Saturday, August 02, 2025

Wk.31- All for One, and One Week for Montreal









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[Montreal Q/1st-3rd Rd.]




RISERS: Marta Kostyuk/UKR and McCartney Kessler/USA
...Kostyuk has managed to turn around her recent bad stretch in Montreal, but it's been anything but easy.

Coming in on a six-match losing streak (dropping 11 of 12 sets) over three different surfaces, Kostyuk put up early-round wins over Marketa Vondrousova and Dasha Kasatkina, but had to rally after dropping the 1st set in both matches, winning a 3rd set TB in the latter contest vs. the Aussie.



Meanwhile, Kessler has somewhat quietly won three tour titles over the past year, a stretch of success that started with her maiden win last summer in Cleveland on the eve of the U.S. Open.

In Montreal, the Bannerette advanced into her first career 1000 Round of 16 with wins over Maya Joint and Mirra Andreeva, picking up a second '25 Top 5 win (w/ Gauff in Dubai) with an upset of the Hordette.



Facing off in the opening Round of 16 match on Saturday, Kostyuk outlasted Kessler, once again getting the win after dropping the opening set.


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SURPRISE: Aoi Ito/JPN
...Ito was a tour-level revelation late in '24, making her WTA MD debut, reaching her maiden SF in Osaka, and getting her first career Top 50 win. In January, she picked up her biggest title in a 125 in Canberra. Previous 1000 qualifying runs in Doha, Dubai and Miami earlier this year were followed up by 1st Round exits, as was her slam MD debut at Wimbledon last month.

Victories had been hard to come by for Ito of late. She made a $50K final at the start of July, but before and after that result had gone one-and-out in all eight of her other tournaments since reaching a $100K SF in Tokyo in April.

Ito qualified to reach another 1000 MD in Montreal, but this time got her first win with a victory over Katie Volynets, which she then backed up with her maiden Top 10 victory with an upset of Jasmine Paolini, during which she rallied from 6-2/4-1 down and saved a MP, all the while drawing comparisons to Hsieh Su-wei for her on-court smiles, style of play and ability to immediately draw in new fans with her mannerisms and likeability.

Even with her 3rd Round loss to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Ito has pushed her way up the rankings enough to be ready to achieve a new career-high ranking (live #97) at the end of the tournament.


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VETERANS: Anastasija Sevastova/LAT and Katerina Siniakova/CZE
...Sevastova has tasted success at this time of the year before. The Latvian reached the QF in Montreal in 2018, and posted QF-QF-SF results at the U.S. Open from 2016-18, soon after which she reached a career high of #11.

Sevastova hasn't played much tennis in recent years, though. In early 2022, she took a break from the sport during which she had a baby. After returning to the tour in February '24, she soon suffered a knee injury that put her out another fourteen months. She returned to the WTA in Madrid this past spring, recording upsets of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and countrywoman Alona Ostapenko.

Sevastova reached a QF in Rabat prior to RG, but arrived in Montreal on a four-match losing streak. Ranked #386 and using a protected ranking, she got a pair of wins over Ajla Tomljanovic and Magda Linette, then ended Jessie Pegula's two-year reign as the tournament champion with her first Top 10 victory since a win over Serena Williams in Fed Cup play in early 2020. It's just her second Top 10 win since 2018.



Siniakova, for her part, seems to have decided to work on her singles game this summer. Not a bad idea, after being relegated to qualifying in back-to-back grass events in June for the first time in two and a half years due to her sinking singles ranking. The doubles #1 until she eschewed a trip to North America to stay in Europe a little bit longer, the last two weeks she's played singles at home in tour-level Prague and this week in a 125 in Warsaw.

The Czech lost her top WD ranking for the first time in almost a year when regular doubles partner Taylor Townsend won a title in Washington and took over the spot at the start of the week.

After a QF result in Prague, Siniakova took the title in Warsaw, dropping just one set (1r vs. Lanlana Tararudee) and finishing off Swiss veteran Viktorija Golubic in a 6-1/6-2 final that will lift her live ranking from #89 to #66. Before this bump, she'd been heading toward her worst year-end ranking in a decade (#108 in 2015) after finishing in the Top 50 the last four years and only ending one season outside the Top 60 (#64 in '20) over the last nine.

It's been almost two years since Siniakova's last WTA solo win (in Jiangxi in Oct.'23), which was the fifth of her career. This is the Czech's second at the 125 level in the last two seasons.



Now the doubles #2, and teamed with the ATP's doubles #1, Siniakova is still waiting for official word that the duo *might* receive one of the few remaining wild cards into the U.S. Open MX "event" later this month. Siniakova & Marcelo Arevalo were *both* ranked #1 when they didn't receive direct entry into the draw and had to wait for a WC berth.

Siniakova just won the MX title at Wimbledon, and is the reigning Olympic Gold medalist in MX.
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COMEBACKS: Naomi Osaka/JPN and Zhu Lin/CHN
...Osaka's early exit in Washington left her cheerful even after her loss. Turned out, she was maybe feeling the spark of change, as with her time with coach Patrick Mouratoglou ending, a new (at least on a trial basis) stint with former Radwanska/Swiatek coach Tomasz Wiktorowski began in Montreal.



After a win over Canadian Ariana Arseneault, Osaka cleared some significant obstacles over the next two rounds, rallying from 6-4/5-3 down and saving multiple MP vs. Liudmila Samsonova, then taking out Alona Ostapenko in straight sets (a truly unfamiliar-by-association-with-Iga feeling for Wiktorowski) to reach the Round of 16.

Meanwhile, Zhu -- who finished '23 inside the Top 40 -- arrived in Montreal ranked at #493 after being out for six months over the past year (her '24 season ended after Wimbledon, and after returning in January she missed two more months this spring).

In the draw using her protected ranking, Zhu put together three straight wins in a tour-level event for the first time since reaching the Hua Hin final in February of last year, knocking off Varvara Gracheva, Ekaterina Alexandrova and Suzan Lamens.


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FRESH FACES: Jessica Bouzas Maneiro/ESP and Victoria Mboko/CAN
...after looking to be on the cusp of some signifcant results over the past year, Bouzas Maneiro is now starting to post such results. At RG, she got a Top 10 upset over Emma Navarro, then reached her maiden slam Round of 16 at Wimbledon.

After a three-hour 1st Round victory over Louisa Chirico in Montreal, the Spaniard followed with wins over Ashlyn Krueger and Aoi Ito (from a set down) to reach her first career 1000 Round of 16.



While this year's Montreal event has seen home favorites Bianca Andreecu suffer another injury, D.C. champ Leylah Fernandez upset early and Genie Bouchard end her WTA career after a spirited (though brief) early-week run, 18-year old Mboko has single-handedly kept the Canadian flavor alive in the women's draw.

Already an ITF star in '25, Mboko has gone on to post her first tour-level MD win (Miami), then posted her first major victories at Roland Garros, cracking the Top 100 after a 3rd Round run. She then reached the 2nd Round in her debut appearance at SW19.

A wild card in Montreal, Mboko played into the Round of 16 with wins over Kimberly Birrell, Sofia Kenin and last week's winner in Prague, Marie Bouzkova.


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DOWN: Katie Boulter/GBR
...there were a few candidates here from the opening rounds in Montreal, from Bianca Andreescu (injured again) to two-time defending champ Jessie Pegula, ousted in the 3rd Round (falling to 1-3 since winning Berlin). But I'll go with Boulter for a extended downturn.

During the grass season, the Brit was the two-time defending champ at Nottingham, but fell in the 3rd Round this year, then was upset in the 2nd Round at Wimbledon by a lucky loser. With the shift to hard courts, a 1st Round loss in Washington (vs. Sakkari) was followed this week by a 1st Round upset in Montreal to Renata Zarazua, who notched her first 1000 win in over four years (just her second ever) and her first Top 50 victory of 2025.

1-4 in her last five, Boulter has gone 5-6 since winning a 125 in Paris prior to Roland Garros. She's 4-6 on hard courts so far in '25, after posting 25-15 and 27-14 season records (w/ a 500 title last year) on the surface the last two years.
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@jelinevandromme


JUNIOR STAR: Jeline Vandromme/BEL
...the 17-year old Waffle had already picked up a big junior title (J300 Traralgon, before the AO) and her maiden pro win ($15K Manacor) this season, and this week in Roehampton Vandromme added to her collection with a $35K challenger for her biggest crown yet.

The Belgian qualified, then ran off wins over Arina Rodionova, Carol Young Suh Lee, Harmony Tan and, in the final, Shi Han. Against Han, Vandromme staged a comeback from 5-3 down in the 3rd, saving three MP in games 9 & 10 en route to a 7-6(4)/5-7/7-5 victory.
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[Montreal Q/1st-3rd Rd.]




1. Montreal 2nd Rd. - Coco Gauff def. Danielle Collins
...7-5/4-6/7-6(2). Who needs brilliance to produce fine drama? Not Gauff/Collins, that's for sure.

With neither woman bringing her best game for long, the battle of attrition featured 36 DF (23 from Gauff), and 154 UE (Gauff 74, Collins 80... vs. 30/29 winners). But those are just numbers.

What was *seen* in (surprisingly) the first career meeting between the two was, albeit oft-messy, a compelling clash of personalities and sudden flashes of shotmaking and frustration, as Collins forced a 3rd set after trailing 7-5/3-1, creating the canvas for a back-and-forth deciding set.

Gauff took a 4-2 lead, and after Collins got the set back on serve, holding on for dear life, Gauff saved a BP (w/ a screaming backhand down the line) and held for 5-4.



In the next game, Collins nearly squandered a 40/love lead, saw Gauff twice get a point away from reaching MP, but then held to knot the score. Collins then took a love/40 lead in game 11, breaking Gauff to get the chance to serve for the match.

Then Gauff turned the dial up to "11," taking a 15/40 lead and denying Collins (who twice was withing two points of the win) with a break on her fourth BP of the game, forcing a deciding TB. Having survived the earlier fight, Gauff took the breaker 7-2.

So, when's meeting #2?


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2. Montreal 2nd Rd. - Naomi Osaka def. Liudmila Samsonova
...4-6/7-6(6)/6-3. As was expected (but not with great certainty), Osaka seems to have taken quite well to the arrival of summer hard courts. Of course, she very nearly suffered her second straight early loss in the last two weeks, as well.

Samsonova led 6-4/5-3, and had multiple MP chances at 5-4, but couldn't finish Osaka off. The Russian led 5-2 in the 2nd set TB, as well, before another push from Osaka gave her an 8-6 win. She claimed the 3rd set at 6-3, improving to 6-1 in three-setters on hard court this season (she lost her last four three-setters on clay/grass in '25).


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3. Montreal 1st Rd. - Laura Siegemund def. Tatjana Maria
...7-5/6-7(6)/7-6(2). It just had to happen, right? A match-up of the 37-year old Germans who made waves during the recently-concluded grass season, with Maria winning Queen's Club and Siegemund reaching the Wimbledon QF.

Here the veterans played for 3:26, with Siegemund taking a 7-5/5-3 lead, holding her first MP at 5-3, then having two more at 6-5 as she tried to serve out the victory. She had MP #4 at 6-5 in the 2nd set TB before Maria won it 8-6 to force a deciding set.

In the 3rd, Maria turned around a 4-2 deficit to lead and serve for the win at 5-4. After breaking her countrywoman at love in game 10, Siegemund ultimately won on MP #5 in the concluding TB.



After having posted a win at SW19 over Madison Keys, Siegemund couldn't pull the upset when the two faced off once again in the 2nd Round.
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4. Montreal 2nd Rd. - Aoi Ito def. Jasmine Paolini
...2-6/7-5/7-6(5). Paolini led 6-2/4-1, and held a MP at 5-4 in the 2nd, but Ito's traveling road show wasn't quite ready to pack up and leave town. Instead, she ultimately handed the Italian her second loss this season after having held MP.

Paolini came back from 3-1 down in the 3rd, breaking Ito to force a TB, where the score was knotted up at 5-5 before Ito swept the final two points to record her maiden Top 10 victory.

At the net, Ito's customary bow was disarming enough that it managed to get a (semi-) bow back from the disappointed Paolini.


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5. Montreal 1st Rd. - Bianca Andreescu def. Barbora Krejcikova
...6-3/6-4. While Leylah Fernandez won a title in Washington last Sunday, on that same day Andreescu was getting a 1st Round win over Krejickova in Montreal, but only after rolling her ankle (on MP!) in the closing moments of what became a straight sets win after the Czech (likely) bailed with consecutive errors to end the match after the Canadian's medical timeout.

Andreescu handed Mirra Andreeva a walkover in the 2nd Round, and here we go again. Sigh.


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6. Montreal 2nd Rd. - Iga Swiatek def. Guo Hanyu
...6-3/6-1. Mid-way through the 1st set, Swiatek had carried over her game-winning streak to 24 in a row dating back to her SF/F finish at Wimbledon vs. Belinda Bencic and Amanda Anisimova before Guo finally got on the board.

This victory marked the 60th consecutive knock-out event in which Swiatek has posted an opening victory. It's maybe her most impressive career stat. Her last one-and-out came in Cincinnati in 2021, and starting with her breakout run to the RG title in 2020 she's gotten at least one win in 72 of 73 tournaments.

Naturally, it was at this point that the WTA started to *finally* tout this great run but, naturally, also made eye-rolling decisions in that promotion during the process. It was reported that Swiatek's run was at *63* events, making it the longest since Monica Seles from 1990-1996 (a large chunk of that time was during her post-stabbing absence), but also noted that the streak included her wins in the WTA Finals and United Cup events, neither of which are knock-out tournaments, i.e. there is no pressure to win the opening match since it won't eliminate a player from the competition. So, WHY COUNT THOSE in the streak (plus, one is a *team* event, which puts it into an *entirely* different category), as the number is taken out of context?

Everyone promotes the WTA better than the WTA promotes the WTA, and when it *does* try to promote its player it bends over backwards and twists the entire endeavor into a pretzel that's better left uneaten.
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7. Montreal 1st Rd. - Genie Bouchard def. Emiliana Arango
...6-4/2-6/6-2. There have been a lot of "goodbye" moments on court in recent weeks (Kvitova, Garcia, etc.), as well as a huge (extended) "welcome back" one (Venus). Bouchard, who has spent most of the past couple of years playing more pro pickleball than WTA tennis, joined the list in Montreal after announcing that it would be her final tour event.

She extended her stay with a 1st Round win over Arango...


Montreal 2nd Rd. - Belinda Bencic def. Genie Bouchard
...6-2/3-6/6-4. After getting an opening round win, Bouchard pushed Bencic to three sets to wrap up her best two-match stretch in years, forcing a 3rd by giving one final glimpse of the fighter who led the charge in the rise of Canadian tennis over the past decade, during which Bouchard briefly became one of biggest, most heavily-marketed stars in this or any sport, ranking in the Top 10 on Forbes' Highest Paid Female Athletes list in 2017 and '18.



At the height of her career, Bouchard posted SF-SF-RU results at the first three majors in 2014, becoming the first Canadian to reach a slam singles final at Wimbledon that year, during which she also became the first Canadian to earn a Top 5 ranking.

Bouchard never really rose quite so high after being throttled at SW19 by Petra Kvitova in that '14 Wimbledon final, though she did reach the AO QF the following season, then saw the trajectory of her career (seemingly) forever altered by a late night slip, fall and concussion (and resulting lawsuit vs. the USTA) in a dark lockerroom (w/ a wet floor) following a U.S. Open 3rd Round night session match. She ultimately pulled out before her Round of 16 match in NYC (as well as WD and MX), missed tournaments and suffered bouts of dizziness for quite some time afterward.

After going 26-7 in slam competition in 2014-15 (6/8 4r+), Bouchard never reached another second week at a major. She was just 13-16 in slam play after the concussion, and last appeared in the MD of a major at the 2020 RG.

Bouchard never won another tour title after the 2015 season, and finished 1-7 in WTA title matches in her career. Six of her twelve total Top 10 wins came during her 2014 season, with the last coming in 2017.


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8. Montreal 1st Rd. - Jessica Bouzas Maneiro def. Louisa Chirico
...5-7/7-5/6-4. Bouzas Maneiro's fine opening week started out with a three-hour contest in which her fate twisted in the wind.

Chirico led 5-1 in the 1st, but then had to break the comeback-minded Spaniard to close out the set and avoid a TB (on BP #3 of game 12). Bouzas Maniero then needed seven SP over a four-game stretch to get things to a 3rd set.

Once there, she broke Chirico in game 9, then saved three BP in the following game to serve out the win.
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9. Montreal 1st Rd. - Lucia Bronzetti def. Elli Mandlik
...4-6/7-6(5)/6-2. Mandlik led Bronzetti 6-4/4-1, then was up 4-2 in the 2nd set TB before the Italian rallied for the win.

Mandlik's mother, Hana Mandlikova, won a pro title in Montreal in 1979 (not this same event), and was a doubles finalist in a previous version of the current tournament in 1984.
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10. Montreal 1st Rd. - Caty McNally def. Alycia Parks
...6-4/5-7/7-6(7). Fresh from her second straight singles title run (Newport 125, $100K Evansville), McNally saved a pair of MP vs. Parks in a 3rd set TB.

She ultimately ran her winning streak to twelve matches (since she faced Swiatek in the 2nd Rd. at Wimbledon, they've combined to win three singles titles across three different levels and lose just *one* match -- a combined 19-1 through the Montreal 3rd Rd.), also defeating Rebecca Sramkova before a three-set loss to Madison Keys.
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HM- Warsaw 125 Final - Weronika Falkowska/Dominika Salkova def. Isabelle Haverlag/Martyna Kubka
...6-2/6-1. 21-year old Crusher Salkova reached a 125 WD final in Grado last month, and here joins with Falkowska to claim her biggest career title.

Salkova reached the semifinals in singles, defeating Falkowska in the 1st Round before an upset of #2-seeded Zeynep Sonmez in the 2nd.


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[Montreal Q/1st-3rd Rd.]


1. Montreal 3rd Rd. - Coco Gauff def. Veronika Kudermetova
...4-6/7-5/6-2. After winning vs. Collins despite 23 double-faults, Gauff battles to cross the finish line against vs. Kudermetova while not having her "A"-game ready at hand.

Kudermetova had rallied from 4-1 down in the 1st to take the opener and lead 6-4/3-1 before Gauff extended and then won the match.


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I don't get to say this all too often when it comes to enacted ideas in tennis, but that's different here. This is a really good move that seems like it could only benefit wheelchair tennis.




Imagine that, a plan to take advantage of an existing structure already in place, adding value to it (especially, say, the WTP/ATP 1000 events that have some extra time/courts to fill over two weeks -- so why not add some WC to the mix?) while also helping with the exposure of an event and athletes that could use it. It's such an obvious thing to do that I'm surprised they *actually did it.*

Once again, it's another move that only further cements wheelchair tennis as the most fan-accessible para-sports event, as well as the only one that can/does take place simultaneously and in cooperation with some of the biggest able-bodied competitions in the sport.

Now, if only the Paralympic movement would acknowledge this clear fact, and that it benefits *all* para-sports, and stop scheduling the Parlympic tennis event so that it takes place during the second week of the U.S. Open, thereby denying the WC tennis athletes 25% of the schedule of major events (as well as the prize money availabe there) every four years, not to mention harm the sport by routinely denying it one of its most obvious points of exposure.

Since they're determined to make U.S. Open qualifying week *something more* (i.e. adding the MX to it) to make it a profitable *three*-week event, why not find a way for the USTA to hold the U.S. Open WC competition in Paralympic years then, as well, so that it's completed early enough for *both* to be held that summer (the Open's competition has always been cancelled, except when the Covid-delayed Paralympics in '21 were re-scheduled differently... only to be put in conflict again in '24, leading to no event in New York again last year).

There is no excuse for it not to happen in the next cycle, since the Olympic/Paralympic events will also be held in the U.S. (in Los Angeles '28).

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Well, at least clear progress was made *and* she made it through without a positive test... sounds like a win-win.




Hmmm, I guess Wimbledon sort of forced Wiktorowski to move on from any thought that Iga would ask him to come back.


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Adding another instance(s) atop an ever-growing pile (you can almost see the top of it from he-... ah, nope, it just disappeared above the clouds)...


i'm sorry but i can no longer remain silent b/c i'm starting to go crazy: WHY ARE THE 6s DIFFERENT COLORS. WHEN SOMEONE LOOKS AT A SCORELINE ONE ASSUMES THE WINNING SETS ARE BOLDED/SAME COLOR, NOT THIS. OSAKA AND THE 6S SHOULD BE GREEN. THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

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— Courtney Nguyen (@fortydeucetwits.bsky.social) August 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM


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So, 80% of the "direct entry" teams in a doubles "event" consist of players with no interest in doubles, while the "wild card" grovelers include the current WD #1, a former #1 (Venus), the defending champs and (until Townsend claimed the top spot at the start of the week) a team consisting of both the women's *and* men's doubles #1. Oops, nope, the all-#1 (until after Washington) duo of Siniakova/Arevalo *still* hasn't officially been given a WC. Joke event... which would be fine if they just called it the exhibition that it is, rather than trying to claim it as an official major title competition.


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A little truth to clear the senses...


Totally get OP's sentiment. I just want to take the moment to emphasize that Anna Kournikova had a way better career than people give her credit for and many many many players would kill to have the on-court career she had. CH No.8, 1 GS semifinal, finished YE Top 10, Dubs No.1

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— Courtney Nguyen (@fortydeucetwits.bsky.social) July 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM


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A federal court in North Carolina has granted the plaintiffs' motion to certify an injunctive and damages class of Division I tennis players in Brantmeier v. NCAA. The lawsuit challenges the NCAA's ban on tennis players receiving prize money from outside competitions.

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— Sam C. Ehrlich (@samcehrlich.com) July 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM

Here are the now-certified class definitions for the case. Reese Brantmeier and Maya Joint are the class representatives.

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— Sam C. Ehrlich (@samcehrlich.com) July 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM

This is a fascinating case -- and one that threatens to take another brick out of the NCAA's amateurism definitions and eligibility systems. One to watch as it moves towards a potential trial.

— Sam C. Ehrlich (@samcehrlich.com) July 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM














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Say "Don't touch Iga," without saying "Don't touch Iga"...


















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I'm pleased to have my new chapbook, I Can't Recall Exactly When I Died (Kelsay Books), included in The Lake's One Poem Review. Please scroll down a bit to read "Playing Tennis with My Ex" (originally published in Sparks of Calliope). thelakepoetry.co.uk/reviews/opra... #poetry #poetrycommunity

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— Diane Elayne Dees (@womenwhoserve.bsky.social) July 31, 2025 at 10:04 AM


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#caturday Try not to laugh

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— Dcmfox (@dcmfox.bsky.social) August 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM


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All for now.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 5:33 PM  0 comments

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Wk.30- Ms.Fernandez Goes to Washington








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*WEEK 29 CHAMPIONS*
WASHINGTON, D.C., USA (WTA 500; Hard Court Outdoor)
S: Leylah Fernandez/CAN def. Anna Kalinskaya/RUS 6-1/6-2
D: Taylor Townsend/Zhang Shuai (USA/CHN) def. Caroline Dolehide/Sofia Kenin (USA/USA) 6-1/6-1
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (WTA 250; Hard Court Outdoor)
S: Marie Bouzkova/CZE def. Linda Noskova/CZE 2-6/6-1/6-3
D: Nadiia Kichenok/Makota Ninomiya (UKR/JPN) def. Lucie Havlickova/Laura Samson (CZE/CZE) 1-6/6-4 [10-7]
Palermo, Italy (WTA 125; Red Clay Outdoor)
S: Francesca Jones/GBR def. Anouk Koevermans/NED 6-3/6-2
D: Estelle Cascino/Feng Shuo (FRA/CHN) def. Momoko Kobori/Ayano Shimizu (JPN/JPN) 6-2/6-7(2) [10-7]




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PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Leylah Fernandez/CAN and Marie Bouzkova/CZE
...at times, you could have almost sworn that it was 2021 at Flushing Meadows all over again...



The only thing that was missing in Washington was Fernandez playing in the final against Emma Raducanu once more (missed it by THAT much!). Of course, the other difference this time around was that it was the Canadian who was lifting up the big trophy at the end.

Just as had been the case during her thrilling U.S. Open final run four summers ago, "A"-game Fernandez has a strong sense of the "dramatic gene" when it comes to producing great moments between the lines. Back in 2021, I compared her crowd-pleasing abilities favorably to that of one James Scott Connors, and while Fernandez's career hasn't exactly flown above the clouds in the intervening years since that two-week NYC stretch, she's never gone away, either. Whether she's been leading Team Canada in Cup play (see the '23 BJK title run), or consisently producing at least one final/title and a few Top 10 wins on an annual basis, Fernandez has been able to do what countrywoman Bianca Andreecu hasn't since her own breakout season: remain on the court and (since you have to play to have a say) relevant and in the conversation (even if sometimes on the edges) when it comes to the weekly happenings on the women's tour.

It'd be nice if her Washington title, her first at the 500 level, means a significant step *up* remains to come in her career, but even if that doesn't happen it's still as sign that Fernandez, ever the fighter, also isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The D.C. run, naturally, had its share of big wins and at least one furious comeback, as Fernandez posted victories over Maya Joint (a two-time '25 WTA champ), Jessie Pegula (her second Top 10 win of the year), Taylor Townsend (the new WD #1) and Elena Rybakina (from 7-6/5-3 down, with the Kazakh serving for the match). Then, in the final, Fernandez left the heroics at the door, handling Anna Kalinskaya (who hadn't dropped a set all week) in quick order by the tune of 6-1/6-2 scoreline to pick up her fourth career tour title (the most by any Canadian woman in tour history).



(Extra points given for the guy in the Jayden Daniels jersey being perfectly placed in the background for all the trophy-lift footage.)


In Prague, Bouzkova was the queen of the Czechs, rising above a field populated by her countrywomen to become the first two-time winner of the event.



Bouzkova strung together victories over Gao Hanyu, Luisa Stefanini, Ann Li and Tereza Valentova, then rallied from a set down to defeat top seed Linda Noskova in an all-Czech battle, picking up her second tour title.

Bouzkova is 2-0 in finals in Prague, with her maiden WTA title coming three years ago, as opposed to her 0-6 mark elsewhere in tour-level events.
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RISERS: Anna Kalinskaya/RUS and Linda Noskova/CZE
...Kalinskaya remains one of the tour's most prominant "almost" stories. For years, the Hordette's health always prevented her from climbing as high and winning as often as her talent said she should. Finally, last year, she found some health and produced a career year, producing her best slam result (AO QF) and overall mark in majors (going 10-4, after having been 4-13 prior to last year), reaching her first two tour singles finals (one a 1000, w/ both being tight three-set losses), getting seven Top 10 wins (she'd had three) and ranking as high as #11.

2025 hasn't been a carbon copy campaign to date for Kalinskaya. She missed the AO with an injury, and had 1r/2r exits at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Still, she came into the week with a pair of Top 10 wins under the belt, and had reached a SF and two QF (w/ injury ending two of those top three season results). As D.C. began, Kalinskaya was just 10-13 on the season. But things *finally* came together.

She didn't drop a set in wins over Kamilla Rakhimova, Magda Linette, Clara Tauson and Emma Raducanu to reach her third tour-level final (all at 500+ events), her first in over a year (since Berlin '24).

Kalinskaya's week didn't end well, as she recorded just three games vs. Leylah Fernandez in the title match, but she'll jump from #48 to #31 on Monday, with a seed in New York now a real possibility with a month's worth of 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati still to come.

Of course, no matter what happened with Kalinskaya in the final... Bella was going to emerge as a new star in the WTA Pooch Pantheon, no matter what.



She even got a shout-out during the trophy ceremony.

Meanwhile, Noskova was the #1 seed in Prague, leading a large contigent of Czechs who, almost to a woman, all found varying degrees of success on home courts. Possibly soon to be the #1 CZE on tour, what with #14 Karolina Muchova soon defending U.S. Open semifinal points, Noskova arrived off a Round of 16 run at SW19 (a virtual Czech rite of grass court passage) and played her way into her fourth tour final (second in Prague, where she was RU two years ago) with wins over Anastasia Gasanova, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, Katerina Siniakova and Wang Xinyu.



Up a set in the final against countrywoman Marie Bouzkova, Noskova failed to close out the match to claim her second title, instead losing in three. Still, she'll crack the Top 20 for the first time on Monday.
===============================================



SURPRISE: Francesca Jones/GBR
...Jones maintained her roll in the Palermo 125, improving to 11-1 in her last twelve matches with a title run on the Italian red clay.

After a pair of $75K challenger wins this spring, the Brit posted tour-level MD victories on grass in Nottingham and Eastbourne on her way to a new career-high ranking. With her 3 & 2 victory in the Palermo final over Dutch player Anouk Koevermans, which followed her earlier Contrexeville 125 title, Jones climbs to another career high point, cracking the Top 100 for the first time at #84.

Meanwhile, 21-year old Koevermans (her dad Mark was a Top 40 ATP Tour player in the 1990s) saved a MP in the 2nd Round (vs. Darja Sementistaja) on her way to her biggest career final, and also reaches a new career high of #172.
===============================================
VETERANS: Taylor Townsend/USA (w/ Zhang Shuai/CHN)
...Venus Williams wasn't the only U.S. veteran toiling in both the singles and doubles in D.C., as Townsend was doing the same.

The 29-year old qualified in singles after completing a Colombian two-fer with wins over Camila Osorio and Emiliana Arango, then upset Tatjana Maria and Sofia Kenin to reach her second career WTA QF (w/ Toronto last summer). She lost to Leylah Fernandez, but was hardly finished for the week.



Teamed with Zhang Shuai for the first time, Townsend had ended Williams & Hailey Baptiste's doubles run via a 10-6 MTB win in the QF, then (w/ Katerina Siniakova playing back home in Prague) swiped Monday's #1 doubles ranking from her regular partner with a SF win over Raducanu/Rybakina (who put in just five games before retiring, with both having singles SF matches to play the next day).



And it didn't end there, as Townsend & Zhang took the title with a dominant 1 & 1 win over Caroline Dolehide/Sofia Kenin. The win is Townsend's tenth at tour-level, and ties her with Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini for the WTA season lead with three (the other two, including the AO, came w/ Siniakova). Zhang, who'd been 0-3 in '25 finals, now has fifteen career titles.


===============================================



COMEBACKS: Emma Raducanu/GBR and Maria Sakkari/GRE
...though her coaching situation remains unsettled (w/ the recently successful Mark Petchey being unable to commit to being full-time), Raducanu has made significant progress over the course of 2025, four years after winning the U.S. Open in a stunning run that began in qualifying. As she's mostly kept a step ahead of injury issues, Raducanu has reached her maiden 1000 QF (Miami, in her last U.S. event), notched her first non-grass court Top 10 win (vs. Navarro), returned to the Top 50 for the first time in nearly three years and pushed #1 Aryna Sabalenka in a tough 3rd Rounder at Wimbledon.

In Washington, Raducanu continued to trend upward, reaching the SF in both singles (the third such result of her career, first since '22 Seoul) and doubles (w/ Rybakina). Wins over Marta Kostyuk, Naomi Osaka and Maria Sakkari assured her of a Top 40 return (she climbs from GBR #3 to #1, moving past Boulter and Kartal), but the intriguing notion of a potential "Take Two" of the '21 U.S. Open in the D.C. final failed to take hold.

With both Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez in both the QF and SF of the same event for the first time since their dual slam run four summers ago, the Canadian held up her end of the deal by winning in Saturday's first semi, but Raducanu subsequently fell in straights to Anna Kalinskaya as the Russian maintained the no-sets-loss momentum that she'd been building all week.

Raducanu will be ranked #33 on Monday.



A finalist in Washington two years ago, Sakkari (#90) received a MD wild card this time around and played her way into the QF with wins over Katie Boulter and Emma Navarro. She lost there to Raducanu.

This was Sakkari's eighth tournament with Tom Hill as coach, and it marks the high point so far of their second stint together. After a 4th Round (Madrid) finish in their opening tournament, Sakkari hadn't posted anything better than a 2nd Round run until this week. She's 11-8 with Hill this season, after having been 7-13 prior to that in '25.

Her result will be enough to lift Sakkari back into the Top 75.
===============================================
FRESH FACES: Tereza Valentova/CZE and Wang Xinyu/CHN
...arriving back home in the Czech Republic after a 125 title run (her second of '25) in Porto (POR), 18-year old Valentova carried over her roll to her maiden tour-level QF/SF in Prague. As was the case a week ago, the Crusher teen often dominated on the scoreboard, putting together wins over Aoi Ito (2 & love) and Jessika Ponchet (2 & love) around a first career Top 50 victory over Rebecca Sramkova (7-6/7-5) to assure a Top 100 breakthrough.

Facing off with countrywoman Marie Bouzkova for a spot in the final, Valentova fell in straights (she'd led 5-3 in the 2nd) 6-4/7-5, but exits with a 19-3 mark in her last 22 matches (39-9 on the season) and a career-best #92 ranking on Monday.



The lone non-Czech in the Prague semis, Wang is currently the highest-ranked active Chinese woman with Zheng Qinwen's injury-related break from the tour. This week, she reached her third SF of the season with wins over Harriet Dart, as well as Czechs Lucie Havlickova (rallying from 5-2 down in the 3rd set TB, saving a MP) and Sara Bejlek in a QF match-up stretched out over two days. Wang's win prevented the first all-nation semifinals in a tour-level event since 2021 in Saint Petersburg (w/ four Hordettes).



Wang lost to top-seeded Czech Linda Noskova in her second match of the day on Friday (after having dispached Havlickova after one set of play).
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ITF PLAYER: Caty McNally/USA
...has the McNally Era begun?

All right, that's a *bit* of an exaggeration, but surely the 23-year old Bannerette has discovered *something* since her return from early '24 elbow surgery.

McNally's no-sets-lost $100K title run in Evansville (Indiana), completed with a 7-5/6-4 win over Dasha Vidmanova (who'd led 5-2 and had two SP in the 1st), strings together back-to-back titles along with her 125 crown in Newport. It gives McNally a ten-match winning streak (it started with a win over Vidmanova, too) since she left London as the only player who'd taken a set from Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon (during their 2nd Round match at the AETLC).

After playing just thirteen matches in 2024, having her surgery in March before returning in November, McNally has now posted a 28-8 mark since she fell in the 1st Round in Miami this spring. She'll be at #116 (up 18) on Monday.
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JUNIOR STAR: Giulia Safina Popa/ROU
...fresh from her WTA MD debut as a qualifier in Iasi, 15-year old Romanian Popa claims her second J300 crown of the season in Bytom, Poland, defeating Germany's Julia Stusek 6-4/6-2 in the final.

The junior #50, Popa's previous J300 title came in February in Lima, where she got a win in the final over Julieta Pareja (current girls' #1), who'd go on to reach the tour-level Bogota SF, win the Roehampton juniors and reach the Wimbledon girls' final.
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DOUBLES: Nadiia Kichenok/Makota Ninomiya, UKR/JPN
...two weeks, two surfaces, two titles.

Since the end of Wimbledon, where they both lost in the 1st Round with other partners, Kichenok/Ninomiya have moved on to a short stint on the clay, winning the Hamburg title a week ago, then went to hard courts this week in Prague and won there, too. The #2 seeds, they dropped no sets en route to the final, where they took a deciding MTB over the young wild card Czech duo of Lucie Havlickova & Laura Samson to take the crown.

It's Kichenok's eleventh career tour-level win, and the ninth for Ninomiya.


===============================================
WHEELCHAIR: Diede de Groot/NED
...ah, now that's more like it.

Granted, de Groot didn't face any of her '25 (revolving) nemesis stand-ins in the Belgian Open in Enghien, but no matter. The former #1 dropped just seven games over three matches en route to the Series 1 crown, including love & 2 wins over Jiske Griffioen (SF) and 1 & 1 victory against Zhu Zhenzhen in the final.

It's de Groot's second post-hip surgery S1 title this season, but won't likely do too much to help up her ranking before the U.S. Open, as she still has her Paralympic runner-up points to come off her totals.
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1. Prague Final - Marie Bouzkova def. Linda Noskova
...2-6/6-1/6-3. In a week dominated by the Czechs on hard court, the Prague final pitted a pair of countrywoman facing off for the title. Bouzkova claimed her second career tour win, and second in Prague, as she rallies from a set down to become the first two-time winner of the event.

Bouzkova is the third Czech winner in Prague in the last five years, and sixth since the tournament became a tour-level schedule stop in 2015. In that same span, six Czechs have also been the runner-up. This was the third all-Czech final.

Earlier in the week, the MD saw 1st Round victories from a large Crush of Czechs, including three young wild cards (Havlickova, Palicova and Salkova), two more teenagers (Valentova and Bejlek), the 20-year old #1 seed (Noskova) and veterans Bouzkova and Siniakova, giving the home nation half of the field of sixteen in the 2nd Round. Five reached the QF, and three were in the semis.
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2. Prague 2nd Rd. - Wang Xinyu def. Lucie Havlickova
...3-6/7-5/7-6(6). Wang overcomes a 5-2 3rd set TB deficit, saving a MP held by the young Czech at 6-5 in the breaker.

In the 1st Round, 20-year old Havlickova -- the '22 RG junior champ and U.S. finalist -- had recorded her first WTA MD win since her maiden "W" hree years earlier in Prague.


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3. Prague Q2 - Anastasia Gasanova def. Jessika Ponchet
...1-6/7-6(2)/6-2. A few years ago, Gasanova was a player on the rise, raching a pair of tour-level QF in 2021 and a high rank of #121 in early '22. Then the Russian-Ukrainian war started, and Gasanova got into much hot water with a series comments spouting pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine propaganda.

Since then, she's mostly toiled on the ITF circuit, winning seven challenger titles over the past thirteen months and going a combined 86-25 since the start of 2024 coming into Prague qualifying (ranked #249).

Gasanova strung together two wins, including a comeback from 6-1/4-2 down vs. Ponchet, to reach her first tour-level MD since 2022. She lost in the 1st Round to #1 seeded Linda Noskova, dropping a pair of TB sets to the Czech after having served for the 1st set and been knotted up a 7-7 in the 2nd set TB.
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4. Washington 1st Rd. - Emma Raducanu def. Marta Kostyuk
...7-6(4)/6-4. Kostyuk since that underarm serve on MP to defeat Anna Blinkova 1 & 1: 7-9, with six losses in a row.

She's now 17-16 overall in 2025.
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5. Washington 2nd Rd. - Emma Raducanu def. Naomi Osaka
...6-4/6-2.A result that effectively shut down a large number of overly-vocal Osaka-backers and Raducanu-detractors, a decent portion of which overlapped on the Tennis Venn Diagram of Social Media Fans/Haters on this particular day.

After Osaka posted surprisingly encouraging outings on clay and grass this spring/summer, one shouldn't place *too* much importance on what was her opening match of what *should* be the "sweet spot" of her remaining '25 docket. She was more upbeat afterward here than she was at the end of the grass season, so it seems prudent to reserve any too-early judgement on her North American prospects until there's a bigger sample size (I guess).

That thought could change fairly easily, though.
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6. $100K Figueira da Fox POR Final - Maria Timofeeva def. Alina Korneeva
...6-3/6-0. Two young Hordettes, both on the comeback trail from career-slowing injuries, faced off in the final after having reached the MD via qualifying.

21-year old Timofeeva (#264), a maiden tour champ (as a LL) in her WTA debut in Budapest two years ago, claims her first singles title on any level since her lone tour-level crown, defeating 18-year old Korneeva (#259), the 2023 AO/RG junior champ who'd already collected a pair of $100K titles in each of the last two years.


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7. $15K Las Palmas ESP Final - Ariana Geerlings def. Nahia Berecoechea
...6-4/6-2. After making her WTA MD debut in Hamburg (as a qualifier), 19-year old Spaniard Geerlings claims her sixth career ITF crown (second in '25).


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1. Washington SF - Leylah Fernandez def. Elena Rybakina
...6-7(2)/7-6(3)/7-6(3). A year ago, in their last meeting in the Cincinnati 2nd Round, Fernandez overcame a 5-3 3rd set deficit, saving a pair of MP vs. Rybakina to get the win in a 7-3 deciding TB. At the time, Rybakina wasn't yet 100% as she was just returning from her latest illness break, and had 20 aces that were somewhat balanced out by an additional 17 DF (Fernandez had 13 DF that day herself, vs. just 5 aces).

This time, in a 3:12 match that featured just two breaks of serve in a three-TB affair, Fernandez again staged a massive situational comeback to get the win. Though she never held a MP this time, Rybakina led 7-6/5-3, and served at 5-4. Fernandez survived with another 7-3 TB win, then went on to win *another* 7-3 TB in the 3rd.

In this instance, Rybakina again had a high ace total (17, vs. just 7 DF), but Fernandez turned around her previous 5/13 numbers from a year ago, with 12 aces this time (vs. 3 DF).


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2. Washington 1st Rd. - Hailey Baptiste/Venus Williams def. Genie Bouchard/Clervie Ngounoue
...6-3/6-1. In her first pro match since Miami last year, and her first in women's doubles since the 2022 U.S. Open, 45-year old Williams records her first doubles win since the 2018 Roland Garros, and her first victory in either discipline since 2023.


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3. Washington 1st Rd. - Venus Williams def. Peyton Stearns
...6-3/6-4. Nothing to see here, just a 45-year old walking-and-talking-and-winning Hall of Famer-to-be becoming the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova (at 47) at Wimbledon in 2004, and doing so against the current world #35 behind a clean game and big and effective serve. It's Venus' first singles win since Cincinnati (vs. V.Kudermetova) two years ago.


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4. Washington QF - Taylor Townsend/Zhang Shuai def. Hailey Baptiste/Venus Williams 6-4/3-6 [10-6]
Washington 2nd Rd. - Magdalena Frech def. Venus Williams 6-2/6-2
...Williams put a lot on her plate in her first tournament in a year and a half, no matter what her age might be. With the back-to-back 1st Round wins in s/d, she ended up playing *four* straight days, and by the time she finally exited the singles draw on Thursday the "inevitable" had finally showed up on the scoreboard.

Of course, such a workload was just the *first* step of Venus' summer return, as she's already been given a WC into Cincinnati, is signed up for the U.S. MX "event" and seems likely to appear in more than one MD at Flushing Meadows.


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5. Washington 2nd Rd. - Leylah Fernandez def. Jessie Pegula
...3-6/6-1/7-5. Wouldn't you know it, just as Emma Raducanu flashes on North American hard courts here comes her fellow 2021 U.S. Open finalist Fernandez following right along.

The Canadian's win over Pegula was her second over a Top 10 player this year, her first multi-win season since she had three during her U.S. Open run four years ago. All *nine* of Fernandez's career Top 10 wins have come on hard court.


============================================



6. Washington Final - Leylah Fernandez def. Anna Kalinskaya
...6-1/6-2. Fernandez's win makes her the winningest Canadian woman in tour history, as career title #4 breaks her tie atop the heap with Bianca Andreescu.

Of course, Andreescu has won "the most" (w/ all three titles coming in a single season in 2019) and the biggest (U.S. Open, Indian Wells and Toronto), but Fernandez has been more consistent over a longer stretch, winning titles in four different seasons over the last five years.

Her seven individual final appearances have come over six seasons (2020-25), with her 500 win in D.C. being her biggest so far.


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7. Prague Q1 - Alena Kovackova def. Arina Rodionova 6-1/6-7(2)/7-6(1)
Prague Q2 - Alena Kovackova def. Luisa Stefanini 6-3/6-1
...17-year old Kovackova, a qualifying WC ranked #773, notches two victories to make her tour-level MD debut.

Against Rodionova, the Czech held a MP at 6-5 in the 2nd before the Aussie forced a TB and won it; then Kovackova lost a 4-1 lead in the 3rd and was taken to another TB. This time she won it.

In her WTA debut, Kovackova (whose sister Jana lost in qualifying) fell to yet another Crusher, Lucie Havlickova.
============================================
8. Palermo 125 1st Rd. - Panna Udvardy def. Veronika Erjavec
...6-1/6-1. What have you done with me lately?

Just two days after winning a doubles title together in Iasi, Udvardy and Erajevec were facing off with each other in a 1st Round match in singles.
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Someone told them that "reimagined" would makes things sound "new and exciting." I guess.




Meanwhile, Opelka is essentially the poster boy for this exhibition with prize money, someone with no regard for doubles or respect for doubles players... yet he's in this field, with Venus, no less.



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If only she'd been ranked #1 and had the money to immediately lawyer-up, or knew someone "with inside influence" (or didn't publicly complain... which wouldn't have been necessary if she'd met at least one of those criteria)...




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This headline makes it sound like the decision was in question (I don't *think* it ever was...)




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www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz... R.I P Ozzy Osborne

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— ???? Lankeyguy ???? (@lankeyguy.bsky.social) July 22, 2025 at 2:10 PM





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*2025 PLAYERS WITH WTA (S/D) TITLES*
Jasmine Paolini, ITA (1/3)
Mirra Andreeva, RUS (2/2)
Alona Ostapenko, LAT (1/2)
Elise Mertens, BEL (2/1)
Maya Joint, AUS (2/1)
MARIE BOUZKOVA, CZE (1/1)

*2025 FINALISTS BY COUNTRY - F (W)*
20 (10) - USA
7 (4) - RUS (Kalinskaya)
7 (3) - BLR
3 (2) - BEL
3 (1) - CZE (Bouzkova/Noskova),POL,UKR
2 (2) - AUS
2 (1) - COL,DEN,ITA,LAT,ROU,SUI
1 (1) - CAN (Fernandez),FRA,GER,KAZ
1 (0) - CHN,HUN,JPN,PHI,SRB

*2025 MULT.DIFFERENT WTA FINALISTS BY COUNTRY*
9 - USA
6 - RUS (w/ Kalinskaya)
3 - CZE (w/ Bouzkova,Noskova)
2 - COL
2 - ITA
2 - POL
2 - ROU
2 - SUI
2 - UKR
--
1 - 15 nations

*RECENT WTA ALL-NATION FINALS*
[2020]
(USA) Auckland - S.Williams d. Pegula
(BLR) Ostrava - Sabalenka d. Azarenka
[2021]
(RUS) Saint Petersburg - Kasatkina d. Gasparyan #
(CZE) Prague - Krejcikova d. Martincova #
[2022]
(USA) Adelaide 2 - Keys d. Riske
(RUS) Istanbul - Potapova d. V.Kudermetova
[2023]
(GBR) Nottingham - Boulter d. Burrage #
(RUS) Rosmalen - Alexandrova d. V.Kudermetova
(CZE) Nanchang - Siniakova d. Bouzkova
[2024]
(CHN) Austin - Yuan d. Wang Xiyu
(USA) Strasbourg - Keys d. Stearns
(RUS) Iasi - M.Andreeva d. Avanesyan
(USA) Toronto - Pegula d. Anisimova
(RUS) Ningbo - Kasatkina d. M.Andreeva
[2025]
(USA) Adelaide - Keys d. Pegula
(USA) Austin - Pegula d. Kessler #
(USA) Charleston - Pegula d. Kenin #
(CZE) Prague - Bouzkova d. Noskova #
-
#- tournament in home nation

*2025 MOST SF/QF FROM NATION*
[3/4 SF]
Charleston/USA = Pegula (W); Kenin (RU); Anisimova (SF)
Iasi/ROU = Begu (W); Cristian (SF), Cirstea (SF)
Prague/CZE = Bouzkova (W); Noskova (RU); Valentova (SF)
[recent 4/4 SF]
2017 US Open/USA: Stephens/Keys, SF-Vandeweghe/V.Williams
2021 Saint Petersburg/RUS: Kasatkina/Gasparyan; SF-Kuznetsova/Zvonareva
[6/8 QF]
Auckland/USA - Montgomery,Parks,Baptiste,Keys,Pera,Volynets
[5/8 QF]
Charleston/USA - Pegula,Kenin,Anisimova,Collins,Navarro
Prague/CZE - Bouzkova,Noskova,Valentova,Bejlek,Siniakova
[recent 7/8 QF]
1993 Oakland (USA)
2021 Saint Petersburg (RUS)

*CAREER WTA TITLES - CANADA*
4 - LEYLAH FERNANDEZ (2021-25)
3 - Bianca Andreescu (2019)
2 - Carling Bassett-Seguso (1983-87)
2 - Helen Kelesi (1986-88)
1 - Genie Bouchard (2014)
1 - Aleksandra Wozniak (2008)
1 - Jill Hetherington (1988)
1 - Patricia Hy-Boulais (1986)

*2025 FIRST-TIME WTA SEMIFINALISTS*
Auckland: Robin Montgomery, USA (20/#117)
Hobart: Maya Joint, AUS (18/#118)
Merida: Emiliana Arango, COL (24/#133)-RU
Miami: Alex Eala, PHI (19/#140)
Bogota: Julieta Pareja, USA (16/#550)
Roland Garros: Lois Boisson, FRA (22/#361)
Prague: TEREZA VALENTOVA, CZE (18/#106)

*2025 YOUNGEST WTA SF*
16 - Julieta Pareja, USA (Bogota SF)
17 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (Brisbane SF)
17 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (Dubai W)
17 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (Indian Wells W)
18 - TEREZA VALENTOVA, CZE (Prague SF)
18 - Maya Joint, AUS (Hobart SF)
19 - Maya Joint, AUS (Rabat W)
19 - Maya Joint, AUS (Eastbourne W)
19 - Alex Eala, PHI (Miami SF)
[young WTA doubles finalists]
17 - LAURA SAMSON, CZE (Prague - L)
17 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (Brisbane - W)
17 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (Miami - W)
19 - Maya Joint, AUS (Rabat - W)
19 - Maya Joint, AUS (Eastbourne - L)
[oldest WTA WD/MX champions]
38 - Sara Errani (Roland Garros)
38 - Sara Errani (Roland Garros MX)
38 - Sara Errani (Rome)
37 - Sara Errani (I.W. MX Invit.)
37 - Sara Errani (Doha)
37 - Laura Siegemund (Nottingham)
36 - ZHANG SHUAI (Washington)
36 - Alexandra Panova (Bad Homburg)

*U.S. WOMAN RANKED DOUBLES #1 (by year first #1)*
1984 Martina Navratilova
1985 Pam Shriver
1991 Gigi Fernandez
1997 Lindsay Davenport
2000 Corina Morariu
2000 Lisa Raymond
2007 Liezel Huber
2010 Venus Williams
2010 Serena Williams
2017 Bethanie Mattek-Sands
2022 Coco Gauff
2023 Jessica Pegula
2025 Taylor Townsend






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All for now.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:00 PM  2 comments