- W
Jabeur- 2021 Chicago RU/2013 ITF Saguenay- W
Kudermetova- 2022 Dubai RU/2019 125K Guadalajara- W
Niemeier- 2022 USO R16/2020 ITF Cherbourg-en-Cotentin- SF

Niemeier is the only player never to have reached Top 40.

She would be German #1 if she wins her next match.

Niemeier would be the biggest upset on paper. This is her 5th MD on hard, and the first in which she won a match.

Tomljanovic would reach a career high if she wins her next match.

Tomljanovic reached the 4th rd once in her first 26 slams. Has now done so in 3 of the last 6 slams.

Tomljanovic leads the tournament in DF with 23. Sabalenka is 8th with 17.

Pliskova has 27 aces, highest of those left in event. Williams had 31, Zheng a whopping 38.

Garcia might be on pace. She reached her only career slam QF in her 21st slam. This is her 42nd.

Kvitova had 56 wins in 2011.

Samsonova has 54 for her career.

Riske-Amritraj has reached 13 finals, only 1 over 250 level.

Jabeur has only reached 2 of 9 career finals on hard.

Sabalenka has reached 11 finals on hard. 9 were 2 set finals, while both 3 setters were against Riske.

Since Kvitova's last Wimbledon win, she has been QF or better at every slam except Wimbledon.

Since Azarenka's pregnancy break, the 2 time Australian Open winner has only won 3 matches there. She has won 13 in New York.



Sun Sep 04, 07:48:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Arrgh! I think that's the first time I've gotten clipped by that. It was a quite easy fix, though. ;)

Wow, Fort Worth. That's a really odd choice. But I guess you take what you can get at the last minute. You wonder if they might have considered using the U.S. Open site, only with the roof(s) closed full time.

In one of the men's matches last night, Gilbert was wowed by one of the players having 50 winners. But they were near the end of the *3rd* set. Somewhere Collins (and maybe the ghost of Latvian Thunder past) chuckled to herself.

I think I've got an early Blowout pick for '23: Niemeier vs. Zheng in a slam QF.

Also: all the Final 16 have reached a slam 4r before. I'm not sure how rare it is to have *zero* first-timers, but it feels like there are usually a few.

I (quickly) checked my notes, and while I don't think it happened from 2016-19 (at least), it *has* happened a few times lately:

2020 Australian Open
2022 Australian Open
2022 U.S. Open

Sun Sep 04, 02:13:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Diane said...

Fort Worth is tempting, in terms of seeking media credentials and going. Unfortunately, I'm not inclined to stay with my Dallas contact, so I'd have the added expense of a hotel.

Sun Sep 04, 09:13:00 PM EDT  

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