Friday, August 29, 2025

US.5- Dasha's Saving Grace









=DAY 5 NOTES=
...for a brief instant early on Day 5, there looked like there could be something brewing.



After having gone 0-for-5 on BP chances in the 1st set vs. #2 Iga Swiatek, Suzan Lamens had seized upon the '22 U.S. Open champ's brief spate of errors to seize the moment and get a break of serve to level the match.

Swiatek's last 2nd Round exit in a major came in New York six years ago. She didn't add another today. After taking a double-break lead at 4-1 in the 3rd, Swiatek saw Lamens cut that lead in half, then save a MP at 5-3 and hold to force her to serve out the win. Iga did just that to get the 6-1/4-6/6-4 win, her ninth straight in slam competition.



Swiatek will next face #29 Anna Kalinskaya, whom she defeated en route to the Cincinnati title a few weeks ago. Kalinskaya won their only other meeting, in Dubai last year.

...Maria Sakkari was just 7-13 on the season when she decided to re-hire former coach Tom Hill. Thus far, the Greek hasn't posted any spectacular results (her best: a QF in Washington), but her win today over Anna Bondar moves Sakkari into the 3rd Round at Flushing Meadows, her best result there since her SF run in 2021. Before her recording of back-to-back wins this week, she'd lost in the 1st Round at seven of the last ten majors. She's now 15-11 in her second stint with Hill.

The little up-tick arrives at the perfect time for Sakkari, as she surely needed *something* to distract from her Adidas Y-3 jumper/lederhosen.

Hopefully she's not reading *some* of the comments on this get-up, because it is just not it.



No matter what happens next, at least Maria has an outfit ready should she make a trip to "ye olde country" for Oktoberfest.

...2025 has been a crazy year for Dasha Kasatkina. She got a new country (Australia), got engaged, got a whole lot of new attention in the (non-traditionally tennis) media. And, well, she's also had one of the worst seasons of her career. Well, save for her saving grace this season: the majors.

While Kasatkina's standing is still good enough to be the #15 seed at this U.S. Open, she arrived in New York under .500 on the year (17-19). But, so far, she's done just what she did at the season's first three majors -- she's managed to finally string together some match wins.

On Thursday, she prevailed over former Russian countrywoman Kamilla Rakhimova, rallying from 4-1 down in the 3rd to win 6-2/4-6/7-5. The win improved Kasatkina's record in '25 majors to 10-3 (4r-4r-3r-3r+), matching her career-high season win total from 2018, and presents a remarkable contrast to her 9-16 record this year outside of slam play.



Kasatkina is one of just five players in 2025 who's reached the 3rd Round at all four majors. The other three are all ranked in the Top 10, and have combined for eight singles titles this season alone. Kasatkina's lone QF result came in Adelaide all the way back in Week 2.

If Kasatkina reaches the 4th Round, three of her four best results of '25 will have come in slam events.

...elsewhere, after pulling off the biggest upset of the 1st Round over #6 Madison Keys, try as she might, Renata Zarazua couldn't follow it up with another victory that would have produced her best career result in a major. Zarazua fell in a MTB to Diane Parry, 6-2/2-6/7-6(10-7).

If Zarazua had gotten the win, she'd have been the first Mexican woman to reach the 3rd Round at a major this century.



...in the night session on Ashe, we got another sometimes-messy, oddly compelling Coco Gauff victory under the lights.

In a 1st set that saw the #3 seed double-fault seven times, Donna Vekic kept pace (and surpassed her) with nine of her own. Gauff led 4-2, but the Croatian surged ahead and served for the set at 6-5. She dropped serve at love, had an MTO to treat an elbow injury, and then lost a 7-5 tie-break.

Gauff cleaned things up a bit in the 2nd (5 UE, just one DF) and faced just one BP while converting both of her own to take the 7-6(5)/6-2 win.



...later on Armstrong, 19-year old Maya Joint finally played in her first 2nd Round match in a major in 2025, after having posted career-best results in the week prior to the season's first three slams -- her maiden SF pre-AO, a s/d title sweep pre-RG, then another singles title pre-SW19 -- only to then lose in the 1st Round.

After a 1st Round exit in Cleveland, Joint got an early start on preparation in New York. It worked, and for the second year in a row she got an opening round U.S. Open victory.

Playing in her maiden night match at Flushing Meadows, the Michigan-born Aussie served for the 1st set against #8 Amanda Anisimova, but couldn't lock it away. The Wimbledon finalist took control from there, winning 7-6(2)/6-2 to match her best career U.S. result, matching what was a 3rd Round finish in 2020.








...HALL OF FAME NOTES... ON DAY 5:





...KAROLINA MUCHOVA APPRECIATION CORNER: U.S. OPEN EDITION... ON DAY 5:




And she won out over Sorana Cirstea in a nearly three-hour match, as well. Yes, we are currently existing in a rare WTA Venn diagram where *both* Muchova and Krejcikova (yikes -- and Vondrousova, too!) are in relatively good health and playing well. Crossing fingers.


...HERE'S AN IDEA FOR QUALIFYING WEEK: an all-star tennis "skills competition"... ON DAY 5:


One of the events (along w/ Fastest Serve, Best Trick Shot, Fastest Player, etc.)...





...MORE VENUS INCOMING... ON DAY 5:





...WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT A FEW YEARS AGO (or, hey, a few *months* ago) THAT ARYNA WOULD BE A VOICE OF CALMING REASON?... ON DAY 5:





...MEMO TO SPORTS APPAREL COMPANIES: outfits with color are not scary... ON DAY 5:





...PRODUCTION NOTE FOR CoCo VANDEWEGHE (for ESPN broadcasts)... ON DAY 5:


No, CoCo, Rennae Stubbs cannot tell you her memories about walking out to play for her country in the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time because she never played Billie Jean King Cup for her country for the first time. She *did* play *Fed* Cup for her country for the first time, though. Maybe ask her about that.


...A LITTLE STATISTICAL NOTE... ON DAY 5:


...with Janice Tjen's exit yesterday and the eight players who made their slam MD debut at this Open going a combined 1-8, the final numbers for first-timers in '25 are set. Players debuting in majors this season went 12-27, but that number is tremendously bolstered by the great newbie performances at this year's RG, where they went 11-10 (5-1 of that being Lois Boisson's SF run). First-timers went 6-3 in the 1st Round in Paris, but were 2-15 in openers in the other three majors.












1978 and 2002

















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*U.S. OPEN 3rd ROUND (32)*
AUS (2) - Hon,Kasatkina
BEL (1) - Mertens
BLR (2) - Azarenka,Sabalenka
BRA (1) - Haddad Maia
CAN (1) - Fernandez
CZE (4) - Krejickova,Muchova,Noskova,Vondrousova
ESP (1) - Bucsa
FRA (1) - Parry
GBR (1) - Raducanu
GER (1) - Siegemund
GRE (1) - Sakkari
ITA (1) - Paolini
JPN (1) - Osaka
KAZ (1) - Rybakina
POL (2) - Frech,Swiatek
ROU (1) - Cristian
RUS (3) - Alexandrova,M.Andreeva,Kalinskaya
UKR (1) - Kostyuk
USA (6) - Anisimova,Gauff,Li,Navarro,Pegula,Townsend
[NOTES]
TOTAL NATIONS (AO 19, RG 17, WI 17): 19
SEEDS: 20
UNSEEDED: 12
...1 qualifier (Hon)
...0 wild cards
...0 lucky losers
...0 protected ranking
FIRST SLAM 3r: 2 (Bucsa, Hon)
FIRST US 3r: 6 (Bucsa, Cristian, Frech, Hon, Noskova, Parry)
TEENS: 1 (Andreeva)
30+: 5 (Alexandrova, Azarenka, Pegula, Sakkari, Siegemund
2024 US 3r REPEATS: 13
...Alexandrova, Azarenka, Gauff, Haddad Maia, Kalinskaya, Kostyuk, Mertens, Muchova, Navarro, Paolini, Pegula, Sabalenka, Swiatek
2025 AO-RG-WI-US 3rd Rd.: 5 (Andreeva, Kasatkina, Rybakina, Sabalenka, Swiatek)

**RECENT U.S. OPEN "ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK" WINNERS**
2017 Madison Keys, USA and Sloane Stephens, USA
2018 Katerina Siniakova, CZE
2019 Donna Vekic, CRO
2020 Varvara Gracheva, RUS
2021 Elise Mertens, BEL and Rebeka Masarova, ESP
2022 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2023 Elise Mertens, BEL
2024 Paula Badosa, ESP
2025 Moyuka Uchijima, JPN

**RECENT U.S. OPEN "CRASH & BURN"**
2017 Angelique Kerber, GER (1st Rd.)
2018 Simona Halep, ROU (1st Rd.)
2019 Sloane Stephens, USA (1st Rd.)
2020 Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2nd Rd.)
2021 A.Barty, AUS and N.Osaka, JPN (3rd Rd.)
2022 Simona Halep, ROU (1st Rd.)
2023 Maria Sakkari, GRE (1st Rd.)
2024 Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2nd Rd. w/o)
2025 Madison Keys, USA (1st Rd.)

**BACKSPIN 2025 WTA VETERAN-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Madison Keys, USA
AO: Madison Keys, USA and Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
FEB: Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS
MAR: Jessie Pegula, USA
1Q...KEYS
APR: Jessie Pegula, USA
MAY: Elina Svitolina, UKR
RG: Elina Svitolina, UKR
2Q Clay Court...SVITOLINA
JUN: Tatjana Maria, GER
WI: Laura Siegemund, GER
2Q Grass Court...SIEGEMUND
JUL: Irina-Camelia Begu, ROU
AUG (pre-U.S.): Jasmine Paolini, ITA
[Multiple 2025 Weekly VETERAN Award Wins]
7 - Elina Svitolina, UKR
6 - Sorana Cirstea, ROU
5 - Madison Keys, USA
4 - Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS
4 - Ons Jabeur, TUN
3 - Magda Linette, POL
3 - Taylor Townsend, USA
2 - Danielle Collins, USA
2 - Sara Errani, ITA
2 - Tatjana Maria, GER
2 - Elise Mertens, BEL
2 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA
2 - Jessie Pegula, USA
2 - Yulia Putintseva, KAZ
2 - Aliaksandra Sasnovich, BLR
2 - Laura Siegemund, GER
2 - Katerina Siniakova, CZE

**BACKSPIN 2025 WTA COMEBACK-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN (pre-AO): Naomi Osaka, JPN
AO: Belinda Bencic, SUI
FEB: Belinda Bencic, SUI
MAR: Emma Raducanu, GBR
1Q...BENCIC
APR: Sofia Kenin, USA
MAY: Naomi Osaka, JPN
RG: Sofia Kenin, USA
2Q Clay Court...KENIN
JUN: Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
WI: Amanda Anisimova, USA
2Q Grass Court...ANISIMOVA
JUL: Emma Raducanu, GBR
AUG (pre-U.S.): Naomi Osaka, JPN
[Multiple 2025 Weekly COMEBACK Award Wins]
7 - Naomi Osaka, JPN
4 - Sofia Kenin, USA
3 - Belinda Bencic, SUI
3 - Linda Fruhvirtova, CZE
3 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
3 - Veronika Kudermetova, RUS
3 - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE
2 - Kaja Juvan, SLO
2 - Caty McNally, USA
2 - Emma Raducanu, GBR
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE
2 - Jil Teichmann, SUI




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She was a criminal and now they are giving her the honors of an American hero at the same time that the Republicans in the House refuse to hang a plaque honoring the hundreds of Capitol Police that defended them. Just disgusting. thehill.com/policy/defen...

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— Fred Wellman (@fpwellman.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:04 AM

When our government lauds and celebrates criminal insurrectionists as war heroes, while threatening, persecuting and jailing actual patriots who are fighting to uphold rule of law, civil/human rights and the Constitution, it's a clear sign that we are no longer living in a free and fair democracy.

— American Partisan™ (@partisan.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:53 AM

Ashley Babbit dishonored her service by committing insurrection against her country. While her death is absolutely tragic and I wish it hadn’t happened, the Air Force giving her honors is in itself a dishonor.

— Adam Kinzinger (@adamkinzinger.substack.com) August 28, 2025 at 8:02 AM

Ashli Babbitt was a traitor. It’s sad she was led down that path by Trump, but she died a traitor, and if the USA is still here in another 250 years, she’ll still be a traitor. Honoring her treason dishonors every man and woman who ever wore the uniform and insults every single loyal American.

— Julian Americanus (@julianimperatorus.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 1:42 PM

I grew up in an Air Force family. My dad retired as a Lt. Col. It is infuriating to see Ashli Babbitt receive military funeral honors as the result of dying in an attempt to aid Trump's self-coup attempt. This is 1984-style revisionism. War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery. Insurrection is Patriotism.

— Scott Santens (@scottsantens.com) August 28, 2025 at 2:30 PM


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i find this image so fascinating. it is both a literal example of authoritarianism but also a second-hand reproduction of the aesthetics of other authoritarian states. it's like a simulacra of authoritarianism whose purpose is to attempt to make the simulacra real.

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— jamelle (@jamellebouie.net) August 28, 2025 at 9:38 AM


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So, so cute... (snicker)




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GREETINGS HUMAN CHILD CLIMB ABOARD THE NORMAL CAROUSEL YOUR SOUL WILL BE FINE

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— Lindsay King-Miller (@lindsaykingmiller.bsky.social) August 24, 2025 at 9:33 PM


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TOP QUALIFIER: Janice Tjen, INA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): Emma Raducanu/GBR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: Dominika Salkova/CZE def. Kristina Dmitruk/BLR 6-3/5-7/7-6(10-8) - saved 4 MP on serve at 6-5 in the 3rd, then trailed 4-1 in MTB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Alex Eala/PHI def. #14 Clara Tauson/DEN 6-3/2-6/7-6(13-11) - comeback from 5-1 down in 3rd; first PHI w/ GS MD win
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Polina Kudermetova/RUS (def. Parrizas Diaz/ESP, ret. after 2-2 in 1st set)
FIRST SEED OUT: #24 Veronika Kudermetova/RUS (1r, lost to qualifier Tjen/INA)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Alex Eala/PHI (3rd GS MD), Polina Kudermetova/RUS (5th MD) and Janice Tjen/INA (1st MD)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Sorana Cirstea/ROU (2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: no LL in MD
UPSET QUEENS: Asia (seeded upsets by Tjen/INA, Eala/PHI; Uchijima saved 7 MP vs. Danilovic)
REVELATION LADIES: Russia (10-3 1r; first slam MD W by P.Kudermetova, and first US wins by Blinkova and Zakharova)
NATION OF POOR SOULS: China (1-5 1st Rd.; 0-5 start; Zheng Qinwen DNP)
CRASH & BURN: #6 Madison Keys/USA (AO champ loses 1r to Zarazua; second US 1r exit in 12 years)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Moyuka Uchijima/JPN (1r- saved 7 MP, down triple MP twice vs. Danilovic)
IT ("?"): x
Ms.OPPORTUNITY: x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Priscilla Hon/AUS (in 3rd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Caty McNally/USA (2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in 3r: Anisimova, Gauff, Li, Navarro, Pegula, Townsend
COMEBACK: Nominees: Osaka, Krejcikova, Sakkari
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominees: Siegemund, Azarenka
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: x
BROADWAY-BOUND: Nominees: "Exquisitely Back in the City" (Sharapova gets HoF ring on Ashe, 19 years after won title); "Mortal Kombat: NYC" (Townsend/Ostapenko)
LADY OF THE EVENING: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x







All for Day 5. More tomorrow.

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 12:30 AM 

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