Thursday, July 13, 2023

W.11- Mission: Onspossible


At one stage during her semifinal against Aryna Sabalenka today, the thought that Ons Jabeur's ongoing mission would live to see another day at this Wimbledon seemed nearly impossible.

Ah, but when the Tunisian trailblazer is involved, nothing is impossible.



Two years after losing to #2 seeded Sabalenka in the QF at SW19, and a year after falling in the final to Elena Rybakina, #6 Jabeur arrived looking to double-down on her London revenge tour after ending the Kazakh's AELTC reign in the previous round. Sabalenka was not only one win away from her first Wimbledon final, but could end the day assured of being the new #1-ranked player in the world if she could pick up a victory today.

The Belarusian had seemed positively unbeatable in the QF against Madison Keys, out-hitting one of the sport's biggest-ever hitters and barely blinking while doing so; while Jabeur had once again had to rally after dropping the opening set (as she vs. Bianca Andreesca in the 3rd Rd.) against Rybakina.

The 1st set today was characterized by Jabeur's ease when it came to holding serve, and Sabalenka's comparable struggle to do so. Still, neither woman gave up a break (w/ Jabeur facing just a single BP, in the early going in game #2) in the set. Sabalenka managed to hit her way out of danger in game 3, saving a BP before securing the hold with a service winner, and game 5, saving two more BP with big serving in a four-deuce game. After a love hold, Sabalenka again experienced a "novella"-level service experience, mixing in three aces and two DF but getting the hold to stay on serve at 5-4.

With Jabeur already lamenting her lost opportunities, Sabalenka DF'd and put herself a mini-break down at 3-2 in the tie-break. A Jabeur running forehand down the line seemed to send her in the direction of taking the set, as she led 4-2.



But the set would have one final twist, as Jabeur's long backhand reply to Sabalenka's deep return of a second serve stopped her momentum cold. Suddenly, the Belarusian's power took over. Firing off an ace and again forcing a Jabeur error by attacking a second serve, Sabalenka took a 6-4 lead. Jabeur's wide serve and forehand winner saved the first SP, but then Sabalenka got a look on her own serve. A body serve elicited a long return off the Tunisian's racket and Sabalenka won a 7-5 TB to grab a 1st set in which she'd failed to break Jabeur's serve. In the TB, though, she'd seized the opportunity provided when Jabeur missed several first serves, and it'd made all the difference.



The first half of the 2nd set played out much like the 1st. Sabalenka held from 30/30 to knot the set at 2-2. A game later, her deep return short-hopped at the baseline and Jabeur couldn't make a shot off the ball, falling behind love/40. She DF'd and Sabalenka got the break that had eluded her in the opener. A love hold gave her a 4-2 lead.

Jabeur's mission, as pointed and inspiring as it is, seemed to be about to come to an end. Serving at 4-3, 30/30, Sabalenka flashed great defense to keep a rally alive, then raced to a short crosscourt backhand and pushed a passing shot winner down the line to reach GP. The point left Sabalenka elated (though winded), and had Jabeur flat on her back on the ground. How could Ons possibly get out of *this* predicament?



Turned out, she just had to bide her time.

Perhaps *because* of all her running in the rally to reach GP, Sabalenka's game suddenly slipped a notch. An error and DF had her BP down, then a final forehand gave the break back to Jabeur and knotted the score at 4-4.

Ons' mission had renewed life, and a mere five weeks after Sabalenka lost out on a berth in the Roland Garros final after leading Karolina Muchova 5-2 in the 3rd (and holding a MP) in the semis, another of the reigning Australian Open champ's slam quests was about to self-destruct.

Jabeur had one final attack to deflect, though, before turning things around. Sabalenka took a love/30 lead on the Tunisian's serve in the next game. But with three BP hanging in the balance, a Jabeur shot skidded off the net cord and caught the corner to keep things close. Sabalenka would get a BP chance, but *just* one. She missed a forehand down the line, and Jabeur got the hold to lead 5-4.

Serving to stay in the set, Sabalenka went up 30/15, but soon a loose backhand shot went wide and she was BP/SP down. This time it was Jabeur who jumped on a second serve, sending a backhand return down the line for a set-ending winner, taking the 2nd at 6-4.



Clearly with the Tennis Gods on her side this time around, Jabeur continued to hold serve through the 3rd, and waited. Finally, in game 6, another long Sabalenka service game provided the chance to surge ahead. In the game, Sabalenka directed the give-and-take (or take-and-give) pattern, going from love/30 down to deuce. Jabeur failed to convert a pair of BP, while Sabalenka hit herself into a pair of GP chances only to squander both with forehand errors. Sabalenka's miss on another forehand into the corner, rather than giving her a third GP, instead handed Jabeur a third BP chance. Jabeur kept the ensuing rally alive, and Sabalenka's (this time) backhand error ended it as the Tunisian took a break lead at 4-2.

There was no looking back from there. Jabeur held at love, as Sabalenka merely tried to hold on. She saved two MP in game 8, getting the hold for 5-3. Serving for her third slam final in twelve months, Jabeur's down the line shot cracked off Sabalenka's racket and gave her a 40/love lead. A third MP came and went with a net cord, and the fourth with a wide Jabeur backhand. On #5, Jabeur stamped her ticket back to the Wimbledon final all by herself. Ace.



The 6-7(5)/6-4/6-3 match puts Sabalenka's quest for the #1 ranking on hold for at least a few weeks or months, as she falls to 1-5 in career slam semifinals. Jabeur, on the other hand, improves to 3-0 at that stage, but still has one final mission to complete after winning her fourth straight match at this Wimbledon over a previous slam champion. In three of them, she's dropped the opening set.

After the match, commenting on both her improved game and personal outlook as she's climbed the tennis ladder (with one rung left to traverse), Jabeur thought about her journey and said, "Maybe the old me would have lost the match today." But not this one.

Still inspiring, Jabeur only needs to inspire herself one more time at this slam and her mission (well, at least *this particular* one) will be complete.

Who needs Ethan Hunt? We have Ons Jabeur.








=DAY 11 NOTES=
...before Jabeur moved a step closer to blazing yet another trail through women's tennis history, the day's opening semifinal had a little history to make, as well. No matter whether it was Marketa Vondrosova or Elina Svitolina who won, the victor was going to be the first unseeded Wimbledon women's finalist in the Open era, and the first since Billie Jean King (then still Billie Jean Moffitt) in 1963.



Nine months after giving birth to a daughter, wild card Svitolina has spent this Wimbledon topping her Cinderella Roland Garros QF run with a bit *less unexpected* run through the women's draw at SW19, reaching her second semifinal in the event while playing the sort of game (same defense, but with more offensive aggression) that often eluded her during her pre-motherhood career. A round earlier, she'd recorded her seventh career #1 win with an upset of Iga Swiatek, who then declared that she wanted the Ukrainian to win the title (for herself, naturally, but also her war-torn nation). Many others surely did, as well. But someone forgot to send Vondrousova the memo.

If anyone still remembers, the Czech has already showed herself to have a bit of a "ruthless" streak when it comes to facing opponents on big stages who've been moving through the draw with any sort of possible sentimental story attached to their name. Her Olympic Silver medal winning run in '21, made possible because of her smartly using her old protected ranking to get into the MD over higher-ranked countrywoman Karolina Muchova, included wins over Kiki Bertens (which sent the Dutch star into retirement), crowd favorite Naomi Osaka (the Games were held in Tokyo) and, yes, Svitolina (who'd recover to get the Bronze for UKR's first tennis medal).

But much like what occurred soon after her 2019 Roland Garros final appearance, Vondrousova wasn't able to carry the momentum of her performance on to something greater, as both times wrist injuries sent her off tour. She missed six months in '22.

The lefty Czech's Round of 16 runs in Indian Wells, Miami and Rome earlier this year showed her to once again be a player of note, as have her four Top 10 wins (including two over Ons Jabeur) in '23. After having been ranked outside the Top 100 in March, the former #14 had worked her position up to #42 coming into this Wimbledon.

Against Svitolina, Vondrousova once again authored a notice of intention.

After the two played an even set through the first four games of the 1st set today, and then traded breaks in games 5 and 6, Vondrousova made her move to seize control of the match. From 3-3, Svitolina lost seven straight games.

In game 7 of the opener, Vondrousova surged to a love/40 lead. On her first BP, her shoe lost traction in the corner and caused a fall, but she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and one point later whacked a flat backhand return crosscourt, producing a Svitolina error that gave her the break edge. After a love hold, with Svitolina up 30/love, Vondrousova's running "squash shot" sailed crosscourt and curled over the net for a winner to make it 40/15. What was nearly a hold ultimately turned the opposite way. A net cord and long Svitolina backhand gave the Czech BP/SP. Svitolina's approach to the net ended in a missed forehand, and Vondrousova had the 1st at 6-3.

During that late 1st and early 2nd stretch, Vondrousova's aggressive (and flat) shotmaking didn't give Svitolina much of a chance. She broke the Ukrainian in game 2, then again in game 4 (11-minutes in length) to lead 4-0. Then a case of nerves swung a door wide for Svitolina to stage a miraculous comeback... but she simply could not get both feet over that threshold.

Vondrousova led 40/love in game 5, but failed to put away five GP chances. Svitolina got the break to offer a glimmer of hope of extending the match, then held for 4-2. Vondrousova saved an early BP in game 7, then DF'd on GP before missing on a drop shot to go BP down again. A long and wide forehand gave the break to Svitolina, putting the set back on serve and igniting the Ukrainian's inner will to win.



Oh, wait. It actually didn't. With momentum fully gifted to her, rather than run with it, Svitolina reverted back to the tentative-under-pressure, less-aggressive version of herself that so often failed her in her initial tour run. Up 15/love, she DF'd, then committed a loose error, netted a half-volley and sent a forehand wide of the mark to break herself and give Vondrousova a chance to serve for the match at 5-3.

No longer in a giving mood, Vondrousova accepted *her* gift-wrapped reversal of momentum. Svitolina opened game 9 with a backhand error, then for some reason tried a mid-rally forehand slice and netted that, as well. A Vondrousova DF halted the tailspin, but only briefly. From 30/30, Vondrousova fired an ace up the T to reach MP, then saw Svitolina's return shot go long, ending a 6-3/6-3 match which sends a third different Czech this past decade into the Wimbledon final, and a second straight unseeded woman (Muchova at RG) from the nation into a '23 slam final.



Also unseeded during her RG final run four years ago at age 19, Vondrousova (at #42, the second lowest ranked WI finalist behind #181 Serena Williams in '18) now gets a third chance to build upon a great run. Hopefully, her body will allow a follow-up, no matter how the final turns out.

Surely the edge, sentimental and (maybe, even with those two '23 wins) otherwise, will be with Jabeur on Saturday. But, once again, today Vondrousova showed to be very adept at ruthlessly ending a great story. Ending Jabeur's would fit rather nicely into Marketa's collection, eh?

...the first champions of this Wimbledon were crowned in the Mixed Doubles final, and Lyudmyla Kichenok at least prevented the Ukrainian woman from leaving this slam *totally* empty-handed, joining with Mate Pavic to defeat Xu Yifan & Joran Vliegen 6-4/6-7(9)/6-3 to win her maiden slam crown.



...with the singles draw getting a day off, the wheelchair doubles semis took place.

Top seeds Yui Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane won a three setter over Momoko Ohtani/Zhu Zhenzhen. The pair won RG last month, and Kamiji will be seeking her third straight Wimbledon crown with a third different partner (Jordanne Whiley in '21, Dana Mathewson in '22). She's won seven of the last eight SW19 wheelchair doubles crowns, including in 2018 with Diede de Groot.

They'll face #2 seeded de Groot & Jiske Griffioen, who won 3 & 2 over Aniek Van Koot (de Groot's usual doubles parnter) and Lucy Shuker. It's Griffioen's first slam s/d final in her comeback from her 2017 retirement. She'll get a chance at another in the singles semis vs. Kamiji. Meanwhile, De Groot will face Van Koot again.

...in the girls' singles QF, the beat went on.

Top seed Alina Korneeva won a 7-5/7-6 match over #8 Ena Koike, moving to within two wins of becoming the first junior girl to win the first three slams in a season. She'll next face Czech Nikola Bartunkova, who defeated Brit Ranah Akua Stoiber.



On the bottom half of the draw, #2 Clervie Ngounoue defeated #7 Sayaka Ishii to reach her first junior singles slam SF. She'll face #5-seeded Roehampton champ Renata Jamrichova, who downed the other Brit in the QF, wild card Mika Stojsavljevic.

...in the Contrexeville 125, there will be an all-vet QF between Sara Errani and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Between the two of them, they've filled 102 slam MD slots since 2007, reached 9 slam s/d finals, won 5 slam WD crowns (all Errani) and Olympic MX Gold (Pavlyuchenkova).

In Bastad, it'll be an all-U.S. semifinal between Emma Navarro and Louisa Chirico. In the other semi, Yulia Putintseva faces Olga Danilovic.







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

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#16 Dolehide/Zhang Sh. (USA/CHN) vs. #3 Hunter/Mertens (AUS/BEL)
(PR) Hsieh/Strycova (TPE/CZE) vs. Bouzkova/Sorribes Tormo (CZE/ESP)

*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 SF*
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Aniek Van Koot/NED
Jiske Griffioen/NED vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

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

*GIRLS' SINGLES SF*
#1 Alina Korneeva/RUS vs. Nikola Bartunkova/CZE
#5 Renata Jamrichova/SVK vs. #2 Clervie Ngounoue/USA

*GIRLS' DOUBLES SF*
Klugman/Lacy (GBR/GBR) vs. Evans/Hamilton (USA/USA)
Kovackova/L.Samsonova (CZE/CZE) vs. #2 Jamrichova/Urgesi (SVK/ITA)







...SO *THAT'S* HOW THAT WORKS... ON DAY 11:




...KIM OUT THERE COMING UP WITH POSSIBLE POST TITLES... ON DAY 11:




...WIMBLEDON HAS BEEN BANNED IN FLORIDA... ON DAY 11:




...THE ONS SHOW (not on strike)... ON DAY 11:






















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*WIMBLEDON FINALS - ACTIVE*
9...Venus Williams (5-4)
2...Petra Kvitova (2-0)
2...Angelique Kerber (1-1)
2...Garbine Muguruza (1-1)
2...ONS JABEUR (0-1)

*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 (0-2)
2...Sofia Kenin (1-1)
2...Sloane Stephens (1-1)
2...Elena Rybakina (1-1)
2...MARKETA VONDROUSOVA (0-1)
2...Karolina Pliskova (0-2)
2...Vera Zvonareva (0-2)

*SLAM FINALS IN 2020's*
4 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (1-1)
3 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (0-2)
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 (0-0)
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)
[2020s = 14 slams / 28 finalists]
5 - USA (1-4)
4 - POL (4-0)
3 - CZE (1-2)*
3 - TUN (0-2)*
2 - AUS (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - BLR (1-1)
2 - KAZ (1-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - CAN (0-1)
1 - ESP (0-1)
1 - RUS (0-1)

*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 Ons Jabeur or Marketa Vondrousova

*UNSEEDED/WC/Q in SLAM FINALS IN 32-SEED DRAW*
[began w/ 2001 Wimbledon]
2007 Australian Open - Serena Williams [W]
2009 U.S. Open - Kim Clijsters[wc] [W]
2010 Australian Open - Justine Henin[wc]
2015 U.S. Open - Roberta Vinci
2017 Roland Garros - Alona Ostapenko [W]
2017 U.S. Open - Sloane Stephens [W]
2019 Roland Garros - Marketa Vondrousova
2020 Australian Open - Garbine Muguruza
2020 U.S. Open - Victoria Azarenka
2020 Roland Garros - Iga Swiatek [W]
2021 Roland Garros - Barbora Krejcikova [W]
2021 U.S. Open - Leylah Fernandez
2021 U.S. Open - Emma Raducanu(q) [W]
2023 Roland Garros - Karolina Muchova
2023 Wimbledon - Marketa 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 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (1-0)
2 - Lucia Bronzetti, ITA (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)

*CZECHS IN WIMBLEDON SF+ - Open era*
1981 Hana Mandlikova (RU)
1984 Hana Mandlikova
1986 Hana Mandlikova
1993 Jana Novotna (RU)
1995 Jana Novotna
1997 Jana Novotna (RU)
1998 Jana Novotna (W)
2010 Petra Kvitova
2011 Petra Kvitova (W)
2014 Petra Kvitova (W)
2014 Lucie Safarova
2019 Barbora Strycova
2021 Karolina Pliskova
2023 Marketa Vondrousova

*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)
9 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-4)
8 - Angelique Kerber, GER (4-4)
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
7 - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (3-4)
6 - ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (1-5)
5 - Madison Keys, USA (1-4)
5 - Svetlana Kuznetsova, RUS (4-1)
5 - Garbine Muguruza, ESP (4-1)
5 - Iga Swiatek, POL (4-1)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - ONS JABEUR, TUN (3-0)
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
3 - ELINA SVITOLINA, UKR (0-3)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON MIXED DOUBLES CHAMPS*
2013 Kristina Mladenovic & Daniel Nestor, FRA/CAN
2014 Samantha Stosur & Nenad Zimonjic, AUS/SRB
2015 Martina Hingis & Leander Paes, SUI/IND
2016 Heather Watson & Henri Kontinen, GBR/FIN
2017 Martina Hingis & Jamie Murray, SUI/GBR
2018 Nicole Melichar & Alexander Peya, USA/AUT
2019 Latisha Chan & Ivan Dodig, TPE/CRO
2021 Desirae Krawczyk & Neal Skupski, USA/GBR
2022 Desirae Krawczyk & Neal Skupski, USA/GBR
2023 Lyudmyla Kichenok & Mate Pavic, UKR/CRO

*RECENT MX SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[2020]
AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Nikola Mektic (CZE/CRO)
[2021]
AO: Barbora Krejcikova/Rajeev Ram (CZE/USA)
RG: Desirae Krawczyk/Joe Salisbury (USA/GBR)
WI: Desirae Krawczyk/Neal Skupski (USA/GBR)
US: Desirae Krawczyk/Joe Salisbury (USA/GBR)
[2022]
AO: Kristina Mladenovic/Ivan Dodig (FRA/CRO)
RG: Ena Shibahara/Wesley Koolhof (JPN/NED)
WI: Desirae Krawczyk/Neal Skupski (USA/GBR)
US: Storm Sanders/John Peers (AUS/AUS)
[2023]
AO: Luisa Stefani/Rafael Matos (BRA/BRA)
RG: Miyu Kato/Tim Puetz (JPN/GER)
WI: Lyudmyla Kichenok/Mate Pavic (UKR/CRO)

*SLAM MX TITLES - active*
4...Desirae Krawczyk, USA
4...Bethanie Mattek-Sands, USA
3...Latisha Chan, TPE
3...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
3...Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
2...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2...Gaby Dabrowski, CAN
2...Venus Williams, USA
2...Vera Zvonareva, RUS
1...Storm Hunter, AUS
1...Miyu Kato, JPN
1...Lyudmyla Kichenok, UKR
1...Nicole Melichar-Martinez, USA
1...Ena Shibahara, JPN
1...Laura Siegemund, GER
1...Abigail Spears, USA
1...Luisa Stefani, BRA
1...Heather Watson, GBR

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "COMEBACK" WINNERS*
2014 The White Shorts (of Victoria Azarenka)
2015 Aga Radwanska, POL
2016 Serena Williams/Venus Williams, USA/USA
2017 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2018 Serena Williams, USA
2019 Alona Ostapenko, LAT (MX)
2021 Angelique Kerber, GER
2022 Simona Halep, ROU
2023 Elina Svitolina, UKR



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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): xx
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 (in QF)
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: Nominees: UKR women, Vondrousova, Jabeur, (WC)
IT "??": Nominees: M.Andreeva, Korneeva, Jamrichova
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
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Hsieh/Strycova, Zhang S., (Invitational), (WC)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Nominees: Ngounoue, Bartunkova
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Karolina Muchova/CZE






All for Day 11. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 6:29 PM 

5 Comments:

Blogger khan35 said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Fri Jul 14, 04:35:00 AM EDT  
Blogger khan35 said...

"Big 3" is a fiction created by media. WTA is back to being volatile again.

It's a bit concerning that Sabalenka is 1-5 in major semi-finals. Her only win in those Semi-finals came against Linette. The Rad probably swapped her mind with Sakkari's in those losing efforts. LOL.

Whoever wins in the final, it would be an amazing nice feel-good end to the tournament on the women's side.

Fri Jul 14, 04:43:00 AM EDT  
Blogger colt13 said...

Historical WTA is missing RG 2023.

This just in:Vondrousova has sent another lob over Svitolina's head.


If Vondrousova wins Wimbledon, it would be her second title, 6 years after her first.

51/49 Jabeur over Vondrousova. Jabeur is clearly the better grass court player. But there are questions, both about Jabeur's recovery from a grueling match against Sabalenka, plus the fact that both have lost major finals before. Does that mean more pressure, or less. Jabeur, though she probably needs to win the first set against someone who has beaten her 3 times(3-3). Note:Jabeur 1-0 on grass.

Stat of the Day- 14- Number of different mixed doubles winners on the women's side from 2010-2013.

L.Kichenok won yesterday, increasing the current streak to 7. That one is Mladenovic, Shibahara, Krawczyk, Sanders, Stefani, Kato, Kichenok. This one is pure, with 7 different men.

But in the Open Era, the 14 event streak stands supreme.

5 Longest Mixed Streaks:

14- 2010-13
11- 1974-78
11- 2005-08
10- 2003-05
10- 1999-2001

The 1974-78 streak is the longest without a duplicate on the men's side, as Daniel Nestor won 2 during the 2010-13 stack.

1974-78 also covers more years because the Australian Open stopped playing mixed.

Some notes about the 2010-13 group:

9 women picked up their first mixed title.

For 7, it was their only title.

6 same country pairings won(3-USA, 1-India, 1-Australia, 1-Czechia).

One married couple won(Benesova/Melzer).

Your 14:

Black
Huber
Srebotnik
Dellacqua
Benesova
Oudin
Mattek-Sands
Mirza
Raymond
Makarova
Gajdosova
Hradecka
Mladenovic
Hlavackova

Mladenovic ended the streak.

Fri Jul 14, 08:18:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

K-
Yeah, I mean Jabeur has consistently (when healthy) been right in the middle or edge of that discussion, though. She has as many slam finals as Sabalenka/Rybakina combined, so she's sort of in the "Murray/Wawrinka" role in so-called "Big 3" language.

I don't think the tour needs Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina to win or even play in the finals of all the majors, but just to consistently always *be around* late in the tournament, to be a threat and (hopefully) play *each other* in majors more often (that's clearly part of the strategy w/ the new schedule rules starting next year, as they attempt to funnel the top players into the same events more often in hopes of creating rivalries).

All three reached the QF this time, as well as in Melbourne. Two did in Paris (though Rybakina never actually *lost* at RG).

I think some people want to try to recreate Federer/Nadal/Djokovic on the WTA tour, and that just isn't happening. That was a huge historical anomaly.

It ain't happenin' again to that degree on the ATP tour, either.


C-
Oh, thanks. I was just wondering the other day if I'd added those links or not (I couldn't remember). I'll do that today.

The MX remains the most interesting and "most misunderstood" slam competition going. ;)

Fri Jul 14, 10:05:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

* - okay, Iga didn't make the QF at the AO, but she lost in the Round of 16 to Rybakina... so, even better as far as all that goes. ;)

Fri Jul 14, 10:08:00 AM EDT  

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