Saturday, June 01, 2024

RG.7- Merrily Aryna Goes Along

While the Iga-bration plans continue to be worked out in the top half of the draw (and the bouncers keep watch at the door for any potential party-crashers, as Naomi slipped through the other day and nearly torched the place), Aryna Sabalenka is just going about her business.



Sabalenka got to play her 3rd Round match against her best friend on Saturday, facing Paula Badosa for the third time this spring. The Spaniard appears over her back issues (crossing fingers), but isn't quite up to long-term success just yet, especially after playing so many recent three-setters and, you know, faced with the task of taking out the likes of the world #2.

Still, Badosa started out quite well on Chatrier, leading 5-3 in the 1st set, putting the first bit of pressure on the head of the Belarusian that she's faced at this slam. Her response? Well, she hit harder, and more aggressively. Sabalenka won eight straight games, taking the 1st and going up 4-0 in the 2nd. She won 7-5/6-1, claiming 10 of the final 11 games.



Not only is Sabalenka 14-3 on clay this spring (oh those MPs in Madrid), but she's now 10-0 in majors (where she's yet to lose a set in '24). While Swiatek can still become just the second (w/ Serena '13) to win Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros in a single year, there are only two additional women ('09 Safina, '17 Halep) who have done what Sabalenka can still do next weekend: reach the final of all three of the biggest clay events of the season.

Now with a WTA-best seven straight slam Round of 16 results (more than twice as long a streak as the second-best, Gauff's three), Sabalenka's epic run of slam SF appearances (6) remains in play to be added to, as well.

After the Rome final loss to Swiatek, Sabalenka wondered if she might get still *another* shot at Iga this spring in Paris. She surely has unfinished business, as she's already ended the season's other two longest WTA win streaks (Collins' 15, Gauff's 10), and by then Swiatek's run would be at 18 (plus 20 straight at RG) should they meet next weekend.

An Iga-bration would surely be well thought out and historic. But, my, a Sabalenka-fest would be one crazy blowout.




=DAY 7 NOTES=
...finally, this Roland Garros reached the middle weekend after an opening six days in which the weather more resembled the year's *third* major at SW19. Naturally, nothing changed on Saturday, as rain interrupted play for a seventh straight day.

At the very least, the women's singles MD plotline for the second week has been rewarded for the patience. With #1 Iga Swiatek and #3 Coco Gauff already safely into the Round of 16, and with #2 Sabalenka joining them, #4 Elena Rybakina added her name to the mix, as well, as the top four seeds advanced to the 4th Round in Paris for the first time since 2013.

That year, the final featured #1 Serena Williams defeating #2 Maria Sharapova, with #3 Victoria Azarenka and #5 Sara Errani having reached the semis. Yep, the #5 seed -- Marketa Vondrousova -- is still alive at this slam, too.

The last time all four top seeds reached the SF in Paris? 1992 (#1 Seles d. #2 Graf, #3 Sabatini/#4 Sanchez Vicario), the only time it's happened there in the Open era. The last time at any major? The 2009 Wimbledon (#2 Serena d. #3 Venus; #1 Safina/#4 Dementieva). In fact, it hasn't happened during any slam *other* than Wimbledon since 1993.

AO (4): 1969,1970,1974,1993
RG (1): 1992
WI (10): 1973,1976,1978,1979,1988,1992,1995,2003,2006,2009
US (1): 1975

...so far, things are going well for Rybakina in Paris. She's barely caused a ripple in the headlines (outside of some simple truth-telling, and her critique of some very boring questions during her press conference after the 1st Round), has hardly lost any games, and the schedule-makers have astutely stayed out of her crossheirs, too.

Rybakina's 6-4/6-2 win over #25 Elise Mertens today came in another contest placed early in the day. Again, she avoided the sort of rain delays and waiting around that have hounded so many others (surely, she'd have said something if she was the one -- not Vika and Mirra -- being forced to play until 1 a.m. the other night).

This RG has a bit of a "redemption" flavor for the Kazakh, as she pulled out due to illness during her *last* trip to Paris ('23 3r), and this is also her first major since falling in the 2nd Round in Melbourne on the wrong end of that 42-point MTB vs. Anna Blinkova.

Yeah, she's gone 26-3 (w/ 2 titles, 4 finals and a win over Iga) since then, while Blinkova is 7-12 (w/ 1r/2r exits in 9 of 11 events), but that's not nearly good enough, right?



...meanwhile, there's a new favorite Pastry sweeping Paris, as Varvara Gracheva is the first French woman to reach the Round of 16 at RG since 2020 (Garcia & Ferro).

Gracheva's 7-5/6-3 win over Irina-Camelia Begu erases her previously winless (0-5) mark in slam 3rd Round matches (in her 15th major MD), and it makes her the Last Pastry Standing in her very first Roland Garros while playing under the French flag. Russian-born, Gracheva has lived in France for years and officially took up the new colors (well, the same three colors, just arranged in a different way) soon after last year's RG.

If one can say nothing else, she's got good timing.

So is Gracheva just a Pastry, or something more unique (ala a cronut, as in croissant+donut)?

Hmmm... a Hastry (Hordette+Pastry), or maybe a Frussian Pastry (French/Russain Pastry... also the long-ago nickname around these parts for none other than Tatiana Golovin)?



The last Pastry to reach the QF in Paris was back in 2017, when both Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic reached that stage.

...later, Elina Avanesyan was having a day that she'd likely regret. Then that all changed.



Facing off with #7 Zheng Qinwen, the 21-year old Hordette came in looking to match her surprise run in Paris from a year ago as a lucky loser (she'd upset #12 Belinda Bencic and got a win over Clara Tauson en route to being the first LL in the RG second week since 1988).

After dropping the opening set, Avanesyan won the 2nd and raced to a double-break 5-2 lead in the 3rd. Twice she served for the win, and twice she couldn't finish off the Australian Open finalist. Zheng pulled ahead on serve, and Avanesyan soon had to hold to force a deciding MTB. She did just that, then again pushed her way into the lead, going up 9-6 and *this* time finishing things off on her first MP to win 3-6/6-3/7-6(10-6).

A year ago, the Hordette was ranked #134 when she reached the 4th Round, and after getting a MD win at the U.S. Open and reaching the 3rd Round at the AO in the intervening stretch, this time around she's #70. If she can reach the QF she'll be nipping at the heels of cracking the Top 50 (and will set a new career high, which is currently #60).

The upset of Zheng makes Avanesyan 3-0 vs. Top 10 players in '24, with the win adding to her defeats of #8 Sakkari (AO) and #6 Jabeur (Miami) earlier this season.



...well, Bianca Andreescu had a nice run in her first outing since last August. Her two wins in Paris were her first since Wimbledon, but she finally hit the wall today after forcing a 3rd set vs. #12 Jasmine Paolini, as the Italian stormed back to win 6-1/3-6/6-0.

For the 28-year old Paolini -- who qualified only once in 12 attempts at slams from 2017-19, and coming into this season had exited in the 1r/2r of all 16 major MD in which she'd appeared (going 4-16) -- it's her second slam Round of 16 *in 2024*, joining just four other women who've played into the second week in both Melbourne and Paris this year. She's 7-1 in slam play for the season, with this result popping despite her lackluster 4-3 pre-RG clay run (after going 12-6, with a Dubai 1000 title and Indian Wells 4r, on hard court).



...Mirra Andreeva just keeps on keepin' on, this time around that means the 17-year old is into her third slam 4th Round (at a third different event) in just five MD appearances during her young career. After battling Vika Azarenka for three sets until 1 a.m. last time out, she handled Peyton Stearns 2 & 1 today, and either she or Gracheva will now reach the QF (hmmm, maybe in a 4th Rounder that could be the *one* women's night match we'll likely to get at this RG?).



...#15 Elina Svitolina returned to action in early April of last year, and today her 5 & 2 win over Ana Bogdan put her into her fourth slam Round of 16 (in five majors) in her comeback. She pulled off a QF/SF combo at last year's RG and Wimbledon.

Despite never reaching a major final, Svitolina is the most experienced player left in the draw, with her 17 slam 4th Rounds (2 more than Iga, 5 more than Ons), 132 MD matches (Aryna 91, Iga 89), and 92 career wins (Iga 73, Aryna 69) in majors topping all lists. The Ukrainian had come into Paris sporting a 5-5 mark on clay this spring (so maybe it's not about peaking *before* RG... see below).



...today was a good example of why I tend to get bored with Madison Keys. She seems to be a lovely, responsible and nice person off the court, but as a player, well, it's always something. No matter what good you see from her between the lines, ultimately, it doesn't really mean anything at all.

She was one of the hottest pre-RG clay courters alive this spring, going a stellar 11-2 on red clay before heading to Paris, reaching the Madrid semis, Rome QF and winning in Strasbourg. Yet *still* -- with history whispering in one's ear -- it all made one wonder if she'd *finally* come crashing back to earth at RG, exiting in the 1st or 2nd Round either with a tidal wave of unforced errors, a blown lead or some sort of injury.

Keys managed to escape an early-round exit, but it sure felt like a red flag when she had to rally from 5-3 down in the 2nd set (after winning a love 1st) vs. Mayar Sherif in the 2nd Round, winning a tight 9-7 TB to get out in straights.

The #14 seed's match with #22 Emma Navarro today was set to be a litmus test for whether, finally (or at least for this *one* slam), Keys' previous on-court form could actually be trusted (even a little bit) in a seven-round event.

Well, she's now out.

Against her fellow Bannerette, Keys held a SP at 5-3 in the 1st, and twice tried and failed to serve out the set. Navarro won a 7-5 TB, then took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd. Keys took an MTO (hip) at 3-2 down, but then came out and broke serve. She then gave back the break at love. Navarro led 5-3 this time, only to see Keys be the one to take things to a TB. Navarro raced to a 6-1 lead, and converted MP #3 to win 7-6(5)/7-6(3) to avoid the recent fate of the two *other* former NCAA women's champions in the MD (Stearns and Danielle Collins).

This counts as a significant upset, considering how Keys had played this spring. But is it, though? I mean... it's Keys.



So, Navarro's big '24 jump continues. She won her first tour title in Hobart, reached a 125 final (on clay) in May (a loss to Diana Shnaider) and has cracked the Top 20. She's now 8-2 in her last ten clay matches, is 33-12 on the year, and remains alive for the fourth U.S. singles slot at the Olympics later this summer in Paris. Gauff, Pegula and Collins have three of the four U.S. spots locked up, and Keys is all that stands between Navarro and an honor that would have seemed unlikely (if not impossible) a year ago. It still might be, as Keys has a healthy lead in the rankings, but who's to say that all four of those Bannerettes will be healthy enough to play in Paris?

...elsewhere, wheelchair #12 Wang Xiying, one of a pair of Chinese rollers (w/ de Groot conqueror Li Xiaohui) making some waves this spring, picked up her maiden Series 1 crown in de Royan (FRA). The 25-year old defeated Dana Mathewson, Zhu Zhenzhen and Momoko Ohtani (2 & 4 in the final) to take the crown.

Playing alongside Guo Luoyao, Wang lost the doubles final to Li & Zhu.

...16-year old Waffle Jeline Vandromme added her second J300 junior title of the season at the Astrid Bowl in Charleroi-Marcinelle (BEL), defeating Czech Tereza Krejcova 6-1/6-1 in the final. Vandromme also won the doubles with Bannerette Kaitlyn Rolls.



The Belgian will make her junior slam debut this coming week in Paris.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Iga Swiatek/POL vs. Anastasia Potapova/RUS
(Q) Olga Danilovic/SRB vs. #5 Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
#3 Coco Gauff/USA vs. Elisabetta Cocciaretto/ITA
Clara Tauson/DEN vs. #8 Ons Jabeur/TUN
Elina Avanesyan/RUS vs. #12 Jasmine Paolini/ITAx
#15 Elina Svitolina/UKR vs. #4 Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Varvara Gracheva/FRA vs. Mirra Andreeva/RUS
#22 Emma Navarro/USA vs. #2 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR







...TOUCHÉ, MADEMOISELLE SWIATEK... ON DAY 7:




...PSSSST, DON'T TELL THE SAUDIS (they might halt the payments, or worse)... ON DAY 7:


So (earlier question answered)...





"No, Crown Prince. They don't *mean* anything -- we just thought the colors looked pretty! It's almost summertime!"



...ON HARD COURT OR GRASS?... ON DAY 7:




...MEANWHILE... ON DAY 7:



Next Question: when is Pojd Kvitova's due to enter the world with a loud shout?






...HAPPY LPT/Justine Henin DAY!... ON DAY 7:















2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007




2016...




Priceless...












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**"FIRST SLAM..." FEATS IN 2020s**
=ROUND OF 16 at RG=
2020 RG - Paula Badosa, ESP (6th MD)
2020 RG - Fiona Ferro, FRA (10th)
2020 RG - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (3rd)
2020 RG - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (2nd)
2020 RG - Laura Siegemund, GER (16th)
2020 RG - Martina Trevisan, ITA (2nd)
2021 RG - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (5th)
2021 RG - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (7th)
2021 RG - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (9th)
2022 RG - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS (13th)
2022 RG - Jil Teichmann, SUI (11th)
2022 RG - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (2nd)
2023 RG - Elina Avanesyan, RUS (2nd)
2023 RG - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (12th)
2023 RG - Bernarda Pera, USA (21st)
2023 RG - Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK (33rd)
2023 RG - Sara Sorribes Tormo, ESP (22nd)
2024 RG - Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA (11th)
2024 RG - Olga Danilovic, SRB (5th)
2024 RG - Varvara Gracheva, FRA (15th)
2024 RG - Emma Navarro, USA (6th)
2024 RG - Anastasia Potapova, RUS (18th)
2024 RG - Clara Tauson, DEN (11th)

*BEST 2024 SLAM RESULTS*
[protected ranking]
AO 4th Rd. - Amanda Anisimova, USA
AO 3rd Rd. - Paula Badosa, ESP
RG 3rd Rd. - BIANCA ANDREESCU, CAN
RG 3rd Rd. - IRINA-CAMELIA BEGU, ROU
AO 2nd Rd. - Emma Raducanu, GBR
AO 2nd Rd. - Ajla Tomljanovic, AUS
RG 2nd Rd. - AMANDA ANISIMOVA, USA
RG 2nd Rd. - NAOMI OSAKA, JPN

*RECENT RG "LAST PASTRY STANDING"*
2015 Alize Cornet (4th)
2016 A.Cornet, K.Mladenovic & P.Parmentier (3rd)
2017 Caroline Garcia & Kristina Mladenovic (QF)
2018 Caroline Garcia (4th)
2019 C.Garcia, K.Mladenovic & D.Parry (2nd)
2020 Fiona Ferro & Caroline Garcia (4th)
2021 F.Ferro, C.Garcia, K.Mladenovic, H.Tan (2nd)
2022 A.Cornet, L.Jeanjean & D.Parry (3rd)
2023 O.Dodin, C.Garcia, L.Jeanjean & D.Parry (2nd)
2024 Varvara Gracheva (in 4th Rd.)

*FRENCH WOMEN IN RG ROUND OF 16*
[since last FRA finalist]
1994 Mary Pierce (RU), Julie Halard, Alexia Dechaume-Balleret
1995 Mary Pierce
1996 -
1997 Mary Pierce
1998 Sandrine Testud
1999 Julie Halard-Decugis
2000 Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce
2001 Sandrine Testud
2002 Amelie Mauresmo, Mary Pierce
2003 Amelie Mauresmo
2004 Amelie Mauresmo
2005 Mary Pierce
2006 Amelie Mauresmo
2007 Marion Bartoli
2008 -
2009 Virginie Razzano, Aravane Rezai
2010 -
2011 Marion Bartoli
2012 -
2013 -
2014 Pauline Parmentier
2015 Alize Cornet
2016 -
2017 Alize Cornet, Caroline Garcia, Kristina Mladenovic
2018 Caroline Garcia
2019 -
2020 Fiona Ferro, Caroline Garcia
2021 -
2022 -
2023 -
2024 Varvara Gracheva

*RG "Légion de Lenglen" HONOREES & INCIDENTS*
[2016]
Alize Lim, FRA
[2017]
Caroline Garcia, FRA
[2018]
Serena Williams, USA
[2019]
Court Simonne-Mathieu debut
[2020 U.S. Open Special]
Madison Brengle & her wine
[2020]
Court Chatrier roof (and night tennis) debuts
[2021]
Naomi Osaka press conference controversy
[2022]
Alize Cornet, FRA
[2022 U.S. Open Special]
Jessie Pegula & a Heineken
[2023]
Ukraine/RUS-BLR controversy
[2024]
Firsts (Court Lenglen roof debuts, and Varvara Gracheva's first RG as FRA) and a Last (Alize Cornet's farewell tournament)



*2024 ROLAND GARROS FINAL 16*
[by ranking]
#1 - Iga Swiatek
#2 - Aryna Sabalenka
#3 - Coco Gauff
#4 - Elena Rybakina
#6 - Marketa Vondrousova
#9 - Ons Jabeur
#15 - Jasmine Paolini
#19 - Elina Svitolina
#24 - Emma Navarro
#38 - Mirra Andreeva
#41 - Anastasia Potapova
#51 - Elisabetta Cocciaretto
#70 - Elina Avanesyan
#72 - Clara Tauson
#88 - Varvara Gracheva
#125 - Olga Danilovic

[by age]
17 = M.Andreeva
20 = Gauff
21 = Avanesyan, Tauson
23 = Cocciaretto, Danilovic, Gracheva, Navarro, Potapova, Swiatek
24 = Rybakina, Vondrousova
26 = Sabalenka
28 = Paolini
29 = Jabeur, Svitolina

[by nation]
3...RUS (M.Andreeva,Avanesyan,Potapova)
2...ITA (Cocciaretto,Paolini)
2...USA (Gauff,Navarro)
1...BLR (Sabalenka)
1...CZE (Vondrousova)
1...DEN (Tauson)
1...FRA (Gracheva)
1...KAZ (Rybakina)
1...POL (Swiatek)
1...SRB (Danilovic)
1...TUN (Jabeur)
1...UKR (Svitolina)

[by career slam Round-of-16's]
17 - Svitolina
15 - Swiatek
12 - Sabalenka
11 - Gauff
10 - Jabeur
7 - Vondrousova
6 - Rybakina
3 - M.Andreeva
2 - Avanesayn, Paolini
1 - Cocciaretto, Danilovic, Gracheva, Navarro, Potapova, Tauson

[w/ consecutive slam Round of 16's]
7 - Sabalenka
3 - Gauff
2 - M.Andreeva, Paolini, Svitolina

[w/ multiple career RG Round of 16's]
6 - Svitolina, Swiatek
4 - Gauff, Jabeur
3 - Vondrousova
2 - Avanesyan, Rybakina, Sabalenka

[w/ consecutive RG Round of 16's]
6 - Swiatek
4 - Gauff
2 - Avanesyan, Jabeur, Sabalenka, Svitolina

[WTA career slam Round of 16's - active]
50...Venus Williams
30...Victoria Azarenka
23...Angelique Kerber
23...Petra Kvitova
22...Simona Halep
22...Caroline Wozniacki
19...Madison Keys
17...Elina Svitolina
16...Sloane Stephens
16...Vera Zvonareva
15...Iga Swiatek
14...Karolina Pliskova
13...Elise Mertens
12...Aryna Sabalenka
11...Coco Gauff
10...Ons Jabeur
10...Kaia Kanepi
10...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

[WTA slam Round of 16's since 2020 (of 17) - active]
14 - Swiatek
12 - Sabalenka
10 - Gauff, Jabeur
8 - Mertens
7 - Azarenka, Krejcikova, Pegula, Svitolina
6 - Halep, Rybakina
5 - Badosa, Keys, Kvitova, Muchova
5 - Sakkari, Vondrousova
4 - Anisimova, Bencic, Garcia, Kenin
4 - Kerber, Pavlyuchenkova
4 - Ka.Pliskova
3 - M.Andreeva, Cirstea, Collins, Cornet
3 - Kasatkina, Ostapenko, Rogers, Stephens
3 - Tomljanovic, Zhang Sh., Zheng Q.
2 - Avanesyan, Bouzkova, Brady, Fernandez
2 - Haddad Maia, Kostyuk, V.Kudermetova
2 - Martic, Niemeier, Osaka, Paolini
2 - Raducanu, Riske-A., Samsonova
2 - Trevisan, Tsurenko, Vekic

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - youngest]
16 - Mirra Andreeva (AO)
17 - Mirra Andreeva (RG)
19 - Linda Noskova (AO)
19 - Coco Gauff (AO)
20 - Coco Gauff (RG)
20 - Maria Timofeeva (AO)

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - oldest]
34 - Victoria Azarenka (AO)
29 - Ons Jabeur (RG)
29 - Elina Svitolina (RG)
29 - Elina Svitolina (AO)
28 - Barbora Krejcikova (AO)
28 - Jasmine Paolini (RG)
28 - Jasmine Paolini (AO)

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - unseeded]
=AO (9)=
M.Andreeva, Anisimova(PR), Dodin, Frech, Kalinskaya, Kostyuk, Noskova, Timofeeva(Q), Yastremska(Q)
=RG (7)=
M.Andreeva, Avanesyan, Cocciaretto, Danilovic(Q), Gracheva, Potapova, Tauson

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - 1st-time GS 4th Rd.]
AO - (6) Dodin,Frech,Kalinskaya,Noskova,Paolini,Timofeeva
RG - (6) Cocciaretto,Danilovic,Gracheva,Navarro,Potapova,Tauson

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - lowest-ranked]
#442 - Amanda Anisimova (AO)
#170 - Maria Timofeeva (AO)
#125 - Olga Danilovic (RG)
#95 - Oceane Dodin (AO)
#93 - Dayana Yastremska (AO)
#88 - Varvara Gracheva (RG)

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's]
2 - M.Andreeva (AO/RG)
2 - Gauff (AO/RG)
2 - Paolini (AO/RG)
2 - Sabalenka (AO/RG)
2 - Svitolina (AO/RG)

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - by nation]
6 = 3/3 = RUS (M.Andreeva,Avanesyan,Potapova)
4 = 2/2 = USA (Gauff,Navarro)
4 = 3/1 = UKR (Svitolina)
3 = 2/1 = BLR (Sabalenka)
3 = 2/1 = CZE (Vondrousova)
3 = 1/2 = ITA (Cocciaretto,Paolini)
2 = 1/1 = FRA (Gracheva)
2 = 1/1 = POL (Swiatek)
=
1 AO: CHN
1 RG: DEN(Tauson),KAZ(Rybakina),SRB(Danilovic),TUN(Jabeur)

[2024 slam Rd. of 16's - by region]
13 (8/5) - Eastern Europe/Russia (BLR-RUS-UKR)
12 (5/7) - W.Europe/Scandinavia (CZE-DEN-FRA-ITA-POL-SRB)
4 (2/2) - North America/Atlantic (USA)
2 (1/1) - Asia/Oceania (KAZ)
1 (0/1) - Africa/Middle East/Mediterranean (TUN)
0 (0/0) - South America




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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): xx
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
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): xx
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.)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: x
IT "TBD": x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
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: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
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: Nominee: Iga attempt at first three-peat since Henin in 2007






All for Day 7. Happy birthday, Justine! More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:16 PM 

2 Comments:

Blogger khan35 said...

You were right about Keys being eliminated early.

That was an epic moonball contest between Zheng and Avanesyan. Avanesyean was a wall in the 2nd and 3rd set. The fact that Ananesyan is undefeated against top 15 in her career is a baffling mystery to me as she has no weapon.

Earlier in the year at Indian Wells, Navarro defeated Sabalenka. Let' see how she fares against Sabalenka on clay.

Sun Jun 02, 04:59:00 AM EDT  
Blogger Todd.Spiker said...

I think the key with Keys is to always expect what you seemingly should *least* expect... that way you're never really surprised.

Started '24 late and came to Europe not having done much? She has maybe her best and most consistent clay campaign.

She has her best and most consistent clay campaign? She fails to reach the second week in Paris.

Yeah, Ostapenko is very similar... but it's so much more fun when she does it.

Meanwhile... that just wasn't a good match-up for Tauson (vs. Jabeur).

Sun Jun 02, 01:25:00 PM EDT  

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