Saturday, June 08, 2024

Live and Let Iga

Let the "Iga-bration" festivities commence...




The idea that Iga Swiatek would be celebrating a third straight title run in Paris at the end of this Roland Garros, her fourth in five years, would have surprised no one two weeks ago. That she would do so at the end of a week-plus long stretch of overwhelming dominance? Even less surprising. That it would all very nearly blow up in her face early in the opening week of play *before* she would become the frontrunning champion that's she's been so often in the event may have been another discussion altogether.

In an alternate tennis reality, Swiatek's Taking of Paris 123 would never have happened. If Naomi Osaka had been able to keep just a handful of shots inside the lines late in the 3rd set of her and Swiatek's 2nd Round encounter, during which she led 5-2 in the decider and held a MP in a stretch in which the world #1 seemed to have little to no hope of recovery, we'd have likely instead been crowning an entirely different *first*-time RG champion on Saturday (Alona Ostapenko was the only previous RG champ still in the draw at the time of Swiatek's consequences-free escape).

Who might have been fast friends with the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen? Aryna? Coco? Elena? Maybe even Jasmine Paolini.

The combinations of entries into the second week of play, exits due to the overwhelming pressure of vast opportunity waiting to be seized, and championship-level rising to the occasion on the big stage (Mirra, maybe?) would have produced a Roland Garros that took place on an entirely different landscape, with an entirely different feel and, quite frankly, seemingly in an entirely different WTA universe.

Roland Garros was always Swiatek's to win, until it almost wasn't. And then it was once again in the blink of an eye.

In the end, all potential alternate realities stood no chance against Swiatek, who took the longstanding capriciousness of sport and in a matter of a few rounda of play (via 77 total additional games over five rounds, an average of 15.4 games per match, of which Iga would win 12) transformed things *back* into a preordained conclusion.



Paolini, a compact Italian with a hearty smile, heartwarming laugh and more than enough energy to burn, had hopes that she'd be the Italian for the job, the only one with the sauce to unexpectedly emerge atop the pile at the conclusion of this major. After all, like all fellow Italians who'd gotten this close to claiming a slam singles crown, she too was something of a "late bloomer."

In 2010 in Paris, Italy's 29-year old Francesca Schiavone became the oldest first-time slam champ ever, holding the top spot until she was surpassed five years later by her countrywoman Flavia Pennetta, who won the U.S. Open at age 33 (over another Italian, 32-year old first-time slam finalist Roberta Vinci). Mixed in with all that was the feat of the *other* Italian Quartet member, Sara Errani, who had *her* best slam result ('12 RG final) at the relatively (by comparison) young age of 25. Two years ago, another Italian, Martina Trevisan reached her first slam SF in Paris at age 28; and even the enigmatic Camila Giorgi, who never reached *that* high a stage in a major, had *her* best run ('18 SW19 QF) at 26.

So, with that backdrop, Paolini arrived at this RG final at just the right time, a result perfectly situated at the end of a step-by-step process that saw her crack the Top 100 in 2019 at 23, yet still be looking *up* at the Top 50 by age 25. She won her maiden tour title in 2021, then notched her first Top 10 win and reached the Top 50 in 2022. 2023 saw a Top 30 ranking, and Paolini become the ITA #1.

In 2024, at 28, Paolini has truly spread her wings. After being 4-16 in slam MD play, she burst into the season by reaching the 4th Round at the Australian Open. Next came her first 1000 title (Dubai) and a Top 20 breakthrough, her biggest slam win (#4 Elena Rybakina in Paris) and first QF, SF and final in a major (running her *season* total to 9 match wins, more than double what had been her career number from 2017-23). She'll make her Top 10 debut on Monday, the first non-Quartet member to do so in Italian women's tennis history.

But Swiatek loomed like a mountain-sized obstable preventing her from taking one *more* step in Paris.



Over the last three years, Iga has turned the season's second major (after she won her first title there when it was the year's third and final of 2020) into the closest thing to a "backyard invitational" as it's been since maybe Suzanne Lenglen was a physical *presence* on the grounds rather than a name on a show court and championship cup (i.e. about a 100 years ago).

Previous three-peat champion Monica Seles had to share her spotlight with Steffi Graf, while fellow three-timer Justine Henin hit her peak during the Williams era (and played alongside a horde of slam-winning Russians and a fellow top-ranked Belgian).

Chris Evert, the greatest clay courter of the Open era (she once had a 125-match streak on the surface), won RG twice in a row and then skipped the event three straight years from 1976-78 (to play World Team Tennis... it was a different time), in all probability altering the course of what might have been a seven-year title run (she won in 1979-80 when she returned to Paris, then three more times from 1981-86). That sort of accomplishment would have set down a foundation of continued domination that Swiatek would still be *far* from replicating. Not so now.

Ah, the quirks of tennis history are many.

Swiatek's most troubling opponents have never crossed her path in Paris, as the names Sabalenka, Rybakina and Ostapenko have never appeared on an RG scoreboard next to her own. Neither has that of '21 champ Barbora Krejcikova, who has beaten the Pole in *two* tour finals. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff has been her most common RG opponent. 11-1 vs. the new world #2, Swiatek has easily handled her in three match-ups at Roland Garros, including in the '22 final.

So, RG has pretty much been The Iga Show for a while now. And there was no programming change in today's final.

Planting her flag in the terre battue early, Swiatek held in the opening game with an ace. Paolini followed up by quickly taking a 40/love lead on serve, only to see Iga give her the "Potapova treatment" with five straight points to reach BP. But the Italian didn't blink and got the hold, then pulled an "anti-Potapovian" move by exceeding 10 total points for the match in the middle of game 3, at the end of which she got a break of serve to lead 2-1.



But Iga was still Iga, and she made Paolini pay.

The world #1 broke back -- at love -- a game later to reassert her position atop the RG pile. Up 40/love a game later, she quickly held serve. Paolini pulled her own weight in the aftermath, hitting from the baseline with the Pole, but with a paper-thin margin of error. Consecutive errors late in game 6 broke the legs of *that* table, as a 30-all score suddenly became a break for a 4-2 Swiatek lead. After a quick hold, Iga went up love/40 on the Italian's serve, breaking at love to win the 1st set 6-2. She was half-way back home.

In game 2 of the 2nd set, Paolini tried to not immediately fall behind once again, but it was a losing proposition. She went down 15/40, but an ace and two Iga UE got the Italian a GP chance to stay on serve. But Paolini's two UE and a sprayed shot off a deep Swiatek ball put her down a break again at 2-0.



Swiatek held at love for 3-0, then took a 15/40 lead and went up a double-break. Paolini's good point at the net allowed her to edge closer to getting on the board in the 2nd at 30/30, but Swiatek slammed that door shut again by holding two points later to lead 5-0.

Paolini then stepped to the line not to win, really, but to at least go out fighting (and maybe record her first game since she broke to lead 2-1 in the 1st). At 30/30, Swiatek awarded her opponent's effort with a long volley that gave the Italian a GP. Paolini put away a forehand winner a point later to get on the board. A hollow victory, perhaps, but *something*.

At 30/30 on Swiatek's serve in game 7, a long Paolini shot gave the Pole her first MP. She wouldn't need a second, as a flailing Paolini return swat at a tailing Iga serve sailed out, and it was all over in 68 minutes with Swiatek winning 6-2/6-1 to become the first three-peat women's champion in Paris in 17 years (Henin 2005-2007), and just the third (w/ Seles 1990-92) in the Open era.

The last woman to win a third straight in *any* major was Serena Williams in 2014 (U.S. Open), and the only other to sweep the Madrid, Rome and Paris crowns was also Williams, in 2013.



Her job in Paris complete, the long and meticulously planned "Iga-bration" could officially begin.

With 21 straight wins in Paris, Swiatek stands just one more title run in '25 away from closing in on Evert's RG record of 29 consecutive RG victories (spread out over eight years w/ her three-year absence). Additionally, Swiatek has won 19 straight clay court matches this season, topping her own career-best 18-match run on the surface two years ago. 22-4 in career tour-level singles finals, Swiatek is now 5-0 in majors, just one off the career-starting Open era record of 6-0 held by Seles.

Oh, and let's not forget, Swiatek is the 15th woman in the Open era to win a slam title after having faced down a MP en route, and just the fourth to do so in Paris.

Fittingly, on the 50th anniversary of her first RG title run in 1974, Evert was there (w/ Martina Navratilova) to present Swiatek with the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen.



Of course, the questions now shift to just how many RG titles Swiatek might win. Are we seeing "peak Iga" now, or just the opening, world-building chapters of a long and ever more increasingly dominant run? Her four wins still trail Open era record holder Evert's seven, but catching the Hall of Famer's total seems probable (even Evert has said she expects to be passed on the list), as is Navratilova's individual mark of nine at a single major (Wimbledon). Swiatek is only 23, after all. Might Event's "alternate reality" total of 10 in Paris one day come into play, too?

Of course, tennis' history says that *something* -- or someone -- usually comes along to make things far more complicated than anyone expects at the start, doesn't it?

So, for now...



To be continued... until Swiatek's scheduled Parisian rendezvous later this summer for a little something special.






=DAY 14 NOTES=
...the only women's tennis athlete more dominant than Swiatek at Roland Garros is Diede de Groot at, well, all the majors.

The Dutch living legend secured her *14th* straight slam crown (fourth in a row in Paris, and fifth in six years... something for Iga to shoot for next year) with a 4-6/6-2/6-3 win in the final over Zhu Zhenzhen. After dropping the 1st set, while throwing in 8 DF, de Groot had just four DF combined in the final two sets as she lost just five more games.



With her 48th consecutive slam singles victory, de Groot picks up slam singles title #22, passing Hall of Famer Esther Vergeer for the most in women's WC history. Later in the day, de Groot teamed with Aniek Van Koot to complete her 15th slam s/d title sweep (she's 4-for-4 in '24 slam crowns) with a come from behind 6-7(6)/7-6(2) [10-6] victory in the WD final over top-seeded Yui Kamiji & Kgothatso Montjane. The Dutch pair has won six of the last seven titles in Paris.

De Groot's combined slam title total of 41 (22/19) stands just one behind Vergeer's 42 for the women's all-time WC record. The now retired men's former #1 Shingo Kunieda holds the all-time mark with 50 (28/22). Van Koot's 24 slam WD titles is already the women's wheelchair record (two more than Vergeer, four more than Kamiji).

...de Groot wasn't the only player to complete a s/d sweep on Saturday...



In the first all-Czech girls' slam singles final, #12 Tereza Valentova defeated fellow Crusher #3 Laura Samson, 6-3/7-6(0), to become the third member of the Crush of Czechs to win the title in Paris in the last four years.

But Valentova wasn't finished, as she teamed with Slovakia's Renata Jamrichova (the junior #1 and AO girls' winner) to defeat Tyra Caterina Grant & Iva Jovic, 6-4/6-4, to win the GD final, as well.



Valentova's sweep is just the fifth ever in the RG girls' competition, but she's the second Czech (w/ Lucie Havlickova in '22) to do it in three years.

...the finals of this week's WTA 125 events are set.

In Bari (ITA), Hungary's Panna Udvardy will face 19-year old Romanian Anca Todoni; while in Makarska (CRO) -- where Paolini was playing at this time last year (she lost in the final to Mayar Sherif) -- Bannerette Katie Volynets will face off against... Sherif. This will be Sherif's fourth singles final since the start of May, with a third 125 event to go along with tour-level Rabat. The Egyptian has gone 18-5 during the stretch, but is so far 0-3 in those finals.

...in Surbiton, the first big grass event challenger of the year will see Alison Van Uytvanck go against Tatjana Maria for the $100K title. Van Uytvanck won the title in 2022.






*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL def. #12 Jasmine Paolini/ITA 6-2/6-1

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#11 Errani/Paolini (ITA/ITA) vs. #5 Gauff/Siniakova (USA/CZE)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 Siegemund/Roger-Vasselin (GER/FRA) def. #4 Krawczyk/N.Skupski (USA/GBR) 6-4/7-5

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Diede de Groot/NED def. Zhu Zhenzhen/CHN 4-6/6-2/6-3

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
#2 de Groot/Van Koot (NED/NED) def. #1 Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) 6-7(6)/7-6(2) [10-4]

=GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
#12 Tereza Valentova/CZE def. #3 Laura Samson/CZE 6-3/7-6(0)

=GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
#3 Jamrichova/Valentova (SVK/CZE) def. #4 Grant/Jovic (USA/USA) 6-4/6-4

=WHEELCHAIR GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Ksenia Chasteau/FRA def. Maylee Phelps/USA 6-2/6-3

=WHEELCHAIR GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
Ksenia Chasteau/Maylee Phelps (FRA/USA) def. Vitoria Miranda/Yuma Takamuro (BRA/JPN) 3-6/6-0 [18-16]







...ANOTHER LOST OPPORTUNITY (to create an iconic moment)... ON DAY 14:




...PLAY A MAJOR FINAL, STAND NEXT TO MARTINA & CHRIS (still a pretty good day, on the whole)... ON DAY 14:




...EXTRA CREDIT FOR NOT FALLING ON HER BACK... ON DAY 14:



This one had Borg vibes...





...STILL THE BEST/WEIRDEST/MOST DISTRUBING TENNIS COVERAGE TECHNOLOGY GOING... ON DAY 14:




...CHRISSIE+50... ON DAY 14:




...A MARTINA IN THE CROWD... ON DAY 14:




...SAME TIME NEXT YEAR?... ON DAY 14:




...AND SO IT BEGINS... ON DAY 14:

























kosova-font















Honestly, they should have just retired the post-RG final photo sessions after that one. To give it a run they'd need to put someone *atop* to Eiffel Tower, and even then...



Flashforward...











kosova-font

*RECENT RG SINGLES CHAMPIONS*
2010 Francesca Schiavone
2011 Li Na
2012 Maria Sharapova
2013 Serena Williams
2014 Maria Sharapova
2015 Serena Williams
2016 Garbine Muguruza
2017 Alona Ostapenko
2018 Simona Halep
2019 Ash Barty
2020 Iga Swiatek
2021 Barbora Krejcikova
2022 Iga Swiatek
2023 Iga Swiatek
2024 Iga Swiatek

*ROLAND GARROS WOMEN'S SINGLES THREE-PEATS*
[international; pre-Open era]
1928-30 Helen Wills Moody, USA
1935-37 Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling, GER
[Open era]
1990-92 Monica Seles, YUG
2005-07 Justine Henin, BEL
2022-24 Iga Swiatek, POL

*WON RG TITLE AFTER SAVING MATCH POINT*
[pre-Open era]
1946 Margaret Osbourne (2 vs. Pauline Betz F)
1962 Margaret Smith (Court) (1 vs. Lesley Turner F)
[Open era]
2004 Anastasia Myskina (1 vs. Kuznetsova in 4th)
2005 Justine Henin-Hardenne (2 vs. Kuznetsova in 4th)
2021 Barbora Krejcikova (1 vs. Sakkari in SF)
2024 Iga Swiatek (1 vs. Osaka in 2nd)
[additional non-MP comeback wins]
2017 Alona Ostapenko trailed Halep 6-4/3-0 & 3 BP for 4-0 (Final)
2019 Ash Barty down 7-6/3-0 vs. Anisimova (SF)

*SWIATEK IN SLAM FINALS*
2020 RG - Swiatek def. Kenin 6-4/6-1
2022 RG - Swiatek def. Gauff 6-1/6-3
2022 US - Swiatek def. Jabeur 6-2/7-6(5)
2023 RG - Swiatek def. Muchova 6-2/5-7/6-4
2024 RG - Swiatek def. Paolini 6-2/6-1

*BEST STARTS TO SLAM FINAL CAREER - OPEN ERA*
6-0 - Monica Seles
5-0 - IGA SWIATEK
4-0 - Naomi Osaka

*CAREER SLAM SINGLES TITLES - active*
7 - Venus Williams, USA
5 - IGA SWIATEK, POL
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN
3 - Angelique Kerber
2 - Victoria Azarenka
2 - Simona Halep
2 - Petra Kvitova
2 - Aryna Sabalenka

*MADRID/ROME/RG FINALS (Madrid started '09)*
2009 Dinara Safina (W-W-RU)
2013 Serena Williams (W-W-W)
2017 Simona Halep (W-RU-RU)
2024 IGA SWIATEK (W-W-W)

*LONGEST RG WIN STREAKS - OPEN ERA*
29...Chris Evert, 1974-75/79-81
25...Monica Seles, 1990-92/96
24...Justine Henin, 2005-07/10
21...IGA SWIATEK, 2022-current
20...Steffi Graf, 1987-89

*RECENT WTA CLAY STREAKS - since 2000*
28 - Serena Williams, 2013
27 - Justine Henin, 2005-06
21 - Maria Sharapova, 2012-13
19 - Venus Williams, 2004
19 - IGA SWIATEK, 2024 (active)
18 - Iga Swiatek, 2022

*LONG WTA (MD only) WINNING STREAKS - 2024*
19 - IGA SWIATEK (April-active)*
15 - Danielle Collins (March-April; ended by Sabalenka)
10 - Coco Gauff (January; ended by Sabalenka)
--
UNDEFEATED NOTE: Pliskova (9 WTA MD, walkover loss, then 2 more)

*ITALIANS IN SLAM FINALS*
2010 RG - FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE def. Samantha Stosur
2011 RG - Li Na def. FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE
2012 RG - Maria Sharapova def. SARA ERRANI
2015 US - FLAVIA PENNETTA def. ROBERTA VINCI
2024 RG - Iga Swiatek def. JASMINE PAOLINI

*AGE OF 2020s SLAM WINNERS*
18 = Emma Raducanu, GBR (2021 US)
19 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2020 RG)
19 = Coco Gauff, USA (2023 US)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 RG)
21 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2022 US)
21 = Sofia Kenin, USA (2020 AO)
22 = Iga Swiatek, POL (2023 RG)
22 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2020 US)
23 = IGA SWIATEK, POL (2024 RG)
23 = Naomi Osaka, JPN (2021 AO)
23 = Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2022 WI)
24 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2023 AO)
24 = Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (2023 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2021 WI)
25 = Ash Barty, AUS (2022 AO)
25 = Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2021 RG)
25 = Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (2024 AO)

*ROLAND GARROS #1 SEEDS*
2010 Serena Williams (QF)
2011 Caroline Wozniacki (3rd Rd.)
2012 Victoria Azarenka (4th Rd.)
2013 Serena Williams (W)
2014 Serena Williams (2nd Rd.)
2015 Serena Williams (W)
2016 Serena Williams (RU)
2017 Angelique Kerber (1st Rd.)
2018 Simona Halep (W)
2019 Naomi Osaka (3rd Rd.)
2020 Simona Halep (4th Rd.)
2021 Ash Barty (2nd Rd.)
2022 Iga Swiatek (W)
2023 Iga Swiatek (W)
2024 Iga Swiatek (W)

*ROLAND GARROS DEFENDING CHAMP RESULTS - OPEN ERA*
1968 Nancy Richey (SF)
1969 Margaret Smith-Court (W)
1970 Margaret Smith-Court (3rd)
1971 Evonne Goolagong (RU)
1972 Billie Jean King (DNP)
1973 Margaret Smith-Court (DNP)
1974 Chris Evert (W)
1975 Chris Evert (DNP)
1976 Sue Barker (DNP)
1977 Mima Jausovec (RU)
1978 Virginia Ruzici (QF)
1979 Chris Evert Lloyd (W)
1980 Chris Evert Lloyd (SF)
1981 Hana Mandlikova (SF)
1982 Martina Navratilova (4th)
1983 Chris Evert Lloyd (RU)
1984 Martina Navratilova (RU)
1985 Chris Evert Lloyd (W)
1986 Chris Evert Lloyd (SF)
1987 Steffi Graf (W)
1988 Steffi Graf (RU)
1989 Arantxa Sanchez (2nd)
1990 Monica Seles (W)
1991 Monica Seles (W)
1992 Monica Seles (DNP)
1993 Steffi Graf (SF)
1994 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (RU)
1995 Steffi Graf (W)
1996 Steffi Graf (QF)
1997 Iva Majoli (QF)
1998 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario (SF)
1999 Steffi Graf (DNP-retired)
2000 Mary Pierce (DNP)
2001 Jennifer Capriati (SF)
2002 Serena Williams (SF)
2003 Justine Henin-Hardenne (2nd)
2004 Anastasia Myskina (1st)
2005 Justine Henin-Hardenne (W)
2006 Justine Henin-Hardenne (W)
2007 Justine Henin (DNP-retired)
2008 Ana Ivanovic (4th)
2009 Svetlana Kuznetsova (3rd)
2010 Francesca Schiavone (RU)
2011 Li Na (4th)
2012 Maria Sharapova (RU)
2013 Serena Williams (2nd)
2014 Maria Sharapova (4th)
2015 Serena Williams (RU)
2016 Garbine Muguruza (4th)
2017 Alona Ostapenko (1st)
2018 Simona Halep (QF)
2019 Ash Barty (DNP)
2020 Iga Swiatek (QF)
2021 Barbora Krejcikova (1st)
2022 Iga Swiatek (W)
2023 Iga Swiatek (W)

*2024 WTA SINGLES TITLES*
5 - IGA SWIATEK, POL = GS(1),1000(4)
3 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ = 500(3)
2 - Danielle Collins, USA = 1000,500
2 - Alona Ostapenko, LAT = 500(2)

*SWIATEK - RG CAREER HEAD-to-HEAD (35-2)*
3-0 - Coco Gauff, USA
2-0 - Lesia Tsurenko, UKR
2-0 - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
1-0 - Genie Bouchard, CAN
1-0 - Marie Bouzkova, CZE
1-0 - Cristina Bucsa, ESP
1-0 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA
1-0 - Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
1-0 - Selena Janicijevic, FRA
1-0 - Leolia Jeanjean, FRA
1-0 - Kaja Juvan, SLO
1-0 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
1-0 - Sofia Kenin, USA
1-0 - Anett Kontaveit, EST
1-0 - Marta Kostyuk, UKR
1-0 - Danka Kovinic, MNE
1-0 - Claire Liu, USA
1-0 - Karolina Muchova, CZE
1-0 - Naomi Osaka, JPN
1-0 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA
1-0 - Jessie Pegula, USA
1-0 - Rebecca Peterson, SWE
1-0 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG
1-0 - Anastasia Potapova, RUS
1-0 - Monica Puig, PUR
1-0 - Alison Riske-Amritraj, USA
1-0 - Martina Trevisan, ITA
1-0 - Wang Qinwen, CHN
1-0 - Wang Xinyu, CHN
1-0 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN
1-1 - Simona Halep, ROU
0-1 - Maria Sakkari, GRE
--
7-0 - USA
4-0 - CZE
3-0 - CHN
3-0 - UKR
2-0 - FRA
2-0 - ITA
2-0 - RUS
1-0 - ARG
1-0 - BRA
1-0 - CAN
1-0 - ESP
1-0 - EST
1-0 - JPN
1-0 - MNE
1-0 - PUR
1-0 - SLO
1-0 - SWE
1-0 - TPE
1-1 - ROU
0-1 - GRE

*ROLAND GARROS GIRLS FINALS - since 2008*
2008 Simona Halep/ROU def. Elena Bogdan/ROU
2009 Kristina Mladenovic/FRA def. Dasha Gavrilova/RUS
2010 Elina Svitolina/UKR def. Ons Jabeur/TUN
2011 Ons Jabeur/TUN def. Monica Puig/PUR
2012 Annika Beck/GER def. Anna Karolina Schmiedlova/SVK
2013 Belinda Bencic/SUI def. Antonia Lottner/GER
2014 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS def. Ivana Jorovic/SRB
2015 Paula Badosa/ESP def. Anna Kalinskaya/RUS
2016 Rebeka Masarova/SUI def. Amanda Anisimova/USA
2017 Whitney Osuigwe/USA def. Claire Liu/USA
2018 Coco Gauff/USA def. Caty McNally/USA
2019 Leylah Fernandez/CAN def. Emma Navarro/USA
2020 Elsa Jacquemot/FRA def. Alina Charaeva/RUS
2021 Linda Noskova/CZE def. Erika Andreeva/RUS
2022 Lucie Havlickova/CZE def. Solana Sierra/ARG
2023 Alina Korneeva/RUS def. Lucciana Perez Alarcon/PER
2024 Terenza Valentova/CZE def. Laura Samson/CZE

*RECENT GIRLS SLAM CHAMPIONS*
2020 AO: Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
2020 RG: Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
2021 RG: Linda Noskova, CZE
2021 WI: Ane Mintegi del Olmo, ESP
2021 US: Robin Montgomery, USA
2022 AO: Petra Marcinko, CRO
2022 RG: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
2022 WI: Liv Hovde, USA
2022 US: Alex Eala, PHI
2023 AO: Alina Korneeva, RUS
2023 RG: Alina Korneeva, RUS
2023 WI: Clervie Ngounoue, USA
2023 US: Katherine Hui, USA
2024 AO: Renata Jamrichova, SVK
2024 RG: Tereza Valentova, CZE
[Girl's Doubles]
2010 Timea Babos & Sloane Stephens, HUN/USA
2011 Irina Khromacheva & Maryna Zanevska, RUS/UKR
2012 Daria Gavrilova & Irina Khromacheva, RUS/RUS
2013 Barbora Krejcikova & Katerina Siniakova, CZE/CZE
2014 Ioana Ducu & Ioana Loredana Rosca, ROU/ROU
2015 Miriam Kolodziejova & Marketa Vondrouosva, CZE/CZE
2016 Paula Arias Manjon & Olga Danilovic, ESP/SRB
2017 Bianca Andreescu & Carson Branstine, CAN/CAN
2018 Caty McNally & Iga Swiatek, USA/POL
2019 Chloe Beck & Emma Navarro, USA/USA
2020 Eleonora Alvisi & Lisa Pigoti, ITA/ITA
2021 Alex Eala & Oksana Selekhmeteva, PHI/RUS
2022 Sara Bejlek & Lucie Havlickova, CZE/CZE
2023 Tyra Caterina Grant & Clervie Ngounoue, USA/USA
2024 Renata Jamrichova & Tereza Valentova, SVK/CZE

*RECENT GIRLS DOUBLES SLAM CHAMPIONS*
2020 AO: Alex Eala/Priska Madelyn Nugroho (PHI/INA)
2020 RG: Eleonora Alvisi/Lisa Pigoti (ITA/ITA)
2021 RG: Alex Eala/Oksana Selekmeteva (PHI/RUS)
2021 WI: Kristina Dmitruk/Diana Shnaider (BLR/RUS)
2021 US: Ashlyn Krueger/Robin Montgomery (USA/USA)
2022 AO: Clervie Ngounoue/Diana Shnaider (USA/RUS)
2022 RG: Sara Bejlek/Lucie Havlickova (CZE/CZE)
2022 WI: Rose Marie Nijkamp/Angella Okutoyi (NED/KEN)
2022 US: Lucie Havlickova/Diana Shnaider (CZE/RUS)
2023 AO: Renata Jamrichova/Federica Urgesi (SVK/ITA)
2023 RG: Tyra Caterina Grant/Clervie Ngounoue (USA/USA)
2023 WI: Alena Kovackova/Laura Samsonova (CZE/CZE)
2023 US: Mara Gae/Anastasiia Gureva (ROU/RUS)
2024 AO: Tyra Caterina Grant/Iva Jovic (USA/USA)
2024 RG: Renata Jamrichova/Tereza Valentova (SVK/CZE)

*RG GIRLS SINGLES/DOUBLES SWEEPS*
1987 Natalia Zvereva, USSR
1994 Martina Hingis, SUI
2005 Agnes Szavay, HUN
2022 Lucie Havlickova, CZE
2024 Tereza Valentova, CZE

*TCH/CZE ROLAND GARROS GIRLS' CHAMPIONS*
1972 Renata Tomanova
1975 Regina Marsikova
1978 Hana Mandlikova
2021 Linda Noskova
2022 Lucie Havlickova
2024 Tereza Valentova

*RG WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS*
2007 Esther Vergeer, NED
2008 Esther Vergeer, NED
2009 Esther Vergeer, NED
2010 Esther Vergeer, NED
2011 Esther Vergeer, NED
2012 Esther Vergeer, NED
2013 Sabine Ellerbrock, GER
2014 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2015 Jiske Griffioen, NED
2016 Marjolein Buis, NED
2017 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2018 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2019 Diede de Groot, NED
2020 Yui Kamiji, JPN
2021 Diede de Groot, NED
2022 Diede de Groot, NED
2023 Diede de Groot, NED
2024 Diede de Groot, NED
[doubles]
2007 Maaike Smit/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2008 Jiske Griffioen/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2009 Korie Homan/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2010 Daniela Di Toro/Aniek van Koot, AUS/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Marjolein Buis/Esther Vergeer, NED/NED
2013 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2016 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2017 Yui Kamiji/Marjolein Buis, JPN/NED
2018 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2021 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2023 Yui Kamiji/Kgothatso Montjane, JPN/RSA
2024 Diede de Groot/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM SINGLES TITLES*
22 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [6-5-5-6]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-0-6]
8 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [2-4-0-2]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*
3 - Aniek van Koot, NED [1-0-1-1]*
3 - Monique Kalkman, NED [0-0-0-3]
[doubles]
24 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED [7-9-3-5]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
20 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [5-4-7-4]*
19 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED [5-6-3-5]*
16 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [6-3-3-4]*
12 - Jordanne Whiley, GBR [3-2-5-2]
[singles/doubles - women]
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
41 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (22/19)*
28 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8/20)*
27 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED (3/24)*
20 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4/16)*
[singles/doubles - men/women]
50 - Shingo Kunieda, JPN (28/22)
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
41 - DIEDE DE GROOT, NED (22/19)*
28 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8/20)*
28 - Alfie Hewett, GBR (8/20)*
27 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED (3/24)*
26 - Gordon Reid, GBR (2/24)*

*RG Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU WINNERS*
2016 Yulia Putintseva, KAZ
2017 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2018 Mihaela Buzarnescu, ROU
2019 Simona Halep, ROU
2020 Simona Halep, ROU
2021 Carla Suarez Navarro, ESP (one-handed BH)
2022 Diane Parry/FRA (one-handed BH) and Iga Swiatek/POL (title & cap)
2023 Justine Henin - 20th Anniversary of first RG title
2024 Iga Swiatek - first RG three-peat since Henin '07



kosova-font









TOP QUALIFIER: Jule Niemeier/GER
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (7 games lost in 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #1 Iga Swiatek/POL (8 games lost 3r-QF)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): #1 Iga Swiatek/POL (wins third con RG title, 4th in 5 years)
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: Raluca Serban/CYP def. Dominika Salkova/CZE 3-6/6-4/7-6(13-11) - both served for win in 3rd, w/ Salkova 2 MP, then third in TB; Serban wins 24-point MTB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - #1 Swiatek/POL def. (PR) Osaka/JPN 7-6(1)/1-6/7-5 - Osaka led in 3rd at 4-1 w/ pt. for 5-1, 5-2 up, served at 5-3 and had MP
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #1 Iga Swiatek/POL def. Anastasia Potapova/RUS 6-0/6-0 (10 points lost total; 40 minutes)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Donna Vekic/CRO (def. Tsurenko/UKR ret.)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS (1r: Bouzkova/CZE)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Moyuka Uchijima/JPN (2nd MD)
UPSET QUEENS: United States
REVELATION LADIES: China
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Germany (1-5 1st Rd.)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Olga Danilovic/SRB (in 4th Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER WINS: Hailey Baptiste/USA, Jana Fett/CRO (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Chloe Paquet/FRA (3rd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: 3rd Rd.: Bianca Andreescu/CAN, Irina-Camelia Begu/ROU; 2nd Rd.: Amanda Anisimova/USA, Naomi Osaka/JPN
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Varvara Gracheva (in 4th Rd.)
Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA
IT "Teen": Mirra Andreeva/RUS
COMEBACK PLAYER: Nominees: Osaka, Errani
CRASH & BURN: #6 Maria Sakkari/GRE (lost 1st Rd. 4 of 5 slams)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: Iga Swiatek/POL (2nd Rd.: down 4-1 -- pt. for 5-1 -- and 5-2 vs. Osaka in 3rd; Osaka MP at 5-3)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Siegemund(mx), Gauff/Siniakova
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Errani(wd), Siegemund(mx)
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: Mirra Andreeva/RUS and Victoria Azarenka/BLR (1 a.m. 2r finish on Court 12)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Czech Crushers: Tereza Valentova & Laura Samson (first all-CZE jr. slam final)
Légion de Lenglen: Firsts (Court Lenglen roof debuts, and Varvara Gracheva's first RG as FRA) and Last (Alize Cornet's farewell tournament)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: Iga Swiatek completes three-peat at RG since Henin in 2007






All for Day 14. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:50 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger khan35 said...

ALL HAIL TO THE QUEEN!

In all seriousness, Swiatek is gonna hit double-digit number in winning RG titles, ain't she? I have my doubts in Rybakina's or any other big hitter's ability in beating her at RG. I think We are witnessing female version of Rafa in her at RG.

Now the tour is moving on to the most boring part of the season for my liking which is grass. It's time for "cow tennis".

Sun Jun 09, 04:44:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

Double-digits sure *seems* likely. But weird things -- some good, some bad -- happen.

Sun Jun 09, 07:11:00 PM EDT  

Post a Comment

<< Home