Wk.34- To Lose and Win in The Land
? @sara_sorribes ?
— wta (@WTA) August 26, 2023
The perfect week in Cleveland ??#TennisInTheLand pic.twitter.com/VPTL0y2ZEK
Lucky Loser ?? CHAMPION ??@sara_sorribes completes a stunning week in Cleveland, by capturing her second Hologic WTA Tour singles title!#TennisInTheLand pic.twitter.com/dyaLrUir5t
— wta (@WTA) August 26, 2023
POINT. OF. THE. MATCH ??@sara_sorribes | #TennisInTheLand pic.twitter.com/p3uMTZCCFe
— wta (@WTA) August 26, 2023
INTO THE FINAL!
— WTARussians (@WTArussians) August 25, 2023
Ekaterina Alexandrova is into her second final of the year in Cleveland after a terrific 7-5, 6-2 win over Zhu Lin.
Played some great tennis and is hitting so well from the baseline despite struggling with the double faults!
Will be back into the Top 20 ?? pic.twitter.com/dLP8Cba199
Viktoriya #Tomova (n°104) 🇧🇬 s'est imposée à #Chicago (États-Unis, WTA 125, dur extérieur) ! En finale ale, elle a battu Claire #Liu (n°81) 🇺🇸 en deux sets 6-1, 6-4. À 28 ans, c'est son deuxième trophée 🏆 dans cette catégorie de tournois. #WTA pic.twitter.com/4f4QRFOhyr
— Jeu, Set Et Match (@jeu_set_etmatch) August 26, 2023
Zhu's results have leveled off since her hot '23 start, when she went 13-5 while winning her maiden WTA title in Hua Hin, reaching the AO Round of 16, Auckland QF and Monterry SF. She lost six of seven matches in the spring before another SF on the grass in Birmingham. Zhu had recently hit another bad patch, arriving in Cleveland on a 1-6 slide. But the 29-year old rebounded yet again, reaching her fourth '23 WTA semi with wins over Anna Blinkova, Julia Grabher and Caroline Garcia, the latter victory her second career Top 10 win (both this year, w/ #6 Sakkari at the AO). She lost in the semis to Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Zhu Lin picks up her 2nd top-10 win, beating top seed Garcia 6-4, 6-1! #TennisInTheLand
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 24, 2023
The World No. 7 heads to the #USOpen with a 2-4 hard court record since #Wimbledon. pic.twitter.com/1m8JSIrfRm
No stopping Maria ??@Maria_Tatjana storms into the Cleveland semifinals and now awaits the winner of Stephens/Sorribes Tormo.#TennisInTheLand pic.twitter.com/wU1p0IsioG
— wta (@WTA) August 24, 2023
Laura Samsonová and Alena Kovácková ( both 15yo) are #Wimbledon girls’ doubles champions.
— Simone Curto (@CurtoSimone) July 16, 2023
PARÁDA ????????????!!! pic.twitter.com/RS89kcFBYN
Earlier this month, she helped the Czech Republic win the European 16u title for a third straight year, just before her younger sister Jana was part of the CZE squad that won the ITF 14u team title (Alena had been part of the '22 14u ITF champions)...
#SummerCups ?? Final
— Tennis Europe (@TennisEurope) August 9, 2023
???? CZECH REPUBLIC ????
?? CHAMPIONS ??
??1??6?? The Czechs continue their domination with a 3-0 win over Great Britain today, claiming their third straight 16&U title.
Alena Kovackova, Laura Samsonova & Eliska Forejtkova are the same players who won the… pic.twitter.com/dQWbpjdJEu
Team Czech Republic U14 world champion.
— Simone Curto (@CurtoSimone) August 6, 2022
From left to right:
Alena Kovácková
Eliška Forejtková
Laura Samsonová
Petra Cetkovská ( captain)#czechsdoitbetter ?????????? pic.twitter.com/w4fxw24P7B
Fresh off a J300 Prague SF run last week (where she lost to eventual champ Tereza Valentova, who is also Czech, of course... she defeated Samsonova in the final), Kovackova claimed her biggest junior singles title this week at the J300 in Pancevo, Serbia, defeating Dutch teen Rose Marie Nijkam 6-2/7-6 in the final. (Another all-Crusher pair, Magdalena Smekalova & Lucie Urbanova, won the GD.) A year ago, Kovackova became the first player to sweep the European singles 14s and 16s titles in the same year. Oh, and she apparently lists Karolina Muchova as her favorite player (so that's another pleat in her cape, I'd say)...
lurking on tenniseurope and found the coolest thing: 14yo prodigy alena kovackova's favourite player is karolina muchova pic.twitter.com/2CLLqzxsS2
— henri ???? (@orsinidolore) October 25, 2022
In College Park, Maryland, 15-year old Aussie Jones claimed her biggest junior title, taking the J300 event without dropping a set. Jones defeated previous '23 J300 champs Monika Stankiewicz and Teodora Kostovic en route to the final, where she got a 6-2/6-3 victory over Bannerette qualfier Aspen Schuman (who'd defeated #1 seed Mayu Crossley) to close out the week.
?? We are the CHAMPIONS ??@miyukato1121 & @dila_11 capture their second title of the year defeating Melichar-Martinez/Perez 6-4, 6-7(4), 10-8 in Cleveland! ??#TennisInTheLand pic.twitter.com/NQai1iWObf
— wta (@WTA) August 26, 2023
It’s Day two at the wonderful @TennisInTheLand and I’m starting on Stadium Court shortly with Navarro v Sasnovich and then Tauson v Krejcikova. We even have some ?? with us!!! pic.twitter.com/gAsGhNkoop
— Mark Valledy (@MarkVcommentary) August 21, 2023
22 year-old Emma Navarro currently up 4-0* in the third set over reigning @TennisInTheLand Finalist Aliaksandra Sasnovich
— Alex Gruskin (@AlGruskin) August 21, 2023
Navarro’s FH has been the biggest weapon on the court today. Also moving notably well pic.twitter.com/CLdMMqScnP
Guess who ? pic.twitter.com/DZIdqRPT9o
— MrBanks?? (@Mrbankstips) April 13, 2023
The amazing week for @sara_sorribes continues!
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 25, 2023
Lucky loser Sara Sorribes Tormo beats Stephens 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Semifinals in Cleveland ?? pic.twitter.com/asqPlCDefZ
Because of a provisional doping suspension, the USTA announced that Simona Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1-ranked player, "was automatically withdrawn" when the #USOpen's qualifying draw was held. https://t.co/7FPnSfQSWa
— TENNIS (@Tennis) August 21, 2023
Incompetence and a complete disinterest in player welfare - or something else? I wonder if those in charge of the ITIA would happily accept being treated in the way they have treated Simona Halep? I suspect they wouldn't. pic.twitter.com/uVXxm1PRkA
— Rob Norwood (@RobNorwood6) August 14, 2023
Congrats to the GOAT! ????@serenawilliams and @alexisohanian have welcomed their second child, Adira River Ohanian, to their family ??https://t.co/iwK0OdvBRR
— TENNIS (@Tennis) August 22, 2023
It's been in the works for a while but is now official:
— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) August 24, 2023
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will host the Next Gen ATP Finals from 2023-2027.
The tournament will take place over 5 days at King Abdullah Sports City on indoor hard court from Nov 28-Dec 2 2023, with a record $2m prize money.
Now that the ATP has announced that the NextGen Finals will be played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this year, the WTA is precipitously close to signing a deal to move the WTA Finals to S.A. too. Will any of the top players be willing to take a moral stand and boycott?
— cindy shmerler (@shmerlsc) August 24, 2023
Winner gets a s***-ton of money... losers, hmmm, lose a few digits? Ah, but maybe not... after all, the sport being willing to sells its dignity for blood money and "sportwash" away all of the Saudi human rights abuses will likely more than suffice. If the tour (and its players) want to play there and accept the money, fine... just don't come back later and try to act as if you stand for equality, rights and all that jazz while also trying to glom onto the mindset that was at play in the WTA's founding. It's becomes crystal clear throughout 2023 -- ironically, the tour's 50th anniversary season -- that the entity has left such principles far behind in the dust (sand?).
Hear more from Bouzkova regarding Miyu Kato’s Roland Garros default —> https://t.co/EZMmIsXAmc
— TENNIS (@Tennis) August 24, 2023
An understandable decision after a brutal CAS ruling that will keep Ymer out of the sport for 18 months.
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 25, 2023
Lots of time for him to figure out what comes next in the meantime, but fully checking out of the sport, even just in the short run, makes sense to me. https://t.co/VRQHtEvhTU
— Paula Badosa (@paulabadosa) August 26, 2023
Paula Badosa announces her season is over. pic.twitter.com/pAwTSAXsT3
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 26, 2023
On Women's Equality Day we celebrate all of the trailblazers who fought to level the playing field.#WomensEqualityDay pic.twitter.com/g6iQv9o9kD
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2023
And, of course, there would be no better way to celebrate Women's *Equality* Day than the tour announcing a deal to play in Saudi Arabia, right? I mean... right?
Today Althea Gibson would have turned 96.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) August 25, 2023
When I was 13, she showed me what World No. 1 looked like, & doing the same became my goal.
She broke the color barrier in tennis as the 1st Black person to win a major.
Let's continue to honor her memory always.
??: Alamy pic.twitter.com/1t266m9AHm
1 title: WTA 250 Marroco
— kika (@kika555779292) August 21, 2023
Bob Barker was the ?? to us without cable.
— Beau L. Wagner (@BeauLWagner) August 26, 2023
RIP Legend.
pic.twitter.com/wUg4vpwr1P
Uh oh!! I have seen this look before ???? #mymini #olivia #tennis pic.twitter.com/cobKn6Sr3W
— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) August 21, 2023
iconic 90s boy band ?? iconic 90s girl duo@backstreetboys | 1998 #USOpen pic.twitter.com/0myOow0Ciy
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 24, 2023
Bianca Andreescu has withdrawn from the #USOpen
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 26, 2023
She will be replaced by a qualifier/lucky loser.
"Being here tonight is an honor. The WTA history that we all celebrate is about a tour founded by women who were unafraid and carried on by women who are empowered by the legacy that we work every day to build upon."@CocoGauff inspiring the room at the #WTA50 Anniversary Gala… pic.twitter.com/dh9NRXFoOk
— wta (@WTA) August 26, 2023
It was an honor to attend the 50th anniversary of the @WTA. @BJK and the Original 9 have paved the way for women across the globe to DREAM BIG. Let’s continue to drive the future of women’s sports with another successful 50 years! ?? pic.twitter.com/kQL310i4d7
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 26, 2023
????New York ?????? pic.twitter.com/1rWG61zDnE
— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) August 25, 2023
*MOST WTA FINALS in 2020's - 1920-23*
18 - 1/2/9/6 - Iga Swiatek (15-3)
14 - 3/3/3/5 - Aryna Sabalenka (8-6)
12 - 1/7/4/0...Anett Kontaveit (5-6-1)
12 - 5/0/3/4 - Elena Rybakina (4-8)
11 - 0/3/6/2 - Ons Jabeur (4-7)
9 - 1/6/2/ret...Ash Barty (8-1)
9 - 0/4/3/2 - Barbora Krejcikova (6-3)
8 - 0/3/2/3 - Belinda Bencic (4-4)
8 - 0/4/2/2 - Dasha Kasatkina (4-4)
6 - 3/1/2/0 - Simona Halep (5-1)
6 - 0/0/4/2 - Caroline Garcia (4-2)
6 - 1/1/2/2 - Petra Kvitova (4-2)
6 - 0/1/3/2 - Liudmila Samsonova (4-2)
6 - 1/1/2/2 - EKATERINA ALEXANDROVA (4-2)
6 - 1/5/0/0 - Garbine Muguruza (3-3)
6 - 0/2/3/1 - Alona Ostapenko (3-3)
6 - 0/2/3/1 - Veronika Kudermetova (1-5)
6 - 0/1/4/1 - Maria Sakkari (0-6)
*2023 WTA BEST LL RESULTS*
(post-prag) W: Maria Timofeeva, RUS (Budapest)
W: Nao Hibino, JPN (Prague)
W: SARA SORRIBES TORMO, ESP (Cleveland)
[since 2018]
W: 2018 Moscow RC - Olga Danilovic, SRB
W: 2019 Linz - Coco Gauff, USA
W: 2023 Budapest - Maria Timofeeva, RUS
W: 2023 Prague - Nao Hibino, JPN
W: 2023 Cleveland - SARA SORRIBES TORMO, ESP
RU: 2018 Elite Trophy - Wang Qiang, CHN (rr)
RU: 2021 Linz - Jaqueline Cristian, ROU
SF: 2018 Budapest - Viktoria Kuzmova, SVK
SF: 2019 Palermo - Liudmila Samsonova, RUS
SF: 2021 Belgrade - Viktoriya Tomova, BUL
SF: 2022 Warsaw - Kateryna Baindl, UKR
SF: 2022 Washington - Wang Xiyu, CHN
*2023 WTA DOUBLES TITLES*
3 - Desirae Krawczyk, USA
3 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
3 - Luisa Stefani, BRA
3 - ALDILA SUTJIADI, INA
3 - Taylor Townsend, USA
2 - Shuko Aoyama, JPN
2 - Coco Gauff, USA
2 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2 - MIYU KATO, JPN
2 - Diane Parry, FRA
2 - Jessie Pegula, USA
2 - Demi Schuurs, NED
2 - Ena Shibahara, JPN
2 - Laura Siegemund, GER
2 - Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2 - Yana Sizikova, RUS
[duos]
2...Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN
2...Gauff/Pegula, USA/USA
2...KATO/SUTJIADI, JPN/INA
2...Krawczyk/Schuurs, USA/NED
2...Krejcikova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE
*2023 WTA DOUBLES FINALS*
5 (3-2) = Desirae Krawczyk, USA
5 (3-2) = Taylor Townsend, USA
5 (0-5) = NICOLE MELICHAR-MARTINEZ, USA
4 (2-2) = Shuko Aoyama, JPN
4 (2-2) = Coco Gauff, USA
4 (2-2) = Jessie Pegula, USA
4 (2-2) = Ena Shibahara, JPN
4 (2-2) = Katerina Siniakova, CZE
4 (1-3) = Storm Hunter, AUS
4 (0-4) = ELLEN PEREZ, AUS
[2023 finals - duos]
4...Gauff/Pegula, USA/USA (2-2)
4...MELICHAR-MARTINEZ/PEREZ, USA/AUS (0-4)
3...Aoyama/Shibahara, JPN/JPN (2-1)
3...Krawczyk/Schuurs, USA/NED (2-1)
2...KATO/SUTJIADI, JPN/INA (2-0)
2...Krejickova/Siniakova, CZE/CZE (2-0)
2...Gamarra Martins/Marozava, BRA/BLR (1-1)
2...Hunter/Mertens, AUS/BEL (1-1)
2...Fernandez/Townsend, CAN/USA (0-2)
*2023 TOP JUNIOR GIRLS' TITLES*
[Grand Slam]
Alina Korneeva, RUS (2)
Clervie Ngounoue, USA
[J500]
Mayu Crossley, JPN
Charo Esquiva Banuls, ESP
Kaitlin Quevedo, USA
Federica Urgesi, ITA
[J300]
3 - Lucciana Perez Alarcon, PER
2 - Iva Jovic, USA
2 - Teodora Kostovic, SRB
2 - Clervie Ngounoue, USA
2 - Sara Saito, JPN
1 - Sonja Zhenikhova, GER
1 - Melisa Ercan, TUN
1 - Mara Gae, ROU
1 - Ariana Geerlings, ESP
1 - Valerie Glozman, USA
1 - Tyra Caterina Grant, USA
1 - Gloriana Nahum, BEN
1 - Renata Jamrichova, SVK
1 - Emerson Jones, AUS
1 - Alena Kovackova, CZE
1 - Vlada Mincheva, RUS
1 - Rebecca Munk Mortenson, DEN
1 - Francesca Pace, ITA
1 - Wakana Sonoba, JPN
1 - Monika Stankiewicz, POL
1 - Federica Urgesi, ITA
1 - Tereza Valentova, CZE
— Steve Breen (@SteveBreen100) August 18, 2023
No Rudy. You’re NOT defending the rights of every American. You’re defending a criminal sore loser wannabe dictator who couldn’t accept defeat. pic.twitter.com/AyFLRPtCda
— ??? ISL?NÐ??GIRL ??? ???? (@IslandGirlPRV) August 23, 2023
How it started / How it’s going. #TrumpMugShot pic.twitter.com/8Vd2c9t501
— Protect Glendale Project (@ProtectGlendale) August 25, 2023
Caught 'em all! #TrumpMugShot #DonsGothamGoons pic.twitter.com/OcVuWsJw5Y
— HappyToast★ (@IamHappyToast) August 25, 2023
Guide To the Coup Crew’s Mugshot Techniques:
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) August 25, 2023
1. "I laugh to pretend this isn’t humiliating."
2. "Is this a DUI mugshot?"
3. "Aiming for defiance, but hitting closer to an angry, evil, crazy person."
4. "I'm just about to cry."
5. “OMG. I could go to jail for that asshole.” pic.twitter.com/gnDZPJD6OV
"Her words resonate with a unique voice and tone that comes from lived experience."
— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) August 25, 2023
The Wild Parrots of Marigny (@QuerenciaPress), a collection of poems about #NewOrleans and #Louisiana, is available from Amazon. https://t.co/VoF0iDa1nr#poetry #poetrycommunity #chapbooks pic.twitter.com/ObR6MQYL2c
Dog reflex. #animal #dog #cat #fun #dogs #black pic.twitter.com/JZvC401AEr
— Out Of Context Rock Bird (@FunnyBirdTweet) August 25, 2023
The leisurely life pic.twitter.com/ic2U37I4Hq
— why you should have an animal (@shouldhaveanima) August 21, 2023
"I don't need a haircut" pic.twitter.com/Gm7cb7bqHm
— Captivating Vibe (@CaptivatingVibe) August 22, 2023
Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 is one of music's best-known works and the most frequently performed symphony in the world
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 24, 2023
This is an unusual public involvement during the 4th movement execution by the Noord Nederlands Orkest at the Lowlands Music Festivalpic.twitter.com/9QDSYAU02h
Wait for it.. ?? pic.twitter.com/pMF0qZFqGd
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) August 23, 2023
6 Comments:
Rybakina has got a soft draw early on at the US Open. She should at least reach the SF(providing she is fully fit).
Swiatek has got Gauff in her quarter. I wonder if the outcome of that match would be in Iga's favor this time around.
Sakkari can't escape from Muchova. Hahahaha
Since 2015 US Open, every odd year has provided a surprise non-favorite winner(except for 2019) on the women's side. Will that trend continue?
Wozniacki has got a qualifier in the 1st round. Interesting!
Fiona Crawley must be one of the lowest ranked player ever to qualify for a major.
10 On the Up Side- Big Apple Edition.
1.Rybakina- Osaka 2018. Andreescu 2019. Swiatek 2022. All US Open winners, but also IW winners, like Rybakina in 2023. Not a great summer, but that puts her on top of the list.
2.Collins- Was here before Andreescu pulled out. If we are expecting an often injured player to go deep, why not Collins. Like Muchova, has slam SF; like Vondrousova, has slam final.
3.Sabalenka- If you do your draws backwards, don't you just stick Sabalenka in the SF? She has reached SF in 6 of her last 8 slams, just ignore her 1-5 record in those matches.
4.Samsonova- Slam results are weak, but in a section that she can do damage.
5.Swiatek- Not the favorite, but deserves love as defending champ. With San Diego to go, the Open is the 7th title she is trying to defend this season; won Qatar, Stuttgart and RG.
6.Williams- Badosa withdrawing is probably a plus, but what is interesting is how Venus has changed her game. Not Nadal like, but puts much more spin on the forehand than she used to.
7.Navarro- Having a breakout year with Strasbourg QF, Palermo QF and Bad Homburg SF. Next step is to get that first Top 50 win.
8.Parks- Got her first slam win at Wimbledon, now needs to get her first win here- only other time in draw was 2021.
9.Bouzkova- Has developed a Riske-Amritraj type hitch on her backhand, but it works for her. Health is always an issue, but playing pretty well as of late.
10.Paolini- Impressive summer going because of her speed and defense. Willing to grind and play long points.
10 On the Down Side.
1.Cocciaretto- Has the game to reach a slam QF one day. Not this one, as the enduring image from Cincinnati was of Cocciaretto with a beet red face, getting cooked in the heat. She needs the roof more than anybody.
2.Potapova- Reached the Birmingham SF, but is on a 1-4 run. May need to shut it down for the season, as her shoulder injury seemingly renders her ineffective after the first 6 games.
3.Sakkari- Is there a Top 10 player with less heat? In section 4 with Muchova, which isn't a shock as she has played either Muchova or Maria in 5 of the last 7 slams.
4.Jabeur- Has played once since Wimbledon. I won't predict a first round loss as that would be historic. Clijsters(2004), V.Williams(2003), Sukova(1994) did not play after being runner up previous year, but no runner up has lost in the first round since Pam Shriver in 1979.
5.Pegula- Beat Swiatek and backed it up, so the summer is a win. But she gets Giorgi. Giorgi is like Ostapenko, in the fact that she can be an underdog and still have the crowd cheer for her, because they are stunned at what they are seeing. 51/49 trap match.
6.Sutjiadi- 16 projected seeds mean 32 players. Sutjiadi is the only one of those 32 without a slam QF. Granted, this is only her 8th slam, but her partner Kato has gone the last 23 without one, making this the longest shot of the seeds.
7.Krejcikova- 6-6 summer is boosted by her Birmingham final. More concerning is that since beating 1,2 and 3 in Dubai, the only Top 20 win she has is Samsonova in Stuttgart.
8.Kudermetova- Confounding numbers. What else can you say about someone who is 6-6 this year against the Top 20, but only 6-4 against players ranked 100 or lower? Known for struggling against players like Halep and Swiatek, ones who can get balls back, she lost to Venus, who couldn't buy a first serve.
9.Badosa- Back injuries are always tricky, but most knew that she rushed back way too soon. Now it is fair to wonder if her career is in jeopardy.
10.Niemeier- Remember her match last year against Swiatek? She looked like a Top 20 player. Truth is she has barely been Top 200 level for most of the year. Here's hoping 2024 shows her talent.
I find it interesting that there's so much rage about Saudi Arabia, but there appeared to none (other than mine) over Texas, which had just passed a law saying that it was basically okay to maim and kill women in the name of "morality." Very short step from that to Saudi Arabia.
K-
Yeah, I can't off-hand remember a qualifier being ranked as low as Crawley. Maybe when she plays it'll be noted whether she's the lowest.
C-
So if Cocciaretto goes out early that'd mean you-know-who (psst... Juvan) might have clipped yet another seed.
D-
Yeah, Fort Worth did pretty much get a pass in the moment last year (and the tour was sponsored by a company focused on women's health, too).
Of course, the tour was so desperate to find a site last year that they would have gone just about anywhere that opened a door to the event, I think. It might *still* be the case.
One thing I do wonder is whether, other than the US -- and maybe CAN -- players, how many make/made the distinction between the laws of a certain *state* and just the U.S. as a whole. :/
Good point about the states, but the WTA certainly knows better. "Hologic has always put women first."
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