Monday, January 22, 2024

AO24 - A Tale of Two Draws

It was the worst of times. It was the best of times.

Over the first week, carnage amongst the seeds has been the main headline-maker in the women's draw in Melbourne as just two Top 8 seeds reached the 4th Round, and just two of the Top 5. But the distribution of such "surprise" results couldn't be more unequal now that the Final 16 has been trimmed to 8.

With the 4th Round complete, the four women left to battle in the bottom half include three past slam winners (including the defending AO champ and the reigning U.S. Open title holder), while none of the four remaining in the top half have ever reached a major semifinal in their careers.






=AO NOTES=
...a quick jump around the Round of 16 (bottom half of the draw first)...

Coco Gauff's win over Magdalena Frech (Last Pole Standing, by the way) gives her a sixth slam QF as a teenager. Not bad. She's won 11 consecutive slam matches. Gauff will have turned 20 by the time Roland Garros rolls around.



By the way, the last player to win multiple slams while still in her teen years was Maria Sharapova, winner the '04 Wimbledon (at 17) and '06 U.S. Open (19). The most recent teenager to win back-to-back slams was Martina Hingis, who won *three* straight over the '97 Wimbledon and U.S. Open (both at 16) and the '98 AO (17).

...defending champion Aryna Sabalenka has 11 straight wins in Melbourne. The #2 seed handled Amanda Anisimova (who'd been 4-1 against her) with surprising ease, winning 6-3/6-2, and has now lost just 11 total games through four rounds of play. Into her 8th career slam QF, Sabalenka is the "anti-Pegula" in such situations, so far compiling a 7-0 mark at the coming stage.



Sabalenka heads into the QF having reached at least the SF at the last five slams, and at 7 of the last 9 majors in which she's been allowed to compete.

...after ending her 7-match losing streak vs. RUS/BLR players in the 3rd Round, Marta Kostyuk now has a *winning* streak on her hands. Her 2 & 1 win over Hordette qualifier Maria Timofeeva puts the 21-year old Ukrainian into her first slam QF.



Kostyuk will get a respite from the RUS/BLR string of opponents, and everyone else won't have to avert their eyes after the match and act as if "everything is just fine" (nothing to see here... literally) as she'll next face Gauff.

...in the fourth Round of 16 match in the bottom half, Barbora Krejcikova continued to do what she seemingly does best -- fly under the radar.



After dropping the 1st set vs. 16-year old Mirra Andreeva, Krejcikova rallied to sweep the final two sets to reach her fourth career slam QF, but her first in two years ('22 AO). She'll play Sabalenka.

Maybe Andreeva's big AO run will now come *next* year. After all, in 2025 she'll be SO MUCH older. I mean, she'll be SEVENTEEN, after all.

Krejcikova has won the AO women's doubles titles the past two years while partnering Katerina Siniakova. The two Czechs are taking a break from their partnership in '24 (maybe some day...), but like two magnets they're still drawn to each other in Melbourne and will meet in the QF as the #5-seeded Krejcikova & Laura Siegemund will go up against #3 Siniakova & Storm Hunter.



...while the bottom half of the singles draw's Round of 16 action resulted in a pair of QF overflowing with former champions despite the many upsets that took place during this AO's first week, in the top half the reality couldn't be any more different.

The top's Round of 16 singles action kicked off with two-time AO champ Victoria Azarenka facing Dayana Yastremska in the latter's first slam 4th Round since she was still a teenager at Wimbledon in 2019. For a while, even while playing with one hand (i.e. her first serve) tied behind her back, the 34-year old veteran kept herself in the mix and/or in the lead. Twice she served for the 1st set, and she led 3-1 in the 2nd.

But eventually Yastremska's big shots and a willingness to let loose with them (38 winners, 37 unforced errors) allowed her to pull ahead and take the 7-6(6)/6-4 contest, reaching her maiden slam QF and doing so less than two years after she and her younger sister fled the family home in Odesa soon after Russia's invasion of Ukraine (she has yet to return).



...Elina Svitolina's 4th Rounder with young Czech Linda Noskova began well after that of her countrywoman Yastremska's match vs. Azarenka, but it ended long before the early match did. In fact, it lasted just three games, as Svitolina -- 14-3 in slam action since her return from maternity leave -- was forced to retire due to a back injury, ending the possibility of three Ukrainians reaching the final 8 *and* an all-QF match-up between herself and Yastremska.



Thus, Noskova (in just her 6th slam MD) gets the pass and becomes the first of the Czech Crushers to reach the QF in a major. The winner between Noskova and Yastremska will be one of two first-time slam semifinalists (at least, since Kostyuk could join them from the bottom half to make it three) at this AO.

...the other QF match-up will decide the second first-timer from the top half, as Anna Kalinskaya and Zheng Qinwen advanced to within one match of a final 4 berth.



Before this AO, Kalinskaya and Jasmine Paolini had combined to go 8-29 in their slam careers, with neither having advanced past the 2nd Round in any event, so their meeting for a maiden QF slot was hardly "chalk." Not even the colorful kind that kids use to draw on sidewalks.

So, while ten Hordettes advanced out of the 1st Round, six reached the 3rd and three still remained in the Round of 16, Kalinskaya is left to uphold the brand. She'll next face Zheng, who handled first-time 4th Rounder Oceane Dodin to become the only seed (#12) to reach the QF in the top half.



It's Zheng's second straight slam QF, and while she's one of six Chinese woman to reach this stage in a major she's just the second of that group to do so in consecutive events. Fittingly, this Li Na Generation product nows stands next to only former AO champ Li, who but together back-to-back slam runs three different times: two in a row twice (2009 US QF/2010 AO, 2011 AO RU/RG W) and three straight once (2013 WI QF/US SF and 2014 AO W).



...in other news, the AO wheelchair draw is out.

Looking to win her 13th straight slam and fourth consecutive AO, #1 Diede de Groot opens with Lucy Shuker, while #2 Yui Kamiji (who just held a MP vs. de Groot in the Melbourne Open final) faces 19-year old Lizzy de Greef in the Dutch teen's tournament debut.

De Groot has won the last three AO doubles titles with Aniek Van Koot, but despite the two teaming up to win the Melbourne Open doubles this weekend they won't be a duo at the AO. Instead, de Groot & Jiske Griffioen ('23 Wimbledon champs) will see their opening match produce a face-off with the only other all-NED pair in the draw: Van Koot & de Greef.





...BUFFALO BILLS IN A BIG GAME = JESS PEGULA IN A SLAM QF:




...WHAT THE...?:




...THE NEXT TENNIS CHANNEL GAME SENSATION?:



Honestly, I'd rather watch this than pickleball.


...HMMM, I GUESS THIS MEANS THAT 2024 IS GOING TO BE THE END FOR CORNET:



Although, since the following is the *full* text from the IG post, I guess maybe she left a *teeny-tiny* crack in the door open in that first line (or maybe it's just me that sees that?)...

"If this Australian Open was to be my last one, I can't help but look back on everything that Australia has meant for me throughout my career : - The beginning of this incredible streak of Grand Slam participations in 2007 (2) - My first 4th round in GS in 2009 and my first (and only) quarter final in 2022 (3,4) - A WTA title in Hobart in 2016 (5) - The wins in Hopman Cup in 2014 (6) and in Fed Cup in 2019 (7) So many intense memories that will always connect me in a special way to this country. Playing on the courts of Melbourne Park has been an honor and a thrill, and I was lucky enough to experience it 19 times ! The atmosphere there is almost unmatchable. Feeling a bit blue right now, but there is also so much to be happy about. It was a hell of a love story mate. Thank you"


...LI NA BEING LI NA:




...HONESTLY...:



I'm fine with Djokovic being a jerk/a-hole on the court. It makes me enjoy him a bit more (it's sort of Connors-esque), just to be contrary. It's when Djokovic has been a *sanctimonious* jerk in the past that I've had issues.

Of course, similar sentiment doesn't hold true with someone like Kyrgios, who seems to take on an ignoble personality in lieu of being serious and actually accomplishing anything of true note on the court (and then he tries to score social media points by insulting legitimately great results of past players, as in his recent Twitter dust-up w/ Boris Becker).


...I MISSED THIS THE OTHER DAY, BUT (IT'S WORTH A NOTE)...:



Apparently a lot of ultra-sensitive Sloane fans took that situation as a reason to bash/paint tennis reporters with a broad brush, as if anyone saying that she sometimes doesn't appear to "be there" and/or occasionally has stunning drop offs when it comes to her level of play is somehow being "unfair" or "biased" against her rather than, umm, you know, just pointing out the obvious.



I mean, there's a reason "Good Sloane/Bad Sloane" and has been a thing around these parts for the better part of a decade. In a way, it's been part of her "charm" as a player during her career. Even though we haven't always gotten her, we're always *hoping* to see glimpses of "Good Sloane" and the mega-watt smile that comes with her heroics.

That said, as noted here in Week 1, it was a good sign where Stephens is concerned that -- even when she lost -- she seemed angry that she had (sometimes it's easy to wonder), and it could portend good things for her results in '24. With wins over Kasatkina and Siniakova, and with all three of her losses coming in three-setters, even Sloane senses she's leaving Australia in a better place.



Hopefully she'll keep it up, for some Good Sloane would be an unexpected snack in what should already be a competitive WTA campaign.

Fact is, we've only really gotten a healthy dose of "high-level" Stephens (i.e. legit slam-contending form, from *head* to toe... aka "Future Sloane") for parts of two seasons in 2017-18. And even during that six-slam stretch when she reached two finals (winning one) she *also* lost in the 1st Round three times.

We've all been lesser over the years for never having been able to fully embrace a WTA "Sloane Stephens Era," but that doesn't mean we aren't appreciative for the occasionally dreamy chapters of it we *have* been able to witness. Who knows, maybe there'll be another sometime in '24.








=WOMEN'S SINGLES QF=
Linda Noskova/CZE vs. (Q) Dayana Yastremska/UKR
Anna Kalinskaya/RUS vs. #12 Zheng Qinwen/CHN
Marta Kostyuk/UKR vs. #4 Coco Gauff/USA
#9 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF=
Garcia/Mladenovic (FRA/FRA) vs. #11 L.Kichenok/Ostapenko (UKR/LAT)
#4 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL) vs. Bucsa/Panova (ESP/RUS)
#5 Krejcikova/Siegemund (CZE/GER) vs. #3 Hunter/Siniakova (AUS/CZE)
#9 Schuurs/Stefani (NED/BRA) vs. #2 Hsieh/Mertens (TPE/BEL)

=MIXED DOUBLES QF=
(WC) Fourlis/Harris (AUS/AUS) vs. #5 Siegemund/Gille (GER/BEL)
#3 Hsieh/Zieinski (TPE/POL) vs. #7 Melichar-Martinez/Krawietz (USA/GER)
#6 Dabrowski/Lammons (CAN/USA) vs. (WC) Gadecki/Polmans (AUS/AUS)
(Alt.) Watson/Salisbury (GBR/GBR) vs. #2 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES 1ST RD.=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED vs. Lucy Shuker/GBR
Maria Florencia Moreno/ARG vs. Aniek Van Koot/NED
#3 Jiske Griffioen/NED vs. Shiori Funamizu/JPN
Li Xiaohui/CHN vs. Zhu Zhenzhen/CHN
Pauline Deroulede/FRA vs. Manami Tanaka/JPN
Kgothatso Montjane/RSA vs. #4 Momoko Ohtani/JPN
Angelica Bernal/COL vs. Dana Mathewson/USA
Lizzy de Greef/NED vs. #2 Yui Kamiji/JPN

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES QF=
#1 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) vs. Moreno/Ohtani (ARG/JPN)
Deroulede/Shuker (FRA/GBR) vs. Bernal/Zhu (COL/CHN)
Mathewson/Tanaka (USA/JPN) vs. Funamizu/Li (JPN/CHN)
de Greef/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. #2 de Groot/Griffioen (NED/NED)

=GIRLS SINGLES ROUND OF 16=
#1 Renata Jamrichova/SVK vs. x
x vs. (WC) Ksenia Efremova/FRA
#4 Hannah Klugman/GBR vs. #15 Vlada Mincheva/RUS
#10 Ena Koike/JPN vs. x
x vs. #12 Mimi Xu/GBR
x vs. x
x vs. x
Mika Stojsavljevic/GBR vs. #2 Sara Saito/JPN

















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*RECENT AO "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Party] (Ash) "Barty Party"
2018 [Teen] Marta Kostyuk, UKR
2019 [Teen] Amanda Anisimova, USA
2020 [Arab] Ons Jabeur, TUN
2021 [Egyptian] Mayar Sherif, EGY
2022 [Teen Stars-in-Waiting] Marta Kostyuk/UKR & Clara Tauson/DEN
2023 [Czech Crusher] Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
2024 [Ukrainians] Marta Kostyuk/UKR & Dayana Yastremska/UKR

**AO "AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD" WINNERS**
=2020=
["Good On Ya, Mate"] Aces for Bushfire Relief
=2021=
["G'Day, Naomi"] Naomi Osaka & the "good luck" butterfly
=2022=
["Freakin' Hell?"] Tennis Australia sides with unvaccinated Novak Djokovic, but bans visible support for Peng Shuai
=2023=
["Don't Spit the Dummy"] One year after Ash Barty is first Aussie AO champ in 44 years, #160 Fourlis is highest ranked AUS in MD; only two AUS wild cards get 1r wins, none go past 2r
=2024=
["Crikey!"] Anna Blinkova & Elena Rybakina play slam record 42-point tie-break

**RECENT AO "LADY OF THE EVENING" WINNERS**
2016 "The Dasha Show" (Gavrilova)
2017 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2018 Elise Mertens, BEL
2019 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (3:12am finish)
2020 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2021 Simona Halep, ROU
2022 Ash Barty, AUS
2023 Victoria Azarenka, BLR (2:17am finish)
2024 Linda Noskova, CZE

*RECENT AO "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2016 Andrea Hlavackova & Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
2017 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
2019 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2020 CiCi Bellis, USA
2021 Rebecca Marino, CAN
2022 Madison Keys, USA
2023 Donna Vekic, CRO and Luisa Stefani, BRA
2024 Amanda Anisimova, USA

*UNSEEDED/WC/Q in AO QF (32-seed MD)*
2002 Ad.Serra-Zanetti/ITA
2003 Ruano Pascual/ESP, Shaughnessy/USA
2004 -
2005 -
2006 Hingis/SUI (wc)
2007 Safarova/CZE, S.Williams/USA [W]
2008 -
2009 Dokic/USA (wc), Suarez-Navarro/ESP
2010 Henin/BEL (wc)[RU], Kirilenko/RUS, Zheng J./CHN
2011 -
2012 Errani/ITA, Makarova/RUS
2013 Kuznetsova/RUS
2014 -
2015 Keys/USA
2016 Konta/GBR, Zhang Sh./CHN (q)
2017 Lucic-Baroni/CRO, Vandeweghe/USA
2018 Bertens/NED, Suarez-Navarro/ESP
2019 Collins/USA, Pavlyuchenkova/RUS
2020 Jabeur/TUN, Muguruza/ESP [RU]
2021 Hsieh S-w./TPE, Pegula/USA
2022 Cornet/FRA, Kanepi/EST, Keys/USA
2023 Linette/POL, Vekic/CRO
2024 Kalinskaya/RUS, Kostyuk/UKR, Noskova/CZE, Yastremska/UKR (q)

*RECENT AO "LAST QUALIFIER STANDING" WINNERS*
=2016=
Zhang Shuai, CHN (QF)
=2017=
Mona Barthel, GER (both 4th Rd.)
Jennifer Brady, USA
=2018=
Denisa Allertova, CZE (4th Rd.)
=2019=
Bianca Andreescu, CAN (all 2nd Rd.)
Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
Astra Sharma, AUS
Iga Swiatek, POL
Natalia Vikhlyantseva, RUS
=2020=
Harriet Dart, GBR (all 2nd Rd.)
Nao Hibino, JPN
Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
Ann Li, USA
Caty McNally, USA
Greet Minnen, BEL
=2021=
Sara Errani, ITA (both 3rd Rd.)
Kaja Juvan, SLO
=2022=
Hailey Baptiste, USA (all 2nd Rd.)
Lucia Bronzetti, ITA
Martina Trevisan, ITA
Zheng Qinwen, CHN
=2023=
Cristina Bucsa, ESP (both 3rd Rd.)
Katie Volynets, USA
=2024=
Dayana Yastremska, UKR (in QF)

*SLAM QF AS QUALIFIER (since 2000)*
2000 RG - Marta Marrero, ESP
2001 RG - Petra Mandula, HUN
2006 WI - Severine Bremond, FRA
2008 RG - Carla Suarez-Navarro, ESP
2010 WI - Kaia Kanepi, EST
2012 RG - Yaroslava Shvedova, KAZ
2016 AO - Zhang Shuai, CHN
2017 US - Kaia Kanepi, EST
2020 RG - Nadia Podoroska, ARG [SF]
2020 RG - Martina Trevisan, ITA
2021 US - Emma Raducanu, GBR [W]
2024 AO - Dayana Yastremska, UKR

*SLAM QF+ - CHINA*
2006 WI - Li Na (QF)
2008 WI - Zheng Jie (QF)
2009 US- Li Na (QF)
2010 AO - Li Na (SF)
2010 AO - Zheng Jie (SF)
2010 WI - Li Na (QF)
2011 AO - Li Na (RU)
2011 RG - Li Na (W)
2013 AO - Li Na (RU)
2013 WI - Li Na (QF)
2013 US - Li Na (SF)
2014 AO - Li Na (W)
2014 US - Peng Shuai (SF)
2016 AO - Zhang Shuai (QF)
2019 WI - Zhang Shuai (QF)
2019 US - Wang Qiang (QF)
2023 US - Zheng Qinwen (QF)
2024 AO - Zheng Qinwen

**"FIRST SLAM..." FEATS IN 2020s**
=QF=
2020 AO - Ons Jabeur, TUN (13th slam MD)
2020 AO - Sofia Kenin, USA (12th)
2020 AO - Anett Kontaveit, EST (21st)
2020 US - Jennifer Brady, USA (13th)
2020 RG - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (2nd)
2020 RG - Laura Siegemund, GER (16th)
2020 RG - Iga Swiatek, POL (7th)
2020 RG - Martina Trevisan, ITA (2nd)
2021 AO - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE (38th)
2021 AO - Jessie Pegula, USA (9th)
2021 RG - Paula Badosa, ESP (8th)
2021 RG - Coco Gauff, USA (6th)
2021 RG - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (5th)
2021 RG - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (7th)
2021 RG - Maria Sakkari, GRE (21st)
2021 RG - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (9th)
2021 WI - Viktorija Golubic, SUI (18th)
2021 WI - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (15th)
2021 WI - Ajla Tomljanovic, AUS (27th)
2021 US - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (7th)
2021 US - Emma Raducanu, GBR (2nd)
2022 AO - Alize Cornet, FRA (63rd)
2022 RG - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (13th)
2022 WI - Marie Bouzkova, CZE (14th)
2022 WI - Tatjana Maria, GER (35th)
2022 WI - Jule Niemeier, GER (2nd)
2022 US - none
2023 AO - Magda Linette, POL (30th)
2023 RG - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (12th)
2023 US - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (8th)
2024 AO - Anna Kalinskaya, RUS (14th)
2024 AO - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (16th)
2024 AO - Linda Noskova, CZE (6th)
2024 AO - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (17th)

*2024 AO FINAL 8*
[by career slam QF]
8 - Aryna Sabalenka
6 - Coco Gauff
4 - Barbora Krejcikova
2 - Zheng Qinwen
1 - Anna Kalinskaya
1 - Marta Kostyuk
1 - Linda Noskova
1 - Dayana Yastremska
[by career AO QF]
2 - Krejcikova
2 - Sabalenka
1 - Gauff
1 - Kalinskaya
1 - Kostyuk
1 - Noskova
1 - Yastremska
1 - Zheng
[w/ consecutive slam QF]
6 - Sabalenka
2 - Gauff
2 - Zheng
[w/ consecutive AO QF]
2 - Sabalenka
[2024 slam QF - by nation]
2...CZE (2/-/-/-) - Krejcikova,Noskova
2...UKR (2/-/-/-) - Kostyuk,Yastremska
1...BLR (1/-/-/-) - Sabalenka
1...CHN (1/-/-/-) - Zheng
1...RUS (1/-/-/-) - Kalinskaya
1...USA (1/-/-/-) - Gauff
[WTA career slam QF - active]
39...Venus Williams, USA
18...Victoria Azarenka, BLR
16...Simona Halep, ROU
13...Petra Kvitova, CZE
11...Angelique Kerber, GER
11...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
10...Madison Keys, USA
10...Elina Svitolina, UKR
10...Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
8...Garbine Muguruza, ESP
8...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
8...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR *
7...Sara Errani, ITA
7...Kaia Kanepi, EST
7...Sloane Stephens, USA
7...Iga Swiatek, POL
6...Coco Gauff, USA *
6...Ons Jabeur, TUN
6...Jessie Pegula, USA
6...Vera Zvonareva, RUS
5...Karolina Muchova, CZE
5...Alona Ostapenko, LAT
5...Sabine Lisicki, GER
[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020s - 16 events]
8 - Sabalenka (7-0) *
7 - Swiatek (5-2)
6 - Jabeur (3-3)
6 - Gauff (2-3) *
6 - Pegula (0-6)
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Muchova (3-1)
4 - Rybakina (2-2)
4 - Krejcikova (1-2) *
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
4 - Svitolina (1-3)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Keys (2-1)
3 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-2)
3 - Tomljanovic (0-3)
2 - Azarenka (2-0)
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Osaka (2-0)
2 - Ostapenko (0-2)
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
2 - Vondrousova (1-1)
2 - Zheng Q. (0-1) *
[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020s - 16 slams/128]
26 - USA (1)
18 - CZE (2)
10 - BLR (1)
8 - POL
7 - AUS
6 - RUS (1)
6 - TUN
6 - UKR (2)
5 - KAZ
4 - GER
4 - ROU
2 - CAN
2 - CHN (1)
2 - ESP
2 - EST
2 - FRA
2 - GRE
2 - ITA
2 - JPN
2 - LAT
2 - SUI
1 - ARG,BEL,BRA,BUL,CRO,GBR,SLO,TPE
[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
26 - USA (11-14)*
18 - CZE (7-9)**
10 - BLR (9-0)*
8 - POL (6-2)
7 - AUS (3-4)
6 - RUS (2-3)*
6 - TUN (3-3)
6 - UKR (1-3)**
5 - KAZ (2-3)
4 - GER (2-2)
4 - ROU (2-2)
2 - CAN (1-1)
2 - CHN (0-1)*
2 - ESP (1-1)
2 - EST (0-2)
2 - FRA (1-1)
2 - GRE (2-0)
2 - ITA (1-1)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - LAT (0-2)
2 - SUI (0-2)
1 - ARG (1-0)
1 - BRA (1-0)
1 - BEL (0-1)
1 - BUL (0-1)
1 - CRO (0-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - SLO (1-0)
1 - TPE (0-1)






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TOP QUALIFIER: Alina Korneeva, RUS
TOP EARLY ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Alina Korneeva/RUS def. Ma Yexin/CHN 6-7/6-4/7-6(5) - '23 AO girls champ saves 2 MP; qualifies and is youngest in women's MD
TOP EARLY RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Anna Blinkova/RUS def. #3 Elena Rybakina/KAZ 6-4/4-6/7-6(22-20) - on 10th MP after saving 6 MP in MTB (at 42 points, the longest in women's slam history)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): xx
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Kamilla Rakhimova/RUS (def. Emina Bektas/USA)
FIRST SEED OUT: #13 Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (1r-lost to Anisimova/USA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Brenda Fruhvirtova/CZE, McCartney Kessler/USA, Alina Korneeva/RUS, Maria Timofeeva/RUS, Anastasia Zakharova/RUS
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: 4r: Anisimova/USA; 3r: Badosa/ESP; 2r: Raducanu/GBR, Tomljanovic/AUS
UPSET QUEENS: France (only nation to defeat multiple seeds in 1st Rd.)
REVELATION LADIES: Unseeded Russians (9-1 in 1st Rd.)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Seeds from Russia (1-4 in 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Dayana Yastremska/UKR (in QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: McCartney Kessler/USA, Caroline Wozniacki/DEN (2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Storm Hunter/AUS (3rd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT (Ukrainians): Marta Kostyuk/UKR and Dayana Yastremska/UKR
COMEBACK PLAYER: Amanda Anisimova/USA
CRASH & BURN: #6 Ons Jabeur/TUN (2r- 2 games vs. M.Andreeva)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Anna Blinkova/RUS (2r- saved 6 MP vs. Rybakina, wins on 10th MP)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Nominees: Azarenka, Hsieh, Siegemund
LADY OF THE EVENING: Linda Noskova/CZE (def. #1 Iga Swiatek)
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: "Crikey!" (Blinkova & Rybakina play slam record 42-point tie-break)
DOUBLES STAR: xx
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: xx





All for now. More soon.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:03 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger khan35 said...

Hahaha, Gauff won ugly with 50+ unforced errors.

Feel sorry for Svitolina. Draw was opened up nicely for her to reach her first slam final and she couldn't capitalize because of her health.

Tue Jan 23, 03:55:00 AM EST  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

It's always been something with Svitolina over the years, hasn't it?

Tue Jan 23, 05:24:00 PM EST  

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