Friday, June 06, 2025

RG.13- The Day Before the Day

In 3, 2, 1...










=DAY 13 NOTES=
...while the women's singles took a one day break, there was plenty of action in Paris on Friday to set up a slew of finals on the weekend.

The women's doubles final pairs were decided, and Sara Errani has the chance to pull off a rare sweep of the doubles and mixed titles. She and Jasmine Paolini -- who've won Olympic Gold, four 1000 titles (Rome twice), and the BJK Cup, but have yet to win a major together (they lost the RG final to Gauff/Siniakova last year) -- wiped out Mirra Andreeva & Diana Shnaider 1 & love in the SF today.



Errani won the MX with Andrea Vavassori (their second slam win in less than a year) yesterday, and claimed five WD majors with Roberta Vinci more than a decade ago.

The Italians will face Anna Danilina & Aleksandra Krunic, who defeated Ulrikke Eikeri & Eri Hozumi. It's Danilina's second slam WD final, having lost AO22 with Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Krejcikova/Siniakova. The Kazakh won the 2023 U.S. Open Mixed title. For Krunic, it's the Serbian veteran's first career major final, as the Bracelet looks to have what might be her biggest career moment this weekend.



...meanwhile, in the juniors, Francesca Schiavone is a story at Roland Garros yet again, fifteen years after she won the women's title. She's the coach of Austrian Lilli Tagger, who added to her win in an ITF final earlier this spring over one Lois Boisson with a victory in the girls' SF today over #1 seed Emerson Jones. The Aussie had defeated Tagger in the AO QF back in January.



Schiavone and Flavia Pennetta played some Legends tennis in Paris on Friday (and sat next to each other in the stands during the Sinner/Djokovic match), BTW.

Tagger is the first Austrian to reach the RG girls' final, and will try to become the first to win any girls' junior slam when she faces off with #8 Hannah Klugman. The Brit knocked off Bulgaria's Rositsa Dencheva on Friday, and will attempt to become the first British girls' winner in Paris in 49 years.



In the junior doubles semis, the Kovackova sisters defeated the Penickova twins 6-4/5-7 (10-3) to avenge their SF loss earlier this season in Melbourne, and will face Germans Eva Bennemann & Sonja Zhenikova for the title.



...in the wheelchair semis, #1 Yui Kamiji managed to withstand the challenge of up-and-coming Li Xiaohui, winning 6-2/6-7(4)/6-4 to advance to her 29th career major WC final in singles, extending her all-time record. A title, which would be Kamiji's 10th career singles major (fifth RG, w/ her last coming in 2020), would mean she will have taken full advantage of Diede de Groot's absence and still-evolving comeback from hip surgery last summer, having already followed up her win over de Groot in the Paralympics final with an AO title run.



Kamiji will face off with Aniek Van Koot, who defeated Kgothatso Montjane 6-4/6-4 to reach her first RG singles final since 2015. With the victory, Van Koot is on the cusp of a very significant career moment, as with a win in the final she'd complete her Career Slam in singles, having won each of the other three majors once. The only other woman to do it has been de Groot (as the Wimbledon singles wasn't contested during Hall of Famer Esther Vergeer's career), and Van Koot would also join her countrywoman as only women to have won all eight slam s/d titles (Kamiji is missing just a Wimbledon singles crown).

Kamiji has the chance to sweep the s/d titles at a major for the third time, as she and Montjane denied Li & Wang Ziying their second straight slam title (w/ AO25) with a 4-6/7-5 (10-7) win in the final today. It's the fourth slam win together for Kamiji & Montjane, who also won in Paris in 2023.



Kamiji now has 22 women's doubles slams, behind only Van Koot's 24 in wheelchair history. Her last s/d slam sweep came at the Australian Open in 2020. That's also the last year she opened the season by winning both the AO and RG singles titles (which she also did it in 2017, before the real start of the "De Groot Era").



In the junior wheelchair finals, Brazil's Vitoria Miranda pulled off the same title sweep she did earlier this year in Melbourne, defeating the U.S.'s Sabina Czauz 6-3/6-2, and joining with Belgian Luna Gryp to defeat Czauz and Emma Gjerseth (SWE) by the same score in the doubles.









*WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #2 Coco Gauff/USA

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
Danilina/Krunic (KAZ/SRB) vs. #2 Errani/Paolini (ITA/ITA)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
#3 Errani/Vavassori (ITA/ITA) def. #4 Townsend/King (USA/USA) 6-4/6-2

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. #2 Aniek Van Koot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
Kamiji/Montjane (JPN/RSA) def. #2 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) 4-6/7-5 [10-7]

=GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
Lilli Tagger/AUT vs. #8 Hannah Klugman/GBR

=GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
Bennemann/Zhenikova (GER/GER) vs. #3 Kovackova/Kovackova (CZE/CZE)

=WHEELCHAIR GIRLS SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Vitoria Miranda/BRA def. Sabina Czauz/USA 6-3/6-2

=WHEELCHAIR GIRLS DOUBLES FINAL=
Gryp/Miranda (BEL/BRA) def. Czauz/Gjerseth (USA/SWE) 6-3/6-2










...MEANWHILE, THE REIGNING WIMBLEDON CHAMPION HAS ARRIVED... ON DAY 13:












kosova-font

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
29 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (9-19)
26 - Diede de Groot, NED (23-3)
17 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED (3-13)
7 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4-3)
1 - Kgothatso Montjane, RSA (0-1)
1 - Momoko Ohtani, JPN (0-1)
1 - Zhu Zhenzhen, CHN (0-1)

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM DOUBLES TITLES*
24 - Aniek van Koot, NED [7-9-3-5]*
22 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN [5-5-8-4]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [7-5-3-6]
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]
7 - Sharon Walraven, NED [2-1-2-2]
5 - Korie Homan, NED [1-1-1-2]
5 - Marjolein Buis, NED [2-2-0-1]
4 - KGOTHATSO MONTJANE, RSA [0-2-1-1]*

*RG WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
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
2025 Yui Kamiji/Kgothatso Montjane, JPN/RSA

*RECENT RG "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Teen] Alona Ostapenko, LAT
2018 [NextGen Hordette] Dasha Kasatkina, RUS
2019 [GenPDQ Teens] A.Anisimova/USA, I.Swiatek/POL, M.Vondrousova/CZE
2020 [New Dane on the Block] Clara Tauson, DEN
2021 [Teen] Coco Gauff, USA
2022 [Teens] L.Fernandez/CAN, C.Gauff/USA, Zheng Q./CHN
2023 [One-Name Star] Mirra Andreeva, RUS
2024 [Teen] Mirra Andreeva, RUS
2025 [Wild Card Pastry] Lois Boisson, FRA

*RECENT RG "JUNIOR BREAKOUT" WINNERS*
2019 Diane Parry, FRA (WS MD win) and Emma Navarro, USA (RU)
2020 Elsa Jacquemot, FRA (W) and Anna Charaeva, RUS (RU)
2021 Linda Noskova, CZE (W)
2022 A Crush of Czechs - Bartunkova, Bejlek & Havlickova
2023 Lucciana Perez Alarcon, PER (RU) and Alisa Oktiabreva, RUS (SF)
2024 All-Crusher Final - Laura Samson vs. Tereza Valentova
2025 Lilli Tagger, AUT

*RECENT RG "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2017 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2018 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2019 Johanna Konta, GBR
2020 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, SVK & Alona Ostapenko/LAT
2021 Sloane Stephens, USA
2022 Caroline Garcia/Kristina Mladenovic, FRA/FRA
2023 Elina Svitolina, UKR
2024 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2025 Coco Gauff's missing rackets (1st Rd.)

*RECENT SLAM WD/MX FINALS*
2015 RG - Bethanie Mattek-Sands (W-W)
2015 WI - Martina Hingis (W-W)
2015 US - Martina Hingis (W-W)
2017 US - Martina Hingis (W-W)
2018 AO - Timea Babos (W-L)
2018 WI - Nicole Melichar (L-W)
2021 AO - Barbora Krejcikova (L-W)
2024 AO - Hsieh Su-wei (W-W)
2025 RG - Sara Errani (?-W)

*JUNIOR WHEELCHAIR SLAM CHAMPIONS*
[singles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai BRA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau, FRA
2024 US: Yuma Takamuro, JPN
2025 AO: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
2025 RG: Vitoria Miranda, BRA
[doubles]
2022 US: Jade Moreira Lanai/Maylie Phelps, BRA/USA
2023 US: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 RG: Ksenia Chasteau/Maylie Phelps, FRA/USA
2024 US: Rio Okano/Yuma Takamuro, JPN/JPN
2025 AO: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA
2025 RG: Luna Gryp/Vitoria Miranda, BEL/BRA








TOP QUALIFIER: Nao Hibino/JPN
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (5 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (only player in SF w/o losing a set)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): xx
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2 - Nao Nibino/JPN def. #17 Bianca Andreescu/CAN 2-6/7-6(5)/6-4 - Andreescu led 6-2/5-3, holding a MP in game #8 of the 2nd and then serving for the win a game later, and led 5-2 in the 2nd set TB; Hibino also saved 2 MP vs. Ella Seidel/GER in Q3
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #10 Paula Badosa/ESP def. Naomi Osaka/JPN 6-7(1)/6-1/6-4 - Badosa SP in 1st, up break at 4-3 3rd and saved BP; Osaka out 1r year after had MP vs. Swiatek 2r and won first pro title on clay in '25)
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #5 Iga Swiatek/POL def. #12 Elena Rybakina/KAZ 1-6/6-3/7-5 - trailed 6-1/2-0 in dominant fashion; Rybakina had 3 BP for 4-2 lead in 3rd)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): xx
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #13 Elina Svitolina/UKR (def. Sonmez/TUR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #28 Peyton Stearns/USA (1r: Lys/GER)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Emiliana Arango/COL, Sara Bejlek/CZE, Lois Boisson/FRA, Joanna Garland/TPE, Victoria Mboko/CAN, Leyre Romero Gormaz/ESP, Tereza Valentova/CZE
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: United States
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Australia (2-5 1st Rd.; only wins AUS/AUS 1r and new-AUS Kasatkina)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Victoria Mboko/CAN (3rd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER WINS: Yuliia Starodubtseva/UKR (3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Lois Boisson/FRA (SF)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: none
LAST PASTRY STANDING: Lois Boisson/FRA (SF)
Ms./Mademoiselle OPPORTUNITY: Nominees: Kamiji, Van Koot
IT "Wild Card Pastry": Lois Boisson/FRA
COMEBACK: Coco Gauff's missing rackets (1r, Day 3 - arrives on court w/ bag without any rackets; eventually reaches second RG final)
CRASH & BURN: #9 Emma Navarro/USA (1r- wins 1 game vs. Bouzas Maneiro)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF PARIS: #7 Madison Keys/USA (saved MP in second straight major: AO SF vs. Swiatek, RG 3r down 3-0 in 3rd vs. Kenin, saved 3 MP at 5-4)
DOUBLES STAR: Nominees: Errani, "The Bracelet"
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Elina Svitolina/UKR
Mademoiselle/Madame OF THE EVENING: -
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Lilli Tagger/AUT
Légion de Lenglen: 100th anniversary of Suzanne Lenglen's first grand slam French Championship titles (WS/WD/MX sweep) in 1925 (first time event open to non-FRA competitors)
Coupe LA PETIT TAUREAU: On Henin's birthday (June 1), Iga Swiatek passes Henin on all-time RG win streak list w/ #25, def. Rybakina from 6-1 and early 2nd set break, and Rybakina had 3 BP for 4-2 lead in 3rd








All for Day 13. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:08 PM 

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