Thursday, July 02, 2026

W.4- The Eala Elevation













=DAY 4 NOTES=
...while she'll continued to get the hype, as well as the downside of all that in some social media circles, #29 Alex Eala continues to produce, as well. She did it again today.



Facing Serena-conquering Maya Joint, the Filipina dropped the opening set, but then came roaring to life for the remainder of the match, winning 3-6/6-2/6-0 to become the first player representing the Philippines to ever reach the 3rd Round at a major.



Eala is now 11-3 this grass season, with a 125 title in Birmingham, tour-level SF in Berlin (w/ Top 10 wins over Rybakina and Svitolina, as well as Queen's Club champ Donna Vekic), and now another historic first for her career resume.

Now *another* big moment is officially loading.

Eala will next face defending champion Iga Swiatek, as the #3 seed's potentially interesting match-up today with former finalist Karolina Pliskova didn't turn out to turn many heads, after all. Swiatek won 6-1/6-3 to notch her 20th career MD win at the All-England Club.



The upcoming 3rd Round encounter will be the third between Swiatek and Eala, with the Filipina famously winning their maiden match during her star-making Miami run last season. Later that spring, Swiatek got a measure of revenge on the clay in Madrid, rallying from a set down to win in three. Now we'll see how they match up on a third different surface.

Swiatek will also be trying to become just the second DC to play into the second week at Wimbledon since Serena Williams successfully defended her title a decade in 2016. Since then, only Elena Rybakina's 2023 attempt after her '22 win resulted in a 4th Round or better (in her case, a QF) result.

There has been one 1st Round exit (Vondrousova), two in the 2nd Round (Muguruza and Kerber), and a 3rd Round (Krejcikova) along with two reigning champs who didn't play the event the next year (Williams, who was pregnant, and Barty, who'd retired). Meanwhile, Simona Halep's opportunity was taken away in '20 when the event was cancelled, then she was injured in '21. When she finally played the event again in '22, she reached the SF.

...Swiatek's fellow finalist a year ago (we won't get into how many games she won that particular day) is still alive, as well. But #6 Amanda Anisimova had to put her foot down in order to make it happen.

Facing another two-time former slam finalist Bannerette in Sofia Kenin, Anisimova had to rally from 3-1 back in the 3rd, with Kenin holding a pair of BP for a 4-1 edge. But Anisimova kept the set within her sights, got the break to get things back on serve, and after Kenin held to force a deciding MTB, dominated the final stage of the match, winning 10-3 to take the victory, 6-2/4-6/7-6(10-3)



Might Anisimova be on something of a mission at this slam? Remember, after her epic and historic loss in last year's final, she rebounded to reach *another* major final her next time out at the U.S. Open. This is, of course, her first Wimbledon after her coulda-been-embarrassing-but-she-didn't-let-it-be disappointment a year ago. Does she have another deep, I'll-show-'em run in her?

...#23 Emma Navarro continues to fine-tune her game, as well as match-day mettle. After escaping a 5-2 3rd set deficit vs. Paula Badosa in the 1st Round, today she rallied from a set down to defeat Spain's Oksana Selekhmeteva, 3-6/6-4/6-1, to reach the 3rd Round at SW19 after QF and Round of 16 runs the last two years.



She's now 8-3 on the grass this season (8-2 in her last ten), with a Nottingham final and Bad Homburg QF under her belt. Overall, she's on a 14-4 all-surface run.

#12 Marta Kostyuk will be waiting next time out.

...flip, baby. And there we have it?

The Samsonova Flip might finally *really* be a reality, as the Hordette's takedown of #15-seeded countrywoman Diana Shnaider today, 6-4/4-6/6-2, marks the Hordette's first consecutive wins since the 1r/2r in Abu Dhabi back in the first few days of February. Before that, you'd have to go back to January 7th/8th in Brisbane.



With back-to-back wins over Polina Kudermetova and Shnaider, Samsonova is officially starting to dig out of her latest early-season hole, improving to 10-16 as she looks to put together another of her patented back-half of the season showcases.

After seeing her "live" ranking crater (outside the Top 80) as Wimbledon kicked off with last year's QF points ready to drop off, Samsonova has climbed her way back into the Top 70 with her results so far.

Stay tuned.



...though she stands at just 13-13 in tour-level action after her win today (but 17-13 if you count her BJK Cup zone play results vs. far lesser competition, Maria Sakkari has got a nice bounce back campaign going in '26. She reached a 1000 SF in Doha, upset Iga Swiatek in that event (one of two Top 10 wins that week), posted a 1st Round defeat of Linda Noskova at Roland Garros (just weeks before the Czech cracked the Top 10) and has started to inch her way back up the rankings after dropping as low as #92 a little more than a year ago.

The Greek came into Wimbledon at #43, and after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova to reach the 3rd Round and match her career best result in the event (w/ 2017, '19, '22 and '24) she's back inside the Top 40 in the "live" rankings.

Agianst the Russian-turned-Uzbeki (one of many), Sakkari had to stage a comeback from 5-3 down in the 3rd. Rakhimova served at 5-4, but couldn't put the match away. In a final MTB, Sakkari raced to a 6-1 lead and, at 9-4, finally converted on her fourth MP chance to win 6-3/0-6/7-6(10-7).



...the all-slam-3rd-Rounds-all-the-time crowd was pared down to nine today, as that's how many women have now advanced into the Round of 32 in Melbourne, Paris *and* London in 2026.

Five of them are former slam winners (Gauff, Keys, Osaka, Sabalenka and Swiatek), two are past major finalists (Anisimova, Muchova), while Jovic and Kalinskaya are doing so for the first times in their career.

Jovic had only played in five slam MD before this season, while Kalinskaya has only been able to *play* (be it due to injury or Q-round losses) in the MD of the first three majors in *one* other season (2024) since she made her slam qualifying debut back in 2017.

Just fourteen of last year's Wimbledon Final 32 are back this year.

...award update: with the Czechs advancing five of their original ten MD players three-rounds-deep in the bracket, I'm giving the Crushers one of the national/regional awards. But with them defeating two of the three seeded players to lose in the 2nd Round, I'm going to go with "Upset Queens" rather than "Revelation Ladies."

Of course, that means the Southeast Asians switch from the "UQ" winners to the "RL" pick, so Alex Eala *does* play a part in the honor, after all.







...I GUESS THERE'S SOME EXPLANATION FOR IT, BUT... ON DAY 4:

I still don't get how "Catherine" with a C becomes the nickname "Kate" with a K. I mean, the C has worked out just fine for Cate Blanchett.





...OF NOTE... ON DAY 4:

The Centre Court schedule was essentially a "women's day," as it featured *two* women's matches, but just one on the men's side. Imagine that. Roland Garros should take note.


...THEY *REALLY* WASTED SPACE WITH A LIKELY-TO-WIN GRAPHIC ON KEYS/SWAN?... ON DAY 4:




...BELATED DAY 3 HIGHLIGHT... ON DAY 4:




...THEY'RE GIVING HER EXTRA TIME, IT SEEMS... ON DAY 4:



We shall see. I still wouldn't *bet* on it happening quite yet (though *someone* surely would, and probably has).



...ANOTHER THING THAT THEY DON'T ALLOW, WHILE STILL ALLOWING SOME PLAYERS TO CALL THEIR OPPONENTS NAZIS, ACCUSE THEM OF BEING COMPLICIT IN WAR DEATHS, AND REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR EXISTENCE AS A PUBLIC POLITICAL STAND... ON DAY 4:




...IT. IS. COMING.... ON DAY 4:












How do I pick what to go with here? Well, at this slam, it's been pretty random. But in this case, I walked into a store the other day and "Valerie" was playing in the background. So...














kosova-font





Nobody takes an action shot like...




Meanwhile...














kosova-font

*WI26 3rd ROUND NOTES*
[NATIONS IN 3rd Rd.; AO:17, RG:18, WI:18]
8 - USA
5 - CZE
3 - RUS
2 - UKR
1 - 14 nations
--
[32-PLAYER BREAKDOWN]
#1-10 SEEDS: 8
#11-20 SEEDS: 8
#21-32 SEEDS: 5
UNSEEDED: 8
QUALIFIERS: 3
WILD CARDS: 0
PROTECTED RANKING SPOT: 0

[FIRST-TIME MAJOR 3rd Rd. in 2026]
AO: Bartunkova(1st MD), Jovic(6), Selekhmeteva(5), Valentova(3)
RG: Chwalinska(3), Korpatsch(12), Oliynykova(2)
WI: Eala(6), Liu(21), Sawangkaew(2), Snigur(6)

[IN 3rd Rd. AT ALL THREE 2026 MAJORS- 9]
Amanda Anisimova
Coco Gauff
Iva Jovic
Anna Kalinskaya
Madison Keys
Karolina Muchova
Naomi Osaka
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Swiatek

[REPEATS FROM 2025 WIMLBEDON 3rd Rd. - 14]
Ekaterina Alexandrova
Amanda Anisimova
Belinda Bencic
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Madison Keys
Barbora Krejcikova
Elise Mertens
Emma Navarro
Linda Noskova
Naomi Osaka
Elena Rybakina
Aryna Sabalenka
Liudmila Samsonova
Iga Swiatek

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "UPSET QUEENS" NATIONS*
2015 United States
2016 Germany
2017 United States
2018 United States
2019 Slovenia
2021 Czech Republic
2022 France
2023 Romania
2024 Spain
2025 Great Britain
2026 Czech Republic

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "REVELATION LADIES" NATIONS*
2016 Russia
2017 Great Britain
2018 Great Britain
2019 Russia
2021 South America
2022 Poland
2023 The Return of the Hordettes
2024 Great Britain
2025 Italy
2026 Southeast Asia




kosova-font

There are few things more frustrating than grown adults who have access to information, the time to look it up, the aptitude and/or education to understand it, and yet, choose to be both wrong and loud in their wrongness.

— Charlotte Clymer (@charlotteclymer.bsky.social) July 2, 2026 at 3:19 AM


kosova-font










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 Asian
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, Sawangkaew/THA
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); Kalinskaya (2r- Parry led 3-1 3rd, 8-4 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 4. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:22 PM  1 comments

Wednesday, July 01, 2026

W.3- Krejcikova Shoulders Through













=DAY 3 NOTES=
...Wednesday was a day for champions, as five of the sixteen 2nd Round matches on the courts of the All-England Club featured six former grand slam singles title winners (w/ four of them being multi-title champions). Five of them advanced, and the only reason it wasn't a clean sweep was because two faced off *against* each other.

The first to go through was #14 Naomi Osaka, maintaining the grass court momentum she brought with her after reaching her first career final on the surface at Bad Homburg. Of course, with Osaka at the majors this year, the show starts with the entrance...



Osaka's 6-3/6-2 win over qualifier Anastasia Gasanova allows her to equal her best career Wimbledon result, a trio of 3rd Round runs in 2017-18 and '25 (she didn't play the tournament between 2021-23). She's reached the 3rd Round at the first three majors in a season for the first time since 2018, the major campaign that later in the summer ended with Osaka claiming her first slam win at the U.S. Open.



Osaka will next face Dasha Kasatkina, after the Aussie got back upon the proverbial slam horse with a 6-7(5)/6-1/6-4 win over Janice Tjen.

The win gives Kasatkina a second straight 3rd Round at a '26 major following her disappointing 1st Round exit in her first AO as an Australian in her newly adopted country back in January. Last year, her 4r-4r-3r-3r runs in majors (tying for her career high in slam match wins in a season, with 2018 when the total was powered by a pair of QF) "saved" what was otherwise a pretty dreadful campaign.

This year, Kasatkina started the year at 4-7 and had to deal with a hip injury that cost her two months. She returned and put together an 11-2 stretch this spring, winning a 125 title last month. But she came into this Wimbledon having dropped four straight matches.

...top seed Aryna Sabalenka finds herself once again looking to get over the slam hump almost three-quarters of the way into the season's schedule of majors, after her missed opportunity in the Melbourne final and epic semifinal collapse in Paris. Last year, she "salvaged" the year with a title run at the U.S. Open, but would surely like to get the job done in London this time around without having to head to NYC on a do-it-or-else mission.

She got past McCartney Kessler in straight sets today, but only after having to climb out of a 5-2 hole in the 2nd. Kessler had a pair of SP at 5-3, then two more in the ensuing TB. But Sabalenka, as she does, hit her way into the lead in the breaker, winning 11-9 on her third MP to close out the 6-1/7-6(9) victory.



...the third multi-slam winner to advance on Wednesday was #7 Coco Gauff, who once again had to put her renowned ability to fight and win a match without her "A"-game making the machine run smoothly.

The 1st of July holds significance at Wimbledon for Gauff, as it was on that day in 2019 that she made her slam debut at 15-years old, defeating none other than Venus Williams on Court 1 to mark the occasion on her way to the Round of 16.

Last year, also on July 1st on Court 1, the #2-seeded Gauff was upset by Dayana Yastremska in the 1st Round just weeks after having won Roland Garros. She was joined on the sidelines by fellow one-and-doner Jessie Pegula, the #3 seed, marking the first time two of the Top 3 seeds lost at SW19 in the opening round.

Today, back on Court 1, Gauff battled Solana Sierra to reach the 3rd Round, a year after the Argentine had reached the 4th Round at the AELTC as a lucky loser. Sierra saved a pair of MP in her 1st Round win over Anna Bondar, but today it was *she* who had her opponent on the ropes.

Sierra broke Gauff to take a 4-3 lead in the 3rd set, and held for 5-3. In game 9, Sierra fired a rocket of a return for a winner to get within two points of the win at 30/30 on Gauff's serve. Gauff managed the hold, then saw Sierra fumble away her opportunity to serve out the match, throwing in a double-fault, wild forehand error and flubbed drop shot attempt to essentially break herself and level the set at 5-5.

In the deciding MTB, Sierra led the majority of the way, but Gauff would not let her get *too* far ahead. She consistently rebounded to edge within a point on the scoreboard, at 4-3, 5-4 and 7-6 (after having fallen behind 7-4 after Sierra's best stretch in the breaker). Finally, at 7-7, Gauff flicked a winner from the baseline on a ball that was bouncing behind and away from her to take an 8-7 lead.



Serving two for the match, Gauff rushed over the finish line, winning both points, the last with an ace, to take the match by a 6-3/3-6/7-6(10-7) score, winning the final six points of the MTB.



...later in the day on Centre Court, newly-minted RG champ and #5-seeded Mirra Andreeva faced off with '24 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in what was clearly the women's match-up of the day.

While so many went about touting the Swiatek/Townsend match yesterday as a big "test" for the defending champion, *this* one was that -- times about ten (and more as long as Krejickova stayed healthy throughout) -- for Andreeva, who reached the QF a year ago.

Andreeva was looking to avoid the earliest exit at Wimbledon by a woman who'd just won her maiden major title at Roland Garros since Li Na's 2nd Round SW19 loss after winning in Paris in 2011. Since then, the likes of Alona Ostapenko (2017 QF), Simona Halep (2018 3r), Ash Barty (2019 4r) and Krejcikova (2021 4r) had all at least followed up by posting *two* victories at the All-England Club. [Note: Iga Swiatek's 2020 RG win, of course, happened in the fall, so *her* next major was AO21, where she lost in the 4r.]

It was a back-and-forth affair. Andreeva overcame an early 3-0 deficit to win the 1st set 6-4, then when Krejcikova served for the 2nd at 5-3 the Hordette broke serve to keep hopes alive for a straight sets win. Eventually, the Czech broke Andreeva to take the set 7-5 and head to a 3rd.

Krejcikova pulled out to a 4-2 lead there, and served for what seemed like it would be an easy finish at 5-4. It didn't *quite* happen that way, though.

What occurred was an epic 15-minute service game that one wishes could only be bottled. In it, Krejcikova, working points to perfection to set herself up for victory held *six* MP, but Andreeva wouldn't lay down and let the "inevitable" happen. Finally, on her *fourth* BP, the 19-year old converted to put the set back on serve.

Things might have gotten *really* sticky down the stretch if Krejcikova had been dragged even further into battle (it's never a good thing when she has to overextend herself), but she took advantage of MP #7 and finally closed out the 4-6/7-5/6-4 win to send the first Top 5 women's seed out of this Wimbledon.





As usual, Krejcikova has a Jana on her shoulder at this event (see the post-match kiss to the sky to her former coach/mentor)...



But this year she also has a niece on her mind...



Immediately after the loss, Andreeva chucked her racket into the changeover area and yelled "I quit!" to her box, and was still reeling from the result in her post-match presser. But, considering some of her reactions in the past, she's gradually easing -- with the occasional, expected rocky moment -- into a more mature, though still fiery and competitive, attitude about wins and losses in maybe the mentally toughest of all individual sports.



With Krejcikova's win, along with that of #10 Karolina Muchova and Nikola Bartunkova (w/ an upset of another Czech, #32 Katerina Siniakova), there seems to be a pretty good chance we'll see at least one Crusher in the QF, they take up 3/4 of a section (w/ qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew) from which one quarterfinalist will emerge.

...Alona Ostapenko was the fifth of the former slam winners to advance into the 3rd Round in the top half of the draw, allowing just two games to Antonia Ruzic.

It's sets up a potentially bombastic match-up for Friday.



...hmmm, if you go into the day knowing that it is a known fact that there is no lead that Jessica Bouzas Maneiro can't somehow lose, then nothing that happens in one of the Spaniard's matches will ever be a surprise. That knowledge came in handy today.

Bouzas Maneiro led Dayana Yastremska 6-3/4-2 on Wednedsay, and got within two points of the win at 5-4, only to find herself not long afterward having to break the Ukrainian's serve just to reach a 2nd set TB. Once she did, she lost it 7-1, as Yastremska (who saved four MP in her 1st Round match vs. Aoi Ito) pushed things to a 3rd.

Sometimes after losing a big lead, Bouzas Maneiro manages to build up another... and occasionally she even holds onto it. That's what she did this time. After racing out to a 4-1 lead in the decider, she (of course) immediately dropped serve, but quickly broke back and then put away eight of nine points in the final two games to win 6-3/6-7(1)/6-2.

Last year, Bouzas Maneiro reached the Wimbledon Round of 16.



...elsewhere, #29 Anna Kalinskaya battled back from a 3-1 3rd set deficit vs. Diane Parry, then rallied from 8-4 down in the deciding MTB to win 6-4/3-6/7-6(10-8), sweeping the final six points of the match.

The win assures at least one Hordette in the 3rd Round of a 101st of the last 103 majors at which the group has been allowed to participate (and 25 in a row).

...after today's results, the group of sixteen women who'd reached the 3rd Round of every '26 major after AO/RG was pared down a bit.

Six -- Coco Gauff, Iva Jovic, Anna Kalinskaya, Karolina Muchova, Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka -- have now gone three-for-three this major season, with four more -- Amanda Anisimova, Madison Keys, Diana Shnaider and Iga Swiatek -- in line for a chance to join them if they can win on Thursday.





...WELP... ON DAY 3:




...REGIONAL COMARADERIE... ON DAY 3:




...AND SO IT IS WRITTEN (Destination: Indian Wells)... ON DAY 3:




...IT YOU CHECKED YOUR WIMBLEDON CALENDAR ON WEDNESDAY, YOU'D HAVE NOTICED THAT IT WAS "RAD DAY"... ON DAY 3:

It was a pretty quiet one, though, as these things go.




Last week, on the official June 26 "Remembrance Day" of a particularly devastating series of results at the AELTC back in 2013, two of the Eastbourne women's semifinals ended via retirement.

Today, on the annual "observed" moment of Day 3 at SW19, the only out-of-the-ordinary moment of note was probably #5 Mirra Andreeva's exit as the highest seed to lose so far at this Wimbledon.

A history...


*"RAD REMEMBRANCE DAY" HISTORY*
=2013 (inciting event)=
June 26 (Wimbledon Day 3)
"The Radwanskian Massacre" - 7 former #1's lose, w/ 4 additional walkovers and three ret. on day filled with falls, slips and stumbles

=2014=
June 26 (Wimbledon Day 3)
First unofficial commemoration of The Radwanskian Massacre. With the Radwanskian Threat Level meter in place and all on guard and vigilent, calm prevails.

=2015=
June 26 (official)
Aga Radwanska & the seagull (in Eastbourne, bird swoops at Radwanska as she serves... one day later, she loses in the singles final)
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
The hottest day ever recorded in Wimbledon history (35.7 C / 96 F), fire alarm evacuates Centre Court.

=2016=
June 26 (official)/Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
The wet London weather rains... err, reigns. 74 singles and doubles matches are scheduled: 41 are cancelled, 15 interrupted and 18 completed. Only 6 matches were both started and finished solely on Day 3, with 4 of those played under the Centre Court roof. But Aga Radwanska opens the Centre Court schedule and wins without incident and, in a previously unscheduled C.C. match, Radwanska's '16 RG conqueror, Tsvetana Pironkova, loses.

=2017=
June 26 (official)
Eastbourne defending champ Dominika Cibulkova loses in opening match to WC Heather Watson; 4 LL's win MD matches (one LL vs. LL match-up); LL Tsvetana Pironkova advances to 2nd Rd. w/ 1st Rd. bye when Petra Kvitova withdraws, gets 2nd Rd. win
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
It's "Flying Ant Day" as the newly-emerged insects swarm the AELTC grounds. Meanwhile, six women's seeds fall, including two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova.

=2018=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, Aga Radwanska, playing in her first event in two months, saves 2 MP vs. Dasha Gavrilova (both via DF), wins a 2nd set tie-break, then takes the 3rd set at love. Gavrilova has 17 DF on the day.
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
As insects swarm the AELTC grounds on Flying Ant Day, reigning AO champ #2 Caroline Wozniacki falls on the infested Court 1 to Ekaterina Makarova, becoming the sixth Top 8 seed to fall in the tournament's first three days. Aga Radwanska flirts with staging a comeback from a set and 5-1 down and force a 3rd set (after having saved 6 MP in the 1st Rd.), saving a MP vs. Lucie Safarova before the Czech staves off a total of seven BP in an 11-minute game to hold and secure the win. It's Aga's first career "Rad Day" defeat (and she never plays at Wimbledon again after retiring at the end of the season). Later, rain interrupts play for the first time in the fortnight.

=2019=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, a day after her first Top 10 victory in over a year (and first consecutive wins in back-to-back events since last grass season), '18 Wimbledon semifinalist (and former SW19 girls champ) Alona Ostapenko is forced to retire from her 3rd Round match with a hip injury.
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
Margarita Gasparyan, having overcome three knee surgeries and missing most of two years between 2016-18, comes within two points of defeating #8-seeded Elina Svitolina at 7-5/5-4. Five minutes later, she serves and lands awkwardly on her "bad" leg and immediately doubles over in pain. She is treated for cramping, and ultimately, in tears, retires while still leading 7-5/5-6, with an 82-81 points edge and 42-15 lead in winners.

=2021=
June 26 (official)
All quiet, but on 25th Ula Radwanska loses in final qualifying round and on 27th top-ranked Brit Konta w/d due to COVID quarantine
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
After two days of rain following a 715-day break since the last Wimbledon, the Day 3 schedule includes 39 women's (23 1r/16 2r) and 41 men's (27 1r/14 2r) singles matches. Slips and falls that led to back-to-back Centre Court retirements (including S.Williams) on Day 2 continued, and the day began with the unusual news that a pair of lucky losers -- Astra Sharma and Tsvetana Pironkova -- were being added to the draw three days into the event due to injuries (both former semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova and Astra Sharma lost, the latter after holding a 4-2 3rd set lead). In all, three Top 10 women's seeds (#4 Kenin, #5 Andreescu and #9 Bencic) were ousted, longtime Wimbledon "marathon" man John Isner *lost* a five-setter, and 41-year old five-time champ Venus Williams was defeated a day after her sister left the tournament due to injury (marking just the fourth time in their long slam history that neither reached the 3rd Round of a major, and the first time ever at Wimbledon, where Venus became the first Williams to make her debut 24 years earlier).

=2022=
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
Rain delays the start of play (The Rad was having an extra scone for breakfast). Once play begins, three Top 10 women's seeds fall: #2 Anett Kontaveit, a former Wimbledon champion (a crying) #9 Garbine Muguruza, the great British hope in #10-seeded U.S. Open champ Emma Raducanu and two additional seeds (#26 Sorana Cirstea and #29 Anhelina Kalinina). Another (#24 Elise Mertens) saves 2 MP and escapes the guillotine (for now). In the men's, #3 seed and RG finalist (Casper Ruud) loses, along with former men's (Andy Murray) and boys' (#15 Reilly Opelka) champions. Another seed (#31 Sebastian Baez) also exits. Meanwhile, a young Pole (Maja Chwalinska) slips and falls in the backcourt in a fashion very reminscent of the sort of spills that occurred on that fateful June 26 back in 2013. After Chwalinska fell, she never won another game in the match from 6-3/1-0 up.

=2023=
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
After near-washout on Day 2, still more rain backs up match schedule (87 singles matches were on original Order of Play). By end of day, some 1st Round matches still haven't been started as things head to Day 4 (though a few from Centre Court matches, including #1's Djokovic and Swiatek are already in 3rd Round). One of last year's semifinalists (Tatjana Maria) goes out in her opening match, as does a Top 10 seed (#8 Maria Sakkari) and a former world #1 and Wimbledon finalist (Karolina Pliskova). A men's player (Wu Yibing) fainted during a match. Multiple stunts from a group of oil protesters litter Court 18 with confetti, and protesters are dragged from the court, arrested and removed from the grounds. Meanwhile, Katie Boulter and Dasha Saville become "the clean-up crew" as they get down on hands and knees and help clean up confetti from incident that interrupted their match.

=2024=
June 26 (official)
Eastbourne 2nd Rd.: Emma Raducanu saves MP, def. #5 Jessie Pegula for first Top 10 win; Harriet Dart def. ex-slam W Sofia Kenin; Katie Boulter def. ex-slam W Alona Ostapenko (day later all three Brits lose) Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
#25 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and #26 Linda Noskova lose; six men's seeds lose; otherwise no reported Rad activity; Maria Sharapova on Centre court on 20th anniversary of 2004 title

=2025=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, reigning Wimbledon champ Barbora Krejickova w/d from QF after back-to-back wins in which she saved MP.
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
After two-hour rain delay to open day, '24 runner-up (#4 Jasmine Paolini) and semifinalist (Donna Vekic) fall, as does '23 champ Marketa Vondrousova; Brit Katie Boulter upset by lucky loser; four of Top 5 seeds out 1r/2r

=2026=
June 26 (official)
In Eastbourne, both singles semifinals end with retirements (Keys d. Marcinko, Maria d. Ostapenko)
Wimbledon Day 3 (observed)
#5 Mirra Andreeva, weeks after claiming her maiden major at Roland Garros, loses in the 2nd Round to former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.




















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Coco Gauff after beating Sierra at Wimbledon “I really try to enjoy every moment. There’s gonna be one day when I’m gonna be the one watching someone my age playing and I’m gonna miss being out here” ❤️

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— The Tennis Letter (@thetennisletter.bsky.social) July 1, 2026 at 12:38 PM













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*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
2007 4th Rd. - Amelie Mauresmo
2011 4th Rd. - Serena Williams
2013 4th Rd. - Serena Williams

*WIMBLEDON DC RESULTS (Open Era; by season of defense)*
1969 Billie Jean King [RU]
1970 Ann Jones [DNP, retired from sport]
1971 Margaret Court [RU]
1972 Evonne Goolagong [RU]
1973 Billie Jean King [W]
1974 Billie Jean King [QF]
1975 Chris Evert [SF]
1976 Billie Jean King [DNP, retired from sport]
1977 Chris Evert [SF]
1978 Virginia Wade [SF]
1979 Martina Navratilova [W]
1980 Martina Navratilova [SF]
1981 Evonne Goolagong [DNP, pregnant]
1982 Chris Evert-Lloyd [RU]
1983 Martina Navratilova [W]
1984 Martina Navratilova [W]
1985 Martina Navratilova [W]
1986 Martina Navratilova [W]
1987 Martina Navratilova [W]
1988 Martina Navratilova [RU]
1989 Steffi Graf [W]
1990 Steffi Graf [SF]
1991 Martina Navratilova [QF]
1992 Steffi Graf [W]
1993 Steffi Graf [W]
1994 Steffi Graf [1st Rd.]
1995 Conchita Martinez [SF]
1996 Steffi Graf [W]
1997 Steffi Graf [DNP, injured]
1998 Martina Hingis [SF]
1999 Jana Novotna [QF]
2000 Lindsay Davenport [RU]
2001 Venus Williams [W]
2002 Venus Williams [RU]
2003 Serena Williams [W]
2004 Serena Williams [RU]
2005 Maria Sharapova [SF]
2006 Venus Williams [3rd Rd.]
2007 Amelie Mauresmo [4th Rd.]
2008 Venus Williams [W]
2009 Venus Williams [RU]
2010 Serena Williams [W]
2011 Serena Williams [4th Rd.]
2012 Petra Kvitova [QF]
2013 Serena Williams [4th Rd.]
2014 Marion Bartoli [DNP, retired from sport]
2015 Petra Kvitova [3rd Rd.]
2016 Serena Williams [W]
2017 Serena Williams [DNP, pregnant]
2018 Garbine Muguruza [2nd Rd.]
2019 Angelique Kerber [2nd Rd.]
2020 Simona Halep [event cancelled; DNP/injured '21; SF in '22]
2022 Ash Barty [DNP, retired from sport]
2023 Elena Rybakina [QF]
2024 Marketa Vondrousova [1st Rd.]
2025 Barbora Krejcikova [3rd Rd.]
2026 Iga Swiatek





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I was 12 years old the summer of 1976, and I can attest that this country was FESTOONED in red, white, and blue for our bicentennial. Celebrations took place all over the country, and we rocked with patriotism all year long. So marking our 250th in 2026 makes me especially sad.

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— Judge You Harshly 🦋✌️🤟🖖🌈 (@judgeyouharshly.bsky.social) July 1, 2026 at 12:50 PM


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Wow. What an asshole.

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— Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.com) June 30, 2026 at 6:56 PM









TOP QUALIFIER: Robin Montgomery/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
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): x
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: Southeast Asians
REVELATION LADIES: x
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 2r: Bolkvadze/GEO, Gasanova/RUS(L), Grant/ITA, Jeanjean/FRA, Krueger/USA, Liu/USA(W), Sawangkaew/THA(W), Timofeeva/UZB
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (in 2r)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: in 2r: Pliskova/CZE, Sorribes Tormo/ESP(L)
LUCKY LOSERS: Darja Semenistaja/LAT(L)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (in 2r)
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); Kalinskaya (2r- Parry led 3-1 3rd, 8-4 in MTB)
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 3. More tomorrow.

Read more...

posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:01 PM  0 comments

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

W.2- Time Out of Joint













=DAY 2 NOTES=
...the women's "home team" at Wimbledon have had a few points of light over the past half-century or so.

Virginia Wade won the title back in 1977 (and she and Sue Barker reached semis the next two years). Since then, though, there's rarely been a home player who's posed more than a nominal threat. Most notably, Aussie-born transplant Jo Konta reached a SF in '17 and QF in '19, the only last eight runs by a Brit at Wimbledon since 1984.

But other than a pair of Round of 16 results from Emma Raducanu (in '21 and '23, one before her U.S. Open win and one after), aside from the occasional few-and-far-between second week appearances, most instances have been early-round "Cinderella" runs whose clocks were ticking loudly from the moment they were first wound.

Still, over the past five Wimbledons, one British woman has managed to reach the second week at SW19 (every year since 2021, save for '24). The problem this year has been that *none* of the four women who put up those results was in the '26 MD. Heather Watson ('22) lost in qualifying, Sonay Kartal ('25) is out injured, and #30-seeded Raducanu withdrew with an injury hours before her opening match.

None of the seven Brits in the Wimbledon qualifying rounds made it through to the MD (only Watson reached the final round), and the women's contingent at SW19 went 0-6 on Day 1. Then...



18-year old Italian qualifier Tyra Grant made it 0-7 with her 6-4/6-2 upst of Katie Boulter (the highest-ranked Brit in the draw), winning in her slam MD debut. Grant hadn't played a pro match on grass until Wimbledon qualifying, and now she's won four straight.

That left wild card Katie Swan, without a MD slam win for eight years and having played in *no* major in her career other than her home event (where she'd gone 1-6, but been absent in the MD since '23), as the Last Hope. She played Irina-Camelia Begu, the Romanian veteran who'd outlasted Venus Williams in a tight three-setter in Bad Homburg.

Remarkably, Swan actually got the job done, winning 6-4/6-4 to avoid a complete British shutout (and probably ensuring herself wild cards in every grass event in England in from 2027-29, even if it's at the expense of the defending champion, I suspect).



The only of sixteen British women in the qualifying and (original) MD to reach the 2nd Round, Swan's "Last Brit Standing" result was delayed *a bit* at the end, as she served for the win, taking a 40/love lead but needing five total MP to finally make things official.

Of course, alas, even with Swan's win it goes without saying that the "Nation of Poors Souls" at this Wimbledon is the host nation itself.

...meanwhile, it's been more than two decades since a woman rode a pre-Wimbledon tour-level singles titles to an additional win at SW19: Maria Sharapova in 2004, the only one to do it since Jana Novotna in 1998. Through last season, that's an 0-for-85 champions streak, and 1-for-101 since 1999.

There were six pre-event title winners this grass season, and "the curse" has already started to befall those involved.



#13-seeded Jasmine Paolini, a suprise Wimbledon finalist in '24, sent the first champion packing today, corrupting Rosmalan winner Robin Montgomery's previously spotless (9-0) '26 grass season with a comeback 0-6/6-4/7-5 victory over the Bannerette qualifier.

After dropping the 1st set at love, the Italian rode an early break to a 2nd set win, then rallied from 4-2 down in the decider, holding in game 7 at love and then breaking Montgomery to turn the tables. Paolini saved three BP at 4-4, and after Montgomery denied a MP in game 10, two games later broke serve at love to win and avoid a MTB.

The win allows Paolini, holding onto her '26 season by a thread (just like this match), to once again edge above .500 on the year at 13-12. Injury and inconsistencies have pushed her nearly out of the Top 20, as she's so-far final-less after reaching title matches every season since winning her maiden title in 2021. Since the start of '24, Paolini has played in two slam fianls and in three more at 1000 events (last year winning Rome).



A *second* '26 grass champion nearly joined Montgomery on the sideline, as #26 Madison Keys, days after winning her third Eastbourne crown, had to avoid a crushing defeat vs. another U.S. qualifier, Kayla Day.

Keys served at 5-4, 40/love in the 1st set, but somehow managed to drop the opener in a TB (which she'd led 5-4). Keys forced a 3rd set, staving off another collapse by saving four BP in game 8 when leading 4-3. Taking a 5-3 lead in the decider, Keys put away her second MP to win 6-7(5)/6-4/6-3.



Later, a second of the "Fateful Six" did exit, as qualifier Ashlyn Krueger continued on her resurgent grass season path by adding a come from behind upset of #31 Donna Vekic, who a few weeks ago won the Queen's Club title as a lucky loser.

Vekic led 6-3/4-1 (w/ a GP for 5-1), then 5-3. She twice served for the win at 5-4 and 6-5, but Krueger forced and won a 7-3 TB and went up 4-2 in the 3rd en route to a 3-6/7-6(3)/6-4 victory.

At the end of her career-best 2025 season -- in which she reached a 500 final (Abu Dhabi), notched her first Top 10 (Rybakina in Miami) and cracked the Top 30 -- Krueger ended her year on a 1-6 slide. It carried over into '26, as she began this year at a similar 1-5.

Though she reachd the 3rd Round in Indian Wells in March, Krueger stood at just 5-11 on the season heading into RG qualifying. She won the necessary three matches to reach the MD, then lost in the 1st Round, but the run triggered a turnaround on the grass. Playing in an early 125 on the surface during the second week of RG, Krueger qualified and reached the SF, then won the Ilkey 125 a week later.

Her qualifying run and 1st Round win at SW19 gives her nine straight wins, improving her grass mark to 14-1 (17-2 overall going back to what turned out to be her kick-starting RG Q-run).



...so, #3 Iga Swiatek got her turn in the Day 2 women's defending champion spot on Centre Court today against Taylor Townsend, a dangerous though mostly part-time singles player who shines brightest in the doubles. If Swiatek was going to signal that she posed any real threat to repeat in her return to the All-England Club, it was suspected that we'd see it here, or if not her run might end before it even begins.

Well, she won... but was it enough to believe that she's ready to contend with much more during this fortnight? Umm, it's hard to tell, but I'd personally step into the "no" line if faced with the choice at the moment.



Still high on the "favorites" list though nothing she's done since last summer (a three-month that stretch that saw her reach a grass final, win Wimbledon, Cincinnati and, after the U.S. Open, the Seoul 250, by far her best run since winning RG in 2024) would even remotely lead one to believe that might be true, Swiatek came into the match nonetheless having going 26-0 in the 1st Rounds of majors since losing at SW19 in 2019. She lost in her opening match last week in Bad Homburg, a year after reaching the final in a revelatory result that, had it not occurred, probably wouldn't have led to her good results immediately afterward.

But that stretch has proven to be a one-off, as she's failed to reach a final since. Against the best competition, she's been at her least productive, this year going 1-5 vs. the Top 10 (1-7 in the last eight), and 3-7 against the Top 20. In 2026, Swiatek has changed coaches (again), jettisoning the one (Wim Fissette) this spring who'd last summer finally gotten her to alter her game enough to win on grass, seemingly hoping that by adding a former coach (Fransico Roig) of Rafa Nadal that the Spaniard's past aura will somehow re-inject into her a little of her own. So far, results have been mixed (at best, and probably worse).

After Townsend got the early 1st set break today, Swiatek took control and won the set at 6-1. But she then experienced another of her recent, suddenly error-prone stretches, falling behind 4-0 in the 2nd as Townsend knotted the match with a 6-2 win. At this point, *any* result wouldn't have been a surprise.

Swiatek saved four BP and held in the opening game, finally taking a significant lead with a break for 4-2. But Swiatek then gave the break back in the next game. Swiatek surged last, going up 15/40 on Townsend's serve in game 8, and getting the break. She served out the 6-1/2-6/6-3 win, firing off an ace on MP.

Swiatek will next face Karolina Pliskova, a former Wimbledon finalist and world #1 experiencing an under-the-radar nice comeback campaign in '26. The Czech, who defeated countrywoman Tereza Valentova today, is 6-2 on grass, with a Nottingham SF and Queen's Club QF, and has an overall 20-9 mark. Alex Eala is a potential 3rd Round opponent, along with the loud fans that follow her across the tour schedule.

Afterward, Swiatek cried about having been able to pull this one out... which, from this corner, doesn't feel like the "triumph" some seek to portray it as, but rather maybe an indication that even she doesn't think she's lasting very long in this event and is just glad it wasn't a *complete* disaster of a return. Just an observation from the peanut gallery.

...#2 Elena Rybakina, the '22 champ, managed a win today, as well, but also didn't inspire much confidence that a deep run is in the works, having to go *three sets* against what is essentially (at this point) a clay court specialist in Lois Boisson, who has won just *one* match this season (she's 1-7) since returning from another injury layoff.

Boisson has never won a grass match in her career (0-3), yet took a 6-1 2nd set off Rybakina, who came into SW19 having lost on the surface to both Yuliia Starodubtseva and Katie Boulter in what was a 1-2 pre-Wimbledon grasscourt stint.



...later, while they never faced a MP, both qualifier Leolia Jeanjean and #23 Emma Navarro were fortunate to survive in the draw.

Facing Veronika Erjavec, Jeanjean had a devil of a time closing out the Slovenian. She didn't convert a MP at 5-3 in the 3rd on serve, nor four more at 6-5 on return. Forced to a deciding MTB, things were tied up 5-5 before the Pastry finally ran off wins in five of six points and converted on her sixth MP attempt to get the 6-4/4-6/7-6(10-6) victory.



Navarro, a finalist this month in Nottingham and semifinalist in Bad Homburg (where she defeated Swiatek), arrived having put together a 12-4 mark since recently fully returning to action after a health-related break. She'd started 5-11 on the year (including 2-9 in a stretch), finally forcing her own hand and making the decision to take some time off in March. She returned in May after getting things sorted, winning a title in Strasbourg in her third tournament back.

Still playing her way back into shape, Navarro has at times looked special, but sometimes suddenly instantly beatable. Today she played both sides of the equation and came out on top vs. Paula Badosa.

The Spaniard took the opening set, and led 5-2 in the 3rd, serving at 5-3. But Navarro seized upon Badosa's final dip in play, breaking her in her final two service games to take a 6-5 lead, then saving a pair of BP on her own serve in game 12 to avoid a deciding MTB. She converted on her fourth MP chance in the game, winning 4-6/6-3/7-5.

She's 8-3 (now w/ more wins at SW19 than any other major) in her Wimbledon career, with QF/4r results the last two years.



...#8 Elina Svitolina wasn't as lucky.

In the midst of a tremendous season, Svitolina has climbed back into the Top 10, winning two titles (including the Rome 1000, her biggest since 2018) and reaching a SF (AO) and QF (RG) in majors. Her six SF and nine QF both lead the tour, while her seven Top 10 wins are tied (for now) for the most this year.

But she withdrew from her Bad Homburg QF last week, and one wonders if whatever impacted that decision lingered into this Wimbledon, as after getting off to a great start (up 4-0, 30/love vs. fellow Ukrainian Daria Snigur) she was quickly shown the exit, falling 7-5/6-2, losing thirteen of the last sixteen games.



Of course, big upsets aren't a new experience for the 24-year old Snigur. She's notched two Top 10 wins in majors (w/ Simona Halep at the '22 U.S. Open, after which everything went to hell for what remained of the Romanian's career), and is 3-1 vs. Top 10 opponents in her career. She won her bigget career title at a 125 event in February, finally cracked the Top 100 in March, and should now emerge from this Wimbledon at a new career high (likely inside the Top 75, at least).

Snigur already had good memories of the AELTC. Seven years ago, she was the junior champion.



...meanwhile, did The Moment happen today? No, not *that* one, the one where Liudmila Samsonova flips the switch on a bad start to her season and scrambles down the stretch with enough good resuts that she finishes above .500 and with a ranking inside the Top 30? I mean, it's happened every single year since 2022.

Samsonova's poor starts:

2022: 10-14 (until winning Washington in August)
2023: 8-9 (until a Madrid 4th Round)
2024: 5-11 (until a Strasbourg SF)
2025: 10-11 (until a Strasbourg RU)

Even with those starts, she's not had a sub-.500 season in the bunch. Here are her season finishes:

2022: 20-3 (for 30-17; #20)
2023: 26-15 (for 34-24; #16)
2024: 21-12 (for 26-23; #27)
2025: 20-12 (for 30-23; #17)

The Hordette came into Wimbledon at 8-16 on the year, looking for the port in the storm that would make everything right once again.

There'd been *signs* that The Flip might be close, as she ended her five-match losing streak last week in Bad Homburg with her first win since Rome, taking the opening set from Svitolina before falling in three. She arrived at SW19, where she reached the QF last year, with a 1-3 grass record, but having dropped a trio of three-setters. It showed, at least, that her inch-by-inch progress was real. She hadn't had a three-set loss since Indian Wells, as her next six defeats after I.W. came in straight sets before the schedule turned over to the grass.

But time is getting short. Samsonova's ranking dropped outside the Top 40 last week, and with her QF points evaporating she found herself outside the "live" Top 80 heading into her 1st Round match against qualifier Polina Kudermetova today. She needed a win... and she got one, defeating Kudermetova 6-3/6-3.

She'll play countrywoman, #15 Diana Shnaider, next. The Flip might be closer, but she'll need *that* win for it to officially appear as if the moment has arrived.

...late in the day, of course, the moment that the *entirety* of Day 2 revolved around -- at least according to ESPN, which made the entire day's coverage an essential pre-game show -- the return of 44-year old Serena Williams in her first singles match since losing to Aussie Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 U.S. Open.

As it turned out, there was another Aussie, 20-year old Maya Joint, waiting for her on Centre Court.



Considering Joint's woeful season to date, though she *had* played a three-setter and a close two-setter this grass season (she lost them both, but still), it was easy to see Williams as the "favorite." Joint stood at 3-15 on the year, 1-13 in her last fourteen, and 0-11 in her last eleven tour-level outings.

But, good on ya, Maya. The kid actually came out and played her best match of the season when the most people were watching, holding off a clearly-rusty and not really *fully* match-ready, but still super-dangerous, Williams in a three-set victory that proved that, no, a 44-year old -- even if she might the best player ever -- can't just walk in off the street and beat anyone, even a player who has lost to almost everyone she's faced this season.

Joint held up well all match, denying Williams' multiple BP chances as she claimed the opening set at 6-3. Williams picked up steam in the 2nd, overcoming a 3-1 deficit. After Williams converted her first BP (on try #6), having been set up by a vintage low forehand passing shot, to knot the score 3-3, Joint immediately broke back. They traded off three straight breaks to get to 4-4, and Williams held from love/40 to go up 6-5. Joint forced a TB, where she rallied 5-4 down to hold a MP at 6-5. But Williams pushed back, taking the breaker 8-6 and sending things to a 3rd.



Williams got the early break to lead 2-1, but it wasn't meant to be. Not this time. Not yet, anyway. Joint didn't let negativity, or her lost chance in the 2nd, to take her down. She broke back, and after taking a break lead at 4-2 never let (a likely tiring) Williams turn the tide back, winning 6-3/6-7(6)/6-3.






Joint goes on to face #29 Alex Eala in a match that will have fewer eyes gazing upon it (but not by too many), while Williams looks to the doubles, where she'll re-team with Venus for doubles team with a combined *90* years of experience.



...as far as early-round awards, there are a lot of contenders for "Upset Queens" and "Revelation Ladies" -- with the Bannerettes, Crushers and Hordettes a combined 26-11 so far -- so I'm going to only award one at the moment.

Since one of the large contingents will be better as the "RL" honoree, whichever nation it goes to, I'll give the "UQ" title to a *region*, as the Southeast Asians combined to wreak havoc in the 1st Round. The Philippines' Eala's win was expected, but she will be joined in the 2nd Round by Indonesia's Janice Tjen (def. #22 Fernandez) and a pair of Thai players who both recorded their maiden slam MD wins, Lanlana Tararudee (def. Tagger) and Mananchaya Sawangkaew (the beneficiery of #20 Chwalinska's unfortunate slip-and-fall incident).

The "RL" will likely be a race between the U.S., Czech Republic and Russia, with possible "upsets" by the smaller groups from Spain (w/ three left, though Badosa *should* have made it four) or Uzbekistan (w/ 2 in the Final 64, with Polina K. missing out due to Samsonova's belated '26 rise).






...ALL RIGHT, BUT IF YOU'RE A FORMER #1, SIX-TIME MAJOR WINNER AND THE DEFENDING CHAMP... ON DAY 2:

...is surviving a 1st Rounder vs. the world #79, who has reached exactly one tour singles final (a 250) in her career and who came into the day with a 2-6 mark in a Wimbledon history that began a dozen years ago, *really* something spectacular to write home about? I'm just sayin'.



As usual with Iga, she scrapes by in one match and people treat it as evidence that she's somehow deep in the thrall of RG dominance from 2022-24 again. We shall see.




...WIMBLEDON'S TWITTER/X HAS BEEN SUBPAR THIS TOURNAMENT, SO I GUESS WE SHOULD BE HAPPY THEY DID *ANYTHING* (even if it is pretty rudimentary compared to the creativity of past years)... ON DAY 2:




...MEANWHILE, THE WTA SOCIAL MEDIA WAS POSTING SERENA TRIBUTES WITH AN, UMM, VAGUELY SATANIC FEEL?... ON DAY 2:




...THANK YOU, YONEX... ON DAY 2:

Diana Shnaider's switch from Adidas to Yonex has finally paid off in the bandanna department, as the new sponsor did what the other couldn't: provide her with an acceptable all-white bandanna (w/ logo, of course) that she could wear at Wimbledon.





















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*WI 1st ROUND*
TOTAL MD NATIONS: 39
MOST IN 2nd RD. (29 diff. nations): 12-USA,7-CZE,7-RUS,3-AUS,3-ESP,3-UKR
UNDEFEATED 1st RD.: 2-0 (THA); 1-0 (GEO-GRE-INA-PHI-TUR)
BEST NON-UNDEFEATED 1st RD.: 7-3 (CZE), 3-1 (ESP), 3-2 (AUS), 2-1 (CHN-ITA-SUI-UZB)
WORST 1st RD.: 0-3 (AUT), 0-2 (CAN-HUN), 1-7 (GBR), 1-4 (GER), 1-3 (POL-ROU), 1-2 (CRO)
SEEDS OUT: 7+1 (1-AUT,1-CAN,1-CRO,1-DEN,1-POL,1-UKR,1-USA; +GBR w/d)
DEF.SEEDS: 1-ESP,1-GRE,1-INA,1-THA,1-TUR,1-UKR,1-USA
SLAM MD DEBUTS: 5 (1-CZE,1-GBR,1-ITA,1-MKD,1-SRB)
FIRST-TIME SLAM MD WINS: 4 (2-THA,1-ITA,1-RUS)
[BY NATION - alphabetical]
0-1 = AND
1-1 = ARG
3-2 = AUS
0-3 = AUT
1-1 = BEL
1-1 = BLR
0-1 = BRA
0-2 = CAN
2-1 = CHN
1-1 = COL
1-2 = CRO
7-3 = CZE
0-1 = DEN
3-1 = ESP
2-2 = FRA
1-7 = GBR
1-0 = GEO
1-4 = GER
1-0 = GRE
0-2 = HUN
1-0 = INA
2-1 = ITA
1-1 = JPN
1-1 = KAZ
1-1 = LAT
0-1 = MEX
0-1 = MKD
1-0 = PHI
1-3 = POL
1-3 = ROU
7-2 = RUS
0-1 = SLO
0-1 = SRB
2-1 = SUI
2-0 = THA
1-0 = TUR
3-4 = UKR
12-6 = USA
2-1 = UZB

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "LAST BRIT STANDING"*
2015 Heather Watson (2nd Rd.)
2016 Johanna Konta & Tara Moore (2nd Rd.)
2017 Johanna Konta (SF)
2018 Katie Boulter, Johanna Konta & Katie Swan (2nd)
2019 Johanna Konta (QF)
2021 Emma Raducanu (4th Rd.)
2022 Heather Watson (4th Rd.)
2023 Katie Boulter (3rd Rd.)
2024 Emma Raducanu (4th Rd.)
2025 Sonay Kartal (4th Rd.)
2026 Katie Swan (in 2r)

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "UPSET QUEENS" NATIONS*
2016 Germany
2017 United States
2018 United States
2019 Slovenia
2021 Czech Republic
2022 France
2023 Romania
2024 Spain
2025 Great Britain
2026 Southeast Asia

*RECENT WIMBLEDON "NATIONS OF POOR SOULS"*
[2019]
BLR (1-3 1st; 3/4 of "Dream Team" lose, #10 Sabalenka FSO)
[2021]
CAN (0-2 1st; #5 Andreescu & Fernandez lose; Bouchard DNP)
[2022]
AUS (1-5 1st; DC Barty retired in March)
[2023]
ITA (1-6 1st)
[2024]
ROU (1-5 1st; #29 Cirstea, Bogdan 2 MP, no Halep)
[2025]
AUS (1-6 1st; only new AUS Kasatkina w/ win)
[2026]
GBR (1-7 1st; Kartal DNP, Raducanu w/d; 0-7 start; 0/7 Q)


*RECENT WIMBLEDON "LAST WILD CARD STANDING"*
2015 Jelena Ostapenko, LAT (2nd Rd.)
2016 Tara Moore/GBR & Evgeniya Rodina/RUS (2nd Rd.)
2017 Zarina Diyas/KAZ & Heather Watson/GBR (3rd Rd.)
2018 Katie Boulter/GBR, Ons Jabeur/TUN & Katie Swan/GBR (2nd)
2019 Harriet Dart, GBR (3rd Rd.)
2021 Emma Raducanu/GBR & Liudmila Samsonova/RUS (4th Rd.)
2022 Katie Boulter, GBR (3rd Rd.)
2023 Elina Svitolina, UKR (SF)
2024 Emma Raducanu, GBR (4th Rd.)
2025 none (0-8 combined)
2026 Katie Swan, GBR (in 2nd Rd.)

*2026 FIRST CAREER SLAM MD WINS (w/ career slam MD)
-AUSTRALIAN OPEN (5)-
Nikola Bartunkova, CZE (1st)
Linda Klimovicova, POL (1st)
Petra Marcinko, CRO (1st)
Taylah Preston, AUS (3rd)
Oksana Selekhmeteva, RUS (5th)
-ROLAND GARROS (6)-
Susan Bandecchi, SUI (1st)
Marina Bassols Ribera, ESP (2nd)
Francesca Jones, GBR (7th)
Oleksandra Oliynynkova, UKR (2nd)
Kaitlin Quevedo, ESP (1st)
Antonia Ruzic, CRO (3rd)
-WIMBLEDON (4)-
Anastasia Gasanova, RUS (2nd)
Tyra Grant, ITA (1st)
Mananchaya Sawangkaew, THA (2nd)
Lanlana Tararudee, THA (2nd)

*MAIDEN CAREER SLAM MD WINS AT AO-RG-WI-US - 2020-26*
-AUSTRALIAN OPEN (36)-
-ROLAND GARROS (37)-
-WIMBLEDON (28)-
2020 DNP 2021 Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove, NED
2021 Maria (Camila Osorio) Serrano, COL
2021 Emma Raducanu, GBR
2022 Maya Chwalinska, POL
2022 Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ITA
2022 Dalma Galfi, HUN
2022 Catherine Harrison, USA
2022 Mai Hontama, JPN
2022 Katarzyna Kawa, POL
2022 Jule Niemeier, GER
2022 Panna Udvardy, HUN
2023 Bai Zhuoxuan, CHN
2023 Jodie Burrage, GBR
2023 Tamara Korpatsch, GER
2023 Natalija Stevanovic, SRB
2024 Erika Andreeva, RUS
2024 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, ESP
2024 Sonay Kartal, GBR
2024 Robin Montgomery, USA
2024 Yuliia Starodubtseva, UKR
2024 Lulu Sun, NZL
2024 Anca Todoni, ROU
2025 Veronika Erjavec, SLO
2025 Solana Sierra, ARG
2025 Zeynep Sonmez, TUR
2026 Anastasia Gasanova, RUS
2026 Mananchaya Sawangkaew, THA
2026 Lanlana Tararudee, THA
2026 Tyra Grant, ITA
-U.S. OPEN (23)-





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SCOTUS strikes down Trump's executive order banning birthright citizenship.

[image or embed]

— Ann Telnaes (@anntelnaes.bsky.social) June 30, 2026 at 10:42 AM











TOP QUALIFIER: Robin Montgomery/USA
TOP EARLY-ROUND (1r-2r): x
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): x
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: Southeast Asians
REVELATION LADIES: x
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 2r: Bolkvadze/GEO, Gasanova/RUS, Grant/ITA, Jeanjean/FRA, Krueger/USA, Liu/USA, Sawangkaew/THA, Timofeeva/UZB
LAST WILD CARD STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (in 2r)
PROTECTED RANKING WINS: in 2r: Pliskova/CZE, Sorribes Tormo/ESP
LUCKY LOSERS: Darja Semenistaja/LAT(L)
LAST BRIT STANDING: Katie Swan/GBR (in 2r)
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); Yastremska (1r- Ito held 4 MP over two games in 3rd set); Sierra (1r- Bondar 2 MP at 5-4, 40/15 in 3rd); Navarro (1r- trailed Badosa 5-2 in 3rd); Krueger (1r- trailed Vekic set and 5-3, twice served for match)
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 2. More tomorrow.

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posted by Todd.Spiker @ 7:20 PM  0 comments