Saturday, July 04, 2026

W.6- The Eala Escalation


The Eala Escalation knob gets turned up one more notch.




The idea of being challenged by a player such as Alex Eala was always the test that was going to tell the tale of Iga Swiatek's 2026 Wimbledon (i.e. whether there was any chance of her making anything at all of her return to the scene of her most surprising title run from last summer).

After (overly) celebrating her 1st Round win over Taylor Townsend in a contest that was tough enough to be worrisome, then looking better against an opponent in the 2nd Round (Karolina Pliskova) who has a brow-beating history in their head-to-head (as in never getting a win, and once not even getting a game), when the 21-year old Filipina secured her chance to face off with the #3 seed and defending champion the match-up came equipped with a hungry opponent in good form and who has shown a natural ability on grass courts (11-3 this season, with a pair of Top 10 wins), as well as one who has gotten the best of Swiatek in the past (in their first meeting in Miami last year, before a three-set loss in Madrid a short time later), meaning that the mental game was likely already providing a checkmark in the column of Swiatek's *opponent* before either stepped on court.

In recent seasons, such a combination has rarely worked out well for Swiatek. And it didn't again today.

For her part, Swiatek put up a fight in the 1st set, albeit one that saw her facing not just Eala but her own questioning self *and* a coach in Francisco Roig who wasn't about to sugar-coat his in-match analysis ("she's not beating you, you are losing").

Eala had a BP in the first game of the match, but Swiatek got the hold, and even went up a break at 2-1 soon afterward. But the Pole gave the break back a game later, and saw Eala out-play her (now routinely) error-prone attack by breaking to lead 5-3 and serving for the 1st set.

Eala pushed a down-the-line forehand just wide that would have given her a 40/15 lead, but she still held a SP that was denied by Swiatek, who ultimately got the break to stay alive. After Eala had a pair of GP at 5-5, Swiatek reached but failed to convert a BP, then missed on a volley that would have given her a second. Eala got the hold for 6-5, while Swiatek did the same (from 15/30) a game later.

Into a TB they went, with Eala again taking advantage of Swiatek's mounting mistakes, leading 5-2 before Swiatek ran off four straight points to suddenly reach SP at 6-5 with a chance to virtually steal the lead in the match. A return error gave away that chance. After Eala caught a sideline to get another SP (also not converted), Swiatek had another SP of her own (a forehand error ended the renewed threat). Finally, on her fourth SP (third in the TB), Eala won 11-9 courtesy of a long Swiatek forehand.



With Swiatek reeling, the chances of another disheartening and stunning exiting set loss was on the table, and right on cue Eala ran out to a 4-0 lead in the 2nd as Swiatek's serve issues, unforced errors and clear psychological and emotional misgivings about *all* of it sent her down the other side of the hill she climbed (w/ a different, since fired, coach) just twelve months ago.

After dropping serve at 15 to fall behind 5-2, Swiatek managed one final surge as Eala tried to serve out another in a long line of historic results for the Philippines native.

In what was a long final game, Swiatek saved a pair of MP and held four BP, but could never keep her game aligned long enough to string together enough points to give herself a chance to possibly pull off a miracle turnaround. Finally, on her third MP, Eala completed the mission to get the 7-6(9)/6-2 victory, her second in three meetings (on three surfaces) vs. the former #1.

It's Eala's third Top 10 win this grass season, and makes her the first Filipino player to ever reach the second week of a major in the Open era.



While Eala's star-turn reaches another level, with seemingly still more headroom to spare, what of Swiatek?

Well, first off, what are the odds that Roig makes it through the summer? Swiatek has by now developed a pattern (with one glaring exception) of cutting team members once things stop working out as perfectly as she'd wish. She seems to have *regressed* during Roig's brief tenure, though I guess the new pattern she's establishing now is to say that that's actually *the plan*. Okay, Iga.

Whatever. Roig should be watching his back, or maybe make the first move on his own.

It's been pretty clear from the start that Roig was put in a difficult spot on Team Iga. Just because he *used* to work with Rafa Nadal, which seemed to be main reason he was tapped to replace Wim Fissette, it doesn't mean that he has the magic ability to instill the champion's heart of the Spaniard into another talented player who, no matter how high she once soared, has been a pale immitation of that would-be all-time great for most of the last two years.

Once Swiatek started to wobble, the opponents with reason to no longer do so discontinued their fear of facing her, and in many ways transferred that pressure onto the Pole herself, who has never seemed to be very well-equipped to consistently deal with unanticipated gameday stress (for every scrambling '22 U.S. Open run, there have since been half a dozen in-match breakdowns when an opponent decided not to back down from the challenge she presented them).

Last summer, Swiatek managed to find her way out of the fog by listening to Fissette and (ironically) almost mimicking Nadal by changing her approach and game style for grass courts, leading to a wildly successful run on the lawns and carry-over into the summer hard court season with a title in Cincinnati. But as soon as things got tough again this spring, Swiatek tossed Fissette aside like jetsam into the vast tennis ocean, while never seeming to ever address the clear psychological issues she's unsuccessfully faced while devolving from all-time great to the latest "what's happened?" example of a champion who has lost her edge. All the while, she's steadfastly defended her in-house "sports psychologist" (Daria Abramowicz) even as she's seemed to be very bad (and getting worse) at her job.

If she continues to desire to sybolically die on that hill, what once seemed like a spectacular and ongoing slam title-winning career might just die with it (or at least take an even longer, extended break).

Meanwhile, tennis moves on. Eala is one of the new stars. And she comes equipped with good post-match comments, too (even if today's seemed maybe a tad *too* much like lines from a well-worn stump speech).










=DAY 6 NOTES=
...while Swiatek's loss garnered the most headlines on Day 6, the exit on Saturday of #2 Elena Rybakina likely has much more impact on the future course of this Wimbledon. Although, *she* didn't exactly arrive in London having showed a great deal of promise when it came to a deep run, either.

Still, the thought of the Kazakh suddenly finding her game -- largely missing since early spring -- on the grass courts of the All-England Club wasn't *that* big of a stretch to consider. After a very shaky 1st Round, Rybakina had seemingly found a groove in the 2nd. But today she was back to her error-prone ways, very unlike the Rybakina who ended 2025 in a full on-court sprint, and then started '26 by winning the Australian Open. Though she managed to eke out a title run in Stuttgart despite some uneven play early in the clay season, Rybakina hasn't really been the same since her pair of losses to Aryna Sabalenka in Indian Wells and Miami in March when she had the chance to take the season by the hair and drag it into the spring/summer, only to see her presumed #1 rival put together maybe the biggest two-event run of her career with a Sunshine Double triumph.

Today she faced #25 Elise Mertens. Rybakina held a 7-1 head-to-head edge on the veteran Waffle, who'd never beaten a Top 2 player in her career nor taken out a Top 10 player on grass despite the 30-year old having enjoyed a long, successful WTA lifespan (10 titles, 14 Top 10 wins, second weeks at every major, and an early-career SF at the AO in 2018).

But the 2022 Wimbledon champion went down, and fairly hard on her way out.

Of course, after Rybakina dropped a 6-1 set in the 1st Round to clay courter Lois Boisson earlier in the week, I suppose it was also pretty easy to see today's 7-6(4)/6-1 loss coming. It's Rybakina's second straight 3rd Round exit at Wimbledon, courtesy of a 12 winner/31 UE day from the world #2.



...the second week hasn't officially begun, but *both* of last year's finalists are already out. Joining Swiatek on the sidelines today was #6 seed and '25 runner-up Amanda Anisimova, who took the 1st set vs. fellow Bannerette #26 Madison Keys, but then proceeded to let her emotional responses to a bad start in the 2nd grow into a full-on momentum-builder for Keys, who assumed control to win 3-6/6-2/6-3 in what was -- surprisingly -- the veteran's very first match ever on Centre Court.



Keys joins Sabalenka as the only two women to have reached the second week at all three of the majors played thus far in 2026.

Meanwhile, history hasn't been kind to the pre-event grass court title winners this century, as with both of this year's Week 23 champions (Vekic/Montgomery) out of this event the streak of pre-SW19 winners not also winning Wimbledon has been extended to 87 (w/ just one winner - Sharapova in 2004 -- doubling-up in the last 104 singles title champions since Jana Novotna's 1998 SW19 win). But Eastbourne winner Keys remains one of four '26 winners still alive to complete the feat. Joining her are three Czechs: Karolina Muchova (Bad Homburg), and two other winners from today.

...#9 Linda Noskova, who briefly climbed into the Top 10 with her Berlin title a few weeks ago, reached her third career slam Round of 16 today, outlasting #17 Sorana Cirstea, 2-6/6-3/7-6(11-9).

The Czech won out in a back-and-forth tussle, with the 3rd set seeing both women have opportunity slip through their fingers. Noskova led 4-2, only to see Cirstea win three straight games and hold a MP at 5-4. Next it was Noskova's turn, as she served up 6-5, 40/15 with a pair of MP of her own. The affair went to a MTB, where again they traded off shots and chances to win.

Noskova led 5-4, then Cirstea surged ahead at 7-5. But the Romanian couldn't push through to the finish, as Noskova ran off three straight points to lead 8-7 before getting two more chances to put away the win. Finally, on her fourth MP, she took the breaker 11-9.



...joining Noskova (and Barbora Krejcikova and Muchova) in the Round of 16 is a fourth Czech, #21 Marie Bouzkova. This hear's Nottingham champ ran her grass court winning streak to eight matches (9-1 overall) with a three-set win over Liudmila Samsonova, reaching the second week at SW19 for the third time in five years.

Bouzkova is 13-6 in her Wimbledon career, while just 13-22 at the other three majors combined.



As for Samsonova, today proved that unless you're Marta Kostyuk executing an on-court flip isn't all that easy. The Hordette did good work this grass season, especially at the AELTC, taking the necessary steps to turn around her wayward season. In what was a 3:25 battle today, the longest women's match so far at this Wimbledon, Samsonova converted just 3 of 20 BP chances on the day. Still, if she could have converted just *one* more she'd have stood a very good chance to play into the second week in the event in back-to-back years.

After Samsonova took the 1st set, Bouzkova forced and won a 2nd set TB to get to a decider. The Czech held an early 4-2 lead, and was close to pulling away up 4-3, 40/15. But Samsonova *did* manage to get the break there, only to give it back a game later. Serving a 5-4, though, Bouzkova fell behind love/40. But the Hordette couldn't put away a handful of consecutive BP, as Bouzkova swept the final five points of the day to win 4-6/7-6(3)/6-4.

Still, after seeming to finally make a *partial* turn in recent weeks, the summer hard court season *is right there* for Samsonova to take her grass court momentum and go out and have a great final-third of 2026.

We'll soon see if she what she does. Yet again.

...speaking of Kostyuk, she's been far quieter at this major than she was in the last (largely because she came into Paris on a white-hot heater). But she's heading to another second week at a slam.

#12 Kostyuk got over the 3rd Round Wimbledon hump today after twice falling at this stage in the past, defeating #23 Emma Navarro 6-2/4-6/6-1 to reach her maiden SW19 4th Round and joining Naomi Osaka in completing her Career Round of 16 Slam (in MD #26) with her fifth such result in her slam career.

Two of Kostyuk's four maiden 4th Rounds in slam play (US-WI) have come in the last four majors (with ther first SF at RG in between)..



...the biggest "longshot" in the final sixteen is Ashlyn Krueger, the only qualifier and lone player ranked outside the Top 100 (#102) remaining in the draw. She's also recorded more wins on grass courts than any other player this season, improving to 16-1 (w/ 11 straight wins) with her 6-3/6-2 victory today over Daria Snigur.



A Birmingham 125 semifinalist, Ilkey 125 champion, Wimbledon qualifier and now first-time major Round of 16 player (in her 14th MD) in recent weeks, Krueger is on a 19-2 clay/grass run that began with her successful RG qualifying attempt. The stretch has come after she'd started '26 at 8-12 (and w/ a 9-18 mark back to her 2nd Round loss at last year's U.S. Open).

...and #13 Jasmine Paolini, trying to find her way in a super-disappointing season, posted a much-needed, pointing-her-in-the-right-direction result with her 6-1/6-2 3rd Round win today over Maria Sakkari.

The win puts the '24 finalist into her second SW19 second week. She'd come into this Wimbledon at just 1-4 in her other AELTC appearances other than in the dream run (of two in majors that year) of two years ago. It also makes this the Italian's first three-win event singles event consecutive runs in Beijing and Wuhan last October.










*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #14 Naomi Osaka/JPN
#10 Karolina Muchova/CZE vs. Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
#4 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. #16 Iva Jovic/USA
#11 Belinda Bencic/SUI vs. #7 Coco Gauff/USA
(Q) Ashlyn Krueger/USA vs. #12 Marta Kostyuk/UKR
#13 Jasmine Paolini/ITA vs. #29 Alex Eala/PHI
#26 Madison Keys/USA vs. #9 Linda Noskova/CZE
#21 Marie Bouzkova/CZE vs. #25 Elise Mertens/BEL









...AS EXPECTED... ON DAY 6:



The situation with Baptiste in Paris was just horrible luck. This was a case of rolling the dice with her sisters' eleventh-hour singles whim after a four-year absence. Both are bad for Venus, but this one could have been seen coming from miles away.


...ORIGINAL MARTINA IN THE HOUSE... ON DAY 6:




...SO, SHE CRIED AFTER DEFEATING A PART-TIME SINGLES PLAYER IN THE 1st ROUND... ON DAY 6:

...but when she loses two rounds later, she no longer cares about the results? I'm gonna call B-S on that right here and now. Things might still get far worse before they get better again.




It would seem that Swiatek could really use the help of a sports psychologist. It's too bad that she doesn-... oh, yeah.



...EXODUS, PART (what's it up to now, anyway?)... ON DAY 6:









While democracy in the U.S. might at least *feel* as if its in danger, one thing that most definitely is not is this weird, sometimes demented, oft-criticized, but always stupidly (in the best way) "oh-so-American" Independence Day tradition.

Per ESPN's opening montage at the start of this July 4th, the competitors in the latest version of Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest arrived at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues at Coney Island, New York on this the United States' semiquincentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence fully prepared to "exercise their inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of the yellow belt."

In recent years, nothing has been able to derail this salute-to-gluttony-turned-heritage-event. Not a worldwide pandemic, nor even an angry Mother Nature.

The same has been the case with Joey Chestnut, aka "Joey Jaws," aka the "Michelangelo of Mastication," aka the "Caravaggio of Consumption."

Over the years, seventeen-time champion Chestnut has grown into an Independence Day folk hero, aside from setting the all-time hot dog eating mark of 76 (in ten minutes) in 2021. In 2022, he single-handedly subdued a stage-rushing protester, putting him in a headlock and leaving him for security -- in the middle of the competiton (which he still won easily, of course). In 2023, he emerged in Pope-like fashion from behind the scenes to seemingly rally efforts to get the men's event back on track several hours after a sudden and dangerous weather emergency had nearly caused it to be cancelled after a lightning strike, downpour, and the flooding of the streets caused the stage to be cleared and spectators to run for cover and huddle together anywhere they could find safety.

Chestnut even overcame his own 2024 "ban" from the event he'd dominated for nearly two decades, the result of a contract "misunderstanding" that centered around his endorsement of a plant-based hog dog. After sitting out the year, he returned last July 4th to destroy the competition yet again to lift the Mustard Belt.

In 2026, in a time of national political uncertainty and clamour, Chestnut was once again a calm, and ravenous, port in the storm.



But before Chestnut hit the stage, undefeated women's champ Miki Sudo once more proved her star power.

While the earlier-starting women's event still play's second-fiddle to the men's, not airing live on the network (only on streaming), the competition has garnered more and more recognition over the years. Now it gets up-front treatment on the July 4th broadcast, making for a more complete production than was formerly the case.

Sudo is the main reason for this, since her dominance actually has proven to be topped -- but only perhaps -- by that of Chestnut himself.

Since 2014, the now 40-year old Arizona native has dominated the women's competition, winning every year in which she's participated (Sudo missed '21 due to being nine and a quarter months pregnant), setting the women's all-time dogs-and-buns record with 51 downed in ten mintues in 2024. She was the first woman to crack the 50 barrier.

This year, as a heat wave ravaged the East Coast, a challenge to her own record wasn't likely. But Sudo didn't disappoint, dominating once again to win her twelfth Pink Belt in twelve tries by downing 38.75 dogs-and-buns (though her unofficial final total had been 33, making some suspicious that betting activity may have been involved with the post-competition "correction" that swayed many wagers since her over/under for the day had been been reported as being 38).



Sudo easily outpaced second place finisher (and '21 champ in Sudo's absence) Michelle Lesco's 22, and Domenica Dee's third-place total of 21.5.

*NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING WOMEN'S CHAMPS*
2011 Sonya Thomas
2012 Sonya Thomas
2013 Sonya Thomas
2014 Miki Sudo
2015 Miki Sudo
2016 Miki Sudo
2017 Miki Sudo
2018 Miki Sudo
2019 Miki Sudo
2020 Miki Sudo
2021 Michelle Lesco
2022 Miki Sudo
2023 Miki Sudo
2024 Miki Sudo
2025 Miki Sudo
2026 Miki Sudo

[competition record]
51.0 - Miki Sudo, 2024
48.5 - Miki Sudo, 2020 (*-held indoors)
45.0 - Sonya Thomas, 2013
41.0 - Miki Sudo, 2017
40.0 - Sonya Thomas, 2011
40.0 - Miki Sudo, 2022

Later, Chestnut handily picked up his eighteenth Mustard Belt, even while hampered by the hot conditions that made a run at a new record (250? Nah, just kiddin') nearly impossible.

Chestnut, who was never challenged throughout, finished with 66 dogs-and-buns consumed, topping Patrick Bertoletti (the "replacement champ" in '24) and his 51 total, with Aussie James Webb finishing third yet again with 47.5.



Of course, Chestnut's win didn't come without a bit of controversy, as he was criticized by some for donning a chain around his neck emblazoned with the logo of the crypto-based prediction market Polymarket both during his event introduction and immediately after his latest victory, as part of a sponsorship deal. And combined with the odd "miscount" of Sudo's final total, it seemed to resurrect the issue of whether there really *was* something to the raised eyebrows from earlier in the day.

But the U.S. has survived worse, and is surely in the process of attempting to do so as we speak. Let Chestnut be Chestnut, I say. He's more than earned his place in the Pantheon of the Pallet.

*NATHAN'S HOT DOG EATING MEN'S CHAMPS - since 2000*
2000 Kazutoyo Arai
2001 Takeru Kobayashi
2002 Takeru Kobayashi
2003 Takeru Kobayashi
2004 Takeru Kobayashi
2005 Takeru Kobayashi
2006 Takeru Kobayashi
2007 Joey Chestnut
2008 Joey Chestnut [def. Takeru Kobayashi in 5-dog "Eat-Off"]
2009 Joey Chestnut
2010 Joey Chestnut
2011 Joey Chestnut
2012 Joey Chestnut
2013 Joey Chestnut
2014 Joey Chestnut
2015 Matt Stonie
2016 Joey Chestnut
2017 Joey Chestnut
2018 Joey Chestnut
2019 Joey Chestnut
2020 Joey Chestnut
2021 Joey Chestnut
2022 Joey Chestnut
2023 Joey Chestnut
2024 Patrick Bertoletti
2025 Joey Chestnut
2026 Joey Chestnut

[competition record]
76 - Joey Chestnut, 2021
75 - Joey Chestnut, 2020 (*-held indoors)
74 - Joey Chestnut, 2018
72 - Joey Chestnut, 2017























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Meanwhile...












kosova-font

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "IT" WINNERS*
2017 [Next WC Great?] Diede de Groot, NED
2018 [GenPDQ Pole] Iga Swiatek, POL
2019 [Kid] Coco Gauff, USA
2021 [Teen Brit] Emma Raducanu, GBR
2022 [Groundbreakers] Ons Jabeur/TUN and Elena Rybakina/KAZ
2023 [Teen Phenom] Mirra Andreeva, RUS
2024 [Kiwi] Lulu Sun, NZL
2025 [Turk] Zeynep Sonmez, TUR
2026 [Filipina] Alex Eala, PHI

*EARLIEST LOSS IN WIMBLEDON TITLE DEFENSES (Open era)*
1994 1st Rd. - Steffi Graf
2024 1st Rd. - Marketa Vondrousova
2018 2nd Rd. - Garbine Muguruza
2019 2nd Rd. - Angelique Kerber
2006 3rd Rd. - Venus Williams
2015 3rd Rd. - Petra Kvitova
2025 3rd Rd. - Barbora Krejcikova
2026 3rd Rd. - IGA SWIATEK

*BEST 2026 SLAM RESULTS*
[qualifiers]
RG RU - Maja Chwalinska, POL
AO 4th - Maddison Inglis, AUS
WI - ASHLYN KRUEGER, USA (in 4th Rd.)
RG 4th - Wang Xiyu, CHN

*"CAREER SLAM" FEATS IN 2020s*
2020 US - Alize Cornet, FRA (57th slam MD)
2021 AO - Donna Vekic, CRO (29th)
2021 US - Iga Swiatek, POL (11th)
2022 AO - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (8th)
2022 AO - Kaia Kanepi, EST (53rd)
2022 US - Caroline Garcia, FRA (42nd)
2022 US - Coco Gauff, USA (13th)
2022 US - Ons Jabeur, TUN (22nd)
2022 US - Zhang Shuai, CHN (41st)
2023 RG - Karolina Muchova, CZE (17th)
2023 RG - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (21st)
2023 WI - Jessie Pegula, USA (19th)
2023 WI - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (21st)
2023 US - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (31st)
2024 WI - Danielle Collins, USA (27th)
2024 US - Paula Badosa, ESP (19th)
2024 US - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (20th)
2025 AO - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (36th)
2025 AO - Emma Navarro, USA (9th)
2025 US - Amanda Anisimova, USA (23rd)
2025 US - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (25th)
2026 AO - Yulia Putintseva, KAZ (48th)
2026 RG - Belinda Bencic, SUI (38th)
2026 WI - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (26th)
2026 WI - Naomi Osaka, JPN (34th)

*FIRST CAREER SLAM ROUND OF 16 in 2026*
AO: Maddison Inglis, AUS (7th MD)
AO: Iva Jovic, USA (6th)
AO: Victoria Mboko, CAN (4th)
RG: Maja Chwalinska, POL (3rd)
RG: Diane Parry, FRA (21st)
RG: Wang Xiyu, CHN (16th)
WI: Alex Eala, PHI (6th)
WI: Ashlyn Krueger, USA (14th)

*"FIRST SLAM..." FEATS IN 2020s*
=ROUND OF 16 (at Wimbledon)=
2021 WI - Viktorija Golubic, SUI (18th slam MD)
2021 WI - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1st)
2021 WI - Liudmila Samsonova, RUS (6th)
2022 WI - Marie Bouzkova, CZE (14th)
2022 WI - Tatjana Maria, GER (35th)
2022 WI - Jule Niemeier, GER (2nd)
2022 WI - Harmony Tan, FRA (7th)
2022 WI - Heather Watson, GBR (43rd)
2023 WI - Ekaterina Alexandrova, RUS (26th)
2023 WI - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (2nd)
2024 WI - Lulu Sun, NZL (2nd)
2025 WI - Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, ESP (7th)
2025 WI - Sonay Kartal, GBR (6th)
2025 WI - Solana Sierra, ARG (3rd)
2026 WI - Alex Eala, PHI (6th)
2026 WI - Ashlyn Krueger, USA (14th)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "CRASH & BURN" WINNERS*
2016 Garbine Muguruza, ESP (RG champ; 2nd Rd.)
2017 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1st Rd; 7 MP)
2018 Petra Kvitova, CZE (1st Rd.)
2019 Naomi Osaka, JPN (1st Rd.)
2021 Serena Williams, USA & Petra Kvitova, CZE (both 1st Rd.)
2022 Beatriz Haddad Maia, BRA & Garbine Muguruza, ESP (both 1r)
2023 Tatjana Maria, GER ('22 SF to 1st Rd.)
2024 Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (first DC 1r since 1994)
2025 Coco Gauff & Jessie Pegula, USA (#2/#3; first GS 2 Top 3 out 1r)
2026 E.Rybakina, I.Swiatek & A.Anisimova (#2, #3/DC & RU out 3r/Day 6)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "LAST QUALIFIER STANDING"*
=2019=
Coco Cauff, USA (4th Rd.)
=2021=
Maria (Camila Osorio) Serrano, COL (3rd Rd.)
=2022=
M.Chwalinska/POL, C.Harrison/USA, M.Hontama/JPN, K.Kawa/POL, Y.Wickmayer/BEL (all 2nd Rd.)
=2023=
Mirra Andreeva, RUS (4th Rd.)
=2024=
Lulu Sun, NZL (QF)
=2025=
Diane Parry, FRA (3rd Rd.)
=2026=
Ashlyn Krueger, USA (in 4th Rd.)




*2026 WI FINAL 16*
[by ranking]
#1 - Aryna Sabalenka
#4 - Jessie Pegula
#7 - Coco Gauff
#9 - Karolina Muchova
#11 - Belinda Bencic
#12 - Linda Noskova
#13 - Marta Kostyuk
#14 - Naomi Osaka
#16 - Iva Jovic
#17 - Jasmine Paolini
#22 - Madison Keys
#23 - Marie Bouzkova
#27 - Elise Mertens
#32 - Alex Eala
#38 - Barbora Krejcikova
#102 - Ashlyn Krueger

[by age]
32 - Pegula
31 - Keys
30 - Krejcikova, Mertens, Paolini
29 - Bencic, Muchova
28 - Osaka, Sabalenka
27 - Bouzkova
24 - Kostyuk
22 - Gauff, Krueger
21 - Eala, Noskova
18 - Jovic

[by nation]
5 - USA (Gauff,Jovic,Keys,Krueger,Pegula)
4 - CZE (Bouzkova,Krejcikova,Muchova,Noskova)
1 - BEL (Mertens)
1 - BLR (Sabalenka)
1 - ITA (Paolini)
1 - JPN (Osaka)
1 - PHI (Eala)
1 - SUI (Bencic)
1 - UKR (Kostyuk)

[by career slam Round-of-16s]
25 - Keys
20 - Sabalenka
18 - Gauff
17 - Mertens
13 - Bencic
12 - Pegula
10 - Krejickova, Muchova
9 - Osaka
6 - Paolini
5 - Kostyuk
3 - Bouzkova, Noskova
2 - Jovic
1 - Eala, Krueger

[w/ consecutive slam Round of 16s]
15 (8) - Sabalenka (last 15 played, 8 con. = DNP Wimb.'24)
3 - Keys
2 - Bencic, Kostyuk

[w/ multiple career WI Round of 16s]
6 - Keys
5 - Bencic
4 - Gauff, Sabalenka
3 - Bouzkova, Krejickova, Mertens, Muchova
2 - Noskova, Paolini, Pegula

[w/ consecutive WI Round of 16s]
4 (2) - Sabalenka (DNP Wimb. '24)
3 - Bencic
2 - Mertens, Noskova

[WTA career slam Round of 16s - active]
64...Serena Williams
50...Venus Williams
30...Victoria Azarenka
25...Madison Keys
22...Elina Svitolina
22...Iga Swiatek
20...Aryna Sabalenka
18...Coco Gauff
17...Elise Mertens
16...Sloane Stephens
16...Vera Zvonareva
14...Karolina Pliskova
13...Belinda Bencic
12...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
12...Jessie Pegula
11...Elena Rybakina
10...Amanda Anisimova
10...Ons Jabeur
10...Barbora Krejickova
10...Karolina Muchova

[WTA slam Round of 16s since 2020 (of 26) - active]
21 - Swiatek
20 - Sabalenka
16 - Gauff
12 - Mertens, Pegula, Svitolina
11 - Keys, Rybakina
10 - Jabeur
9 - Krejcikova, Muchova
8 - M.Andreeva, Anisimova, Badosa, Bencic
7 - Azarenka
6 - Paolini, Pavlyuchenkova, Vondrousova
5 - Kasatkina, Kostyuk, Navarro, Osaka
5 - Sakkari, Samsonova
5 - Vekic, Zheng Q.
4 - Alexandrova, Cirstea, Collins
4 - Haddad Maia, Kasatkina, Kenin
4 - Ostapenko, Ka.Pliskova
3 - Bouzkova, Kalinskaya, V.Kudermetova
3 - Noskova, Putintseva, Raducanu, Stephens
3 - Tomljanovic, Wang Xinyu, S.Williams, Zhang

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - youngest]
18 - Iva Jovic (AO)
18 - Iva Jovic (WI)
18 - Mirra Andreeva (AO)
19 - Mirra Andreeva (RG)
19 - Victoria Mboko (AO)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - oldest]
36 - Sorana Cirstea (RG)
32 - Jessie Pegula (WI)
31 - Jessie Pegula (AO)
31 - Yulia Putintseva (AO)
31 - Elina Svitolina (RG)
31 - Elina Svitolina (AO)
31 - Madison Keys (WI)
31 - Madison Keys (RG)
30 - Madison Keys (AO)
30 - Elise Mertens (WI)
30 - Elise Mertens (AO)
30 - Barbora Krejcikova (WI)
30 - Jasmine Paolini (WI)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - unseeded]
=AO (3)=
Maddison Inglis (Q), Yulia Putintseva, Wang Xinyu
=RG (4)=
Maya Chwalinska (Q), Diane Parry, Jil Teichmann (PR), Wang Xiyu (Q)
=WI (2)=
Krejcikova, Krueger(Q)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - 1st-time GS 4th Rd.; w/ MD #]
AO - (3) Inglis (7th), Jovic (6th), Mboko (4th)
RG - (3) Chwalinska (3rd), Parry (21st), Wang Xiyu (16th)
WI - (2) Eala (6th), Krueger (14th)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - completed "Career Round of 16 Slam"]
AO - Putintseva (48th slam MD)
RG - Bencic (38th)
WI - Kostyuk (26th), Osaka (34th)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - lowest-ranked]
#170 - Jil Teichmann (RG)
#168 - Maddison Inglis (AO)
#148 - Wang Xiyu (RG)
#114 - Maya Chwalinska (RG)
#102 - Ashlyn Krueger (WI)
#94 - Yulia Putintseva (AO)
#92 - Diane Parry (RG)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s]
3 - Madison Keys (AO/RG/WI)
3 - Aryna Sabalenka (AO/RG/WI)
2 - Mirra Andreeva (AO/RG)
2 - Belinda Bencic (RG/WI)
2 - Coco Gauff (AO/WI)
2 - Marta Kostyuk (RG/WI)
2 - Iva Jovic (AO/WI)
2 - Elise Mertens (AO/WI)
2 - Naomi Osaka (RG/WI)
2 - Jessie Pegula (AO/WI)
2 - Karolina Muchova (AO/WI)
2 - Elina Svitolina (AO/RG)
2 - Iga Swiatek (AO/RG)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - by nation]
11 = 5/1/5 = USA (Gauff,Jovic,Keys,Krueger,Pegula)
5 = 1/0/4 = CZE (Bouzkova,Krejcikova,Muchova,Noskova)
4 = 1/3/0 = RUS
4 = 1/2/1 = UKR (Kostyuk)
3 = 1/1/1 = BLR (Sabalenka)
3 = 1/2/0 = POL
3 = 0/2/1 = SUI (Bencic)
2 = 1/0/1 = BEL (Mertens)
2 = 1/1/0 = CHN
2 = 0/1/1 = JPN (Osaka)
2 = 2/0/0 = KAZ
= 1 AO: AUS,CAN
1 RG: AUT,FRA,ROU
1 WI: ITA(Paolini),PHI(Eala)

[2026 slam Rd. of 16s - by region]
16 = (3/6/7) - W.Europe/Scandinavia (BEL-CZE-ITA-SUI)
12 = (3/7/2) - Eastern Europe/Russia (BLR-UKR)
12 = (6/1/5) - North America/Atlantic (USA)
8 = (4/2/2) - Asia/Oceania (JPN-PHI)
0 = (0/0/0) - South America
0 = (0/0/0) - Africa/Middle East/Mediterranean






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They're still floating around out there, too. I got one back in change just the other day.


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Physical media forever and always 💚📼 #physicalmedia #vhs #laserdisc #bluray #physicalmediaforever

[image or embed]

— Movie Dumpster ™ (@moviedumpster.bsky.social) July 2, 2026 at 1:27 PM

📀 No buffering. No “this title has been removed.” Just pure, uninterrupted cinema. 🎞️ Carly Bunch argues that DVDs aren’t dead, they're just waiting for the rest of us. #PhysicalMediaForever #DVDCollection #MovieNight #FilmTalk #PellissippiState Watch here: youtu.be/ZQststo0p5o?...

[image or embed]

— Imaginary Gardens PSTCC (@imaginarygardens.bsky.social) October 15, 2025 at 9:39 AM









TOP QUALIFIER: Robin Montgomery/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (two straight sets wins; extends slam TB win streak to 21)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - Anastasia Gasanova/RUS def. Varvara Lepchenko/USA 2-6/6-1/7-6(12-10) - Lepchenko led 5-3 in the 3rd, twice served for the match, led 5-1 in MTB and at 9-6 held four MP over a 5-point stretch. Gasanova wins 12-10.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Maya Joint/AUS def. Serena Williams/USA 6-3/6-7(6)/6-3 - 20-year old Aussie, 1-13 in her last 14 matches, defeats returning 44-year old Williams in her first singles match since 2022
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #11 Belinda Bencic/SUI (def. Stojsavljevic/GBR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL (1st Rd. - hurt ankle/foot on MP up 6-2/5-2 vs. Sawangkaew/THA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Anastasia Gasanova/RUS (2nd MD), Tyra Grant/ITA (1st MD), Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (2nd MD), Lanlada Tararudee/THA (2nd MD)
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: Southeast Asians
NATION OF POOR SOULS: GBR (1-7 1st Rd., after 0/7 through qualfiying; Kartal DNP, Raducanu w/d and started 0-7 in MD play)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Ashlyn Krueger/USA (in 4th Rd.)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Karolina Pliskova/CZE, Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSERS: Darja Semenistaja/LAT(L)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "Filipina": Alex Eala/PHI (first PHI to slam Round of 16)
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ, #3 Iga Swiatek/POL and #6 Amanda Anisimova/USA ('22 champ and both '25 finalists lose in 3rd Round on middle Saturday)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Nominees: Krueger (1r- trailed Vekic set and 5-3, twice served for match); Gauff (2r- Sierra at 5-4 in 3rd, 7-4 in MTB); Noskova (3r- saved MP vs. Cirstea)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): xx
LAWN COURT ROLLER: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Maja Chwalinska/POL (devastating loss in 1st Rd. after having MP at 6-2/5-2 before fall injuries ankle)








All for Day 6. More tomorrow.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 8:26 PM  0 comments

Friday, July 03, 2026

W.5- Project Runway













=DAY 5 NOTES=
...nothing of *great* surprise happened at SW19 on Friday, but some of the expected results took "the scenic route" to get to their expected destination.

First, the pre-game parade...



In this case, #14 Naomi Osaka's endless fashion runways in the majors have been tolerable this year because they've not been *all* that she's done.

She just posted her maiden Round of 16 result on the clay in Paris, and today reached the same stage with a 6-1/6-3, top-form win over Dasha Kasatkina, producing her best career SW19 result.



Osaka had been the *only* of the 29 woman who've been ranked the WTA #1 in singles to have never reached the 4th Round at Wimbledon. Now, after reaching her maiden RG Round of 16 just last month, she's finished off the back-half of her Career Round of 16 Slam in a matter of weeks after getting the first half eight years, completing her four-part set in her 34th career MD appearance at a major.



At 7-1 on the grass this season, her most wins on the surface in a single year, Osaka just a week ago reached her first career grass court final. Clearly, the work is paying off, and Osaka's consistency of result has been the best it's been in quite a long time, as she's also reached an additional three 4th Rounds in 1000 events. But she's yet to *finish* what she's started. Her Bad Homburg final loss (via ret. vs. Muchova) was her fourth straight in a tour-level event since she won AO21. She's 0-4 vs. Top 10 opponents this season, as well. 0-5 since defeating Coco Gauff in the U.S. Open 4th Round last summer.

She'll next face off with the current #1, Aryna Sabalenka, who took care of Alona Ostapenko today 6-4/6-4, reaching the second week at a major in her *fifteenth* consecutive slam appearance (as well as 18 of 19, and 19 of 21).



Sabalenka leads the head-to-head series vs. Osaka by a 3-1 tally, but this will be their first meeting on grass. Sabalenka is already 3-0 this season, defeating Osaka in Round of 16 matches in Indian Wells and Madrid, as well as at Roland Garros.

Sabalenka's history says she's the favorite in the match, but if Osaka turns the tables, well, she might be on her way to morphing into *the* favorite, period.

...the Bannerettes have been a consistent collective force at this Wimbledon, leading the number of woman participating in every round so far. There'll be an all-U.S. 3rd Round match-up on July 4th between Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys on Saturday, and today's results assured that they'll be another in two days in the Round of 16.

#4 Jessie Pegula held up her end of the deal today, putting up her best performance so far at the fortnight with a 6-1/6-3 win over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro on Court 2 a year after her '25 Wimbledon experience ended on the very same court at the hands of Elisabetta Cocciaretto.



The second week run is an important one for Pegula, who fell in the 2nd and 1st Round the last two years after reaching her career-best Wimbledon QF in 2023. She fell in the Roland Garros 1st Round just a few weeks ago, as well, in her worst slam result *other* than last year's Wimbledon since her one-and-done at RG in 2020 (which, at the time, was her sixth 1st Rd. exit in her first eight slam MD appearances).

With a grass court final in each of the last three seasons -- '24 Berlin W, '25 Bad Homburg W, '26 Berlin RU -- Pegula remains the only player who still has a chance to win tour titles on hard court, clay and grass in consecutive seasons. She was the only woman to do it last year, and is in need of a crown on the lawns two weekends from now if she's going to do it again.

Pegula's next opponent with will be #16 Iva Jovic, still the "other" teenager in the Top 20. But at this Wimbledon the 18-year old is also the *only* one still alive in the singles draw.

Jovic, coming off what was an average clay campaign, took care of #18 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3/3-6/6-4 today to improve to 6-1 this grass season. She reached the Queen's Club semis a few weeks ago, notching wins over Amanda Anisimova and Alex Eala.

Jovic reached her maiden major QF in Melbourne in January to become the youngest U.S. woman to reach that stage at the AO since Venus Williams in 1998.



...meanwhile, the Crusher section of the draw (i.e. three Czechs out of four women competing for a QF berth) played out as expected, with an all-Czech match-up now on deck for the Round of 16. Still, it took a little bit of late work by both winners to get there without an unnecessary trip into a 3rd set.



Against her increasingly dangerous countrywoman Nikola Bartunkova, Barbora Krejcikova nearly squandered a 5-2 2nd set lead, failing to convert three MP from 40/15 up in game 8, then dropped serve again when serving for the match at 5-4. But Krejcikova broke back to get *another* chance, this time getting the job done on MP #5 to win 6-3/7-5.

Krejcikova, the '24 champ, is now 18-4 in her Wimbledon career, and looking (once again) like a player that *no one* will relish facing if she can find her way deep into week two.

Krejcikova will now face off with yet another Czech, as #10 Karolina Muchova added a resurgent SW19 -- her first since 2021 -- to her Peak (?) Muchova campaign, eliminating qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew in straights.

Of course, Sawangkaew has been a very tough out at this Wimbledon. In qualifying, she played a trio of three-setters, ralling from 3-1 down in the 3rd in her second win, then saving three MP in the final round. In the 1st Round, she recovered from being MP down at 6-2/5-2 vs. Maja Chwalinska when the RG finalist fell and injured her ankle and everything changed.

After Muchova won the 1st set, Sawangkaew led 5-3 in the 2nd, and served to force a 3rd at 5-4. But the Czech got the break, eventually forcing a TB that she dominated, winning 6-2/7-6(1)



Muchova reached the QF in her first two appearances at Wimbledon, but had exited in the 1st Round the last four years.

...#11 Belinda Bencic hasn't had a *bad* '26 season, but the '25 SW19 semifinalist is still in search of her signature moment of the season.

The Swiss got off to a great a start back in January, starring in the totally-made-up-event that is the United Cup, going a combined 9-1 (WS/WD/MX), posting two Top 10 singles wins, and being named MVP even though Switzerland lost in the final vs. Poland. After finishing 2025 at #11, she spent time in the Top 10 in the opening months of this year.

But Bencic came into Wimbledon having played in no grass tuneup event following her RG Round of 16, without a singles final or SF appearance in 2026, and with two of her three Top 10 wins having occurred in Week 1 (and the third in Miami, in March).

Against #19 Anna Kalinskaya, Bencic consistently put herself in good position. She had a double-break edge in the 1st, but gave it back as the Hordette knotted the score at 4-4. But Bencic's eleventh hour break/hold combo gave her a one set lead. In the 3rd, she twice relinquished break advantages, but got things to a MTB, where she maintained an early lead (4-1, 7-4) before finally converting on her second MP, winning 6-4/4-6/7-6(10-6).



While Bencic was the first woman to advance to the Round of 16 on Friday, her next opponent was the last.

#7 Coco Gauff seemed as if she was going to have a short work day against qualifier Claire Liu. After winning the 1st set 6-3, she denied Liu on four BP to hold for 4-3, then got the break to lead 5-3 and serve for the match. Liu got the break, but Gauff had three MP chances on return in the next game. Liu held on, then went on to win a 7-3 TB to force a 3rd.

But Gauff rarely goes out without a big fight, even after blowing an opportunity to get off the court early. She got a quick break to open the set, and never faced a BP on her own serve the rest of the way. She served out the 6-3/6-7(5)/6-2 win to reach her fourth Round of 16 at All-England Club (w/ runs in 2019, '21 and '24).










*WOMEN'S SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #14 Naomi Osaka/JPN
#10 Karolina Muchova/CZE vs. Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
#4 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. #16 Iva Jovic/USA
#11 Belinda Bencic/SUI vs. #7 Coco Gauff/USA
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x
x vs. x










...IT'S SMART FOR VENUS' OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY TO NOT BE TIED *SOLELY* TO THE WHIMS OF HER SISTER... ON DAY 5:



Williams/Krawietz lost, though, so... now it's all on Serena.


...FIRST, THEY CAME FOR THE MIXED DOUBLES. THEN THEY CAME FOR THE... ON DAY 5:




...UMMM... ON DAY 5:

How is it a "dream run" when she's gotten exactly this far three times before?





...QUITE A LOT OF THE SHINE HAS WORN OFF THIS TEAM IN '26, but there's still time... ON DAY 5:



2026 STATS: 0 titles. 1 final. 12-7 record. 2-3 since losing in the Miami final

2026 MAJORS: AO- 2nd Round, RG- DNP (Paolini injured), WI- DNP


...OVERINDULGING IN 3, 2, 1... ON DAY 5:
























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*WTA #1 PLAYERS (29) - BEST WIMBLEDON RESULT*
=W (15)=
Barty, Davenport, Evert, Goolagong, Graf, Halep, Hingis, Kerber, Mauresmo, Muguruza, Navratilova, Sharapova, Swiatek, S.Williams, V.Williams
=RU (4)=
Seles, Sanchez Vicario, Henin, Pliskova
=SF (7)=
Austin, Capriati, Clijsters, Ivanovic, Sabalenka, Safina, Azarenka
=QF (0)=
-
=4r (3)=
Jankovic, Wozniacki, Osaka

*"CAREER SLAM" FEATS IN 2020s*
2020 US - Alize Cornet, FRA (57th slam MD)
2021 AO - Donna Vekic, CRO (29th)
2021 US - Iga Swiatek, POL (11th)
2022 AO - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (8th)
2022 AO - Kaia Kanepi, EST (53rd)
2022 US - Caroline Garcia, FRA (42nd)
2022 US - Coco Gauff, USA (13th)
2022 US - Ons Jabeur, TUN (22nd)
2022 US - Zhang Shuai, CHN (41st)
2023 RG - Karolina Muchova, CZE (17th)
2023 RG - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (21st)
2023 WI - Jessie Pegula, USA (19th)
2023 WI - Marketa Vondrousova, CZE (21st)
2023 US - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (31st)
2024 WI - Danielle Collins, USA (27th)
2024 US - Paula Badosa, ESP (19th)
2024 US - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (20th)
2025 AO - Dasha Kasatkina, RUS (36th)
2025 AO - Emma Navarro, USA (9th)
2025 US - Amanda Anisimova, USA (23rd)
2025 US - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (25th)
2026 AO - Yulia Putintseva, KAZ (48th)
2026 RG - Belinda Bencic, SUI (38th)
2026 WI - Naomi Osaka, JPN (34th)






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TOP QUALIFIER: Robin Montgomery/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR (two straight sets wins; extends slam TB win streak to 21)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q1 - Anastasia Gasanova/RUS def. Varvara Lepchenko/USA 2-6/6-1/7-6(12-10) - Lepchenko led 5-3 in the 3rd, twice served for the match, led 5-1 in MTB and at 9-6 held four MP over a 5-point stretch. Gasanova wins 12-10.
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 1st Rd. - Maya Joint/AUS def. Serena Williams/USA 6-3/6-7(6)/6-3 - 20-year old Aussie, 1-13 in her last 14 matches, defeats returning 44-year old Williams in her first singles match since 2022
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F/Jr.-WC): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: #11 Belinda Bencic/SUI (def. Stojsavljevic/GBR)
FIRST SEED OUT: #20 Maja Chwalinska/POL (1st Rd. - hurt ankle/foot on MP up 6-2/5-2 vs. Sawangkaew/THA)
FIRST SLAM MD WINS: Anastasia Gasanova/RUS (2nd MD), Tyra Grant/ITA (1st MD), Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (2nd MD), Lanlada Tararudee/THA (2nd MD)
UPSET QUEENS: Czech Republic
REVELATION LADIES: Southeast Asians
NATION OF POOR SOULS: GBR (1-7 1st Rd., after 0/7 through qualfiying; Kartal DNP, Raducanu w/d and started 0-7 in MD play)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: in 3r: Krueger/USA, Liu/USA(L), Sawangkaew/THA(L)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: Karolina Pliskova/CZE, Sara Sorribes Tormo/ESP (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSERS: Darja Semenistaja/LAT(L)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (2nd Rd.)
Ms. OPPORTUNITY: xx
IT "?": x
COMEBACK PLAYER: x
CRASH & BURN: x
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF LONDON: Nominees: Sawangkaew (1r- trailed #20 Chwalinska 6-2/5-2 and MP down when #20 seed hurt ankle/foot; first career slam MD win; in Q: three 3-setters, 3-1 down in 3rd vs. Stoiana Q2, 3 MP vs.Dodin Q3); Navarro (1r- trailed Badosa 5-2 in 3rd); Krueger (1r- trailed Vekic set and 5-3, twice served for match); Gauff (2r- Sierra at 5-4 in 3rd, 7-4 in MTB); Sakkari (2r- Rakhimova served at 5-4 in the 3rd); Anisimova (2r- Kenin led 3-1 in the 3rd, with 2 BP for 4-1)
DOUBLES STAR: x
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): Nominee: S.Williams returns at age 44 (WD w/ Venus, combined age of 90)
LAWN COURT ROLLER: x
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
SPIRIT OF JANA (NOVOTNA) HONOREE: Nominee: Chwalinska (devastating loss in 1st Rd. after having MP at 6-2/5-2 before fall injuries ankle)








All for Day 5. More tomorrow.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 6:40 PM  0 comments