Friday, January 24, 2025

AO25 - The Day Before the Day









=AO NOTES=
...it's time for trophies to be handed out, and on Friday in Melbourne the first big winners were the Mixed Doubles champions in a final that was an all-Aussie affair between a pair of wild card duos.



Olivia Gadecki & John Peers defeated Kimberly Birrell & John-Patrick Smith in a title-deciding MTB, winning 3-6/6-4 [10-6] to become the first Aussies to claim the AO championship since Jarmila Gajdosova & Matthew Ebden in 2013. It's Gadecki's first major title, and #3 for Peers (second MX, w/ '22 U.S. Open with Storm Hunter).



...the women's doubles final is set, and it's a star-stubbed affair as #1 seeds Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend (def. M.Andreeva/Shnaider in the SF) will meet #3 Hsieh Su-wei/Alona Ostapenko (def. #2 Dabrowski/Routliffe).



Siniakova/Townsend won the RG title together last year, and the Czech will be seeking her 10th career slam WD crown; while Hsieh will look to defend the AO title she picked up in '24 with Elise Mertens (she currently has nine career major WD/MX titles on her resume). Ostapenko, a new partner for the veteran, lost (alongside Lyudmyla Kichenok) to Hsieh/Mertens in the AO final a year ago, and will now be seeking her second straight slam title run after winning the U.S. Open last summer with Kichenok.

...15-year old Bannerette twins, Annika and Kristina Penickova, secured the girls' doubles title with a 6-4/6-2 win over Aussie Emerson Jones and Brit Hannah Klugman.



Girls' #1 Emerson Jones' quest to win a junior slam also ended a round short of the final in singles, as she fell to #4 seed Wakana Sonobe, 6-3/6-4. No Aussie has won the AO girls' title since 1995. Sonobe, the U.S. Open girls' RU last year, is the first Japanese junior to reach the AO final. She'll face the aforementioned Kristina Penickova, the first Bannerette to play for the AO junior crown since Taylor Townsend won it in 2012. Penickova, who'd already recovered from a 7-5/5-0 deficit in the 2nd Round, won a 6-4/4-6/7-5 SF match over unseeded Slovak Mia Pohankova despite being broken in her first two serve games in the 3rd set.

...in the wheelchair doubles final, Li Xiaohui & Wang Ziying defeated Manami Tanaka/Zhu Zhenzhen, 6-2/6-3, to become the first Chinese players to win a WC slam title.



...this year, the AO has gotten into the act of staging a junior wheelchair competition (as has previously occurred at RG and the US), and Luna Gryp (BEL) and Vitoria Miranda (BRA) claimed the first girls' doubles title with a 6-1/6-1 win in the final (after a RR competition) over Sabina Czauz (U.S.... yeah, imagine that) and Ailina Mosko (LAT).



Miranda and Czauz will play for the girls' singles title, as well.





...JUST MORE EVIDENCE OF HOW THE "HAPPY SLAM" MONIKER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FRAUD:



I mean, there are certainly a lot of good reasons to boo Djokovic, but that's not what was happening here.

Also, never forget how the "great" fans Down Under treated Vika Azarenka more than a decade ago en route to her second straight AO title run in 2013. This isn't a new embarrassment.


...COME FOR THE TENNIS, THEN STAY AROUND AFTER THE SHOW FOR THE REAL ENTERTAINMENT:




...SO THE *ONE* THING THAT THE "NEW" CUP COMPETITION DIDN'T SCREW UP, WELL, NOW *THAT* IS GONE, TOO (i.e. now even the Qualifiers and Playoffs don't feature best-of-5, head-to-head ties... so do they really need captains to make decisions anymore?):



Additionally, the November Finals will be an 8-team, knock-out draw (it was 12 in '24), while the Playoffs (also w/ group round robins instead of the previous head-to-head ties) that same week will feature the 12 teams that didn't advance out of the Qualifiers vs. the Zone I winners.














=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #19 Madison Keys/USA

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL=
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. #3 Hsieh/Ostapenko (TPE/LAT)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS) def. Birrell/J-P.Smith (AUS/AUS) 3-6/6-4 [10-6]

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

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) def. Tanaka/Zhu (JPN/CHN) 6-2/6-3

=GIRLS' SINGLES FINAL=
#4 Wakana Sonobe/JPN vs. #6 Kristina Penickova/USA

=GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL=
#6 A.Pennickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA) def. #2 E.Jones/Klugman (AUS/GBR) 6-4/6-2

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Vitoria Miranda/BRA vs. Sabina Czauz/USA

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
Gryp/Miranda (BEL/BRA) def. Czauz/Mosko (USA/LAT) 6-1/6-1

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES LEGENDS FINAL=
x/x vs. x/x

=MIXED DOUBLES LEGENDS FINAL=
x/x vs. x/x










I've said this before, but sometimes it still feels like some sort of "Mandela Effect" situation that there was *actually* a band whose members were George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. Yes, that actually *did* happen. (It's a little how I feel about the Washington Commanders this weekend *really* playing for a berth in the Super Bowl after 20+ years of far too many unsightly moments and embarrassments to recount.)













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*RECENT AO MX DOUBLES CHAMPIONS*
2014 Kristina Mladenovic & Daniel Nestor, FRA/CAN
2015 Martina Hingis & Leander Paes, SUI/IND
2016 Elena Vesnina & Bruno Soares, RUS/BRA
2017 Abigail Spears & Juan Sebastian Cabal, USA/COL
2018 Gaby Dabrowski & Mate Pavic, CAN/CRO
2019 Barbora Krejcikova & Rajeev Ram, CZE/USA
2020 Barbora Krejcikova & Nikola Mektic, CZE/CRO
2021 Barbora Krejcikova & Rajeev Ram, CZE/USA
2022 Kristina Mladenovic & Ivan Dodig, FRA/CRO
2023 Luisa Stefani & Rafael Matos, BRA/BRA
2024 Hsieh Su-wei & Jan Zielinski, TPE/POL
2025 Olivia Gadecki & John Peers, AUS/AUS

*RECENT AO GIRLS DOUBLES CHAMPS*
2014 Anhelina Kalinina / Elizaveta Kulichkova, UKR/RUS
2015 Miriam Kolodziejova / Marketa Vondrousova, CZE/CZE
2016 Anna Kalinskaya / Tereza Mihalikova, RUS/SVK
2017 Bianca Andreescu / Carson Branstine, CAN/USA
2018 Liang En-shou / Wang Xinyu, TPE/CHN
2019 Natsumi Kawaguchi / Adrienn Nagy, JPN/HUN
2020 Alexandra Eala / Priska Madelyn Nugroho, PHI/INA
2022 Clervie Ngounoue / Diana Shnaider, USA/RUS
2023 Renata Jamrichova / Federica Urgesi, SVK/ITA
2024 Tyra Caterina Grant / Iva Jovic, USA/USA
2025 Annika Penickova / Kristina Penikova, USA/USA

*RECENT AO "JUNIOR BREAKOUT" WINNERS*
2017 Marta Kostyuk, UKR
2018 Liang En-shuo, TPE
2019 Clara Tauson/DEN and Anastasia Tikhonova/RUS
2020 Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, AND
2022 Angella Okutoyi/KEN and Meshkatolzahra Safi/IRA
2023 Mirra Andreeva/RUS and Alina Korneeva/RUS
2024 Renata Jamrichova, SVK
2025 Annika & Kristina Penickova, USA/USA

*RECENT AO WHEELCHAIR WD CHAMPIONS*
2010 Florence Gravellier/Aniek van Koot, FRA/NED
2011 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2012 Esther Vergeer/Sharon Walraven, NED/NED
2013 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2014 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2015 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2016 Marjolein Buis/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2017 Jiske Griffioen/Aniek van Koot, NED/NED
2018 Marjolein Buis/Yui Kamiji, NED/JPN
2019 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2020 Yui Kamiji/Jordanne Whiley, JPN/GBR
2021 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2022 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2023 Diede de Groot/Aniek Van Koot, NED/NED
2024 Diede de Groot/Jiske Griffioen, NED/NED
2025 Li Xiaohui/Wang Ziying, CHN/CHN






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TOP QUALIFIER: Maja Chwalinska, POL
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #2 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL def. Dominika Salkova/CZE 7-6(3)/5-7/7-6(12-10) - Chwalinska in 3:23, was down a break twice in the 3rd. Salkova served for the win at 5-4, led 7-3 in the deciding MTB and held a pair of MP.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. Peyton Stearns/USA 6-7(5)/7-6(5)/7-5 - 3:22 between former NCAA champs; Stearns up set and 2-0, up 5-3 in 3rd and served at 5-4; Navarro wins 16/19 points to end
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. #9 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS 6-4/5-7/7-5 - Kasatkina saves 4 MP in 2nd and forces 3rd set; Kasatkina up break in final set and saves 7 BP in 4-4 hold; Navarro saved 2 BP at 5-5, then breaks from 30/love down to win fourth straight three-setter
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): Nominee: SF - #19 Keys d. #2 Swiatek 5-7/6-1/7-6(10-8) - Keys saves MP and forces MTB, wins 10-8 to reach second major final
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #14 Mirra Andreeva/RUS (def. Marie Bouzkova/CZE)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Linda Noskova/CZE (1st Rd.- Tauson/DEN)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Destanee Aiava/AUS (6th MD), Talia Gibson/AUS (2nd MD), Suzan Lamens/NED (1st MD), Rebecca Sramkova/SVK (5th MD)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Belinda Bencic/SUI (4th Rd.) (2r-Birrell/AUS, Kovinic/MNE)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: Eva Lys/GER (4th Rd.) (2r-Dart/GBR)
UPSET QUEENS: Great Britain
REVELATION LADIES: Germany
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Czech Republic (1-4 1st Rd.; Kvitova/Pliskova/Krejcikova DNP; Vondrousova; Bouzkova First Loss; Noskova First Seed Out; Beljek 0-5 slam MD)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Destanee Aiava/AUS and Gabriela Ruse/ROU (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Iva Jovic/USA, Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS(L) and Zhang Shuai/CHN (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Destanee Aiava, Talia Gibson and Ajla Tomljanovic (all 2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Paula Badosa/ESP
IT (WC Opportunist): Nominee: (WC champion while Diede's away: Kamiji or Van Koot)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Belinda Bencic/SUI
CRASH & BURN: #5 Zheng Qinwen/CHN (2r- 2024 finalist and Olympic Gold medalist out in 2 sets vs. Siegemund/GER)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Eva Lys/GER (LL added to MD on Day 3 ten minutes before start of 1r match; reaches 4th Rd. for first time at a major)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Madison Keys/USA
LADY OF THE EVENING: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR & Jelena Dokic (dancing on Laver)
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["A right corker"] The "Great Melbourne Coffee Scandal" erupts when Iga Swiatek says she prefers the cafe offerings of Sydney
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: Annika & Kristina Penickova, USA/USA





All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:05 PM  2 comments

Thursday, January 23, 2025

AO25 - A Different Madison in the Arena










=AO NOTES=
...in the women's AO semifinals, the proposed thesis that "bigger is better" was proven on more than one occasion on Thursday night at Rod Laver Arena as the players who hit the hardest, were the most aggressive and were able to better handle the changing physical and psychologial conditions of their matches will now get the chance to play for a major title on Saturday night.



In the opener featuring two-time defending champ Aryna Sabalenka vs. #11 seed (and tennis BFF) Paula Badosa, the top seed was a bit slow in finding her flow and range. In the opening minutes, Badosa grabbed the advantage, saving a BP in the first game, then seeing Sabalenka's wayward forehand shots give her a quick break and 2-0 lead.

But Sabalenka soon righted herself and essentially dared the big-hitting (but not *as* big hitting) Spaniard to keep up. Few can in hard court events of this stature, and Badosa didn't alter that landscape here. She *did* have a chance to put some additional pressure on the Belarusian, though, leading 40/love on serve for a 3-0 edge. But Sabalenka, behind two forehand return winners, broke back in game 3, denying Badosa on four GP chances.

While Badosa's service games continued to be long affairs, Sabalenka's seemed to only get shorter. She broke the Spaniard to lead 3-2 just before the Laver roof was closed. As she did throughout, Badosa held her own, utilizing her own big serve to hold at love to stay nearby at 5-4, only to see Sabalenka fire off an ace on SP a game later to win 6-4.

With little to no margin for error, Badosa's consecutive DF in game 3 of the 2nd set shoved her chances into a dark corner as Sabalenka gained a break advantage that she'd never relinquish. Hitting bigger and playing more aggressively, her momentum was unstoppable. She finished off her night with a love hold to win 6-4/6-2, recording her 20th straight AO victory.



In the end, while Sabalenka goes on to her third consecutive AO final (fifth straight at a hard court major) in search of the first three-peat at this event since 1999, Badosa emerges from Melbourne back in the Top 10 after a year ago being on the verge of having to consider giving up the sport after a slow and painful recovery from a back injury.

While Badosa's disappointment at falling short in her maiden slam semifinal surely stings, even she knew that the odds of her knocking Sabalenka off her current perch were never in her favor. And certainly not on this day, once the Belarusian found her footing a third of the way into the opening set. While Sabalenka joked afterward with Jelena Dokic that her good friend Paula might "hate" her for a few days, she thinks that they'll still be friends, and even promised her a shopping trip -- on Aryna! -- to salve any lingering wounds.

Soon after, Badosa confirmed the stability of their friendship, and posted on social media that she looked forward to her promised gifts.

Whew! I mean, we can't lose "Sabadosa," right?

...in the second women's semifinal, #2 Iga Swiatek found herself a lone match away from facing off with Sabalenka with the AO title *and* the #1 ranking on the line in what would be an immediately successful early '25 answer to an end-of-year and off-season stretch that included the news of a drug testing violation, a coaching change and the loss of her position atop the women's tennis pyramid.

Standing in her way was #19 Madison Keys, who entered sporting a 1-5 career mark in slam semis. For the first time in her major career, Keys was *the* last U.S. woman standing in the draw (the 46th MD of her slam lifetime, during which she'd *tied* with fellow Bannerettes for "best result" on three occasions: the 2014 and '21 WI, and '23 RG). The distinction highlighted what might be a "new" Keys, who since the end of the '24 season has gotten married (to Bjorn Fratangelo, who has served as her coach since 2023), installed a new service motion (which moves her more aggressively forward into the court), and changed her strings and racket (lighter). In the opening chapter of her "new reality series," Keys won a title in the final days before this AO, upset #6 Elena Rybakina in the Round of 16 this past week, and on this day may have played the most significant (at least until the *next* one) match of her entire career.

The SF finale turned out to be the match of the tournament, as the two women faced off for three sets, all of which displayed the power (and maybe improved mindset) of Keys, as well as the resilience and quick hands/feet of Swiatek. But, in the end, it was the U.S. veteran's ability to turn around various potential slides toward defeat -- something which has often dogged her past slam runs (including a U.S. Open SF loss in '23 vs. Sabalanka in which Keys led 6-0/5-3, and 4-2 in the 3rd before dropping a deciding MTB) -- that denied Swiatek at the final turn.

The opening set showed just what Keys brought into this match, as she quickly ended Iga's 31-game streak of service holds at this AO. Problem was, Keys didn't take advantage of it as it took her more than half the set to hold her own serve. After the match began with four straight breaks, the two got down to business.

With Swiatek leading 3-2, the Laver roof was closed, and almost immediately Keys' errors began to mount as she dropped serve again to fall behind 4-2. It wasn't until game 8 that Keys finally held serve, closing to 5-3 after saving a SP. The moment seemed to spark Keys, who began to hit bigger and more aggressively. She broke Swiatek as the Pole served for the 1st in the following game, then held serve for a second straight time. Swiatek ultimately put away the set on her second SP at 30/40 on Keys' serve in game 12 via a Keys error off a Swiatek return, but even after dropping the 7-5 opener the Bannerette had gotten a glimpse of what a potential path to victory would look like. In crunch time, she'd soon remember it.

Keys then went out and proved what she'd learned -- with flair -- in the 2nd. Breaking Swiatek in the opening game again wasn't enough for her, as she held from love/30 in game 2 and then broke Iga again in game 3. Unlike her inability to take advantage of her edge on the Pole's serve in the 1st set, Keys ran with it this time arond. Firing off bigger and more aggressive groundstrokes, she won 16 of 21 points as she took a 4-0 lead, pressured a frustrated Swiatek into going for too much (Iga started speaking in Polish to her box, i.e not to Belgian coach Wim Fissette), then broke her again with a big return to lead 5-0. And that was only after about 18 minutes.

Keys tied the match with yet *another* break in game 7 to close out a dominant 6-1 set. As expected, the dropped set sent Swiatek scurrying off court in its wake, looking to "reset" then return after a longer-than-normal time period, even as everyone stood around waiting (but not staring her down with an aggravated glare, ala Putintseva) for her to finally get ready to play after her late return to Laver.

It was a 3rd that raised between-sets questions about how Swiatek would respond to being run over (again) by a big hitter and whether Keys could keep her game at such a high level long enough without something going haywire and, thus, pull off the upset. The truth turned out to be that both would respond quite well as the match became an instant classic.

With both women playing extremely high quality tennis, the break-fest that was two-sided for half of the 1st set, then one-sided in the 2nd, didn't occur in the third stanza. The first *ten* games featured holds of various stripe. Keys opened with an ace and quick game win at 15, while Swiatek staved off break chances in games 4 and 8. Keys saved BP in games 5 and 9 (four in the latter, after trailing love/40 at the end of a 7-pt. losing sttreak). It was Iga who finally broke the ice, taking a love/30 lead in game 11. A Keys DF put her down love/40 again. She saved two BP, but Swiatek reached a Keys drop shot and fired a winner down the line to take a 6-5 lead and served for the final.

But just when it looked as if Keys had tripped up in a big stage match once again, she had another table to turn. At 6-5, Swiatek reached MP, but Keys' return down the center of the court tied up Swiatek, keeping her hopes alive.



A sharply-angled return got Keys a BP chance, and Swiatek DF'd as things went to a MTB (ala Keys' last major SF two seasons ago in New York).

Swiatek opened her serve in the breaker with a second straight DF that gave back a mini-break lead (1-1). It would be the first of four times in the MTB when Iga held a mini-break lead only to see Keys raise her game and take it back. Tied at 7-7, Swiatek pulled off a brilliant volley to lead (on serve) 8-7 and finally see the finish line again.



But as glorious as that shot was, it'd be the last that Swiatek would score on the night. Keys followed up wth an ace to tie the score again, then Iga fired a return long that gave Keys her first MP at 9-8. A Swiatek forehand error would end things, as Keys recorded quite possibly the biggest win of her career in a 5-7/6-1/7-6(10-8) thriller that sends her into her second major final (the first since the 2017 U.S. Open more than seven years ago).



While Swiatek matched her previous best AO result (2022) with this SF run, even as she held up well in the 3rd set against Keys' big shots after briefly reverting back to her "panic state" in the 2nd, the Pole still sees another slam run ended by an opponent capable of hitting her off the court. As a result, she'll remain at #2 behind Sabalenka in the next rankings.

For Keys, in an upcoming match against the last player who denied her and end a deeply frustrating slam SF run, the 29-year old is but a win away from erasing all the memories of past faltering fortunes just when the big prize seemed nearly within her grasp. But maybe *that* Madi is a thing of the past, set on a new course (w/ maybe a better final outcome) to go along with the new husband, new serve, new racket and, in this SF, maybe a newly discovered ability to push aside her doubts and *take* a big match rather than see it slip away yet again

Maybe Keys has one more, even *bigger*, change coming her way on Saturday night.



...the wheelchair finals were set on Thursday, with one predictable set of SF outcomes, as well as another set that were quite the opposite.

In the singles, #1 Yui Kamiji (def. Li Xiaohui) and #2 Aniek Van Koot (def. #3 Wang Ziying) advanced to the final. They face off for a WC singles crown for the first time since the 2020 AO, and fourth time overall (the other finals came at the 2014 RG & US). It'll be Kamiji's 28th career slam final (8-19), and Van Koot's 16th (3-12).



Both Kamiji (#2 seed w/ Lucy Shuker) and Van Koot (#1 seed w/ Jiske Griffioen) were involved in doubles SF matches, as well, but neither of the top duos reached the finals. Manami Tanaka/Zhu Zhenzhen upset the team of Dutch veterans, while the losing singles semifinalists Li & Wang joined forces to take out Kamiji/Shuker. The results assure the first ever wheelchair slam champion from China, as either Zhu or the all-CHN combo of Li/Wang will pull off the achievement. Japan's Tanaka will also be seeking her maiden major crown.

...meanwhile, Emerson Jones is now a little bit closer to taking care of some unfinished business.

The 16-year old Aussie finished last year as the girls' #1 (the first AUS girl to do so since Jelena Dokic in 1998). She won the year-end Finals event, but failed to pick up a slam crown, finishing as the runner-up to Renata Jamrichova at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Her QF win over Austrian Lilli Tagger puts her one round away from a return to the AO final and a shot to become the first Aussie to win the girls' crown since Siobhan Drake-Brockman in 1995.

NOTE: I've wondered if maybe Jones was named for past Aussie tennis star Roy Emerson, but I haven't been able to find anything about that. Recent Google searches spit out a very questionable AI note (I hate that that pops up first, since the "AI Overview" function in no way means that any of the "information" presented is true) that said she was named for author Ralph Waldo Emerson because her mother owned all of his works, and another similar search said she wasn't named for *anyone* in particular. So, you know.

I still like the idea of Emerson as a first name for a female, along with the "Emmo" nickname, at any rate.

It *can* be said that Emerson's mother is Olympic silver medal-winning triathlete Loretta Harrop, while her dad is former Australian rules football player Brad Jones. Her brother Hayden is a top junior player, as well.

Jones' next opponent won't be a fellow Australian, as wild card Tahlia Kokkinis lost to #4 Wakana Sonobe of Japan (last year's U.S. Open junior RU). Meanwhile, Traralgon champ Jeline Vandromme (BEL's #3 seed) lost to unseeded Slovak Mia Pohankova, who'll face #6-seeded Kristina Penickova after the Bannerette's win over Japanese qualifier Shiho Tsujioka. Back in the 2nd Round, Penickova trailed Wang Yuhan 7-5/5-0.

Jones remains alive for the s/d sweep. Just winning the doubles (she's reached the final w/ Brit Hannah Klugman) would make her the first home player to win the GD in Melbourne in 22 years, when Casey Dellacqua & Adriana Szili took the title in 2003. Dellacqua is handing some of the on-court interview duties at this AO, so it'd be nice if she was there for something after the match if Jones wins.

The other girls' doubles finalists are the Penickova sisters, as Kristina and Annika defeated Crushers Alena and Jana Kovackova in a deciding 11-9 MTB in the final.



Also, Jagger Leach (son of Lindsay Davenport, as well as former men's player Jonathan Leach) is into the semifinals on the boys' side. At #5, he's the highest seed remaining.





...YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M STILL NOT SURE IF SWIATEK INTENTIONALLY PUSHES THE BOUNDARIES OF ETIQUETTE OR IF SHE'S JUST OBLIVIOUS TO HOW SOME OF HER ACTIONS/TACTICS LOOK, THIS STUFF *DOES* START TO BUILD UP AFTER A WHILE:

In the Round of 16 vs. Navarro (the double-bounce that wrongly went Iga's way, which she had no obligation to concede the point on, but we *are* led to believe by TPTB that that is something she *would* do under the circumstances, but apparently not)...



Between the 2nd set (which she lost, naturally) and the 3rd vs. Keys, when she didn't return until after time had been called and yet went through all this while Keys was clearly ready to serve...




...SABADOSA 4-ever:




...THE CAMERA CATCHES EVERYTHING:




...FINALLY AN ACCOMPLISHMENT AT THIS AO THIS ISN'T LABELED "Since 1988":












=WOMEN'S SINGLES FINAL=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #19 Madison Keys/USA

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF=
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. M.Andreeva/Shnaider (RUS/RUS)
#3 Hsieh/Ostapenko (TPE/LAT) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Birrell/J-P.Smith (AUS/AUS) vs. (WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS)

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

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
Tanaka/Zhu (JPN/CHN) vs. Li/Wang (CHN/CHN)

=GIRLS' SINGLES SF=
#1 Emerson Jones/AUS vs. #4 Wakana Sonobe/JPN
Mia Pohankova/SVK vs. #6 Kristina Penickova/USA

=GIRLS' DOUBLES FINAL=
#6 A.Pennickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA) vs. #2 E.Jones/Klugman (AUS/GBR)

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR SINGLES FINAL=
x vs. x

=GIRLS' WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES FINAL=
Gryp/Miranda (BEL/BRA) vs. Czauz/Mosko (USA/LAT)





















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*CAREER SLAM FINALS - ACTIVE*
16...Venus Williams (7-9)
5...Iga Swiatek (5-0)
5...ARYNA SABALENKA (3-1)*
5...Simona Halep (2-3)
5...Victoria Azarenka (2-3)
4...Naomi Osaka (4-0)
3...Petra Kvitova (2-1)
3...Caroline Wozniacki (1-2)
3...Ons Jabeur (0-3)
2...Barbora Krejcikova (2-0)
2...Marketa Vondrousova (1-1)
2...Elena Rybakina (1-1)
2...Coco Gauff (1-1)
2...MADISON KEYS (0-1)*
2...Jasmine Paolini (0-2)

*AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINALS - ACTIVE*
3...ARYNA SABALENKA, BLR (2-0)*
2...Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2...Victoria Azarenka, BLR (2-0)
2...Venus Williams, USA (0-2)
1...Sofia Kenin, USA (1-0)
1...Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (1-0)
1...MADISON KEYS, USA (0-0)*
1...Danielle Collins, USA (0-1)
1...Jennifer Brady, USA (0-1)
1...Simona Halep, ROU (0-1)
1...Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1...Elena Rybakina, KAZ (0-1)
1...Zheng Qinwen, CHN (0-1)

*MOST WTA FINALS - 2020-25*
25 - 1/2/9/8/5/0 = Swiatek (22-3)
24 - 3/3/3/6/7/2 = SABALENKA (13-10)
17 - 5/0/3/4/5/0 = Rybakina (7-10)
14 - 0/4/2/2/6/0 = Kasatkina (6-8)
13 - 1/0/2/5/4/1 = Pegula (5-8)

*CONSECUTIVE AO SINGLES TITLES, OPEN ERA*
1969-71 Margaret Court (3)
1974-76 Evonne Goolagong (3)
1988-90 Steffi Graf (3)
1991-93 Monica Seles (3)
1997-99 Martina Hingis (3)
2001-02 Jennifer Capriati
2009-10 Serena Williams
2012-13 Victoria Azarenka
2023-24 Aryna Sabalenka (active streak)

*BACK-to-BACK US/AO TITLES OVER TWO SEASONS - Open era*
1969-70 Margaret Court, AUS
1970-71 Margaret Court, AUS
1988-89 Steffi Graf, FRG
1989-90 Steffi Graf, FRG
1991-92 Monica Seles, YUG
1992-93 Monica Seles, YUG
1993-94 Steffi Graf, GER
1997-98 Martina Hingis, SUI
2002-03 Serena Williams, USA
2003-04 Justine Henin-Hardenne, BEL
2008-09 Serena Williams, USA
2010-11 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2014-15 Serena Williams, USA
2018-19 Naomi Osaka, JPN
[Misc.]
1982 - Chris Evert, US Sept./AO Dec.
1983 - Martina Navratilova - US Sept/AO Dec.
2020-21 - Naomi Osaka - RG Oct.'20 held between '20 US/'21 AO

*WON TITLE AT FIRST SLAM SEEDED #1*
[since end of Evert/Navratilova era]
1991 Monica Seles (Roland Garros)
2002 Jennifer Capriati (Australian Open)
2002 Serena Williams (U.S. Open)
2004 Justine Henin-Hardenne (Australian Open)
2022 Iga Swiatek (Roland Garros)
--
NOTE: Sabalenka in first major as #1 seed

*OLDEST FIRST-TIME SLAM CHAMPS*
33y,199d - Flavia Pennetta, 2015 U.S. Open
29y,346d - Francesca Schiavone, 2010 Roland Garros
29y,275d - Jana Novotna, 1998 Wimbledon
29y,154d - Kerry Melville-Reid, 1977 Australian Open
29y,98d - Li Na, 2011 Roland Garros
28y,277d - Marion Bartoli, 2013 Wimbledon
28y,12d - Angelique Kerber, 2016 Australian Open
--
NOTE: Keys (29y,11m)

*MOST SLAMS BEFORE FIRST TITLE*
49 - Flavia Pennetta (2015 U.S. Open)
47 - Marion Bartoli (2013 Wimbledon)
45 - Jana Novotna (1998 Wimbledon)
43 - Caroline Wozniacki (2018 Australian Open)
39 - Francesca Schiavone (2010 Roland Garros)
34 - Samantha Stosur (2011 U.S. Open)
33 - Angelique Kerber (2016 Australian Open)
32 - Simona Halep (2018 Roland Garros)
32 - Amelie Mauresmo (2006 Australian Open)
--
NOTE: Keys in 46th major MD

*WC SLAM SINGLES FINALS - active*
28 - YUI KAMIJI, JPN (8-19)*
26 - Diede de Groot, NED (23-3)
16 - ANIEK VAN KOOT, NED (3-12)*
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 SINGLES TITLES - all-time*
[AO-RG-WI-US]
23 - Diede de Groot, NED [6-5-6-6]*
21 - Esther Vergeer, NED [9-6-x-6]
8 - Yui Kamiji, JPN [2-4-0-2]*
4 - Jiske Griffioen, NED [2-1-1-0]*
3 - Aniek van Koot, NED [1-0-1-1]*
3 - Monique Kalkman, NED [0-0-x-3]
--
* - active

*WHEELCHAIR SLAM TITLES - all-time*
[singles/doubles]
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
42 - Diede de Groot, NED (23/19)*
29 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8/21)*
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*
20 - Jiske Griffioen, NED (4/16)*
--
* - active

*ALL-TIME WC SLAM TITLES (M+W)*
50 - Shingo Kunieda, JPN (28/22)
42 - Esther Vergeer, NED (21/21)
42 - Diede de Groot, NED (23/19)*
30 - Alfie Hewett, GBR (9/21)*
29 - Yui Kamiji, JPN (8/20)*
27 - Aniek Van Koot, NED (3/24)*
27 - Gordon Reid, GBR (2/25)*
--
* - active

*WOMEN'S WC SLAM TITLES BY NATION*
[SINGLES - 65 slams to '24 WI]
53 - NED
9 - JPN
2 - GER
1 - GBR
[DOUBLES - 70 slams to '24 WI]
100 - NED
21 - JPN
12 - GBR
3 - RSA
2 - FRA
1 - AUS
1 - USA
--
NOTE: doubles titles by individual, not same-nation duo






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TOP QUALIFIER: Maja Chwalinska, POL
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #2 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL def. Dominika Salkova/CZE 7-6(3)/5-7/7-6(12-10) - Chwalinska in 3:23, was down a break twice in the 3rd. Salkova served for the win at 5-4, led 7-3 in the deciding MTB and held a pair of MP.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. Peyton Stearns/USA 6-7(5)/7-6(5)/7-5 - 3:22 between former NCAA champs; Stearns up set and 2-0, up 5-3 in 3rd and served at 5-4; Navarro wins 16/19 points to end
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. #9 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS 6-4/5-7/7-5 - Kasatkina saves 4 MP in 2nd and forces 3rd set; Kasatkina up break in final set and saves 7 BP in 4-4 hold; Navarro saved 2 BP at 5-5, then breaks from 30/love down to win fourth straight three-setter
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): Nominee: SF - #19 Keys d. #2 Swiatek 5-7/6-1/7-6(10-8) - Keys saves MP and forces MTB, wins 10-8 to reach second major final
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #14 Mirra Andreeva/RUS (def. Marie Bouzkova/CZE)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Linda Noskova/CZE (1st Rd.- Tauson/DEN)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Destanee Aiava/AUS (6th MD), Talia Gibson/AUS (2nd MD), Suzan Lamens/NED (1st MD), Rebecca Sramkova/SVK (5th MD)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Belinda Bencic/SUI (4th Rd.) (2r-Birrell/AUS, Kovinic/MNE)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: Eva Lys/GER (4th Rd.) (2r-Dart/GBR)
UPSET QUEENS: Great Britain
REVELATION LADIES: Germany
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Czech Republic (1-4 1st Rd.; Kvitova/Pliskova/Krejcikova DNP; Vondrousova; Bouzkova First Loss; Noskova First Seed Out; Beljek 0-5 slam MD)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Destanee Aiava/AUS and Gabriela Ruse/ROU (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Iva Jovic/USA, Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS(L) and Zhang Shuai/CHN (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Destanee Aiava, Talia Gibson and Ajla Tomljanovic (all 2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Paula Badosa/ESP Nominee: (wheelchair)
IT (WC Opportunist): Nominee: (WC champion while Diede's away: Kamiji or Van Koot)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Belinda Bencic/SUI
CRASH & BURN: #5 Zheng Qinwen/CHN (2r- 2024 finalist and Olympic Gold medalist out in 2 sets vs. Siegemund/GER)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Eva Lys/GER (LL added to MD on Day 3 ten minutes before start of 1r match; reaches 4th Rd. for first time at a major)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Madison Keys/USA Nominee: (WD/MX)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR & Jelena Dokic (dancing on Laver)
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["A right corker"] The "Great Melbourne Coffee Scandal" erupts when Iga Swiatek says she prefers the cafe offerings of Sydney
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x





All for now. More soon.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:11 PM  4 comments

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

AO25 - Something Happened on the Way to the Semis










=AO NOTES=
...okay, now where was I?

Back in business in this space after some technical difficulties, let's see where things stand in Melbourne...



As far the QF went, sometimes, things just don't go the way they're *supposed* to go (yeah, tell me about it).

Surely, #3-seeded Coco Gauff, undefeated on the season and on an extended heater since a coaching change after last year's U.S. Open (a run which included a WTAF title, and an active 13-match win streak heading into her fifth round of action at this AO), seemed well on her way to facing off with Aryna Sabalenka with a slot in the AO final on the line.

But while Gauff faltered in this particular QF showcase, #11 Paula Badosa chose Melbourne as the site where she'd finally take advantage of a huge slam opportunity, doing so less than a year after her slow recovery from a back injury saw her start last year at 6-9 and fall to #140 after a 1st Round exit in Madrid last spring. The Spaniard rebounded in a *big* way, going on to have a Comeback of the Year campaign, nearly climbing back into the Top 10, and now finds herself set to play in her maiden major semifinal.

In her two previous slam QF appearances, Badosa -- a former world #2 in 2022 before suffering her back injury in '23 -- had come up frustratingly short after having put herself into position for a career-best result. At the 2021 RG, she'd held a break lead in the 3rd set over Tamara Zidansek before the Slovenian rallied to win an 8-6 decider. Then, at the U.S. Open last September, she led Emma Navarro 5-1 in the 2nd set in her attempt to force things to a 3rd, only to collapse down the stretch and drop the final six games.

To get to this AO QF, Badosa had somewhat "righted" that most recent New York wrong, staging her own comeback from 5-2 down in the 2nd set vs. Olga Danilovic to win in straights. Against Gauff, her momentum increased just as Coco hit a major speedbump. Gauff committed 41 UE in the match's 22 games as she was never able to command either her forehand or serve (6 DF), and couldn't put the necessary pressure on the Spaniard's serve game.

Badosa only faced three BP in the match, and saw Gauff carve out none in the 1st set. After Gauff had saved a pair of BP in game 3 of the opener, Badosa got the key break back for a 6-5 lead and then held to win the set 7-5.

Any hope for a complete change of course went away quickly, as Gauff opened the 2nd set with a 22-point service game in which 11 of Badosa's 12 points came via errors off the Bannerette's racket, including back-to-back game-ending missed forehands that finally handed the Spaniard a break on BP #5.

Gauff got the break back to tie the score at 2-2, but lost a 40/15 lead in the following game as Badosa again took the lead. Rolling and up 5-2, Badosa failed to serve out the match on her first try, but did so two games later to close out a 7-5/6-4 win that makes this the 12th of the last 13 Australian Opens (missing out only in '22) with a maiden slam semifinalist.

Badosa is the 29th first-timer in the 20 women's majors held this decade.



...later on Tuesday night, top-ranked defending champion Sabalenka didn't suffer the same fate as quite possibly what had been her chief rival in the top half of the draw, instead outlasting #27-seeded Russian veteran Anastasia Pavlychenkova, who *did* manage to snap the Belarusian's 25-set Melbourne winning streak, in a 6-2/2-6/6-3 affair that improved Sabalenka's career record in slam QF to 10-1, keeping her AO three-peat hopes alive and well as she'll next play in her sixth consecutive hard court SF at a major.

Afterward, Sabalenka and interviewer Jelena Dokic were at it again, as the Aussie noted Sabalenka's tiger tattoo on her forearm and wondered aloud whether it was time for members of her team to follow suit with tiger tattoos of their own to show their commitment (in a more long-lasting way, not the temporary-pen-art-on-scalp treatment that her trainer sported at last year's U.S. Open).

Sabalenka suggested they'll need to talk about it, then said that maybe she could also just put something in their drink and take care of things while they sleep. She quickly noted that her casual talk of committing crimes before leaving Australia was just a joke. At least that's Aryna's story, and she's sticking to it.



Sabalenka's SF meeting with Badosa will once again feature an on-court face-off between the two best friends. To date, Sabalenka is 6-2 (w/ six straight wins) in the series.

...while the first half of the women's QF featured an unexpected result, the same might not be able to be said about either of Wednesday's contests.

The match-up between #19 Madison Keys and #28 Elina Svitolina turned out to be a three-setter that turned on a single break of serve in each set played between the veterans. Svitolina broke to lead 5-3 in the 1st, then served out the win. In the 2nd, Keys converted a BP to lead 4-2 and finished off the set. In the 3rd, again, Keys broke for a 3-2 edge, and never faced a BP in the final set (after having to stave off just one each in both the 1st and 2nd sets).



Keys' 3-6/6-3/6-4 victory is her tenth straight in '25 and sends her into her seventh career major semi, but thus far the 29-year old is just 1-5 in such matches at slam level, with her only win coming in her home event at the U.S. Open back in 2017, where she lost to Sloane Stephens.

Svitolina had come into these QF with the most experience (w/ 12 Final 8 appearances in majors) at this stage than any of the final eight who remained, but this defeat drops her to just 3-9 in those matches. She's 1-5 in major QF in the 2020s, with the only player with a worse mark during that stretch (amongst those with more than 3 slam QF) is Jessie Pegula, who has gone 1-6 (but *did* win her most recent at the U.S. Open last summer).

...if the QF opened with a surprise they concluded with probably the most expected result of the bunch.



With just her second career QF/SF run (the other came in '22) at this major, Iga Swiatek's new pairing with coach Wim Fissette is so far going nicely in their first slam event together, but we won't *really* know if anything has changed until she finally feels the pressure of a big-hitting foe who shortens her response time and/or she's forced to find a "Plan B" if things don't immediately go well. Since giving up seven games in the 1st Round to Katerina Siniakova, after her all-encompassing 6-1/6-2 QF win over #8 Emma Navarro, #2 seeded Swiatek has dropped just eight games in the last five rounds combined.

The Pole's win over Navarro was never really close or in question (Iga opened with a love break, won the first six points, and barely slowed down after that), though Navarro *did* play a tad better in the 2nd set. Iga's current form, the Bannerette's exhausting string of long matches (four straight three-set victories in Melbourne), and the fact that Swiatek does just about everything a bit better than the world #8 made this something of a dud when it came to being the finale of the women's QF round. (I'd thought it'd go something like an open-and-shut 6-3/6-3, but even that turned out to be overshooting things a little.)

Swiatek has been peerless through the middle rounds of this AO but, again, she *should* have been considering her competition. She'll finally get a true big hitter in Keys in the SF, but one has to wonder if Keys might have done Swiatek a solid by knocking off #6 Elena Rybakina in the Round of 16, considering the fear of the Tennis Gods that the Kazakh's game tends to put into Iga (that wasn't the case in their United Cup match a few weeks ago, but before that Rybakina had won four of their last five meetings).

Of course, Keys is no slouch herself when it comes to big shots, but she also brings along a host of negative intangibles into big matches like this one, as injuries or a sudden string of error-prone tennis always seem to get in her way at just the wrong time (see her 1-5 career slam SF mark).

It sure *feels* like a 1 vs. 2 final -- it'd be the first at the AO since 2018 and the sixth this century (w/ 2000, 2003-04 and 2015) -- but we shall soon see.

Swiatak and Sabalenka had five #1 vs. #2 match-ups in 2023-24, with Iga winning four of them (including the only one when Sabalenka was #1, at the '23 WTAF after which Swiatek took back the top ranking).

Iga is currently the "live" #1 in the rankings, and a match-up with Sabalenka in the final would see the winner atop the standings on Monday.

...meanwhile, the wheelchair competition presents a *massive* opportunity for someone, as world #1 Diede de Groot is absent until the spring while recovering from hip surgery. As a result, Yui Kamiji, the reigning Paralympic Gold medalist and AO #1 seed seems a good bet to win her first slam singles crown since RG 2020, and her third at the AO (de Groot has won the last four titles in Melbourne, and the last *15* slam events).

Though Kamiji *did* end the '24 season with back-to-back wins over the (we now know, ailing) de Groot, the Japanese former #1 (who'll almost surely return to the top spot in the rankings w/ de Groot's time away) has so far put up two wins in Melbourne to reach the semis. She's 147-4 against non-Diede competition since 2022.

On the other side of the draw, #2 Aniek Van Koot is seeking her first singles slam win since 2019 (WI). The top two seeds will face off vs. Chinese opponents in the SF, with Li Xiaohui (vs. Kamiji) and #3 Wang Ziying (vs. Van Koot) trying to produce the first-ever all-CHN slam final.

Of some note, Kamiji didn't team up in doubles with her usual partner, Kgothatso Montjane, in Melbourne. Instead she's with Brit Lucy Shuker, and they're in the SF vs. Li/Wang. Van Koot & Jiske Griffioen (vs. Tanaka/Zhu) are the top seeds. The veteran Dutch pair played in their first major final together at the 2011 AO, but haven't reached a slam title match as a pair since 2017 (RG). They went 8-13 in slam finals together before de Groot joined the scene. Van Koot has won 14 majors with de Groot, while Griffioen has shared two.

Dana Mathewson's retirement meant this AO had *zero* U.S. women in the WC competition (and just one, a wild card, in the men's). While Bannerette teenager Maylee Phelps seems to be on her way to the big stage, it still baffles me how so few U.S. (or Aussie, for that matter, considering that nation's big role in the early years of the sport) athletes are involved in wheelchair tennis despite such a large pool of para-athletes. The U.S. was third in total medals at the most recent Paralympics behind only China and Great Britain, so the numbers would seem to be there. Why *the* most visible para-sport has such a tiny U.S. presence remains perplexing (IMO).

It sure *seems* like the USTA, for all its talk about spreading the game, should have done enough by now (as the exposure of para-sports, the Paralympics and wheelchair tennis has grown exponentially in recent years) to see at least *a handful* of U.S. players in the mix *near* the top of the sport. But, at the moment, there are *none*.



...the girls' singles QF sport a pair of Aussies (#1 Emerson Jones and wild card Tahlia Kokkinis), two Japanese girls (the #4 seed and a qualifier), zero Czechs, only one Bannerette and the just-crowned Traralgon champ (#3 Jeline Vandromme).

While the Crusher presence in the singles shrunk to nil heading into the QF as both Kovackova sisters -- #11 Jana and #12 Alena -- saw their runs end in the 3rd Round, the siblings are set for an all-sister semifinal clash vs. the Bannerettes Penickovas, Annika and Kristina. Kristina P. defeated Alena K. in the singles Round of 16.

The winners of the Sisters Semifinal could face another all-Czech duo, as Tereza Krejcova & Vendula Valdmannova will go against E.Jones & Brit Hannah Klugman for the other spot in the final.

Meanwhile, Jagger Leach, aka the son of Lindsay Davenport, is alive in the boys' QF.







...WOMEN'S DOUBLES: THE NEXT GENERATION:




...WELP:




...PALVYUCHENKOVA BEING PAVLYUCHENKOVA:




...FAUX "WTA: SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE" ad, Part XXLI:




...HMMM, I FEEL LIKE ARYNA'S TIGER MIGHT NEED SOME REFRESHING AFTER SEVEN YEARS (it looked so much more vibrant and colorful when it was new):




...THERE WILL BE AT LEAST ONE (well, two) AUSSIE CHAMPIONS AT THIS AO:





This match is no longer relevent as far as the final result of this AO goes, but since the recap was ready but wasn't able to be posted the other day, for the purposes of keeping a record, here's what I'd written about the Navarro/Kasatkina Round of 16 clash (aka "The Taking of Dasha 1-2-3")...

O Tennis Gods... Dasha's kingdom (or maybe her vlog?) for a serve.

Dasha Kasatkina is an admirable individual, always giving a good (or better) accounting of herself both on and off court. She is often an entertaining, swashbuckling shotmaker who'll fight in matches until the last breath of the day. As a result, she's put together a very nice career. Only the very top players in the sport reach more finals than her -- she's behind just Swiatek, Sabalenka and Rybakina in WTA title match appearances this decade, and only Iga and Aryna (plus Krejcikova) have matched the three multi-title seasons in the 2020s that the Hordette has produced -- but she's played in just one slam SF/QF ('22 RG) this decade and is always on the outside looking in (though with a window seat) when it comes to discussing the best and/or most succcessful players of her generation, even as she's returned to the Top 10 over the past year.

But the inability of Kasatkina's serve to ever really contribute to her efforts remains, as will likely be the case until she strikes her last ball, a weighted rope around her ankle the precludes the sort of results that she *could* produce.

The latest example was the #9 seed's Round of 16 battle with #8 Emma Navarro, herself a player who doesn't rely on power but who seems to be getting the most out of her abilities since her career season last year.

Navarro raced out to 4-0 lead in the opening set on their match-up on Monday, only to see Kasatkina reel her back in and get the break to put the 1st back on serve at 5-4 after saving four Navarro set points. But, having finally gotten back into the set, Kasatkina then dropped serve at love and it was all essentially a wasted effort.

Kasatkina saved four MP at 5-4 in the 2nd set, but got the hold to stay alive and went on to win the set 7-5. Game on.

A series of long games characterized the 3rd set. Kasatkina broke Navarro to take a 3-2 lead, only to immediately give back her edge in the next game. The Russian saved seven BP in game 8 alone, holding for 4-4 in what had by now become a physical battle. While Kasatkina was often seen bending over at the waist, or draping herself over the walls of the backcourt, Navarro was her usual, frightfully calm-looking self (save for one rare, frustrated reaction to a lost point).

Kasatkina saw a pair of key BP chances at 5-5, but Navarro managed to get the hold and shift the pressure back to the Russian's own service game. Uh-oh. The Hordette quickly went up 30/love and a deciding MTB seemed on deck. But then it all slipped away, as the lead evaporated and Navarro suddenly had and converted her fifth MP opportunity, winning 6-4/5-7/7-5 to reach her third straight slam quarterfinal.



This win marks the fourth straight match in which Navarro has claimed a three-set contest at this AO. She trailed Peyton Stearns 5-3 in the 3rd in the 1st Round, but won 16 of the final 19 points. In the 2nd Round, she was down a break twice in the decider (and trailed 4-2) vs. Wang Xiyu, but swept the final four games. Ons Jabeur fell in the 3rd Round, and now Navarro still survives despite seeing three straight opponent rally from a set down to force a finale.

With eight wins in her last nine three-set matches, Navarro is on a seven match winning streak in three-setters at majors. She's 9-1 in slam play in such contests since the start of 2024. Her only loss in that year-long stretch came in the 3rd Round last year in Melbourne vs. Dayana Yastremska.

The Ukrainian would go on to reach the semifinals. Twelve months later, Navarro finds herself one win from doing the same.








=WOMEN'S SINGLES SF=
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #11 Paula Badosa/ESP
#19 Madison Keys/USA vs. #2 Iga Swiatek/POL

=WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF=
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. M.Andreeva/Shnaider (RUS/RUS)
#3 Hsieh/Ostapenko (TPE/LAT) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Routliffe (CAN/NZL)

=MIXED DOUBLES FINAL=
(WC) Birrell/J-P.Smith (AUS/AUS) vs. (WC) Gadecki/Peers (AUS/AUS)

=WHEELCHAIR SINGLES SF=
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. Li Xiaohui/CHN
Wang Ziying/CHN vs. #2 Aniek Van Koot/NED

=WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF=
#1 Griffioen/Van Koot (NED/NED) vs. Tanaka/Zhu (JPN/CHN)
Li/Wang (CHN/CHN) vs. #2 Kamiji/Shuker (JPN/GBR)

=GIRLS' SINGLES QF=
#1 Emerson Jones/AUS vs. Lilli Tagger/AUT
#4 Wakana Sonobe/JPN vs. (WC) Tahlia Kokkinis/AUS
Mia Pohankova/SVK vs. #3 Jeline Vandromme/BEL
#6 Kristina Penickova/USA vs. (Q) Shiho Tsujioka/JPN

=GIRLS' DOUBLES SF=
#5 A. Kovackova/J.Kovackova (CZE/CZE) vs. #6 A.Pennickova/K.Penickova (USA/USA)
#4 Krejcova/Valdmannova (CZE/CZE) vs. #2 E.Jones/Klugman (AUS/GBR)





























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*CAREER SLAM SF - active*
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
10 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (4-5)*
9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)
9 - Simona Halep, ROU (5-4)
7 - Madison Keys, USA (1-5)*
7 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (3-4)
7 - Iga Swiatek, POL (5-1)*
7 - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (3-4)
4 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-0)
4 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-2)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
3 - Genie Bouchard, CAN (1-2)
3 - Sara Errani, ITA (1-2)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-1)
3 - Sloane Stephens, USA (2-1)
3 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-3)
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF 2020-25]
10 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (4-5)*
7 - Iga Swiatek, POL (5-1)*
4 - Coco Gauff, USA (2-2)
4 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (1-3)
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Madison Keys, USA (0-2)*
3 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (2-1)
2 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (1-1)
2 - Jennifer Brady, USA (1-1)
2 - Simona Halep, ROU (0-2)
2 - Sofia Kenin, USA (2-0)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-0)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (2-0)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (0-1)
1 - Paula Badosa, ESP (0-0)*
1 - Danielle Collins, USA (1-0)
1 - Leylah Fernandez, CAN (1-0)
1 - Caroline Garcia, FRA (0-1)
1 - Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA (0-1)
1 - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (0-1)
1 - Angelique Kerber, GER (0-1)
1 - Petra Kvitova, CZE (0-1)
1 - Magda Linette, POL (0-1)
1 - Tatjana Maria, GER (0-1)
1 - Garbina Muguruza, ESP (1-0)
1 - Emma Navarro, USA (0-1)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-1)
1 - Martina Trevisan, ITA (0-1)
1 - Donna Vekic, CRO (0-1)
1 - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Dayana Yastremska, UKR (0-1)
1 - Zheng Qinwen, CHN (1-0)
1 - Tamara Zidansek, SLO (0-1)
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF BY NATION 2020-25 / 20 slams]
16 - USA (7-8)*
12 - BLR (5-6)*
9 - CZE (5-4)
8 - POL (5-2)*
3 - AUS (2-1)
3 - KAZ (2-1)
3 - RUS (1-2)
3 - TUN (3-0)
2 - ESP (1-0)*
2 - GER (0-2)
2 - GRE (0-2)
2 - ITA (2-0)
2 - JPN (2-0)
2 - ROU (0-2)
2 - UKR (0-2)
1 (W) - CAN,CHN,GBR
1 (L) - ARG,BRA,CRO,FRA,SLO,ITA

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career AO SF]
3 - Madison Keys
3 - Aryna Sabalenka
2 - Iga Swiatek
1 - Paula Badosa

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive AO SF]
3 - Aryna Sabalenka

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive Slam SF]
2 - Aryna Sabalenka (6 con HC slams)

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career AO W/L]
32-10...Keys
27-5...Sabalenka
22-6...Swiatek
11-5...Badosa

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - career Slam W/L]
114-45...Keys
88-18...Swiatek
82-23...Sabalenka
38-19...Badosa

[2025 AO SEMIFINALISTS - 2025 W/L]
10-0...Sabalenka
12-1...Keys
9-1...Swiatek
6-2...Badosa

*RECENT AO "COMEBACK PLAYER" WINNERS*
2015 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2016 Andrea Hlavackova & Lucie Hradecka, CZE/CZE
2017 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, CRO
2018 Angelique Kerber, GER
2019 Petra Kvitova, CZE
2020 CiCi Bellis, USA
2021 Rebecca Marino, CAN
2022 Madison Keys, USA
2023 Donna Vekic, CRO and Luisa Stefani, BRA
2024 Amanda Anisimova, USA
2025 Belinda Bencic, SUI

*RECENT AO "Ms. OPPORTUNITY" WINNERS*
2013 Sloane Stephens, USA
2014 Dominika Cibulkova, SVK
2015 Ekaterina Makarova, RUS
2016 Johanna Konta, GBR
2017 CoCo Vandeweghe, USA
2018 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2019 Danielle Collins, USA
2020 Sofia Kenin, USA
2021 Jennifer Brady, USA and Karolina Muchova, CZE
2022 Danielle Collins, USA
2023 Magda Linette, POL and Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2024 Zheng Qinwen, CHN
2025 Paula Badosa, ESP

*AO "KIMIKO CUP FOR VETERAN ACHIEVEMENT" WINNERS*
2015 Venus Williams/USA & Martina Hingis/SUI
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Venus Williams/USA & Serena Williams/USA
2018 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2019 Samantha Stosur/Zhang Shuai, AUS/CHN
2020 Jordanne Whiley, GBR (WC)
2021 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2022 Alize Cornet/FRA & Kaia Kanepi/EST
2023 Sania Mirza, IND
2024 Hsieh Su-wei, TPE
2025 Madison Keys, USA

*LOWEST-SEEDED WOMEN IN AO SF, since 2020*
Unseeded - 2020 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (RU)
Unseeded - 2022 Madison Keys, USA
Unseeded - 2023 Magda Linette, POL
Qualifier - 2024 Dayana Yastremska, UKR
#27 - 2022 Danielle Collins, USA (RU)
#25 - 2021 Karolina Muchova, CZE
#24 - 2023 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
#22 - 2021 Jennifer Brady, USA (RU)
#22 - 2023 Elena Rybakina, KAZ (RU)
#19 - 2025 MADISON KEYS, USA
#14 - 2020 Sofia Kenin, USA (W)
#12 - 2024 Zheng Qinwen, CHN (RU)
#11 - 2025 PAULA BADOSA, ESP
#10 - 2021 Serena Williams, USA







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*Official Announcement* It's OK to buy a book, even if you didn't read all books on your shelf yet. Have a nice day! #booksky

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— Ethics in Bricks (@ethicsinbricks.bsky.social) January 19, 2025 at 1:44 PM







TOP QUALIFIER: Maja Chwalinska, POL
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): #2 Iga Swiatek/POL
TOP LATE ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL def. Dominika Salkova/CZE 7-6(3)/5-7/7-6(12-10) - Chwalinska in 3:23, was down a break twice in the 3rd. Salkova served for the win at 5-4, led 7-3 in the deciding MTB and held a pair of MP.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. Peyton Stearns/USA 6-7(5)/7-6(5)/7-5 - 3:22 between former NCAA champs; Stearns up set and 2-0, up 5-3 in 3rd and served at 5-4; Navarro wins 16/19 points to end
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 4th Rd. - #8 Emma Navarro/USA def. #9 Dasha Kasatkina/RUS 6-4/5-7/7-5 - Kasatkina saves 4 MP in 2nd and forces 3rd set; Kasatkina up break in final set and saves 7 BP in 4-4 hold; Navarro saved 2 BP at 5-5, then breaks from 30/love down to win fourth straight three-setter
TOP LATE RD. MATCH (SF-F/WC/Doub.): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #14 Mirra Andreeva/RUS (def. Marie Bouzkova/CZE)
FIRST SEED OUT: #29 Linda Noskova/CZE (1st Rd.- Tauson/DEN)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Destanee Aiava/AUS (6th MD), Talia Gibson/AUS (2nd MD), Suzan Lamens/NED (1st MD), Rebecca Sramkova/SVK (5th MD)
PROTECTED RANKING BEST: Belinda Bencic/SUI (4th Rd.) (2r-Birrell/AUS, Kovinic/MNE)
LUCKY LOSER BEST: Eva Lys/GER (4th Rd.) (2r-Dart/GBR)
UPSET QUEENS: Great Britain
REVELATION LADIES: Germany
NATION OF POOR SOULS: Czech Republic (1-4 1st Rd.; Kvitova/Pliskova/Krejcikova DNP; Vondrousova; Bouzkova First Loss; Noskova First Seed Out; Beljek 0-5 slam MD)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Destanee Aiava/AUS and Gabriela Ruse/ROU (both 2nd Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Talia Gibson/AUS, Iva Jovic/USA, Ajla Tomljanovic/AUS(L) and Zhang Shuai/CHN (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST AUSSIE STANDING: Destanee Aiava, Talia Gibson and Ajla Tomljanovic (all 2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: Paula Badosa/ESP
IT (TBD): Nominee: (WC champion while Diede's away)
COMEBACK PLAYER: Belinda Bencic/SUI
CRASH & BURN: #5 Zheng Qinwen/CHN (2r- 2024 finalist and Olympic Gold medalist out in 2 sets vs. Siegemund/GER)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF MELBOURNE: Eva Lys/GER (LL added to MD on Day 3 ten minutes before start of 1r match; reaches 4th Rd. for first time at a major)
KIMIKO VETERAN CUP: Madison Keys/USA Nominee: (WD/MX)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Aryna Sabalenka/BLR & Jelena Dokic (dancing on Laver)
AUSTRALIAN LANGUAGE ARTS AWARD: ["A right corker"] The "Great Melbourne Coffee Scandal" erupts when Iga Swiatek says she prefers the cafe offerings of Sydney
DOUBLES STAR: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x





All for now. More soon.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 4:30 PM  1 comments