Wednesday, September 09, 2026

US.11- Drive


Hang it in The Met... but, you know, in the corner by the plant that everyone walks by without noticing it.










=DAY 11 NOTES=
...#2-seed Elena Rybakina has shown the ability throughout her career to drive though opponents if she can just find that particular groove in her game that is nearly unbeatable. But with the Kazakh's rise to the #1 ranking on the line, the shot at a second major in '26 within her grasp, and an opponent in qualifier Zheng Qinwen who over the past two weeks -- and after big wins over Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek in which she erased 5-0 deficits in back-to-back sets -- has rediscovered her own confident form that not that long ago made her a slam finalist, Olympic Gold medalist and #4-ranked player in the world, would the confluence of it all prove to be both a distraction and an obstacle too much to overcome?

Add into this unique mix that today's QF match-up was just Rybakina's second appearance ever on Ashe court (and first this year even as the reigning AO champ and "live" #1), and the notion that sensory overload could slow her game wasn't an out-of-bounds possibility. Not that she'd show it outwardly... but *maybe* we'd sense it on the court.

With more of a breeze behind her back on the day (i.e. the new mental and emotional freedom that comes with the realization that her comeback from elbow surgery may have finally found its stride), it was Zheng who came out the strongest at the outset of play. She held at love in game 1, and swung freely through her groundstrokes as Rybakina had a hard time getting a handle on Zheng's first serve. Zheng broke to lead 5-3, and served for the set.

In what turned out to be 14-minute game, Zheng fell behind 15/40, ultimately saving five BP as her serve kept pulling her back into the battle. An ace and big serve-and-winner combo lifted Zheng out of the original hole, but she soon missed on three SP chances (the first via her first DF, which was followed by a another DF that gave Rybakina what would be her final BP opportunity in the game). Finally, on her fourth SP, Zheng fired a big *second* serve up the middle that elicited a long Rybakina return as the set was hers 6-3.



But having dropped the 1st set in her two previous '26 wins over Zheng (in Doha and Madrid), Rybakina wasn't going away. Not by a longshot.

Rybakina, playing with more aggression than in the 1st, held at love to start the 2nd, then rallied from 40/15 down to break for 2-0 (converting after going 0-for-5 on BP in the 1st). For the set, after dictating her success with her first serve in the opening set, Zheng saw her first serve percentage fall to 35%. Save for one Zheng BP opportunity in game 5, the 2nd saw pretty much *all* advantages edge toward Rybakina, as the Kazakh pulled off two breaks of serve in Zheng's three service games, then served out the set at 6-1.

Things played out more evenly in the 3rd, with the two remaining on serve through the first eight games. They shared just one BP between them through the first seven games (by Rybakina in game 5).

In game 8, with Zheng up 4-3, the Chinese star saw her first BP of the set, and had an opening for a winner that would have given her a chance to serve for the match. But she missed long on a backhand down the line as Rybakina watched helplessly from the middle of the net. Rybakina held for 4-4 moments later, and Zheng's lost opportunity would linger into the closing moments.

After trailing to start just one point through her first four service games in the 3rd, Zheng suddenly fell behind love/40 in the fifth. She gamely worked to get the game back to deuce, but then saw Rybakina immediately get a fourth BP chance, and Zheng's DF break herself. After she *could* have been serving for the match had one swing ended differently, Zheng now handed Rybakina an opportunity to serve out the win.

Rybakina wasn't going to let the chance get away. She held at 15 to win 3-6/6-1/6-4, reaching her first U.S. Open SF (completing a Career Semifinal Slam) and securing the #1 ranking next Monday.



The 30th to hold the top spot, at 27, Rybakina is the second-oldest to debut atop the rankings (behind only a 28-year old Angie Kerber in 2016).



Now Rybakina just has to win two more matches, or else this accomplishment might -- at least for the moment -- lose a bit of its luster.

...in the following match on Ashe, #4 Coco Gauff didn't advance via the same sort of drive-through-your-opponent nature that is often obvious in Rybakina's game. Instead, she was barely able to keep the vehicle of her game on the road at all for most of the day, careening from one lane to the next while scraping guardrails and dangling (at least) two tires over a cliff's edge time and time again.

But, hey, she's Coco. This is what she does.

Today was a textbook example of how Gauff has perfected the playing-like-crap-but-winning-anyway game plan, finding a victorious path through simple tenacity and a superior athletic ability that enables her to "erase" many of her mistakes. While most players would have collapsed into a frustrated mess along such a path, *she* found a way to win in spite of it all even while only *barely* lifting her game above a level that could be described as "adequate."

While the final scoreline may have *looked* like the match featured a slow start, followed by eventual dominance, it didn't *really* play out that way. Fact is, Gauff didn't play all that well, save for a few key points/moments, through all of the 2nd set, then in the 3rd didn't *have* to, and instead just found a "steady" zone that eliminated the errors (she still ended with 12 DF and 42 UE) that had nearly overtaken her earlier efforts, as #5 Mirra Andreeva's game level dropped several levels after squandering her chance to win the match in straight sets.

Andreeva had broken out in a sprint at the start of the day, racing out to a 4-0 start as Gauff littered her stats with UE. The 19-year old took the 1st set at 6-2.

Then, little by little and in fits and starts, Gauff found the level of play that was *just enough* to make getting a "W" at least a *possibility.*

Gauff saved a BP in both game 1 and 3, avoiding another early hole, then in game 4 finally saw her first BP of the match on Andreeva's serve. She didn't convert it, though, as the Hordette got the hold. But then Gauff finally had an easy service game, then saw another BP chance in game 5. A long error off Andreeva's racket gave Gauff a 4-2 edge, but the advantage would be short-lived. After saving a pair of BP in the next game, Gauff dropped serve on Andreeva's third chance.

Andreeva's poor service game -- two DF and a miss on an easy volley -- gave the break lead back, as Gauff served for the set. But her play was still super-choppy, and not good enough. After holding a SP, Gauff DF'd to fall BP down. A forehand into the bottom of the net broke her own serve and put the 2nd back on serve.

As Gauff's UE numbers continued to climb -- 19 games in, she was was already in the mid-30s -- Andreeva found herself with a BP chance after a wild forehand error from Coco, but Gauff's great defense forced another dumped volley from the teenager and Gauff held for 6-5.

With the set going to a TB, Gauff built up a 5-3 lead, but bad forehand decisions opened the door for an Andreeva surge. After a run of three straight points, Andreeva held a MP, saved by Gauff at the end of a long rally. Down a second MP at 7-6, Gauff took advantage of a slow first serve to stay alive again, then ran off a three pont run of her own, taking the breaker 9-7 and rising from her own ashes one more time.



In the 3rd set, Andreeva never really got over having lost the 2nd, while Gauff simply played within herself. She took a break lead at 2-1, consolidated it for 3-1, then saw the teenager gradually lose track of the plot of a match that she was *still* in against a player who still wasn't playing *lights-out* ball.

But a listless service game from Andreeva led to a love break and 5-2, after which Gauff served things out to win 2-6/7-6(7)/6-2, reaching her second U.S. Open semi ('23 W) and second in a row at a major this season.



With #1 now officially out of reach for Coco, but a third major title still on the table, Gauff will next face the soon-to-be #1 Rybakina. Despite their high rankings, they've only met twice, and just once since Gauff won a three-setter in Toronto in 2022 (winning a deciding TB). In another Toronto match-up, Rybakina won a three-set SF just last month.

Gauff hasn't lost since, going 11-0.

...meanwhile, with #1 Sabalenka, #2 Rybakina, #3 Pegula and #4 Gauff in the semifinals, this marks the first U.S. Open with the Top 4 women's seeds in the final four since 1975, the only other time it's happened in the Open era.

You have to go back to 1953 for the last pre-Open era occurrence, in the then U.S. National Championships, one of six pre-Open era years -- after 1928, '34, '42, 44 and '52 -- in which it happened.

...already with the last two major junior titles being won by Russian players (or maybe it's "Russian" in the case of Wimbledon girls' champ Alisa Oktiabreva, as she was in the process of becoming a Czech representative at the time, but wasn't *yet* when she won), there are more Hordettes in the U.S. Open's girls' singles final eight than any other nation.

In all, six of the Top 8 seeds are still alive, including #1 Sun Xinran (CHN) and #2 Jana Kovackova (CZE), who are joined by two Bannerettes (#6 Janae Preston and unseeded Chukwumelije Clarke), three Russians ('26 SW19 champ #5 Anna Pushkareva, #7 Mariia Makarova and unseeded Ekaterina Dotsenko) along with a lone Brazilian (Nana Silva).

The last time *three* "Russian" junior slam champions were crowned in the same season it was just *one person.* In 1987, Natasha Zvereva won three consecutive girls' majors though, of course, she was actually *Belarusian" (not Russian) and was a *Soviet* team member playing under the flag of the U.S.S.R. before the fall of so many Eastern Bloc nations in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

In the post-Soviet era, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova won three junior slam crowns over a five-major stretch in 2006-07.

Meanwhile, the quest for the first Junior Doubles Slam ended in the 2nd Round, as #5-seeded Jana Kovackova & Katerina Zajickova lost in a MTB to Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi & Antonia Sushkova.

...a Career Doubles Slam is still in play for the team of Katerina Siniakova & Taylor Townsend, though. The world's top WD duo defeated #8 Mertens/Shnaider today to reach the final, where they'll face wild cards Ashlyn Krueger & Robin Montgomery (def. #2 Dabrowski/Stefani).

A title would complete the four-part career collection for them as a team, as well as allow Siniakova to add another feat to her Hall of Fame resume by becoming the first player to win a Career Double Slam with *two* partners (she's also done it w/ Barbora Krejcikova).



...save for possibly one result, there were no real surprises in the wheelchair 1st Round, as #1 Yui Kamiji, #2 Diede de Groot (though she went three sets vs. Lizzy de Greef) and #4 Aniek Van Koot advanced.

#3 Li Xiaohui fell to countrywoman Wang Ziying (the world #6).





*WOMEN'S SINGLES SF*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #3 Jessie Pegula/USA
#4 Coco Gauff/USA vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#1 Siniakova/Townsend (CZE/USA) vs. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES QF*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. #7 Mariia Makarova/RUS
Chukwumelije Clarke/USA vs. #8 Nana Silva/BRA
#5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. Ekaterina Dotsenko/RUS
#6 Janae Preston/USA vs. #2 Jana Kovackova/CZE

*WHEELCHAIR SINGLES QF*
#1 Yui Kamiji/JPN vs. Angelica Bernal/COL
#4 Aniek Van Koot/NED vs. Zhu Zhenzhen/CHN
Ksenia Chasteau/FRA vs. Wang Ziying/CHN
Jinte Bos/NED vs. #2 Diede de Groot/NED

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) vs. Bos/de Greef (NED/NED)
Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) vs. #2 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN)










...SHOCKED, NOT SHOCKED... ON DAY 11:




Well, this is what happens when you have morons running something that would likely be less error-prone if it was running *itself*. The quality-of-product vs. financial success disparity comparison is so massive for the WTA.



I am not, like many others, qualified to really address the business deals the tour makes, bad or otherwise, but the tour has failed miserably even in the "easy" categories for years. It's why I'm quick to always harp on something that should be a slam-dunk for the tour -- promoting the best and most successful (competition-wise, as well as individual celebrity, many with *rabid* fanbases, and overall awareness) women's sports tour on earth, with the biggest names as well as the biggest events.

Yet they've never been able to come close to getting that right, with too many inept marketing efforts to count over the years and a total lack of imagination and sense when it comes to gaining the tour exposure, something that's done far better by, well, everyone, especially the sponsors of the individual star players on tour.

The WTA instead often chooses to focus on "inspiration" and the like (always in a cliched, thuddingly boring way, too), and basically anything that's not sports-related in their various campaigns (I've said before that their marketing efforts seem to try to hide that the WTA is a *tennis* tour, right down to the logo changes and even social media header images), rather than the excitement, unpredictability and personalities of the everyday action of a tour that plays eleven months of the year. Worse yet, most stunningly, *those* are all things that the WTA has in such abundance that it's fairly remarkable. Any semblance of competence couldn't help but foster growth and decorate the sport's footprint in the sports media landcape but, as I always say around here, "but it's the WTA, so... well, no."

Unfortunately, no one knows what they're doing, in any aspect of the business, and that's been the case for quite a while.

Talk about needing a hero.

Meanwhile, the ATP makes money hand over fist and puts up stuff like this...




...ONE BATTLE DOWN, ONE MORE TO COME... ON DAY 11:





...FOR HER, THIS IS *ALMOST* AKIN TO A KOSTYUK BACKFLIP... ON DAY 11:





...LEGITIMATE QUESTION FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY... ON DAY 11:


Are best-of-five sets *mandated* in slam play, or could the U.S. Open (or another major) decide that *it* would institute the same best-of-three format for the men that the ATP employs the rest of the year. It would alleviate a *lot* of the problems that have popped up at this major, that's for sure, as well as at others on occasion.

Remember, at one point not that long ago all the slams had a different final set and/or TB format, and the U.S. Open has managed to change the scoring system for its MX monstrosity, so such things don't seem *set in stone.*




...PROP PICKS UPDATE (champion only)... ON DAY 11:


So, after doing a two-part champion prediction in my pre-Open prop picks, with the SF set I've got a 3/4 chance to check off both of them.

If Zheng had won today I could have given the *early* green light to both, but congrats to Elena.

Now, if either Sabalenka, Pegula or Gauff win, but not Rybakina, the conditions for both picks will be met with the U.S. Open champion *not* being a winner of any of the three previous '26 majors, but being a player who *has* been a past slam finalist.

*IF* the check marks come, that'd be 7 of 10 correct "prop" champion picks (3 in a row this year) since I started trying this different way of "predicting" slam champions at the '24 Wimbledon.

US26 "PROP PICK" PREDICTIONS
1. The winner will *not* come from the trio of women who've won major titles in 2026
...of course, they'd be Elena Rybakina, Mirra Andreeva and Linda Noskova.
2. The winner *will* be a former slam singles finalist
...the list from the last three seaons (11): Anisimova, Chwalinska, Gauff, Keys, Krejickova, Muchova, Paolini, Pegula, Sabalenka, Swiatek, Zheng

The list from before the 2024 season (+7, though only one might likely come into play): Fernandez, Kenin, Osaka, Ostapenko, Pliskova, Stephens, V.Williams























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Nothing specific for this spot, just a reminder of how we got here.










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*REACHED WTA SINGLES #1 RANKING (30)*
1975 Chris Evert, USA
1976 Evonne Goolagong, AUS
1978 Martina Navratilova, USA
1980 Tracy Austin, USA
1987 Steffi Graf, FRG/GER
1991 Monica Seles, YUG
1995 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, ESP
1997 Martina Hingis, SUI
1998 Lindsay Davenport, USA
2001 Jennifer Capriati, USA
2002 Venus Williams, USA
2002 Serena Williams, USA
2003 Kim Clijsters, BEL
2003 Justine Henin, BEL
2004 Amelie Mauresmo, FRA
2005 Maria Sharapova, RUS
2008 Ana Ivanovic, SRB
2008 Jelena Jankovic, SRB
2009 Dinara Safina, RUS
2010 Caroline Wozniacki, DEN
2012 Victoria Azarenka, BLR
2016 Angelique Kerber, GER
2017 Karolina Pliskova, CZE
2017 Garbine Muguruza, ESP
2017 Simona Halep, ROU
2019 Naomi Osaka, JPN
2019 Ash Barty, AUS
2022 Iga Swiatek, POL
2023 Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
2026 Elena Rybakina, KAZ

*"CAREER SLAM SF" COMPLETED IN 2020s*
2021 WI - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (36th slam MD)
2023 RG - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (21st)
2025 WI - Iga Swiatek, POL (26th)
2026 WI - Coco Gauff, USA (28th)
2026 WI - Karolina Muchova, CZE (28th)
2026 US - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (29th)

*MOST WTA SF in 2026*
8 - JESSIE PEGULA (5-2)
7 - COCO GAUFFf (3-3)
7 - Elina Svitolina (3-4)
6 - ELENA RYBAKINA (4-1)
6 - ARYNA SABALENKA (4-1)
6 - Karolina Muchova (4-2)
5 - Mirra Andreeva (4-1)
5 - Marta Kostyuk (3-2)
4 - Iva Jovic (1-3)

*SLAM QF IN 2020s*
17 - SABALENKA (14-2+W)
14 - Swiatek (9-5)
12 - GAUFF (7-5)
11 - PEGULA (4-7)
9 - Svitolina (2-7)
8 - RYBAKINA (5-3)
7 - Jabeur (3-4)
7 - Muchova (5-2)
6 - Krejcikova (2-4)




*CAREER SLAM SF - active singles*
40 - Serena Williams, USA (33-7)
23 - Venus Williams, USA (16-7)
15 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (8-6)*
[9 - Victoria Azarenka, BLR (6-3)]
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
7 - Madison Keys, USA (2-5)
7 - Caroline Wozniacki, DEN (3-4)
7 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-3)*
5 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (4-1)
5 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (3-1)*
5 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (2-3)
4 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (2-2)
4 - Vera Zvonareva, RUS (2-2)
4 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-2)*
4 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-4)
--
*-to play SF

[SLAM SF 2020-26]
15 - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (8-6)*
9 - Iga Swiatek, POL (6-3)
7 - Coco Gauff, USA (3-3)*
5 - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (3-1)*
5 - Karolina Muchova, CZE (2-3)
4 - Jessie Pegula, USA (1-2)*
3 - Ash Barty, AUS (2-1)
3 - Ons Jabeur, TUN (3-0)
3 - Madison Keys, USA (1-2)
3 - Naomi Osaka, JPN (2-1)
2 - Mirra Andreeva, RUS (1-1)
2 - Amanda Anisimova, USA (2-0)
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 - Marta Kostyuk, UKR (0-2)
2 - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (2-0)
2 - Jasmine Paolini, ITA (2-0)
2 - Maria Sakkari, GRE (0-2)
2 - Elina Svitolina, UKR (0-2)
2 - Serena Williams, USA (0-2)
1 - Paula Badosa, ESP (0-1)
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 - Maja Chwalinska, POL (1-0)
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 - Linda Noskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS (1-0)
1 - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (1-0)
1 - Nadia Podoroska, ARG (0-1)
1 - Emma Raducanu, GBR (1-0)
1 - Belinda Bencic, SUI (0-1)
1 - Lois Boisson, FRA (0-1)
1 - Diana Shnaider, RUS (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

[2026 SLAM SF BY NATION]
4 - USA (0-2) - Gauff, Pegula
3 - UKR (0-3)
2 - CZE (2-0)
2 - BLR (1-0) - Sabalenka
2 - KAZ (1-0) - Rybakina
2 - RUS (1-1)
1 - POL (1-0)

[SLAM SF BY NATION 2020-26 / 27 events]
24 - USA (11-11)**
17 - BLR (9-7)*
11 - CZE (7-4)
11 - POL (7-4)
5 - KAZ (3-1)*
5 - RUS (2-3)
5 - UKR (0-5)
3 - AUS (2-1)
3 - JPN (2-1)
3 - TUN (3-0)
2 - ESP (1-1)
2 - FRA (0-2)
2 - GER (0-2)
2 - GRE (0-2)
2 - ITA (2-0)
2 - ROU (0-2)
1 (W) - CAN,CHN,GBR
1 (L) - ARG,BRA,CRO,SLO,SUI,ITA

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - career US SF]
6 - Aryna Sabalenka
3 - Jessie Pegula
2 - Coco Gauff
1 - Elena Rybakina

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive US SF]
6 - Sabalenka
3 - Pegula

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - consecutive Slam SF]
2 - Gauff

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - career US W/L]
39-6...Aryna Sabalenka
28-9...Jessie Pegula
25-6...Coco Gauff
13-6...Elena Rybakina

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - career Slam W/L]
118-29...Aryna Sabalenka
90-26...Coco Gauff
74-24...Elena Rybakina
71-30...Jessie Pegula

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - 2026 Slam W/L]
18-3...Aryna Sabalenka
16-3...Coco Gauff
15-2...Elena Rybakina
13-3...Jessie Pegula

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - 2026 season W/L]
50-12...Jessie Pegula
47-13...Elena Rybakina
45-8...Aryna Sabalenka
45-13...Coco Gauff

[2026 US SEMIFINALISTS - 2026 hard court W/L]
34-7...Jessie Pegula
34-7...Elena Rybakina
32-3...Aryna Sabalenka
30-7...Coco Gauff






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Opinion | Canada understands what we refuse to: Trump is a joke | 💯 RP: USA TODAY apple.news/AqLL9zyR1SzG...

[image or embed]

— D-Mac Ottawa (@dmacottawa.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 5:01 PM


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TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): (Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN (comebacks from 5-0 in back-to-back sets over two rounds)
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): 3rd Rd. - #14 Iva Jovic/USA def. #17 Alex Eala/PHI 7-5/3-6/7-5 - 18 & 21-year olds duel in 3-hr. battle under the lights on Ashe; combine for 78 winners, not blinking under pressure of big stage)
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("?"): Nominee: New #1 (Rybakina)
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in SF: Gauff, Pegula
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Kenin d. V.Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r)
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
BIG CITY ROLLER: x







All for Day 11. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 10:15 PM  0 comments

Tuesday, September 08, 2026

US.10- She Needs a Hero


Still in the mix, but also hoping for a lifeline.










=DAY 10 NOTES=
...for the top-seeded two-time defending U.S. Open champ Aryna Sabalenka, it's been a trying spring and summer following her Sunshine Double triumph. As 2026 has gone on, her slippage in results has even begun to infect her finishes in majors in recent months, not in the fashion of her coming up short in the final stages of the events (yet again, as that happened when she lost three major finals in five events through AO26) but in the form of her not even getting *that* far.

Sabalenka's QF in Paris ended her run of six straight slam SF+ finishes (she'd gone out that early in just one of her previous 13), then her *4th Round* exit at Wimbledon was her worst result in a major since the '22 RG.

Still, she arrived on Day 10 with a shot at another major SF berth, but after having yet to be truly been tested in this tournament. Through the first four rounds, Sabalenka hadn't dropped a set, surrendering just an average of 5.5 games a match, but she'd also faced just one opponent ranked in the Top 60, #59 Camila Osorio in the 1st Round. Her other three Flushing Meadows victims had, in order, been ranked #160, #92 and #96.

All that changed on Tuesday, when the reigning Wimbledon champ, #6 Linda Noskova, showed up trying to return to the final four at a major just two months after winning her maiden slam crown. The Czech would give Sabalenka a (likely much-needed) scare, while also allowing the (at least for the moment) world #1 to prove that, yes, she can still play like *that* player on the biggest points on the biggest stages. Especially in the hard court majors where she's so often made her career mark.

Sabalenka got off to a strong start, and held a single-break lead at 3-0 over the Czech. But Noskova gradually pulled herself back into things. As Sabalenka served for the set at 5-3, the Belarusian played her very worst game, DF'ing to go down 15/30 and then having the game unravel from there as Noskova broke to get the set back on serve.

But, unlike as has been the case in other circumstances this season, Sabalenka didn't allow her previous poor game to snowball into a collapse. She held in a professional service game two games later, then Noskova did the same to force a TB.

Having not lost a TB in New York since 2022 (her outrageous overall slam TB win streak ended at 21 at Wimbledon), Sabalenka emphatically stated her case this time, confidently taking a 6-0 lead and securing the opening set with a 7-1 win.

Sabalenka had multiple opportunities to grab an advantage in the 2nd, but simply could not get the job done. Two BP in game 1, and another in game 5, went by the wayside. Then Noskova was the one to take a break lead at 4-2. Sabalenka saved a SP on serve in game 8, but Noskova converted on her third of game 9 (fourth overall), holding for 6-3 to take her first set in three match-ups with Sabalenka (the Czech had previously lost all five sets in the series, two via TB).

In the decider, Sabalenka again couldn't convert a BP chance in game 2, then the two exchanged consecutive love holds in games 3 & 4. Sabalenka fell behind love/40 in the next game, with Noskova breaking on her second opportunity to take a 3-2 lead and then holding at love a game later.

But Sabalenka's resurgence would continue, and pick up much-needed momentum. A hold at 15 preceded her taking a love/40 lead on return in game 8. Noskova pushed a short ball long and things were back on serve at 4-4. Fully rediscovering her past self, Sabalenka followed up with a classic *big* game, holding again at 15 to re-take the scoreboard lead in the set. Again, things would go to a TB (this time a 10-point MTB).

Sabalenka would drop the opening point on serve, but held her ground and soon edged ahead with a mini-break lead at 4-3. Noskova didn't back down, though, firing off some clutch winners and getting things back on serve with a break of Sabalenka's serve to get to within 7-6. But Sabalenka immediately responded, taking her mini-break lead back on the next point, then stepping to the line to serve while up 8-7. Two points later, on her first MP, Sabalenka blasted an ace to win her tenth straight U.S. Open TB and reached the SF for a sixth straight year with a 7-6(1)/3-6/7-6(10-7) victory.



Sabalenka has now reached at least the SF at the last nine hard court majors (10/11), and has played in the final of the last seven AO/US tournaments (and now looks to make it eight). With 18 consecutive wins at the Open, she's 24-1 in New York since 2023, and 55-4 in hard court majors since the '22 U.S..

Of course, while Sabalenka's first thought for the rest of this week will be about trying to become the third woman in the Open era to three-peat in this event (after Evert and S.Williams; the only two since Mo Connolly in the mid-1950s), she *could* still retain her #1 ranking if a few things go her way. She also *could* win the title and still be #2 next Monday, though.

Essentially, she'll "need a hero" (or two) to stay in the top spot. First off, Zheng Qinwen *has* to defeat Elena Rybakina tomorrow. While there are still scenarios including Coco Gauff and Jessie Pegula, they'd be irrelevant if Rybakina reaches the SF. But if Zheng *does* win, then suddenly *everything* would be on Sabalenka's racket once again.

...speaking of Pegula, the #3 seed was in the lead-off match position on Ashe on Tuesday night, meaning she was going to be disparaged by glancing social media blows since the U.S. Open's schedule-makers once again set the stage for an ultra-long night with a full men's match to follow.

As it was, Pegula played a pretty sloppy game vs. #26 Emma Navarro (against whom Pegula was 4-0) for a large part of the night. She had five DF in the 1st set alone, losing it 6-3.

It was here where ESPN's CoCo Vandeweghe noted Pegula's 0-6 career start in slam QF and wondered if it provided a mental block, leading Mary Joe Fernandez to fairly quickly note that Pegula had actually *won* three of her last four major QF matches (including at the last two U.S. Opens). Yep, I'm leaning toward the FOS side of the Vandeweghe argument.

As Pegula tried to get her game straight, she took a break lead at 3-1 in the 2nd, but gave it back a game later. That's went Navarro swung the door open for her when, serving down 4-5, she DF'd to give Pegula a huge BP chance. She got it, leveling the match.

Navarro got the early break lead in the 3rd (2-1), but this time it was she who returned the favor a game later. With all aspects of Pegula's game revving up, she soon took control, breaking for 4-2. She served for the match at 5-3, saving a BP mid-game, but converting on her second MP. Winning four of the final five games, Pegula won 3-6/6-4/6-3 to reach her third straight U.S. Open SF (and, ahem, improved to 4-1 in her last five slam QF, including three SF runs at the last five majors).



She'll face Sabalenka, who holds a 9-4 edge in their head-to-head, for a spot in the final. Sabalenka is 5-1 on hard court in the series since 2024, including previous U.S. Open wins over Pegula in the '24 final and '25 SF.

BTW, with the #1 and #3 seeds into the semis, there's a chance for *all four* top seeds to get there. That's only happened once in the Open era at the U.S. Open, in 1975. It hasn't happened in *any* major since the 2009 Wimbledon.

...in wheelchair doubles, Diede de Groot & Aniek Van Koot fell in their opening match vs. Guo Luoyao & Momoko Ohtani. De Groot will open the singles vs. countrywoman Lizzy de Greef.

The doubles #1 seeds - Kamiji/Zhu and Li/Wang-- both reached the semis.






*WOMEN'S SINGLES QF*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR def. #6 Linda Noskova/CZE
#3 Jessie Pegula/USA def. #26 Emma Navarro/USA
#5 Mirra Andreeva/RUS vs. #4 Coco Gauff/USA
(Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES SF*
#1 Siniakova/Townend (CZE/USA) vs. #8 Mertens/Schuurs (BEL/NED)
(WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Stefani (CAN/BRA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. #14/WC Kristina Penickova/USA
#12 Sol Ailin Larraya Guidi/ARG vs. #7 Mariia Makarova/RUS
Zhang Ruien/CHN vs. Chukwumelije Clarke/USA
#11 Felitsata Dorofeeva-Rybas/RUS vs. #8 Nana Silva/BRA
#5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. #10 Paola Pinera Celorio/ESP
Ekaterina Dotsenko/RUS vs. (WC) Annika Penickova/USA
#6 Janae Preston/USA vs. #9 Polina Skliar/UKR
(Q) Arina Malygina/RUS vs. #2 Jana Kovackova/CZE

*WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SF*
#1 Kamiji/Zhu (JPN/CHN) vs. Bos/de Greef (NED/NED)
Guo/Ohtani (CHN/JPN) vs. #2 Li/Wang (CHN/CHN)










...UPDATE... ON DAY 10:





...WHEN ALONA ISN'T THE TEAM MEMBER LEADING THE DRAMA... ON DAY 10:




Worth the long read...




No more drama at this Open, though, as Hsieh & Ostapenko lost their QF match today.


...CLOSING THE ROOF DURING PLAY AT 5-4 IN THE 3rd OF SABALENKA/NOSKOVA, WITH A LINE OF SUN MOVING ACROSS THE COURT DURING POINTS... ON DAY 10:


Hey, why not? They've colored themselves in stupidity and/or ineptitude from the week before the regular tournament forward. Why stop now?

Truthfully, the U.S. Open officially stopped being a serious tennis major last year when they decided to turn one of their prestigious competitions into a circus act (while some members of the peanut gallery cheered it on), so nothing can ever really be "surprising," "stunning" or "shocking" anymore.


...PROOF OF WHAT I'VE ALWAYS EXPECTED... ON DAY 10:


Namely, that all the tennis players who don various shades of New York Yankees caps really have no idea what team the cap actually represents.




Actually, I'm almost impressed that Rybakina even knew it was *any* New York sports team, as I half-way expected most to just think it was a a "New York City" logo that was just reproduced everywhere on various products.

That said, no one is dumb enough to buy New York Mets caps thinking the same thing.


..."THINKING" MORE ON IGA... ON DAY 10:


You know, in an alternate universe, Swiatek would drop off tour for nine months to a year, then suddenly a player would re-appear who starts winning all sorts of tournaments, and who reminds people an *awful* lot of Iga. When asked if she really *was* Iga, she'd just say, "I don't know what you're talking about. My name's Toby Kidd."



Or, my *original* version of this story from a while back...

Meanwhile, come 2300, it will be revealed that Professor Mayfair Bartkowski -- for reasons known only to her -- used her first time machine to travel back to 1981 and pick up Toby Kidd at the library of Emsley A. Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina (during 3rd period) and then switch her out with Iga Swiatek sometime during the summer of 2024.

The real Iga lived out the remainder of her days in early 22nd century Barcelona, winning six more Roland Garros titles while using the name "Toby Kidd" and joking about her resemblance to the multi-major title winner from the 2020s. Meanwhile, the real Toby, after at first being uncomfortable in her own skin after undertaking the role of "Iga" decid-... well, we wouldn't want to give away any spoilers and ruin the "fun" to come, now would we?




...Hmmm, THE ONE TOP MEN'S PLAYER (not counting Djokovic) I'M GOOD WITH WATCHING vs. THE LONE U.S. MALE THAT I CAN ACTUALLY TOLERATE... FOR ONCE, THIS GOT A LEGITMATELY INTRIGUED "YES" FROM ME... ON DAY 10:
































The legendary NYC Chelsea Hotel












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Alas, a potential Zheng/Navarro final is now officially off the table. IYKYK.










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**BACKSPIN 2026 BJK QUALIFIERS AWARDS**
=MVPs=
Marta Kostyuk, UKR
Linda Noskova, CZE (Overall MVP)
Jasmine Paolini, ITA
Yulia Putintseva, KAZ
Kaitlin Quevedo, ESP
Mika Stojsavljevic, GBR
Hanne Vandewinkel, BEL

=RISERS=
Marie Bouzkova, CZE
Harriet Dart, GBR
Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA
Greet Minnen, BEL
=VETERANS=
Belinda Bencic, SUI
Elise Mertens, BEL
Elina Svitolina, UKR
=FRESH FACES=
Oleksandra Oliynykova, UKR
Himeno Sakatsume, JPN
=COMEBACK=
Bianca Andreescu, CAN
=DOWN=
AUS
Iva Jovic, USA
POL
USA
=DOUBLES=
Bencic/Golubic, SUI
Burrage/Dart, GBR
Danilina/Kulambayeva, KAZ
Errani/Paolini, ITA
Kichenok/Kichenok, UKR
McNally/Melichar-Martinez, USA
=MOST IMPROVED=
Kaitlin Quevedo, ESP
=CAPTAINS=
Anne Keothavong, GBR
Barbora Strycova, CZE
Wim Fissette, BEL
Tathiana Garbin, ITA
Carla Suarez Navarro, ESP
Heinz Gunthardt, SUI (L)
Yuriy Schukin, KAZ
Illya Marchenko, UKR

**BACKSPIN 2026 BJK ZONE PLAY AWARDS**
=MVPs=
Anna Bondar, HUN
Patcharin "Eve" Cheapchandej, THA
Leolia Jeanjean, FRA
Nana Silva, BRA (Overall MVP)
Despina Papamichail, GRE
Kajsa Rinaldo Persson, SWE
Julia Riera, ARG
Janice Tjen, INA
Elizara Yaneva, BUL

=RISERS=
Elsa Jacquemot, FRA
Noma Noha Akugue, GER
=SURPRISES=
Gabriela Ce, BRA
Anouk Koevermans, NED
Thasaporn Naklo, THA
SWE
Amarissa Toth, HUN
=FRESH FACES=
BRA
Rositsa Dencheva, BUL
Priska Madelyn Nugroho, INA
Mia Pohankova, SVK
Sarah Rakotomanga, FRA
=COMEBACK=
Kristina Mladenovic, FRA
Maria Sakkari, GRE
=DOWN=
Emiliana Arango, COL
SRB
=DOUBLES=
Hennemann/Zaar, SWE
Barros/Silva, BRA
Sutjiadi/Tjen, INA
=JUNIOR=
Victoria Luiza Barros, BRA
Nana Silva, BRA
=MOST IMPROVED=
Amarissa Toth, HUN
=CAPTAINS=
Luiz Peniza, BRA(II)
Alize Cornet, FRA(II)
Johanna Larsson, SWE(II)
Paola Suarez, ARG(II)
Kornel Bardoczky, HUN(II)
Christopher Rungkat, INA(II)
Pracharapol Khamsaman, THA (II)
Maggie Maleeva, BUL (III)
Vasilis Mazarakis, GRE (III)




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‘South Park’ remains undefeated 😂 variety.com/2026/tv/news...

[image or embed]

— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 3:16 PM


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kosova-font










TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("?"): x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (in QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in QF: Gauff, Navarro(L), Pegula(W)
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Kenin d. V.Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r); Jovic/Eala NextGen dual on Ashe
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
BIG CITY ROLLER: x







All for Day 10. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 11:57 PM  0 comments

Monday, September 07, 2026

US.9- Against the Odds


Apparently, Zheng Qinwen liked coming back from 5-0 love down vs. Madison Keys so much that she simply decided to do it against Iga Swiatek, too.




It's been two years since Zheng ended Swiatek's 25-match winning streak on the courts at Roland Garros, clipping her in the Olympic SF in Paris en route to the Gold medal. That week made Zheng's career, while Swiatek has never really been the same player since.

Zheng, already a previous slam finalist (AO) in that '24 season, climbed as high as #4 in the next year, but has seen large sections of both 2025 and '26 greatly impacted by an elbow injury and surgery that took her off court and then slowed her return to action and form. Fighting all the way during her latest U.S. Open experience, after missing last year's tournament following back-to-back QF in 2023-24, Zheng had to make made her way through qualifying just to return to the MD. At times over the past week, she's started to resemble again the player who shot up the rankings and looked to be positioning herself for great things.

Meanwhile, Swiatek, now a former (fairly dominant) #1, is positioned in the bottom tier of the Top 10. Since that Olympic loss, the Pole's once-strong aura of something close to invincibility has been worn down to a dull edge, both in her industrious opponent's eyes and often, seemingly, in her own. No top-ranked player pointed toward *legitimate* greatness in recent tennis memory (i.e. decades) has displayed, as she has over the past two years, such a degeneration when it comes to both self-belief and actual real results as Swiatek. While overmatched opponents still fall by the wayside in short order, any player with a history of success against her, or the ability to turn up her game mid-match, now stands a chance against Iga, no matter the time, place or score. And not just because *they* now have such an increased belief in what is possible for them on any given day, but also because Swiatek apparently does, as well. It results in her "freezing" up, playing tentatively, and often unleashing a hail of errors from a place where precision formerly ruled the court.

The result has been a series of sometimes-shocking collapses, losses against players that Swiatek formerly dominated (until one result turned the tide), in places where she was previously "unbeatable" and even after she's played a series of sterling matches that *seemed* to cause her former glory stride to kick in all over again (at least in the eyes of her overly optimistic fanbase, as well as in some shortsighted, lazy media corners), only for it to be revealed to be a mirage.

While Swiatek is still capable to flashing her her old form, it's now only a short-lived condition. We saw it for about a month and a half last summer, when her year-long final drought (after playing in 22 from 2022-24) ended during the grass season and, after years of stubborn refusal, she was finally convinced by then-coach Wim Fissette to alter her style of play on the surface, resulting in a stunning Wimbledon title run and momentum that carried over to a title on hard court in Cincinnati.

Of course, Fissette was later summarily ejected from the team eight months later when The Troubles returned early this year.

A few weeks ago in Toronto, Swiatek ended what was this time an eleven-month final drought (at the time, she'd only reached one SF -- in Rome -- since September '25), winning one of the few 1000 tournaments she hadn't during her dominant peak. Suddenly, everything was prematurely "rosy" again, though anyone who believed that "the darkness" was permanently in her rear-view mirror was laboring to view the situation through overly Iga-colored glasses.

We learned today that Toronto (and a subsequent Cincy SF) was a moment, not a pivot.

It's fitting, in a way, that precisely what happened to Swiatek on Day 9 was experienced in a different way, against the same opponent, by Madison Keys just two days ago. For they've become very similar players, results-wise... posting consistenty "good" results that still in no way meet the talent level, but slipping in one or two *big* weeks that prop up their ranking and hide six or so horrible, cover-your-eyes outcomes while people then try to pretend that either those didn't happen, or that they're the aberration rather than the player being who they are or have become.

Even so, it was hard to see coming what happened on Labor Day afternoon in New York.

On this day, #8 Swiatek came bursting out of the starting gate, and one had to wonder if Zheng's epic comeback from 5-0 down in the 3rd set vs. Keys on Saturday had taken so much out of her -- mentally and physically -- that'd she'd be on and off rather quickly this time around. Like Keys, Swiatek led 5-0, and seemed set to comfortably coast into the 2nd set and likely beyond.

But then the weirdest case of deja vu was dumped over the head of Swiatek.

Hmmm, upgrade your view, indeed.



Anyone who saw the Zheng/Keys match had the thought in their head when the score hit 5-0, but no one *really* believed it. But then Swiatek served for the match, holding two SP at 5-1, then she served for it again, holding another SP on serve at 5-3. Suddenly, Zheng got a whiff of the familiar, and Swiatek started to retreat back into her tentative tendencies when suddenly challenged by a worthy opponent. In the blink of an eye, Zheng was back on serve a 5-4.

[ BREAK-OF-CONCENTRATION NOTE: it was here that ESPN commentator CoCo Vandeweghe noted how "eye-opening" it was how tentative Swiatek had become, as if it was something coming out of nowhere in her case. It wasn't, and has been seen many times over the past two years. Surely Vandeweghe *knows* Swiatek's ongoing issues (play-by-play caller Jason Goodall noted it himself soon afterward), which is why even though she often proves herself to a good match commentator during a great contest I, personally, have a hard time listening to Vandeweghe during matches, as I have to come to the conclusion that she's at best being disingenuous or at worst just plain FOS. Come to think of it, that's sort of why I never rally liked her all that much during her playing days, too... so maybe I'm onto something, or just refuse to change that opinion.

The same thing happened later in the match when Vandeweghe noted Swiatek's hint of frustration toward her box as her lead slipped away, saying that it's something we usually don't see. Well, yeah, except for many quite animated reactions under similar circumstances the last two years... and quite *more* animated ones, in fact. Today Iga just seemed almost resigned to her own slide. Vandeweghe also reminded everyone that Swiatek "has a mental coach," so she should be able to "calm her mind" as the match went on. Yes, of course, because the work put in with that -- cough-cough -- "mental coach" has worked *so many wonders* of late.

Anyway, back to the match... ]

Zheng's quick hold leveled the match at 5-5, then a game later Swiatek took a 30/love lead on her own serve. But a DF and pair of brilliant power shots from Zheng carved out a BP chance. Swiatek DF'd again and Zheng led 6-5, and moments later served for the set.

[ BTW, ESPN -- again, in fine form after in recent days mangling Keys' saved MP numbers vs. Bondar, then saying during the Keys/Zheng match that Keys had led 5-1 rather than 5-0 -- posted a graphic on the screen that Zheng had won five straight games after trailing 5-1... when Goodall/Vandeweghe had noted *many* times in the previous break how the score had been 5-0. I guess the graphics people don't like to listen, either.]

Zheng easily held at love, winning her *seventh* consecutive game and a *second straight* set over two matches after having trailed 5-0. That's probably never happened before in slam play (though to hear Swiatek's comments after the match, you'd think it happened *all the time*... though, granted, it's crazy how it's played out with Zheng being involved in such a thing twice).



In the 2nd, up 2-1, Swiatek took a brief MTO, but soon after rallied from love/30 down, saving a BP to hold for 3-2. A game later, she led 15/40 on Zheng's serve and seemed set to get things back on course. But, no.

Seemingly trapped between whether to hit bigger or slower to take away some of Zheng's ability to pound the ball back at her (a detection of tactical confusion noted by Vandeweghe, and a good catch, who noted she needed to "pick a lane"), Swiatek let her opportunity slip by as Zheng got the hold. Swiatek wouldn't win another game.

A return winner down the line from Zheng got the break for 4-3, and a subsequent hold pushed Swiatek's back against the wall. She quickly fell behind love/40 before putting up a *bit* of fight, saving three MP (two via big-hitting errors from Zheng) before throwing in a day-ending error on MP #4.

As Zheng fell onto her back again -- another deja vu moment -- with an against-the-odds 7-5/6-3 win, Swiatek's slam season officially ended without a major win for the first time since 2021. Her 12 match wins over the four '26 slams are her worst in a full calendar year of major MD appearances since her 2019 slam debut campaign.



While Swiatek coach Francisco Roig should watch his back (unlike the "mental coach," I suspect), another such reset is likely at least a few more cases of Iga mentially circling the drain away from becoming a true possibility. But maybe he'll see the writing on the wall and act with prudence.



Zheng becomes just the fourth qualifier to reach the U.S. Open women's QF, after Barbara Gerken (1981, likely *decades* before she didn't invent pickleball), Kaia Kanepi (2017) and Emma Raduanu (2021).

Her next task: reaching a second career slam SF and, you know, seeing if she can stop a player who only needs to beat *her* to claim the #1 ranking.

All right, let's go...





=DAY 9 NOTES=
...in the other women's 4th Rounder that took place at the start of the day, #5 Mirra Andreeva continued on her career-best U.S. Open run, defeating #24 Antastasia Potapova to reach her fifth slam QF, though it maybe took just a bit longer than it needed to.

After exchanging early breaks in the 1st, the two held serve until the late going. Andreeva served with Potapova up 6-5, and just needed another hold to force a TB. But it was then that she chose to get into a needless bickering match with her player's box, then proceeded to play an awful service game to give away any chance to seize the set. The Austrian gladly took it 7-5.



After that, the 19-year old Hordette handled her business, taking early break leads in both the 2nd and 3rd sets, relinquishing them and then getting them back in short order. With Potapova serving to stay in the match in the final set, down 5-3 and love/15, the Austrian seemed to hyperextend her knee when racing for a ball, immediately going down on the court. Andreeva crossed over to her side of the court to assist her former countrywoman, helping Potapova to her chair.



After being treated, Potapova decided not to "pull a Kalinskaya" and retire two or three points away from the finish, and went back out to finish the game. She didn't score a point, and was clearly not going to risk anything physically. Andreeva got the love break and officially ended the 5-7/6-4/6-3 contest as the teenager reached her first QF at a hard court major.



...the 4th Rounder between #2 Elena Rybakina and #16 Naomi Osaka, though it wasn't scheduled for the night session on Ashe (that went to Gauff/Jovic), on paper was the top match-up of the Round of 16. It didn't turn out that way, though.

While Rybakina came into the U.S. Open off an ankle/heel injury that caused her retirement in Cincinnati, Osaka took a rare MTO in her last match to treat a lingering Achilles issue. Still, it's not likely that Osaka's injury played a big role in this match turning into an essential "dud," as the tip-top form displayed by the Kazkah played the biggest role in that equation, but this one ended up being quite forgettable, with Rybakina winning fairly routinely by a 6-1/6-4 score.



The win completes Rybakina's Career QF Slam, as it took her 29 major MD to reach the last eight at all four slam events, and it also moves her within one win of officially assuming the #1 ranking and becoming the 30th different woman to hold that spot in tour history. Of course, while it'd be a nice accomplishment and one the likes of a Kvitova or Kuznetsova would surely like to have (both came ultra close to #1 in recent years, but never got there even while winning multiple majors), would it mean *quite* as much for Rybakina a week from now if she's atop the rankings but *didn't* also win her first U.S. Open?

Of course, she could take care of *all* that by herself, especially if she continues to play like she did today.



...in the women's opener on Ashe, #4 Coco Gauff won the all-Bannerette affair with #14 Iva Jovic to secure the women's final QF spot. Gauff was made to work a bit more in the 2nd than when she breezed through the 1st, but she still prevailed 6-1/6-4. It's her tenth straight win this summer, as she improves to 14-1 in the North American hard court stretch.



Gauff's third U.S. Open QF is her first since she won the title in 2023, and she's a win away from reaching back-to-back slam SF for the first time since 2024 (AO/RG).

Meanwhle, after coming within a win of breaking the barrier earlier this summer, thanks to Jovic's loss (she was the only one who could still pass her), Marta Kostyuk is now assured to make her Top 10 debut on Monday. She's the second Ukrainian, after Elina Svitolina (nine years ago), to crack the Top 10.





*WOMEN'S SINGLES QF*
#1 Aryna Sabalenka/BLR vs. #6 Linda Noskova/CZE
#3 Jessie Pegula/USA vs. #26 Emma Navarro/USA
#5 Mirra Andreeva/RUS vs. #4 Coco Gauff/USA
(Q) Zheng Qinwen/CHN vs. #2 Elena Rybakina/KAZ

*WOMEN'S DOUBLES QF*
#1 Siniakova/Townend (CZE/USA) vs. #6 Bucsa/Melichar-Martinez (ESP/USA)
#4 Hsieh/Ostapenko (TPE/LAT) vs. #8 Mertens/Schuurs (BEL/NED)
#9 Routliffe/Sutjiadi (NZL/INA) vs. (WC) Krueger/Montgomery (USA/USA)
#7 Jiang/Zhang (CHN/CHN) vs. #2 Dabrowski/Stefani (CAN/BRA)

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Karolina Muchova/Jakub Mensik (CZE/CZE) def. #4 Belinda Bencic/Flavio Cobolli (SUI/ITA) 6-3/1-6 [10-6]

*GIRLS' SINGLES ROUND OF 16*
#1 Sun Xinran/CHN vs. #14/WC Kristina Penickova/USA
#12 Sol Ailin Larraya Guidi/ARG vs. #7 Mariia Makarova/RUS
x vs. x
x vs. x
#5 Anna Pushkareva/RUS vs. #10 Paola Pinera Celorio/ESP
Ekaterina Dotsenko/RUS vs. (WC) Annika Penickova/USA
x vs. x
x vs. x










...STILL ROOM FOR A FEW MORE... ON DAY 9:





...Hmmm, YEAH IT'S JUST A NORMAL OCCURRENCE TO LOSE A SET YOU'RE LEADING 5-0, IN A TOURNAMENT YOU'VE WON BEFORE, AGAINST A PLAYER YOU WERE 7-1 AGAINST, JUST WEEKS AFTER WINNING A BIG HARD COURT TITLE AND AFTER HAVING BREEZED THROUGH THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS (pssst...it's not)... ON DAY 9:




Just two days ago, Madison Keys' reaction to a similar situation showed just how *not normal* losing a match like that is, and while it was uncomfortable to watch and painful for her to admit, at least she can be content at some point with the knowledge that she wasn't lying, not just to others but also to herself.

Swiatek's reasoning sounds like a repeat of her ludicrous comments after losing to Zheng at the '24 Olympics in Paris, on her favorite surface at her favorite venue (she'd won 25 straight RG/Olympic matches at the time there), then taking home the *Bronze* medal and acting as if it wasn't a major disappointment and that it was actually her goal all along to just win *something*.

Yeah... nope.

Is Daria telling her to just make stuff up and it'll magically make the words true? Psssst.... it doesn't work that way.

Although, if I was going to play the role of devil's advocate, I *would* say that Swiatek probably should find a way to *embrace* the capricious nature of her tennis fate and try to make it work for her (i.e. "be a goldfish," as far as memory retention of bad moments) no matter how spectacularly painful it might be for her to try to force herself to believe that she can't always be perfectly in tune and, really, won't be *most* of the time.

I'm not sure she's got that in her, though.


...CAREER SLAM JOURNEY STILL GOING STRONG (or, in Siniakova's case, what would be an historic Career Slam with a SECOND partner)... ON DAY 9:
























Meet Manhattan’s literary lion:Patience












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And, yes, she did later admit it was a Spider-Man reference, noting how much she likes the Marvel movies.











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*U.S. OPEN QF AS QUALIFIER*
1981 Barbara Gerken, USA
2017 Kaia Kanepi, EST
2021 Emma Raducanu, GBR (W)
2026 Zheng Qinwen, CHN

*BEST SLAM RESULTS BY QUALIFIER*
[W]
2021 US Open - Emma Raducanu
[RU]
2026 Roland Garros - Maja Chwalinska
[SF]
1978 Australian - Christine Dorey Matison
1999 Wimbledon - Alexandra Stevenson
2020 Roland Garros - Nadia Podoroska
2024 Australian - Dayana Yastremska
[QF since 2000]
2000 Roland Garros - Marta Marrero
2001 Roland Garros - Petra Mandula
2006 Wimbledon - Severine Bremond
2008 Roland Garros - Carla Suarez-Navarro
2010 Wimbledon - Kaia Kanepi
2012 Roland Garros - Yaroslava Shvedova
2016 Australian - Zhang Shuai
2017 US Open - Kaia Kanepi
2020 Roland Garros - Martina Trevisan
2024 Wimbledon - Lulu Sun
2026 US Open - Zheng Qinwen (in QF)

*U.S. OPEN LOWEST-RANKED QF*
[since 1975 rankings]
Unranked - 1977 Billie Jean King
Unranked - 1979 Billie Jean King
Unranked - 1981 Barbara Gerken
Unranked - 1982 Gretchen Rush
Unranked - 2009 Kim Clijsters [W]
Unranked - 2020 Tsvetana Pironkova
#418 - 2017 Kaia Kanepi
#150 - 2021 Emma Raducanu [W]
#121 - 2026 ZHENG QINWEN
#103 - 1980 Barbara Hallquist
#93 - 2020 Shelby Rogers
#92 - 2016 Ana Konjuh
#92 - 2011 Angelique Kerber

*CAREER QF SLAMS COMPLETED IN 2020s*
2021 WI - Karolina Pliskova, CZE (36th slam MD)
2022 AO - Kaia Kanepi, EST (53rd)
2023 RG - Ons Jabeur, TUN (24th)
2023 RG - Aryna Sabalenka, BLR (21st)
2023 WI - Jessie Pegula, USA (19th)
2023 WI - Iga Swiatek, POL (18th)
2023 US - Karolina Muchova, CZE (19th)
2023 US - Alona Ostapenko, LAT (31st)
2024 WI - Barbora Krejcikova, CZE (18th)
2026 AO - Amanda Anisimova, USA (24th)
2026 WI - Coco Gauff, USA (28th)
2026 US - Elena Rybakina, KAZ (29th)

*BEST 2026 SLAM RESULTS BY QUALIFIERS*
RG Runner-up - Maja Chwalinska, POL
US - ZHENG QINWEN, CHN - in quarterfinals
AO 4th Rd. - Maddison Inglis, AUS
RG 4th Rd. - Wang Xiyu, CHN
WI 4th Rd. - Ashlyn Krueger, USA
AO 3rd Rd. - Nikola Bartunkova, CZE
AO 3rd Rd. - Zeynep Sonmez, TUR
WI 3rd Rd. - Claire Liu, USA
WI 3rd Rd. - Mananchaya Sawangkaew, THA

*RECENT WTA TOP 10 SINGLES DEBUTS*
[2020]
Sofia Kenin/USA
[2021]
Iga Swiatek/POL
Barbora Krejcikova/CZE
Maria Sakkari/GRE
Ons Jabeur/TUN
Anett Kontaveit/EST
Paula Badosa/ESP
[2022]
Danielle Collins/USA
Coco Gauff/USA
Jessie Pegula/USA
Emma Raducanu/GBR
Veronika V.Kudermetova/RUS
[2023]
Elena Rybakina/KAZ
Beatriz Haddad Maia/BRA
Marketa Vondrousova/CZE
Karolina Muchova/CZE
[2024]
Zheng Qinwen/CHN
Jasmine Paolini/ITA
Emma Navarro/USA
[2025]
Mirra Andreeva/RUS
Amanda Anisimova/USA
Ekaterina Alexandrova/RUS
[2026]
Victoria Mboko/CAN
Linda Noskova/CZE
Marta Kostyuk/UKR




*2026 U.S. OPEN FINAL 8*
[by career slam QF]
17 - Aryna Sabalenka
12 - Coco Gauff
11 - Jessie Pegula
8 - Elena Rybakina
5 - Mirra Andreeva
5 - Zheng Qinwen
4 - Emma Navarro
3 - Linda Noskova

[by career US QF]
6 - Sabalenka
4 - Pegula
3 - Gauff
3 - Zheng
2 - Navarro
1 - Andreeva, Noskova, Rybakina

[w/ consecutive slam QF]
2 - Gauff
2 - Noskova
2 - Pegula

[w/ consecutive US QF]
6 - Sabalenka
3 - Pegula
3 (1) - Zheng (2023-24, DNP '25)

[2026 slam QF - unseeded]
AO - none
RG - Chwalinska (Q)
WI - none
US - Zheng (Q)

[2026 1st-time GS QF]
AO - Iva Jovic (6th MD)
RG - Maja Chwalinska (3rd MD)
RG - Diana Shnaider (12th MD)
WI - none
US - none

[2026 multiple slam QF]
3 - Gauff (AO/WI/US)
3 - Pegula (AO/WI/US)
3 - Sabalenka (AO/RG/US)
2 - Andreeva (RG/US)
2 - Kostyuk (RG/WI)
2 - Noskova (WI/US)
2 - Rybakina (AO/US)
2 - Svitolina (AO/RG)

[2026 slam QF - by nation]
9...USA (4/0/2/3) - Gauff,Navarro,Pegula
4...RUS (0/3/0/1) - Andreeva
4...UKR (1/2/1/0)
3...BLR (1/1/0/1) - Sabalenka
3...CZE (0/0/2/1) - Noskova
2...KAZ (1/0/0/1) - Rybakina
2...POL (1/1/0/0)
1...BEL (0/0/1/0)
1...CHN (0/0/0/1) - Zheng
1...ITA (0/0/1/0)
1...JPN (0/0/1--)
1...ROU (0/1/0/0)

[WTA career slam QF - active]
54...Serena Williams, USA
39...Venus Williams, USA
[18...Victoria Azarenka, BLR]
17...Aryna Sabalenka, BLR
15...Elina Svitolina, UKR
14...Iga Swiatek, POL
12...Coco Gauff, USA
12...Madison Keys, USA
11...Jessie Pegula, USA
11...Karolina Pliskova, CZE
10...Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, RUS
8...Karolina Muchova, CZE
8...Elena Rybakina, KAZ
7...Sara Errani, ITA
7...Ons Jabeur, TUN
7...Sloane Stephens, USA
6...Barbora Krejcikova, CZE
6...Naomi Osaka, JPN
6...Alona Ostapenko, LAT
6...Vera Zvonareva, RUS

[WTA slam QF & W/L in 2020s - 27 events]
17 - Sabalenka (13-2+W)*
14 - Swiatek (9-5)
12 - Gauff (6-5)*
11 - Pegula (3-7)*
9 - Svitolina (2-7)
8 - Rybakina (4-3)*
7 - Jabeur (3-4)
7 - Muchova (5-2)
6 - Krejcikova (2-4)
5 - M.Andreeva (2-2)*
5 - Keys (3-2)
5 - Pavlyuchenkova (1-4)
5 - Zheng Q. (1-3)*
4 - Anisimova (2-2)
4 - Barty (3-1)
4 - Navarro (1-2)*
4 - Osaka (3-1)
4 - Ka.Pliskova (1-3)
4 - Vondrousova (1-2+L)
3 - Badosa (1-2)
3 - Halep (2-1)
3 - Kostyuk (2-1)
3 - Noskova (1-1)*
3 - Ostapenko (0-3)
3 - Paolini (2-1)
3 - Tomljanovic (0-3)
2 - Azarenka (2-0)
2 - Bencic (1-1)
2 - Brady (2-0)
2 - Cirstea (0-2)
2 - Collins (1-1)
2 - Fernandez (1-1)
2 - Haddad Maia (1-1)
2 - Kalinskaya (0-2)
2 - Kenin (2-0)
2 - Kvitova (1-1)
2 - Mertens (0-2)
2 - Sakkari (2-0)
2 - Siegemund (0-2)
2 - Trevisan (1-1)
2 - Vekic (1-1)
2 - S.Williams (2-0)
1 - Boisson (1-0)
1 - Bouzkova (0-1)
1 - Chwalinska (1-0)
1 - Cornet (0-1)
1 - Garcia (1-0)
1 - Golubic (0-1)
1 - Hsieh (0-1)
1 - Jovic (0-1)
1 - Kanepi (0-1)
1 - Kasatkina (1-0)
1 - Kerber (1-0)
1 - Kontaveit (0-1)
1 - V.Kudermetova (0-1)
1 - Linette (1-0)
1 - Maria (1-0)
1 - Muguruza (1-0)
1 - Niemeier (0-1)
1 - Pironkova (0-1)
1 - Podoroska (1-0)
1 - Putintseva (0-1)
1 - Raducanu (1-0)
1 - Rogers (0-1)
1 - Samsonova (0-1)
1 - Shnaider (1-0)
1 - Stephens (0-1)
1 - Sun (0-1)
1 - Yastremska (1-0)
1 - Zidansek (1-0)

[WTA slam QF by nation in 2020s - 27 slams/216]
47 - USA (Gauff,Navarro,Pegula)
27 - CZE (Noskova)
19 - BLR (Sabalenka)
16 - RUS (Andreeva)
16 - POL
13 - UKR
9 - KAZ (Rybakina)
7 - AUS
7 - TUN
5 - GER
5 - CHN (Zheng)
5 - ITA
5 - ROU
4 - ESP
3 - FRA
3 - JPN
3 - LAT
3 - SUI
2 - BEL
2 - BRA
2 - CAN
2 - CRO
2 - EST
2 - GRE
1 - ARG,BUL,GBR,NZL,SLO,TPE

[WTA slam QF W/L by nation in 2020s]
47 - USA (22-22)***
27 - CZE (11-14+L)*
19 - BLR (15-2+W)*
16 - POL (11-5)
16 - RUS (5-10)*
13 - UKR (5-8)
9 - KAZ (4-4)*
7 - AUS (3-4)
7 - TUN (3-4)
5 - GER (2-3)
5 - ITA (3-2)
5 - ROU (2-3)
5 - CHN (1-3)*
4 - ESP (2-2)
4 - JPN (3-1)
3 - FRA (2-1)
3 - SUI (1-2)
3 - LAT (0-3)
2 - BEL (0-2)
2 - BRA (1-1)
2 - CAN (1-1)
2 - CRO (1-1)
2 - EST (0-2)
2 - GRE (2-0)
1 - ARG (1-0)
1 - BUL (0-1)
1 - GBR (1-0)
1 - NZL (0-1)
1 - SLO (1-0)
1 - TPE (0-1)


**BACKSPIN 2026 WTA PERFORMANCE-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN: Rybakina def. #1/#2 en route to AO title
FEB: Pegula wins Dubai w/ two Top 10 victories
MAR/APR: Sabalenka completes Sunshine Double in I.W./Miami
1Q...SABALENKA (SUNSHINE DOUBLE)
BJK Q: Noskova leads CZE comeback to def. SUI on road in Strycova's debut at Capt.
APR: Pegula defends Charleston title
MAY: Svitolina wins Rome w/ wins over 3 Top 4 players
RG: Andreeva wins maiden slam title / Chwalinska's fairy tale run to RG final
2Q Clay Court...SVITOLINA (ROME)
JUN: Vekic wins Queen's Club title as a lucky loser
WI: Noskova claims first major w/ win over Muchova in all-CZE final
WI (WC): Kamiji completes Career Golden Slam w/ first Wimbledon title
2Q Grass Court...NOSKOVA (BERLIN+WIMBLEDON)
JUL: Eala wins maiden tour title in Washington w/ wins over Pegula, Osaka & Svitolina
AUG (pre-U.S.): Gauff wins second Cincinnati title

**BACKSPIN 2026 COACH-OF-THE-MONTH WINNERS**
JAN/AO: Stefano Vukov (Rybakina)
FEB: Sven Groeneveld (Muchova)
MAR: Sven Groeneveld (Muchova)
1Q...GROENEVELD (MUCHOVA)
APR: Stefano Vukov (Rybakina)
MAY: Sandra Zaniewska (Kostyuk)
RG: Conchita Martinez (Andreeva)
2Q 1...MARTINEZ (ANDREEVA)
JUN/WI: Tomas Krupa/Lukas Dlouhy (Noskova)
2Q 2 (grass)...KRUPA/DLOUHY (NOSKOVA)
JUL: Francesca Schiavone (Tagger)
AUG: Jean-Christophe Faurel/Gavin MacMillan (Gauff)





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The US has a dark history of unaccountability.

[image or embed]

— Luca (@lucagalletti.bsky.social) September 7, 2026 at 6:32 AM


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A tale of two Labor Day messages today

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— MeidasTouch (@meidastouch.com) September 7, 2026 at 2:06 PM








TOP QUALIFIER: Lucie Havlickova, CZE
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): #7 Karolina Muchova/CZE (follows up MX title w/ 4 games lost 1r/2r)
TOP MIDDLE-ROUND (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-ROUND (SF-F): x
TOP QUALIFYING MATCH: Q2: #31 Andrea Lazaro Garcia/ESP def. Mai Hontama/JPN 5-7/7-6(6)/6-1 - saved 7 MP, four at 5-4 in 2nd set and three more at triple MP at 6-3 in TB
TOP EARLY-RD. MATCH (1r-2r): 2nd Rd. - Cristina Bucsa/ESP def. (Q) Himeno Sakatsume/JPN 7-6(6)/6-7(0)/7-6(10-6) - three tie-breaks; Bucsa served 5-4 w/ 2 MP in 3rd, then again at 6-5
TOP MIDDLE-RD. MATCH (3r-QF): x
TOP LATE-RD. MATCH (SF-F): x
=============================
FIRST VICTORY: Jasmine Paolini/ITA (def. Veronika Erjavec/SLO)
FIRST SEED OUT: #27 Barbora Krejcikova/CZE (1r- lost to Kamila Rakhimova/UZB)
FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS: Polina Iatcenko/RUS (1st MD), Himeno Sakatsume/JPN (2nd), Lilli Tagger/AUT (2nd)
PROTECTED RANKING MD WINS: Nadia Podoroska/ARG, Mananchaya Sawangkaew/THA (both 2nd Rd.)
LUCKY LOSER MD WINS: D.Semenistaja/LAT (1r-L)
UPSET QUEENS: Spain
REVELATION LADIES: Great Britain
NATION OF POOR SOULS: SUI (0-3 1st Rd.; #12 Bencic hightest seed out; Teichmann w/d)
CRASH & BURN: Madison Keys/USA (3r- blew 5-0 lead in 3rd set vs. Zheng/CHN, had a MP)
ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEW YORK: Madison Keys/USA (2r- saved 5 MP vs. Bondar/HUN; Bondar 2 MP at 5-2 in 3rd, 3 more at 5-3, then served for again at 5-4; Bondar led 5-3 in MTB, Keys won last 7 points)
IT ("?"): x
LAST QUALIFIER STANDING: Zheng Qinwen/CHN (in QF)
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Leolia Jeanjean/FRA, Sofia Kenin/USA, Taylah Preston/AUS, Sloane Stephens/USA (all 2nd Rd.)
LAST BANNERETTE STANDING: in QF: Gauff, Navarro, Pegula
COMEBACK: Zheng Qinwen/CHN
VETERAN PLAYER (KIMIKO CUP): x
DOUBLES STAR: x
BIG APPLE BANNERETTE BREAKTHROUGH: Iva Jovic/USA
BROADWAY-BOUND: Naomi Osaka (and the nominee for "Best Costume Design" is...)
LADY OF THE EVENING: Nominees: Kenin d. V.Williams in 2:02 a.m. finish (latest 1r); Jovic/Eala NextGen dual on Ashe
JUNIOR BREAKOUT: x
BIG CITY ROLLER: x







All for Day 9. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 11:15 PM  0 comments