Saturday, July 15, 2023

The Dream Crusher Dreams in Green


Never get involved in a land war in Asia, never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line and never, never ever, expect Marketa Vondrousova to "step aside" so that *your* story can have a happy ending.



Sure, Ons Jabeur came into today looking to complete a personal mission. In her second straight Wimbledon final, and third in the last five slams, the 28-year old Tunisian's "revenge/redemption tour" at the AELTC had already claimed the SW19 lives of four straight previous slam champions -- named Andreescu, Kvitova, Rybakina and Sabalenka, three of whom had won the opening set against her -- over the past two weeks. Preaching happiness and inspiration, Jabeur carries not only her own career goals with her during the four biggest events on the tennis calendar, but those of every person, Arab girl or boy in an African nation who might look to her to show them a path to somewhere that may currently be blocked by any numbers of factors and/or attitudes.

Add to that a game style that is often a combination of a jazz concert and "are you not entertained?" athletic drama, capable of bringing both spectators and opponents to their feet to applaud the effort and oft-outrageous creativity that so naturally flows from Jabeur's racket, and you have quite the crowd-pleasing combination.

Jabeur has so dreamed of winning Wimbledon that she's openly taunted the Tennis Gods by expressing such desires time and time again. A year ago, she "predicted" she'd win the title at the start of the year, and went so far as to use a photo of the championship Venus Rosewater dish as the screensaver for her phone. She lost in the final in 2022, but returned this time around with her appetite renewed, her yearning virtually oozing from her pores as she willed her way right back to the same place this weekend.

A feel-good slam title-winning turn from Jabeur would act as a potential thunderclap -- think Li Na winning her maiden major title, or the rise of the Williams sisters -- that might spark multitudes of dreams for aspiring young and old alike, be it in the arena of tennis, sport or otherwise, signaling to many that nothing was out of reach as long as a guiding example and the desire to replicate a version of it were alive and thriving in the universe into which Jabeur desperately tries to inject lightness, humor and self-respect.

But, today, Vondrousova came equipped with her own, albeit less talked about, story of redemption.

This spring the now 24-year old, using her pre-wrist injury protected ranking, reached the Round of 16 in Indian Wells, Miami and Rome. By the time she'd arrived for SW19 such a thing was unnecessary as Vondrousova was up to #42, but was just 1-4 in her Wimbledon career and had only just won her first back-to-back grass court matches ever two weeks earlier in Berlin.

Defying the odds (not those eyerolling "familiarity-based" things posted by bookies and WTA tour-sponsoring betting sites, but real-world history that said that an unseeded woman had never reached the Wimbledon final in the Open era), the Czech had surprised even herself by adding hers to the virtual pantheon of Czech names who've reached the latter stages of play at the AELTC over the decades. She knocked off four straight seeds -- #12 V.Kudermetova, #20 Vekic, #32 Bouzkova and #3 Pegula -- to reach the semifinals, overcoming a 4-1 (w/ BP for 5-1) 3rd set deficit in the QF vs. the U.S. #1.

If her crushing of the Bannerette's hopes of a first slam SF (in her 6th QF berth) hadn't already done it, Vondrousova fully resurrected her "destroyer of dreams" persona in the semis vs. Ukrainian wild card Elina Svitolina, whose sentimental run was closely linked to the plight of her war-torn nation, still involved in a bloody slog with the forces of Russian leader Vladimir Putin's military (and hired hands). Vondrousova dispatched Svitolina in straight sets.

The Czech's wins over Pegula and Svitolina recalled her "ruthless" Olympic Silver medal run in Tokyo two summers ago, when any opponent with something resembling a possible sentimental story attached to her name saw her dreams punctured by a needle-wielding Vondrousova meeting up with a plump and shiny red balloon, including Kiki Bertens (playing in the final event of her career), home crowd favorite Naomi Osaka and, again, Svitolina (even then fighting for UKR's first tennis medal, which she got in Bronze form).

While this was Jabeur's third shot in a slam final, it was also Vondrousova's third attempt at "reaching the big time." A Roland Garros finalist at age 19 four years ago, the Czech suffered a wrist injury that required surgery shortly thereafter. She recovered to post another career run in the Olympics, only to be forced to undergo a second wrist surgery that cost her six months of the '22 season. During her time off, Vondrousova visited Wimbledon as a tourist with her wrist in a cast, and had her wedding day on July 16, the weekend after the end of last year's tournament (and Jabeur's final match loss).

As Jabeur and Vondrousova convened (the perhaps-overeager Tunisian quite a bit earlier in the Club's waiting area just off Centre Court), we were assured of the tenth maiden slam champion to be crowned at the AELTC in the Open era.

Most were expecting Jabeur to complete her mission, creating a shining-light moment on the lawn, or at least fighting tooth and nail to do it even if she came up short.

But Vondrousova was having none of it, and Jabeur surprisingly obliged.

It wouldn't take long to recognize that the Tunisian was just "not feeling it" on this day. Perhaps worn out by her run, or paralyzed by uncertainly with her dream so close to reality, Jabeur played as if she were a jazz singer without spontaneity and vitality, wandering sleepily in a creative haze for most of the day, hitting a few high notes, only to be soon be muted once more. Vondrousova, on the other hand, held to form as a player not defined and guided simply by mood and seemingly extemporaneous flair. The Czech played a smart, concise game and served well, committing few errors while covering Jabeur's various tone-changing attempts (drops, slices, etc.), thwarting their impact and turning them into offensive opportunties of her own.

While Vondrousova's expectations of the day would soon be exponentially exceeded, Jabeur's would crash like never before.



Having served well all tournament, Jabeur seemed fine to start, holding to open the match. Gaining a 15/40 advantage on the Czech's serve in game 2, she saw Vondrousova's backhand error hand her a 2-0 edge. By game 3, though, the cracks began to show. Hitting on just 3 of 12 first serves, Jabeur went from 40/15 and holding three GP to facing a pair of BP. On another point in which she failed to get in a first serve, Jabeur's inside out forehand failed her and the set was back on serve.

Winning a 20-shot rally early in game 4, Jabeur appeared back on track, but she'd miss out on four BP chances. A missed drop shot, a backhand passing attempt (off a low Vondrousova slice ball) down the line, and a pair of wide returns allowed the Czech to fight on. Another missed drop shot, this time on Vondrousova's GP, kept the set even at 2-2.

Neither woman could fully separate from the other over the next few games, with one love break (by Jabeur, up 4-2) followed by another (by Vondrousova), the latter attained when the Czech covered a drop shot and sent a passing shot into the corner to make the score 4-3.

It was then that the "sleepy" proceeding turned dangerous for the Tunisian. Vondrousova held at 15, then Jabeur's backhand error put her down 15/30 in game 9. She then missed a smash that give Vondrousova double BP. A Jabeur backhand put the Czech up 5-4 and she served for the opening set. She didn't blink, taking a 40/love lead, then using a big wide serve to produce another Jabeur error. Taking her fourth straight game, Vondrousova claimed a 6-4 1st.



Behind on the scoreboard, Jabeur could take solace in the fact that she'd often had to rally to reach this final, including falling behind 3-1 in the 3rd vs. Bianca Andreescu (3rd Rd.) and 4-3 (w/ BP) against Aryna Sabalenka (SF) in the final set. Her 13 slam wins from a set back are the most on tour since 2018.

But it was Vondrousova who gained the early advantage in the 2nd as Jabeur faltered, missing a forehand down the line in front of the umpire's chair to fall behind 30/40 then, for good measure, netting a forehand over the net's high point on the other side of the court on the next point. The Czech got the break to lead 1-0.

Vondrousova took a 40/love lead on serve in game, but two points later saw Jabeur pull off a beautiful backhand passing shot to close to 40/30. Finally, with her best shot of the day, Ons looked like herself. But would one shot be enough, in a Serena-esque sort of way, to turn the tide? A forehand winner off Jabeur's racket, then a Vondrousova DF, gave the Tunisian a BP. Hmmm. The Czech saved it with a wide lefty serve, but on her second BP Jabeur's high backhand volley proved unreturnable and she got the break back.

Jabeur held at love, then took a break lead when a Vondrousova game 4 forehand went long, putting her up 3-1.

But as she had vs. Svitolina in the semis -- when the Ukrainian had rallied from 4-0, 40/love to get the set back on serve at 4-3 and seemed poised to force a 3rd set -- Vondrousova's 2nd set fate was not yet sealed. The Czech quickly took a love/30 lead on Jabeur's serve in game 5, and on BP sent a forehand into the corner that produced a long reply from the Tunisian, taking back the break before its implications had had any real chance to alter the course of the match.

Both women followed with holds, Vondrousova from 30/30 and Jabeur from 15/30. The Czech tied the score at 4-all with a no-fuss hold at 15.

In the 1st set, game 9 had been the stage where Jabeur's fortunes, even for her, had irreversibly turned. It would happen again. She fell behind 15/30, then 30/40 via a wild forehand error. Jabeur netted a forehand, dropping serve and once more giving Vondrousova the chance to serve for the set (and this time the title) at 5-4.

Again, the Czech was up to the task. A running forehand from Jabeur went long to give Vondrousova triple MP at 40/love. She DF'd on the first, but a moment later displayed again what had been her consistently fine movement on what was *her* day one final time, getting to a short Jabeur return, then traveling back across the net for what turned out to be the title-winning volley.

As if playing out the final stages of an ancient myth, the "assassin of sentimental stories," "annihilator of honorable hopes" and "Czech crusher of seemingly-destined dreams" was the new champion of Wimbledon, winning 6-4/6-4 as Vondrousova claimed her maiden slam crown by taking five of the final six games.



Jabeur's loss makes her 0-3 in slam finals. She's the ninth woman to start her career in such a deep hole. Half of the first eight went on to eventually win a major title, but half *never* did. After sitting forlornly as the post-match preparation took place, the Tunisan was tearful during the trophy ceremony. She called the defeat the "most painful loss of (her) career," but vowed to her team to try again, and come back stronger. "We're gonna make it one day," she said, "I promise you."

Thankfully for Jabeur, missions don't always come with deadlines. In fact, often-times the wait just makes the ultimate arrival at the destination that much *more* special.



Vondrousova joins Jana Novotna (see above) and Petra Kvitova as the three Czech women representing their nation to lift the Venus Rosewater dish (while the OG Czech-born SW19 queen, Martina Navratilova, watched from the Royal Box), having produced a unique unseeded run that will make for interesting future wedding anniversaries (her 1st anniversary with her husband -- July 16 -- is now just one day off the anniversary of her maiden slam win) as well as set up an are-you-a-man-of-your-word? discussion with coach Jan Hernych (a Czech former player two won three Wimbledon MD matches in his career, which gave him "scoreboard" on his charge until this fortnight), who now finds himself on the "losing" side of a bet that said he'd join Marketa in getting a commemorative tattoo if she won the title.



Will Vondrousova's third crack at building upon a great run finally have legs? We'll see, but even if it doesn't she has (at least right now, after getting to #14 in '19) a new Top 10 ranking and (for, well, forever) a Wimbledon title to prove that she was here.

No longer needing to put an end to stories of others to make her way, now it's time for Vondrousova to go about fully writing her own.








=DAY 13 NOTES=
...while the women's singles final didn't go the way most were expecting, the women's wheelchair final played out just like pretty much everyone -- all right, which one of you jokers *didn't* think it'd go that way? -- thought it would.

Once again, Diede de Groot was taking no prisoners. Today's victim: 2016 champ Jiske Griffioen.



6-2/6-1 loss today aside, just reaching the final was something of a "reward" for the efforts of Griffioen, who retired in 2017 claiming to no longer have the "fire" to compete. Two years later, she returned, persevered through the spottily-scheduled 2020 season, worked her way back up through the rankings in '21 and last year finally had the standing to qualify for slam draws. This was the first major final of her comeback, and tomorrow she'll play the second (w/ de Groot) for the doubles title.

The win gives de Groot her fifth career Wimbledon crown, 11th straight slam title (w/ a 36-0 run), 19th career singles slam win and extends her two-plus year match winning streak to 111. She's won 216 of her last 223 sets. After winning 36 straight matches in '21 (41-1 on the year), and going 38-0 last year, de Groot is already 37-0 this season, and it's only mid-July.



De Groot's 19th slam singles win brings her within just two title runs of matching Esther Vergeer's all-time women's record of 21, just a week ahead of the Dutch great (and de Groot mentor) being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

...the girls' junior semis was sort of a combination of the results of the women's and WC finals.

Form held in one half as #2 Clervie Ngounoue advanced to her first slam singles final with a love & 3 win over #5-seeded Renata Jamrichova. The Slovak had won the Roehampton title coming into SW19. Ngounoue (whose name is so rhythmically enjoyable to type, once you memorize it -- go ahead, try it: N-g...o-u-n-o-u-e) will next try to become the 15th different Bannerette to win the Wimbledon junior title (and second straight after Liv Hovde in '22).



Meanwhile, form did *not* hold in the other semi, and it was because of one of the Crush of Czechs...



Nikola Bartunkova's 6-4/7-6(2) upset of #1 Alina Korneeva ends the Hordette's attempt at a Grand Slam season, but after the best start in junior slam season history the AO/RG champ *will* have a chance (should she play at Flushing Meadows and not decide to skip the juniors, ala Mirra Andreeva) to become the first three-time winner in a single year since 1990 (Magdalena Maleeva, who pulled the same AO-RG-US combination that Korneeva would be seeking). The only other three-time winner was Natasha Zvereva in 1987 (RG-WI-US).

Bartunkova would be the sixth Czech to win the junior title at SW19.

...it wasn't a good day for Jamrichova, as she followed up her singles loss with another in the doubles semis (w/ Federica Urgesi, the #2 seeds who won the AO GD in January) to Czechs Alena Kovackova and Laura Samsonova. The Crushers will face Brits Hannah Klugman & Isabelle Lacy, who defeated Bannerettes Tatum Evans & Alanis Hamilton.

The last Czech duo to win the SW19 girls title was, not surprisingly, Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova in 2013. No British duo has ever taken (kept?) home the title, with no other pair having reached the final. Elizabeth Jelfs (1994) is the only home nation junior to grab a part of any crown.



...in Bastad, Olga Danilovic defeated Emma Navarro 7-6(4)/3-6/6-3 to claim her biggest title since winning the tour-level Moscow River Cup as a lucky loser in 2018.



Irina Khromacheva and Panna Udvardy claimed the doubles crown.

In Contrexeville, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Arantxa Rus will face off for the title. Tereza Martincova retired down 6-2/1-0 in her SF vs. Pavlyuchenkova, who'll climb back into the Top 100 and avoid having to qualify for the U.S. Open MD, while Rus defeated #301-ranked wild card Fiona Ferro (the Pastry will rise nearly 50 spots to #257).







*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
Marketa Vondrousova/CZE vs. #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN 6-4/6-4

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#3 Hunter/Mertens (AUS/BEL) vs. (PR) Hsieh/Strycova (TPE/CZE)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
#7 L.Kichenok/Pavic (UKR/CRO) def. Xu Y./Vliegen (CHN/BEL) 6-4/6-7(9)/6-3

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S FINAL*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. Jiske Griffioen/NED 6-2/6-1

*WHEELCHAIR WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) vs. #2 de Groot/Griffioen (NED/NED)

*GIRLS' SINGLES FINAL*
Nikola Bartunkova/CZE vs. #2 Clervie Ngounoue/USA

*GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL*
Klugman/Lacy (GBR/GBR) vs. Kovackova/L.Samsonova (CZE/CZE)







...THIS... ON DAY 13:



Hmmm, what was it the other day that John Millman was saying about the media's ridiculous reaction to "unknown" Top 20 or 30-ranked men's players?


...SO, I GUESS IN ORDER TO WIN WIMBLEDON THESE DAYS... ON DAY 13:

...the first thing you have to do is find yourself a good sister.



Of course, I guess Venus and Serena proved that a long, long time ago.


...FUNNY THING... ON DAY 13:

Noting Jabeur's now 0-3 record in slam finals, ESPN commentator Chris Fowler said that many have down the same and done on to win a major title, mentioning Simona Halep as someone she could look to for inspiration. Another that he *didn't* mention was, umm, Chris Evert, who was sitting right next to him in the booth. Chrissie didn't remind him.

Another 0-3 starter was Mary Joe Fernandez, who Fowler went to for a post-ceremony interview on the network with Vondrousova.

After losing her first three slam finals in 1973-74, Evert went on to win *18* slams. And Hall of Fame Kim Clijsters actually lost her first *four.* MJK never won a slam.


...(DRUMROLL)... ON DAY 13:




...NOT QUITE NOVOTNA & THE DUCHESS OF KENT, but it'll do... ON DAY 13:




...OF COURSE, THROUGH IT ALL, THIS IS HOW TRULY SPECIAL GRAND SLAM MOMENTS *DOWN THE ROAD* ARE ULTIMATELY CREATED... ON DAY 13:




...THE OFFICIAL LAYING ON OF HANDS... ON DAY 13:




...VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF THE SLOWWWLY-TURNING WHEEL OF TIME AT WIMBLEDON... ON DAY 13:

So only *last* year did they start...




...AND THEY FIXED RYBAKINA'S ALIGNMENT, TOO... ON DAY 13:




















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*RECENT WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS*
2010 Serena Williams, USA
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZA
2012 Serena Williams, USA
2013 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2014 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2015 Serena Williams, USA
2016 Serena Williams, USA
2017 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
2019 Simona Halep, ROU
2021 Ash Barty, AUS
2022 Elena Rybakina, KAZ
2023 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE

**RECENT WOMEN'S SLAM WINNERS**
2019 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 RG: Ash Barty, AUS*
2019 WI: Simona Halep, ROU
2019 US: Bianca Andreescu, CAN*
2020 AO: Sofia Kenin, USA*
2020 US: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2020 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL*
2021 AO: Naomi Osaka, JPN
2021 RG: Barbora Krejcikova, CZE*
2021 WI: Ash Barty, AUS
2021 US: Emma Raducanu, GBR*
2022 AO: Ash Barty, AUS
2022 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2022 WI: Elena Rybakina, KAZ*
2022 US: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 AO: Aryna Sabalenka, BLR*
2023 RG: Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 WI: Marketa Vondrousova, CZE*
--
* - first-time slam champ

**AGE OF 2020s SLAM WINNERS**
18 = Emma Raducanu, GBR (2021 US)
19 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2020 RG)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 RG)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 US)
21 = Sofia Kenin, USA (2020 AO)
22 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2023 RG)
22 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2020 US)
23 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2021 AO)
23 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2022 WI)
24 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2023 AO)
24 = Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (2023 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2021 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2022 AO)
25 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2021 RG)

**FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMP IN 2020s**
2020 AO - Sofia Kenin, USA (12th MD)
2020 RG - Iga Swiatek, POL (7th)
2021 RG - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (5th)
2021 US - Emma Raducanu, GBR (2nd)
2022 WI - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (12th)
2023 AO - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (20th)
2023 WI - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (21st)

*FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS AT WIMBLEDON - Open era*
1968 Billie Jean King, USA
1978 Martina Navratilova, USA
1994 Conchita Martinez, ESP
1998 Jana Novotna, CZE
2000 Venus Williams, USA
2004 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2011 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2013 Marion Bartoli, FRA
2022 Elena Rybakina, KAZ
2023 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE

*CAREER SLAM FINALS - ACTIVE*
16...Venus Williams (7-9)
5...Simona Halep (2-3)
5...Victoria Azarenka (2-3)
4...Naomi Osaka (4-0)
4...Iga Swiatek (4-0)
4...Angelique Kerber (3-1)
4...Garbine Muguruza (2-2)
4...Svetlana Kuznetsova (2-2)
3...Petra Kvitova (2-1)
3...Caroline Wozniacki (1-2)
3...ONS JABEUR (0-3)
2...Sofia Kenin (1-1)
2...Sloane Stephens (1-1)
2...Elena Rybakina (1-1)
2...MARKETA VONDROUSOVA (1-1)
2...Karolina Pliskova (0-2)
2...Vera Zvonareva (0-2)

**WORST STARTS TO SLAM FINAL CAREER**
0-4 - Kim Clijsters *@
0-4 - Helena Sukova @
0-3 - Chris Evert *@
0-3 - Mary Joe Fernandez
0-3 - Simona Halep *
0-3 - ONS JABEUR
0-3 - Jana Novotna *@
0-3 - Dinara Safina
0-3 - Wendy Turnbull
--
*-eventually won slam; @-in HOF

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020's*
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-0)
3 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (0-3)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
2 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-0)
2 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (1-1)
1 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (1-0)
1 - MARKETA VONDROUSOVA, CZE (1-0)
1 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (0-1)
1 - Jennifer Brady, USA (0-1)
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (0-1)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (0-1)
1 - Coco Gauff, USA (0-1)
1 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (0-1)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (0-1)

*RECENT SLAM "RECOVERIES" FOR TITLE*
2017 RG: Ostapenko down 6-4/3-0, 3 BP for 4-0, vs. Halep in F
2017 US: Stephens down 3-1 in 3rd vs. Sevastova in QF
2019 AO: Wozniacki 2 MP at 5-1,40/15 in 3rd vs. Fett in 2r
2018 RG: Halep down set and a break vs. Stephens in F
2019 AO: Osaka down 7-5/4-1 vs. Hsieh in 3rd Rd.
2019 RG: Barty down 7-6/3-0 vs. Anisimova in SF
2020 US: Osaka down 6-1/2-0, GP for 3-0 vs. Azarenka in F
2021 AO: Osaka down 5-3 in 3rd, 2 MP vs. Muguruza in 4th Rd.
2021 RG: Krejcikova down MP in 3rd vs. Sakkari in SF
2022 US: Swiatek down 4-2 in 3rd vs. Sabalenka in SF
2023 WI: Vondrousova down BP for 5-1 3rd vs. Pegula in QF

*RECENT WTA TOP 10 SINGLES DEBUTS*
=2019 [3]=
Sabalenka/BLR, Barty/AUS, Andreescu/CAN
=2020 [1]=
Kenin/USA
=2021 [6]=
Swiatek/POL, Krejcikova/CZE, Sakkari/GRE, Jabeur/TUN, Kontaveit/EST, Badosa/ESP
=2022 [5]=
Collins/USA, Gauff/USA, Pegula/USA, Raducanu/GBR, V.Kudermetova/RUS
=2023 [3]
Rybakina/KAZ, Haddad Maia/BRA, Vondrousova/CZE

*TCH/CZE IN WTA TOP 10, by debut year*
1975 Martina Navratilova
1980 Hana Mandlikova
1984 Helena Sukova
1989 Jana Novotna
2006 Nicole Vaidisova
2011 Petra Kvitova
2015 Lucie Safarova
2015 Karolina Pliskova
2021 Barbora Krejcikova
2023 Marketa Vondrouosva
[CZECH HIGH TOP 10 RANKINGS]
#1 - Navratilova
#1 - Ka.Pliskova
#2 - Novotna
#2 - Kvitova
#3 - Mandlikova
#3 - Krejcikova
#4 - Sukova
#5 - Safarova
#7 - Vaidisova
#10 - Vondrousova

*MOST WTA FINALS in 2023*
5 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (3-2)
5 - Iga Swiatek, POL (3-2)
4 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-2)
3 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (2-1)
2 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Lucia Bronzetti, ITA (1-1)
2 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (1-1)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (1-1)
2 - Donna Vekic, CRO (1-1)
2 - Caroline Garcia, FRA (0-2)
2 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (0-2)

*WIMBLEDON GIRLS TITLES*
[TCH/CZE]
1948 Olga Miskova
1985 Andrea Holikova
1989 Andrea Strnadova
1990 Andrea Strnadova
2010 Kristyna Pliskova
[USA]
1957 Miriam Arnold
1958 Sally Moore
1960 Karen Hantze
1964 Peaches Bartkowicz
1968 Kristy Pigeon
1970 Sharon Walsh
1973 Ann Kiyomura
1977 Lea Antonopolis
1978 Tracy Austin
1979 Mary-Lou Piatek
1981 Zina Garrison
1992 Chanda Rubin
2017 Claire Liu
2022 Liv Hovde

*DIEDE DE GROOT vs. DURING STREAK*
[111-0, + 1 w/o W]
22 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (+1 w/o)
15 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA
11 - Aniek Van Koot, NED
9 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN
6 - Angelica Bernal, COL
6 - Dana Mathewson, USA
5 - Jiske Griffioen, NED
4 - Lucy Shuker, GBR
4 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR
3 - Macarena Cabrillana, CHI
3 - Katharina Kruger, GER
3 - Emmanuelle Morch, FRA
2 - Pauline Deroulede, FRA
2 - Viktoriia Lvova, RUS
2 - Cornelia Oosthuizan, GBR
2 - Saki Takamuro, JPN
2 - Manami Tanaka, JPN
2 - Zhu Zhenzhen, CHN
1 - Shelby Baron, USA
1 - Nalani Buob, SUI
1 - Huang Jinlian, CHN
1 - Busra Un, TUR
1 - Britta Wend, GER
1 - Louie Charlotte Willerslev-Olsen, DEN
1 - Wang Ziying, CHN
1 - Maayan Zikri, ISR

*WIMBLEDON WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2016 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 Diede de Groot, NED
2018 Diede de Groot, NED
2019 Aniek Van Koot, NED
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 Diede de Groot, NED
2023 Diede de Groot, NED

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
25 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8-17)
22 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (19-3) *
14 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3-11)
7 - JISKE GRIFFIOEN, NED (4-3) *
1 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (0-1)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM SINGLES TITLES*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-0-6]
19 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [5-4-5-5]*
8 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [2-4-0-2]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*
3 - Aniek van Koot, NED [1-0-1-1]*
3 - Monique Kalkman, NED [0-0-0-3]

*2023 WTA CHAMPIONS BY RANKING*
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Doha)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Stuttgart)
#1 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
#2 - Aryna Sabalenka (Madrid)
#5 - Aryna Sabalenka (Adelaide 1)
#5 - Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open)
#5 - Ons Jabeur (Charleston)
#6 - Elena Rybakina (Rome)
#7 - Coco Gauff (Auckland)
#8 - Belinda Bencic (Abu Dhabi)
#9 - Petra Kvitova (Berlin)
#10 - Elena Rybakina (Indian Wells)
#12 - Petra Kvitova (Miami)
#13 - Belinda Bencic (Adelaide 2)
#17 - Alona Ostapenko (Birmingham)
#25 - Madison Keys (Eastbourne)
#26 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rosmalen)
#30 - Barbora Krejcikova (Dubai)
#31 - Donna Vekic (Monterrey)
#42 - MARKETA VONDROUSOVA (WIMBLEDON)
#44 - Anastasia Potapova (Linz)
#52 - Marta Kostyuk (Austin)
#52 - Katerina Siniakova (Bad Homburg)
#54 - Zhu Lin (Hua Hin)
#66 - Tatjana Maria (Bogota)
#68 - Camila Giorgi (Merida)
#79 - Alycia Parks (Lyon)
#84 - Lauren Davis (Hobart)
#102 - Lucia Bronzetti (Rabat)
#126 - Katie Boulter (Nottingham)
#508 - Elina Svitolina (Strasbourg)

*2023 WTA CHAMPIONS BY AGE*
35 - Tatjana Maria (Bogota)
33 - Petra Kvitova (Berlin)
33 - Petra Kvitova (Miami)
31 - Camila Giorgi (Merida)
29 - Lauren Davis (Hobart)
29 - Zhu Lin (Hua Hin)
28 - Ons Jabeur (Charleston)
28 - Elina Svitolina (Strasbourg)
28 - Ekaterina Alexandrova (Rosmalen)
28 - Madison Keys (Eastbourne)
27 - Barbora Krejcikova (Dubai)
27 - Katerina Siniakova (Bad Homburg)
26 - Donna Vekic (Monterrey)
26 - Katie Boulter (Nottingham)
26 - Alona Ostapenko (Birmingham)
25 - Belinda Bencic (Abu Dhabi)
25 - Belinda Bencic (Adelaide 2)
25 - Aryna Sabalenka (Madrid)
24 - Aryna Sabalenka (Australian Open)
24 - Aryna Sabalenka (Adelaide 1)
24 - Lucia Bronzetti (Rabat)
24 - MARKETA VONDROUSOVA (WIMBLEDON)
23 - Elena Rybakina (Rome)
23 - Elena Rybakina (Indian Wells)
22 - Alycia Parks (Lyon)
22 - Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
21 - Anastasia Potapova (Linz)
21 - Iga Swiatek (Stuttgart)
21 - Iga Swiatek (Doha)
20 - Marta Kostyuk (Austin)
18 - Coco Gauff (Auckland)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "IT" WINNERS*
2016 [First WC Champ] Jiske Griffioen, NED
2017 [Next WC Great?] Diede de Groot, NED
2018 [GenPDQ Pole] Iga Swiatek, POL
2019 [Kid] Coco Gauff, USA
2021 [Teen Brit] Emma Raducanu, GBR
2022 [Groundbreakers] Ons Jabeur/TUN and Elena Rybakina/KAZ
2023 [Teen Phenom] Mirra Andreeva, RUS

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2015 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2016 Elena Vesnina, RUS
2017 Magdalena Rybarikova, SVK
2018 Julia Goerges, GER
2019 Simona Halep, ROU and Alison Riske, USA
2021 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR and Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (WC)
2022 Harmony Tan, FRA
2023 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE



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TOP QUALIFIER: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/ESP
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #25 Madison Keys/USA
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q3 - #18 Lucrezia Stefanini def. (PR) Hsieh Su-wei 6-2/6-7(3)/7-6(11-9)
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #20 Donna Vekic/CRO def. Sloane Stephens/USA 4-6/7-5/6-4 - trailed 6-4/3-0 and 2 BP, Stephens served at 5-3
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - Lesia Tsurenko/UKR def. Ana Bogdan/ROU 4-6/6-4/7-6(20-18) - 3:40, slam-record 38-pt. TB; Tsurenko on 8th MP after saved 5 in TB
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: (PR) Barbora Strycova/CZE (def. Zanevska/BEL; first Wimb. match since 2019 SF)
FIRST SEED OUT: #15 Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (1st Rd.-Bogdan/ROU)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Bai Zhuoxuan/CHN, Jodie Burrage/GBR, Tamara Korpatsch/GER, Natalija Stevanovic/SRB
UPSET QUEENS: Romania
REVELATION LADIES: The Return of the Hordettes
NATION OF POOR SOULS: ITA (1-6 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Mirra Andreeva/RUS (4th Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elina Svitolina/UKR (SF)
PROTECTED RANKING: Jaqueline Cristian/ROU, Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP, Barbora Strycova/CZE (all 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER WINS: Tamara Korpatsch/GER (2nd Rd.)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Boulter (3rd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
IT "Teen Phenom": Mirra Andreeva/RUS
COMEBACK PLAYER: Elina Svitolina/UKR
CRASH & BURN: Tatjana Maria/GER ('22 semifinalist, loses 1st Rd.)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Lesia Tsurenko/UKR (3rd Rd.: in 3:40, wins slam record 38-pt. TB over Bogdan on 7th MP; saved 5 MP in TB; Bogdan served for match at 5-3 3rd)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominee: L.Kichenok, Hunter/Mertens, Hsieh/Strycova
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Hsieh/Strycova, (Invitational)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Ngounoue, Bartunkova
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Karolina Muchova/CZE






All for Day 13. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:47 PM 

7 Comments:

Blogger Diane said...

It's all very tasty, but "assassin of sentimental stories" is alliterative gold.

And she really is, isn't she?

Sat Jul 15, 09:02:00 PM EDT  
Blogger khan35 said...

"Villain Vondy" is the best tennis version of Vonsrousova.Ha ha ha ha. She somewhat deserves this divine blessings after those surgeries on her wrist.

Jabeur can't handle her nerves properly in majors finals. Playing a counter puncher, after previously playing 3 hard hitters consecutively, didn't help either. Where does she go from here as far as winning major is concerned?

Anybody would be lying if they said that they predicted this outcome prior to the fortnight. I personally like this unpredictability about women's tennis. Looking forward to the US summer hardcourt swing.

Sun Jul 16, 04:44:00 AM EDT  
Blogger colt13 said...

Vondrousova earned the win with her defense.

Jabeur's second serve was up to 30 mph slower than her first.

Terrible games at 5-4 in the first and 4-4 in the second cost Jabeur the match.

Muchova and Vondrousova reaching grand slam finals makes me wonder who the often injured player to reach the US Open final will be.

Vondrousova's sister making meme faces like Rybakina's.

Stat of the Day- 16- The number of players in the field at Biel in 2017 that are already retired or missed a year.

Biel 2017 is where Marketa Vondrousova picked up her only career title before yesterday. Unseeded, as she came through qualifying, she defeated now retired Anett Kontaveit in the final.

Six years is a long time. Vondrousova's draw reads like a history list, as she defeated Lina Gjorcheska in the first round. Gjorcheska is still playing, but got her only MD win 2 months later.

Next round was Annika Beck, who retired 5 years ago, followed by Kr. Pliskova, who is on a baby break. Then came #1 seed Strycova, who also had a baby break, then add Kontaveit.

The names are staggering. Rodina and Cepelova also had baby breaks, Suarez Navarro, Boserup, Parmentier, Vinci, Goerges, Broady, and Witthoeft are all retired. Hsieh took a break.

Niculescu became BJK Cup captain.

But there was some youth. Like Vondrousova, Masarova was playing her 2nd WTA MD.

Sun Jul 16, 10:16:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

D-

Alternate Universe titles (because why let them go unused?):

1) "Jabeur's, Truly" (like "Yours, Truly"... get it? I was sorta proud of that one. :D
2) "Onsbelievable!" (cliche, but...)
3) "Ons Jabeur & the Mission of the ________" (Indiana Jones/Harry Potter-like, I would have come up w/ something)
4) "Impossibly Ons"
5) "Don't Worry, Be Ons"


K-

She rebounded well in the U.S. Open last summer, so we'll see.

Speaking of that, is Iga the "favorite" there the year since she won (but had to fight to do it) last year? Far more so, I guess, than she was at Wimbledon, no matter what "oddsmakers" and some media wanted to tell people two weeks ago.


C-

(Whispering to the TG's for NY) "Bianca, please." ;)

Sun Jul 16, 12:29:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Also had "runners-up" for Vondrousova:

"Vondrousovic!"
"Cornering the Marketa"
"Marketa Gains"
"SuperMarketa"

She was a bit tougher.

Sun Jul 16, 12:31:00 PM EDT  
Blogger Diane said...

Yeah, I like "Jabeur's Truly," too! Actually, I think they're all good. All the Marketa ones are great--don't know if I could have thought of them. "Marketa Vondrousova" is such a great name.

Sun Jul 16, 06:47:00 PM EDT  
Blogger khan35 said...

Iga's destiny at the US open depends on the draw. Certain draws (where she lands far far away from Krejcikova, Sabalenka, Rybakina) would make her kind of favorite. She also needs someone to take out Rybakina for her.

In women's tennis, outside Roland Garros, there is no clear-cut favorite at the other 3 majors. Yes, Aryna & Elena have won all the big hard court tournaments except one so far this year. But I expect them to come down on earth.

At the end of the day, it all depends on the draw.

Mon Jul 17, 04:02:00 AM EDT  

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