Saturday, July 08, 2023

W.6- Something's Gotta Give


In a match between players as entertaining as Ons Jabeur and Bianca Andreescu, for one to emerge with a thrilling victory -- without any sort of horrific calamity happening -- *something* was going to have to give.

Thankfully, it wasn't Andreescu's body. As it turned out, well, it was the weather.



Since her career year in 2019, Andreescu has been trying to rediscover *it*, the special magic that saw her sweep the Indian Wells, Toronto and U.S. Open titles at age 19, becoming an instant star and national sporting icon. Well, actually, she's been trying to stay healthy (it's been tough), find the correct mental frame of mind (maybe even tougher) *and* find that magic all over again. Every time she's gotten close, though, something always pulls her back.

Most recently, this spring in Miami, after she'd showed her old flair while winning consecutive battles over two former slam champs and a Top 10 player, it all seemed to implode with another horrific injury. Andreescu's screaming in pain (and frustration) in the immediate aftermath made everyone fear the worst. But, for once, the Canadian was lucky (it wasn't that bad), as well as a quick healer, and she was back on the court during clay season.

She was still looking for *it*, though. Whether it would -- or even could -- come with #6 Jabeur on the other side of the net, the fact was that it likely would *have* to if she were to emerge with the win, for the talented and beloved Tunisian trailblazer is on something of a mission.

As far as grass court experience, the difference between Andreescu and Jabeur is vast. With all her injuries and absences, the Canadian has barely played on the surface. She'd won just one tour-level match on it before last year, and had just a single win at Wimbledon before her maiden run to the 3rd Round this week. At the same time, even with her 1-2 mark coming into SW19 this past week, Jabeur came into today having gone 24-5 (w/ two titles and a Wimbledon final) on grass the last three seasons. A year ago, the Tunisian used the bounce that the lawns provided her confidence to follow-up her maiden slam final appearance with another to close out the summer at Flushing Meadows.

You'd never have known it from the 1st set today, though.

With the Centre Court roof opened because no more rain was expected on the day (hahaha), it was Andreescu who looked like a grass court queen. Bouncing on her toes and raring to go on every point, Andreescu not only outplayed Jabeur, she beat her at her own game as she employed the sort of spins and drop shot variety that the Tunisian uses so adeptly to frustrate her own opponents.

Andreescu grabbed a 3-1 lead with a break of serve, then held at love, closing with an ace, to go up 4-1. Serving at 5-3, the Canadian's forehand slice (sorta-)dropper -- just call it "a Jabeur" -- hit the grass and hopelessly spun out of reach of the Tunisian to give Andreescu a 40/love lead. A forehand corner shot was too much for Jabeur to get back, and Andreescu claimed the set at 6-3.



Of course, with even most of Andreescu's recent wins (7 of her last 10) coming in three-set matches, one expected the momentum would soon change.

The moment came mid-way through the set, after Andreescu had seen a call not go her way. She'd initially challenged the "out" call, but Jabeur waved her off, telling her that it wasn't that close. Andreescu rescinded her challenge, not knowing that replay actually showed that she'd have won the point had she not listened to her opponent and maintained her challenge. Whether the moment had any true impact or not, on the scoreboard or otherwise, the momentum *did* change soon after. On her first BP of the day, Jabeur converted to go up 3-2. She ran her lead to 5-2. Serving to stay in the set, Andreescu went up 40/love. After being forced to three deuces, she got the hold, only to see Jabeur then hold at love to knot the match.



As the 3rd set began, Andreescu seemed to have rediscovered her form. She took a love/40 lead on Jabeur's serve at 2-1. On her third BP chance, Andreescu saw a Jabeur shot sail long and give her a 3-1 lead once again. But in perhaps *the* key moment of the match, Andreescu couldn't consolidate the break. With the skies suddenly darkening, literally as well as figuratively, the Canadian dropped serve. Back on equal ground, it was as if Jabeur looked to the sky and, with a wink, snapped her fingers and let loose with a downpour.

The unexpected early evening drenching made Jabeur's break even more important, as she and Andreescu went into the lockerroom in very different mindsets about what had just happened and what *needed* to happen next in order to get the win. Having consulted with her coach/husband Issam Jellali during the 50-minute break, the opening minutes when play resumed would set the tone.

Jabeur nearly crashed out, but walked a tricky tightrope with the skill of a Wallenda. In the opening game, she gutted out a hold after taking a 30/love lead and throwing in enough errors to soon be BP down. She saved it, but then DF'd and gave Andreescu another. Jabeur hit a service winner, then followed up with an ace to reach GP. Her nail-biting hold tied the set at 3-3, though by the of the next game she'd burned through her allotted challenges for the entire set as Andreescu held for 4-3.

But, at 4-4, after Jabeur had held firm in a key stretch, Andreescu chose the wrong time to play her worst tennis of the day. With a frightening UE/DF combination, the Canadian suddenly found herself down love/40. She was broken at love, and Jabeur sat down during the changeover in a very different mental/situational place than she would have been if *any* of the key moments since the instant she fell behind 3-1 had gone a way other than the way they all did.

Serving for the match, Jabeur fell behind 15/30. But, after coming this far, she wasn't going to stumble at the finish line. After getting the score to 30-all, Jabeur saw Andreescu spray a forehand to give the Tunisian a MP. Having traversed a complicated 3rd set road, Jabeur then took the easy route home. She fired an ace up the T, ending the 3-6/6-3/6-4 match and heading to the Wimbledon Round of 16 for a third straight time.



While it might be difficult to do so in the moment, Andreescu's run at the AELTC can't really be seen as anything but hugely encouraging. With little grass court experience, she pushed the defending finalist (and who knows what next) to the edge, perhaps only falling because of an open roof and inaccurate weather report.

Andreescu heads into the hard court summer in good health (crossing fingers), with growing confidence and her best surface and a whole lot of good memories waiting for her back in North America. Go get it.

Afterward, Jabeur did what she (often) does best, entertain the crowd, calling out none other than Billie Jean King in the stands during the post-match interview, saying that she wanted to ask *her* what she should do as Andreescu's variety was "annoying" her like her own does everyone else, and then joking that she'll be "sleeping on the couch" tonight after putting Jellali through so much stress during the match.

But the jokes will be set aside one round from now, as Jabeur's quest for a Wimbledon title moves one step closer to becoming a dream come true.

This time, though, her opponent has *more* grass experience than she, as well as bigger successes and (arguably) even *more* fans and admirers.

The woman's name is Petra. You may have heard of her.

Once more, something's gotta give.





=DAY 6 NOTES=
...Petra Kvitova and Madison Keys are keepin' on keepin' on.

Today the #9 seeded Kvitova completed her march back into the second week of Wimbledon, just her second trip there since winning the title in 2014, by finishing off slice-loving Serbian qualifier Nastija Stevanovic. Up a set and a break, first at 2-1 and then 3-2, Kvitova dropped serve in game 8 as Stevanovic tied the score at 4-4, then held for 5-4 before, yes, once again rain stopped play on Court 2.

After play resumed, Kvitova reclaimed the lead with a love break to go up 6-5. It took a bit of work to finish things off, as she was forced to saved three BP and failed to convert three MP (the last one saved by Stevanovic not with a slice, but a forehand winner down the line). Finally, on MP #4, Kvitova let loose a wide lefty serve and followed it into the net. Stevanovic sailed her return long, and the Czech was through.



Not only is this just Kvitova's second Wimbledon Round of 16 in eight tries, it's also only her second in *any* slam over the past three seasons. Since her somewhat forgotten (for obvious reasons) sterling slam campaign in 2020, when she posted QF-4r-SF results (she went 12-3, her most slam MD wins in a season since 2012, and she only needed *three* tournaments to do it) but didn't get to play Wimbledon since the event was cancelled, she'd only played into the second week at the U.S. Open last summer.

Later, #25 Keys made quick work of Marta Kostyuk, winning her eighth straight match this grass season with a 6-4/6-1 victory. It marks her second straight Wimbledon 4th Round, with a year in between trips after she missed '22 with an abdominal muscle injury.

...yesterday, #21 Ekaterina Alexandrova had to rally to take a final set TB in a three-TB match over Madison Brengle after having held 3 MP and then found herself two points from defeat (she'd been 2-16 in 3rd set TB in her career before she got the win). Today she finally cracked the slam Round of 16 barrier for the first time in her career, winning 6-0/6-4 over Dalma Galfi to get to her maiden 4th Round in her 26th slam MD (she's now 26-25 overall).



...the bottom half of the draw is packed with big hitters, and #13 Beatriz Haddad Maia and #2 Aryna Sabalenka added their names to the Round of 16 participants with straight sets wins today.

In a match that ended just before the early rain stoppage, Haddad Maia defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-2/6-2, reaching her second straight slam second week after being 7-11 (w/ 11 1r/2r slam exits stretched out over six years) before her RG semifinal run last month. Last year, after having won back-to-back grass titles, and 12 straight matches, the Brazilian lost in the 1st Round at SW19.

Sabalenka took out Anna Blinkova 6-2/6-3, reaching her fourth straight (tied w/ Swiatek as the tour's best) slam 4th Round. After reaching the second week just twice in her first 14 slam MD, doing so has become a habit for the Belarusian. She's does it in seven of her last eight MD, during which she's had four SF finishes and won her maiden slam in Melbourne around five (or so) months ago.

...try as the AELTC might, and there was a shot today to finally be back on schedule after so much rain in the opening week, but two fits of weather ruined that plan. The lone remaining outside court-scheduled 3rd Round women's match, an all-Hordette match-up to to determine a first-time slam 4th Rounder between #22 Anastasia Potapova and 16-year old qualifier Mirra Andreeva, was cancelled and moved to Sunday alongside the four Round of 16 matches from the top half of the draw.

In those matches, both Iga Swiatek (in her 18th slam MD) and Jessie Pegula (19th) could complete their Career QF Slams by reaching the last eight for the first time at SW19.

There *was* another women's match that got on court today, though, as Centre Court hosted the defending champion and the last remaining Brit in the singles draw (men's or women's draw).

It didn't take long, as defending champion Elena Rybakina dispatched wild card Katie Boulter by a 6-1/6-1 score. The win advances Rybakina into her third straight Wimbledon Round of 16, improves her career mark in the event to 13-1 and her '23 slam record to 11-1 (w/ 1 walkover at RG).



...junior play got underway on Saturday, with the top two seeds advancing with little difficulty.

Girls' #1 Alina Koreeeva allowed just two games to Moroccan Aya El Aouni, while #2 Clervie Ngounoue defeated Japan's Hayu Kinoshita 4 & 4.

Hordette Korneeva has already won the Australian Open and Roland Garros junior titles, and adding a Wimbledon crown would make her the first girl to win three slams in a single season since 1990 (Magdalena Maleeva), and just the third to ever do it (w/ Natasha Zvereva in '87). None have ever completed a Grand Slam in *any* single season. In fact, Korneeva would be the first to even win the first *three* in a year and thereby have a *chance* to complete the set in New York.

Of course, in 2004 Gael Monfils won the first three boys' slam titles (only the second to do so), but then had to be talked into playing the U.S. Open juniors (per John McEnroe many years ago) to even take a shot at such rare history. He lost in the 3rd Round. Stefan Edberg remains the only junior player to complete a singles Grand Slam, doing so in 1983.

Meanwhile, over the past two seasons, Bannerette Ngounoue has won a pair of girls' doubles slams in Melbourne and Paris, while reaching the singles QF at both the AO and U.S. Open.

Elsewhere, British wild card Hephzibah Oluwadare knocked off #12 Nina Vargova (SVK).






*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. #14 Belinda Bencic/SUI
#19 Victoria Azarenka/BLR vs. (WC) Elina Svitolina/UKR
#4 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. Lesia Tsurenko/UKR
Marketa Vondrousova/CZE vs. #32 Marie Bouzkova/CZE
#6 Ons Jabeur/TUN vs. #9 Petra Kvitova/CZE
#13 Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA vs. #3 Elena Rybakina/KAZ
#25 Madison Keys/USA vs. x
#21 Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR







...IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A POST-MATCH TIME CODE VIOLATION?... ON DAY 6:




...THE ATHLETIC TAPE POSITIVELY MAKES IT POP... ON DAY 6:




...MILLMAN HAS BEEN BUSY PLAYING TENNIS FOR YEARS, SO... ON DAY 6:



Wait until he hears that WTA players ranked in the Top 20, Top 15 and Top 10 -- some even after winning *big* titles and/or reaching slam SF-or-better stages -- get the same treatment.


...I THINK WE NEED A "BILLIE JEAN CAM" (and microphrone) FOR EVERY MATCH... ON DAY 6:















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**WTA "CAREER ROUND OF 16 SLAM" - active**
[with slam at which completed]
Victoria Azarenka - 2009 Wimbledon (15th)
Genie Bouchard - 2014 US Open (5th)
Alize Cornet - 2020 US Open (57th)
Caroline Garcia - 2022 US Open (42nd)
Coco Gauff - 2022 US Open (13th)
Simona Halep - 2014 Wimbledon (17th)
Ons Jabeur - 2022 US Open (22nd)
Kaia Kanepi - 2022 Australian (53rd)
Angelique Kerber - 2013 Australian (21st)
Madison Keys - 2016 Roland Garros (16th)
Barbora Krejcikova - 2022 Australian (8th)
Petra Kvitova - 2011 Australian (11th)
Svetlana Kuznetsova - 2005 Australian (11th)
Petra Martic - 2019 US Open (32nd)
Elise Mertens - 2019 Wimbledon (12th)
Karolina Muchova - 2023 Roland Garros (17th)
Garbine Muguruza - 2017 US Open (20th)
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova - 2017 Australian (37th)
Jessie Pegula - 2023 Wimbledon (19th)
Karolina Pliskova - 2018 Wimbledon (25th)
Aryna Sabalenka - 2023 Roland Garros (21st)
Sloane Stephens - 2013 US Open (10th)
Iga Swiatek - 2021 US Open (11th)
Elina Svitolina - 2018 Australian (22nd)
Donna Vekic - 2021 Australian (29th)
Marketa Vondrousova - 2023 Wimbledon (21st)
Venus Williams - 1998 Wimbledon (6th)
Caroline Wozniacki - 2010 Roland Garros (12th)
Zhang Shuai - 2022 US Open (41st)
Vera Zvonareva - 2004 US Open (11th)

**"CAREER ROUND OF 16 SLAM" COMPLETED IN 2020s**
2020 US - Alize Cornet, FRA (57th)
2021 AO - Donna Vekic, CRO (29th)
2021 US - Iga Swiatek, POL (11th)
2022 AO - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (8th)
2022 AO - Kaia Kanepi, EST (53rd)
2022 US - Caroline Garcia, FRA (42nd)
2022 US - Coco Gauff, USA (13th)
2022 US - Ons Jabeur, TUN (22nd)
2022 US - Zhang Shuai, CHN (41st)
2023 RG - Karolina Muchova, CZE (17th)
2023 RG - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (21st)
2023 WI - Jessie Pegula, USA (19th)
2023 WI - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (21st)




*2023 WI FINAL 16*
[by ranking]
#1 - Iga Swiatek
#2 - Aryna Sabalenka
#3 - Elena Rybakina
#4 - Jessie Pegula
#6 - Ons Jabeur
#9 - Petra Kvitova
#13 - Beatriz Haddad Maia
#14 - Belinda Bencic
#18 - Madison Keys
#20 - Victoria Azarenka
#22 - Ekaterina Alexandrova
#33 - Marie Bouzkova
#42 - Marketa Vondrousova
#60 - Lesia Tsurenko
#76 - Elina Svitolina
-
TO PLAY: #23 Potapova vs. #102 M.Andreeva
[by age]
22 = Swiatek
24 = Bouzkova, Rybakina, Vondrousova
25 = Sabalenka
26 = Bencic
27 = Haddad Maia
28 = Alexandrova, Jabeur, Keys, Svitolina
29 = Pegula
33 = Azarenka, Kvitova
34 = Tsurenko
-
TO PLAY: Potapova(22) vs. M.Andreeva(16)
[by nation]
3...CZE (Bouzkova,Kvitova,Vondrousova)
2...BLR (Azarenka,Sabalenka)
2...RUS (Alexandrova, Potapova or M.Andreeva)
2...USA (Keys,Pegula)
2...UKR (Svitolina,Tsurenko)
1...BRA (Haddad Maia)
1...KAZ (Rybakina)
1...POL (Swiatek)
1...SUI (Bencic)
1...TUN (Jabeur)
[by career slam Round-of-16's]
29 - Azarenka
23 - Kvitova
18 - Keys
15 - Svitolina
13 - Swiatek
9 - Sabalenka
8 - Bencic
8 - Jabeur
6 - Pegula
5 - Rybakina
5 - Tsurenko
5 - Vondrousova
2 - Bouzkova
2 - Haddad Maia
1 - Alexandrova
1 - Potapova or M.Andreeva
[w/ consecutive slam Round of 16's]
4 - Sabalenka
4 - Swiatek
2 - Haddad Maia
2 - Jabeur
2 - Svitolina
2 - Tsurenko
[w/ multiple career WI Round of 16's]
7 - Kvitova
6 - Azarenka
3 - Bencic, Jabeur, Keys, Rybakina, Svitolina
2 - Bouzkova, Sabalenka, Swiatek
[w/ consecutive WI Round of 16's]
3 - Jabeur
3 - Rybakina
2 - Bouzkova
1+1 - Keys (2021/23, 2022 DNP)
1+1 - Sabalenka (2021/23, 2022 BAN)
[WTA career slam Round of 16's - active]
50...Venus Williams
32...Svetlana Kuznetsova
29...Victoria Azarenka
23...Angelique Kerber
23...Petra Kvitova
22...Simona Halep
21...Caroline Wozniacki
18...Madison Keys
16...Garbine Muguruza
16...Sloane Stephens
16...Vera Zvonareva
15...Elina Svitolina
14...Karolina Pliskova
13...Elise Mertens
13...Iga Swiatek
10...Kaia Kanepi
10...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
9...Petra Martic
9...Aryna Sabalenka
[WTA slam Round of 16's since 2020 (of 14) - active]
12 - Swiatek
9 - Sabalenka
8 - Jabeur, Mertens
7 - Gauff
6 - Azarenka, Halep, Krejickova, Pegula
5 - Badosa, Kvitova, Rybakina, Sakkari, Svitolina
4 - Garcia, Kenin, Kerber, Keys, Muchova
4 - Pavlyuchenkova, Ka.Pliskova
3 - Anisimova, Bencic, Collins, Cornet
3 - Muguruza, Rogers, Stephens, Tomljanovic
3 - Vondrousova, Sh.Zhang
2 - Bouzkova, Brady, Cirstea, Fernandez
2 - Haddad Maia, Kasatkina, V.Kudermetova
2 - Martic, Niemeier, Osaka, Ostapenko
2 - Raducanu, Riske-A., Samsonova
2 - Trevisan, Tsurenko, Vekic
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - youngest]
17 - Linda Fruhvirtova (AO)
18 - Coco Gauff (AO)
19 - Coco Gauff (RG)
20 - Elina Avanesyan (RG)
21 - Iga Swiatek (AO)
-
TO PLAY: M.Andreeva (16)
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - oldest]
34 - Lesia Tsurenko (WI)
34 - Zhang Shuai (AO)
34 - Lesia Tsurenko (RG)
33 - Victoria Azarenka (WI)
33 - Victoria Azarenka (AO)
33 - Petra Kvitova (WI)
31 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RG)
30 - Magda Linette (AO)
30 - Karolina Pliskova (AO)
30 - Sloane Stephens (RG)
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - unseeded]
=AO (4)=
L.Fruhvirtova, Linette, Vekic, Zhu
=RG (9)=
Avanesyan(LL), Muchova, Pavlyuchenkova(PR), Pera,
Schmiedlova, Sorribes Tormo(PR), Stephens
Svitolina(PR), Tsurenko
=WI (3)=
Svitolina(WC), Tsurenko, Vondrousova
-
TO PLAY: M.Andreeva(Q)
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - 1st-time GS 4th Rd.]
AO - (3) L.Fruhvirtova, Linette, Zhu
RG - (5) Avanesyan, Haddad Maia, Pera, Schmiedlova, Sorribes T.
WI - (2) Alexandrova, Potapova or M.Andreeva
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - completed "Career Round of 16 Slam"]
AO - none
RG - Muchova (17th slam MD)
RG - Sabalenka (21st)
WI - Pegula (19th)
WI - Vondrousova (21st)
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - lowest-ranked]
#333 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RG)
#192 - Elina Svitolina (RG)
#134 - Elina Avanesyan (RG)
#132 - Sara Sorribes Tormo (RG)
#100 - Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (RG)
#87 - Zhu Lin (AO)
#82 - Linda Fruhvirtova (AO)
-
TO PLAY: #102 M.Andreeva
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's]
3 - Aryna Sabalenka (AO/RG/WI)
3 - Iga Swiatek (AO/RG/WI)
2 - Victoria Azarenka (AO/WI)
2 - Belinda Bencic (AO/WI)
2 - Coco Gauff (AO/RG)
2 - Beatriz Haddad Maia (RG/WI)
2 - Ons Jabeur (RG/WI)
2 - Jessie Pegula (AO/WI)
2 - Elena Rybakina (AO/WI)
2 - Elina Svitolina (RG/WI)
2 - Lesia Tsurenko (RG/WI)
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - by nation]
7 = 3/1/3/- = CZE (Bouzkova,Kvitova,Vondrousova)
7 = 2/3/2/- = USA (Keys,Pegula)
5 = 2/1/2/- = BLR (Azarenka,Sabalenka)
5 = 0/3/2/- = RUS (Alexandrova,Potapova or M.Andreeva)
4 = 2/1/1/- = POL (Swiatek)
4 = 0/2/2/- = UKR (Svitolina,Tsurenko)
2 = 0/1/1/- = BRA (Haddad Maia)
2 = 2/0/0/- = CHN
2 = 1/0/1/- = KAZ (Rybakina)
2 = 1/0/1/- = SUI (Bencic)
2 = 0/1/1/- = TUN (Jabeur)
1 = 0/1/0/- = BEL
1 = 1/0/0/- = CRO
1 = 0/1/0/- = ESP
1 = 1/0/0/- = FRA
1 = 1/0/0/- = LAT
1 = 0/1/0/- = SVK
[2023 slam Rd. of 16's - by region]
18 (8/5/5) - W.Europe/Scandinavia (CZE-POL-SUI)
15 (3/6/5) - Eastern Europe/Russia (BLR-RUS-UKR)
7 (2/3/2) - North America/Atlantic (USA)
4 (3/0/1) - Asia/Oceania (KAZ)
2 (0/1/1) - South America (BRA)
2 (0/1/1) - Africa/Middle East/Mediterranean (TUN)


*RECENT WIMBLEDON "LAST WILD CARD STANDING"*
2015 Jelena Ostapenko, LAT (2nd Rd.)
2016 Tara Moore/GBR & Evgeniya Rodina/RUS (2nd Rd.)
2017 Zarina Diyas/KAZ & Heather Watson/GBR (3rd Rd.)
2018 Katie Boulter/GBR, Ons Jabeur/TUN & Katie Swan/GBR (2nd)
2019 Harriet Dart, GBR (3rd Rd.)
2021 Emma Raducanu/GBR & Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (4th Rd.)
2022 Katie Boulter, GBR (3rd Rd.)
2023 Elina Svitolina, UKR (in 4th Rd.)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "ZOMBIE QUEEN" WINNERS*
2015 Serena Williams, USA
2016 Dominika Cibulkova/SVK & Aga Radwanska/POL
2017 Arina Rodionova, AUS
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2021 Kristie Ahn, USA
2022 Elise Mertens, BEL
2023 Lesia Tsurenko, 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): xx
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): xx
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: in 3r: M.Andreeva, Kenin(L), Stevanovic(L)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Elina Svitolina/UKR (in 4r)
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: xx
IT "??": Nominees: Potapova, M.Andreeva
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Svitolina, Hsieh/Strycova, Kenin
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: xx
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Kvitova, Azarenka, Tsurenko, Svitolina, Hsieh/Strycova
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Karolina Muchova/CZE






All for Day 6. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:43 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger colt13 said...

Andreescu getting hurt by the roof is such a Wimbledon thing. Just like Murray hitting that curfew.

Stat of the Day- 7- Members of the sweet sixteen(17) with a title on grass.

Titles on Grass:

6- Kvitova
3- Keys
2- Haddad Maia
2- Jabeur
2- Alexandrova
1- Rybakina
1- Bencic

Last Title on Grass:

Bencic- 2015 Eastbourne
Haddad Maia- 2022 Birmingham
Jabeur- 2022 German Open
Rybakina- 2022 Wimbledon
Alexandrova- 2023 Rosmalen
Kvitova- 2023 German Open
Keys- 2023 Eastbourne

Azarenka- 2010 Eastbourne-RU/2005 jr Wimbledon-SF
Tsurenko- 2017 Den Bosch- SF/2014 ITF Nottingham- QF
Svitolina- 2019 Wimbledon- SF/2012 jr Wimbledon-RU
Sabalenka- 2022 Rosmalen- RU/2017 ITF Manchester-SF
Bouzkova- 2022 Wimbledon- QF/2018 ITF Manchester-QF
Potapova- 2023 Birmingham- SF/2016 jr Wimbledon-W
Vondrousova- 2023 Berlin- QF/No ITF
Swiatek- 2023 Bad Homburg- SF/2018 jr Wimbledon-W
Pegula- 2023 Eastbourne- QF/2012 ITF Kurume- R16
Andreeva- 2023 Wimbledon- 4th

This is one of the most accomplished by rank, and the least by grass pedigree. No Serena will do that.

Andreeva is the huge outlier. Her career high of 101 is the only one of the group lower than 24(Bouzkova).

Pegula/Tsurenko and Swiatek/Bencic are the only 2 matches in which we are guaranteed a first time Wimbledon QF.

Don't sleep on Bencic. She only has 1 grass title, but has reached 5 finals.

Almost half the field is represented by Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Kvitova has played 7 grass finals. ^ of thos 7 have reached the Wimbledon SF. That is a good omen for Vekic, who just lost to Kvitova at the German Open.

Sabalenka/Alexandrova is a rematch of the 2022 Rosmalen final, which Alexandrova won.

This is Andreeva's first grass event.

Pegula, Vondrousova, Haddad Maia and Azarenka are all still alive in doubles, the latter 2 as a team. Technically, so is Bouzkova, though her and Sorribes Tormo have yet to play their first round match.

Sun Jul 09, 07:06:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

The curfew thing is still so ridiculous. I know it was a compromise to get the night matches at all, but how many times would something later come into play? Maybe 2 or 3 (at most) nights in a 365-day year?

Another note: Bencic will be Iga's first-ever match on grass vs. a Top 20 player. She's 3-4 vs. Top 50 (all three wins have come over the past two weeks w/ Blinkova, Zhu and Martic).

Meanwhile, Andreeva out there today looking like Wozniacki patrolling the baseline from four feet back, rarely ever missing and wearing Potapova down by making her hit 10 shots to win a point.

Sun Jul 09, 09:10:00 AM EDT  

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